The Final Arrangements!

Fugaku finally spoke:

"You, how do you plan to arrange the clan's defenses?"

Uchiha You walked to the center of the secret chamber and spread out a map of the clan grounds.

"First, the evacuation of women and children must be completed within ten days."

"On the surface, keep the progress at thirty percent."

"In reality, it must reach at least seventy percent."

"Second, the Police Force's public patrols will continue as usual, while combat squads rotate into hidden positions."

"Third, Nanga Shrine, the entrance to the clan grounds, the Police Force warehouse, and Clan Head Fugaku's residence—these four locations will serve as key points to lure in the enemy."

"Fourth, every child in the clan, including Sasuke, must be assigned a backup evacuation route."

At the mention of Sasuke, Itachi's gaze shifted slightly.

Fugaku nodded as well.

"Alright."

Uchiha You continued:

"Fifth, if Root makes a move, they will definitely try to seal off the outskirts of the clan grounds first and cut off the Police Force's support."

"So anti-blockade traps must be set up around the perimeter."

"Sixth, ANBU will not enter in large numbers from the start."

"The Third will hesitate."

"Danzo will have Root make the first move."

"The real first wave we need to take out is Root."

Shisui asked:

"What if the Third acts personally?"

Uchiha You's eyes turned cold.

"Then we'll see whether he has come to stop Danzo."

"Or to help Danzo."

"If it's the former, spare his life."

"If it's the latter..."

He did not continue.

But everyone in the secret chamber understood what he meant.

Fugaku gave Uchiha You a long look.

"Are you truly confident you can stand against the Hokage?"

Uchiha You replied calmly:

"Clan Head."

"The question now is not whether I am confident in facing the Third."

"It is whether the Third has the nerve to openly admit that he intends to exterminate the Uchiha Clan."

Fugaku froze.

Uchiha You continued:

"A man like Hiruzen Sarutobi cherishes his reputation above all else."

"Unless it is absolutely necessary, he will not step onto the stage himself."

"He is more likely to choose to tacitly approve of Danzo."

"And let Danzo act."

"If it succeeds, the village remains stable."

"If it fails, Danzo takes the blame."

"That is the choice he is most likely to make."

Both Shisui and Itachi fell silent.

If this had been before, they would certainly have argued.

But now, they could not refute him.

Because it truly did sound like the choice the Third would make.

Gentle.

Hesitant.

Yet always indulging darkness at critical moments.

Fugaku said heavily:

"Then we'll make sure Danzo cannot bear that blame."

"That's right."

"On Uchiha Massacre Night, every piece of evidence, every Root operative, and every operational order must be preserved."

"We do not merely need to win."

"We need to win so thoroughly that they cannot deny it."

Itachi suddenly asked:

"You, do you have outside support as well?"

Inside the secret chamber, Shisui and Fugaku both looked at Uchiha You.

They had actually wanted to ask this question for a long time.

Ever since Uchiha You returned from the Land of Water, he had become noticeably more confident.

And his certainty about striking back on Uchiha Massacre Night seemed to come from more than just the clan's own strength.

Uchiha You did not answer immediately.

After a moment, he said calmly:

"I do."

Fugaku's gaze narrowed.

"Who is it?"

Uchiha You looked at the three of them.

"I cannot say yet."

Shisui frowned.

"You cannot even tell us?"

Uchiha You shook his head.

"It is not that I do not trust you."

"It is that the fewer people who know right now, the safer it will be."

"You only need to know this: on Uchiha Massacre Night, Danzo will be very surprised when he sees them."

Itachi was silent for a moment before asking:

"The outside support will not harm ordinary villagers?"

Uchiha You glanced at him.

"They will not."

"Their targets are only Root, Danzo, and those involved in the Uchiha Clan Extermination Plan."

Itachi nodded.

"Then I will not ask."

Fugaku merely gave Uchiha You another long look.

He knew Uchiha You still had another trump card.

And it was a very powerful one.

Powerful enough that even he, the clan head, could not know of it for the time being.

It was not a pleasant feeling.

But Fugaku also understood that the Uchiha Clan now needed someone like Uchiha You, someone capable of overturning the situation.

He knew his own weakness all too well.

He was too steady.

Too concerned with the bigger picture.

But the Uchiha Clan had already been forced to the edge of a cliff. If they continued weighing their options, all that awaited them would be the butcher's blade.

Fugaku slowly said:

"Within the clan, I will cooperate with your plan."

"But there is one condition."

"Minimize clan casualties as much as possible."

Uchiha You nodded.

"That is the primary objective."

"I do not intend for the Uchiha Clan and Konoha to perish together."

"I intend for the Uchiha Clan to survive."

At last, everyone in the secret chamber reached an agreement.

At that moment, the previously scattered threads were finally twisted into one.

Fugaku would handle the authority of the clan head and internal coordination.

Shisui would handle the deterrence of the Mangekyo Sharingan and stabilize the clan's moderate faction.

Itachi would handle infiltration within ANBU and misleading the upper ranks.

Uchiha You would handle the overall plan, along with the external trump card.

The fate of Uchiha Massacre Night had already been changed by more than half.

Three days later.

Root Base.

Danzo sat in the shadows, looking at the intelligence scroll in his hand.

This was the first piece of clan intelligence Itachi had sent.

There was not much content, but it was crucial.

The Uchiha Clan had indeed begun secretly heightening its guard.

Uchiha You's influence was rising.

Fugaku's attitude remained hesitant.

Shisui was disappointed in the higher-ups, but still unwilling to wage war against the village.

The clan's plan to relocate women and children was progressing slowly.

The radicals and conservatives still had disagreements.

Although Uchiha You was forceful, he had yet to fully seize control of the clan.

After reading it, a cold glint flashed through Danzo's lone eye.

Just as expected.

The Uchiha Clan was not fully prepared yet.

Although Uchiha You was an unforeseen variable, he had not truly united the entire clan.

This was an opportunity.

If they delayed any longer, until Uchiha You completely controlled the clan, until Shisui fully sided with the Uchiha Clan, and until Fugaku no longer hesitated, things would become troublesome.

They had to act now.

And Itachi...

Danzo looked at the final line of the scroll.

[Itachi requests that the village guarantee Sasuke's safety.]

The corner of Danzo's mouth slowly curled upward.

Just as expected.

Sasuke was Itachi's weakness.

As long as Sasuke remained, Itachi could not escape his control.

Danzo said to the Root ninja before him:

"Keep watching Itachi closely."

"At the same time, accelerate the final plan for dealing with the Uchiha Clan."

The Root ninja lowered his head.

"Yes."

Danzo looked at his ruined right arm, hatred surging in his eyes.

Uchiha You.

You think you have won a round?

No.

I will show you this.

The fate of the Uchiha Clan was never something that could be changed with a single pair of Mangekyo Sharingan.

Uchiha Clan Grounds.

Under the cover of night.

Uchiha You stood high above, watching the orderly secret movements throughout the clan.

The system notification sounded once more.

The source contains 23 paragraphs, not 24. I can't produce exactly 24 without splitting or adding content.