Uchiha Clan Compound.
In the attic of Isshin's house.
Uchiha Yashiro sat on a stool, utterly dispirited, his face ashen.
In front of him were Isshin, Fugaku, and Tobirama…
The three figures in the Uchiha clan who could truly speak with authority were all gathered here.
Originally, Tobirama's impeachment of Danzō had already begun to gradually settle down…
It was clear to the naked eye that Hiruzen did not consider Seisui to have overstepped. He had even signaled for a village-wide opinion survey, clearly intending to investigate Danzō…
But in the end, the Uchiha themselves had failed to live up to expectations!
At such a critical juncture, they had actually committed a major blunder!
A portion of the Fire Country's nobles had sent harsh condemnations.
Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kumogakure seized the opportunity to join in, accusing Konoha's ninja of failing to fulfill their mission duties, bringing disgrace to the entire shinobi profession, and taking the chance to promote themselves…
The implication was obvious: their ninja were more reliable than Konoha's, and mission allocations could be handed over to them.
Even Kirigakure, which practiced closed borders, somehow learned of the matter. With seemingly restrained yet actually sarcastic remarks, they suggested that the Hokage should properly discipline Konoha's ninja and not allow them to become too soft…
This news made the Third Mizukage very pleased.
Look—ninja cannot be left unmanaged! Doesn't this prove the necessity of the Bloody Mist policy?
If others made mistakes, then that meant he was right!
Isshin's face darkened as he said sternly: "Explain everything that happened at the time in full detail. Not a single word of concealment!"
Yashiro lowered his head in pain, covering his face as he muttered: "I went with Umino Ikkaku and Funeno Daikoku to escort the ancient mirror…"
"I thought the two of them had it rough—just promoted to chūnin and hoping to enter the Academy staff. I wanted to help them get an easy assignment so they'd have some credentials…"
"I didn't expect we'd be ambushed! And by an extremely powerful ninja…"
The hand covering Yashiro's face tightened, as if the pain could ease his emotions: "That enemy attacked us. At the time, Ikkaku and Daikoku were protecting the mirror, but I saw they were about to die, so I instinctively saved them…"
"When I came to my senses, the mirror had already been burned, and the enemy was gone!"
"I don't know where that enemy came from. We fought back with everything we had the entire time, but we couldn't even touch a shadow of him. He toyed with us like a cat playing with mice for quite a while!"
"He didn't use a single ninjutsu or genjutsu—just taijutsu and ninja tools the entire time, and only at the very end did he use an ordinary Fire Release…"
Isshin frowned deeply.
"You're saying that this enemy was far stronger than you, yet didn't harm you?"
"You didn't even sustain any injuries during the fight…"
Fugaku took over, his voice low and sharp: "Tell the truth, Yashiro! Don't hide anything. This matter has already blown up and is still escalating!"
"If the mirror was destroyed due to negligence, then admit it!"
Isshin's expression grew grave: "With the Yamanaka clan and Mito-sama present, no one can deceive them…"
What Yashiro described sounded far too bizarre.
A powerful figure who didn't kill, but simply came to toy with them and then left?
And Yashiro hadn't been able to extract any useful information…
He was a renowned three-tomoe Sharingan user in the clan, skilled in combat!
And the strong figures of the ninja world were known quantities.
Those with names were all recorded in the intelligence archives of the major hidden villages.
Yet suddenly, someone appeared who could toy with a three-tomoe user to the point of total helplessness—without revealing even a single clue?
That was far too coincidental.
"Assuming this enemy truly exists, then he must possess at least Kage-level strength, and be proficient in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu alike…" Tobirama's face darkened. He could smell a conspiracy.
"Even among the Kage—say, the Kazekage, Raikage, or Tsuchikage—if they didn't use their combat systems, they still wouldn't reduce Yashiro to this state…"
If the Raikage didn't use Lightning Release, the Kazekage didn't use Magnet Release, and the Tsuchikage didn't use Earth Release or Dust Release…
It would be like sealing their hands.
Even if they would still be stronger than Yashiro, it shouldn't be to the point where not even a trace of their style could be identified…
Fugaku and Isshin both nodded in agreement.
That was indeed the case…
Most powerful shinobi relied on a distinct combat system.
Yashiro's face twisted with pain and collapse: "I know! I know all that!"
"My genjutsu clearly hit him, but it had no effect. His speed and strength far surpassed mine. Every move I made was seen through, yet I couldn't see through his methods at all—I couldn't get any information…"
"How could this happen… how could this happen!!"
Fugaku and Isshin looked at his expression and sighed in unison, their faces heavy.
This matter was already extremely troublesome…
And it had collided with the impeachment of Danzō, making everything even more chaotic.
