Leverage in Hand, Heading to the Battlefield

Koharu Utatane and Mitokado Homura, the two senior advisors, each expressed their opinions.

"Then let's begin by summoning the clan leaders to discuss this matter and draft a plan for distributing the positions."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. This war was proving to be far more intense than he had anticipated.

Now was not the time to show any signs of exhaustion—doing so would signal Konoha's weakness.

If that happened, the other shinobi villages might unite to eliminate Konoha first.

In times of war, one should never expect morality from enemy forces.

--

Uchiha Compound, Fugaku's Residence

"You're all heading to the battlefield tomorrow?"

Mikoto asked in surprise.

"That's right. Even Shimizu has to go to the front lines. Iwagakure's large-scale assault has taken a heavy toll. Konoha must respond with unwavering strength—we can't afford to show any weakness to the other villages."

"This… I see."

Mikoto sighed.

She was once a jōnin, but after getting married, she retired from active duty. Over time, she had become detached from the shinobi way of life, and her physical condition was no longer what it used to be.

If Konoha's situation became even more critical, even retired shinobi like her would be forced back into battle.

"What about recruiting Shimizu to our side? How should we proceed?"

Mikoto knelt on the tatami floor and asked Fugaku.

She had painstakingly gathered information from Kushina, who had learned from Minato that Kakashi mentioned Shimizu frequently ate military ration pills.

But since Shimizu occasionally treated himself to a luxurious meal, it was clear he didn't actually enjoy eating ration pills—it was simply part of his ninja training, rewarding himself with a proper meal only from time to time.

Mikoto had already chosen a restaurant to treat Shimizu to a feast. However, now that Fugaku had told her he was heading to the battlefield, she wasn't sure what to do next.

"We'll talk about it when I return."

Fugaku waved off the topic.

His eyes burned with intensity as he looked at Mikoto. Tomorrow, he would be on the battlefield.

Even though he wasn't particularly interested in such matters, tonight, he felt the urge to release some tension.

"I'm sorry, Fugaku, I'm not feeling well tonight."

Mikoto noticed the look in his eyes and pressed her lips together. Her face was somewhat pale.

As a wife, she was expected to fulfill her marital duties.

But she found herself unable to. The very thought of it filled her with aversion, even nausea, leaving her heart heavy with guilt.

"Then take some time to rest. Maybe visit Konoha's hospital."

Fugaku frowned. Mikoto had refused him multiple times now, and irritation began to rise in his heart.

But as the head of the Uchiha clan, he couldn't afford to let his emotions control him.

After a moment, he took a deep breath and walked into his study, resigning himself to another restless night.

Mikoto lowered her head, berating herself for her weakness. Why was she so indifferent to desire, even to the point of feeling sick?

The weight of recent stress had drained her once again—not physically, but mentally.

--

Hyūga Clan

When Hyūga Natsu returned home, she noticed the tense atmosphere within the clan.

"Where have you been?"

A stern voice demanded.

"I went to see a friend."

"We are at war. Stop wasting time on meaningless socializing."

Hiashi Hyūga's voice was rigid and commanding.

"Yes, Clan Leader."

Natsu quickly bowed and retreated.

Hiashi was a strict man, feared by many within the clan.

Natsu was no exception—his sudden presence had nearly startled her.

As she approached Hyūga Ginka's residence, she tread carefully before stepping inside.

"You were missing all day. Where were you?"

Ginka's delicate brows furrowed slightly.

Her fiancé, a main family member, was also being deployed to the battlefield.

Hiashi had just notified the rest of the main branch. The situation at the front lines was dire, and more shinobi were needed immediately.

Even genin had to participate, and higher-ranked shinobi were being deployed in greater numbers.

The Hyūga clan's main family was no exception—they, too, had to fight for the village.

"I went to see someone."

"Who?"

"Uchiha Shimizu."

Slap!

Ginka took a step forward and struck Natsu across the face, leaving a large red mark.

She was furious that Natsu had acted on her own accord.

In times of war, establishing good relations between clans was important.

But Uchiha Shimizu had clashed with Hyūga Tokuma before. Approaching him recklessly could stir up unnecessary trouble.

Ginka was well aware of the relationship between Tokuma and Natsu.

She didn't care about such things—her only concern was maintaining her stable life as a high-status lady.

"Don't go there again. The Uchiha hold grudges, and your efforts are useless."

Ginka glanced at Natsu with disdain and wiped her hand with a handkerchief.

She had an aversion to filth and disliked touching branch family members, even though Natsu was technically her sister by blood.

Due to the Hyūga clan's dwindling numbers, a period of increased childbirth had been encouraged, leading to Natsu's birth. But from the moment she was born, she had been assigned to the branch family.

To Ginka, as a member of the main family, superiority was ingrained in her very being.

Natsu felt the stinging pain but forced herself to hold back her tears, lowering her head in silence.

She had almost refused Shimizu for the sake of her sister.

But now, she regretted it.

In that moment, something seemed to shift within her—or perhaps, nothing had changed at all.

"Stop crying. It's irritating."

Ginka waved her hand dismissively, signaling Natsu to leave.

She had only lashed out to vent her frustration.

Her fiancé was heading to war, meaning there was a real possibility he wouldn't return.

Their engagement couldn't be broken. If he died, she would become a widow in name.

Even though they hadn't married yet, in the rigid traditions of the Hyūga, she might be labeled as "unlucky" and gossiped about.

She already had plenty of people who disliked her demeanor—many would seize the chance to kick her while she was down.

The mere thought of it made Ginka irritable.

"Damn those Kumogakure shinobi… It hasn't even been a few years, and they're at it again."

Around Year 40 of Konoha, the Second Shinobi World War had come to an end.

Now, in Year 47, war had erupted once more.

Both the First and current wars had been instigated by Kumogakure—it was no wonder Ginka harbored resentment toward them.

"Yes, my lady."

Natsu stood up and quietly left.

Her pale white eyes flickered with emotion as she clenched her fists.

Ginka had always acted as she pleased, never truly treating her as a sister.

If that was the case… why should she keep pretending?

--

The Next Day

Shimizu Residence

"That was fast."

Shimizu glanced at the recording device in his hands. He hadn't expected Natsu to act so efficiently.

He had assumed it would take a few more days to obtain, but she had delivered it already.

"My lady told me not to see you anymore. I won't be able to come again. I had to use a transformation jutsu just to get here today."

Natsu explained.

Transformation jutsu wasn't foolproof—it was easy for other shinobi to see through.

If a clan member discovered her, and word got back to Ginka, things could get ugly.

"You're completely different from the person you were yesterday."

Shimizu chuckled.

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