Chapter 18

As soon as Sasuke stepped into the compound, he saw a huge crowd of Police Force members gathered outside his house.

From what they were saying, it was not hard to figure out what was going on.

Shisui Uchiha was planning to withdraw from the Anbu?

Sasuke put on an innocent, carefree expression and walked back into the house.

He did not listen to another word of their discussion.

For gossip like this, it was enough to have a general idea.

He had never been the type to join in the excitement.

Once he entered the house, his aunt had already set the food on the table.

Wash hands, eat, check in at the training ground.

After going through the whole routine, Sasuke returned to his room.

Mission: make Hyuga Neji let go of his obsession with the main family and branch family

His gaze fell on the system panel, and Sasuke's head started to throb.

No wonder those words had come out when he said goodbye to Neji earlier. It was all this damned system's fault.

But the problem was—

The conflict between the main family and branch family of the Hyuga Clan was rooted in that set of ** rules!

Wanting them to change the rules? That was no easier than making the entire Uchiha Clan collectively learn how to greet people with a smile...

"Sasuke, are you asleep?"

Uchiha Itachi's voice suddenly came from outside the door.

Clatter—

Sasuke pushed the door open. "Brother, did you need me?"

He blinked and looked at Itachi with a face full of curiosity.

At this hour, what was Itachi looking for him for?

"Dad told me to take you to the study."

"He told me that if you were asleep, we would talk tomorrow instead."

Itachi relayed Uchiha Fugaku's words exactly. "Mm."

"Let's go."

Itachi had a rough idea in his heart.

Nine times out of ten, this was related to Shisui Uchiha.

Inside Uchiha Fugaku's study. "Sasuke, you've already met Shisui Uchiha, haven't you?"

"He will be returning to work at the Police Force next."

"What do you think about that?"

As soon as Sasuke sat down, Uchiha Fugaku made clear the reason he had called him over. "Big Brother Shisui?"

"He's really strong!"

"It's a good thing that he can join the Police Force!"

In just a few words, Sasuke threw out his stance. "If he's strong, does that definitely make it a good thing?"

"What if... he was placed in the Police Force by the Third to keep an eye on us?"

Uchiha Fugaku abruptly tossed out that line.

With words that blunt dropped on the table, even Uchiha Itachi beside them was stunned.

Saying this kind of thing in front of a child... was that really appropriate?

He turned to look at Sasuke beside him, but he could not see the slightest hint of panic or unease.

His younger brother, he...

Uchiha Fugaku looked as steady as an old dog on the surface, but in his heart, a nerve was stretched taut.

Laying this kind of matter out in the open was no different from placing a bet.

That was what he had done when he first took Itachi to the battlefield.

Now he was doing the same by making Sasuke think about this sort of issue!

Honestly, Uchiha Fugaku really was not very good at being a father.

However, that was for the old Sasuke.

As for now...

"Father, there's no need to take these matters to heart at all."

"On the contrary, I think we should make proper use of this opportunity!"

After a moment of silence, Sasuke slowly spoke. "Use it?"

"Explain in detail."

Uchiha Fugaku was a little stunned. He had not expected Sasuke to say something like that. "Let's assume the worst case."

"Big Brother Shisui really was sent by the Third to ** us Uchiha and instill the Will of Fire in us."

"Then what would happen if we didn't let him in?"

Sasuke tossed the question right back at him. "It would make the people above guard against us even more, and dislike us even more!"

Uchiha Fugaku followed with that line. "Right, and what we lack most right now is time—the time for us Uchiha to accumulate enough strength."

"So, no matter what Big Brother Shisui actually came here to do, he has to enter the Police Force."

"Not only do we have to let him in, we also have to give him a weighty position with real authority."

Sasuke poured out all his thoughts. "Listening to it, there is indeed some logic to that."

"Then what did you mean by 'use it' just now?"

Uchiha Fugaku pressed him again. "We follow the Third's intention and even arrange an important position for him."

"That way, the Third's wariness toward us will decrease at least somewhat."

"Add to that me and Brother, two people dead set on believing in the Will of Fire..."

