After Uchiha Setsuna represented the Uchiha and Shimura Danzō represented the Third Hokage in a heated shouting match, the people who could actually make the decisions finally stepped in.
Uchiha Fugaku was mild-mannered and indecisive, best at compromise and delay.
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi was also soft-spoken and indecisive, and even better than Fugaku at compromising with others.
Even with tensions running high and conflict threatening to erupt, the two softhearted leaders reached a compromise in no time, each agreeing to take a step back to end the confrontation.
Of course, even refusing to compromise needed some cover. If you gave in too easily, your supporters would be deeply disappointed, their morale would suffer, and their loyalty would waver.
And how could you manage such a huge mess if you lost the people's support?
So the two sides lined up their supporters and made them choose sides!
The Uchiha wore their distinctive clan attire, every one of them glaring with red Sharingan, and stood in three rows behind Uchiha Fugaku.
Even nine-year-old Uchiha Shisui was in the ranks.
There were even more shinobi lined up behind Hiruzen Sarutobi: the Konoha F4, the Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, the Aburame Clan, the Inuzuka Clan, Anbu, Root—the densely packed crowd looked pretty intimidating.
Standing among the Yamanaka Clan's ranks, Yamanaka Chujiu watched the scene before him. He felt neither worried nor excited. In fact, he wanted to laugh.
The whole thing looked like Brother Ho-nam showing off his gang in Young and Dangerous.
He had always known the world was one giant ramshackle operation, and Konoha was one of the less rotten ramshackle operations in the Shinobi World.
But this scene proved that Konoha didn't even qualify as a ramshackle operation.
At best, it was a gang dressed up in the trappings of legitimacy.
They set up their backdrop and put on the grandest show they could manage, then a few people stepped forward to trade threats. And with that, they'd gone through the whole procedure.
The Uchiha felt they'd made a fine show of themselves that night. The other clans and Anbu felt the Third Hokage could still keep the Uchiha in check. Both leaders had gotten exactly what they wanted.
After that, each side reined in its own hardliners, restored order, and finally sat down face-to-face for a discussion.
Uchiha Fugaku agreed to drop the investigation into Shanty Town, and Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed not to pursue the Uchiha for killing Root shinobi.
He also promised to hold a meeting in his office the next day to reconsider the terms for relocating the Uchiha Clan. They still had to move.
At the same time, Hiruzen Sarutobi announced that Shanty Town would be completely demolished. Konoha could never allow a living hell like that to exist!
With both sides reconciled and the villagers given an explanation, the matter was finally settled.
Everyone dispersed and went home to sleep.
The Uchiha left first. Before they'd even gotten far, Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna were already arguing.
Fugaku made the first move. "Elder Setsuna, was it really appropriate to mobilize the clan's elite shinobi without telling me, the clan head?"
Setsuna wasn't about to let him get away with that. "Clan head, you made quite a show of yourself today. Have you ever wondered why you were able to stand tall in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi?"
"Because of me!"
"I took the initiative and mobilized the clan's shinobi to fight Root head-on. We showed our strength and made them think twice!"
"And me! I faced Shimura Danzō directly and shut down his nonsense!"
"Our efforts gave you the chance to speak with Hiruzen Sarutobi, and instead of recognizing our contribution, you think we were meddling?"
Fugaku was left speechless. He stared blankly at Elder Setsuna, feeling as though he'd become a different person. Everything about him seemed strange.
Uchiha Setsuna was filled with fervor. Inspiration from Yamanaka Chujiu kept pouring in, and his fighting spirit surged.
"Do you think I've become a different person?"
"Clan Head Fugaku, I, Setsuna, haven't changed. I've simply lost every last bit of faith and respect I had for you!"
"Let me make this clear: I, Uchiha Setsuna, believe that you, Uchiha Fugaku, are unfit to lead the Uchiha Clan!"
"If Elder Sifang and I had discussed this with you, would you have made any decision other than telling us to call off the operation and stop meddling?"
"You've been different ever since seven or eight years ago, when you returned to the village after fighting in the war against Sunagakure!"
"You're no longer the 'Wicked Eye' Fugaku who once ruled the battlefield. You've become a spineless, slug-like Fugaku!"
"I don't know what happened to you, but if you can't change the way you are now, I won't respect you as clan head!"
"You're unfit!"
Uchiha Fugaku flushed bright red, but he couldn't come up with a single word in reply. In the end, he could only give a cold snort and storm away, displeased.
Uchiha Setsuna grew even angrier. "Look at that! All it took was someone speaking the truth, and he got so angry he walked off without a thought for his own clan. What kind of clan head does that?"
He spoke loudly enough for every Uchiha to hear, and for Uchiha Fugaku, already walking away, to hear him clearly too.
Uchiha Fugaku hadn't expected that leaving would be a mistake as well.
But he was too ashamed to turn around and go back. He could only grit his teeth, pretend he hadn't heard, and use the Body Flicker Jutsu to leave in a hurry.
While the Uchiha argued, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō were arguing on the other side too, but that didn't stop the other clans' shinobi from going home.
Once Uchiha Fugaku had left, Yamanaka Chujiu released his influence over Uchiha Setsuna.
As the hidden hand who'd intervened midway in tonight's sudden clash, he'd not only developed a new ability for Heart Severing Realm but also achieved all his goals. It had been a fruitful night.
Especially the mental control he'd used on Uchiha Setsuna: he could preserve the other man's independent thought while seamlessly turning his own ideas into natural inspiration.
The process was indeed cumbersome, but it would leave absolutely no trace. Even if Yamanaka Inoichi personally searched Setsuna's memories, he wouldn't find anything.
This method was more terrifying than turning someone directly into a puppet, and far more subtle. Even Yamanaka Chujiu himself felt a little shaken by it.
He secretly resolved to put restrictions on his new ability as soon as possible. Otherwise, he might become addicted to manipulating people's minds and fall into depravity without even realizing it.
Suddenly, Yamanaka Inoichi asked, "Chujiu, what do you make of what happened tonight?"
Yamanaka Chujiu gathered his thoughts and considered the question for a moment. "Tonight's events proved two things. First, the divisions within the Uchiha Clan are growing worse, and Uchiha Fugaku's authority has taken a serious hit."
"Second, the Third Hokage's handling of things is... getting more and more muddled. I really can't accept it."
Yamanaka Chujiu's words were full of regret, as though he couldn't bear to see someone waste their potential.
Although he considered Hiruzen Sarutobi an enemy, and the worse Hiruzen performed, the easier he'd be to deal with, it still left him deeply unhappy to see Konoha's Hokage acting so disgracefully.
Yamanaka Inoichi nodded. "Shikaku, Choza, and I feel the same way you do. The Fourth Hokage's sacrifice really was too..."
Yamanaka Inoichi abruptly stopped. Chujiu met his gaze, and they silently agreed not to continue that subject.
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