Uchiha and Sarutobi

Before Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha fell out, the Will of Fire held that the village's foremost purpose was to protect the next generation. This had already been established when the two were young.

"For the sake of all who follow him, he will create peace with his own hands."

This had already revealed Hashirama's original philosophy—helping his own, not upholding reason.

Only a village where everyone gathered together was a true village.

And at that time, Konoha did not even carry as much weight in his heart as Madara Uchiha.

But after he fell out with Madara Uchiha, Hashirama Senju declared, "As long as they endanger the village's safety, I will never forgive them, not even if they are my brothers or relatives."

From that point onward, Hashirama's so-called Will of Fire had placed the village above all else.

Before Madara Uchiha "died," he too said bitterly, "This will become the village's darkness."

The facts proved him right.

That was the beginning of the Will of Fire's corruption and distortion.

Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage, spared no effort in inheriting the First Hokage's Will of Fire.

But he possessed neither the First Hokage's broad-mindedness that transcended clans nor the First Hokage's strength that intimidated the Shinobi World.

So, for the sake of the village, he chose to conduct human experiments.

And because of his personal hatred for the Uchiha, Tobirama Senju treated the Uchiha Clan as potential enemies, unable to assess situations realistically and consider matters calmly.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō each inherited a portion of his so-called Will of Fire.

But unfortunately...

"A village bound together by the bonds between comrades should naturally protect every fellow villager within it. That is the true meaning of the Will of Fire."

Little Naruto answered, "But they turned their blades upon the people they were supposed to protect."

Konoha above all else meant that everything could be sacrificed for the village.

But who defined what the "village" was?

Naturally, it was Konoha's high-ranking officials, driven by their own selfish interests.

"The Will of Fire has been rotten at its roots for a long time."

Menma shook his head. "Not everyone possesses the First Hokage's noble ideals and absolute strength. This Will of Fire, which seeks peace through compromise with outsiders, is not suited to Konoha after it lost its absolute deterrent power."

Seek peace through struggle, and peace endures; seek peace through compromise, and peace perishes.

"Why is Yashiro causing trouble again?"

At the same time, Shisui hid in a tree and watched the two groups in the distance, his head beginning to throb.

He was currently carrying out a mission as ANBU.

If he stopped Yashiro now using his ANBU identity, it would probably be used as ammunition at the next Clan Meeting.

But if he did not stop him...

"Is Yashiro actually planning to make a move?!"

From afar, Shisui saw the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Yashiro's eyes.

Gritting his teeth, just as he was about to rush out—

"What is going on? What are you doing?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi approached slowly with several ANBU behind him, a smile still on his face.

As he arrived, the Sarutobi Clan members present all fell silent, their faces returning to calm.

Though Hiruzen Sarutobi was not the Sarutobi clan head, they clearly trusted him greatly.

"Third Hokage."

Though Yashiro Uchiha was reluctant, he still forcibly deactivated his Sharingan.

With a stern expression, he said bluntly, "Members of the Sarutobi Clan were publicly slandering the Uchiha Clan in broad daylight and attempted to resist apprehension by the Police Force."

"Ah."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's aged face grew even more melancholy. After a long sigh, he advised, "Setting the issue aside, we are all fellow villagers. Even if they made mistakes, there was no need to be so hot-tempered. Whatever the problem is, you should explain it properly."

"If you do that, I believe the Sarutobi Clan will understand reason and cooperate with the Police Force's work."

He then looked at the Sarutobi Clan's leader and asked with a smile, "Don't you agree?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

"That's right! We'll definitely cooperate!"

The Sarutobi Clan members all nodded in agreement. They looked utterly obedient, without a trace of their earlier anger or defiance.

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled in satisfaction and instructed the ANBU behind him, "Take them somewhere quiet. Making a scene in public affects the village's appearance."

The ANBU said nothing as they walked toward the Uchiha and Sarutobi clan members.

"Wait!"

Yashiro Uchiha spoke up to stop them, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Third Hokage, I'm afraid it isn't appropriate for ANBU to handle this matter."

"Oh? What's inappropriate about it?"

A kindly smile rested on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face, but there was not the slightest hint of amusement in his eyes as he looked at Yashiro.

Yashiro Uchiha refused to back down and said with a sneer, "ANBU's duties are to protect the Hokage, prevent enemy invasions, and gather intelligence on enemies. Maintaining public order in the village should be the responsibility of our Police Force, shouldn't it?"

"Heh heh."

Hiruzen Sarutobi paid no mind to Yashiro's offensive tone and said with a chuckle, "One side involved in this conflict is the Uchiha Clan, and the members of the Police Force are all Uchiha, so..."

Though he did not finish, Yashiro and the other Uchiha all darkened.

His meaning was obvious: he believed the Uchiha Clan would abuse their positions to seek personal gain for their own people.

Anger rose in Yashiro's heart, and he said indignantly, "If I remember correctly, Third Hokage, you are also a member of the Sarutobi Clan, aren't you?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's smile gradually faded as he said solemnly, "From the day I became Hokage, everyone in Konoha has been equal in my eyes. There is no distinction between clans!"

His forceful, resonant voice was immensely stirring, instantly drawing agreement from the villagers watching nearby.

"Isn't the Uchiha Clan going too far? How could Lord Hokage possibly use his position to benefit his own clan?"

"That's right. I believe Lord Hokage will treat everyone fairly!"

"Compared to the Uchiha Clan, who enforce the law with violence and act arrogant and rude, I trust the Sarutobi Clan more."

At first, several villagers merely whispered among themselves, but their voices gradually grew louder and more unrestrained.

"If you are dissatisfied with my decision, you may have Fugaku raise an objection at the high-ranking officials' meeting."

Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled, then changed the subject. "But for now, you cannot continue disrupting everyone's normal lives here."

"Take them all away!"

He said no more, waving his hand to signal ANBU to continue.

The Uchiha, meanwhile, flushed red with rage and activated their Sharingan one after another.

Every one of them belonged to the Radical Faction that supported Yashiro Uchiha.

They had already been deeply dissatisfied with Konoha's High-Ranking Officials.

They had clearly been enforcing the law impartially, yet they were targeted by the Third Hokage again. Even the villagers were talking as though they were in the wrong.

Naturally, the ever-proud Uchiha Clan could not endure such humiliation.

"Move—"

Yashiro Uchiha gritted his teeth and was just about to order them to resist.

"Stop!!"