Koharu Utatane's eyes darted around. "Hiruzen, why don't you get rid of Makiya Uchiha in secret?"
Hiruzen's hand, holding his pipe, trembled violently. He looked up at his old teammate in disbelief, his aging eyes filled with shock.
'What does that mean? Are you so afraid I won't die soon enough that you came up with such a brilliant idea?'
'Me, kill Makiya? Why don't you go yourself?'
Hiruzen complained inwardly but didn't retort directly. He knew his two old classmates hadn't shifted their mindset yet; they still viewed Makiya through an outdated lens. In their eyes, no matter how strong a ninja was, they could always be dealt with through assassination.
Even a village Kage could die a tragic death from a hidden assassination if they weren't careful. This was the very reason the Anbu guard existed.
Humans weren't machines; they couldn't stay on high alert at all times. You can't guard against a thief every single day forever. Once Makiya let his guard down in his daily life, it would be the perfect moment for a hidden enemy to strike.
Koharu Utatane was thinking along those lines. Hiruzen didn't directly refute her. Instead, he thought seriously for a moment and nodded as if considering it. "You have a point. Makiya Uchiha's strength is immense. No one can beat him in a direct confrontation. If a fight breaks out, all of Konoha will be destroyed. Assassination is the only way."
Koharu nodded with satisfaction. That was exactly what she meant; Hiruzen truly understood her.
To her surprise, Hiruzen changed his tone. "However, the Five Element Ninjutsu I've mastered are quite flashy and not suitable for assassination. Your abilities are more subtle, Koharu. You're much more fit for this than I am. Why don't you take the lead?"
"..."
'Damn you, Hiruzen Sarutobi. You look so upright, but you're actually so wicked. You're trying to send me to my death!'
The conversation ended fruitlessly. Makiya's strength was obvious to everyone. Regardless of whether an assassination succeeded, the person carrying it out certainly wouldn't survive. At this moment, the three of them missed Danzo Shimura immensely. If Danzo were still alive, he would surely have sent expendable suicide squads.
After returning to Konoha from the Land of Demons, Makiya avoided prying eyes and knocked on Minato's door alone.
No one knew what Makiya, Minato, and Kushina talked about. After Makiya left, Minato stood on the balcony for a long time, staring at the sky in silence. It was only after Kushina's comfort that he regained his composure.
Three days later, a clan meeting involving the entire Uchiha clan was held at the shrine within their district.
Because the notice was sent early, Makiya gave those away on missions plenty of time to return. Even for those who truly couldn't make it, it was ensured that a family member attended in their stead.
"Makiya, what on earth are you going to announce that requires summoning the entire clan?" Fugaku Uchiha, sitting in the main seat, turned to Makiya beside him.
Fugaku had been sidelined by other high-ranking officials for a long time. The village hadn't even notified him about Makiya's assassination of the nobles. Therefore, the Uchiha Clan Head still had no idea what had happened.
"Something that's neither big nor small," Makiya replied cryptically. He looked down at the densely packed clan members. "Since everyone is basically here, I'll just announce it."
Under the watchful eyes of Fugaku and the elders, Makiya slowly stood up and walked to the front.
Below, the clan members saw Makiya stand, and the noisy chatter vanished instantly. Everyone's eyes were fixed on him. Any clan member who had been to the battlefield held a great deal of respect for Makiya.
"Fellow clansmen, I've gathered you all here today to announce something very important. I intend to leave Konoha."
These words were like a massive boulder dropped into a calm lake, stirring up waves. The clansmen below erupted in an uproar, whispering and debating.
"Quiet!!!" Makiya's voice echoed through the hall, drowning out everyone else. "This all started because of a meddling noble..."
Makiya laid out the entire event and then pressed one hand against the empty air. Countless black patterns spread through space, forming a familiar summoning formula.
"Summoning Jutsu: Uchiha Flame Fan!"
As the white smoke cleared, the Uchiha Flame Fan, a sacred artifact symbolizing the clan head's status, appeared in Makiya's hand. The crest on it was vivid, having never faded over time.
Makiya slung the fan over his back and crossed his arms casually. "That's the gist of it. I plan to move to the Land of Demons to develop. Any clansmen who wish to follow me, gather at the clan training ground at noon tomorrow. I guarantee I will lead you to the Land of Demons safely."
The clansmen were in an uproar. Although the concept of a Daimyo was relatively weak within the Uchiha clan, it still carried some weight. The news Makiya delivered was far too sudden, catching everyone off guard.
As for Fugaku and the elders, they were no longer listening to what Makiya was saying. The moment the Uchiha Flame Fan appeared, Fugaku's eyes widened. He stared intently at the details of the fan, refusing to even blink.
"Yes, it's it, it's really it! Our Uchiha artifact!" Fugaku blinked, fearing he was dreaming. As the clan head, the heirloom passed down through generations had been missing for years, and he had been obsessed with finding it.
Fugaku had dreamt of retrieving his fan more than once, but it had always remained out of reach.
