A Rebellion as Leverage

As Uchiha Fugaku had expected, news leaked out the moment the Uchiha Clan began mobilizing.

Not to mention that the tall buildings surrounding the Uchiha Clan Compound were all occupied by Anbu.

The Third Hokage silently set down his pipe. "What's the situation now?"

The Anbu lowered his head as he reported, "All Uchiha Clan combat personnel have assembled. Uchiha Natsuki has disappeared with thirteen Jonin. Uchiha Shisui is missing. Uchiha Itachi is missing."

The Third Hokage said nothing. He truly had not wanted things to come to this. It seemed Shisui had failed, or perhaps...

With a sigh, the Third Hokage made his decision, his expression turning resolute.

He tore off his Hokage robes, revealing the combat uniform he had already put on underneath.

"Pass down the order. All of Konoha is to enter a state of emergency. Notify the heads of every shinobi clan. Assemble all Jonin and Elite Jonin. Surround the Uchiha Clan Compound."

Tap, tap, tap...

Dense footsteps echoed from the rooftops as one ninja after another darted across the residential houses.

Normally, this would have been extremely rude, but the Hokage had just issued an order placing all of Konoha under emergency status.

Ninjas leaped across rooftops everywhere in Konoha, while civilians hid inside their homes.

The Hyuga Clan, Konoha's other great clan, sent its strongest fighters, Hiashi and Hizashi, leading the clan's elites toward the Uchiha Clan Compound.

Hizashi could not help asking Hiashi, "Brother, has the Uchiha Clan really rebelled?"

Hiashi frowned tightly. "Call me Clan Head when we're outside."

Hizashi fell silent for a moment. "Yes, Clan Head."

Hiashi paused, his tone softening slightly. "The Third Hokage ordered us to assemble and surround the Uchiha Clan. There may be a fierce battle tonight."

Hiashi was filled with worry. As long as it was internal conflict, people would die.

Especially against the Uchiha Clan, the Number One clan in the Shinobi World. Every Uchiha was well-rounded, and most of them were madmen.

Hiashi turned to look at the more than twenty Jonin following him.

He had no idea how many would return after tonight. They were the very foundation of the clan.

"Hizashi, if fighting breaks out later, keep the clan members in check. Don't take the lead."

"What about the Third Hokage's side?"

Hiashi waved his hand. "If the Uchiha Clan is destroyed, we may be next."

Hizashi shuddered, glanced around, then silently nodded.

"Lord Danzō, the Third Hokage has declared Konoha to be in a state of emergency and issued a summons for everyone above Jonin rank to gather for battle. Should we participate?"

"Oh?" Danzo, who had only just awakened from his eye transplant surgery, opened his eyes.

"What happened?"

"All Uchiha Clan combat personnel are assembling."

Danzo stood and touched his newly replaced Right Eye.

It seemed he could completely destroy the Uchiha Clan tonight. How many Uchiha eyes could he harvest tonight?

Hiruzen, I told you long ago that the Uchiha Clan couldn't be trusted. Good thing I struck first and crippled Uchiha Shisui.

"Bring our people. Head for the Uchiha Clan Compound immediately."

"Yes!"

The entrance to the Uchiha Clan Compound was already brightly lit, and countless Konoha elites had surrounded the Uchiha Clan from all sides.

Standing at the front were the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura.

Behind them were the heads and elites of the various great shinobi clans.

The Hyuga Clan, Akimichi Clan, Nara Clan, Yamanaka Clan, and members of every major clan had all arrived.

Nearly all of Konoha's Anbu and Elite Jonin had gathered here, surrounding the Uchiha Clan three layers deep inside and out.

Everyone wore grave expressions.

The heads of the major clans each harbored their own thoughts.

Creak... The Uchiha Clan's massive gates opened.

Several hundred fully armed Uchiha Clan Members slowly walked out under Fugaku's lead.

In an instant, everyone's gaze shifted to Fugaku's face. Their expressions differed, but all of them were surprised.

What was going on with Fugaku today? He was usually the one trying to smooth everything over.

The clan members behind Fugaku stirred upon seeing that so many Konoha elites had already surrounded the gates.

But seeing that their Clan Head had not spoken, the noise gradually died down.

For a time, the atmosphere seemed to freeze solid.

At that moment, a Messenger Bird flew down from the sky. Fugaku took the message from it and read it, boundless killing intent flashing in his eyes before he suppressed it again.

Under the Third Hokage's piercing gaze, Fugaku remained calm, his eyes still searching left and right.

