Staring at Uchiha Yusuke's calm, breezy smile, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a faint discomfort in his chest.
"Flame Demon" Yusuke had become the new clan head—there were now far too many variables in the Uchiha's future.
As unwilling as he was, Hiruzen could only tacitly accept Yusuke's rise.
The Third Shinobi World War had only just ended, and Konoha had also endured the Nine-Tails Incident.
Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning watched like a tiger eyeing its prey, and the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, was equally ambitious.
At a time like this, it was simply not suitable to fall out with the Uchiha!
Hiruzen took a hard drag from his pipe and began pouring his Will of Fire into Yusuke.
"Where the leaves dance, the fire will burn on."
"One day, the newly sprouted leaves will also illuminate the village."
Uchiha Yusuke said nothing.
That set of brainwashing slogans had poisoned Konoha for generations. When it came to smooth talk, he was no match for the Third Hokage.
Yusuke believed in only one thing now—strength.
As long as the Uchiha were strong enough, Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't dare act recklessly!
Once Hiruzen spoke, the two advisors—who had been bristling with anger—immediately quieted down.
Those two old vultures had always been the type to bully others by relying on their status.
Since Hiruzen had already accepted it, they had nothing left to say.
Unable to target Yusuke, the two advisors could only turn and vent their resentment at Uchiha Fugaku instead.
"The dignified Uchiha clan head—'Wicked-Eyed' Fugaku—actually lost to a young junior."
"You've really gone backward with age."
Uchiha Fugaku furrowed his brow and replied blandly,
"The advisors are right. I really am not what I used to be."
"How about you step up in my place and teach the Uchiha's youngsters a lesson?"
The two advisors were instantly left speechless.
In their youth, they'd had some skill.
But now, they were long past their prime.
Sending them to deal with "Flame Demon" Yusuke would be nothing more than delivering their heads on a platter.
Hiruzen's face darkened as he admonished them.
"We are all comrades of Konoha. Harmony should come first."
"Fighting and killing all day—what kind of behavior is that?"
Hearing this, Fugaku immediately went along with it.
"Hokage-sama is right."
"We can't do things that harm harmony."
The two advisors felt as though they'd swallowed a fly, yet they had no way to continue pressing the issue.
Uchiha Yusuke turned back toward the clansmen gathered in the dueling grounds.
"The rise of our clan cannot rely on me alone. I need everyone's help."
"Are you willing—for me, and for the honor of our clan—to brave fire and blade?"
The Uchiha's response was unanimous.
"We will die for the clan head! We will die for the clan!"
"We will die for the clan head! We will die for the clan!"
Watching the sight of the clan's hearts unified before him, Hiruzen kept a smile on his face—yet deep inside, a heavy wariness took root.
"'Flame Demon' Yusuke… so domineering."
"From now on, the Uchiha won't be as easy to deal with as before."
With everything already decided, Hiruzen didn't want to push relations to the breaking point.
He forced a smile, offered Yusuke a few perfunctory words, then left in silence with the two advisors.
The moment they stepped off Uchiha territory, the advisors began complaining to the Third Hokage.
"Hiruzen, you're far too indulgent toward the Uchiha!"
"If this keeps going, they'll break free of control sooner or later."
"You really should listen more to Danzo's opinions."
Hiruzen's expression sank.
"I'll find an opportunity to rein the Uchiha in."
…
Hokage's office.
Danzo sat in the Hokage's seat, staring in the direction of the Uchiha compound, lost in thought.
"Hiruzen went to Uchiha territory… will he come to blows with them?"
"If Hiruzen clashes with the Uchiha, will I finally have a chance to become Hokage?"
Suddenly, a Root member jumped in through the window of the Hokage's office.
"Danzo-sama, 'Flame Demon' Yusuke has become the Uchiha's new clan head."
"Hokage-sama and the two advisors have tacitly accepted it."
At those words, anger flashed in Danzo's eyes.
"They let a mere junior succeed in taking power?"
"A bunch of useless fools!"
Danzo stared toward the Uchiha, his gaze brimming with both dread and killing intent.
"Defeating Uchiha Fugaku to become clan head… has Uchiha Yusuke already grown to this level?"
"Fine. That's even better."
"In a moment, I'll propose the complete eradication of the Uchiha—cut off the threat at its root!"
"When you exhaust each other… the Hokage seat will be mine, Danzo's…"
After Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others left, Uchiha Yusuke's lips curled into a sneer.
"They acknowledged my position as the new Uchiha clan head, yet deliberately avoided mentioning who would hold the position of captain of the Konoha Police Force…"
"Trying to drive a wedge between me and Fugaku?"
"Shinobi Hero" Hiruzen Sarutobi looked righteous on the surface, but in truth, he was a master of manipulation.
The most brilliant part of the Third Hokage was that he had someone like Danzo—his shadow—at his side.
Danzo caused trouble again and again, and Hiruzen still tolerated him—was it really just because of old friendship?
If it were truly about old friendship, then why would he still give the order to wipe out the entire Uchiha clan?
Danzo was an old comrade—was Uchiha Kagami not as well?
Hiruzen tolerated Danzo for only one reason:
Because Danzo was still useful to him.
A "Shadow Hokage" like that—search all of Konoha, and you'd never find a second.
Uchiha Yusuke took a deep breath.
"It's time to go have a talk with Fugaku."
Since he intended to unite the Uchiha, he couldn't neglect the dovish faction's ideological work.
Otherwise, if he charged ahead on the front lines while the doves quietly leaned toward Konoha behind his back, it would be disastrous.
Yusuke swore to the heavens—he would absolutely never allow another "filial executioner" like Uchiha Itachi to appear within the clan again!
Thinking of that "Tobi" who was active in the shadows gave him a headache again.
Tobi, who had inherited Uchiha Madara's legacy, would not be easy to deal with.
And on top of that, there was that brat Black Zetsu, constantly pulling strings from the shadows!
Changing the Uchiha's fate would be a long, heavy road.
He could only take it one step at a time.
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