A week later.
The Ninja World was in turmoil, and everyone was getting ready to watch Konoha make a fool of itself.
Even the Daimyo of the Land of Fire had sent an official inquiry.
Some people were even afraid that a new war was about to begin.
Konoha had resumed wartime administration and gone into lockdown.
The various ninja clans began closing ranks.
That exposed the alliance between the clans within Konoha.
Shinichi Hyuga could now see more clearly that the interest group Third had painstakingly cultivated had been laid bare before him.
At last.
The meeting of the village leadership convened by Minato Namikaze was held in the conference room of the Hokage Building.
Those who had come today were either in charge of some important part of Konoha or the heads of ninja clans.
The meeting had originally been scheduled for nine in the morning.
Yet everyone arrived at the conference room early and sought out people they knew.
Minato Namikaze sat in the seat of honor. No matter what, he was the Hokage.
On either side sat the retired Third and the three Shadow Assistants.
Next came the heads of the various clans.
Across from them sat Fugaku Uchiha and the Uchiha Clan's Great Elder.
Shinichi Hyuga could have sat closer to the center, but he quietly took a seat in the corner and watched everything unfold.
Bang!
Shimura Danzō slammed a hand on the table. He was the blade leading the charge, and now he was showing his edge.
"Fugaku, is the Uchiha Clan trying to rebel? You actually had the Uchiha Clan surround the Hokage Building!"
Shimura Danzō struck first, putting pressure on Fugaku Uchiha across from him.
Fugaku Uchiha kept his hands tucked into his sleeves. He ignored Shimura Danzō and looked at the Third instead.
"Danzō, it's all a misunderstanding. Listen to Fugaku's explanation."
The Third spoke at just the right moment.
One played the good cop, the other the bad.
They pinned all the blame on the Uchiha Clan.
But in reality, when the Fourth Hokage sent out the invitation, he had specifically invited every member of the Uchiha Clan.
Even now, Fugaku Uchiha still held on to a sliver of hope as he looked at the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
Minato Namikaze gave no response.
Before the meeting began, they had already reached an agreement among themselves.
In the end, the Uchiha Clan would be forced into submission and quietly return to serving Konoha.
"Stop putting on a show. Wasn't that plan to exterminate the Uchiha Clan drawn up by Tobirama Senju specifically to target the Uchiha?"
The Uchiha Great Elder leaned past Fugaku Uchiha and challenged them directly.
"What plan? It was just a piece of misleading intelligence, and it was enough to make your clan so restless. Seems you've been unhappy with the village for a long time."
Shimura Danzō wasn't the least bit intimidated by the Uchiha Great Elder.
He was already on edge. His own Shimura Clan had suffered heavy losses, and he actually hoped the Uchiha Clan would make a move.
Then he'd have an excuse to take the village's and the Uchiha's share for himself. Hadn't he done that before?
But the Uchiha Clan had come here. They no longer had the courage to resist.
He had also read the report. It seemed convincing, but none of it had been verified.
"Fugaku, what do you say?"
The Third smiled as he looked at Fugaku Uchiha.
He wanted to know whether his chosen Fugaku Uchiha had slipped out of his control.
"Konoha must give the Uchiha a definite answer: there will be no sanctions against the Uchiha Clan."
Fugaku Uchiha's words came out stiffly. He looked around and finally understood that the Uchiha Clan had never had any allies. A hint of sorrow stirred in him.
He began weighing their options. The Uchiha Clan no longer had the means to fight back.
The Third was quite displeased with Fugaku Uchiha's words.
He and the other elders had all been taught by Tobirama Senju.
They had always regarded the Uchiha with suspicion. If they really made such a promise, they'd only end up eating their words.
"Ahem." The Third gave a false cough, signaling to Shimura Danzō beside him.
"The Hokage and the Council of Elders can guarantee that we harbor absolutely no ill will toward the Uchiha Clan." Shimura Danzō said it without a shred of guilt. He had always played this role.
His promise was utterly meaningless.
"We can allow Uchiha Clan shinobi to join the Anbu," the Third added, offering another condition.
"Fugaku, it's all a misunderstanding. We're comrades, after all. Don't let some fabricated intelligence destroy the trust between us."
Minato Namikaze wore a warm smile and patiently explained things to Fugaku Uchiha.
The three of them sang the same tune, and the pressure from the other clans around them began to make Fugaku Uchiha waver.
Seeing Fugaku Uchiha's attitude, the Uchiha Great Elder grew even more disappointed.
The Uchiha Clan had no other choice.
When Konoha was founded, they hadn't left with Madara Uchiha.
By then, the Uchiha Clan had already become a subordinate of Konoha.
They had chosen to put the village's interests before the clan's interests.
When those in power in the village didn't trust you, what could you do?
There was only one way: find a way to challenge for a higher position.
That was why they later chose a coup instead of moving the entire clan elsewhere.
The Five Great Nations had reached an unspoken understanding about the concept of rogue ninja. The Uchiha Clan had no other choice.
Fugaku Uchiha had come today to see whether Konoha was planning to make a move against the Uchiha Clan.
The situation was already against them.
He even suspected that once the entire extermination plan was exposed, the other ninja clans would actually support it.
After the Uchiha Clan was wiped out, those clans would all benefit to varying degrees.
"Fugaku, it's all for Konoha!"
The Third saw Fugaku Uchiha wavering and tried to reassure him.
Then he added, "Didn't you ask me for my opinion before?
"Name your child Sasuke.
"I agreed!
"The Uchiha Clan should integrate more fully into Konoha."
Those words finally made Fugaku Uchiha decide.
They were even letting his child become his father? That had to mean they were trustworthy, right?
"All right. The Uchiha Clan will remain one of Konoha's pillars. I'll reassure my people."
The Uchiha Clan had no other choice. They could only put their hopes in Konoha's goodwill.
"Minato will personally explain to your people that other nations are trying to drive a wedge between us."
The Third and the others exchanged smiles. The outcome had been exactly what they expected.
All they had to offer were a few verbal promises. They had plenty of hot air to spare.
The farce seemed to have ended without a trace, but the rift had already been planted.
The Uchiha Clan's destruction was inevitable.
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