Leak

After leaving the Hokage Building, Uchiha Fugaku returned to the Uchiha compound.

Although he had decided to leave the village today, he still had to make some preparations first.

Kunai, shuriken, Explosive Tags—these were all ninja tools commonly used in battle and essential equipment for travel.

Besides that, if he was going to spend the night in the wilderness, a Storage Scroll was also necessary.

It could be used to seal away a tent and food, making travel more comfortable.

Before heading out, he had already asked Uchiha Mikoto to seal the tent and food into a Storage Scroll. She should have finished preparing them by now.

When he returned to the Clan Head's residence at the center of the Uchiha compound, Uchiha Fugaku was slightly surprised.

Uchiha Itachi stood in the courtyard, with someone beside him.

It was a young man with short black hair and a short sword strapped to his back. It was Uchiha Shisui.

"Clan Head!"

The moment Uchiha Fugaku noticed Uchiha Shisui in the courtyard, Uchiha Shisui sensed Uchiha Fugaku as well.

He turned toward Uchiha Fugaku and called out.

"Mm. You came to see Itachi?"

Uchiha Fugaku's expression did not change, but his heart tightened slightly.

As a ninja, concealing one's footsteps and presence was practically instinctive. Just now, he had subconsciously hidden both his sound and presence.

Yet Uchiha Shisui had detected his approach immediately. Clearly, Uchiha Shisui's senses were exceptionally sharp.

Though he was not a sensory-type ninja, he possessed such acute perception. Uchiha Shisui's strength had surely reached Kage-level.

If he had previously only suspected that Uchiha Shisui had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, then now he was certain—Uchiha Shisui had definitely awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Yes. I hadn't seen Itachi in a while, so I came over to see him."

Uchiha Shisui answered respectfully.

Uchiha Fugaku gave a slight nod and walked inside, intending to retrieve his ninja tools and Storage Scroll.

"Clan Head, may I take up a little of your time?"

Watching Uchiha Fugaku's retreating back, uncertainty flickered in Uchiha Shisui's eyes. He seemed to hesitate, but eventually spoke.

"What is it?"

Hearing Uchiha Shisui speak up, Uchiha Fugaku turned to look at him.

"I have some questions, so I would like to ask for your guidance. What do you think a clan is? What is a village?"

Staring into Uchiha Fugaku's eyes, Uchiha Shisui asked.

Ever since learning more than half a month ago that the Clan Head supported the coup d'état, he had been unable to stop himself from wanting to question him.

Now that he had met the Clan Head, he could no longer hold back and finally asked.

"A group formed through blood ties is a clan. A group formed from many clans is a village."

Uchiha Fugaku likewise looked into Uchiha Shisui's eyes as he answered.

From Uchiha Shisui's question, he keenly sensed an undercurrent of dissatisfaction.

In the past, Uchiha Shisui had concealed that emotion very well, but now he had revealed it.

"Then, Clan Head, which do you think is more important—the clan or the village?"

Uchiha Shisui continued.

"They are equally important. Without clans, there would be no village; without the village, the clan could not be protected."

Uchiha Fugaku said.

"I understand. Thank you, Clan Head."

Uchiha Shisui bowed to Uchiha Fugaku. Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked out of the courtyard.

The Clan Head's answer disappointed him.

The village's importance should stand above everything else. Not even the clan could possibly compare to the village.

Yet the Clan Head believed the clan was as important as the village. That was something he could not accept.

He touched his eyes.

If the clan truly intended to launch a coup d'état one day, he would use these eyes to stop it.

"Shisui?!"

Seeing Uchiha Shisui suddenly turn and head out of the courtyard, Uchiha Itachi called after him. After hesitating briefly, he hurried after him.

Like Uchiha Shisui, he was deeply disappointed by his father's answer.

His father's vision was too narrow. He was nowhere near as farsighted as the Third Hokage.

If everyone in the village possessed the Third Hokage's foresight, the village would surely become harmonious, and there would not be so many disputes.

"Beyond saving!"

Watching the two leave, Uchiha Fugaku snorted coldly to himself.

The two had been deeply poisoned by the Third Hokage's brainwashing. They could no longer listen to any differing views, and there was no possibility of correcting them.

With no intention of changing his plans, he retrieved his ninja tools and Sealing Scroll, then headed toward Konoha's entrance.

The Military Police Force still monitored the village's entrance and exit. As the Captain of the Guard, he left the village without being questioned.

After leaving the village, he hurried toward the Land of Rain.

At the Root base, Shimura Danzō returned after leaving the Hokage Building.

"Fu."

He called out, and a masked man with orange hair appeared.

"Lord Danzō!"

The man dropped to one knee and addressed him respectfully.

"Follow Uchiha Fugaku after he leaves the village. Record his movements during his time away from the village and everyone he meets. Do not miss anything."

Shimura Danzō ordered.

"Yes."

The orange-haired man replied before vanishing in a flash.

Although monitoring a Clan Head violated village regulations, the orange-haired man did not hesitate in the slightest, nor did he ask why he was being ordered to conduct surveillance.

As a member of Root, he had long been instilled with absolute obedience. He would unwaveringly obey every order from his leader.

Let alone monitoring a Clan Head—even if he were ordered to assassinate one, he would carry it out without hesitation.

After the orange-haired man left, Shimura Danzō's exposed left eye took on a contemplative look.

A moment later, he spoke again.

"Bug."

"Lord Danzō."

Along with the voice, another masked man appeared.

The man wore a pair of black gloves and carried a short sword on his back.

He too dropped to one knee and respectfully appeared before Shimura Danzō.

"Is there a bounty on Uchiha Fugaku in the black market?"

Shimura Danzō asked.

"Yes. Uchiha Fugaku's current bounty is twenty million."

The man codenamed Bug answered.

Uchiha Fugaku had fought on the battlefield during the early years of the ninja war, and he was also the Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan, a clan steeped in legend.

Therefore, there was a bounty on Uchiha Fugaku in the black market.

"Raise the bounty by another ten million. Also, leak the news that Uchiha Fugaku has left Konoha to the black market."

Shimura Danzō said.

"Yes."

The man codenamed Bug likewise did not ask for the reason. He answered, then vanished in a flash.

Watching the direction in which he had left, Shimura Danzō's expression was profound.

Although there were voices within the Uchiha Clan calling for a coup d'état, Uchiha Fugaku, the Clan Head, was not a staunch supporter of one.

Because of this, the Uchiha Clan had still not taken any concrete action toward a coup d'état, leaving him unable to move against the Uchiha Clan.

This greatly dissatisfied him.

If Uchiha Fugaku died and a more radical person became Clan Head, the Uchiha Clan would likely soon take action toward a coup d'état. The opportunity to strike at the Uchiha Clan should arrive soon after.

Previously, Uchiha Fugaku had remained in the village, leaving no chance to deal with him.

Now that Uchiha Fugaku had voluntarily left the village, it was the perfect opportunity to deal with him.