[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-uchiha-in-konoha-starting-off-by-standing-up-to-":3,"chapter-uchiha-in-konoha-starting-off-by-standing-up-to--uchiha-in-konoha-starting-off-by-standing-up-to--chapter-16":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Uchiha in Konoha, Starting Off by Standing Up to Konoha!",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2322213,4543,"Chapter 16: Hiruzen Sarutobi Is Helpless Against Fugaku","uchiha-in-konoha-starting-off-by-standing-up-to--chapter-16",16,"\u003Cp>Uchiha clan grounds, hardline faction base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to half a month ago, the base has doubled in size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s no choice!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too many people have defected to the hardliners lately; they’ve had no option but to forcibly expand the base, which naturally required redesigning the barriers and reorganizing patrols and sentries—both visible and hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What about—the Security Force?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hah!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment Uchiha Jin truly seized power, he ordered every single hardliner to withdraw; now, with numerous moderates and centrists joining, Jin immediately issued a command to expel this group entirely from the Security Force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Security Force is now nothing but an empty shell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though nominally still existing, with Fugaku still its commander-in-chief and personnel still on duty in the Security Force building, in reality, no one actually does any work anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Itachi can’t seriously expect Fugaku, the commander-in-chief, plus a few elders from both factions and a handful of elite ninja, to go out and do street patrol like city cops, can Itachi?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fugaku and his crew wouldn’t dare lose face like that!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hokage’s office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiruzen Sarutobi’s face was grim as he stared at Fugaku standing below him, and he slammed his fist hard on the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fugaku, clan head, this is too much!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can Itachi even still do your job as Security Force commander? Look at how chaotic the village has become!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are your Security Force personnel? Why is no one enforcing the law anymore?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was furious!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew the Uchiha were unstable, riven by fierce internal factional struggles, and that Orochimaru kept assassinating them every few days, treating the Uchiha grounds like a field of Jiucai .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s no excuse for the Security Force’s inaction!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Hiruzen’s mind, as long as the Uchiha hadn’t been wiped out, they must still carry out their Security Force duties normally—otherwise, if the Uchiha didn’t keep alienating the common folk, how could he justify continuing to target them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But, unfortunately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fugaku’s expression remained utterly calm in the face of Hiruzen’s rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He merely glanced at Hiruzen, then sighed helplessly: “Most Uchiha have now defected to the hardliners. I can only command Shisui, a few moderates and centrists, and six or seven elite jōnin from those two factions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shisui belongs to the Anbu. Those six or seven elite jōnin must also protect the elders of both factions and guard against the ‘enemy spies’ who appear frequently at night.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Itachi can’t seriously expect me, as clan head, to lead several elders on patrol, can Itachi?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fugaku spread his hands, slipping into full surrender mode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was just as helpless, just as hopeless!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And on the other side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiruzen was left speechless, unable to utter a word for a long while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he thought about it carefully, Fugaku’s words were actually true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The so-called Uchiha clan head before him had become nothing but a figurehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After silently smoking a pipe, Hiruzen hesitated: “Aren’t Itachi preparing any countermeasures?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. I haven’t thought of any.” Fugaku didn’t even lift his eyelids as he shook his head: “Uchiha Jin is playing an open strategy—I’ve lost fairly and willingly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He truly had no solution, so he chose to accept it calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was his nature—he’d accepted Uchiha Itachi’s betrayal in the original timeline with the same quiet resignation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiruzen: “...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His lips twitched violently; he wanted to slap Fugaku right then and there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d never met such a useless man. Sure, he thought Fugaku couldn’t match Uchiha Jin, but Itachi don’t just surrender without even a single word!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is a mess now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Fugaku doesn’t challenge Uchiha Jin, once Jin fully controls the Uchiha and has time to spare, won’t he just stir up trouble again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, absolutely not!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear now that Fugaku was finished—completely useless. Even if he hated it, Hiruzen had to step in and fight for Fugaku’s sake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed to help Fugaku rally some allies to spark internal Uchiha conflict again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he thought of this, he let out a quiet sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d never imagined he’d one day actively help Fugaku—but the man’s utter incompetence truly shocked him. He’d have to find ways to get Shisui to assist him more, and also find him additional allies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap. Tap. Tap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiruzen knocked on the desk; an Anbu knelt respectfully on one knee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hokage-sama.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Find Uchiha Jin. Tell him to come to my office immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Anbu nodded and left without delay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Anbu’s departure, the Hokage’s office fell silent. Hiruzen paid no more attention to Fugaku, instead smoking and pondering in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed to think carefully during this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What arguments could he use to make Uchiha Jin back down?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And on the other side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the core courtyard of the hardline faction base.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Uchiha Jin stood a young Uchiha jōnin—but what truly interested him was the man’s identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Inabi, Fugaku’s absolute confidant!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also the person Fugaku trusted most, and one of the Uchiha’s strongest warriors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Itachi’re defecting to me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Honestly, I can’t understand it. Itachi’re Fugaku’s core confidant—why would Itachi even consider joining me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As Fugaku’s absolute confidant, wouldn’t he easily protect Itachi?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uchiha Jin’s eyes flickered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He truly didn’t trust this Uchiha—his position was too awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A core confidant of the clan head, now defecting directly to a hardline faction elder like himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how Itachi looked at it, this didn’t make sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inabi’s expression didn’t change; his tone remained calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have a younger sister. The clan grounds aren’t safe anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I spend every day guarding the clan head—I have no time to care for her. But that’s only the surface reason.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve lost all faith in the clan head. The moment Jin-kun became hardline elder and established this base, I thought the clan head should’ve done anything—even started a civil war—to stop Jin-kun’s actions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because the clan head hesitated, he missed the best opportunity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, whether it’s the village’s slander against the Uchiha or the daily disappearances of Uchiha members, Fugaku, as clan head, has found no way to stop any of it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even though Jin-kun’s methods have proven effective, the clan head still hasn’t mustered the courage to copy them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s shown me clearly—he has zero resolve.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whether for war or peace, at least make a decision!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With his indecisive nature, and considering the Uchiha’s complex ties to the village, I believe following Fugaku means certain doom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So my defection to the hardliners is genuine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fugaku doesn’t deserve to be clan head—I want to support Jin-kun as clan head!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know if our Uchiha’s situation will improve under Jin-kun, but at least it can’t be worse than under Fugaku.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That—enough!”\u003C\u002Fp>",1117,"2026-06-20T16:36:27.897Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","74e975e1341c748f6907d967d23648d9b831062724388e99a1202b8cb0594222","uchiha-in-konoha-starting-off-by-standing-up-to--chapter-17","uchiha-in-konoha-starting-off-by-standing-up-to--chapter-15",371,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fuchiha-in-konoha-starting-off-by-standing-up-to--cover.jpg"]