The world was full of surprises. Just when Fugaku thought he'd never see the Uchiha Flame Fan again in this lifetime, it simply appeared.
Seeing Makiya stand up and prepare to leave, Fugaku hurriedly pulled him back. "Wait, Makiya!"
"Hmm?" Makiya turned back in confusion. "Lord Clan Head, is something the matter?"
Fugaku opened his mouth and pointed at the fan on Makiya's back. "That..."
"Oh, you mean this?" Makiya took the fan down and tossed it lightly in his hand. "I snatched this from Madara Uchiha's hands. It's a trophy."
"Madara Uchiha?" Fugaku felt like he was listening to a fairy tale. Madara had been dead for years; how could Makiya have suddenly killed him?
"I know it's hard to believe, but that's how it is." Makiya shrugged, having no intention of explaining. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going. Moving is a hassle; I have a lot of stuff to pack."
"..."
'How could there be nothing else? You brat, leave the fan with me! And you talk about splitting the family just like that? Have you even considered my thoughts as the Clan Head?'
Fugaku wanted to scold Makiya loudly, but he knew that facing pressure from the Daimyo, this was the best way forward. It could perfectly distance the Uchiha clan from the incident and avoid dragging the other clansmen down.
Fugaku didn't yet know what Makiya truly planned to do; he assumed Makiya was choosing to flee due to the pressure.
The elders nearby looked at each other, wanting to say something but not knowing how to start.
Some of them had lived through the era of Hashirama. When Madara Uchiha left the village back then, they had witnessed it as children. Now, the strongest Uchiha was once again choosing to leave Konoha. This time, how many clansmen would be willing to follow Makiya?
This question would be answered tomorrow. Several people didn't speak up to support or oppose him, choosing to watch coldly from the sidelines.
Makiya left. Under the gaze of Fugaku and everyone else, he slowly walked through the crowd and out of the shrine.
Amidst the crowd, Shisui Uchiha looked at Makiya with a face full of worry. This matter had far exceeded his understanding. Shisui had never thought about what would happen if one conflicted with the Daimyo and the nobles. He usually spent his time thinking about the village and the clan; he didn't know what to say.
Sitting next to Shisui was Itachi Uchiha. His gaze toward Makiya remained flat, masking the malice in his eyes. In Itachi's view, Makiya's actions were breaking the rules, destroying the stability of this world, and destroying peace.
'I must do something!' Itachi secretly made up his mind. While the clansmen were discussing heatedly, he slowly moved away and left the shrine. He masked his movements and reached the newly built Hokage building.
In the Hokage's office, Minato and Hiruzen Sarutobi sat opposite each other, overwhelmed by the Daimyo's urgings. Suddenly, an Anbu member walked in. "Lord Hokage, Itachi Uchiha seeks an audience."
"Itachi Uchiha?" Minato was curious. "That's Clan Head Fugaku's eldest son, isn't it? Why would he suddenly come here? Let him in."
"Yes."
After Itachi entered the Hokage's office, he immediately knelt on one knee and lowered his head respectfully. "Lord Hokage, Lord Third, I have something urgent to report!"
"What is it? Please, speak."
Itachi hesitated slightly, then gritted his teeth and said loudly, "Makiya Uchiha is publicly inciting the clan. He plans to collectively defect from the village tomorrow at noon. Please issue an order, Lord Hokage, to stop Makiya's defection!"
Minato's eye twitched. Makiya had spoken to him about this, and it had received Minato's approval. Once Makiya led the Uchiha out, Minato would put on a show of issuing a wanted order but wouldn't actually dispatch ninjas to hunt them down.
Just now, Minato had been discussing the impact of Makiya's defection with the Third, wondering if it would appease the Daimyo's anger. Hiruzen's idea was to symbolically send some people out to hunt them to save face for the Daimyo, while Minato had different thoughts.
He hadn't expected Itachi to turn around and sell Makiya out. Was the Uchiha clan really that disunited?
Minato was surprised, but he didn't show it. He nodded solemnly. "Itachi, your intel is very timely. Don't worry, the village has already prepared for the matter regarding Makiya. Go back for now, and remember not to make a scene."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
In the Senju clan compound, Makiya and Tsunade sat opposite each other. Neither spoke first. A subtle atmosphere filled the air, making Shizune and Tonton shiver. They both made a quick exit.
Longing for an answer, Tsunade finally spoke first. "Will you... will you come back?"
"It's hard to say." Makiya thought seriously. "Maybe I'll come back once I've conquered the entire Land of Fire."
"When is it ever time for jokes? Stop it."
"I'm not joking." Makiya leaned forward. "The Daimyo told Minato to execute me. That action is equivalent to declaring war on me. This is a war, Tsunade, do you understand? From now on, whatever I do, the entire Land of Fire might not accept me. Why would I ever need to return to a country that rejects me?"
Tsunade's eyes widened, her fists clenched against her chest. "Is that so... But even so, is there really nothing in this country worth coming back for?"
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