The Uchiha Meeting

"Have you heard? The Uchiha actually killed the envoy sent by the Cloud Hidden Village. The Cloud Hidden Village is going to war with Konoha!"

"Yeah! The Uchiha are awful! They just want to drive a wedge between the village and the Cloud Hidden Village."

"The Uchiha are evil by nature!"

Every street and alley in Konoha was filled with condemnation of the Uchiha, and disgust showed in the villagers' eyes.

Many villagers who had never heard of the matter joined the condemnation out of curiosity.

In just a few days, as though it had appeared out of nowhere, all of Konoha was filled with contempt for the Uchiha Clan.

If anyone had calmed down and observed carefully, they would have discovered that some force seemed to be constantly pushing this wave of condemnation from behind the scenes.

Within the compounds of the major shinobi clans, many shinobi were also constantly discussing the matter.

At the Nara Clan compound, in the courtyard before a residence, two Nara clansmen with pineapple hairstyles sat cross-legged across from each other, playing a game of shogi.

"I heard Uchiha Mirai was the one who killed the Cloud Hidden Village's envoy group?"

"That should be right. I didn't expect him to cause such a huge stir the moment he came out of seclusion."

"What a pain. Something big is about to happen in Konoha. Get ready."

Nara Shikaku placed a piece down and sighed helplessly.

Aburame Clan compound.

Aburame Shibi, the head of the Aburame Clan, frowned slightly.

"I have a feeling this matter isn't so simple."

"The latest intelligence suggests that those Cloud shinobi wanted to abduct the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Clan's main family. Uchiha Mirai discovered them and killed them."

"I didn't expect the Hyuga Clan to be involved as well."

Aburame Shibi suddenly felt a headache coming on.

It was already troublesome enough that the Uchiha Clan had become involved. Now even the Hyuga Clan had been dragged in.

Konoha's two great clans had both been swept into this matter.

"I wonder how this will end."

Aburame Shibi sighed.

Hokage's office.

A tense meeting was underway.

It was called a meeting, but every shinobi understood that this was merely an attempt to pressure the Uchiha Clan.

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, sat at the head of the Hokage's desk, with Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and the others seated beside him.

As for the other shinobi around the conference table, they were clan heads or high-ranking members of clans such as the Hyuga, Nara, and Aburame. Nearly half of Konoha's senior shinobi had been invited to this meeting.

"At a time like this, could it be that the Uchiha Clan is scared?"

Danzo swept his gaze over the empty seats, a faint sneer appearing in his eyes.

The notice ordering the Uchiha Clan to attend the meeting had been delivered that morning.

There was no way the Uchiha Clan did not know.

This matter concerned the diplomatic relationship between Konoha and the Cloud Hidden Village.

If the Uchiha Clan failed to appear, he could use the opportunity to pressure them.

The other shinobi in the meeting room also began whispering among themselves, with most of them showing their disgust for the Uchiha in their eyes.

A small number of shinobi who knew the inside story merely sat quietly and did not join the discussion.

Click!

The meeting room doors were suddenly pushed open.

The previously noisy room fell abruptly silent.

In an instant, every shinobi at the conference table turned to look at the person who had entered.

A dashing figure strode into the meeting room, surrounded by members of his clan behind him.

"Uchiha Mirai, I didn't expect you to actually come."

Danzo stared coldly at Uchiha Mirai in the center.

His gaze was like that of someone who had spotted prey, as though Uchiha Mirai were already in the palm of his hand.

"What? Lord Danzo, it seems you were hoping I wouldn't come?"

Uchiha Mirai chuckled and sat directly in his seat at the conference table.

His seat had clearly been carefully chosen. It was positioned right in the center of the entire table, allowing everyone to cast their judgmental gazes upon him.

Yet Uchiha Mirai did not seem the slightest bit uncomfortable.

He lounged against the back of his chair as if he were at home.

The higher-ups around the conference table looked at Uchiha Mirai with contempt, anger, or inscrutable expressions...

All kinds of gazes converged upon Uchiha Mirai.

Only Hiashi Hyuga had a trace of guilt in his eyes and did not dare meet Uchiha Mirai's gaze.

"Now that everyone is here, let the meeting begin!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen, seated at the head of the table, pondered for a moment before speaking in a deep voice.

The meeting room fell silent, and everyone's eyes turned toward him.

"I believe you have all heard that the delegation from the Cloud Hidden Village sent to sign the agreement died on Konoha's streets for certain reasons."

"The consequences of this incident are extremely severe. The Fourth Raikage of the Cloud Hidden Village demands that we give the Cloud Hidden Village an explanation. Otherwise, they will unilaterally tear up the ceasefire agreement we previously signed and launch another attack on Konoha."

"I trust none of you wish to see war come again!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen swept his gaze across the ninja seated around the conference table.

The moment his words fell, furious, gritted voices erupted.

"Those bastards! After fighting for so many years, the war was finally about to end, yet it's being reignited over something like this!"

"Exactly! Damn Uchiha! The hard-won peace has been destroyed."

Some ninja even glared openly at the Uchiha Clan ninja around the conference table.

The fury in their eyes seemed ready to swallow Uchiha Mirai whole.

The smell of gunpowder abruptly thickened in the meeting room.

Uchiha Mirai gave a soft laugh.

What a Sarutobi Hiruzen.

What a "for certain reasons."

He never mentioned the Uchiha Clan, yet every word targeted the Uchiha Clan.

With just a few words, Sarutobi Hiruzen had perfectly redirected all hatred toward the Uchiha Clan, while never mentioning the actual cause.