You should know that ever since the Second Hokage's era, Konoha had been suppressing the Uchiha Clan at every turn.
Among all the departments of power in Konoha, there wasn't a single member of the Uchiha Clan in any of them except the Security Force.
Even the Security Force had very little authority because of Konoha's suppression.
Now, under Byakuya's leadership, the Security Force had finally managed to rise. How could they let people from other clans join and share their power?
"What are you afraid of? Are you worried that other clans will take the Security Force away from us?"
"Remember, we Uchiha rely on strength, not the Security Force and authority."
Seeing Uchiha En like this, Byakuya said, utterly exasperated.
Come on, this was the Naruto world, a world where strength reigned supreme.
Why had Hashirama Senju become Hokage? Was it really because of some so-called "Will of Fire"?
Wasn't it because of his powerful Wood Release?
If the "Will of Fire" were really so effective, there wouldn't have been any ninja wars.
So, to Byakuya, the Security Force, authority, and the Hokage were all meaningless.
Strength was what truly mattered.
As long as he possessed overwhelming strength, Byakuya wouldn't take Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage, seriously at all.
If he acknowledged him as Hokage, then he was Hokage.
If he didn't, then Hiruzen Sarutobi was nothing, so-called Hokage or not.
"Lord Byakuya, you're right to reprimand me... I understand now..."
Byakuya's words made everything click for Uchiha En.
"By the way, Lord Byakuya, there's one more thing..."
"What is it?"
"Hatake Sakumo, the Konoha White Fang, failed a mission..."
"Apparently, he abandoned the mission to save his comrades..."
"Some rumor has sprung up from who knows where, and now many people in the village are condemning Hatake Sakumo..."
"They say that by abandoning the mission, he caused the village enormous losses..."
"Even his former teammates are blaming him..."
Uchiha En told Byakuya.
"Hatake Sakumo? Tch... Another scheme cooked up by Hiruzen Sarutobi..."
Byakuya said disdainfully.
"A scheme? Lord Byakuya, are you saying this is the Hokage's scheme?"
"That can't be! Hatake Sakumo is the Anbu Captain!"
Uchiha En said, unable to believe it.
After all, besides being powerful, Hatake Sakumo also held a very high position in Konoha.
He was the Anbu Captain, in charge of the entire Anbu, with tremendous authority in his hands.
"Nothing's impossible!"
"He's going after him precisely because Sakumo is the Anbu Captain."
"Don't you think these rumors are strange?"
"It was just one failed mission! Have you never failed one yourself?"
Byakuya said.
Hatake Sakumo, the Konoha White Fang, was the head of Konoha's Anbu.
Not only was he incredibly powerful, but he also had a formidable reputation and had completed all kinds of difficult missions.
He had even made tremendous contributions during the Second Shinobi World War.
His reputation had even surpassed that of the Konoha Sannin at one point, putting him on the verge of outshining Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage.
Many people speculated that Hatake Sakumo might be the next Hokage.
That was exactly why Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other members of the Konoha High Command had felt threatened.
If Hatake Sakumo became Hokage, there'd be no place for them.
Therefore, the group led by Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other high-ranking officials had plotted this whole series of events.
"Uh... It really is strange..."
"It was just one failed mission, wasn't it? What ninja could guarantee a hundred percent success?"
"I've failed a few missions myself!"
Hearing Byakuya's words, Uchiha En also sensed that something was wrong.
It was just one failed mission! What was the big deal?
No ninja could guarantee that every mission would be completed successfully.
Mission failures were commonplace for ninjas.
Even Uchiha En had failed a few missions in the past.
But now, just because Hatake Sakumo had failed one mission, the whole of Konoha was in an uproar.
That was obviously abnormal.
"I never thought Hiruzen Sarutobi could be that kind of person..."
"Even throwing his own people under the bus..."
"What a shame about Hatake Sakumo..."
Uchiha En said scornfully.
"Well... What do you think about having Hatake Sakumo join the Security Force?"
Byakuya suddenly came up with the idea.
"Hatake Sakumo joining the Security Force? Is that really possible?"
Uchiha En was taken aback by Byakuya's suggestion.
Hatake Sakumo was the Konoha White Fang, an incredibly powerful man.
Uchiha En had absolutely no objections to letting Hatake Sakumo join the Security Force.
But Hatake Sakumo was one of Hiruzen Sarutobi's men. Why would he join the Uchiha Clan's Security Force?
"Heh, Hiruzen Sarutobi doesn't consider him one of his own."
"Come on... Let's go meet Hatake Sakumo."
Byakuya said with a smile.
For the sake of their power, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Konoha High Command suppressed anyone who threatened them.
Hatake Sakumo, the Konoha Sannin, the Uchiha Clan... They would persecute and suppress any powerful person.
In the end, they had made a complete mess of Konoha. Eventually, Pain had even destroyed it single-handedly.
If they hadn't been lucky enough to have Naruto Uzumaki, the protagonist who was good at Talk no Jutsu, show up...
It was uncertain whether Konoha would even still exist.
Since Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't want these powerful people, the Uchiha would take them in.
At Hatake Sakumo's residence.
At that moment, Hatake Sakumo's face was covered in stubble, and he looked disheveled.
He had lost the sharpness of the Konoha White Fang and instead looked like a defeated man, utterly despondent.
The rumors in Konoha had been tormenting him every moment for days, weighing heavily on him.
Hatake Sakumo was now on the verge of breaking down.
Without thinking, he reached for his Ninja Sword.
He slowly drew it.
Just then, the door was suddenly flung open.
"Cough, cough... What is that smell? Is this any place for a person to live?"
"I never thought the Konoha White Fang would look like this..."
Uchiha En and Byakuya walked in and looked at Hatake Sakumo's dejected state.
Only then did Hatake Sakumo get a good look at who had come in.
"You're from the Uchiha Clan!"
"What do you want?"
Hatake Sakumo frowned when he saw that they were from the Uchiha Clan.
"Hatake Sakumo... I'm Uchiha Byakuya..."
"I've come to invite you to join the Security Force..."
Byakuya said, looking at Hatake Sakumo.
"Though, looking at you now, you aren't fit to join the Security Force."
"The Konoha White Fang has become the Konoha Fool..."
Byakuya said disdainfully, looking at Hatake Sakumo's dejected state.
Before you continue