No, Who's the Hokage?

Everyone was watching the Uchiha Clan?

Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Itachi's expressions changed slightly. What did that mean? Just how many people were watching the Uchiha Clan?

The Uchiha Clan's relationship with the village was already extremely delicate.

If they made even more enemies, it would undoubtedly have an even worse effect on the Uchiha Clan.

"Hyuga Hiashi, what exactly do you know?!"

Uchiha Fugaku could no longer contain himself and asked,

"What do you mean by the entire Konoha watching the Uchiha Clan?"

He looked out the window and felt as though endless danger lurked beneath the bright sunlight. It seemed that the moment the Uchiha Clan made any unusual move, countless enemies would jump out and wipe them out.

Countless thoughts tangled within Fugaku's heart, like millions of jumbled black threads that threw his mind into chaos.

The Hyuga Clan possessed the Byakugan and were unquestionably the vanguard scouts. As the head of his clan, Hiashi's words could not possibly be baseless!

Thinking of that,

his heart fell into complete disarray.

"It means exactly what it says."

Hyuga Hiashi was very pleased by Uchiha Fugaku's panic. It seemed as though this could erase the humiliation of his earlier defeat to Uchiha Akira.

The corners of his lips lifted slightly, but he spoke with righteous solemnity.

"Clan Head Fugaku, don't overthink it. It isn't just the Uchiha Clan. Even our Hyuga Clan is under the watchful eyes of everyone in the village. As great clans, we naturally must lead by example."

His words put him firmly on the moral high ground.

Uchiha Fugaku curled his lip.

Damn it!

That same sanctimonious crap again. What he hated most was the Hyuga Clan's hypocritical face, but... Hyuga Hiashi's words definitely had a deeper meaning!

What was it?

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He wanted nothing more than to hit Hyuga Hiashi with an Illusion Technique right now!

"Heh."

At that moment, Uchiha Akira sneered from the side, as if he had heard something absurd.

"Isn't Shimura Danzō simply planning to target our Uchiha Clan? Why didn't he come out himself?"

"Hiashi, you've already been used as a weapon. What are you so proud of?"

He looked at Hiashi as though he were an idiot.

What a moron.

If Fugaku really got angry, one Mangekyo would finish you off. Danzō was using you as a pawn, and you were still standing there grinning like an idiot.

"???"

Hyuga Hiashi looked horrified. His expression abruptly changed, and his heart began pounding wildly.

"What nonsense are you talking about?! I never said that."

No.

Was there something wrong with Uchiha Akira?

How did he know everything?!

Hyuga Hiashi fled in a panic, but his reaction instantly made Fugaku and the others understand. Oh, so it really was related to Shimura Danzō.

"Ahem."

Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed twice, feeling that the situation was absurd. Hyuga Hiashi had struck first and nearly driven Uchiha Fugaku mad, yet Uchiha Akira had appeared and directly left Hiashi speechless.

Hmm!

As expected, Akira possessed exceptional political awareness!

He coughed twice. "Since that's the case, this matter ends here. Everyone, go back!"

Watching them for so long had tired him out, alright?

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Uchiha Fugaku sighed in relief. It was finally over. He looked at Akira with gratitude. If not for Akira, he had no idea how badly things might have spiraled today.

Then he saw Akira walk over to Hiruzen Sarutobi and say,

"Wait a moment, Lord Hokage."

Fugaku's heart instantly leaped into his throat!

Akira stared directly at Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Third Lord, you always used to ask us about our Will of Fire. Today, I want to ask you: how is your Will of Fire?"

As he spoke, he pressed his palms together.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was utterly baffled. "???"

No.

Was this a complete reversal of order?

He.

Hiruzen Sarutobi of Konoha, the Ninja Hero! He was actually being questioned about the Will of Fire by a fifteen-year-old Uchiha brat? Though for some reason, the moment he saw Akira press his palms together, his heart began to pound. Before, Akira had always pressed his palms together behind his back.

Why was he pressing them together in front of others this time?

"Akira, are you the Hokage, or am I the Hokage? But since you've raised this question, I can answer you clearly."

The corner of his mouth twitched as he gritted his teeth.

"I will uphold the Will of Fire with my life. When the village faces danger, I will protect Konoha with my life, just as the Fourth Hokage did!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze was firm. There was not a trace of hesitation; he meant every word from the bottom of his heart.

"Then what if you had to kill Orochimaru?"

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze froze, as though he had returned to the days of decades ago. For a moment, he found it difficult to answer.

"Let me put it another way."

Uchiha Akira continued,

"If the one who betrayed the village later was Shimura Danzō, and you had to kill Shimura Danzō, then what?"

A fatal blow.

It struck straight at Hiruzen Sarutobi's deepest heart. His breathing suddenly became rapid, his clouded eyes flickered, and he could no longer give an answer with the same unwavering resolve as before.

Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Itachi, standing nearby, were so shocked that they stared blankly out the window.

Brother.

You dared to ask it, but we didn't even dare to listen!

At the same time, a trace of satisfaction rose in Fugaku's heart. Only heaven knew what Shimura Danzō had forced the Uchiha Clan into over the years. They had been framed, bullied, and even forced to relocate.

Now, they had been pushed to the point of rebellion.

But now, the Uchiha Clan, who were poor with words, had finally gained a spokesperson like an eagle!

Fugaku felt as though he had seen the light!

"Lord Hokage, if that day truly comes, I hope you can make the right choice."

After saying that, Uchiha Akira lowered his clasped hands and strode out of the Uchiha Clan compound. Fugaku and Itachi exchanged a glance before hurriedly following him. In front of Akira, both of them felt like students who had yet to graduate from the Ninja Academy.

In a daze,

Fugaku had an illusion. "Itachi, don't you think Akira is more like the head of the Uchiha Clan?"

"Don't say that, Father."

Uchiha Itachi fell silent for a moment. He had felt that way long ago. His quiet, taciturn father truly was not suited to be clan head.

Otherwise, he would not have nearly been talked into becoming crippled.

Seeing the pained expression on his son's face, Fugaku fell silent.

This was bad.

His dignity as a father seemed to have shattered.

Inside the Hokage's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze drifted, his clouded eyes trembling slightly as though he had fallen into a whirlpool of memories.

"No. I will not allow the same thing to happen again. What happened with Orochimaru back then, I merely... made a mistake in the moment."

Meanwhile.

Uchiha Akira did not go home directly. He bought a pile of food and arrived at a dilapidated two-story building.

He had not forgotten that he still had a mission.

[Mission: Help Naruto establish proper values.]

[Mission Reward: One Random draw.]

The Anbu hidden in the shadows let out a sharp cry and instantly appeared before Uchiha Akira, watching him vigilantly as though he were a criminal.

"Uchiha Akira, what are you trying to do again? Don't you know the Uchiha Clan cannot approach the Nine-Tails?!"

"Go play somewhere else!"

Uchiha Akira's eyes shifted, and a flash of scarlet passed through them.

The Anbu fell into a dazed stupor and walked away on his own.

"I'm teaching a child from my own village. Do I need to report that to you?"