Uchiha's personal opinion

Sakumo Hatake nodded.

He then glanced at the group of Uchiha Jonin from the Mobile Force, still appearing completely unmoved.

Sakumo Hatake felt a little more at ease.

A while later, there was another urgent knocking on the office door.

"Lord Sakumo, the Internal Affairs Department's ninjas have assembled in the Forest of Death!"

A Jonin entered and said, "The Ino-Shika-Cho, Sarutobi, Shimura and other ninja clans have also gathered in the woods behind the Shadow Rock."

How many people are there?

"I asked Hatake Sakumo."

"The Ministry of Internal Affairs has over three hundred people, and the Hokage's ninja army numbers around a thousand..."

"Including the secret service, that's only 1,500 people..."

Sakumo Hatake nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

The number of people involved is not that important; the key is the decisive battle between the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Tokumitsu Uchiha, which is the core of the civil war.

With fewer people, the village will suffer relatively less damage.

Regardless of who wins or loses, as a fellow Konoha ninja, Hatake Sakumo will feel heartbroken.

But there was nothing that could be done. The Hokage faction was no longer willing to listen to Uchiha Tokumitsu's conditions, so the matter would not end until a winner was decided.

"...Has Tsunade made any unusual moves?"

Sakumo Hatake asked again.

"The Senju clan's territory has been completely sealed off. Ninjas are on guard on the high walls, and no abnormalities have been detected so far..."

The Jonin who came to report replied.

"That's good……"

Sakumo Hatake also breathed a sigh of relief.

As long as Tsunade, who represents the orthodox lineage of Konoha, doesn't choose to take sides, everything is fine.

"Let's investigate further."

Sakumo Hatake said.

The Uchiha Jonin of the mobile unit remained calm and composed, as if they hadn't heard anything.

……

Inside the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had changed into his combat uniform, placed his Hokage hat on his desk, and was holding a helmet in his hands.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were also dressed in Shinnin uniforms, carrying huge scrolls on their backs, and were ready for battle.

"Lord Hokage, all departments are ready!"

A secret agent pushed open the door and entered to report.

"……it is good."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, nodded. "Wait for orders."

"As ordered!"

The ANBU ninja then went outside.

"Yan, Xiaochun, it's been many years since we fought side by side."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, chuckled, "Let's hope our old bones can still be of use..."

"...Should we send someone to summon Feng again?"

Mitokado Homura did not answer directly, but instead mentioned Akimichi Torifu.

"Of the six of us, only..."

Koharu Utatane was about to say something when she was interrupted by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"There's no need to go to fetch the wind, and he's unwilling to go anyway."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, shook his head. "The village still needs someone to be in charge..."

Another reason that everyone knows is that there are still some fence-sitters within the Ino-Shika-Cho trio who are unwilling to devote the full strength of their three clans to fighting the Uchiha clan.

"Knock knock!"

Another member of the secret service knocked on the door and entered.

"Lord Hokage, the Hyuga, Inuzuka, and Aburame clans have all refused to accept the conscription..."

The ANBU member cautiously stated, "Furthermore, the families of the Inuzuka and Aburame clans have all been relocated to the Hyuga clan's territory..."

"Another fence-sitter..."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, let out a laugh.

However, this is also understandable from a rational perspective. They felt that the Hokage's forces had little chance of winning against the Uchiha clan, or that even if they did win, it would only be a Pyrrhic victory. Therefore, they simply chose to remain neutral.

"The Sakumo faction, the Senju clan, the Hyuga alliance... they've all chosen neutrality..."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, smiled bitterly: "Is my rule such a failure?"

"Further words are pointless!"

Mitokado Yan said calmly.

"Too……"

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, nodded. "Then let's go into battle!"

"Hah!"

Chapter 247 Internal Strife

After the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, led his troops away from the village, the Uchiha clan members who remained in the village immediately notified Uchiha Tokumitsu, who was preparing for battle in Settsu County, through the Ninja Cat Clan.

They then organized a clan ninja army, led by the clan head Uchiha Yomo, and left the village, bypassing the Hokage's marching route to rush towards the Daimyo's capital and the surrounding area.

Sakumo Hatake's Jonin squad and the Reform Society then took over the defense of Konoha's northern district and stationed the Barrier Squad to take over the village's defensive barrier. The Senju clan also subsequently sent a ninja army to take over Konoha Hospital.

The Uchiha ninjas from the police department who remained in the village also issued a martial law order. The entire eastern and western districts of Konoha were placed under martial law, with people prohibited from walking on the streets and all shops closed. In the southern district, Uchiha clan ninjas also patrolled and monitored the area from the high walls, and the light red barrier privately set up by the Uchiha clan was activated.

Other ninja clans also gathered their clan ninjas, fully armed, to guard their territory.

The atmosphere in Konoha was extremely tense.

Sakumo Hatake was deeply conflicted.

He didn't want to see the Konoha ninjas turn against each other, but he knew it was unavoidable. He and Uchiha Tokumitsu were allies for many years, but as the leader of the Jonin team, he couldn't go to their aid...

"Knock knock!"

There was a knock on the door of the Jonin team's office.

Hatake Sakumo glanced at the Mobile Force Operations Jonin who was still sitting quietly with his eyes closed inside, then called out towards the door, "Come in!"

"Sakumo-sama..."

A Chunin pushed open the door and entered, saying respectfully, "Mr. Akimichi Torifu has come to visit and wishes to meet with you..."

"...Please invite Senior Feng in."

Sakumo Hatake hesitated for a moment, then looked at the still unmoved Uchiha Jonin before speaking to the Chunin who was delivering the message.

"As ordered!"

The messenger, having received the order, left and a short while later brought in Akimichi Torifu.

"It's been a long time since I've seen Senior Feng..."

Sakumo Hatake greeted Akimichi Tofu with a broad smile.

"Something's happened in the village, so I came to check on you..."

Akimichi Torifu also said without any attempt to hide his feelings, "But seeing that you're doing well, I'm relieved."

After speaking, Akimichi Torifu couldn't help but glance at the Uchiha Jonin members of the Mobile Force who were sitting quietly at one end of the office.

"Humph!"

The Uchiha Jonin also noticed Akimichi Torifu's gaze, but they only snorted coldly and said nothing more.

"Senior Feng, do you have a plan to resolve the village's current situation...?"

Sakumo Hatake did not continue speaking.

Akimichi Torifu understood what he meant.

"Let them fight one match first..."

Akimichi Torifu sighed and sat down at Hatake Sakumo's invitation: "If a decisive victory isn't achieved, it could lead to even more tragic events in the future..."

"Ugh……"

Hatake Sakumo also sighed, but he still felt sorry for Konoha Village and even more sorry for Uchiha Tokumitsu.

"Tomorrow."

Akimichi Torifu said, "We'll head north together tomorrow, and then we should be able to decide the winner."

"Too……"

Sakumo Hatake nodded.

Akimichi Torifu was right; the conflict between the Uchiha clan and the Hokage lineage had become deeply entrenched and neither side was willing to give up until a decisive victory was achieved.

I just hope that the Konoha ninja don't suffer too many casualties...

……

"Bring Yagura the tangerine tree over."

Uchiha Tokumitsu gave instructions to his attendants.

"As ordered!"