"Clan Head, the Guard Force nowadays spends every day either looking for lost cats or helping villagers walk their dogs!!"
"Exactly! When did the proud Uchiha ever have to take orders from civilians?!"
"Every other clan in the village is banding together, yet only our Uchiha are being pushed out!"
"And… the village's finances seem to be in trouble too. We haven't received our stipends for a long time."
"Clan Head! If this keeps up, the Uchiha will be completely devoured!"
"With Shisui's Kotoamatsukami and Itachi here, our Uchiha clan can absolutely crush Konoha!"
...
At the Uchiha clan compound, inside the council hall.
Listening to complaint after complaint from the clansmen, Uchiha Fugaku felt his resolve gradually waver.
Perhaps… it really was time for a change.
Ever since the Nine-Tails incident, the Uchiha clan had been forced to relocate to the outskirts of the village.
They had become, in name and in fact, outsiders.
Even though they still held the position of the Konoha Military Police Force, that role only worsened relations with the villagers.
Complaints—more than ten every single day!
Their pay had been slashed outright!
And the villagers were growing increasingly hostile toward them.
Even worse—clansmen sent to the battlefield were beginning to die under mysterious circumstances.
No bodies.
No compensation.
Even a cornered dog will bite—let alone the Uchiha!
Over the past year, dissatisfaction among the clan had been steadily rising.
Especially among several radical elders.
Even Fugaku, the clan head himself, was no longer able to suppress them.
If they didn't resist…
Perhaps the Uchiha would fall into internal chaos first.
"Everyone, quiet."
He rubbed his aching temples, looked at the sea of red eyes before him, and finally nodded heavily.
"In that case… once Shisui and Itachi return tonight, we will—"
Before he could finish, hurried voices suddenly rang out from outside.
"Clan Head! Shisui has returned!"
"He's back?!"
One elder's expression lit up as he slammed the table in excitement.
"Clan Head! The day to raise the banner is today!"
"The glory of the Uchiha clan begins anew from this moment—"
Before he could continue, the messenger interrupted awkwardly, teeth clenched as if he'd seen something horrifying.
"But… his eyes have been gouged out."
Bang!
"Nonsense! Shisui possesses Kotoamatsukami—how could he possibly be blind?!"
The elder slammed the table again, utterly unconvinced.
But—
Fugaku and the others were already striding out quickly.
The moment they stepped outside, they saw nearly a hundred clansmen gathered at the compound gate.
They were pointing and arguing heatedly. Though the words were unclear, the rage in their voices was unmistakable.
Deafening.
"Could it be…"
Fugaku's expression darkened as he quickened his pace.
Swish.
Pushing through the crowd, he saw Shisui—
And in that instant, the sky fell.
He was still that sunny, handsome young man.
But the once-innocent, brilliant eyes were gone.
Only blood-filled sockets remained.
Blood had clotted at the corners of his eyes.
"Shisui! How did this happen?!"
"Damn it! This was definitely Konoha's doing!"
"They dared harm the Uchiha clan's genius—Clan Head, this vengeance cannot go unanswered!"
Amid the cries of grief and fury, the hawkish elder who had spoken earlier stepped forward.
His face was twisted with anguish, his expression grim.
The three tomoe of his Sharingan spun so fast they nearly blurred.
He looked up at the surrounding clansmen, then slowly produced an item from behind his back.
"Clan Head! The night is cold—please put this on!"
As he spoke, he unfolded the garment in his hands.
On its back, five bold characters stood out clearly:
Fifth Hokage.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi can sit in the Hokage's seat—why can't the Uchiha clan?!"
"With a single order from you, four hundred and thirty-two genin, one hundred and eighty-three chūnin, and sixty-nine jōnin of our clan will storm the Hokage Tower and tear that old man apart!"
Whoosh!
The moment those words fell, nearly a hundred clansmen—and several elders—snapped their gazes toward Fugaku.
Aside from a handful of moderates, everyone's eyes turned crimson.
Old grudges mixed with new hatred!
The glory of the Uchiha—combined with the Hokage's throne!
Tonight, it was time to make Konoha's heavens change.
"Hah…"
Fugaku stared at the Hokage robe, as if he could see the Hokage's seat beckoning to him.
As if he could see countless Konoha shinobi bowing at his command.
Did it feel good?
It did.
But he…
After only a brief hesitation, he shook his head.
Fugaku's mental fortitude was undeniable.
He forcibly tore his gaze away from the robe marked Fifth Hokage.
Looking at the seething clansmen, he spoke softly:
"How about… we first ask Itachi what actually happened?"
Only then did everyone notice—
The one holding Shisui was Itachi.
Instantly, the clan fell silent.
Only heavy breathing echoed through the compound.
"So that's why Jin insisted I bring him back…"
Itachi's eyes flickered slightly. After a moment's thought, he chose to conceal part of the truth.
"…I'm sorry, Father. Shisui's eyes were… taken out by himself."
As he said this, he thought silently—
If Brother Shisui were awake, he would surely say the same thing.
Shisui wouldn't want the clan and the village to clash either.
But—
As he pondered this, Itachi's gaze swept quietly over several elders.
Especially the one holding the Hokage robe.
A flash of cold light passed through his eyes.
Daring to profane the Hokage's position.
Death was already written.
As a ninja steeped in the Will of Fire, Uchiha Itachi could tolerate many things—
But never blasphemy against the Hokage.
That was his worldview.
"Perhaps the conflict between the clan and the village truly cannot be reconciled."
"Perhaps… I should go speak with the Hokage."
"If reconciliation is impossible, then one side must disappear…"
At this moment, Itachi's perception of his own clan quietly changed.
Hearing his words, Fugaku let out a breath of relief.
He clapped his hands and spoke reassuringly:
"That's enough, everyone. Shisui's condition has gravely weakened our clan."
"As for the villagers and financial matters, I will personally go negotiate with the Hokage."
Gradually, the turbulent emotions of the clansmen calmed.
The red glow in their eyes slowly faded.
Only Uchiha Itachi remained standing in place—
Neither joy nor sorrow on his face.
"Itachi, you should go back too."
Fugaku shook his head and patted his eldest son on the shoulder.
His gaze briefly swept over Itachi's tightly clenched right hand.
He said nothing more, simply lifted Shisui and turned to walk back into the compound.
There—
Under the moonlight, Itachi stood motionless.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, his expression shifted as he looked behind him.
Outside the clan grounds, a black-clad, masked man seemed to be watching him.
"Hmm? Root?"
His eyes sharpened.
Lifting his leg, he gave chase.
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