"Now Danzō has grounds to argue again…"
"That Root's harsh, mission-first ideology—treating ninja as tools—is correct. After all, Root hasn't had any problems, nor has it affected the village."
Isshin rubbed his temples, feeling more exhausted than he ever had since Seisui arrived in the Uchiha clan: "To be honest, I'm even starting to suspect Danzō did it!"
Fugaku nodded deeply.
Danzō's motive was indeed enormous!
"According to what Clan Head Isshin told me, Danzō specializes in Wind Release and cursed seals. Even if his taijutsu surpasses Yashiro's, he likely doesn't have this level of ability…"
Tobirama spoke slowly: "Unless his strength has improved dramatically—but according to historical records, once a ninja passes their peak, such a large leap is basically impossible…"
Tobirama's first instinct had indeed been that his fallen-into-darkness disciple had panicked and lashed out!
But after thinking it through, he dismissed the idea.
Because that disciple simply didn't have that capability!
Danzō was certainly much stronger than Yashiro.
But without using ninjutsu, and still being able to toy with Yashiro's team for so long without revealing anything—that was impossible.
The gap on display was like that between a jōnin and a regular Academy student.
Fugaku paused, realizing that made perfect sense.
"In all of Konoha… there probably isn't such a ninja…"
Fugaku pondered, then suddenly had a thought: "The Hokage might be able to? I heard from Minato that the Hokage's taijutsu and combat experience are extremely—"
Isshin slapped Fugaku across the face!
"You're saying the Hokage ambushed Yashiro?" Isshin snapped angrily.
"If the Hokage really wanted to crush the Uchiha, would he need to go through so much trouble?"
Fugaku was stunned, but not angry—he immediately realized he had misspoken.
He hurried to explain: "Ah, Clan Head Isshin, I was just analyzing objectively…"
"Of course it couldn't be the Hokage. I even saw him doing morning training yesterday…"
Isshin sighed.
He had already decided—if they could get through this crisis…
He would quickly nurture Seisui's growth, then hand over the position of "Konoha Council Member" to him, and remain clan head for another couple of years to guide him into position…
Seisui needed to get used to working alongside Fugaku as soon as possible!
But the problem now was…
How would the Uchiha clan get through this ordeal?
However, Fugaku's offhand remark had reminded Tobirama of something.
'Why has Hiruzen been improving so rapidly lately?'
'He's using my elder brother's name—and actually becoming like him?' Tobirama mused internally.
Unlimited growth!
Tobirama didn't particularly care about Yashiro's failed mission.
The key issue was identifying the mysterious powerhouse.
But the available intelligence was far too limited…
The opponent hadn't revealed any distinctive traits.
It was impossible to determine whether he was a hidden force from another village, or a lone wolf…
"Then what was this person's objective?"
"Destroying the mirror at this timing… perhaps he wasn't targeting the mirror itself, and yet he didn't harm Konoha's ninja."
Even Tobirama felt his mind strain for the first time in a long while: "Was he deliberately targeting Yashiro? Or does he have a conflict with the noble En clan and intended to sabotage their inheritance?"
Isshin shook his head: "Hard to say… things like this weren't uncommon during the Warring States period. Some powerful lone wolves act purely on impulse, following their mood at the time, with no apparent logic."
"They strike once and then disappear completely. Even the Great Clan Head and the Young Clan Head wouldn't have a way to deal with that."
"If we want to understand, we'll have to wait until he shows himself again."
Tobirama nodded.
What Isshin was referring to was the kind of ninja typified by Kakuzu.
Under the crushing pressure of the Warring States era, such people had, for one reason or another, resolutely withdrawn from their ninja clans and begun acting on their own.
Nowadays, they would generally be classified as S-rank missing-nin.
"I'd have been better off dead… Clan Head, do you think it would've been better for the clan if I'd killed myself back then?"
Yashiro said in total collapse: "If I had died, at least it would've proven that an Uchiha ninja had truly done his part!"
Isshin sighed.
That was the hardest part to deal with.
If Yashiro and the other two Konoha ninja had died, this matter actually would not have been nearly so troublesome…
By the rules of ninja missions, once the person dies, the account is closed.
At the very least, it would not have stirred up such a huge wave of public opinion…
"Your ocular power and chakra really are in an overloaded state…"
Tobirama had Yashiro activate his Sharingan and used his own three-tomoe eyes to carefully examine Yashiro's eyes and body.
His ocular power had been overused, and his chakra pathways were in a temporarily shrunken state…
He really had gone through a desperate all-out battle, but that was also what made the whole thing so bizarre…
He wasn't injured at all!
"Should we go explain this to the Hokage now?"
