The night was clear, with the full moon hanging overhead.
The meeting was about to begin again in the Hokage's office.
There was hardly any change in attendance: the Hokage Advisors, the clan heads of the various shinobi clans, and the two Sannin, famous but without any real authority in the village.
Compared to the last meeting, though, the atmosphere was much better this time.
The Uchiha had been cleared of most suspicion over the Nine-Tails Incident, and Kumogakure's fierce invasion had been repelled. With neither internal strife nor external threats, the village could maintain peace for quite some time.
Some of the clan heads who arrived early even had time to chat and laugh before the meeting began. Their topics ranged from teaching their children to a business deal, and all sorts of things in between.
Of course, the two most frequently mentioned were Orochimaru, who had distinguished himself in the war against Kumogakure... and the Uchiha.
The former hadn't arrived yet, so the conversation naturally tended to focus on Fugaku Uchiha, who was present.
From time to time, some clan heads cast complicated looks at Fugaku. There was admiration, respect, and, naturally, the occasional look one might give a complete fool.
That was a Mangekyō Sharingan, after all—the same kind possessed by the First's lifelong rival.
Shisui was so young, yet already so powerful. His future was limitless. And they'd just let him sacrifice himself like that?
Even if it was to clear the Uchiha of suspicion, that was an awfully high price to pay.
Everyone had their own thoughts, but they had to admit that they'd reached a consensus on one thing: the Nine-Tails had not been controlled by the village's Uchiha that night. At the very least, it had been an individual's actions.
That was a