The Clown Was Me All Along

Looking toward the voice, Uchiha Yoru saw Hiruzen Sarutobi standing on a rooftop in armor.

What is Hiruzen Sarutobi doing here? This complicates things! Uchiha Yoru thought.

Wasn't Hiruzen careful about his reputation? Wasn't he afraid this would get out and damage it?

"Hiruzen, it looks like you've dealt with the Uchiha Clan. Help me finish off Fugaku!" Shimura Danzō thought his old friend had finally grown a conscience and decided not to leave him holding the bag alone.

Could it be... A horrifying possibility struck Uchiha Fugaku. Was there really no one left of the Uchiha Clan?

Shisui Uchiha appeared beside Hiruzen Sarutobi at that moment, as if to confirm it.

"Shisui betrayed us!"

The more Uchiha Fugaku thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Itachi, Yoru, and Sasuke should have escaped. They're the last hope for the Uchiha Clan.

"Ah!"

Uchiha Fugaku let out a sorrowful sigh, and his gaze gradually hardened.

He had to buy his children more time to escape. They were the Uchiha Clan's last hope of revival.

Uchiha Fugaku no longer cared that he had overtaxed his ocular power, or that overusing his Mangekyō could blind him.

"Susanoo: Second Form!"

Muscle and flesh instantly spread over Uchiha Fugaku's skeletal Susanoo. Cloak-like Chakra enveloped it, and the weapon in its hand became a black scythe.

Blood streamed from his eyes beyond his control.

"Father, stop!" Uchiha Itachi's voice rang out.

"Run! I'll hold them off!"

Uchiha Fugaku shouted. This was his duty as clan leader, and even more so as a father.

Itachi was standing beside Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Itachi, have you betrayed me too?" Uchiha Fugaku could think of no other explanation.

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke up then. "I hereby name Uchiha Itachi a Hokage Candidate. He will become the Next Hokage!"

Konoha's Anbu appeared as well, surrounding the entire courtyard in force.

"Sarutobi, what are you saying?"

"How can you let the evil Uchiha..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was unshakable. "I've thought this through. The Uchiha Clan has served Konoha for many years and earned great merit in battle!"

"We should give them this chance!"

"If Uchiha Itachi proves he has the ability and the accomplishments, there's no reason he can't become Hokage!"

Inside, Shimura Danzō was cursing up a storm. He felt like a complete clown. Not only had he lost Root's elite Ninja, but the entire blame had landed squarely on his head.

It was as though he had acted entirely on his own, with Hiruzen Sarutobi having nothing to do with it.

It was like having your parents arrange a marriage for you, going through with it in a daze, then discovering your spouse was a man on your wedding night—only for your parents to blame you for not checking carefully.

Uchiha Yoru was baffled too. What's going on? Is this my butterfly effect? I'm just a slacker!

Could I really have caused this much trouble?

"Uchiha Fugaku, what do you say? Are you willing to forgive Shimura Danzō's actions, which he took on his own?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.

His meaning was clear: he was giving Uchiha Fugaku a way to back down. Otherwise, things would end badly for everyone.

If Fugaku insisted on pursuing Danzō's actions, Hiruzen would not stand by and watch.

"I leave it entirely to you, Lord Hokage!" Uchiha Fugaku understood the message.

"We'll discuss the remaining details tomorrow!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi left with the Anbu Ninja.

Only an indignant Shimura Danzō and a somewhat bewildered Uchiha Fugaku remained.

"Let's go!"

Shimura Danzō departed with the few Root Ninja he had left.

And so, the attempted clan massacre ended in farce.

The clan massacre is over! Due to the host's limited involvement, one week of Fish Reward will be deducted!

"Does that mean I can train as much as I want this week?" Uchiha Yoru asked.

System: So you're trying to exploit a loophole?

No!

If you keep training, you won't receive any future Fish Rewards!

Uchiha Yoru could only think, Fine! You're the system. You're in charge!

System: φ(＞ω＜*)

The next day, Uchiha Fugaku, Shisui, and Itachi arrived at the office to discuss matters, along with Uchiha Yoru, who seemed a little out of place.

Apart from Shimura Danzō, the Two Advisors and the heads of the various clans were there too. They had all heard that Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to make a major announcement!

When they entered and saw members of the Uchiha Clan, they were stunned.

They had some idea what the commotion and fighting that night had meant! They knew Konoha's leaders had moved against the Uchiha Clan. They had not expected to see any Uchiha still alive.

Seeing their expressions, Uchiha Fugaku felt a wave of desolation.

They all knew the Uchiha Clan was about to be wiped out, yet not one of them came to help or tried to talk anyone out of it. The Uchiha Clan truly has lost everyone's support!

"I intend to name Uchiha Itachi a candidate for the Next Hokage," Hiruzen Sarutobi said slowly, dropping a bombshell. "If other suitable candidates emerge, I'll consider them too!"

"Sarutobi, have you gone senile? How can you agree to such an unreasonable demand?" The Two Advisors had already spoken with Shimura Danzō. They had to stop Hiruzen Sarutobi's insane plan.

"Tell me, didn't the Uchiha Clan contribute greatly during the Shinobi World War?"

"Uchiha Itachi is eleven this year. Look at the missions he's completed!"

A thick Mission Record landed in front of them.

"D-rank: 53; C-rank: 52; B-rank: 134; A-rank: 0; S-rank: 1!"

The clans knew Uchiha Itachi was a genius, but they had not known just how extraordinary he was. Seeing the figures laid out before them left them stunned!

With a record like that, he surpassed not only his peers but many of the older generation as well!

"Does anyone have anything else to say?"

Everyone fell silent.

"That's not the point. If missions are all that matter, Kakashi has completed far more than he has! Kakashi was also the Fourth Hokage's student and the grandstudent of Jiraiya of the Sannin!" Mitokado Homura argued.

"Then call Kakashi over."

Kakashi arrived soon afterward.

"Kakashi, would you be willing to become a candidate for the Next Hokage?"

"Lord Hokage, I'm not interested. If there's nothing else, I'll be going." Kakashi spoke coldly. He had no interest at all in a position some people dreamed of attaining.

A glint of satisfaction flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes. He knew Kakashi Hatake better than the Two Advisors did. At least for now, Kakashi had no desire to take the post.

If no new candidate emerged with the right background and strength, Uchiha Itachi's chances would be overwhelming.