Coup d'état, The Death of Shisui

Year 55 of Konoha, the forest outside Konoha.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Dense footsteps rang out.

Uchiha Natsuki led his squad members as they rushed back toward the village.

"Captain! Slow down! The mission's already done, so why are you still in such a hurry? Don't tell me you want to take another mission?"

The teammates he had long since left behind wailed miserably.

They had no idea what was wrong with their captain. Ever since he had been injured a few months ago, he seemed like a completely different person.

He frequently requested meetings with the clan head and crazily took on missions.

They had only just returned from the Land of Rivers and had originally planned to rest outside for the night.

Yet that afternoon, Captain Natsuki had suddenly said they needed to return to Konoha, then raced back like a madman.

Aside from him, whose movement technique was a little faster, the other two teammates were already nowhere in sight.

Fortunately, they were on Konoha's outskirts. Otherwise, it would have been dangerous if they encountered enemies.

[ Ding! Plot encountered: Coup d'état, The Death of Shisui. ]

Natsuki hurried desperately toward the clan grounds. He had been transported here for less than half a year, yet he had already run into The Death of Shisui.

He had originally planned to take more missions, get familiar with his body, then defect and find somewhere to hide away and slack off.

After all, he was only a jonin. He could leave the problem of saving the world to Indra and Asura.

When the Otsutsuki arrived, the world could be destroyed for all he cared.

But just as he had become familiar with his body's capabilities, his Golden Finger had suddenly arrived.

With a Golden Finger, Natsuki was no longer sleepy. If he could control his own fate, why would he keep slacking off?

As the saying went: when poor, slack off and lie dead; when rich, rise from the coffin!

This world filled with regrets! Here I come!

Although the Third Shinobi World War had ended five or six years ago,

the entire shinobi world was still a complete mess, and missions were as plentiful as hairs on an ox.

Over the past three months, Natsuki had repeatedly brushed past death. With a bit of luck, he had finally mastered all the original owner's skills.

Natsuki only paused briefly at Konoha's entrance before pinning the proof of mission completion to the mission window within minutes.

At last, Natsuki heard the system's voice as he had hoped.

[ Ding! System loading complete. ]

[ The Strongest Faction System will build the strongest power for the host. ]

The initial mission has been updated: [ Rescue Shisui ]

Mission requirement: Shisui survives.

Reward: Mangekyō Sharingan eye power

[ Beginner's Gift Pack has been sent. ]

Uchiha Acting Elder: An Uchiha elder has passed away. Due to your outstanding recent performance, you are specially appointed as Acting Elder.

To a certain extent, you can influence Uchiha Fugaku's decisions.

As Natsuki rushed toward the clan grounds, he looked over this Beginner's Gift Pack.

That's it!? Isn't this way too stingy? Forget a Rinnegan or Sage Body—at least give me a Mangekyo outright!

He even had to complete a mission to get it.

What the hell is the Acting Elder position good for!?

The system was not even intelligent.

One-star review!

One-star review!

One-star review!

Sigh, complaints aside,

he still had to stay alive. Something was better than nothing.

Natsuki sorted through the Uchiha Clan's current situation.

It had been more than four years since the Nine-Tails' Rampage.

Over these years, the village's suspicion of the Uchiha Clan had grown increasingly severe, and it had constrained the Uchiha Clan in every aspect.

The Konoha Military Police Force was also the department that offended people the most. The naturally arrogant Uchiha Clan Members

often got into disputes with others, and complaints poured in every day like winter snowflakes.

But that was not the most fatal problem. The most fatal problem was Uchiha Shisui, currently the Uchiha Clan's strongest fighter.

He had already been brainwashed by Konoha, and Danzo had likely already taken his eyes.

Yet rather than thinking about the clan's interests, he had foolishly committed suicide to ease the situation.

He had squandered a perfect opportunity for the Uchiha Clan to rise.

Through his tireless slacking, he had piled all the pressure onto Itachi.

He had driven Itachi's thinking completely to another extreme. In two years, Itachi would raise his butcher's blade against the clan members.

In Uchiha Natsuki's eyes, Fugaku was also utterly unqualified as clan head.

He had always been swept along by the clan members' will and had never made any good decisions.

After all, under the Second Hokage Tobirama's design, the Uchiha Clan, as law enforcers, had long accumulated deep grudges with the village's other shinobi.

Trying to compete for the Hokage position was impossible. They would never pass a Trust Vote.

They had invested so much time and effort into fighting for power and profit, all for nothing.

After the Nine-Tails' Rampage, Konoha's suspicion of the Uchiha Clan had only become more serious.

Surveillance and suppression were everywhere.

But the proud Uchiha Clan would never bow their heads.

The Hawk Faction clan members had been constantly working toward this end.

Now, the Uchiha Clan and Konoha were like fire and water. Many matters were no longer up to Fugaku.

Judging by the timing, Shisui should currently be hunted by Root.

If he could not save Shisui, his life would enter a countdown.

After all, aside from the Hokage faction, Obito did not want the Uchiha Clan Members to live either.

When that time came, there would be no choice but to defect from Konoha.

Atop a high tower on the Uchiha Clan's outskirts.

A masked Anbu peered through binoculars at the Uchiha Clan grounds.

"Report to the Third Hokage. The Uchiha Clan's gathering has begun. Everything is normal for now."

"Yes."

The figure behind him flashed away.

Inside the Hokage's Office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, held his pipe in his mouth. Even as a Shinobi Hero, he could not withstand the ravages of time.

He could feel his robust body declining.

But there was no other way. The Fourth Hokage had died suddenly, and only by returning to office could he stabilize Konoha's situation.

He waved away the Anbu who had just delivered the report.

"A gathering... Fugaku, I hope you won't disappoint me. Shisui, I'm counting on you."

"I'm afraid my left eye has become his target as well. Before that happens, I'm entrusting this eye to you."

"You're the only friend I can entrust it to..."

"You must protect this village and protect the Uchiha Name."

"If I die, the situation will definitely change again. I have already written my suicide note..."

"Don't stop me, Itachi, if you are my friend."

"Shisui!!!"

When Natsuki stepped into the Clan Hall, it was already as chaotic as he had expected.

The Fourth Elder said to the silent Fugaku, whose eyes were closed:

"Clan Head, the Konoha Military Police Force is receiving more and more complaints, and the Great Ninja Clans have many grievances against us as well."

"If this continues, the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha will only worsen."

The Fourth Elder was a standard member of the Dove Faction. He handled the Konoha Military Police Force's complaints,

so he had the most right to speak on the steadily increasing number of complaints.

Fugaku remained silent with his eyes closed, but the Third Elder beside him took over.

"So what if it gets worse?"

"Since the Nine-Tails' Rampage, we have been constantly ostracized. There are people monitoring us Uchiha Clan everywhere."

"It has become increasingly severe over the past few years. Wasn't the tower outside our clan grounds built to monitor us Uchiha Clan?"

"Clan Head, it's time to make a decision!"

The Fourth Elder snapped, "Uchiha Takuya! What nonsense are you talking about! Do you want a coup d'état!?"

The Third Elder gave a cold laugh. "A coup d'état? Konoha was founded jointly by our Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan."

"Now, forget the Hokage position—even the Elder Council does not have a single Uchiha Clan member. Aside from the Police Force, what voice do we Uchiha Clan have!?"

The others began discussing the Third Elder's words. Most of them agreed.

"Yeah! We need a voice! We need power!"

"Lord Clan Head! Please give the order!"

The Fourth Elder was frantic. Uchiha Shisui had always been his greatest supporter, yet Shisui was absent today.

Fugaku's intentions were unclear. He remained silent for a long time.