The Long Night Approaches, Who Will Be the Rising Sun?

Sarutobi Hiruzen's body trembled slightly.

He seemed to be forcefully suppressing the anger in his heart.

He had already ceded Training Ground Three.

Even in all of Konoha, there were fewer than three training facilities of that caliber.

One of them had been given to the Uchiha as compensation.

Yet even with such terms, Uchiha Mirai showed not the slightest gratitude. Instead, he only pushed his demands further!

His clenched teeth and tightly curled fingers undoubtedly revealed the surging fury within him.

Despite having spent more than a decade navigating the political arena, he had nearly failed to control his emotions, wanting nothing more than to rush forward and tear the smiling Uchiha Mirai to pieces.

Emotional damages, nutritional expenses, lost wages...

Was that something a human being could even say?

And a hundred million for each item???

Did he think a hundred million was a small amount?!

Beside him, Uchiha Fugaku was already stunned, staring at Uchiha Mirai with utter disbelief.

The resources of Training Ground Three were already exceptionally abundant.

Moreover, it covered a considerable area. Incorporating Training Ground Three into the Uchiha Clan Compound would almost restore it to the scale it had before the clan's relocation.

And Uchiha Mirai still wasn't satisfied with such an enormous benefit?

This endless extortion would only further intensify the conflict between the village and the Uchiha.

What exactly was Uchiha Mirai thinking?

Fugaku frowned, his eyes filled with confusion.

He wanted to speak up and stop Uchiha Mirai.

Uchiha Itachi lightly tugged at his sleeve. A trace of worry showed in his eyes as he lowered his voice to remind him.

"Father, Brother Mirai is right."

Uchiha Fugaku froze.

Then, as though he had suddenly remembered something, a hint of shock surfaced deep in his eyes.

His heart pounded wildly!

Could it be...

Uchiha Fugaku immediately shut his mouth, swallowing back the words that had already risen to his throat. A profound look filled his eyes as he stared at Sarutobi Hiruzen across from him.

Seeing that Uchiha Fugaku did not speak, and that Uchiha Mirai had no intention of backing down, while the Uchiha clansmen opposite them watched like tigers eyeing prey, Sarutobi Hiruzen struggled for a moment before finally sighing.

"Perhaps giving up Training Ground Three was somewhat hasty. In that case, we'll do as you said—emotional damages, uh..."

"At a hundred million per item, the compensation will be three hundred million ryo."

A cold smile appeared in Uchiha Mirai's eyes.

He could endure even this?

Worthy of the Third Hokage!

Sarutobi Hiruzen fumbled around on his person. Seeing the Hokage gathering money, the ANBU behind him also hurriedly searched themselves for cash.

After a flurry of activity, Sarutobi Hiruzen held a pile of crumpled banknotes in his hands.

"I didn't bring enough cash with me. There should be roughly one hundred million ryo here. As for the rest..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen turned his cold gaze toward Danzo beside him.

"Danzo will send someone to deliver it to the Uchiha Clan Compound later."

Danzo was stunned speechless.

"Hiruzen, what are you doing? I never agreed to—"

Before he could finish, Sarutobi Hiruzen rudely cut him off.

"Danzo, don't tell me you intend to refuse?"

That murderous gaze made Danzo feel as though the air around him was steadily thinning.

"I understand..."

Danzo gritted his teeth unwillingly.

The surrounding ninja clans watching the scene were also shocked by Sarutobi Hiruzen's demeanor.

The Hokage... had actually made such a huge concession to the Uchiha?

Only a very small number of ninja wore extremely grave expressions in the depths of their eyes.

"Lord Hokage, you're too generous. Compensation is compensation, but you nearly turned out your underwear for it. Tsk, tsk!"

Uchiha Mirai glanced at the wrinkled cash in Sarutobi Hiruzen's hand and clicked his tongue a few times, the mockery and ridicule in his eyes barely concealed.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's old face reddened, and he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

He was the Hokage!!!

The Hokage!

"Kuroko, take the money and thank Lord Hokage properly for me!"

"You got it!"

A lean black shadow darted out from among the clansmen behind them and snatched the cash from Sarutobi Hiruzen's hand.

It was Uchiha Kuroko!

"Lord Hokage, we won't disturb you any longer. Come visit the Uchiha Clan Compound when you have time!"

Uchiha Mirai chuckled softly and left in high spirits with the large number of clansmen behind him.

The surrounding ninja clans and ANBU immediately made way, afraid of blocking these jinxes' path.

Danzo stared fixedly at Uchiha Mirai's retreating back.

