Uchiha Izuna sat in the Hawk Faction's seat of honor, looking at Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui with disdain.
"What I said just now was complete bullshit!" Uchiha Izuna took a moment to build up his momentum, but before he could even get to the main point, the Uchiha Hawk Faction members chimed in.
"Bullshit! Bullshit!"
Uchiha Izuna's mouth twitched. He felt a little awkward, but still composed himself and said, "Uchiha Shisui, how much do you actually know about the grudges and vendettas of the Warring States period? Or did you learn about them from Konoha's books?"
"Could it be that you don't know history is written by the victors? Or do you really think the Uchiha Clan can become part of Konoha under the leadership of the Third and Shimura Danzō?"
"Let me tell you the truth. The Third, Sarutobi Hiruzen, is a glory-hungry fool who spouts nothing but fake slogans about benevolence and justice. He never gets anything done, and he's always left to settle the debts."
"Sure, he fought well in the Second Shinobi World War when he was young. And then what? After winning, he still fucking paid Sunagakure reparations. Tell me, is his head full of shit?" Uchiha Izuna slapped the table.
Uchiha Shisui froze, then his mind raced. Uchiha Itachi panicked. "Second Brother, don't you dare disrespect Lord Hokage!"
At that moment, Uchiha Itachi, brainwashed by the Will of Fire and led astray, spoke up. Nearly a hundred pairs of red eyes immediately fixed on him.
"How many times have I told you to call me Izuna!" Uchiha Izuna hefted the table and hurled it at Uchiha Itachi.
Uchiha Itachi's pupils shrank. He drew his sword and slashed! The table split in two, but his hand trembled slightly. He was astonished by Uchiha Izuna's strength.
What incredible strength! Uchiha Itachi thought.
Uchiha Shisui spoke up. "Izuna, I think this was just to demonstrate the magnanimity of our great nation, Konoha. Sunagakure is such a barren place; it has no stable source of income."
"I think Lord Hokage wanted to appease Sunagakure because of the current political situation."
As he spoke, he kept his eyes fixed on Uchiha Izuna. He hadn't looked away since their chakra clashed just now. He'd sensed that Uchiha Izuna's strength was not to be underestimated—perhaps even greater than his own.
So Uchiha Shisui was willing to listen to and debate the opinions of someone stronger than himself.
"What political situation? What political situation does Sarutobi Hiruzen even understand? Using Konoha's money to appease Sunagakure—he's got to be sick in the head! Everyone put in manpower and effort, and countless people died or were wounded. And that motherfucker, as Hokage, didn't demand reparations. He appeased them instead."
"Even a six-year-old knows better. If someone hits you, you hit them back—and make them pay."
Uchiha Izuna's words were crude, but every one hit the mark. Uchiha Shisui was left confused. It seemed... it seemed Uchiha Izuna had the more convincing argument.
Once someone taught you to see things from another person's perspective, you started noticing all kinds of problems. That was exactly what was happening to Uchiha Shisui now.
"Shisui, you're just too naive. You believe whatever people tell you. Do you know why Senior Kagami Uchiha died?" Uchiha Izuna said coolly.
Uchiha Shisui's pupils contracted. Kagami Uchiha was his grandfather, a blood relative. Konoha had said that he died in the line of duty after encountering a powerful enemy.
But now, from the way Izuna spoke, it seemed that wasn't what had happened at all!
Uchiha Fugaku frowned. "Izuna, what exactly are you trying to say?" On the surface, he was scolding Uchiha Izuna, but in truth, he was protecting him.
Some elders from the Dove Faction already looked angry. The elders who were close to Konoha couldn't stand hearing Uchiha Izuna slander their great Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Old man, you're the one with the biggest problem. I'll tell you what—once I'm done here, I'll deal with you!" Uchiha Izuna tilted his head and pointed at Uchiha Fugaku.
Uchiha Fugaku's mouth twitched. What problem did he have? And what was this rebellious son planning? A coup? Besides, his older brother was right there. What made Izuna think it was his place to act?
If Uchiha Izuna had known what Uchiha Fugaku was thinking, he would've laughed. Then he would've pointed at Uchiha Itachi and said, "Big Brother, come rain or shine, I'll be waiting for you at Naka Shrine. The winner becomes clan head, and the loser is branded a rebel!"
Back to the point.
Uchiha Izuna stood and walked over to Uchiha Shisui, looking down at him. After fusing with Uchiha Madara's power from the time of Konoha's founding, his build had grown considerably.
Now, under Uchiha Izuna's stare, Uchiha Shisui was sweating. Why? Why did Uchiha Izuna's air of authority feel even more oppressive than the clan head's—no, even more oppressive than the Third's?
If he hadn't awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan just now, he might have been unable to stop himself from kneeling!
"Shisui, your grandfather's eyes were gouged out by Shimura Danzō. He was also the one who conspired with Sunagakure to arrange that mission back then. Otherwise, why would Shimura Danzō always cover his right eye?"
"Think about it. Didn't Senior Kagami destroy his left eye himself, while his right eye was missing?"
Uchiha Izuna's words made Uchiha Shisui stagger backward. He stared at Uchiha Izuna in disbelief, murmuring, "No... No way. That can't be!"
Uchiha Izuna's words shook his worldview. He'd never imagined that Lord Danzō, so dignified and solemn, who willingly stayed hidden underground to become the Root of Konoha, was actually a sinister man who coveted his comrade's bloodline and joined forces with an enemy!
"Second Brother, that's enough! Do you have any idea what kind of crime it is to make baseless accusations against Konoha's Hokage's assistant?" Uchiha Itachi glared at him.
Uchiha Izuna clicked his tongue and held out a hand toward Uchiha Itachi. A pale blue skeletal frame appeared out of thin air and lunged at Uchiha Itachi with blinding speed.
Caught off guard, Uchiha Itachi was seized by the blue skeleton.
"How many times have I told you to call me Izuna! Do you not understand human speech? And let me tell you something, Uchiha Itachi: when I'm talking, don't you fucking interrupt!"
"You're a political novice. What the hell do you know?" Uchiha Izuna said coldly.
Uchiha Itachi had been grabbed before he could react. At that moment, he couldn't even use the Substitution Technique, and could only rage helplessly.
Every Uchiha clan member who saw this sucked in a sharp breath!
The third-strongest member of the Uchiha Clan had actually been taken down by an unknown nobody?
No, wait—that wasn't right. He was just modest and good at hiding his strength. He wasn't some nobody.
Hadn't they seen his Mangekyō Sharingan and Susanoo? They were so powerful, so cool!
Uchiha Fugaku grew anxious. His son might be a little rebellious, but that didn't mean he deserved to die! So he spoke up. "Enough! Itachi is your older brother. Do you want to kill him?"
Uchiha Izuna shuddered, then let out a sigh and slowly loosened his grip.
Uchiha Itachi could finally breathe again. Just then, as he prepared to unleash his Susanoo, Uchiha Shisui glared at him!
Little did they know, Uchiha Izuna had seen every one of their little moves!
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