Uchiha's Position After the Disaster!

For powerful ninja, a mere flap of their wings could become an insurmountable, catastrophic disaster for ordinary people.

That morning, Shinichi, whom Hyuga Hiashi had taken to the Hokage Building, passed through a street that had been ravaged the previous night.

A heavy atmosphere of grief filled the air. The usual clamor and bustle had vanished without a trace, and in several corners of the street, dried, dark-red bloodstains could still be seen.

Some of the shops along the street had hung signs reading "Temporarily Closed." Shopkeepers who would usually greet Hyuga Hiashi warmly now wore exhausted, numb expressions. Their vacant eyes made one's heart ache.

"..."

Shinichi Hyuga could clearly feel a desolate sorrow closing in around him. Throughout the walk to the Hokage Building with Hiashi, Shinichi kept his head slightly lowered and remained silent.

"Compared to a few years ago, what you saw today was nothing more than a small scene."

"The ninja world is this cruel."

"That is precisely why clans have meaning, and why villages have meaning."

"Shinichi, only when you become strong enough, when the clan becomes strong enough, and when the village becomes strong enough, will you be able to protect those you truly care about."

"For the Hyuga, strive to become stronger, Shinichi."

Perhaps sensing Shinichi's emotions, after they had passed through the disaster-stricken street, Hyuga Hiashi stopped. He turned back to look at the street they had just crossed, then gently stroked Shinichi's head, seemingly trying to soothe him in this way.

"I understand, Father."

Shinichi nodded silently. He had long known how cruel the ninja world was, but when that cruelty truly unfolded before him, it still stirred something in his heart.

Hiashi nodded silently. Then father and son said no more as they headed toward the Hokage Building.

Konoha had only just suffered the Nine-Tails Attack the previous night, and the village was now beset by troubles.

After settling his wife and child, the Fourth Hokage had returned to work, spending the entire night arranging for ninja to handle disaster relief.

By now, the evacuation of civilians and rescue efforts had mostly been completed, and reports on the losses suffered by each department had been submitted to the Fourth Hokage one after another.

When Hyuga Hiashi brought Shinichi to the Hokage's Office, Minato Namikaze and Hiruzen Sarutobi were meeting with Fugaku Uchiha.

Konoha's three advisors were also present. Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Shimura Danzō had naturally taken last night's disaster seriously and had arrived at the office early to question the Fourth Hokage.

It was not only Konoha's advisors. Every prominent ninja in Konoha had been gathered in this office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eldest son, who served as an Anbu captain, the head of the Nara Clan's Jonin Squad, and others were all present.

Minato Namikaze had already grasped the specific details regarding the enemy and had shared the intelligence with Hiruzen Sarutobi.

But such a major incident had occurred in Konoha, and the Tailed Beast had caused such grave consequences within the village. Someone had to be held responsible.

And there was no need to ask who that person was. Naturally, it was the Uchiha Clan!

"Obito Uchiha is a member of your Uchiha Clan. Your clan will be responsible for hunting down this traitor!"

"Fugaku, you are the clan head. After something like this happened, you should understand why I stopped your clan from joining the battlefield last night!"

Within the office, Danzō's voice drowned out everyone else's as he loudly questioned Fugaku Uchiha.

The two of them seemed to have encountered each other during yesterday's disaster. It appeared that Danzō and his Root had not had time to join the battle against the Nine-Tails last night, yet they had found the time to restrict and monitor the Uchiha Clan.

Knock, knock—

The guard ninja's knock interrupted the tense atmosphere in the room. With Minato's permission, the door opened, and Hyuga Hiashi led Shinichi into the office.

After bowing to the two Hokage, Hiashi did not rush to explain why he had come. Instead, he led Shinichi to one side, clearly with no intention of competing with Fugaku for the role of "protagonist."

The people present silently glanced at Hiashi as he entered the office, then returned their attention to Fugaku Uchiha.

The Sharingan in the eyes of the Nine-Tails that had ravaged Konoha had reshaped every Konoha ninja's understanding of the Uchiha Clan.

The grudges and entanglements between Madara Uchiha and Hashirama, the First Hokage, were ultimately too distant in the past. In this era, ninja knew little of the Uchiha Clan's formidable power.

In the eyes of many young ninja, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, was the true "God of Shinobi," the strongest ninja since Konoha's founding. They had no clear understanding of the powerful figures of the past.

But after last night's disaster, they realized that the Uchiha Clan possessed the power to control Tailed Beasts.

This had gone from being something they merely knew existed to a reality displayed before everyone's eyes. While it made them fear the Uchiha's power, it also made them wary of the Uchiha Clan.

After all... everyone had been on the same level. The Uchiha might have been a little stronger, but their strength had ultimately been limited.

But now, the Uchiha suddenly possessed the ability to "flip the table." How were the other clans supposed to deal with the Uchiha Clan?!

That was where the problem arose.

As Danzō questioned Fugaku, he was also secretly considering what method he should use to eliminate the Uchiha threat.

Konoha's internal factions had only just achieved a delicate balance, and the Uchiha's sudden "growth" gave Danzō an inexplicable sense of urgency.

"As for Obito Uchiha, our Uchiha Clan will absolutely investigate the matter thoroughly."

"We will naturally take on the task of capturing the rogue ninja without hesitation!"

"But... there are some things I must make clear."

"Our Uchiha Clan truly knew nothing about Obito Uchiha. We did not foresee his actions either."

"What happened last night had nothing to do with our Uchiha Clan."

"Lord Danzō, please do not view us Uchiha through tinted glasses because of something like that!"

Fugaku had come early in the morning not only to accept the expected questioning, but also to explain the Uchiha Clan's stance to Konoha's high-ranking officials.

What Obito had done was like getting mud on their pants—it looked like shit whether it was or not.

Because of the Police Force's special position, the Uchiha had never been particularly well liked in the village. If this matter continued to fester, the Uchiha clansmen's situation within the village would only grow more difficult.

Voices of dissatisfaction among the clansmen had appeared long ago and had only grown stronger over the years. Fugaku now sat atop a volcano that could erupt at any moment. Everything he did was cautious, as though walking on thin ice.

Danzō was utterly unmoved by Fugaku's explanation, and the gloom on his face did not lessen in the slightest.

Seeing this, Fugaku knew the other man had not listened. He could only look toward Hiruzen Sarutobi, but upon seeing the latter's pensive expression, Fugaku's heart sank.

"Fugaku, the Uchiha are members of Konoha. We naturally understand that."

"Rest assured, Obito's actions will absolutely not affect your Uchiha Clan."

"I guarantee it!"

Compared to the Third Hokage's silence, Minato Namikaze's words made Fugaku's eyes light up.

"Fourth Hokage..."

Looking at Minato's gentle smile, Fugaku finally felt the weight on his heart lift away.

There were still... people who trusted the Uchiha!