As evening fell, Chiya changed into casual clothes.
He arrived at the Ninja Academy on time to pick up Uchiha Izumi.
"Have you been waiting long?" That was the first thing Uchiha Izumi said when she saw Chiya.
Though Uchiha Izumi hadn't fully grown into her looks yet, she was already graceful and lovely. Her long black hair fell to her waist, smooth and unadorned. She wore a light purple dress with a stand-up collar. Her features were delicate, her skin fair, and a warm smile always rested on her face, as though it could touch the hearts of everyone around her.
"Not really. I only just got here." Chiya raised his right hand. Amid the envious glances of the many students at the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Izumi naturally handed him her backpack, and they walked side by side.
"Time really flies. Six years have passed in the blink of an eye," Uchiha Izumi said with a sigh.
"Yeah. You'll be graduating soon, won't you?" Chiya smiled faintly and casually asked, "Have you decided what you want to do in the future?"
"Mm..." Uchiha Izumi murmured thoughtfully. She naturally looped her arm through Chiya's, her little face blushing as she said, "I'll probably become a bride."
She recalled the first time she'd met Chiya. That night, the Nine-Tails, a disaster from the heavens, had appeared. Her father was dead, her mother was dead, and she'd been filled with fear and helplessness.
At the critical moment, Chiya had fearlessly pulled her out of a narrow alley that could have been buried beneath the ruins at any moment, leading her to safety.
Even now, that young figure remained vivid in her eyes, impossible to forget.
More than six years had passed in a flash. Chiya had grown up, and the two of them had gradually grown closer.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to keep living like this forever.
Chiya froze for a moment, then smiled faintly. In a voice only the two of them could hear, he whispered, "Then I'll be your groom."
Uchiha Izumi froze. Her cheeks flushed even more, until even her neck was tinged pink. She pressed her lovely face against Chiya's arm, and no words were needed.
Before long, Chiya and Izumi arrived at her home.
Just as Uchiha Itachi had said, not long after the two of them entered the house, a Uchiha Clan ninja showed up at the door.
"Itachi?" Uchiha Izumi looked at the visitor in surprise.
It was none other than Uchiha Itachi himself.
Uchiha Itachi nodded expressionlessly, then turned to Chiya. "Chiya, my father wants to see you."
"I understand." Chiya looked at Uchiha Izumi. "Izumi, I'll be right back."
"Then come back before dinner," Uchiha Izumi said. She didn't know why the clan head wanted to see Chiya, but she didn't ask.
Chiya gave her a reassuring smile, gently ruffled her hair, then followed Uchiha Itachi outside.
Chiya followed Uchiha Itachi to his home, where he met Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Mikoto, the most beautiful wife in the world, and Uchiha Sasuke, who had just returned from school.
After a long discussion, they finally settled the matter of Chiya joining the Uchiha Clan by marriage.
In exchange, Chiya would gather intelligence for the Uchiha Clan.
In the blink of an eye, the eve of the clan's downfall arrived.
Konoha, Land of Fire.
The sun was already setting.
Yet an unusual air hung over the Uchiha Clan's district in Konoha.
Since Uchiha Shisui's suicide more than a year ago, the Uchiha Clan's resentment toward the Konoha High Command's persecution had grown, and matters had reached the point where an uprising could erupt at any moment.
A coup was inevitable.
At that moment, a secret meeting was underway in one of the Hokage Office Building's rooms.
Shimura Danzō, Mitokado Homura, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Utatane Koharu—the Konoha F4—sat in the seats of authority.
Below them, Uchiha Itachi knelt on one knee, dressed as an Anbu Ninja.
Uchiha Itachi lowered his head, his face hidden in shadow. As if he'd made a momentous decision, he spoke in a low but respectful voice. "Three days from now, on the day the Uchiha Clan holds its clan festival, they plan to stage a coup in Konoha."
At his words, Shimura Danzō, Mitokado Homura, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Utatane Koharu exchanged glances, each of them looking grave.
"We can't afford to wait. We have to strike before they make their move." Shimura Danzō, who had always hated the Uchiha Clan, spoke first. He turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"The Uchiha were once our comrades. I want to resolve this through dialogue, not violence. I'll find a way."
Sarutobi Hiruzen put on a deeply pained expression and claimed he wanted a peaceful solution. But although he said that much, he offered no concrete plan.
"Hiruzen..." Shimura Danzō started to say more, but Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped him with a look, as if to say, "Enough, Danzō. I'm the Hokage."
With Uchiha Itachi, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura nearby, Shimura Danzō couldn't make a scene. He could only mutter to himself, "Hiruzen, you'll regret this."
"Itachi, you may leave," Sarutobi Hiruzen said with a long sigh.
"Yes, Lord Hokage." Uchiha Itachi gave Sarutobi Hiruzen a grateful look, put on his Anbu mask, and turned to leave.
Looking toward the place where Uchiha Itachi had disappeared, Utatane Koharu turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Hiruzen, what are you going to do?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen hesitated for a moment before answering, "I don't know yet, but I'm sure there'll be a way."
In truth, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't care about the Uchiha Clan.
What he really cared about was Konoha—and his Hokage Position.
On one hand, if he rashly went to war with the Uchiha Clan, even if he won, Konoha would be severely weakened.
Then, as Uchiha Shisui had said before he died, other countries would take advantage of the situation and invade, setting off the Fourth Shinobi World War.
On the other hand, as Hokage, he was loved by all the people of Konoha and had to remain in the public eye.
If he casually ordered the extermination of a clan, his time as Hokage would be over.
So he needed someone else to take the blame.
And the obvious choice was his good friend Danzō.
He believed that, with his old friend's underhanded methods, there were a hundred ways to deal with the Uchiha Clan without starting a war.
Sure enough, as soon as Sarutobi Hiruzen finished speaking, Shimura Danzō stepped forward. "So, you're saying you have no plan right now?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed and put on a helpless expression. He took out his pipe, lit it, and drew a deep breath, tacitly admitting it.
Seeing this, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura realized they couldn't count on Sarutobi Hiruzen. Besides, this matter really wasn't suitable for the Hokage to handle personally.
So they exchanged a knowing look and turned to Danzō. "Danzō, do you have a plan?"
"Leave this to me." Danzō's lips curled. He'd already worked out what to do.
Ever since the incident with Uchiha Shisui, he still hadn't found a replacement for his right eye. With no other choice, he'd taken one of the few Sharingan implanted in his right arm and put it to use. Now he was waiting for the Uchiha Clan to provide him with more Sharingan.
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