The Situation Continues to Worsen, Fugaku Becomes a Commander Without Troops!

This Clan Meeting, too, ended without result.

Uchiha Jin's Radical Faction did not leave early. Instead, they watched Fugaku, Shisui, and the others perform with great interest, only leaving Naka Shrine once they were fully satisfied.

"Clan Head..."

Shisui's voice was somewhat hoarse. He only spoke after everyone else had left. "We have to find a solution. We absolutely cannot let Uchiha Jin continue running wild!"

He was faintly afraid!

Knowing full well that the other side was plotting, yet being powerless to stop it—this feeling made him deeply agitated. This Open Conspiracy left him terribly conflicted.

Fugaku's gaze was profound as he sat silently in his seat.

He looked at the empty Naka Shrine and vaguely saw it all: because of his appeasement policy and Konoha Higher-ups' growing indulgence toward Danzo, more and more Uchiha being arrested...

In the past, they had no choice. But now they had Uchiha Jin, and everyone had begun flocking madly to the Radical Faction.

"Shisui, you..."

"Go discuss this with Hokage-sama. Have Hokage-sama rein Danzo in a little. I'll do my best to stabilize the clan members' emotions."

"If this continues, the Uchiha will become the Radical Faction's domain!"

Fugaku spoke with helplessness written all over his face.

He truly had been forced into a corner. All he could do was hope Sarutobi Hiruzen would pull his weight.

However, regarding this—

Anger appeared on Shisui's face. "Clan Head, you can't let Uchiha Jin mislead you. Lord Danzo is one of Konoha's Higher-ups. How could he possibly do such things?"

"Though he does indeed possess my grandfather's Sharingan, it was given to him by my grandfather before he died."

Fugaku merely sighed at this.

Foolish child!

What kind of person Danzo was—wouldn't I know?

But he also knew that Shisui had long been misled by Sarutobi Hiruzen. There was no point in arguing too much with him, so he merely waved his hand and said casually, "Just tell Hokage-sama what I said. You don't need to concern yourself with anything else."

After saying that—

He no longer paid attention to Shisui and instead left with heavy steps.

Shisui opened his mouth, wanting to explain and persuade Fugaku a little.

But as he watched Fugaku's departing figure, he finally Sighed helplessly after a long while. "The clan members' misunderstanding of Konoha Higher-ups runs too deep. Even the Middle Faction and the Moderate Faction, who are willing to compromise, still deeply distrust Konoha Higher-ups."

"Hokage-sama is such a good person. Why can't they show him some respect?"

"It seems I'll have to keep working hard from now on!"

His gaze gradually became firm.

As though he had made some sort of decision, he went straight to the Hokage Office and reported the contents of this Clan Meeting.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, smoking his pipe, sighed with an inscrutable look in his eyes.

"Times are difficult!"

"I understand this matter. Convey my words to Clan Head Fugaku—I will do everything I can to rein Danzo in."

"And Shisui, don't blame Fugaku either. The Uchiha's misunderstanding of Konoha runs too deep. Resolving this misunderstanding will take time."

Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke with heartfelt sincerity.

His aged face was filled with exhaustion, his eyes brimming with the complexity of being misunderstood, yet he still forced himself to persuade Shisui.

Shisui was thoroughly moved. "Hokage-sama, you've worked hard."

"It's what I should do." Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled. "You're a good child."

"Let's work hard together."

He continued lecturing Shisui at length about the Will of Fire. Only after Shisui left did he summon the Anbu.

"Hokage-sama!"

"Notify Danzo to closely monitor the Uchiha Compound. Transfer the Third Squad of the Anbu there as well. All operations will be under Danzo's command."

Sarutobi Hiruzen gave the order directly.

At this moment, his old face was filled with coldness. Only after the Anbu left did he snort.

Rein Danzo in?

What a joke!

Danzo could no longer suppress the Hashirama Cells within his body and urgently needed Three Tomoe Sharingan to balance them. Given the current situation, even if he gave the order, it would have little effect.

Could he possibly just watch Danzo die?

For the Uchiha? Don't be ridiculous!

As for Uchiha Jin's Open Conspiracy, it was indeed difficult to break. But the issue was that Sarutobi Hiruzen had no need to break it. After all, this was all just internal factional strife within the Uchiha. He wished for as many Uchiha clan members to die as possible.

Even if Uchiha Jin took power, he did not care!

With the Uchiha weakened, no matter how strong Uchiha Jin was, how much trouble could he really stir up?

He only needed to ensure that the Uchiha's internal slaughter and conflict did not spill over into the village. As for everything else, he chose to let it run its course.

Time Slowly passed, and ten days went by in the blink of an eye.

Fugaku was anxious inside but had no solution. Sarutobi Hiruzen had chosen to let things run their course, the Radical Faction had shut their doors and minded their own business, and Danzo was still frantically hunting Three Tomoe Uchiha in order to suppress the violent Hashirama Cells within his body.

For a time, the entire Uchiha clan was gripped by panic. Some who had seen reality clearly ultimately chose to join the Radical Faction, but the overwhelming majority remained loyal to their respective factions and still refused to join the Radical Faction.

After some discussion, they decided to follow the Radical Faction's example and band together for defense.

But unfortunately, their actions had only just begun when Shisui stepped forward to stop them.

"Everyone, believe in Hokage-sama! The old man will definitely solve this problem!"

"This definitely wasn't Lord Danzo's doing. It's all Uchiha Jin's slander! These must be spies from other ninja villages. Hokage-sama's side is already working on a solution."

"Clansmen, wait a little longer!"

"Trust the village! Trust Hokage-sama!"

The naive Shisui truly believed in Sarutobi Hiruzen, and that was the faith he had lived by his entire life.

The Uchiha were an extreme clan!

As an Uchiha himself, Shisui had naturally inherited that trait. Especially after awakening the Mangekyo, he was even more stubborn, more obstinate, and more single-minded than ordinary clansmen.

But unfortunately, unaware that he had already been sold out and was still counting money for Sarutobi Hiruzen, he remained unable to change the clan's terrible situation. He could only watch as his clansmen were murdered day after day.

Even if he gave up sleep and patrolled the entire clan every night, it was useless. He alone could not guard the whole clan compound.

And precisely because of that, another portion of the clansmen chose to join the Radical Faction. The remaining diehard members of the Moderate Faction and Middle Faction ultimately chose to have Fugaku take the lead in organizing their defenses.

Except, what a joke.

Fugaku was someone full of schemes but incapable of making decisions, ambitious but lacking in wisdom, weak at heart. Though he could clearly sense the problems within the clan compound, he simply could not bring himself to turn against the village. He did not even dare to retaliate or take the initiative to defend themselves.

Because he feared the situation would grow worse!

Just like in the original story, when faced with Itachi's clan massacre, although he did not agree with it in his heart, he still chose to stretch out his neck and await death.

And now, it was the same!

Even as clansmen died one after another, even as the Moderate Faction and Middle Faction pressured him, he continued to deliberate, hoping that if he delayed a little longer, a new chance at survival might emerge.

In the end, as Fugaku kept delaying and deliberating, more and more Uchiha joined the Radical Faction. By the time Fugaku had completely become a commander without troops, all he could lead were the higher-ups of the Moderate Faction and Middle Faction, along with a few core elites from both factions.

In total, fewer than fifteen people!

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