When he saw that Danzo had not arrived, he narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Lord Hokage, may I ask why you have surrounded our Uchiha Clan Compound?"

The Third Hokage frowned. "Fugaku! You gathered so many Uchiha Clan Members, yet you dare ask us? What are you trying to do!?"

Uchiha Fugaku's expression was unlike before. He showed no respect whatsoever for the Third Hokage.

"What am I trying to do? Uchiha Shisui went out today and disappeared. We are going out to search for Shisui. Is there a problem with that?"

The Third Hokage's brows furrowed deeply. He had imagined countless excuses Fugaku might use, but he had not expected Fugaku to say this.

And as far as he knew, Shisui truly was missing. For a moment, the Third Hokage did not know how to respond.

At that moment, Mitokado Homura beside the Third Hokage spoke. "Nonsense! Uchiha Shisui has gone missing, so you're gathering your entire clan? Do you take us for fools?"

Fugaku said nothing.

At that moment, the Konoha crowd parted, and Shimura Danzō arrived.

As always, his forehead, Right Eye, right shoulder, and right hand were all wrapped in bandages.

"Uchiha Fugaku, I think your Uchiha Clan intends to rebel tonight!"

When Fugaku saw Danzo appear, a flash of killing intent passed through his eyes.

In a low voice, he said, "Shimura Danzō, you still dare show your face before me?"

"Itachi reported to me that after you summoned Uchiha Shisui this afternoon, he vanished without a trace. Do you dare say this has nothing to do with you?"

Itachi, hidden among the crowd, frowned. He had never reported anything to his father.

Danzo's face turned cold. Sure enough, Itachi can't be trusted either.

He immediately roared, "Nonsense! I never saw Shisui this afternoon. This is nothing but slander."

Fugaku gave a cold laugh. "Is that so?"

Chakra surged violently around Fugaku, and his gaze grew colder and colder. The surrounding shinobi clans all tensed.

While the crowd was still in an uproar, a path opened in the rear. Uchiha Natsuki entered with a group of Uchiha Clan Members.

[ Ding! Mission updated: The Outcome of the Coup d'état ]

[ Mission Requirements: Protect all Uchiha Clan Members and ensure none of them die during the Coup d'état. ]

[ Mission Reward: Dojutsu Amplifier X1, Uchiha Deputy Clan Head... ]

There was no time to look at the rewards. Since the mission required protecting every clan member, they could not fight tonight.

Natsuki walked alone at the front, his gaze sharp.

The Uchiha Clan Members behind him remained silent. Whenever they occasionally looked up at Natsuki, their eyes were filled with fanaticism and worship.

Two of them carried a stretcher, and lying on it was none other than Uchiha Shisui.

Several others dragged the corpses of several Root Members.

The corpses were covered in wounds and severely damaged in many places.

The Third Hokage wore a Grim Expression. "Fugaku, what exactly do you mean by this?"

Uchiha Natsuki led the people back into the clan ranks, then turned to face the Third Hokage, directly blocking Clan Head Fugaku behind him.

Natsuki sneered. "Third Hokage, at a time like this, you're still playing dumb. Danzo summoned Shisui this afternoon and seized his Sharingan!"

"We mobilized the entire clan to search for Shisui because he went missing. Is there a problem with that!?"

Then he bent down and whispered something into Shisui's ear. Shisui struggled to sit up.

Countless wounds covered his body, obvious to anyone with eyes.

Worst of all were his eyes—there were only two empty holes. His Sharingan had been gouged out!

A wave of commotion spread through the surrounding shinobi clans.

"Danzo seized Shisui's Sharingan?"

"Shut up. Danzo is the Hokage Assistant. Don't speak carelessly."

Shisui spoke weakly. "This evening, I received a message from Danzo asking me to meet him."

"I never expected him to covet the Sharingan of our Uchiha Clan. He took my Sharingan while I was unprepared."

The Third Hokage was especially familiar with Shisui. This afternoon, Shisui had reported to him that he wanted to use Kotoamatsukami to stop the Uchiha Clan's coup d'état.

He had never expected Shisui to become like this when they met again.

Danzo's expression had turned Grim the moment Shisui sat up. He remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.

Everyone present erupted into an uproar, casting suspicious looks at Danzo.

In the shinobi world, stealing someone's Kekkei Genkai was an irreconcilable blood feud, let alone when it was done to someone from the same village.

Shisui was known as Body Flicker Shisui. He had performed countless meritorious deeds for Konoha during the Third Shinobi World War and was a genius of the Uchiha Clan.

Uchiha Shisui had always enjoyed an excellent reputation. His words carried great credibility.