How to Handle the Uchiha Problem

Guy's Eight Gates could not be maintained for long, and his speed gradually slowed.

Shisui keenly noticed Guy's decline and used Body Flicker again, intending to turn the disadvantage around.

"Double Flash!"

Two Shadow Clones swiftly appeared, and all three figures attacked Guy together.

Guy identified Shisui's real body, pulled out his nunchaku again, and intended to force his way past the Shadow Clones to strike directly at the real body.

"No, this feeling!"

Guy had an almost terrifying instinct for danger. He turned to look at one of the Shadow Clones. In his perception, Shisui had somehow switched places with the clone.

Shisui was startled. Guy had noticed so quickly!

However, Shisui swiftly appeared in the position of another Shadow Clone and kicked heavily at Guy.

"Take this!"

Just as Shisui's kick struck Guy, Guy flung the nunchaku from his hand, smashing it heavily into Shisui's chest.

The two of them fell backward at the same time, landing on the ground with a thud.

Guy directly exited the Eight Gates, while Shisui was no better off, baring his teeth in pain.

Kakashi and Itachi were also locked in a heated clash of ringing blades. Though Itachi could only defend passively, Kakashi could not do anything to him for the moment.

"Alright, let's end it here."

Seeing that Guy had fought to his heart's content, Kakashi flashed away to widen the distance from Itachi and slowly sheathed White Fang.

Hearing that, Itachi put the two kunai in his hands back into his ninja tool pouch.

"Then let's call it a draw," Kakashi said with a smile. "Winning or losing doesn't matter. What matters is that everyone had fun."

Itachi shook his head. "Captain, you held back. I saw your astonishing Lightning Release during previous missions, but you didn't use it."

"Well, no matter how powerful it is, it still has to hit someone. You and Shisui are so agile that by the time I finish forming hand seals, you'd already be long gone."

Kakashi smiled and patted Itachi on the shoulder. They had all merely been having fun. Not only had he held back, the other three had not used their trump cards either.

For example, Shisui's Mangekyo, Itachi's nearly terrifying genjutsu, and the fact that Guy had opened only four of the Eight Gates.

After all, they were colleagues, not mortal enemies. There was no need to fight to the death. It would be bad if someone were accidentally hurt.

The fastest way for men to build friendship was to fight. After this sparring match, not only had Kakashi and Shisui grown closer, but Guy had also acknowledged Shisui and Itachi.

"Come spar with us often in the future!" Guy reluctantly waved at Shisui and Itachi as they walked away.

Kakashi put on his forehead protector and gave a hard eye roll with his one visible eye.

Hokage's Office.

The Third Hokage watched the entire sparring match between the four through the Telescope Technique, and for a moment, his heart surged with emotion.

"Excellent. Young people should have vigor. When the youth are strong, Konoha is strong!"

"These young people will all become the backbone of Konoha in the future!"

The Third Hokage smiled. "Kakashi truly understood my deeper intentions. In just one day, he formed a friendship with Shisui Uchiha Clan. Perhaps, when handling the Uchiha Clan, I can consider letting him participate..."

As Kakashi's standing in the Third Hokage's mind rose, the Third Hokage decided to properly cultivate this close junior of his and let him participate in decisions concerning major village affairs.

Of course, he would only participate. He would not have voting rights.

The scene returned to the sparring ground. Guy grabbed Kakashi and shook him wildly. "Ah, Kakashi! This is youth!"

"Today's battle was utterly exhilarating. I believe I performed exceptionally well, so I shall reward myself by doing a thousand laps around Konoha on my hands!"

"Join me, Kakashi!" Guy stared at Kakashi with blazing eyes.

Kakashi stretched and lazily walked away. "No. After so much exercise today, I'm going to lie in bed and read for a while."

Over the following days, Kakashi and Shisui's relationship rapidly grew closer. Even he himself had not expected them to become such good friends so quickly.

His temperament suited Shisui's very well. They shared similar views in many areas, and with their mutual little brother Itachi, they became good friends before they knew it.

Thus, Kakashi's thoughts changed from whether he should alter the plot for Shisui's sake to how changing it would benefit what came next...

Kakashi greatly enjoyed the warm moments he spent with Shisui and Itachi. In the oppressive environment of the ANBU, the three of them could offer one another some comfort.

But Kakashi knew that the day the Uchiha Clan attempted its coup was not far off. Everything beautiful before them might soon vanish without a trace.

Hokage's Office.

The Third Hokage looked at Shisui Uchiha and Kakashi kneeling before him and lightly tapped the table with his smoking pipe.

"Recently, the Uchiha Clan's gatherings have become increasingly frequent, and they have been constantly making small moves in private..."

"The Uchiha Clan seems to have developed irreconcilable conflicts with the village. How do you think these conflicts should be resolved? I would like to hear your views."

Kakashi said, "Lord Third, I believe the reason the Uchiha Clan has accumulated such deep resentment toward the village is because they have been isolated by the villagers."

"I believe there are two reasons for this situation."

"First, the Uchiha Clan holds sole responsibility for Konoha's Police Force. Frankly, it is indeed a thankless and exhausting job. The slightest issue gets endlessly magnified in the villagers' eyes."

"Heh." The Third Hokage smiled. "Interesting. Continue, Kakashi."

"The second is the issue of personnel circulation. The Uchiha Clan lives together in one place and cannot maintain everyday contact with other villagers. That makes it easy for them to become disconnected from the village, deepening people's prejudice against the clan and causing misunderstandings between both sides to grow ever more serious."

There was another reason: Konoha's rulers were unwilling to let the Uchiha Clan enter the core circle of power. Many important departments restricted the Uchiha Clan from joining.

The Uchiha Clan had once founded Konoha alongside clans such as the Senju, Sarutobi, and Shimura, yet now they had been kicked out of the core circle. Who could endure such treatment?

However, Kakashi did not speak of this final and most important reason, because everyone understood it perfectly well.

If the leaders were unwilling to do something and he brought it up, would that not put them in an awkward position?

The Third Hokage nodded thoughtfully. He had always wanted to resolve the Uchiha Clan issue peacefully.

He could think of all the reasons Kakashi raised today, and he had also thought of solutions, such as dispersing the Uchiha Clan and allowing them to integrate into Konoha.

For example, opening certain departments to the Uchiha Clan to some extent, or giving Fugaku Uchiha Clan a certain degree of political influence.

But he could not persuade Danzo, Koharu, and Homura.

Once power had been held in one's hands for too long, who would be willing to give up a share of it for no reason?