Debate in the Hospital

"Hahaha, your business is getting better and better, Mei." On the street, Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared as usual, chatting with the young female shop owners.

"This is all thanks to you, Lord Third. It's because we have a powerful Hokage like you that other villages don't dare to covet us easily." The female shop owners didn't hold back their praise, showering the Third Hokage with compliments.

"Hahaha, this is all to protect everyone." The Third Hokage, almost floating with pride from the surrounding women's flattery, struggled to maintain his composure and said with feigned humility.

Just as he was about to engage in further friendly conversation, a familiar chakra signature in his sensory range made him abandon the thought.

"I suddenly remembered I have some unfinished business, so I won't chat with you all anymore." He bid farewell with a smile and walked to the street corner, where an Anbu member was respectfully waiting.

"What happened?" Hiruzen's expression turned serious. He was somewhat annoyed with this subordinate who didn't know when to choose the right time, but he concealed it well.

"Yes, Lord Third. Just now, Lord Danzo and his subordinates had some conflict with the Military Police Force," the Anbu member said, lowering his head and recounting everything he had seen.

After finishing, seeing that Hiruzen's expression hadn't changed, the Anbu member asked curiously, "The matter ended with the Military Police Force backing down. Should we take any measures?"

[They didn't use this as an excuse...]

"Are you sure Danzo didn't make any other moves?" Hiruzen pondered inwardly before asking aloud.

"Yes. Although the number of people monitoring the Uchiha has increased, Lord Danzo hasn't taken any drastic actions against them," the Anbu member reported, unaware of any other moves by Danzo.

"Then, what about Fugaku?" Hiruzen subconsciously reached for his pipe, his eyes deep. He desperately wanted to know Fugaku Uchiha's attitude towards this matter.

Or rather, had Fugaku realized the rift between the Uchiha and Konoha caused by various factors?

The perspective shifts to Fugaku.

After sending Yao Mei and the others away, Fugaku immediately went to Konoha Hospital to check on Yaowan and the others' injuries. As the clan head, he ordered them to tell the truth.

Looking at Fugaku's large face with two egg-sized lumps on his chin, Yaowan and the others, disregarding their fathers' and mothers' prestige within the clan, and ignoring the pain of their weaknesses, admitted in front of many clan members that they were the ones who attacked Obito first.

"Uncle Wada, there's nothing more to say about this, right?" As Fugaku left the ward to return to the clan grounds, Uchiha Wada stopped him.

Looking at this clan member who was a generation older than him, Fugaku felt helpless.

This man was an elder from Uchiha Setsuna's generation. He had followed Setsuna during the Second Hokage's era, but due to a lack of evidence, he was later sent back to the clan grounds. He was a well-known hawk.

He was also Uchiha Yaowan's grandfather.

"Fugaku, we recommended you as clan head because we valued your talent and ambition. But what happened? When facing Konoha, you only grovel and beg. Now that Yaowan and the others are beaten like this, instead of demanding compensation, you want to apologize to them. What are you thinking!" Uchiha Wada glared at Fugaku indignantly. If Uchiha Yashiro hadn't been there to restrain him, he would have intervened in the ward.

[This fool!]

Fugaku cursed the man's stupidity inwardly. Not wanting to completely fall out with him, Fugaku could only patiently explain, "But it was indeed Yaowan and the others who made the first move. If we rashly demand compensation from Danzo, it might cause unnecessary conflict."

"He's just a cripple from the Shimura clan! You should know that in the Warring States period, such minor clans were only fit to be vassals of the Uchiha!" Uchiha Wada waved his arms, showing no regard for Danzo.

[You know he's from the Warring States period too!]

Fugaku cursed inwardly.

If the other party were merely a cripple from the Shimura clan, it would be one thing. Although Danzo didn't often act in public, his strength was definitely not much weaker than Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage.

Furthermore, he had the entire Konoha leadership behind him.

Rashly antagonizing Danzo would only further escalate the conflict between the Uchiha and the village.

"Then, I'll trouble you to negotiate with Danzo." Seeing that Uchiha Wada was not willing to let the matter go, Fugaku directly handed over the task of talking to Danzo to him.

See? I'm not holding back. You know where Danzo lives, so why don't you go talk to that so-called "cripple" yourself?

Upon hearing that Fugaku intended for him to have a good talk with Danzo, Wada, who had been so impassioned moments ago, instantly lost his momentum.

Having spent some time in the Second Hokage's "happy little black room," Wada knew the terrifying methods of the Anbu. Of those who went in with him back then, perhaps only Setsuna was still alive.

Recalling the past, Wada shivered and changed the subject, "We'll talk about that later. Even if we don't pursue the outsiders' responsibility, we must punish that brat Obito. As an Uchiha, he colluded with outsiders to harm his own clan. This is absolutely unacceptable."

Wada had originally intended to shift his target to Kakashi, but thinking of Konoha's White Fang's reputation, Wada backed down again.

Neither Danzo Shimura nor Hatake Sakumo were people he could afford to offend.

Unable to do anything else, he could only vent his anger on the defenseless Obito, who only had a grandmother.

[What a despicable guy.]

Fugaku gained a new understanding of Wada's shamelessness and began to consider whether he should give this old man so much face.

"How are Yaowan's injuries?" After a moment of thought, Fugaku didn't directly answer Wada's question. Instead, he turned to Uchiha Yashiro and asked about Yaowan's injuries.

"The fractured parts have been restored with medical ninjutsu. The doctor said there will be no lasting effects," Uchiha Yashiro replied, understanding Fugaku's intentions immediately.

"Uncle Wada, you heard that. Yaowan's injuries are not serious. Why are you still fixated on Obito? Moreover, Obito's parents sacrificed themselves for the Uchiha clan. I hope you haven't forgotten that," Fugaku said after hearing Yashiro's reply, weighing the gains and losses in his mind. He decided to protect Obito.

The fact that a child from the Shimura clan was willing to stand up for Obito proved that their relationship was not ordinary. Why should he offend a powerful figure in Konoha for a hawk who was halfway into the grave?

Moreover, wasn't this exactly what he had been dreaming of – an opportunity to establish direct contact with the higher-ups?