The Permanently Neutral Village

Inside the Conference Room

Dan and Mei Terumi stood facing each other, one standing and the other kneeling, their gazes locked.

Unlike Obito, who used his Sharingan to overtly control the Fourth Mizukage and bring about the Bloody Mist era, Dan's control over Mei was subtle. He rarely interfered with her actions, ensuring she seldom behaved unusually, thus avoiding suspicion.

Dan could have continued to use Mei as a puppet, keeping tabs on Kirigakure's future movements and internal affairs. However, at this moment:

A surge of chakra from Dan's Mangekyo Sharingan entered Mei's body.

Genjutsu Release.

In the next second, the crimson hue in Mei's eyes vanished, replaced by her original beautiful green irises.

Mei's face showed a brief look of confusion and blankness. When she came to her senses and realized she was kneeling before Dan, she immediately stood up, a mix of anger and embarrassment on her face.

"So, you've been controlling me with your Sharingan all along!" Mei shouted, her voice filled with indignation.

"So what?" Dan's calm response rendered Mei speechless.

I controlled you, so what can you do about it?

Faced with the stark reality of the power gap between them, Mei's fury quickly subsided. Her bravado melted away.

"Then... why did you release me from the genjutsu? Was it just to humiliate me?" She gritted her teeth, questioning Dan.

Dan's answer surprised her.

"You're no longer of use to me." He looked at Mei as if she were an inconsequential piece of trash.

"You..." Mei stammered, at a loss for words. She cast a complicated glance at Dan before turning and leaving the conference room without looking back.

 Thirty Minutes Later

News spread from the Hokage Tower that the Sixth Hokage, Dan, had reached an agreement with the Four Kage: Konoha would remain permanently neutral.

Dan's decision stirred widespread discussion among the villagers, each with their own interpretations and opinions.

Soon after, Fugaku convened a meeting of the village council and the Uchiha clan members.

"What does he mean by this?" Tsunade asked, frowning as soon as she entered the room.

She had expected Dan, upon becoming Hokage, to reclaim the lost territories of the Land of Fire and unify the great nations, becoming the ruler of the ninja world. This would have aligned with Dan's ambitious and domineering nature.

Instead, Dan's decision to declare neutrality was completely unexpected and bewildering.

Not only Tsunade, but many other council members were equally puzzled. Few could fathom the Sixth Hokage's thought process.

Fugaku gestured for everyone to remain calm and began to explain:

"The Sixth Hokage told me his plan is to transform Konoha into a neutral, safe, and open international metropolis. By attracting talent and money from across the ninja world, Konoha will become the most prosperous place in the ninja world. As the rulers of Konoha, the Uchiha clan will benefit immensely, ensuring our family's prosperity for generations."

"Why not just unify the ninja world and solve all problems at once by creating a unified nation?" Tetsui hesitated but voiced his thoughts. This sentiment was shared by many clan members, given their strength.

Unifying the ninja world in the name of the Uchiha and earning a place in history was an enticing goal for many.

Fugaku didn't answer immediately but instead looked around the room, asking, "Why do you think that is?"

After a moment of silence, Itachi stood up first and spoke:

"Unifying the ninja world might seem simple, but it would actually be a long and arduous process, potentially taking three to five years, if not more than a decade. During this time, the Uchiha clan would be forced into constant warfare, leading to countless clan members' deaths. We've just ended a war and gained a prosperous and peaceful life. Are we ready to go to war again? Are we prepared to see our loved ones, comrades, and friends die before our eyes?"

As Itachi spoke, his gaze swept across the room, reminding everyone of the cost of war.

Itachi's words resonated deeply, and the room fell silent once more. While the idea of unification was attractive, the cost in lives was a sobering thought.

Kakashi stood up next, supporting Itachi's view and adding a new perspective:

"If we look at history, every major ninja war began after a period of peace when the number of ninja in each village became excessive. To ensure that most people could make a living, villages had to go to war to seize resources from other countries. I believe that with the Sixth Hokage and the Uchiha clan's abilities, unifying the ninja world is only a matter of time. But what happens after that? Post-war, there will be a new baby boom, leading to an excess of ninja in another ten or so years. A ninja world without external enemies and filled with idle ninjas would be like a giant powder keg, destined to explode."

Kakashi's point was clear: the ninja world's resources were finite, insufficient to sustain excess ninja.

Seeing the thoughtful expressions on everyone's faces, he continued:

"So, by keeping the four major villages in opposition rather than uniting them, they will periodically engage in wars that reduce the excess ninja population and redistribute resources, leading to temporary peace, only to repeat the cycle. I believe this is the true reason why the Hokage chose not to unify the ninja world. Amidst the chaos, Konoha, with its permanent neutrality, can remain a haven and be the ultimate winner in this game."