Sasuke did not finish speaking.

Because at that moment, Uchiha Fugaku's eyes had already lit up.

Clearly, he had already reacted.

As for Itachi, he just sat quietly at the side.

With his mind, he understood everything the moment Sasuke opened his mouth.

What stunned him was how Sasuke could have such thoughts.

His usual training time should have already been squeezed almost full, right?

Yet he could still...

However, what filled Uchiha Itachi's heart even more was pride and satisfaction!

See that?

This was Uchiha Itachi's younger brother...

"Sasuke, you're right."

"Go soak in the medicinal bath first, then sleep early."

Uchiha Fugaku waved his hand. "Got it, Father."

Uchiha Sasuke did not delay. He stood up and headed outside.

Some things lost their meaning if they were explained too thoroughly.

Besides, as for Uchiha Fugaku, as long as the family's whole mess was spread out before him, he himself could sort out what he should do. There was no need to worry about it on his behalf.

Uchiha Itachi, on the other hand, was left behind alone.

After Sasuke's words had ** him earlier, Itachi had privately gone to Fugaku for several conversations and earned back his old father's trust. "Father, you deliberately kept me behind because of what Sasuke just said, right?"

With only the two of them left in the room, Uchiha Itachi did not beat around the bush and directly laid it out. "Those words really weren't something you told him to say?"

Whether it was what Sasuke had said to Shisui before, or that bold, almost outrageous analysis just now, all of it left Itachi muttering in his heart.

That mind did not look like something a five-year-old child could have no matter how he looked at it. "I did not tell him to."

Uchiha Fugaku slowly shook his head. "That child Sasuke has his own set of ideas."

He paused, and his gaze sank. "Itachi, people of our Uchiha family should have been like this in the first place."

His tone carried an indescribable emotion.

Shisui Uchiha, Uchiha Itachi—these two were the top geniuses in the clan, yet all their thoughts were thrown into the Will of Fire. As for himself, as the clan leader, he was also well aware of some of his own faults.

He was indecisive, unable to make up his mind.

But this time, in his younger son, he saw something both unfamiliar and familiar.

That legendary existence from back then had probably been like this too...

"Then Dad, what do you plan to do next?"

Itachi sighed. "The situation in the clan is far more complicated than Sasuke imagines. It's not something that can be settled just by stuffing Big Brother Shisui back into the Police Force and giving him a high position."

"What about the others in the clan? What about their attitude?"

"If we really do that, someone will definitely jump out and object."

Especially those few old fellows from the pro-war faction. They had long been pushed by Konoha's higher-ups until their stomachs were full of pent-up anger. Now, not only did they have to move the clansmen away, they also wanted to plant someone in an important position in the Police Force?

Those captains, that group of elders, would probably be the first to turn hostile. "I understand your concerns."

Uchiha Fugaku took a deep breath, and his voice sank. "All right. Being able to think this far is enough."

"Go rest. I will handle the rest."

"Mm."

Itachi answered and pushed the door open, leaving the study.

The moment the door closed, the corners of his mouth curved up unconsciously. "Dad, even you were led astray by Sasuke."

"You probably haven't even noticed these changes yourself, have you?"

A trace of warmth rose in Uchiha Itachi's heart, and he smiled.

As for the way of thinking about Sasuke that his old father had mentioned, he had vaguely touched on a shadow of it too.

In all things, start from oneself, first find one's own position, then consider how to deal with the situation outside—this method really was useful.

Most importantly, this path made one believe in oneself the most.

Confidence.

What Uchiha Itachi sensed from Sasuke was a kind of confidence that seemed to come from his very bones.

After Itachi left, Uchiha Fugaku did not stay long in the study either. He got up and went out.

In front of an unremarkable little wooden house behind Naka Shrine.

He stopped, his expression carrying respect. "Elder, Shisui has already returned to the clan. His position will be decided tomorrow."

"There are a few matters I'm unsure about, so I came specially to ask the elder for a few words of guidance."

The room was quiet for a moment before an aged voice came out. "In truth, you already had an answer in your heart long ago, didn't you?"

