I'm Hot, You Regret!

Naka Shrine.

This place was protected by a powerful barrier, enough to block all spying and perception. It was a forbidden ground where the Uchiha Clan's core upper echelon held discussions.

At this moment, the hall was already packed with people.

Fugaku Uchiha sat motionless in the seat of honor, saying nothing as he quietly listened to the discussion among the clan members below.

There were more than twenty people in the room, every one of them a bona fide jonin.

The foundations of Konoha's foremost clan were fully displayed here.

"Have you heard? Uchiha Shinji."

"Someone so ordinary actually awakened his Sharingan right on the battlefield."

"The Clan Head was too careless, sending him to the front lines. If he'd died on the battlefield, that would've been a loss for our clan."

"And what about the Sharingan in Kakashi Hatake's hand? Should we take it back?"

"We must take it back! The Uchiha's eyes must never be coveted by outsiders!"

"But—"

The crowd talked over one another, arguing without end.

Fugaku frowned slightly and gave a measured cough.

The commotion fell silent at once.

He slowly looked toward the council of elders. "What do the elders think about Shinji?"

The elders exchanged glances, and Yashiro Uchiha stepped forward at an unhurried pace.

His face was gaunt, his eyes cold and sharp as blades, but his tone remained calm.

"The clan's previous assessment was mistaken. Since he has awakened his eyes—and they are Three Tomoe—he is qualified to attend the Clan Meeting and should be included among those receiving focused training from now on."

They did not care that it had been this very group who had personally pushed Shinji to the edge of the battlefield.

In the eyes of the vast majority of the Uchiha Clan, the Sharingan was the sole proof needed to enter the inner circle.

Not only Shinji—even Obito had been quietly abandoned by them.

At the time, the flames of war had yet to die out, and the village's conflicts were still directed outward. Konoha's residents had not yet grown wary and hostile toward the Uchiha.

Yet no one had expected that, on this frontline, the two people they regarded as expendable would instead win a measure of prestige for the Uchiha.

Fugaku nodded slightly, accepting the proposal. "Then what do you all think about Kakashi's Sharingan?"

The council chamber fell silent once more.

Fenghuo Uchiha's expression darkened, his voice cold and hard. "That is an Uchiha Sharingan. It absolutely cannot remain in the hands of an outsider."

"It must be taken back!"

"I second the elder's motion!"

Voices of agreement rose one after another.

Fugaku frowned slightly. "Kakashi is Namikaze Minato's student, and Minato is Jiraiya of the Sannin's direct disciple."

The implication could not have been clearer.

Behind Kakashi stood Konoha's greatest strength and most prestigious figures.

At the mention of Namikaze Minato and Jiraiya, those who had just been filled with righteous indignation immediately fell silent.

Forget Jiraiya. Namikaze Minato alone, with his reputation at its peak and his unfathomable strength, was enough to make even the Uchiha Clan think twice.

"In that case," Yashiro Uchiha slowly said, "rather than forcibly reclaiming Kakashi's Sharingan, leaving it with him would preserve the Uchiha's dignity and earn us a good reputation."

"Then it's settled."

Fugaku nodded in agreement.

His gaze shifted to the quiet figure standing in the corner. "Shisui, go inform Shinji of today's Clan Meeting resolution."

"Also, have him make time to come see me. I recall that you and Shinji have had dealings before."

"Yes, Clan Head!"

Shisui answered from the corner, quietly letting out a breath of relief.

He had never liked the atmosphere of Clan Meetings. He had only attended because the Clan Head and the elders required it.

Throughout the entire meeting, he had not spoken a single word.

Shisui was genuinely delighted that Shinji had returned safely.

He had always believed that it was because of him that Shinji had been forced onto the battlefield. Now that Shinji was unharmed, the guilt weighing on his heart had finally eased somewhat.

Outside Hiruzen Sarutobi's office in the Hokage Building.

"Lord Danzo, are you here to see the Hokage? I'll report your arrival at once!"

"Get lost. I have urgent business with Hiruzen. None of you are allowed to follow me."

Bang—!

The heavy wooden door was kicked open brutally.

Danzo strode inside, his face still wearing that indifferent, icy expression. But the instant his gaze landed on Hiruzen Sarutobi, that indifference turned into undisguised contempt.

"A man like this can become Hokage? Tobirama-sensei must have made a grave mistake back then."

"Danzo, you bastard, can't you knock before coming in?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately panicked. He hurriedly grabbed the blue velvet cloth on the table and frantically covered the crystal ball before him.

His eyes darted away. After coughing twice, he looked at Danzo. "What do you want with me?"

Danzo snorted coldly, his tone biting. "You were peeping just now, weren't you? At your age, and you're still doing this sort of thing? You filthy old pervert!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly choked and coughed twice, his old face flushing red. Yet he did not dare refute him and could only put on a stern expression. "Get to the point!"

Danzo once again viciously scorned his old friend in his heart.

With their years of friendship, how could he not know about Hiruzen Sarutobi's little hobby?

Back then, even Jiraiya had often joined him in secretly reading vulgar material. In the end, the two of them had been thoroughly beaten by Tsunade.

How laughable.

How had Lord Tobirama chosen someone like this?

The position of Hokage should have been mine from the start.

Suppressing the dissatisfaction in his heart, Danzo went straight to the point. "The Uchiha have gained plenty of prestige this time. To prevent them from harboring rebellious thoughts, I intend to plant people within the Uchiha as Root's eyes and ears."

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned deeply, hesitation showing on his face. "Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

"Prepare for danger before it arises. Have you forgotten Lord Tobirama's teachings?" Danzo rebuked sharply. "The Uchiha are an inherently evil clan!"

He stared fixedly at Hiruzen Sarutobi and said, word by word:

"Hand Uchiha Shinji over to me. Transfer him to Root, and I will personally train him."

Over the past few days, he had already investigated Shinji's information thoroughly.

Shinji had rapidly advanced from an ordinary ninja in a short time, his talent comparable to Shisui's.

He had previously asked Hiruzen Sarutobi for Shisui, only to be flatly refused.

Now that he was asking for Shinji, who had yet to make much of a name for himself, the other man had no reason to refuse again.

The Sharingan.

At the thought of that power, Danzo's heart began pounding uncontrollably. The burning desire nearly burst from his chest.

He wanted power.

No matter the cost, he would obtain it.

"No!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi refused without hesitation.

"Why?!"

Danzo flew into a rage at once. Why was it so difficult just to get one person?

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag from his pipe and slowly exhaled. "Shinji is a talent I have my eye on. He possesses the Will of Fire. I had planned to transfer him to the Anbu."

"Give him to me. Root is where he belongs."

"Impossible. Sending Shinji to your Root would be nothing but a waste."

"What did you say?!"

"I said no means no."

"Don't forget, I am the Hokage. I do not approve of this matter."

"Hiruzen, you!"

Danzo was furious. Every time, this bastard used the same line.

He pointed at Hiruzen, his face twisting slightly. "You will regret this, Hiruzen."

Bang—!

Danzo slammed the door shut and left without looking back.

The moment he stepped out of the Hokage Building, his heart turned cold as ice.

"Hokage... I will become Hokage."

"If I cannot obtain the Sharingan, then I will activate another plan."

The face of the First Hokage suddenly surfaced in Danzo's mind, and his obsession with power deepened further.

He raised his head and stared fixedly at the Konoha emblem atop the building.

"I will obtain power."