Is that really the reason?

Everyone in the room had a look of realization, and their respect for Kakashi grew.

Fugaku couldn't help but applaud, looking at Kakashi with approval.

"As expected of Kakashi. Dan said you were qualified to be Hokage, and it seems he wasn't wrong."

Understanding Dan's thoughts was always challenging for Fugaku. Despite being his brother-in-law, he still didn't fully grasp the depth of Dan's plans.

Dan had a peculiar sense of humor, often enjoying making others guess his intentions.

"You're too kind. Only the Sixth Hokage can lead Konoha with such foresight," Kakashi humbly replied.

Tsunade fell into deep thought. Her grandfather, Hashirama Senju, founded Konoha and established the one nation, one village system, which had been a model for the entire ninja world for decades. Now, Dan seemed to be forging a new path.

Hashirama and Dan were alike in some ways: both possessed unparalleled power but chose not to unify the ninja world.

The difference lay in their approaches. Hashirama sought to balance power by distributing the tailed beasts, hoping this would ensure lasting peace. But in hindsight, this idealistic view ignored the complex realities of the world.

Dan's first act was to reclaim all the tailed beasts for Konoha. He then leveraged his power and the entirety of the Land of Fire's territory to secure Konoha's permanent neutrality. Konoha would not actively maintain peace or prevent wars but would also not participate in them, instead watching the other villages fight among themselves.

In doing so, Konoha would remain a peaceful, prosperous land amid chaos.

It was a shrewd strategy.

In reality, Dan's decision not to unify the ninja world was based on one simple reason: laziness.

Nothing more.

Seeing that everyone understood and had no further objections to Dan's decision, Fugaku continued:

"The Sixth Hokage said that ninjas don't produce anything and only know how to fight. If we want to build a new Konoha, this cannot continue. So, go back and think about how we can improve the village. The Sixth Hokage will hold a meeting in three days, and you can present your suggestions then. Understood?"

How to transform Konoha?

Dan would only provide a broad direction, leaving the details to others.

He believed in the talents of the Uchiha and the rest of Konoha. Surely, they could figure out the specifics.

After this, Fugaku summoned the clan leaders of the other Konoha clans and village representatives, conveying the same message and announcing the meeting in three days.

The entire village was abuzz with activity.

Meanwhile, Dan left the Hokage Tower and headed to the Konoha Hospital's maternity ward.

 Konoha Hospital

The room was filled with the sound of a baby's cry—a healthy cry, indicating a robust newborn.

Dan had missed his daughter's birth because he had been in a meeting with the Kage.

But mother and child were safe, which was all that mattered.

Samui, pale but radiant with joy, held their daughter. 

"Dan, you're here," she said, carefully passing the baby to him.

Strangely enough, the baby stopped crying as soon as Dan held her, her big, curious eyes fixed on him.

She's quite hefty.

Dan examined his chubby daughter, pinching her arm, back, and thighs with two fingers, nodding in satisfaction.

Good genes.

The baby giggled, squirming at his touch.

"She likes you," Samui said softly. "Have you thought of a name?"

"Marisa," Dan replied after a moment's thought. "Uchiha Marisa."

Initially, their child was born for genetic research purposes. But holding his daughter, hearing her innocent laughter, a deep sense of affection welled up in Dan.

Fatherly love.

He lifted her above his head, looking into her eyes.

Marisa giggled, unfazed, her tiny arms and legs flailing with joy.

Regardless of whether she awakened any special abilities, Dan resolved to train her to be the strongest woman in the ninja world.

His daughter's training would begin as soon as she could crawl.

 Three Days Later

Dan spent the next three days at home, enjoying family time.

Despite just becoming Hokage, taking time off might have raised eyebrows. But Dan was an exception. As long as he was Hokage, no one dared challenge Konoha.

Such was the weight of his name.

On the fourth morning, he donned his Hokage robes, put on his hat, and headed to the Hokage Tower for the scheduled meeting.

The conference room was packed with members of the Uchiha village council, clan leaders, and village representatives, over a hundred people in total.

"The Hokage has arrived!"

As Dan entered, flanked by a few Anbu, everyone stood respectfully until he took his seat at the head of the table.

"Be seated," Dan said, and the room followed suit.

Before the meeting began, Fugaku quietly reported:

"Dan, our scouts found the mountain temple as the Daimyo described, but Sarutobi Hiruzen and his men were long gone. We came up empty."

Fugaku's expression was tense, worried about the implications of Sarutobi potentially reviving the previous Hokage with the Edo Tensei.

"Don't worry about them," Dan replied dismissively, showing no concern.