Naruto: Uchiha Rejects Konoha

Although the Third Hokage didn't want to grant access to the Sealed Book, the situation pertained to his ability to retain the Hokage position, so he had no choice but to make a concession.

The Uchiha would be allowed to access the Sealed Book, but any individual wishing to read it would have to pass a review, and unrestricted access was not permitted.

"So, we Uchiha have no objections. We also request that the allowance be distributed as soon as possible. You are aware that our clan is quite large, and the village's delay in payment has nearly made it impossible to overlook the issue."

Yagami nodded, though while the Sealed Book was valuable, he didn't intend for all Uchiha members to use Forbidden Techniques—realistically, that wasn't feasible.

Uchiha had strong abilities overall, but their chakra reserves were a limitation. Three Tomoe Sharingan was manageable, but the Mangekyō's chakra consumption was significant.

Young shinobi like Itachi and Shisui, for example, could only sustain Susano'o in its skeletal form with one arm. They would avoid using its second stage unless absolutely necessary.

Yagami's chakra reserves doubled, allowing him more freedom to use Susano'o without hesitation.

Damn! Can't Uchiha avoid casting blame? Do they even hear what they're saying?

The Third Hokage and the clan leaders exchanged speechless looks. The Uchiha clan already had substantial assets in Konoha. Even without the village's subsidy, they wouldn't struggle financially.

Moreover, the Uchiha operated four hotels across the Land of Fire, frequented by nobility and wealthy merchants, yielding higher daily earnings than other restaurants and taverns made in a week.

Then there was their "security company," where each job started at a million Ryo, rivalling an S-ranked mission.

The daimyo even commissioned them with an order for a hundred million Ryo, nearly matching one of the village's major financial appropriations.

Uchiha, unable to admit their financial security? Yagami, do you have a fundamental misunderstanding about poverty?

The high-level meeting soon disbanded, ending quickly since Yagami didn't complicate matters for the Third Hokage.

Back at the clan compound, Yagami selected a group of clansmen to study the Sealed Book. Now that the Third Hokage had granted Uchiha access, Yagami had to apply right away before any revisions could be made to the book; acquired rights needed to be exercised swiftly, lest they weaken over time.

Meanwhile, the Third Hokage began reviewing the family allowances that the village had withheld from the Uchiha clan over the years. Seeing the total amount left him speechless.

A full five billion ryo.

Subsidies were calculated based on the number of ninjas, as the largest expenditures were for their training. Civilian families didn't receive such allowances, serving solely as producers.

Uchiha was considered a major clan primarily due to their high number of shinobi, especially Jōnin, who made up a fifth of Konoha's total Jōnin count.

Different shinobi ranks had different allowances, with Jōnin receiving the highest.

After the Nine-Tails incident, the Uchiha suffered suspicion from the village's upper echelons. Under Danzō's covert influence, their allowances were withheld and diverted into private research funds.

The Third Hokage had been aware of this but allowed it, hoping to control the Uchiha. Over time, the accumulated sum had grown into a considerable amount.

The five hundred million ryo total was based on the current Uchiha roster. If calculated over time, another one or two hundred million would likely need to be added.

There was no way Konoha could provide such a sum at once. Even if such a budget existed, paying it to the Uchiha would likely bankrupt the village.

"Ah… did I bring this trouble on myself?"

The Third Hokage sighed wryly, having publicly promised the allowance to the Uchiha. Failing to fulfil it would render the show meaningless, yet he had condoned this situation himself…

"Summon the Sarutobi clan head."

After a bitter smile, the Third Hokage requested Anbu to call the Sarutobi clan head. Although he was Hokage, he did not serve as his clan's head.

The village certainly can't afford to pay the Uchiha clan 500 million ryo, as its funding largely relies on the regular allocations from the daimyo, and the rest depends on the village's self-sustaining income and expenses.

Thus, the Third Hokage decided to have his clan contribute some funds temporarily to placate the Uchiha.

The Sarutobi clan, having accumulated a reasonable amount of wealth, could afford to withdraw 100 to 200 million ryo, though the clan members would have to tighten their belts for a while. Unlike the Uchiha, they lacked extensive independent resources, with their assets mainly coming from village finances, which kept their clan's power and finances in proportion.

The Third Hokage arranged for part of the funds to come from the Sarutobi family, another part from Danzō's Root, and any remaining shortfall would be made up by contributions from the Mitokado and Utatane clans. The Shimura clan was left out of this arrangement as they were struggling with their own expenses to build clan lands and wouldn't be able to contribute.

The Third Hokage had no reservations about reallocating Root's funds; after all, it was Danzō's fault, and using Root's resources to repay Uchiha seemed fitting. While the redistribution would still strain the village's budget, it would prevent outright economic collapse. Once the daimyo's next allocation arrived, the financial burden would ease.

Meanwhile, Danzō was enraged upon learning that Sarutobi had seized Root's funds. Furious, he struggled to keep his chakra under control, nearly losing control of his Hashirama-enhanced arm. With no official position and Root's resources depleted, supporting his operations would now be impossible.

Frustrated, he muttered, "Sarutobi could have just asked the daimyo for funding, yet he's burdening the village… Huh? The daimyo!" He paused, his eyes lighting up with an idea.

If memory served, there was a contingent of Uchiha shinobi around the daimyo, including only Itachi with the Mangekyō. If targeting the Uchiha within the village was impossible, then perhaps…

While he wouldn't attack the daimyo directly, the Uchiha shinobi stationed to protect him would undoubtedly be of Jōnin rank, many possessing Three Tomoe Sharingan. The risks were high, but if successful, the rewards would be worth it.

Compared to Yagami and Shisui, who guarded the Uchiha clan with Mangekyō, the daimyo's protectors would be easier targets, especially since the daimyo's residence was vast, and Itachi couldn't always be by his clansmen's side.

The more he considered it, the more Danzō found his plan viable. His right arm was becoming increasingly unstable, and the remaining Sharingan could soon be rendered useless.

"…Gather the elite. The old man has a top-secret mission to assign!"

Danzō had barely dispatched his team when Shisui arrived to inform Yagami. Ever vigilant, Yagami had stationed people to monitor Danzō's activities.

"Danzō has mobilized a Root unit of about twenty shinobi. They left the village using a barrier loophole," Shisui reported.

Yagami frowned, wondering why Danzō would send a group out now. This deviation from the original timeline was suspicious.

Out searching for someone? That seemed unlikely, given Danzō's current condition, with dwindling Sharingan and Hashirama cells barely contained. His focus should be on Uchiha, so why…

Then it clicked: Danzō might be targeting the Uchiha shinobi in the daimyo's palace! Ruthless as he was, Danzō would think nothing of endangering the daimyo if it meant gaining new Sharingan.

A grin tugged at Yagami's lips. Being a time traveller, he had never worried about anything happening to the daimyo. Yet Danzō, always defiant, didn't seem to care about such consequences as if threatening the daimyo himself. If not for the Third Hokage's protection, the daimyo would have lost his patience long ago.

In the eyes of the shinobi villages, the daimyo might be seen as just a figurehead controlling finances, but he was still the ruler of a nation. Moreover, the noble families across the five great countries maintained close intermarriages, making them interconnected. If harm befell a daimyo, it could be used as a pretext for war, giving daimyos the de facto protected status in every village.

"Shisui, you stay with the clan and await the patriarch's return. I'll go check on the daimyo's palace. Itachi might not be enough to handle things there."

Yagami turned to Shisui. He had left a Flying Thunder God seal in the daimyo's residence before, allowing him to arrive quickly and return just as fast. With this ability, he could easily assess the situation.

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