"What?" Hiruzen Sarutobi gasped, immediately standing up from his desk.
"Fugaku Uchiha led his people to surround the former Root base?" Hiruzen stared at the Anbu operative who had just burst into the room, demanding confirmation.
"Yes, Lord Hokage," the Anbu said firmly, quickly detailing the intel. "The Uchiha Clan Head has given the order. The former Root base is now completely surrounded by the Uchiha clan. Without the Young Clan Head's order, no one is allowed in or out. Violators will be killed on sight!"
"What does Fugaku Uchiha think Konoha is? The Uchiha clan's personal dictatorship?" Anger surged within Hiruzen, and he viciously threw his smoking pipe to the ground. Smack! "I want to see exactly what Fugaku intends to do. Does he have no respect for me as the Hokage?" Hiruzen fumed. He hastily donned his Hokage robes and rushed toward the mountain behind Konoha with his Anbu escort.
"What exactly is happening to the village today? One thing after another... I don't understand any of it," Hiashi Hyuga muttered, exchanging bewildered looks with Shikaku Nara.
The situation was spiraling far beyond their expectations.
After a moment of hesitation, Hiashi decided to follow Hiruzen to the Root base to see what the Uchiha were planning. As for Hinata, with the Uchiha actively tracking Kumogakure's movements, his daughter's safety was at least somewhat guaranteed for now.
Shikaku Nara, however, hesitated for a long time before ultimately deciding against following the Third Hokage. With his intellect, it wasn't hard to see that the upcoming conflict was a dangerous political chessboard between the Uchiha clan and the Hokage. If he intervened recklessly, the Nara clan's strength wouldn't be enough to preserve themselves in the ensuing storm. Therefore, the best course of action was to stay out of it and remain completely neutral.
...
"Fugaku Uchiha, what is your clan trying to do? Are you rebelling?"
Hiruzen arrived outside the Root base with a large contingent of Anbu, demanding answers the moment he saw Fugaku dressed in full combat gear. "Take your clansmen and leave this place at once," Hiruzen ordered.
Fugaku remained silent for a moment before enunciating every word. "Lord Hokage, I refuse."
Hiruzen laughed out of extreme anger. "Is the Uchiha clan planning to betray the village?" he asked in a low, dangerous voice.
Hearing this, a trace of mockery appeared on Fugaku's face. "Betray the village? Isn't this exactly what you and your Hokage Assistant forced us into?"
Hearing Fugaku's words, the raging fire in Hiruzen's heart was instantly extinguished, replaced by a chilling dread.
'Does Fugaku know?' Hiruzen thought rapidly. 'Impossible. Kumogakure did this. Danzo and I are the only ones in the entire village who know the truth. Fugaku must only be suspicious. I absolutely cannot give myself away.'
Hiruzen forced himself to calm down, and the atmosphere between the two leaders grew dead cold.
Seeing Hiruzen's shifting expression, Fugaku understood most of the unspoken truth. With a mocking sneer, he said deeply, "It seems Lord Hokage knows something. But wait until Jie brings Sasuke back. It will be time for the truth to be made public. Until then, Lord Hokage, please wait here with me."
Saying that, Fugaku turned and walked back among his clansmen without looking back, leaving Hiruzen and his Anbu standing dumbfounded in the breeze.
...
After receiving the distress intel, Jie went all out, rushing toward the mountain behind Konoha at maximum speed.
By the time he arrived, several elite Uchiha ninja had already been beaten to the ground. Though none were dead, they were heavily injured and completely incapacitated. More importantly, their Sharingan had been cruelly gouged out, leaving only bloody, empty sockets.
Seeing this tragic sight, furious anger burned within Jie.
He didn't have time to linger here. He immediately fired a signal flare into the sky to call for clan members to come and rescue the wounded. Then, after quickly inspecting the surrounding tracks, Jie dashed off in pursuit.
Meanwhile, far ahead of Jie's current position, Arui carried Sasuke, and his comrade carried Hinata. Beside them ran a group of masked ninja of unknown identity, speeding relentlessly in the direction of Kumogakure.
"Were you sent by Lord Raikage to rendezvous with us?" Arui asked warily, coming to a halt. Looking at the silent companions around him, an ominous feeling grew stronger in his gut.
"We've been discovered?"
After a moment of silence, a ninja wearing sunglasses and a hood that obscured his face stepped forward. He spoke with chilling calmness. "Well, we're far enough away anyway. You've outlived your usefulness. Hand the children over, and then please die quietly."
Arui was instantly shocked. This group of ninja who had helped them shake off the Uchiha pursuers weren't their comrades at all!
"Who are you? What are you trying to do?" Arui demanded in alarm, instantly taking a step back while keeping a tight grip on Sasuke.
"Dead men don't need to know too much."
The sunglasses-wearing ninja stepped toward Arui. Though his steps were slow, each one felt as if it trampled directly over Arui's heart, causing his pupils to shrink in terror.
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