Plan

The next day, news regarding the Uchiha did not spread, and the atmosphere remained just as tense. Ordinary people were like cattle and sheep, oblivious to the true turmoil unfolding above them.

At the academy, Naruto Uzumaki greeted Hinata as soon as he sat down.

"Morning, Hinata-chan."

"Morning, Naruto-kun."

Hinata whispered back, but she suddenly frowned as she looked at Naruto.

Why does Naruto feel so different? Could I be mistaken?

"What's wrong, Hinata?"

Naruto Uzumaki was a bit puzzled; this little girl had never dared to look at him for so long before.

"You..."

Hinata wanted to say something, but in the end, she said nothing at all.

Have I been found out?

Seeing her expression, Naruto Uzumaki was momentarily stunned. His main body was still busy researching the Sharingan, so the one here was naturally a shadow clone.

However, Naruto Uzumaki's clones were different; bolstered by his ki, not even the Byakugan, let alone the Sharingan, could see through them.

Although it was said in the original work that Hinata's eyes had the highest purity, her personality prevented her from truly showcasing their potential, and in the Ninja World, the Sharingan was generally considered more formidable.

By comparison, the Byakugan lacked those flashy abilities, but its power should not be underestimated.

The fact that the entire Otsutsuki Clan possessed the Byakugan was proof enough of its extraordinary nature.

Perhaps it's a limitation of her chakra. Should I give her a hand?

Naruto Uzumaki suddenly felt a spark of interest.

However, there was no rush for now.

The school day had just begun.

Today, Sasuke Uchiha was frowning, frequently lost in thought.

Although he didn't know the specifics of what was happening within his clan, he wasn't a fool; he could sense the shifting situation from the subtle details.

At noon.

"Naruto-kun, would you like to have lunch together?"

Just as Naruto Uzumaki was about to stand up, Hinata finally gathered the courage to ask.

This left Naruto Uzumaki momentarily stunned.

His main body no longer needed to eat, and his clone needed it even less. He had been planning to go for a stroll before returning, never expecting Hinata to reach out.

Turning to look at Hinata, who was keeping her head down, Naruto Uzumaki saw worry, fear, and insecurity radiating from her.

His gaze flickered; although he knew this little girl liked him, he couldn't fathom why she was so timid.

You fool, you possess the most noble bloodline; you are the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Clan.

Though he wanted to say something, Naruto Uzumaki understood.

"Sure, Hinata-chan."

Naruto Uzumaki smiled, realizing that this was the first time she had summoned the courage to speak up, and if he refused, she would only become more withdrawn.

At the same time, he made up his mind to help her.

At least in Naruto Uzumaki's view, so-called cowardice stemmed entirely from a lack of strength.

Hearing Naruto Uzumaki agree, Hinata looked up instantly, only to lower her head again immediately.

"Let's go."

Naruto Uzumaki said nothing more. The two of them took their lunch boxes outside and found a quiet spot to eat.

Hinata didn't dare to speak, and Naruto Uzumaki didn't know what to say either.

Besides, preaching grand principles to a child was useless.

As for increasing her strength, Naruto Uzumaki was in no hurry. For now, they only had a mutual fondness for each other; any talk of deep affection was still just a pipe dream.

Although neither spoke, the bond between them grew closer in the silence.

Meanwhile, at the Uchiha clan.

Within the Uchiha compound, all the clan members had gathered in the ancestral hall.

Everyone's face was grim.

Daohuo Uchiha was also present.

"Daohuo, tell us about yesterday's events once more."

The Great Elder spoke, his face dark.

Daohuo Uchiha recounted the events of the previous day in detail once again.

"Elder, Danzo has gone too far. This must be his doing."

Shui Uchiha's expression turned furious.

"That's right, that suicidal style—it must be Root."

"Kill Danzo, and if it comes to it, kill the Hokage too."

The crowd began to chime in, one after another, completely enraged.

Fugaku Uchiha remained silent.

The Great Elder's brows were tightly knit.

Although the Great Elder supported the coup, he was a man with a brain; after witnessing the strength surrounding the Third Hokage yesterday, he felt a lack of confidence.

The most critical point was that Itachi Uchiha still stood with the Third.

This made them afraid to act rashly.

The other clansmen didn't know, but these few men were all aware that Itachi Uchiha possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan. Naruto Uzumaki had not given them false intelligence on this point, even revealing the ocular techniques of Itachi Uchiha's Mangekyo to them.

It was precisely because they knew that they found the situation so thorny.

Mental attacks via Tsukuyomi, physical attacks via Amaterasu.

With such a loadout, even Fugaku Uchiha, who also possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan, had no confidence in defeating him.

This was the reason for their silence.

"You all should head back first; we need to discuss this matter."

The Great Elder waved his hand, dismissing the common clansmen.

Though unwilling, they left one after another.

"Sigh! Fugaku, do you have any other methods?"

The Great Elder let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry, it's my fault for not raising him well."

Fugaku remained silent; he felt utterly helpless regarding the matter of Itachi Uchiha.

But what he found truly hardest to accept was that Itachi Uchiha had chosen to slaughter his own clan, and the crucial part was that both brothers ended up dead in the end.

Seeing this outcome had completely shattered Fugaku Uchiha's defenses.

And now, Itachi Uchiha still showed no remorse, yet they were helpless against him.

"After this, I fear Danzo will strike at us again."

"Why don't we strike first?"

"No, Danzo is an elder. Once we make a move against him, it's a total breakdown of relations."

The Great Elder objected.

"How about..."

Daohuo Uchiha turned his gaze toward Fugaku Uchiha.

The Great Elder froze for a moment before realizing what he meant.

His expression became uncertain.

Fugaku Uchiha also understood the implication in the other man's words.

The other three hadn't reacted yet, but seeing the clan leader's ugly expression, they seemed to understand something.

Their eyes flickered.

Since the traitor won't listen, why not replace him?

At this moment, this thought crossed all their minds.

The Mangekyo Sharingan was the spiritual symbol of the Uchiha clan.

Crucially, this thing could be utilized by outsiders.

If they could seize Itachi Uchiha's eyes, their side would possess two pairs of Mangekyo.

"Clan Leader, this is originally your family matter, but if you cannot make up your mind, we can help you."

Once the Great Elder had made up his mind, he was determined to seize Itachi Uchiha's eyes.

Fugaku Uchiha's expression was grim; that was the son he had been so proud of.

Unlike Sasuke Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha had displayed immense talent from a young age.

He had always felt proud of this son.

But now...

"Fugaku, don't let emotions cloud your judgment. Think of Sasuke Uchiha; he has the potential to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan. Do you really want him to walk the same old path?"

The old are cunning; seeing the other man's expression, the Great Elder knew exactly what he was thinking.

Both palms and the back of the hand are flesh—one must eventually make a choice.

Moreover, if he didn't choose, it was highly likely they would end up back on the same old path.