Fugaku spoke after a moment of thought: "But chakra consumption and ocular power depletion can be faked. Even injuries can be faked. The only option is to ask the Yamanaka clan and Mito-sama to step in and verify Yashiro's memory…"
Isshin shook his head.
"There's no need. The Uchiha were already at fault in this matter."
"If the Hokage trusts the Uchiha, then he'll naturally let Yashiro prove himself…"
"And even if he succeeds, so what? Failure is failure! Quite a few nobles have already collectively denounced Konoha's ninja as unreliable and are threatening to hand their mission shares to other hidden villages…"
"And that's only the portion of the nobles who've spoken out. No one knows how many more are still watching and waiting…"
"It has already caused major losses to the village!"
"When ninja fail, where are there so many excuses to go looking for? And Yashiro didn't even get hurt. Do you think those chūnin and genin will patiently listen to the Uchiha explain?"
"Starting a rumor only takes opening your mouth. Clearing one up is much harder…" Isshin's tone was full of dejection.
Could their luck really be this bad?
A hidden monster who never showed himself to the world, and yet Yashiro was the one who ran into him!
"Then what do we do now?" Fugaku asked anxiously.
"As for what the Uchiha should do, I don't know anymore…"
Isshin muttered to himself:
"Leave it to fate. And Seisui, you need to be prepared too. There's a chance you'll be subjected to Mito-sama's investigation."
As for the matter of Izuna being able to possess Seisui…
Tobirama and Isshin had discussed it before. Hiding it would be very difficult. There was no way they could keep using Izuna's power forever without it coming to light.
If they kept it under wraps and it was later discovered, it would be even harder to explain. Better to be open about it from the beginning.
Just say that he could only borrow the chakra, but that Izuna's consciousness was not there…
But now that this incident had happened, the nature of the matter had changed!
Fugaku frowned.
"What does this have to do with Seisui?"
"Go calm the rest of the clan first, Fugaku. Carry out the Hokage's assignment!" Isshin waved his hand, signaling for Fugaku and Yashiro to leave first.
"Yashiro, you should go calm down too."
Yashiro's footsteps were heavy. Without a word, he lowered his head and walked out as well.
Fugaku froze.
Even he wasn't allowed to know?
Could there really be something behind this?
But after thinking about it, he still got up cleanly and left.
If there were things he knew, and then he really was tested and failed to hold out, wouldn't that be a problem?
Fugaku already had a preliminary understanding of himself.
Isshin reinforced the attic with a barrier before finally speaking slowly: "If I were Mito-sama, I might even suspect that Young Clan Head Izuna manipulated you into doing this in order to split the Uchiha and Konoha apart…"
"Back then, Young Clan Head was one of the very few in the clan who opposed making peace with the Senju. He even openly condemned us as cowards who had forgotten our hatred…"
Isshin sighed.
"Mito-sama definitely knows that too."
"So Seisui, you need to think quickly about how to deal with this—how to escape Mito-sama's perception."
"An excuse like 'my ocular power was exhausted' definitely won't work."
If this had happened before the current incident…
Then as long as they reported it as a blessing of ancestral chakra, the matter would have passed.
They might even have earned a good reputation for reporting it in advance.
After all, similar things had happened among the Senju and the Uzumaki, and certain other ninja clans had comparable phenomena as well.
So even if the chakra resembled Izuna's, it would not have been enough to drag Seisui in for a root-and-branch investigation.
But once something had gone wrong, there was now a reason to investigate Seisui, and the Uchiha would not be able to protect him.
"Do I really have to face Mito-sama?"
Tobirama showed genuine resistance on his face and argued: "Isn't there any other way? Besides, Young Clan Head has no reason to do something like that. The records also note how much he cared about the clan's reputation. Mito-sama should know that too, shouldn't she?"
Seeing the expression on Tobirama's face, Isshin felt a trace of helplessness.
Let alone a boy his age—no ninja wanted to be interrogated by Mito.
It was practically the same as mind-reading…
Tobirama was starting to lose it a little.
He had been planning to earn the "fooled Mito" achievement.
Build up Hiruzen's trust score and secure proof that he himself was not a problem.
He could say that what was possessing Seisui was merely the chakra of an Uchiha ancestor, and that it only resembled Izuna's—so there was no need to misunderstand…
In the worst-case scenario, he could just throw out the identity of being a descendant of "Tobi-Izu," then say that Izuna's soul and chakra could only communicate a little during the first possession, and that afterward it was no longer possible…
But all of those explanations would only work if he took the initiative!
And given the current situation, reporting it now would be useless.
