An irresistible bargaining chip

"Did Lord Hokage have you bring this kid over?"

As Sasuke obediently led Naruto in carrying Madara Uchiha's luggage into the house, Madara approached Shisui Uchiha, who was stationed outside his home. Besides Shisui, two masked ANBU were also secretly guarding Naruto.

Even though the Third Hokage already trusted Uchiha Fugaku and Madara Uchiha, putting Naruto before the Uchiha Clan was still a risky move. The Third Hokage was bound to have deployed guards, and Shisui, himself a member of the Uchiha Clan, was naturally the best person to lead them.

"Yes. Lord Third Hokage also asked me to tell Lady Mikoto that Naruto is Kushina's child. After learning that, Lady Mikoto felt very sorry for Naruto Uzumaki. Since Sasuke happens to be around his age, she brought him home. Lord Fugaku will probably have a headache over this, though. The Hardliners started gathering the moment Naruto entered the Uchiha Territory."

Shisui Uchiha smiled faintly at Madara Uchiha, whom he had not seen in quite some time. The Third Hokage's willingness to send Naruto to Uchiha Fugaku's home already counted as an open gesture of goodwill. At the very least, as far as their highest leadership was concerned, there was no longer any possibility of the Uchiha Clan and the Hokage coming to blows. As an Uchiha himself, Shisui naturally breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Take me to the Hardliners."

"Are you sure? These two ANBU ninja and I are all carrying the Third Hokage's Surveillance Technique. Everything we see is under Lord Third Hokage's watch."

As the head of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Fugaku naturally had to placate the Hardliners stirred up by Naruto Uzumaki's arrival. But as the clan head's son, Madara Uchiha had always kept the Hardliners at arm's length. If he went today, under the