Uchiha

The brief pre-war meeting ended, and the people in charge all returned to rest.

"Fugaku, I saw a Small Tavern in town just now. How about we have a drink together?"

Uchiha Fugaku had just stepped out of the Conference Room when he heard Danzo call out behind him.

Fugaku turned back in surprise at the somewhat different Danzo, then forced a stiff smile and politely declined. "We set out tomorrow, so perhaps we should skip the drinks."

"It's fine. Even if we don't drink, we can still have some food. We've been tired for so many days; we need a late-night meal to replenish ourselves." Danzo gave him no chance to refuse and had already taken the lead toward the exit.

Fugaku stared blankly at Danzo's retreating figure, hesitated for a moment, and finally gritted his teeth and followed.

After all, Danzo was an elder from his father's generation. He could not make him lose face.

The noisy Small Tavern grew somewhat quieter when Danzo and Fugaku entered. Curious, puzzled gazes from all around landed on them from time to time.

However, both men had seen grand occasions before and paid those looks no mind.

Danzo lightly tapped his fingers against the table as he watched Fugaku eat with his head lowered. "I heard your eldest son is quite talented and has even joined the Anbu."

Fugaku replied, "He's all right. He was fortunate enough to earn the Hokage's favor."

Danzo asked again, "You also have a younger son, don't you? How old is he? How about making him my disciple?"

Fugaku paused slightly, considered it, then answered, "My son is still young and rather unruly. Besides, his mother and older brother dote on him greatly and cannot bear to let him suffer."

Danzo nodded and did not press further. "Children cannot be spoiled too much. It would be bad if they turned into brats."

"Yes," Fugaku replied. He truly could not figure out what Danzo wanted, so he prepared to lower his head and continue eating.

But just as he raised his cup and took a sip of water, Danzo abruptly asked, "I heard there are quite a few voices within the Uchiha Clan planning to stir up conflict in the village?"

"Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough!"

The unexpected question made Fugaku spray out the water he had just swallowed before it could even reach his stomach. He coughed while staring at Danzo with wide eyes.

What the hell was this supposed to mean?

What exactly did he know?

Seeing Fugaku's guarded expression, Danzo smiled. "Don't be so anxious. This is only a small matter."

This was a small matter???

Fugaku was utterly bewildered, all kinds of suspicions rising within him.

This old bastard Danzo's attitude had changed far too quickly lately. He kept smiling at him, and he had been quite gentle toward the Uchiha Clan as well.

Could this man be planning to use this war to have all the Uchiha elites slaughtered here?

The more Fugaku thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Half his body had already risen from the chair, ready to leave at any moment and warn his clansmen.

He did not dare make a move against Danzo. This old man was a figure from his father's generation.

Fugaku had no idea how many methods Danzo had at his disposal, but Danzo knew more or less how strong Fugaku was.

Since Danzo had dared invite him out, he must have had something to rely on.

"Taken seriously, this matter is enough to wipe out a clan. Taken lightly, it can also be very minor." Danzo tapped the tabletop gently, maintaining his mild smile as he looked at Fugaku.

He paid no attention to Fugaku's restless appearance.

"The Uchiha are no different from the other villagers. Everyone is part of the great family that is Konoha. It is only that this brother may have been too arrogant toward his other brothers, and thus was pushed away by the family."

"But now that this family is in trouble, everyone has joined hands to protect its honor."

Those words...

Fugaku stared blankly at Danzo. He clearly suspected this man of plotting something sinister, yet when such words came from Danzo's mouth, they seemed to possess a strange magic that stirred his heart.

Wasn't that right? They were all people from the same village.

"Fugaku."

Like a kind and amiable elder, Danzo poured Uchiha Fugaku a cup of wine. "You are the Clan Head. There are many things you must see more clearly than your clansmen."

"They may not understand, but can you join them in their foolishness?"

"A Clan Head must guide the clan along the right path and set an example, rather than drift with the current and follow the clansmen's lead."

Those words exploded in Uchiha Fugaku's mind like a thunderclap on a clear day.

He felt as if those words had enlightened him to something, yet he also felt as though he understood nothing at all.

But there was no doubt that Danzo understood the Uchiha Clan very well, and understood him very well too.

That was what shocked Uchiha Fugaku most at that moment.

Could there be a traitor within the clan?

Who was it?

Fugaku began considering possible traitors within the clan.

This time, he had answered Danzo's call and led the Uchiha into battle precisely to ease the relationship between the village and the Uchiha Clan.

The divide between them had long been obvious. Though they belonged to the same village, the Uchiha Clan seemed like outsiders. Not only did they live on the outskirts of Konoha, but clan members rarely interacted with the villagers.

Because of the Konoha Military Police Force's duties, they even had extremely poor relations with many people in the village.

After the Fourth Hokage's death, there had already been many voices within the clan calling for a coup.

As time passed and the relationship between the village and the clan grew increasingly tense, those voices only multiplied.

As Clan Head, Fugaku saw this clearly, but there was nothing he could do.

Though he was the Clan Head, he could only follow the wishes of the majority within the clan. He himself understood perfectly well that if the Uchiha Clan truly launched a coup, it would never succeed.

From the position of Clan Head, Uchiha Fugaku could see things more clearly.

The various clans in the village, large and small, and even those ninjas born as civilians, were not as simple as they appeared on the surface.

The Uchiha Clan alone could not withstand all of Konoha.

It was impossible, at least for now, to change the current situation through force—to make Uchiha the Hokage's surname and make the Uchiha Clan the masters of Konoha.

Even if a genius among geniuses like Shisui appeared, or his own son Itachi, the odds of success would still be low.

"I..."

Fugaku opened his mouth, wanting to explain that things were not like that, but he felt powerless. Danzo's attitude clearly showed that he already considered the matter settled.

Danzo's gaze turned cold. "Fugaku, you must stop this from happening."

"Since I have chosen to tell you now, it means the village does not want to see such a thing happen."

"We do not want the Uchiha, our family, to leave us. Do you understand what I mean?"

Fugaku felt bitter inside, but he silently nodded.

He did not know how much Danzo knew, but since the village knew about it, there had to be a traitor within the Uchiha Clan.

And that traitor held no low position within the clan.

Fugaku had never been optimistic about this matter to begin with, and now his heart went completely cold.

He swore that after return to the village, even if he lost his position as Clan Head, he would find a way to stop his clansmen's foolish actions and thoughts.