'With Mito's astonishing sixth sense and sensory ability, without the protective shell of 'proactive disclosure,' she'll definitely dig all the way to the bottom…'
'My own identity won't be exposed. Hiruzen has already thought things through for me, and there's also Isshin's dōjutsu body tempering…'
'But there's a high chance Izuna will have to meet Mito face-to-face. After that, I'll probably be put under watch again. How is it that even after living a second life, I still have to be monitored?'
Tobirama truly wanted to know who had made a move against the Uchiha…
How had they managed to set him up too? He had originally thought he would be able to carry out research in Konoha without restraint…
If he blended into Hiruzen's research team, Mito probably would not pay too much attention to him.
But now, in a daze, Tobirama could once again feel that oppressive sensation of the Mind's Eye of the Kagura sweeping over him from time to time…
'With this mess, trying to launch my own ninjutsu research project will probably become extremely difficult. I'll have no choice but to follow Hiruzen's line of thought. Mito is an absolute headache…'
Tobirama ground his teeth, but in the end could only let it go.
It was all because of that enemy who had come from who-knew-where—he was even more detestable than Madara!
"All we can do is wait…"
"Wait for the Hokage to summon me to a meeting," Isshin said with a long sigh.
At that very moment—
A knock sounded at the door.
Isshin's heart tightened. He opened the barrier and slowly pulled open the attic door.
Who would dare enter his house?
"By order of the Hokage, I've come to deliver instructions."
"Council Member Isshin, you must keep Uchiha Yashiro's emotions under control. Do not let him lose control and commit suicide. That would only make the truth harder to uncover."
"As for Uchiha Yashiro, Umino Ikkaku, and Funeno Daikoku, we have already sent people to speak with them. You should also continue monitoring them in real time. Don't let anything go wrong."
The visitor wore a mask similar to the ANBU's, but was dressed in a pitch-black coat: "We are the Root that the Hokage has reestablished. As for the details of the new Root structure, they will be publicly disclosed to all council members after this matter is concluded."
Aburame Tatsuma lifted his mask briefly to show his face, then put it back on.
Isshin was astonished.
Astonished that Root had actually been reestablished under the Hokage's control…
And also struck by how precise Hiruzen's foresight had been.
Just now, Isshin really had considered whether Yashiro's suicide might make the situation look better…
After all, once someone died, it was at least a quicker way to prove innocence.
"I understand. Thank you for your efforts."
Tatsuma nodded, then dispersed into a swarm of insects and vanished from the spot.
'Root is back… which means the Hokage already has control over Root. Judging from the new uniforms, this wasn't something done in just the last two days…'
'So Danzō's mistakes should already have been fully grasped. But if that's the case, why didn't he say so at the time?'
'He had obviously already dealt with it. The impeachment actually didn't stand.'
'And yet he still had the new Root come notify me…' Isshin sank into thought.
"I think the Hokage has probably already dealt with Root's previous problems."
Tobirama spoke slowly: "But Danzō hasn't realized it—or rather, he doesn't think he did anything wrong."
"Sending notice to the Uchiha is meant to steady our emotions, so we don't start overthinking and assume that what we did was wrong."
As the teacher of both Hiruzen and Danzō, Tobirama understood very well the bond between those two brothers-in-arms.
At a glance, it was obvious—Hiruzen had definitely cleaned up Danzō's mess for him. He might even have warned him already.
But Danzō had taken no notice of it and still didn't think he had done anything wrong…
And since he himself had impeached Danzō, Hiruzen was using the village's public opinion as the perfect chance to teach Danzō a lesson!
"Is that so?"
Isshin thought for a long while before nodding.
"Seisui, at your age, you already think like a Hokage. That's truly rare."
"If the Hokage calls me to a meeting, what do you think I should say?"
Tobirama replied slowly: "Don't use this incident to back down before Danzō. The Uchiha's mistake and Danzō's mistake must be discussed separately! The progress of the Will of Fire cannot be allowed to go backward!"
Isshin let out a long breath and thought to himself: 'Seisui's Will of Fire really does carry the clan's characteristic extremism!'
'But he may not actually be wrong. Impeaching Danzō so publicly at the First Training Ground was too dangerous, but the result was good…'
'Could Seisui really be a genius in this regard? Did he see the Hokage's deeper intent?'
...
Three days later.
Under the silent maintenance of order by the ANBU, no uncontrollable incidents broke out in the village.
But public opinion was like a coiled spring, silently building up force.
Completely different ways of thinking had begun colliding and throwing off sparks. Even ninja who had initially been utterly unable to accept one another had begun to understand part of the other side's reasoning, yet still could not convince each other.
So everyone turned their eyes toward the Hokage…
Waiting for this interpreter of the Will of Fire to settle the matter once and for all and bring this upheaval to a close…
But Hiruzen was in no hurry.
He needed to let the bullet fly a little longer.
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