A steady voice drifted out from the wooden house. "You should have seen the changes in those young ones."

"These signs might well be the new path the Uchiha should take."

"Letting go and trying is still better than sealing yourself to death on the old path..."

Toward the end, a bit of emotion entered that voice. "But the older gentlemen in the clan—"

"I will settle the elders for you. The mess under your hands has to be wrapped up by you yourself."

"You need to know in your heart who exactly is the clan leader of this family."

Before Fugaku had time to finish speaking, the other side had already given an answer. "Thank you, Elder Kagami."

Uchiha Fugaku turned around, his figure disappearing into the night.

Inside the wooden house, a pair of Mangekyo Sharingan slowly lifted its eyelids. "Is the Uchiha really going to wait until that day arrives?"

"Those few juniors..."

An extra sheet of paper appeared in Kagami Uchiha's hand. Written clearly on it were all the names of the clan's new generation.

That night, many people on Uchiha territory could forget about closing their eyes.

And at this very juncture, the Anbu informants and the nails planted by the Root Organization who had infiltrated the Uchiha Clan Compound were all pulled out in one sweep.

Just like the people in the clan, the important figures sitting in Konoha's high positions could not sleep soundly either.

Inside the Hokage's office. "Lord Hokage, the Uchiha threw out all the Anbu people."

"Even the informants buried inside them were detained. Now they've opened a barrier, and we know nothing about what's going on inside."

"Lord Hokage, should we force our way in and take a look?!"

The Anbu member asked with an anxious expression.

Among the several Anbu stood a young man with white hair.

After he finished listening to the report, his brows twisted together. "Lord Hokage, the Uchiha are the number one great clan in the village. It's not strange for them to have this ability."

"But suddenly making this move at this critical time most likely means there's something they don't want outsiders to know."

"If we force our way in, we might stir up a huge disaster."

The white-haired Anbu directly picked up the conversation.

His own brother had been an Uchiha clansman who died on the battlefield.

But after dealing with the Uchiha, he felt that this clan was not like the rumors outside said.

The problem lay in—some people were desperately throwing dirty water on the Uchiha, while only a tiny handful of them were truly arrogant.

That was right, the one speaking was none other than the son of Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake: Kakashi Hatake. "The Uchiha suddenly causing such a commotion is nine times out of ten their own family's business."

"For now, hold position and send people to watch Root's movements."

"Don't let them take advantage of the chaos to stir up trouble."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe before slowly giving the order. "Understood, Lord Hokage."

The few Anbu acknowledged him, then vanished in a flash.

Kakashi also let out a breath of relief.

After all, the Sharingan of Obito Uchiha was still embedded in his eye socket.

If he made a move against the Uchiha Clan at a time like this, he would not be able to get past it in his own heart.

Before long, outside Uchiha territory.

A large group of masked ninja crept over quietly. "Clang, clang—"

Before long, the sound of clashing blades rang out from the woods not far away.

Half an hour later.

At the Root Organization's lair. "Sir, the job wasn't done. We couldn't even get near the edge of the Uchiha Clan Compound."

Several members of the Root Organization reported with their heads hanging.

Those who had returned all bore wounds, to varying degrees. "Did the Uchiha ambush you halfway?"

Danzo swept his gaze over the wretched state of his subordinates, and his expression sank completely.

Had those Uchiha people already grown this bold?

They dared to move against Root's people now; once their wings grew a little stronger in the future, wouldn't they raise their blades straight at the village?

Sure enough, it was just as his teacher had said back then—the Uchiha had rebellious blood flowing in their bones.

It seemed he would have to find another opportunity to ruthlessly suppress them again.

Or... perhaps he should simply join forces with the Hokage and wipe these people out of Konoha completely. "It wasn't the Uchiha..."

"It was... it was the Anbu."

The Root member gritted his teeth, his tone filled with helplessness.

If the Uchiha had been the ones to act, that would actually have been easier to handle.

They could report it straight to Danzo, mobilize a group from Root to attack together, then coordinate with the Anbu for an encirclement and purge...