252 Chapter 252: The Village of Eternal Neutrality

Inside the conference room.

Dan and Mei Terumī stood face to face, one standing and the other kneeling, their gazes locked.

Originally, Obito had used his Sharingan to manipulate the Fourth Mizukage, causing havoc in the Blood Mist Village. Eventually, the Mist shinobi detected this and dispelled the illusion using Byakugan.

In contrast, Dan's manipulation of Mei was far more subtle, barely interfering with her daily activities, thus leaving no room for suspicion.

If Dan wished, he could continue to use Mei as a puppet to control the future and internal affairs of the Mist Village.

However, at this moment.

Buzz.

Dan's Mangekyō Sharingan suddenly released a surge of ocular power, entering Mei's body.

Genjutsu: Release.

The next second, the crimson Sharingan in Mei's eyes vanished, replaced by her original beautiful green eyes.

Mei's face showed a brief moment of confusion and bewilderment.

When she regained her senses and realized she was kneeling before Dan, she stood up abruptly, her voice tinged with anger and humiliation:

"So you've been controlling me with your Sharingan all along!"

"And what of it?" Dan replied indifferently, instantly deflating Mei's anger.

What can you do about it?

Faced with the overwhelming power gap, Mei's spirit waned quickly.

"Then... why did you release my genjutsu? To humiliate me?"

She clenched her teeth, continuing to question Dan.

Dan's answer was unexpected.

"You're no longer of use to me," he said, looking down at Mei as if she were worthless trash.

"You..."

Mei was at a loss for words.

She gave Dan a complicated look, then turned and left the conference room without looking back.

Half an hour later.

News spread from the Hokage's office, reaching the tens of thousands of villagers in Konoha.

Konoha would maintain eternal neutrality.

Dan's decision stirred up various opinions and interpretations among the people.

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

"What is he thinking?"

Tsunade entered the conference room, her brows furrowed.

She had assumed that after becoming Hokage, Dan would not only reclaim the lost lands of the Land of Fire but also unify the nations to become the ruler of the shinobi world.

This would be in line with Dan's arrogant and domineering nature.

However, Dan had thrown a curveball, acting completely out of character.

Not just her, but the rest of the council members were also surprised, unable to guess the Sixth Hokage's intentions.

Fugaku signaled for everyone to calm down and explained:

"The Sixth Hokage told me that his plan is to turn Konoha into a neutral, safe, and open international metropolis, attracting talent and capital from the entire shinobi world.

In this way, Konoha will become the most prosperous place in the shinobi world, and we, the Uchiha clan, as the rulers of Konoha, will reap enormous benefits, ensuring our family's prosperity for generations to come."

"But... why not just unify the shinobi world? Solve all problems at once and establish a unified nation," Tetsuhi hesitated but voiced his doubts.

His thoughts were shared by many in the clan. After all, the Uchiha had the power to accomplish this.

The prospect of unifying the shinobi world and making history was tempting. Who wouldn't be enticed?

Faced with Tetsuhi's question, Fugaku didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked at everyone and asked, "What do you think?"

After a moment of silence, Itachi stood up and was the first to speak:

"Unifying the shinobi world may seem simple, but it's bound to be a lengthy process, taking years, if not decades.

During this time, the Uchiha clan would have to wage wars on multiple fronts. No one can guarantee how many of our clan members would die.

We've just ended a war and are enjoying a prosperous and happy life. Are we prepared to go back to the battlefield? Are we prepared to see our loved ones, comrades, and partners die before our eyes?"

As Itachi spoke, his gaze swept over everyone present.

Whether it was his former comrade or his later friend Shisui, their deaths had made Itachi deeply loathe all conflicts and yearn for peace.

Therefore, he supported his uncle's decision.

The room fell silent again.

Yes, the idea of unifying the shinobi world was beautiful, but to achieve this great feat, some clan members would inevitably become sacrifices.

Who would take responsibility for that?

Swoosh.

Kakashi also stood up, agreeing with Itachi's view, and then added another perspective:

"Looking back at history, every Great Ninja War started after a period of peace, leading to an overabundance of shinobi in each village," Kakashi began.

"To ensure that most people have enough to live on, wars are waged to seize resources from other countries and villages. I believe that with the capabilities of the Sixth Hokage and the Uchiha clan, unifying the shinobi world is only a matter of time. But what happens after that?"

"After the war, a new baby boom will occur, meaning that the number of shinobi will reach a new peak in a decade or so. At that point, a shinobi world without external enemies, filled with idle shinobi, would be like a ticking time bomb, bound to explode."

