Yang Release? (Seeking votes! Seeking investment!)

Beside the meeting room was a small room, a waiting space for secretaries and guards who accompanied the adults to the meeting. Today, Shisui had been brought along as Sōken's attendant and sat in this room.

Calling it a small room was only relative to the meeting room next door.

"Please, don't let this blow up!!!"

Standing in the corner of the room, Shisui's heart was like fifteen buckets drawing water—seven up, eight down, his anxiety so palpable that even the others in the room noticed it. But no one spoke to Shisui. As close attendants and guards of clan heads and department leaders, they more or less understood that this early meeting seemed to be targeting the Uchiha.

Besides, Uchiha clan members weren't exactly popular on a normal day.

No one was idle enough to wander over to Shisui.

Just as Shisui was pacing in endless unease, the door opened, and another boy with the Uchiha Gunbai emblem on his clothes stepped in. No, calling him a boy... he was actually just a ten-year-old kid!

"...Itachi?"

Shisui's eyes went wide.

He never expected to meet Itachi here.

Uchiha Itachi walked over to Shisui, who stood in the corner.

"Itachi, why are you..."

"Shisui, why?"

"Why what?"

Shisui was completely baffled.

"Why do you support Uchiha Sōken?"

"..." Shisui's brow furrowed slightly. "Itachi, are you blaming me for helping Sōken drive your father out of the clan leader's seat?"

"No."

Uchiha Itachi shook his head without hesitation.

"I know too, Father... he wasn't a very good clan leader. But compared to Uchiha Sōken, at least Father wouldn't put himself against the village. Shisui, you told me about the Will of Fire before—the clan and the village are one. But what Uchiha Sōken is doing is splitting the village and the clan!!!"

"Itachi, you..."

Shisui was stunned.

Suddenly hit with this barrage from Uchiha Itachi, he didn't know what to say for a moment. His mind was a mess, too many thoughts crowding in... What did he mean, former leader Fugaku wouldn't stand against the village? That former leader had voiced support for the coup at the Naka Shrine gathering...

As for Sōken splitting the village and the clan, That guy Sōken had long given up on the possibility of getting along with the Third and others, choosing instead to wait for the future Fifth.

"These things are complicated, Itachi. Next time, we'll talk properly. This isn't the place to speak..."

Just then, The Hokage Building beneath them trembled slightly.

Shisui froze. An earthquake? Or... a bad premonition surged uncontrollably into his heart. He used a Body Flicker Technique, appeared at the door, shoved it open, and stepped into the hallway. Immediately, he saw a huge hole in the wall. Through the opening, he could see the chaotic meeting room.

The next second, The door, nearly knocked off its hinges by Shisui, was completely destroyed.

The guards and attendants in the room all rushed out, and then... stared wide-eyed at the hole in the wall. When they saw Shimura Danzō, the Hokage Assistant, imprinted on the opposite wall, their eyes nearly popped out.

What had happened?

Who would dare to strike at Danzō?

"Uchiha Sōken!!!"

At that moment, Danzō, pressed into the wall, let out an enraged roar.

He struggled to pull himself out of the wall. The old man's bones were sturdy. Though he was best at Wind Style Techniques and Fuinjutsu, few knew he was also proficient in Earth, Water, and Fire Styles. The old man had dared to contend with the Third for the Hokage seat—he had some real skill.

The moment Sōken's blow landed, sensing danger, Danzō couldn't use the Substitution Technique in time. He had to rely on an Earth Style hardening technique to reinforce his body, or else Sōken's fist would have splattered him into paste against the wall.

"I'm right here. No need to shout so loud!"

Sōken stepped across the large hole and onto the hallway, facing the crowd without a trace of fear.

As for how things suddenly escalated to this point... it started when Uchiha Itachi, following the Third's orders, returned to the clan and found his father, Fugaku Uchiha. Then the father and son came together to the Hokage Building.

The Third had planned to stir up the resentment in Fugaku's heart, making him clash with Uchiha Sōken, so he could step back and play the role of judge, reaping the benefits.

