“Of course I know we can’t agree to it!”
The sharp voice made Hiruzen Sarutobi’s brows knit tightly, and he could not help raising his voice.
He waved his hand irritably, as though trying to brush away the unpleasant vibration in the air.
Then he pointed toward the seat opposite him, signaling Utatane Koharu to sit down quietly before reaching for his pipe again.
The faint light of the match briefly illuminated his tightly pursed lips.
The tobacco caught fire with a soft crackling sound.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag.
Thick gray-white smoke rose into the air, obscuring his complicated expression behind a hazy veil.
His deliberately lowered voice came from behind the smoke.
“Don’t tell Danzo about this. We don’t need any unnecessary complications.”
Utatane Koharu naturally understood Shimura Danzo’s temperament.
If he learned about this, he would certainly make a huge fuss.
She steadied her emotions and rapidly sorted through the situation in her mind before speaking solemnly.
“Danzo, tell me your considerations.”
After a brief pause, her tone became even more serious.
“The Uchiha suddenly demanding authority this time is certainly not just about an eastern shinobi force. We must see their true intentions clearly.”
“Homura has already set out for the Daimyō’s residence. Right now, only the two of us can discuss this matter.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi vigorously massaged his aching brow, trying to dispel the heavy fatigue brought on by a sleepless night.
His voice carried a hint of hoarseness as he slowly spoke.
“The shinobi forces are the hands and feet Konoha relies upon to act. They absolutely cannot be placed under the control of the Uchiha. Even if we plant our own people among them, we cannot predict what those unruly Uchiha might do, much less effectively restrain them.”
If the Uchiha were allowed to seize the moral high ground, then driven by both legitimacy and strength, control of the eastern shinobi forces would inevitably fall into their hands.
The loss of an entire shinobi force was something Hiruzen Sarutobi absolutely could not accept.
But then his tone shifted.
“However, judging from the Uchiha’s attitude today, they won’t let the matter rest unless we give them a reasonable explanation.”
“We don’t know when Kirigakure will advance westward. We don’t have much time to consider our options.”
At this point, the Third Hokage, renowned as the “Professor of Ninjutsu” and the “Strongest Hokage,” thought of the calm, unyielding gaze of the Uchiha clan head.
The anger of being openly challenged by those who had once been obedient, mixed with a sense of helplessness, finally broke through the dam of his reason. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
He tightened his grip on his pipe, his knuckles turning slightly white, and practically ground out the words through clenched teeth.
“We’re all founders of the village. Why can’t the Uchiha… be like Tobirama-sensei’s Senju clan, willingly burning away everything they have for the sake of Konoha?!”
Utatane Koharu, whose worldview and way of thinking were almost identical to his, nodded deeply in agreement.
Then a sharp glint flashed through her eyes.
A “brilliant plan” emerged in her mind—one that appeared to be a concession, but would actually throw the problem right back at the Uchiha.
“Since we can’t give them our standing shinobi forces,” she said, leaning forward, her voice lowered but carrying a shrewd edge, “why not go with the flow and allow the Uchiha… to raise a shinobi force of their own?”
A cold curve tugged at the corners of Utatane Koharu’s lips.
“Don’t they always call themselves the ‘number one clan in the shinobi world’? Surely they have the strength to form an independent army, don’t they?”
“Better yet, let the Uchiha provide all the expenses and supplies for this shinobi force themselves.”
“They can preserve their so-called ‘prestige,’ relieve the village’s pressure on the other fronts, and at the same time reduce the Uchiha’s strength. Wouldn’t that be killing three birds with one stone?”
Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his pipe.
Gray-white smoke still lingered between his brows, much like the thoughts circling through his mind.
He carefully weighed every word of Utatane Koharu’s proposal, considering its advantages, disadvantages, and feasibility.
After a long while, Hiruzen finally spoke in a low voice.
“This… could indeed be one way to resolve the problem.”
He first gave it limited approval, but then his tone immediately shifted, and his sharp gaze turned toward Utatane Koharu.
“But the Uchiha are by no means foolish enough to be manipulated at will. How could they fail to see the deeper meaning behind this?”
“And once a completely independent, self-sufficient Uchiha shinobi force takes shape, what reins will we have left in our hands… to restrain this tiger once it breaks out of its cage?”
Worried that there would eventually be two Konohas, Hiruzen Sarutobi ultimately shook his head.
He temporarily set aside this tempting yet extremely dangerous proposal.
“This matter is of enormous importance. Pulling one thread will affect the entire situation… We need to think it over carefully.”
If they could quickly defeat Sunagakure, Iwagakure, or Kumogakure, then the initiative in dealing with Kirigakure would no longer be in the Uchiha’s hands.
It would return to the Hokage.
Only after realizing this did Hiruzen Sarutobi remember that Utatane Koharu must have come for something important.
He asked,
“By the way, Koharu, what did you come to see me about? Is it related to logistics?”
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi bring it up himself, Utatane Koharu laid out the carefully prepared argument in full.
She folded her hands over her knees and spoke in a clear, orderly manner.
“Danzo, we’re fighting on multiple fronts now, and the expenditure is enormous.”
“Relying solely on whatever funding the Daimyō may or may not send, and whenever he may or may not send it, will probably not be sustainable. We need to establish a new, stable source of revenue.”
“Right now, the greatest concentration of wealth within Konoha is the Uchiha’s ‘Ginza.'”
Utatane Koharu stated it without hesitation.
“It brings in enormous profits every day.”
“However, according to the old system established by Second-sama back then, taxation on shinobi clan businesses is extremely low. That may have been acceptable in the past, but under the current circumstances, it is no longer appropriate.”
Her eyes burned as she looked toward the Hokage.
“I believe it is time to promote tax reform. We should no longer be limited to fixed-rate taxes. Instead, we should follow the model of taking a percentage from mission rewards and impose taxes on all commercial activities above a certain scale according to their profits.”
“This is not aimed at the Uchiha. It is for the overall interests of Konoha.”
“Tax reform… easier said than done.” Bitterness appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi’s face.
“That would amount to cutting into the wallets of every shinobi clan, especially the Uchiha.”
“At such a sensitive time, wouldn’t it have the opposite effect and further intensify the conflict?”
“Precisely because we’re at war, we have even more reason to do it!” Utatane Koharu argued forcefully.
“To support the front lines and protect the village, everyone with the ability to contribute should make a greater contribution.”
“We can define it as a ‘special wartime tax,’ with a clearly defined duration and purpose. Afterward, we can gradually advance the reform.”
“Even the Uchiha would find it difficult to openly oppose it under the banner of ‘protecting Konoha.’ Unless they want to bear the reputation of caring nothing for the village’s survival.”
She paused before continuing.
“We can set the threshold for taxation relatively high, targeting large-scale commercial enterprises like the ‘Ginza.'”
“Most small and medium-sized businesses and clan industries would be barely affected, so resistance would naturally be much lower.”
“We’re not trying to make enemies of every shinobi clan. We’re simply asking those who benefit the most to shoulder the corresponding responsibility.”
Both men understood perfectly well what she meant.
Hiruzen Sarutobi said nothing.
He merely looked out the window at the towering “Ginza,” where the Uchiha clan crest gleamed brilliantly beneath the sunlight.
“…Go draft the proposal, Koharu.”