Fugaku's Ruthlessness Shocked Everyone!

Almost in an instant.

Fugaku pressed a hand onto Shisui, completely sealing his Chakra before directly gouging out his eyes.

Immediately afterward.

He began sealing Itachi's Chakra as well, only closing his Mangekyo after five seconds.

Yet even in those mere five seconds, a streak of blood ran from Fugaku's eye, showing that while this Dojutsu was powerful, its consumption of Fugaku's Dojutsu Power was beyond imagination.

"Fugaku, what are you doing?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen let out an angry roar.

Shisui and Itachi were his pawns, especially powerful ones. Had they just been crippled like this?

He shot to his feet, smashed the desk with one palm, and tore off his Hokage Robe to reveal the combat uniform beneath.

At that moment, he was truly furious!

Yet he did not actually make a move, because Fugaku's methods had frightened him as well.

That was right!

The abilities of the Mangekyo were strange and varied. Aside from a few techniques like Amaterasu and Kamui that outsiders could see, most abilities were actually completely silent.

Just like Tsukuyomi, unless one was the target of the technique, outsiders could not sense it.

Fugaku's Mangekyo technique was the same. At least from Sarutobi Hiruzen's perspective, Fugaku had leisurely sealed Shisui and Itachi's Chakra before casually taking Shisui's eyes.

Shisui and Itachi looked like fools, not even putting up the most basic resistance.

There was no other way.

Fugaku's Dojutsu Power was limited to Shisui and Itachi themselves, and this was also the method that consumed the least Dojutsu Power.

Therefore.

Sarutobi Hiruzen naturally could not see through it, but that only made it more horrifying to him.

After all, he knew perfectly well that if even Shisui and Itachi, with their immense strength, could not resist, then he himself would most likely be unable to resist either.

The thought that, under Fugaku's bizarre Dojutsu, he might be unable to offer even the slightest resistance and be easily stabbed to death by Fugaku's Kunai made his scalp tingle. His wariness toward Fugaku rose to its highest point.

"Clan Head, why?"

"Father, how could you do this?"

Shisui and Itachi both spoke up. Beyond their anger, they were even more confused.

After all...

In their hearts, Fugaku should not have been like this!

This kind of behavior was completely unacceptable.

And in response.

Fugaku's expression remained as cold as ever as he spoke indifferently.

"Jin-kun was right about one thing. No matter what you think, there absolutely cannot be a Civil War within the Uchiha!"

"Under normal circumstances, it would not matter if one or two people died in internal conflicts. But the Uchiha are now in grave danger, and every Shinobi Clan in Konoha is watching us."

"The Uchiha's situation is already terrible. If word gets out that the Uchiha are killing each other and descending into chaos, the other Shinobi Clans will only look down on us even more."

"If the Uchiha are still in internal turmoil while facing the threat of extermination, then even if Jin-kun achieves great victories in the future, the other Shinobi Clans will likely not dare to join him easily."

"So..."

"That is why I had to bring the two of you back before going to war with Danzo."

"Of course."

"Jin-kun merely wanted you to stay out of it. At heart, he did not wish to imprison or seal you, because he has absolute confidence in himself. Even if you sided with the Konoha Higher-ups, he was absolutely confident that he could win the contest against them."

"That is his conviction, more like a path toward invincibility!"

"That is why he has always disdained using schemes. From beginning to end, he has relied solely on absolute Open Conspiracies!"

"But I, Fugaku, am not!"

"I took part in the entire conversation between the Hokage-sama and Jin-kun last time. Only after truly recognizing the attitude of the Konoha Higher-ups did I realize just how terribly wrong I had been during all my years as Clan Head."

"If Jin-kun had not appeared out of nowhere, the Uchiha might very well have been destroyed in my hands!"

"So, I must atone!"

"When Jin-kun was unwilling to interfere, I, Fugaku, was willing to lose my reputation if that was what it took to cripple both Shisui and Itachi!"

"There is nothing else I can do to help Jin-kun. But I, Fugaku, am still capable of handling this small matter before me."

"There is no need to mention Itachi. He is my child!"

"As his father, I am merely considering that he is still young and keeping him at home to study properly. No one in all of Konoha could possibly say anything about that."

"As for you—Shisui!"

"Though you are not my child, I am still your Clan Head!"

"Konoha is not permitted to interfere in the internal affairs of Shinobi Clans. That was a declaration made by the First Hokage, Hashirama-sama. As Clan Head, I have the right to discipline you, and Konoha cannot interfere for any reason."

"If you choose to leave the Uchiha, that is fine. But you must hand over your Sharingan as well."

"That is the clan rule!"

"So, Shisui, I am giving you a choice!"

"If you choose to leave the Uchiha, I will find you a pair of ordinary eyes afterward, and then you may follow your Hokage-sama."

"If you choose the Uchiha, then come back with me. I will find you a pair of Three Tomoe eyes to replace them!"

Fugaku's tone was icy as he explained why he had acted.

That was right!

The Uchiha might have seemed scattered in the past, far less united than other Shinobi Clans like the Hyuga or Ino-Shika-Cho, but the real reason was simply that the Uchiha were arrogant and disdained using authority.

Which faction one wished to join depended entirely on one's own thoughts!

But in truth.

Clan rules did exist, and every Shinobi Clan had them!

When Root went to other Shinobi Clans to demand manpower, it was the Clan Head who decided whom to hand over. The clansmen below had no right to choose.

Konoha's noninterference in the internal affairs of Shinobi Clans was also a rule personally established by Senju Hashirama when Konoha was founded.

Therefore.

Fugaku's argument was absolutely sound!

Every Shinobi Clan had to acknowledge this. Sarutobi Hiruzen could not refute it either. When it came to internal clan affairs, his position as Hokage was far from sufficient.

If he dared interfere, the other Shinobi Clans would certainly stop him!

So, never underestimate anyone!

Now that Fugaku had truly cast aside the Uchiha's pride and acted as the Uchiha Clan Head, he might not have been able to interfere in the village's affairs, but he held absolute authority over how to deal with Shisui and Itachi.

Of course.

Fugaku's actions also showed just how profoundly Sarutobi Hiruzen's revelation of his true face during their last encounter had changed Fugaku's entire worldview.

Shisui froze.

After hearing Fugaku's words, he fell silent for a long time before sighing.

His earlier anger completely dissipated.

Though he had wanted to help the clan in his own way, he also acknowledged his identity as an Uchiha and knew that clan rules had to be obeyed.

Perhaps Itachi would directly choose the village, but Shisui was different from Itachi. The Uchiha held a greater place in his heart!

Everything happening now was also for the sake of helping the Uchiha.

So, sigh!

After a helpless sigh, Shisui spoke directly. "I choose the Uchiha. I am willing to accept the Clan Head's judgment!"