Kakashi's point was straightforward: the resources of the shinobi world are finite and can't sustain too many ninjas.

Seeing everyone deep in thought, he continued, "So, keeping the four major ninja villages in a state of opposition rather than unification allows them to periodically deplete their excess shinobi and population through war. This leads to a temporary peace before the cycle repeats. I believe this is the real reason why the Hokage did not choose to unify the shinobi world."

"When the entire shinobi world is in constant chaos, Konoha, maintaining eternal neutrality, can stand aside and be the only winner in this game."

So that's it?

Everyone in the room seemed to have an epiphany, looking at Kakashi with newfound respect.

Fugaku couldn't help but clap, "Well said, Kakashi. You're indeed worthy of being a Hokage."

In Fugaku's eyes, understanding Dan's thoughts had always been a difficult task. And Dan had a peculiar taste for being enigmatic, always leaving others to guess his intentions.

"You flatter me. Only the Sixth Hokage, with his foresight, is qualified to lead Konoha," Kakashi humbly replied.

Tsunade was lost in thought. Her grandfather, Hashirama Senju, had founded Konoha and established the one-country-one-village system, which had been emulated by the entire shinobi world for decades.

And now, Dan seemed to be carving out a different path.

In reality, both Hashirama and Dan had the power to unify the shinobi world but chose not to. Hashirama had distributed the Tailed Beasts to balance the power among villages, hoping for lasting peace. But this idea was somewhat naive, as it overlooked the complex issues of the real world.

So, after his death, no one could restrain the major villages, leading to the First Great Ninja War.

Dan, on the other hand, had reclaimed all the Tailed Beasts for Konoha and used the immense power of the Uchiha clan and the Land of Fire to secure Konoha's eternal neutrality.

Konoha would neither actively maintain peace nor participate in wars but would always stand aside, watching the major villages struggle against each other.

It was a brilliant strategy, but the truth was simpler. Dan didn't unify the shinobi world for one simple reason—he was lazy. That's all there was to it.

Seeing that everyone had come to an understanding, Fugaku continued, "The Sixth Hokage said that ninjas, who only know how to fight, can't build a new Konoha. So, think about how to make the village better. A meeting will be held in three days where you can present your suggestions. Understand?"

Dan would only give a general direction for Konoha's eternal neutrality. As for the details, he couldn't be bothered to think about them.

After all, with so many talents in the Uchiha clan and Konoha, they couldn't all be freeloaders, could they?

The Hokage wasn't a workhorse for Konoha, at least not in Dan's view. If Konoha was a ship, Dan was merely the helmsman. The rest of the hard work was left to the diligent and hardworking crew.

Following this, Fugaku, as per Dan's instructions, met with the heads of Konoha's clans and representatives of the villagers, repeating the same message:

A village-wide meeting would be held in three days.

For a time, the entire village of Konoha was bustling with activity.

At this moment, Dan had already left the Hokage Tower and arrived at the maternity ward of Konoha Hospital.

"Wah, wah..."

The room was filled with the loud cries of a newborn, a sound that indicated a healthy baby.

Unfortunately, Dan missed the birth of his daughter because he was in a meeting with the other Kage at that time.

Luckily, both mother and daughter were safe.

Samui leaned against the bed, holding their daughter in her arms. Despite looking pale, she wore a face of happiness.

"Dan, you're here."

Upon seeing Dan, Samui carefully handed their daughter to him.

Strangely enough, the little one stopped crying as soon as she was in Dan's arms. She became quiet, her big, watery eyes curiously staring at him without blinking.

She's quite heavy.

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

Hmm, excellent potential. She's inherited my genes perfectly. She'll definitely grow up to be a strong woman.

"Hehe."

Tickled by Dan, the little one perhaps felt itchy and chuckled.

"She really likes you. Dan, have you thought of a name for our daughter?" Samui softly asked.

"Let's call her Marisa," Dan thought for a moment and gave their daughter an unusual name.

Uchiha Marisa.

Initially, he and Samui had a child for the purpose of researching Stand inheritance theories.

But at this moment, holding his daughter in his arms, feeling her warmth, and hearing her innocent laughter, a deep emotion emerged in Dan's heart.

It was familial love.

Dan looked into his daughter's eyes and slowly lifted her above his head.

"Hehehe."

Marisa seemed not scared at all; instead, she was waving her arms and legs, laughing even more happily.

No matter whether you awaken a Stand in the future or not, I'll teach you to develop perfect muscles and become the strongest woman in the entire shinobi world.

Dan thought so, already planning a series of muscle-enhancement programs for his daughter.

Hmm.

It will start from the day she learns to crawl on the ground.