The clan meeting ended the same way it always did: nothing.
The radicals under Uchiha Jhin didn't leave early this time. Instead, they stayed—watching Fugaku and Shisui put on their little performance—then finally walked out of the Naka Shrine with satisfied smiles.
"Clan Head…" Shisui's voice was hoarse when the last of the clansmen were gone. "We have to do something. We can't let Uchiha Jhin keep running wild!"
Somewhere deep down, fear had started to take root. Knowing exactly what Jhin was planning—and still having no way to stop it—left Shisui restless, frustrated, trapped inside an open scheme he couldn't cut through.
Fugaku sat in silence, eyes dark and unfathomable. In the empty shrine, he almost saw it: his own appeasement, Konoha's gradual indulgence of Danzō, and more and more Uchiha quietly disappearing into Root's hands. Back then, they had no choice. Now they had Uchiha Jhin—and people were flocking to the radicals like a broken dam.
"Shisui…" Fugaku spoke at last, his voice heavy. "Go speak with the Hokage. Have him restrain Danzō." "I'll try to stabilize the clan's mood." "If this keeps going, the Uchiha will become the radicals' world."
Fugaku sounded helpless, cornered into relying on Hiruzen to do something—anything.
Shisui's face flashed with anger. "Clan Head, you can't be led astray by Uchiha Jhin." "Lord Danzō is Konoha's upper ranks—how could he do something like that?" "Yes, he has my grandfather's Sharingan, but that was a gift given at the moment of death."
Fugaku sighed. 'Foolish kid. Do you really think I don't know what Danzō is?'
But Shisui had already been talked into a corner by Hiruzen. Arguing with him was pointless, so Fugaku only waved a hand. "Tell the Hokage exactly what I said." "Don't worry about the rest."
Then Fugaku left with heavy steps, not giving Shisui another glance.
Shisui opened his mouth, trying to explain—trying to persuade him back. But watching Fugaku's back fade away, he could only exhale in frustration.
"The clan misunderstands Konoha's upper ranks too deeply." "Even the moderates and softliners still don't trust them enough." "The Hokage is such a good man… why can't they show him respect?"
His eyes hardened, as if he'd decided. He went straight to the Hokage's office and reported what happened at the clan meeting.
Hiruzen sat smoking, eyes shadowed, and sighed.
"Times are difficult." "Understood. Tell Clan Head Fugaku I'll restrain Danzō as best I can." "And don't blame Fugaku, Shisui. The Uchiha misunderstood Konoha too deeply." "Healing that misunderstanding… takes time."
His words were warm, sincere, and almost fatherly. Weariness sat on his old face, and his eyes held the complicated look of a man who "meant well" yet was never understood. Even so, he still forced himself to comfort Shisui.
Shisui was moved completely. "Hokage-sama… you've suffered for us."
"It's my duty." Hiruzen smiled. "You're a good child." "Let's work hard together."
He spoke at length about the will of Fire, and once Shisui left, he summoned ANBU.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Inform Danzō: monitor the Uchiha District closely." "Dispatch ANBU Third Unit to assist." "All operations will follow Danzō's command."
The order was delivered without hesitation. When ANBU left, Hiruzen let out a cold snort.
Restrain Danzō? Ridiculous. Danzō could barely suppress the Hashirama Cells in his body now—he needed three-tomoe Sharingan to stabilize them. At this point, even a direct order wouldn't change much. Was Danzō supposed to die? For the Uchiha? Don't be funny.
As for Uchiha Jhin's open scheme—yes, it was difficult to counter. But it didn't need to be countered. This was internal Uchiha faction warfare, and Hiruzen would be happiest if more Uchiha died.
Even if Jhin took control, what's the point? A weakened Uchiha—no matter how sharp its leader—could only make so much trouble. All that mattered was keeping their internal struggle from spilling into the village. Everything else could be left to rot.
…
Time passed. 10 days gone in a blink.
Fugaku grew more anxious by the day, but he had no solution. Hiruzen chose to let things run their course. The radicals closed their doors and lived their own life. And Danzō—desperate to suppress the violent Hashirama Cells inside him—kept hunting three-tomoe Uchiha with increasing frenzy.
The Uchiha District grew tense and fragile. Some finally faced reality and defected to the radicals, but most stayed loyal to their faction and refused to cross over
They gathered, discussed, and decided to imitate the radicals—band together and strengthen their defenses.
But the moment their preparations began, Shisui intervened and shut it down.
"Trust the Hokage. He will solve this." "This isn't Lord Danzō—this is Uchiha Jhin slandering him." "It's enemy-village spies. The Hokage is already handling it." "Everyone—wait a little longer." "Believe in the village. Believe in the Hokage."
Shisui truly believed it. It was the faith he'd built his entire life on.
The Uchiha were an extreme clan. Shisui was Uchiha too—and because he'd awakened the Mangekyō, he was even more stubborn, more rigid, and more single-minded than most.
But he was still powerless. He couldn't change the rot inside the clan, and he could only watch clansmen die day by day. Even if he never slept and patrolled constantly, it didn't matter, one man was unable to guard the entire district.
So more clansmen defected. The remaining diehards among the softliners and moderates finally pushed Fugaku to take the lead and organize defenses.
But—heh.
Fugaku was the type who liked planning but couldn't decide who dreamed big but lacked the nerve to act. He could see the danger in the district clearly—yet he still couldn't bring himself to flip the table on the village. He didn't dare counterattack. Furthermore, he didn't dare fortify openly.
Because he was afraid the situation would get worse.
Just like the original story: even when faced with Itachi's extermination, Fugaku didn't agree with it—yet still offered his neck. And now, it was the same. Clansmen died one after another, softliners and moderates pressed him harder and harder… and Fugaku kept thinking, kept stalling, waiting for a miracle that never came.
In the end, more and more defected to the radicals—until Fugaku became a Clan Head in name only. What he could still command were a few high-ranking softliners and moderates, plus their core elites.
In total, fewer than fifteen people.