Uchiha Izuna looked over, the corner of his mouth twitching. He had long suspected Shisui and Itachi had something going on. Could those unofficial histories actually be true?
He couldn't help recalling a fan comic where Shisui had Uchiha Itachi pinned against a wall. His body shuddered.
Uchiha Shisui suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, but now wasn't the time to think about that. He looked at Uchiha Izuna and asked, "Fine, let's say you're right. How do you explain the Nine-Tails Incident?"
"I think you're the one who's not thinking straight. Where were our Uchiha Clan members at the time? In the damn compound. The clan head included."
"What the hell did the Nine-Tails Incident have to do with our clan members in the Uchiha Compound in Konoha?"
"They should be asking who was outside Konoha, but instead they suspect their own people. Is it because they fear our strength, or because they have some secret they don't want exposed?"
"You don't think about any of that. Instead, you think we should just put up with the humiliation and wait for things to pass. Why the hell should we put up with it? Konoha wouldn't let us help during the Nine-Tails Incident, then forced our clan out of the center of political power and pushed the Uchiha to the margins."
"Tell me, why should we accept that? Ask the Uchiha here—not just the Hawk Faction. Ask the Dove Faction if they're willing to accept it. Didn't Konoha's actions make them feel even a little disheartened?" Uchiha Izuna's words were incredibly persuasive.
The Hawk Faction members' eyes practically blazed. Uchiha Izuna had now become their undisputed leader. If he flipped the table right then and told Uchiha Fugaku to step down,
they would all draw their swords at once. The Hawk Faction had suffered enough over the years. They were pushed around by Konoha, then came home only to be pushed around by their own people. Weren't they doing all this for the Uchiha?
Now a leader had appeared. He had the Mangekyō Sharingan, along with ambition and strength. How could they not support him?
The Dove Faction members lowered their heads. They might belong to the Dove Faction, but could they not think for themselves? Did they have no brains? Though they tried to convince themselves that the village's suspicions were perfectly reasonable and justified,
that it was all for Konoha, could they really not feel hurt when their children were ostracized by their classmates at Konoha Academy?
When they went out on missions or even just to buy groceries, people talked about them because they were Uchiha. Could they really not feel upset?
Uchiha Izuna's words had reopened wounds they had tried not to expose, stirring up memories of the humiliation they'd tried to deceive themselves into forgetting.
Many members of the Dove Faction raised their heads again, their eyes resolute. Drawing a deep breath, the first among them walked toward the Hawk Faction. Once he reached their ranks, he turned to face Zongyi Uchiha.
"Leader, I'm sorry. Lord Izuna is right. I don't want to live like this anymore."
With that, he took off his shirt, revealing a body covered in scars. One ran from his left shoulder all the way down to his navel.
"My name is Uchiha Hawk. I'm a jonin. As you can see, all these scars are from Konoha missions and the Third Shinobi World War."
"I love Konoha, but I love the Uchiha more. I know everything I've done was so my child wouldn't have to fight in wars or struggle so hard just to stay alive."
"But what did I get in return? The villagers shunning us, and my child being ostracized by their peers. I kept telling myself it was all for Konoha, but why the hell should it be?"
"Why should our children be treated unfairly? Is it just because my name is Uchiha?!"
"What about being Uchiha? When Konoha was founded, without the Uchiha, could Hashirama Senju really have united all those clans by himself?"
"We're a clan of heroes, not criminals! So, as of today, I'm leaving the Dove Faction!" As he spoke, he took off the Dove Faction armband and threw it to the ground.
Uchiha Hawk's actions instantly struck a chord with many. The Hawk Faction members' eyes reddened as they clenched their jaws.
The Dove Faction members kept walking over to the Hawk Faction. Before long, only three people remained in the Dove Faction: Zongyi Uchiha, Uchiha Shisui, and Uchiha Itachi.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Izuna stood surrounded by members of the Uchiha Clan.
Zongyi Uchiha lowered his head. He knew that from that day on, the Dove Faction was gone.
Uchiha Shisui was shaken. It was the first time since he was born that he had witnessed the Uchiha stand united. Uchiha Hawk's words and actions kept echoing in his mind.
Uchiha Shisui asked himself, Was I really doing the right thing? Did the Uchiha Clan really deserve to be treated like that? Weren't we a clan of heroes?
At that moment, the scales in his heart began to tip away from the village and toward his clan.
Uchiha Izuna walked up to him. "Shisui, before you think of yourself as a villager, don't forget your surname. You're an Uchiha—the Uchiha of the two great clans that founded Konoha, the Senju and the Uchiha!"
"I doubt our senior, Kagami, wanted the Uchiha to become part of Konoha by groveling like this. The Hokage Position should have belonged to the Uchiha Clan in the first place." Uchiha Izuna bared his fangs.
Uchiha Shisui froze. He couldn't quite figure out what his grandfather had meant, but he was moved all the same. Perhaps the Uchiha Clan shouldn't have to live like this.
Uchiha Itachi spoke up. "Shisui, don't forget we're the Uchiha of Konoha!" His words instantly provoked outrage.
Uchiha Shisui came to his senses and looked seriously at Uchiha Izuna. "Izuna, I'll consider what you said, but I'll decide after I find out what caused my grandfather's death."
Uchiha Izuna understood. He first gave Uchiha Itachi a cold look, then held out his hand to Uchiha Shisui. "I'll go with you. Danzo might not be much in a fight, but when it comes to being underhanded, ten of you couldn't match him!"
Uchiha Shisui nodded. "All right." Seeing this, Uchiha Itachi could only sigh.
As for whether he'd report them, Shisui was there, and they were going after Danzo. Uchiha Itachi and Shisui were extremely close. How could he do something like that?
Shisui was wavering, but Uchiha Itachi wasn't. Still, if the Uchiha Clan really rebelled, Uchiha Itachi would definitely inform Sarutobi Hiruzen.
In Uchiha Itachi's heart, the village's interests came before those of the Uchiha Clan.
The Uchiha could be wiped out, but nothing could be allowed to happen to the village!
If Uchiha Fugaku knew what Uchiha Itachi was thinking, would he just kill him on the spot?
Actually, probably not. In the original course of events, Fugaku didn't even resist or put on an act. He was cut down by his own dear son.
Seeing everything turning out for the better, Uchiha Izuna let out a sigh of relief.
Uchiha Fugaku stood up. "In that case, let's wait a little for Shisui. A day or two won't make much difference. Everyone, get back to training. Don't slack off!"
With that, he headed for the door. He stopped when he reached it. "Izuna, come to my room in a bit."
Before you continue