A Change

In front of the Uchiha Clan Compound's gates, a large group of Root shinobi faced off against Uchiha shinobi.

Danzo slowly emerged from behind them. He narrowed his eyes at Uchiha Fugaku, who stood at the very front, and said darkly, "You want to confront me face-to-face?"

Uchiha Fugaku frowned as he looked at the Root shinobi surrounding them. "Danzo, what is the meaning of this?"

Danzo glanced at Lu Yan, standing beside Uchiha Fugaku, and let out a strange laugh. His voice was hoarse. "Obito Uchiha disappeared for no reason while on a mission. After returning to Konoha, he killed the shinobi I sent to question him. His behavior is suspicious. For the sake of Konoha, hand him over to Root."

"Impossible."

Uchiha Fugaku flatly refused, and the atmosphere instantly grew tense.

Looking at Danzo's face, scary enough to make children cry, Lu Yan curled his lip in disdain. How could you possibly compete with Sarutobi Hiruzen looking like that? You don't look like a good person at all.

Lu Yan stepped forward a few paces and looked Danzo in the eye with a grin. "So those Anbu Ninja were sent by you. Too bad I only asked whether they were Anbu or sent by you, old dog Danzo, and they immediately tried to kill me. In the end, they all died."

The atmosphere turned strange. Even the usually proud Uchiha shinobi stared at Lu Yan, dumbfounded.

Danzo raised a hand to stop the Root shinobi from attacking. He looked at Lu Yan as if he were already dead. "Do you know what you're saying?"

Lu Yan didn't care about Danzo's glare. He curled his lip. "Looks like you really are getting old, Danzo. Your hearing's gotten so bad."

With the Third Shinobi World War looming, Lu Yan had nothing to fear. The Konoha High Command would never move against the Uchiha Clan at a time like this and weaken their own forces.

Danzo had come in such force simply to apply pressure. He wouldn't actually make a move. He just wanted to use the opportunity to intimidate the Uchiha Clan into contributing more to the coming war and weaken their strength.

In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen watched the scene outside the Uchiha Clan's gates through a crystal ball. He turned to Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu with a smile. "Young people really are full of spirit."

Mitokado Homura frowned as he watched Lu Yan in the crystal ball, his expression one of distaste. "Ever since Teacher Tobirama passed away, the Uchiha Clan has been restless. Lately, they've become even more overbearing."

Utatane Koharu coughed several times and wheezed. "Hiruzen, it's time to rein them in. Otherwise, the Hyuga Clan and Ino-Shika-Cho families will follow their example. They won't stay in line."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded. Seeing how pale Utatane Koharu looked, he asked with concern, "Koharu, the weather's turned chilly lately. You should take care of those old injuries."

"I will."

Utatane Koharu coughed several times, thinking it over. "But the situation hasn't been good lately either. The Land of Water, Land of Earth, and Land of Lightning have all been making frequent moves. The Land of Wind is growing restless too, constantly testing us. After we rein them in, we should still reassure the Uchiha Clan and have them send more people."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes were deep as he watched Lu Yan in the crystal ball. "I don't think this is going to be so simple."

The atmosphere in front of the Uchiha gates had grown increasingly hushed, like the final stillness before a volcano erupted. Once it did, the blast would shake the heavens.

Lu Yan stood at the very front, his expression calm as he watched Danzo and the Root shinobi behind him.

"You won't hand him over?"

Danzo ignored Lu Yan, whom he considered a mere junior, and turned to ask Uchiha Fugaku sternly.

"We won't hand him over."

The dark pupils in Uchiha Fugaku's eyes turned into a Three-Tomoe Sharingan. His tone allowed no room for compromise.

The Uchiha shinobi around him also activated their Sharingan and fixed their eyes on the Root shinobi.

Just as the standoff reached its breaking point, Namikaze Minato and Kushina arrived in a series of quick leaps, bringing Kakashi and Rin with them. Namikaze Minato stepped in front of Lu Yan, shielding him, and addressed Danzo respectfully. "Danzo, Obito is my student. I guarantee there's nothing wrong with him. I'll explain everything to Lord Hokage."

Danzo was at a loss. He hadn't expected things to get so complicated. He'd originally intended to pressure the Uchiha Clan into handing over Obito Uchiha, while also intimidating the clan. But Uchiha Fugaku valued Obito Uchiha so highly that he wouldn't back down.

And before he could deal with Uchiha Fugaku, Namikaze Minato had shown up. Minato belonged to the Hokage's faction and had always been favored by Hiruzen, who was even grooming him as his successor...

At that thought, Danzo looked at Namikaze Minato in front of him, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He snorted. "What can you guarantee? Move."

Namikaze Minato shook his head firmly, his smile bright as sunshine. "I'll stake my life on it. If there's anything wrong with Obito, Lord Hokage can deal with me as he sees fit."

"Heh."

"Deal with you as he sees fit?"

Danzo looked at Namikaze Minato's radiant smile and gave a mocking laugh. Then he turned and waved his hand.

"Let's go."

As the Root shinobi withdrew, Rin let out a long breath. She went over to Lu Yan and stomped hard on his foot. "You jerk, Obito! You came back and didn't even tell us. Kakashi and I were worried sick!"

"He—"

Lu Yan gave an awkward smile and glanced at Kakashi, who still had that same deadpan look. What a tsundere.

Namikaze Minato came over and patted Lu Yan on the shoulder. Smiling warmly at his three students, he said, "It's all right now. I'll talk to Lord Hokage about this."

Uchiha Fugaku nodded warmly at Lu Yan, then led the Uchiha shinobi back into the compound.

Lu Yan felt conflicted. Looking at his clanmates, teacher, and friends around him, he felt the deep bonds wrapped around him—and found that he welcomed them.

"Come on. I'm treating everyone to barbecue today."

With a bright, easygoing smile, Lu Yan looked at his teacher, Kushina, Rin, and Kakashi.

Late that night, Lu Yan lay on the roof with his hands behind his head, gazing up at the round, bright moon.

"Dad, Mom, I really can't go back."

Lu Yan's eyes grew misty as he murmured.

"I was going to bear it all alone. After all, no one could beat me anyway."

"But so many people have stood in front of me—my teacher and Kushina, my friends, even my clanmates."

Lu Yan took out a bottle of liquor Chen Yulou had given him from the Kamui Dimension and drank deeply, speaking silently in his heart.

"Dad, Mom, I'll live well."

"I'll live well as Obito Uchiha."