If the Sharingan were ranked by the amount of blood vessels in one's eyes, then he would at least have a Mangekyo Sharingan right now!

The Konoha ninja around them watched the departing Uchiha clansmen in silence, their expressions variously complicated, shocked, and grave...

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood before the ANBU, his eyes slightly narrowed, unfathomable depth and solemnity within them.

The ANBU behind him stood where they were at a loss, their eyes beneath their masks filled with embarrassment and humiliation.

Their superior, the Hokage, had been publicly humiliated by Uchiha Mirai.

Yet they did not dare step forward.

Uchiha Mirai was far too terrifying, not to mention the dozens of red-eyed maniacs glaring hungrily behind him.

Only after Uchiha Mirai and the group of Uchiha clansmen had completely left did Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly withdraw his gaze.

"Take the corpses of the nearby Root members back."

He gave the order darkly.

That chilling gaze was like a tsunami about to erupt.

Uchiha Clan Compound.

Inside the clan head's residence.

Two cups of tea sat steaming on the low table.

Uchiha Mirai picked up a cup and gently blew across the surface.

Slurp! Slurp!

"Mirai, there is something I don't understand."

Uchiha Fugaku, seated beside the low table, looked at the tea-drinking Uchiha Mirai with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

"Training Ground Three is one of Konoha's finest training grounds. The Third Hokage giving it to the Uchiha is already tremendous compensation."

"With a training ground of this caliber, the Uchiha's younger generation will surely grow better. Why weren't you satisfied with such a huge benefit? Why did you make Sarutobi Hiruzen lose face in public?"

A trace of worry appeared between Uchiha Fugaku's brows.

Before returning, he had noticed the coldness in Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze.

It was the first time he had seen such a frigid look on the normally mild-mannered Third Hokage.

This matter was likely not over yet.

The conflict between the Uchiha and the Hokage's faction had already become increasingly fierce.

"Lord Fugaku, repeat something you just said."

Uchiha Mirai continued sipping his tea.

Uchiha Fugaku's expression froze.

He asked tentatively.

"Training Ground Three is one of Konoha's finest training grounds?"

"The sentence after that."

"With a training ground of this caliber, the Uchiha's younger generation will surely grow better?"

"Do you think the Third Hokage would truly be so kind?"

Uchiha Mirai suddenly set down his teacup and stared directly into Uchiha Fugaku's eyes.

Uchiha Fugaku's breathing abruptly tightened, his expression shifting slightly as an unimaginable chill rose up his spine.

"You mean..."

Uchiha Mirai's gaze deepened as he turned toward the window.

"If the compensation Sarutobi Hiruzen offered had been something else, things might not have been this bad. But unfortunately..."

Uchiha Mirai let out a faint sigh.

"Sarutobi Hiruzen would never willingly hand over an opportunity to strengthen the Uchiha as a whole. You and I both know that. The only reason he would do this is..."

"The thing being bestowed still belongs to the Hokage's faction. The Uchiha will have no chance to truly make use of it."

A trace of desolation appeared in Uchiha Fugaku's eyes.

Outside the window, the sun sank westward. The dusk light streamed into the residence, crimson as blood in his eyes.

"Is that so..."

It was not that he had never considered this possibility. He simply had not wanted to admit it, still clinging to a sliver of hope.

The so-called gifting of Training Ground Three was merely meant to placate the Uchiha.

The greater the compensation, the more it proved how intense Sarutobi Hiruzen's killing intent was!

Because in his eyes, the Uchiha would never have a chance to use it!

After a long sigh, Fugaku realized that his grasp of the situation was actually inferior to that of his youngest son, Uchiha Itachi.

At least Itachi had warned him back then, which meant he had already seen through Sarutobi Hiruzen's intentions.

If that was the case, then they might as well let Uchiha Mirai thoroughly disgust Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Lord Fugaku, it's time for the final battle."

Uchiha Mirai stared deeply at the setting sun outside the window.

The horizon had already turned entirely crimson.

"I understand..."

Uchiha Fugaku sighed.

At this point, he no longer held any expectations.

After several rounds of probing, Sarutobi Hiruzen's killing intent had already emerged.

What came next would no longer be the minor skirmishes of before.

The future of the Uchiha and the fate of Konoha would both be rewritten before long.

"Mirai, what should we prepare?"

Uchiha Fugaku asked solemnly.

"Gather the clan. It's time for a meeting."

Uchiha Mirai rose to his feet and headed toward the banks of the Naka River.

Just as he had when he first emerged from seclusion and walked toward the Naka River.

Outside the window, the sun had set, and night was about to fall.

After this long night, who would become the newly rising sun?