Everyone Hates the Uchiha Clan

As the emotions of the Konoha Village populace ebbed and flowed, the mood of the Third Hokage fluctuated right along with them throughout the day.

In the end, he lacked the courage to step forward and clean up the mess.

Positioned as the Third Hokage of Konoha, he had far too many factors to consider.

Unlike Danzo, who acted without regard for consequences and used any means necessary to achieve his goals, the Hokage had to ensure that the worst possible outcome did not manifest before his eyes.

Let the younger generation handle the affairs of the younger generation.

No matter the result, it would remain within an acceptable range.

But once he, the Hokage, personally intervened, if the desired outcome failed to materialize, the situation would become impossible to salvage.

From the moment Uchiha Kei appeared, Sarutobi's heart had grown restless. When Kei raised his arms to rally the crowd, Sarutobi completely abandoned his surveillance of Konoha for the day.

Let it be whatever it wants to be; it's not as if the Uchiha could turn the world upside down.

Who would have thought that upon receiving the Anbu report that evening, Sarutobi would be so distressed.

Damn it, this brat, in order to dodge the war, had actually gone to the root of the matter to deny the righteousness of the war Sarutobi had instigated.

Was he trying to start a rebellion?

Compared to the indecisive Uchiha Fugaku, Sarutobi's judgment was far superior.

Unlike Uchiha Itachi, whose judgment stemmed from the natural sensitivity of a child, Sarutobi's was built upon years of experience.

Anyone who lies for a living knows that the more elaborate the lie, the more magnificent the cloak it requires.

The Uchiha's impassioned performance was merely a cover for the fact that he was unwilling to fight for Konoha.

But fine, if you want to be a coward, be a coward. Your cowardice was not without its benefits to me; pinning the label of weakness onto the Uchiha would only make it easier to exploit their value.

However, you actually framed your cowardice as something righteous, even posturing that the Uchiha were the masters of Konoha and that Konoha should fight for survival rather than for the Daimyo.

Did you think I, the Third Hokage, didn't understand that logic? It was just that the public couldn't be allowed to understand it. Once they did, they would constantly make demands of Konoha.

The Daimyo didn't provide enough funding, and Konoha needed to support a large number of personnel to handle covert affairs, not to mention the countless public facilities that needed to be built—which of these didn't require money?

If the public were satisfied, there would be no way to build up Konoha, and to build up Konoha, one needed sufficient funds to maintain it.

What was the way to get the Daimyo to provide money? Naturally, it was to keep the Daimyo under the threat of war. How could a war like mine be called unrighteous?

I merely skimmed a portion of the billions for myself.

Yet Uchiha Kei had pushed me into the territory of an unrighteous war, causing the public to doubt the very legitimacy of this conflict.

This was unforgivable.

Sarutobi took a deep drag from his pipe.

It was time to take action against this group of inexplicably appearing Uchiha.

Sometimes, when he thought about it, Danzo wasn't wrong.

As expected, everyone in the Uchiha clan deserved to die.

Unlike the solitary and bitter distress of Sarutobi Hiruzen, at the Uchiha compound, the father and son of the clan head's household were also discussing and reflecting on everything that had happened that day.

Compared to Uchiha Kei's dissatisfaction with Itachi, Fugaku was indifferent; perhaps this was a case of one's position dictating one's perspective.

Fugaku was a man with great self-awareness. After his son's thoughts had been repeatedly validated by subsequent events, Fugaku had come to trust Itachi's judgment implicitly.

Although the child was only five years old, he possessed the mindset of a Hokage—a fact that had been affirmed by the Hokage himself.

However, mere accuracy in judgment did not guarantee victory in a contest.

Fugaku believed that if Itachi said Kei was unwilling to fight for Konoha, then Kei was certainly unwilling to participate in this war.

It was just that Fugaku couldn't understand why Kei was unwilling to fight.

Fear of death was not something Fugaku considered.

If the Konoha Military Police Force controlled by the Uchiha was the city management of Konoha, then the Anbu were the police, and the Root was the secret police.

A man who could slaughter the secret police of Konoha and then bury them under a tree as a matter of course, without the slightest avoidance, was absolutely a man who feared nothing regarding war.

