The third approach was to find the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and persuade him to issue a statement regarding Shimura Danzō's position.
It seemed insignificant, but even Anbu members could not let others know their names or appearances. How much more so Root, which was hidden even deeper than the Anbu?
And how could Shimura Danzō, as Root's leader, possibly publicize himself to the entire world?
Not only did they fail to gain Sarutobi Hiruzen's support, they also received a warning from him.
"Spreading information about important figures in the village is a serious crime. I hope I will not hear these rumors again from elsewhere."
Sarutobi Hiruzen had been the hope of the Uchiha Conservative Faction.
Now that even he had said this, the Uchiha Conservative Faction was completely despairing.
The three groups from the Uchiha Conservative Faction gathered together, exchanged speechless looks, and returned to the clan in dejection.
As they passed Uchiha Shisui's home, they saw a group of adults surrounding a blind five-year-old brat and talking incessantly. The sight of them forming their own faction made them deeply displeased.
They did not say, "They're actually treating a five-year-old brat as the Clerk!"
Because Jinghuo Uchiha's stance was not wrong.
After hearing that the Uchiha Conservative Faction was trying everywhere to prove that he existed, Shimura Danzō issued another order: "Kill any lone Uchiha on sight!"
However, this order was rescinded less than two days after it was issued.
Because something major had happened within the Uchiha Clan.
Outside Fugaku Uchiha's home.
Uchiha Itachi leaned against the doorway and looked at Uchiha Shisui, who was approaching alone.
"Shisui, you..."
The moment Uchiha Itachi spoke, Uchiha Shisui interrupted him.
"Itachi, the ones hostile toward the Uchiha Clan are not the villagers, but the higher-ups."
"What do you mean?" Uchiha Itachi frowned slightly, hoping Uchiha Shisui would explain.
But Uchiha Shisui shook his head and said nothing more.
Only an answer one found for oneself was something one could truly believe in.
He was like that, and Uchiha Itachi was even more so.
Uchiha Shisui passed Uchiha Itachi and entered Fugaku Uchiha's home.
At that moment, Fugaku Uchiha stepped into the corridor, looked toward Uchiha Shisui in the entrance hall, and said, "Shisui."
There was not the slightest hint of a smile on his stern face.
Uchiha Shisui gave a slight nod in greeting.
The two tacitly said nothing. Amid the oppressive silence, Fugaku Uchiha led the way while Uchiha Shisui followed behind.
Before long, they entered a room with tatami mats, shut the door, and silence returned.
Still, Uchiha Itachi could sense the intense emotions inside that room.
And the one experiencing such intense emotions was his father—Fugaku Uchiha!
What exactly did Shisui say? Uchiha Itachi looked toward the room, feeling worried and uneasy.
Two days later.
Something major happened to the Uchiha Clan.
Fugaku Uchiha stepped down, and Uchiha Shisui became the Clan Head.
This left the clan members, whether Hawks or Conservatives, completely bewildered.
"What happened?"
"Why did Clan Head Fugaku suddenly step down?"
"Why aren't the elders saying anything?"
"How did Shisui suddenly become the Clan Head?"
Just like the stunned clan members, the Clan Heads of most Konoha clans were equally confused.
They kept close watch on the village's major events.
The conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the village was well known to all.
The smarter ones, such as Nara Shikaku, knew that the Uchiha Clan had targeted the wrong party. The village was not the source of their conflict; the higher-ups were.
But he could not understand why the Uchiha Clan had changed Clan Heads.
He knew nothing of Kotoamatsukami or the Mangekyo.
But after seeing the Susanoo Jinghuo Uchiha had unleashed that day, he guessed that Uchiha Shisui possessed the same kind of eyes.
But using threats to ease the tension between both sides? What a joke.
Even Nara Shikaku simply could not make sense of it.
The villagers knew about it as well, but they only discussed it casually.
Compared to that, they cared more about who had kicked down the widow's door at the edge of the village last night.
As for Konoha's higher-ups, all they felt now was endless panic and unease.
Sarutobi Clan Land.
Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and even Shimura Danzō had been invited over.
Uchiha Itachi stood nearby as well.
Shimura Danzō was displeased to have an Uchiha standing beside him.
But since Sarutobi Hiruzen had invited him here, it meant that his treatment would be further restored.
For the sake of his Root Base and subordinates, he merely snorted to show his dissatisfaction and said nothing else.
"Hiruzen, did you call us here because of the change in the Uchiha Clan Head position?" Mitokado Homura asked.
"The Uchiha must be plotting something," Utatane Koharu declared.
Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to hear her, yet also seemed not to. He looked at Uchiha Itachi and said, "Itachi, repeat what Uchiha Shisui said."
"Yes." Uchiha Itachi said, "Uchiha Shisui said that he did not want anything to happen to the clan members, nor did he want there to come a day when he had to use his eyes."
The moment those words were spoken, before Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu could react, Shimura Danzō suddenly raised his cane and slammed it down with a bang. The abrupt sound shook them, startling Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.
"They actually dare threaten us! Is the Uchiha Clan trying to rebel?"
Shimura Danzō immediately looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen. "If we do not act now, the Uchiha will start ruling their own territory!"
The moment Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu heard the word "threat," their eyes filled with confusion.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Shimura Danzō. Casting aside his usual good old man demeanor, he snorted coldly. "If you had not taken his eye, why would Shisui have suddenly become the Uchiha Clan Head?"
Just days ago, Uchiha Shisui had still been his capable subordinate, obeying whatever he said.
Now, he was openly threatening him.
At this point, who was to blame?
"Hmph! The Uchiha Clan is making a mountain out of a molehill!" Shimura Danzō acted as though he had generously taken a step back.
Uchiha Itachi: "..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed.
Meanwhile, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were still full of questions.
They knew that Shimura Danzō had taken Uchiha Shisui's eye, but they did not know what was special about his eye.
Not until Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "Uchiha Shisui's Dōjutsu is called Kotoamatsukami. I heard it can manipulate a target without them noticing, making them appear to act according to their own will."
"Th-this..." Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were horrified.
Being controlled was not frightening. What was frightening was not knowing one had been controlled!
At once, they understood the message Uchiha Shisui had sent.
Its hidden meaning was obvious: As long as the clan members are safe, I will not use Kotoamatsukami to control you.
Once they understood this utterly naked threat, how could they remain seated?
"Hiruzen! The Uchiha Clan cannot be allowed to remain!"
"Such a Dōjutsu... it absolutely cannot be allowed to remain!"
Both Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu supported Shimura Danzō's proposal—to immediately wipe out the Uchiha Clan.
But while they knew of Kotoamatsukami, they did not know that those eyes could manifest Susanoo.
Even if they wanted to act, they had to be prepared to pay a terrible price.
Susanoo was an existence capable of fighting the Nine-Tails one-on-one!
Konoha absolutely could not withstand another Nine-Tailed Night.
Before you continue