Confrontation with the Third Hokage

The major clans and Jonin who had arrived were all left somewhat bewildered by Sarutobi Hiruzen's performance. Hadn't he just been questioning the Uchiha Clan in the Hokage's Office? Why did he now seem willing to believe whatever the Uchiha Clan said?

However, when everyone saw the Mangekyō Sharingan in Uchiha Fugaku's eyes, they understood what was going on. Some knowledgeable elders even cried out in hushed voices.

"Hiss! The Mangekyō Sharingan!"

"My God, that's the Mangekyō Sharingan, said to rival the First Hokage's Wood Style!"

"Legend has it that if the First Hokage hadn't known Sage Jutsu, he might not have been able to defeat Uchiha Madara's Mangekyō Sharingan!"

As the surrounding ninja listened to the elders' explanations, they stared in amazement at the patterns in Uchiha Fugaku's eyes, so different from Tomoe. Whispers soon spread among them.

"I knew Advisor Utatane had backed down because she feared the Mangekyō Sharingan's reputation!"

"That isn't the point. I think Clan Head Fugaku is right. The Uchiha Clan was one of Konoha's Founding Clans, so how could they possibly betray Konoha? If the Uchiha Clan truly rebelled, then there must have been traitors within the village spreading those rumors."

"Why do you think the Uchiha Clan surrounded the Root Base? Could there be something shameful hidden inside? Hokage-sama may not have been able to manage it, while the Uchiha Clan, as a Founding Clan, fears neither heaven nor earth. That's why they dared to handle it without going through the Hokage."

Most of Konoha's clans had long harbored resentment toward Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other higher-ups, but they dared not speak out. Sarutobi Hiruzen had occupied the Hokage Seat for years, sending ninja from every major clan on near-suicidal missions under all sorts of pretexts, while his own clan reaped enormous benefits. Every important position in the village was also held by members of the high command's clans.

Especially Root, led by Shimura Danzō, which often took elites from their clans. After those clan-born elites entered Root, they became more loyal to Shimura Danzō, Root's leader, than to their own clans. Sometimes, they even harmed their clans' interests to benefit Root.

Everyone could see the situation clearly. They had only endured it because the high command under the Third Hokage had joined forces and held overwhelming power. Now that the Uchiha had taken the lead, with the Mangekyō Sharingan as their backing, those with ulterior motives began to stir.

They were not acting blindly either. Everyone had noticed the village's movements over this period and guessed that the Hokage's faction was preparing to move against the Uchiha Clan.

But from the attack on the Hokage Building last night, where the enemy had escaped unscathed, to the Uchiha Clan openly attacking the Root Base today, it all clearly showed that the Hokage's faction had fallen into a disadvantage in this struggle against the Uchiha Clan.

At the end of the day, the Uchiha Clan was merely arrogant and disdainful of others. Those were not unforgivable flaws. As ninja, anyone who was stronger than others had such faults to some degree; the Uchiha were simply more severe about it.

But not every Uchiha was like that. Since Konoha's founding, many people had forged deep friendships with the Uchiha. Hatake Kakashi's Sharingan was proof enough.

From the perspective of fundamental interests, the Uchiha had no real conflicts with the major clans. In fact, even if such a great clan had declined, they would not care about the little resources other clans possessed. What they lacked was a voice in village affairs, and their eyes were fixed on the Konoha High Command. It had nothing to do with the other clans. On the contrary, this was an opportunity to break the Senju Clan's monopoly over the high command, a flaw that had existed since the village's founding.

Thus, they naturally hoped to use this opportunity to expose some secrets and test who among them might become allies dissatisfied with the Third Hokage and the other higher-ups.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had also heard the whispers of the clan ninja behind him. After serving as Hokage for so many years, he knew what they were thinking. Yet he remained silent. As long as he was still the Hokage, no one would dare touch the interests of him or the Sarutobi Clan.

But Utatane Koharu, the most impatient among the high command, did not think the same way. Her authority came entirely from being the Second Hokage's disciple and sharing a teacher-student bond with the Third Hokage. Her foundation had always been unstable, so she naturally could not stay aloof at a time like this.

"Insolence! Uchiha Fugaku, we are Hokage Advisors, yet you dare label us traitors! Do you take yourself for the master of Konoha? Do you regard Konoha as the private property of your Uchiha Clan?"

Faced with Utatane Koharu's twisted version of events, Uchiha Fugaku showed no guilt at all and retorted with righteous indignation:

"Heh, I merely stated that the Uchiha Clan was among Konoha's founding contributors. Konoha belongs to everyone, but it is also the Uchiha's Konoha. The Uchiha Clan's love for Konoha runs deeper than anyone else's.

Moreover, as one of the Founding Clans, the Uchiha Clan has an unshirkable duty to eliminate traitors within the village.

As for you, are you so eager to twist the facts because you are trying to conceal something? It seems Shimura Danzō's actions also had your involvement?"

Uchiha Fugaku was no pushover. After serving as Clan Head for so many years, he might have been somewhat hesitant and insufficiently decisive in political affairs, but that did not mean he failed to understand the twists and turns involved.

Thus, he fired back with sharp words. Not only did he express the Uchiha's position to everyone present, but he also made it clear that their attack on the Root Base had a cause—and that there was more hidden behind the matter.

Uchiha Fugaku's words did not merely frighten Utatane Koharu; even Sarutobi Hiruzen could no longer sit still. As the Hokage and Shimura Danzō's friend, he knew better than anyone how many shameful deeds had been committed within the Root Base.

Seeing Uchiha Fugaku act so brazenly, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew he must have obtained solid evidence. To avoid being implicated, he had even prepared himself to abandon his old friend if the situation became irreparable.

Now that Utatane Koharu had stepped forward again to make herself a target, Sarutobi Hiruzen naturally could not allow matters to continue spiraling in an uncontrollable direction.

"Enough, Koharu. The Uchiha Clan is also a part of Konoha. Furthermore, the Uchiha Clan oversees Konoha's Military Police Force and maintains order within the village, so it is understandable that they are here.

However, Clan Head Fugaku, since I have already arrived, your Military Police Force may hand this matter over to the Anbu. After all, the Anbu Training Ground involves many secrets, so the Military Police Force should avoid suspicion."

Sarutobi Hiruzen intended to take a step back in order to advance. He would give the Uchiha an opening and pressure them into letting the matter go, then transfer it to his Anbu for handling. That would not only suppress the incident and prevent Root's darkness from being exposed, but would also allow him to spread unfavorable rumors about the Uchiha afterward, stirring other ninja's hostility toward them.