Chapter 15

This clan meeting, like the others, ended in nothing.

Uchiha Jin’s radical faction did not leave early; instead, Fugaku, Shisui, and others watched their performance with keen interest before finally departing the Naka Shrine, satisfied.

“Clan Leader…”

Shisui’s voice was hoarse; he spoke only after everyone had left: “We must find a way— we cannot let Uchiha Jin continue his recklessness!”

He was beginning to fear it.

Knowing the enemy’s scheme yet being powerless to stop it filled him with frustration; this open stratagem left him deeply conflicted.

Fugaku sat silently, his gaze deep and unreadable.

He glanced at the empty Naka Shrine and, for a moment, saw visions of how his appeasement policy had allowed the Leaf’s high command to gradually tolerate Danzo, leading to more and more Uchiha being arrested…

Once, they had no choice. Now, with Uchiha Jin, everyone was frantically flocking to the radical faction.

“Shisui, Itachi—”

“Go speak with the Hokage. Ask him to rein in Danzo. I’ll do my best to calm the clan’s emotions.”

“If this continues, the radicals will take over the Uchiha!”

Fugaku spoke, his face filled with helplessness.

He was truly backed into a corner— he could only hope Hiruzen Sarutobi would show some strength.

And yet, for this—

Shisui’s face twisted with anger: “Clan Leader, Itachi must not be misled by Uchiha Jin. Danzo is a high-ranking Leaf official— how could he possibly do such things?”

“He may indeed have my grandfather’s Sharingan, but that was a gift from my grandfather on his deathbed.”

Fugaku sighed at this.

Foolish child!

Do Itachi think I don’t know what Danzo is?

But he also knew Shisui had long been deceived by Hiruzen Sarutobi; arguing further with him was pointless, so he merely waved his hand and said casually: “Just tell the Hokage what I said. Don’t concern yourself with anything else.”

After speaking,

he ignored Shisui entirely and walked away with heavy steps.

Shisui opened his mouth to explain, to urge Fugaku again.

But watching Fugaku’s retreating back, he finally sighed helplessly: “The clan’s misunderstanding of the Leaf’s high command runs too deep. Even those who favor the moderate or neutral factions still distrust them profoundly.”

“The Hokage is such a good man— why can’t they show him respect?”

“It seems I must keep working harder.”

His eyes gradually hardened.

As if making a decision, he went straight to the Hokage’s office and recounted the clan meeting’s events.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, smoking his pipe, sighed with a shadowed gaze.

“The world is hard indeed.”

“I understand this matter. Tell Clan Leader Fugaku I’ll do my best to restrain Danzo.”

“Shisui, don’t blame Fugaku. The Uchiha’s misunderstanding of the Leaf runs too deep— resolving it will take time.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke with deep sincerity.

His aged face was lined with exhaustion, his eyes filled with the pain of being misunderstood, yet he still forced himself to comfort Shisui.

Shisui was utterly moved: “Hokage-sama, Itachi’ve worked too hard.”

“It’s my duty,” Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled. “Itachi’re a good boy.”

“Let’s work together.”

He went on to lecture Shisui at length on the Will of Fire, then, after Shisui left, summoned the Anbu.

“Hokage-sama!”

“Order Danzo to tightly monitor the Uchiha compound. Assign the Third Division of the Anbu to assist him. All operations are under Danzo’s full command.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave the order directly.

His old face was now cold and cruel; only after the Anbu left did he let out a bitter scoff.

Restrain Danzo?

Ridiculous!

Danzo’s Senju cells were already out of control and desperately needed a Mangekyo Sharingan to balance them. Even if I gave orders now, it would do no good.

Should I just let Danzo die?

For the Uchiha? Don’t be absurd!

Uchiha Jin’s stratagem is indeed hard to counter, but I, Hiruzen Sarutobi, have no need to counter it— this is purely an Uchiha internal power struggle. I’d welcome every last one of them dead.

Even if Uchiha Jin takes control, I don’t care!

A weakened Uchiha— no matter how strong Uchiha Jin is— how much trouble can he really cause?

I only need to ensure their infighting doesn’t spill over into the village. Everything else? I’ll let it burn.

…

Time passed slowly. In the blink of an eye, ten days had gone by.

Fugaku was anxious inside but powerless. Hiruzen Sarutobi chose to let things run their course. The radicals shut themselves off, living their own lives. Danzo, desperate to suppress the violent Senju cells within him, continued his ruthless hunt for Uchiha with three tomoe Sharingan.

For a time,

the entire Uchiha clan was gripped by fear. Some who saw the reality finally defected to the radicals, but the vast majority still clung to their factional loyalties and refused to join the radicals.

After much discussion, these people planned to emulate the radicals and band together for defense.

But, unfortunately,

their efforts had barely begun when Shisui stepped in to stop them.

“Trust the Hokage! He will surely resolve this!”

“This isn’t Danzo’s doing— it’s all Uchiha Jin’s slander. These are spies from other villages. The Hokage is already working on a solution.”

“Clan members, wait a little longer!”

“Trust the village. Trust the Hokage!”

Naive Shisui truly believed in Hiruzen Sarutobi— this was the core belief of his entire life.

The Uchiha were an extreme clan!

Shisui, as an Uchiha, inherited this trait— especially as one who had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, he was even more stubborn, rigid, and single-minded than ordinary clan members.

But, unfortunately,

unaware he had been sold out, still counting coins for Hiruzen Sarutobi, he could not change the clan’s deteriorating situation. He could only watch helplessly as clan members were killed one by one.

Even patrolling the entire compound every night was useless— one man could not guard the whole territory.

And precisely because of this,

more clan members joined the radicals. The remaining loyalists of the moderate and neutral factions finally urged Fugaku to lead their defense.

But, ha!

Fugaku was a man of good intentions but weak will, ambitious yet foolish, inwardly frail. Though he clearly saw the problems in the compound, he could never bring himself to break with the village— he dared not even retaliate or mount an active defense.

Because he feared the situation would grow worse!

Just as in the original timeline, when facing Sasuke’s massacre, though he did not agree inwardly, he still chose to submit to death.

Now, it was the same!

Even as clan members died one after another, even as the moderates and neutrals pressured him, he kept hesitating, hoping delay might bring some new chance.

In the end,

amid Fugaku’s delays and indecision, more and more Uchiha joined the radicals— until Fugaku became nothing but a commander without troops. All he now led were the moderate and neutral faction leaders, plus a handful of elite core members from both sides.

In total, fewer than fifteen people.