With everyone watching them and suspicion in their eyes, the Uchiha clan felt deeply uncomfortable.
Several of them opened their mouths as if to say something, but when they looked at their leader, Uchiha Fugaku, they fell silent.
Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not hastily pin the blame on the Uchiha clan. Instead, he spoke directly:
"I know about this matter. Now is not the time to investigate the truth. Since the Sharingan is involved, does Clan Head Fugaku have any way to control the Nine-Tails and reduce casualties?"
"Lord Third, the Nine-Tails is too powerful. With my current ocular powers, I can't control it. The only thing we can do is have all the Three-Tomoe members here use Genjutsu: Sharingan together and give it a try. Please buy us some time. I'm counting on you."
As he spoke, Fugaku bowed deeply to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't know whether he should believe him.
At that moment, two voices rang out in stern refusal: "No!!!"
The newcomers slowly walked over from the side and looked toward Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Hiruzen, now that we know this matter is connected to the Uchiha clan, you should order them to leave at once. That will prove this has nothing to do with them!"
The speaker was Mitokado Homura, one of Konoha's elders.
He looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with a stern expression, not even sparing the Uchiha clan a glance. His words made it clear that he believed the clan was deeply involved in this matter, and therefore shouldn't be allowed to take part in the battle.
"Exactly. Since the Uchiha clan's Sharingan has appeared in the Nine-Tails' eyes, even if the Uchiha members here had nothing to do with this, they're no longer suited to take part in the battle. Clan Head Fugaku, I think you should take your people and help organize the evacuation instead. That would reduce casualties too."
The other elder, Utatane Koharu, spoke with cutting sarcasm.
Clearly, the two elders were of one mind: they wanted to completely exclude the Uchiha clan from the battle.
And the reason was simple. They wanted the Uchiha clan to become the natural scapegoat once the incident was over.
Afterward, they could smear the clan with a few accusations, further shrink its room to survive, and secure benefits for their own families.
Hearing the elders' barbed words, every Uchiha present looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with grief and anger, hoping the respected Hokage would speak up for what was right.
Then Uchiha Fugaku spoke as well. "Lord Third, this is Konoha, and it's the Uchiha clan's home. Please don't underestimate our resolve to protect our families."
"Though I don't know where the enemy got the Sharingan, I, Uchiha Fugaku, swear here and now that the Uchiha clan has absolutely nothing to do with this. If it's ever proven that we were involved, then let the village deal with us as it sees fit. Please allow the Uchiha clan to join the battle, Lord Third. I'm counting on you!"
At his words, the remaining Uchiha members spoke up too. "That's right, Lord Third! Please let the Uchiha clan show its loyalty to the village!"
"Fight! Fight! Fight!" For a moment, the Uchiha clan's cries to join the battle filled the air.
The village had been suppressing the Uchiha, but they still held the benefits they were entitled to. Their situation was nowhere near as bad as it had been in the original story after the Night of the Nine-Tails. So most of them still felt a strong sense of belonging to the village.
"Enough. I hereby declare that the Uchiha clan will join the battle. We'll address any questions after the Nine-Tails is under control. Move out!"
After thinking it over for a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally decided to let the Uchiha clan join the battle.
Whether or not the clan was involved, now clearly wasn't the time to dwell on it.
If the Uchiha clan was involved, keeping them where he could watch them meant they couldn't cause any trouble.
If they weren't involved, then they could use the Sharingan against the Sharingan and at least reduce some of the casualties.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had made his decision in a brief moment. At last, he showed some of the bearing of the Shinobi Hero he had once been.
Just as the two elders beside him were about to object, Hiruzen Sarutobi raised a hand to stop them. "Enough. I've said the Uchiha clan will join the battle, which means I trust them. There's no need to keep arguing about it. That's final."
"Uchiha clan, follow me!" With that, Hiruzen Sarutobi charged toward the Nine-Tails at the head of the group.
The Uchiha answered, "Yes, sir!" Every Uchiha present was fired up, determined to show what their clan was made of in the coming battle and live up to the Third Hokage's trust.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
After everyone had charged toward the Nine-Tails, the two elders left behind could only spit out the words they'd been holding back in frustration. "Hiruzen, you'll regret this!" Then they turned and left without even taking part in the battle.
Uchiha Fugaku said, "Quickly, quickly! Follow my lead and use Genjutsu: Sharingan together. Let's try to take control of the Nine-Tails!"
"Ready!"
"One, two, three, now!"
All the Uchiha shouted, "Sharingan!!!"
Though the Uchiha clan's combined efforts didn't wrest control of the Nine-Tails away, they did hinder its movements. As a result, the death toll in the battle that followed dropped sharply. But those who had died while the two elders held things up couldn't be brought back.
Uchiha Fugaku certainly wasn't using his full strength. He only used the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. After all, by his master's orders, this all had to wait until the Fourth Hokage finished things off.
After all, the Mangekyo Sharingan had crushing power over the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Even with every Three-Tomoe user present working together, they could only just manage to affect the Nine-Tails.
Just look at the original story: a single Mangekyo, wielded by a man with only half a pair, wiped out the entire Uchiha clan. That was proof enough that the Mangekyo's quality could overwhelm sheer numbers.
Time passed, second by second.
The village's people had all been evacuated, and the battle against the Nine-Tails was at a stalemate. Just then—
Boom!
A massive figure landed on top of the Nine-Tails. It was Gamabunta, summoned by Namikaze Minato.
Standing on Gamabunta, Namikaze Minato looked at the wreckage all around him. Remembering what the figure who might have been Uchiha Madara had said, he silently apologized to Kushina.
The next moment, before anyone could react, he vanished with the Nine-Tails.
Uchiha Chen, who had quietly appeared during the battle, knew that Namikaze Minato's life was already counting down.
Once Namikaze Minato died, and he had taken control of the Third Hokage, Konoha would be his to command. Then he could do everything he could to develop Konoha, pursue beautiful women everywhere, and, once his strength was sufficient, launch a war of unification and become the one and only Shadow.
Or rather, becoming the one and only emperor would be just around the corner.