But, He had misjudged certain things. Uchiha Itachi, not yet qualified to attend secret meetings, didn't know his father had already voiced support for the coup in front of many clan members... This left the Third lacking crucial information, leading to a wrong judgment.

No matter how weak-willed this former clan leader was, or how easily influenced, he wouldn't forget in such a short time that he had supported the coup at last night's Naka Shrine gathering. To turn around and side with the Third against Sōken for the clan leader's seat...

That would be too shameless!

"Apologies, Hokage-sama. I am no longer the leader of the Uchiha Clan. This was the joint decision of the six elders and many jonin of my clan. I personally have no objection to it."

The unexpected refusal caused a slight deviation in the planned course.

"Fugaku, do you truly believe a fifteen-year-old child can guide your clan down the right path?"

"I am merely an ordinary jonin within the clan now. Matters such as this... are for the clan head to worry about."

Fugaku Uchiha took two steps back, positioning himself fully behind and to the side of Sōken.

The Third's brow furrowed deeply.

The two advisors beside him also wore expressions that turned somewhat grim.

Danzo, however, kept his deadpan face unchanged, showing no reaction at all. Instead, he shot a glance at the Third, his eyes practically saying, "See? Not a single Uchiha is worth trusting!"—which only soured the Third's mood further.

The Third brooded darkly, weighing whether to simply use his authority to pressure Sōken Uchiha into stepping down. If he resisted... then so be it. He could rally the clan heads to join forces and eliminate Sōken Uchiha, keep Fugaku Uchiha alive, send him back to pacify the clan...

This was a backup plan.

He was reluctant to use it unless absolutely necessary. If the Uchiha spiraled out of control, even if they could wipe out the clan, it would severely damage Konoha's strength.

But just as he was about to make his move, Sōken, whose fury had been mounting, turned the tables.

He produced a pile of 'evidence,' proving that Shimura Danzo had sent Root operatives disguised as Mist Shinobi to attack him and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. He outright accused Shimura Danzo of assassinating Uchiha clan members to steal their Sharingan, and relentlessly bickered with Danzo.

Distracted, the Third failed to stop Danzo and Sōken Uchiha from clashing.

The result? The heads of the various clans all turtled up. No one stepped forward to back Danzo. They genuinely disliked the Uchiha, but Danzo—that bastard who forcibly conscripted talented shinobi from every clan into Root—was equally hated by many.

The conflict between Sōken and Danzo, In many eyes, was a classic case of dogs biting dogs.

They had no intention of wading into that muddy pit. Best case scenario, Danzo and Sōken Uchiha would cripple each other, or even take each other out!

This was exactly what Sōken wanted.

He had spent a long time considering how to fight the Third and the others without dragging the Uchiha into a siege by all the village's major clans. After much thought, he finally fixed his gaze on Danzo.

This Pot Kage was the perfect target.

Striking at Danzo wouldn't invite a siege from the clans; in fact, it might make those self-preserving types choose to sit back and watch the tigers fight.

As for angering the Third and the others... they were never on the same side anyway. The angrier the Third got, the happier Sōken would be. Moreover, compared to Danzo—who stood by and let Pain destroy Konoha just to seize control of his own village—that man would truly stop at nothing to fight the Uchiha to the death.

As for the so-called 'Shinobi Hero,' the Third, His heart always held the village. Without a sure way to eliminate the Uchiha at low cost, he would never lightly start a war with them!

In short, In the midst of the argument, Sōken erupted. With speed and power no one anticipated, he threw a punch that sent Danzo flying, leaving a massive hole in the meeting room wall. The terrifying force instinctively reminded everyone of the one red dot among the Sannin.

"Yang Release?"

The fat old man, who had been sitting motionless in his chair, stared at the hole Sōken Uchiha had punched through the wall. He shot to his feet, his bulky frame smashing straight through the conference table in front of him.

It was this sudden move from the fat old man

That made the Third and the others a beat too slow to support Danzo. They all turned puzzled looks toward their former comrade and teammate—Torifu Akimichi.

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