It was illogical for a man who dared to provoke a war to be afraid of fighting one.

Of course, whether one dared to fight was one question; whether one could win was another.

Clearly, Uchiha Kei never feared war.

He couldn't figure it out; he truly couldn't figure it out.

Fugaku dipped a bowl of tea and drank it as if it were sake. Ever since the child was born, his wife, Uchiha Mikoto, had forbidden him from drinking alcohol, so he could only satisfy his craving by using tea as a substitute.

"Itachi, you shouldn't have accused Kei-kun of cowardice in public today."

Uchiha Itachi, sitting across from Fugaku, wore a cute face but always kept it as stiff as an adult's. Sensitive children were always prone to overthinking; from a young age, they understood what their parents liked.

The pressure-laden clan head father desperately needed a mature and steady son to share the burden of everything.

"Why, Father? This was a great opportunity for the Uchiha clan to integrate into Konoha. It would be a pity to miss it."

Fugaku shook his head.

"Itachi, opportunities you can't control will always remain just opportunities. Besides, you're facing Kei!"

Itachi nodded, indicating he understood, but he didn't agree with his father's praise for him.

"But Father, Kei-brother has no reverence for Konoha. This will lead Konoha into an abyss!"

Fugaku put down his teacup, his expression turning serious.

"That's why you shouldn't have openly contradicted him. Someone who has no reverence for Konoha wouldn't fear war. Your accusations are baseless. He simply doesn't want to fight for Konoha, but he never fears war!"

Young Itachi's vision was ultimately limited by his age.

"But if this continues, the Uchiha who don't fight for Konoha will drift further and further from Konoha. By then, Konoha will no longer have a place for the Uchiha clan. Besides, Father was the first to support this war today."

Fugaku's face flushed slightly. His son's actions today were merely support for his father, just not adaptable to the situation.

Understanding this, Fugaku's disappointment with his son's poor performance today eased considerably.

"Itachi, my support for the Uchiha joining Konoha's war today was to secure a place for the Uchiha within Konoha. Kei's rejection of war today has also secured a place for the Uchiha within Konoha. We are not so different. He is simply too young and impetuous, and I wish to resolve issues through peaceful means."

"In the end, it's all for the Uchiha!"

Upon returning home, both Fugaku and Itachi understood this issue. However, it was already in the past, and Itachi was merely somewhat unwilling.

"But this will only make the problems between the Uchiha and Konoha more acute. Father, those Uchiha clansmen you can't control are like time bombs, ready to explode at any moment. We can't let them continue unchecked."

"But Itachi, their arrival has also won the Uchiha a breathing room, and that is more important than anything."

Itachi fell silent. He wanted to say more, to mention what Shisui-brother had taught him, but in the end, he didn't.

"Father, I understand!"

"If you understand, then get some rest!"

"Yes."

The father and son's conversation ended quickly.

However, that night, due to their frustration, the father and son couldn't sleep soundly.

"Oh, so we Uchiha are the masters of Konoha. Itachi was quite disappointing today. Perhaps having a sibling would allow Itachi to truly understand the meaning of mutual support!"

It was time to have a second child.

Fugaku, who had become very excited because Kei had vindicated the Uchiha and made Konoha understand the Uchiha's significance anew, began his "activities" as a man.

Itachi also couldn't sleep soundly.

"Why can you so easily deceive everyone?"

Itachi knew that no matter how noble Kei's words sounded, fundamentally, he was unwilling to go to war. Yet, such a coward was recognized by everyone.

Even some who were not his clansmen regarded him as a guide.

"This cannot continue. Uchiha Kei must be restrained by the Uchiha!"

Perhaps when Shisui-brother returned, he could defeat this clown.

Thinking of this weak and ineffectual elder, who would be no match for Shisui-brother's immense power, Itachi felt that Kei would no longer be qualified to hold his elder position, facing shame among the clan.

At that time, he would assign Kei's clansmen to Shisui-brother's command. He believed that the Uchiha, who respected strength, would surely follow a more powerful Uchiha.

Actually, it was Uchiha Fugaku, but that old scoundrel Fugaku must die.