In Hidden Heaven Village, in a spacious conference room:
A scroll bearing the symbol of the Hidden Leaf Village lay quietly on the table. The core members of the Uchiha clan, including Uchiha Fugaku, sat there, intently staring at the scroll.
"The Leaf Village has sent a peace treaty, promising not to invade Hidden Heaven Village for three years. What do you all think?" Fugaku asked, frowning as he considered the situation.
Sasuke picked up the scroll, looked through it carefully, then remarked, "The information my brother holds about Konoha will soon be outdated. It seems like Konoha has compromised."
“This move by Konoha—they might just be trying to stall us,” Uchiha Hachidai said thoughtfully, followed by a cold laugh. “After three years, they might attack us without a second thought.”
"So what should we do? Should we go ahead and expose the information about Konoha?" Shisui asked. Still angry about Konoha’s ambush on Sasuke, he was fully supportive of leaking the information if necessary.
“It’s best not to,” Sasuke replied, shaking his head. “Our power is still limited. If Hidden Leaf Village were to attack us in anger, it would be troublesome.”
“Are we really going to let the Leaf Village off this easily?” Uchiha Hachidai questioned.
Sasuke nodded, acknowledging the lack of options. “Exchanging for three years of peace would give us time to develop and strengthen our forces.”
Fugaku placed a steady hand on the table and said, “So, as Sasuke suggests, instead of clashing to save face, we’ll respond to the Leaf Village with a focus on growth and development.”
After a pause, he continued, “Now, what are everyone’s thoughts on accepting Zabuza?”
Zabuza was a unique ninja. If he stayed in Hidden Heaven, it would undoubtedly provoke the Hidden Mist Village and could lead to conflict, so careful consideration was required.
“Clan leader, we shouldn’t keep Zabuza. He led a coup attempt, and the Mist Village won’t allow a rogue ninja like him to live. If we let him stay, it could only bring us harm,” one Uchiha member argued.
“That’s right. Zabuza isn’t an Uchiha, nor is he from Hidden Heaven. We don’t need to create conflict with the Mist Village over an outsider ninja,” Hachidai agreed after some thought.
The other Uchihas nodded in agreement.
Zabuza, however, was a skilled ninja that Sasuke had recently recruited, so Sasuke was naturally reluctant to agree with their view.
After a brief silence, Sasuke spoke up. “Zabuza is a master of Water Release. If he were to become a ninja of Hidden Heaven, he could train others in Water Release techniques, which would significantly strengthen our village.”
“Sasuke’s right. Most of the Uchiha specialize in Fire Release, but Hidden Heaven lacks Water Release users like Zabuza,” Shisui chimed in supportively.
“But what if the Mist Village attacks us over Zabuza?” Hachidai asked, though he recognized the validity in Sasuke’s points.
“I considered that possibility before recruiting Zabuza. However, I think it’s unlikely that the Mist Village will start a war with us,” Sasuke explained calmly.
“First, we’re far from the Mist Village, and if they were to launch a war, they’d face serious supply issues. Second, our strength gave them pause when we broke from Konoha, and they’d have to weigh the risk of failure before challenging us over just one person.”
“I support Sasuke’s stance!” A deep voice broke the silence in the room after a thoughtful pause. It was none other than Uchiha Itachi, who had always stood by Sasuke. “When our clan faced extinction, it was Sasuke’s strategy that helped preserve the Uchiha. We have every reason to keep trusting him.”
“Thank you, Nichan,” Sasuke replied, smiling lightly as he looked over at Itachi.
Seeing the effect of Itachi’s words, Fugaku pondered for a moment before saying, “If anyone disagrees, we’ll vote as always. All in favor of keeping Zabuza, please raise your hands.”
It seemed Itachi’s words had swayed the majority, as most of the clan members ultimately decided to side with Sasuke and agreed to keep Zabuza.
“Very well,” Fugaku declared. “Now that Zabuza is one of us, we’ll never abandon him, no matter the circumstances.”
When the vote concluded, Fugaku announced this to everyone in the room.
“Yes, sir!” came the unanimous response.
“If there’s nothing else, you’re all dismissed.”
With the two main issues resolved, Fugaku sighed in relief and motioned for everyone to leave.
As Fugaku’s words faded, everyone in the conference room began to depart slowly.
“Sasuke, stay back.”
As most of the members filed out, Fugaku called out to Sasuke just as he was about to leave with Itachi.
“Nichan, wait for me outside,” Sasuke said with a small smile before walking over to Fugaku. “Father, is there something you need?”
“The last time I met Zabuza, he didn’t seem fully committed to joining Hidden Heaven. He seemed hesitant,” Fugaku stated directly.
“Yes, elite ninjas like Zabuza may not want to stay in a small village like ours, even if we try to keep them here,” Sasuke replied seriously.
“If you have time, try to convince him to stay. If he agrees, great; if not, don’t push him,” Fugaku said gently, understanding that forcing the matter wouldn’t help.
“I’ll do my best.”
Sasuke nodded thoughtfully, already considering ways to persuade Zabuza to join Hidden Heaven.
....
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Water country is a nation made up of many islands, with mist-covered mountain ranges scattered throughout.
The Hidden Mist Village, or Kirigakure, is hidden deep within the mountains, appearing as a ghostly presence that seems to come and go.
This mysterious village, known as Hidden Mist, was aptly named, its elusive nature shrouded in mist.
Kirigakure was built in a valley nestled among high and rugged mountains.
The village architecture follows the natural terrain, with some houses clinging to the mountainsides while others are built in the river valley below.
The Mizukage’s grand building stands on a vast stone platform, with a massive stone gate high on a mountainside, offering a full view of the village—a tribute to the revered “Mizukage.”
Upon receiving Danzo’s message that “Hidden Heaven Village had taken in Zabuza,” the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, immediately convened an emergency meeting in the Mizukage building’s conference room.