Naruto: Tenseigan Eye

"Once Iwagakure starts a war, it will be nearly impossible for us to stop them," someone stated grimly.

"Unless we stabilize Iwagakure in advance," suggested Nara Shikashin, standing up. "But even then, stabilizing them would come at a price we may not be able to bear."

This would mean sacrificing Konoha's interests just to placate Iwagakure. It was the only way to avoid being dragged into the war, but such appeasement would tarnish Konoha's reputation. Breaking their alliance with the Cloud Village was even less of an option—it would make Konoha infamous.

"What should we do, then?" one council member muttered. "We can't fight, we can't appease Iwagakure, and we can't afford to ignore this. What's the solution?"

Another sighed. "Forming an alliance with the Cloud Village was a mistake. They're too reckless and arrogant."

"Exactly. With Konoha's support, they feel emboldened to launch wars, like their current aggression against the Mist Village."

"Is it just me, or does this alliance feel like a scheme by the Cloud Village?" another whispered.

Around the room, murmurs of discontent rippled.

Shinki, meanwhile, sat calmly at the table, his expression unreadable as he focused on the patterns on his teacup. Despite the murmuring, Utatane Koharu, still smarting from her earlier humiliation, remained silent, unwilling to reprimand the room for their gossip as she normally would.

The Third Hokage grew visibly anxious. His gaze darted around the room, but no one seemed willing to offer a concrete solution. At last, his eyes landed on Shinki.

"Shinki, what do you think?" he asked, his tone strained.

Shinki raised an eyebrow, feigning nonchalance. "Me? I don't have any special opinions or groundbreaking suggestions."

"What?" The Hokage blinked in disbelief. "How can you—"

Shinki interrupted him, raising a hand as if to calm him down. "I know you're anxious, but please, don't be anxious."

The Hokage slumped back into his chair, confused but hopeful.

"It's useless to panic," Shinki continued with a shrug. "We still have to face the situation, no matter how dire."

Akimichi Torifu coughed into his hand. "Well, that's... not wrong," he muttered, clearly amused.

Nara Shikashin opened his mouth to say something, then hesitated and chose to stay silent, avoiding further aggravating the Hokage's already fragile nerves.

The Third Hokage, on the verge of losing his composure, gestured for Shinki to continue.

Shinki stood, placing his hands firmly on the table. "First of all, let's focus on the actual problem. The war between the Cloud and Mist Villages has nothing to do with us. Konoha doesn't have maritime capabilities, and it's not our fight. Our concern is the Rock Village. If they attack the Cloud Village, what should we do?"

The council room fell silent, waiting for Shinki's answer. Even Koharu, who had been about to interrupt, thought better of it and stayed quiet.

Seeing that no one objected, Shinki went on. "If Iwagakure insists on attacking the Cloud Village, we don't need to panic. Let me remind you—we are allies of the Cloud Village, not their family. If they're attacked, we're obligated to help, but only within reason."

The room buzzed with whispers as his words sank in.

"As allies, our duty is to provide support, not to fight to the death. Sending a detachment to distract the Rock Village and hold back part of their forces would fulfill our obligation. Beyond that, it's not our responsibility to suffer heavy losses for their decisions."

The council members exchanged looks, processing his point.

"As long as we deploy enough forces to meet our ally's expectations, the Cloud Village cannot complain. After all, Konoha isn't the Cloud Village's caretaker. We're allies, not subordinates."

It made sense, though it felt somewhat dismissive. Still, no one could deny the logic.

Shinki clapped his hands. "Instead of worrying, let's prepare for the worst-case scenario. The village is still recovering from the last war. We can't afford another prolonged conflict, but we can afford to send a contingent to the border. The families in the village with idle ninjas can make themselves useful on the front lines."

Gasps rippled through the room. Shinki's proposal clearly targeted the Sarutobi and Shimura clans—families loyal to the Hokage and his inner circle.

The Third Hokage paled. On the surface, Shinki's plan solved the immediate problem, but it was also a thinly veiled move to diminish the influence of the clans closest to him. If war broke out, those ninjas would face the brunt of Iwagakure's assault.

"This plan..." The Third Hokage trailed off, unsure whether to feel relieved or alarmed. While Shinki's reasoning was sound, the implications left him uneasy.

Meanwhile, Shinki remained composed. "It's not a perfect solution, but it allows us to fulfill our obligations without overextending ourselves. Any further risks are the Cloud Village's to bear."

Around the room, council members nodded slowly. Shinki's plan was practical, even if it was ruthless.

Utatane Koharu, for her part, watched silently. For once, she had no intention of speaking up. After the humiliation she'd endured earlier, she wasn't about to challenge Shinki now and risk further embarrassment.

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[Naruto: Maelstrom Of the Uzumaki]