Passing on the news

"Lord Fugaku, what exactly is going on?"

A Chunin spoke up to ask.

Even from the Uchiha Clan Compound, they had felt everything that happened last night. Though the Uchiha had suffered very little damage, the compound's buildings had still been affected to varying degrees, and that enormous "fox" had made no attempt to hide itself.

Wasn't the Nine-Tails their village's tailed beast?

Why had it gone on a rampage?

And what did any of this have to do with the Uchiha?!

As members of the Konoha Military Police Force, the Uchiha ninja had intended to help when the Nine-Tails began destroying the village. But before they could act, a group of Anbu ninja had ordered them to return to the compound and wait.

It was as though the village was guarding against them.

What a joke!

Uchiha Fugaku's gaze fell on the Chunin who had spoken, but he did not answer immediately. Then he looked around at everyone present. Seeing the confusion and dissatisfaction on his clansmen's faces, the gloom in his heart deepened.

Most of the Uchiha knew very little, but as the head of the Uchiha Clan and one of the first people to witness the Nine-Tails appearing inside the village, Uchiha Fugaku had no doubt about what he had seen.

The Nine-Tails...

The Nine-Tails' eyes had been overlaid with a pair of Sharingan!

That was one of the reasons the village's leaders had refused to let them participate in subduing the Nine-Tails last night.

"Fugaku!"

Perhaps displeased by Uchiha Fugaku's silence, Uchiha Setsuna, who sat beside him, barked his name in a low voice.

As a clan elder and an Uchiha ninja who had once staged a rebellion during the Second's era in an attempt to overturn his succession, Uchiha Setsuna held an extremely high standing within the clan. Even Uchiha Fugaku's appointment as clan head had been helped along by his efforts behind the scenes.

"Last night, someone attacked the Fourth Hokage's wife while she was giving birth. As a result, the Nine-Tails sealed within her was released..."

Uchiha Fugaku hesitated no longer and gave a brief, straightforward account of what had happened last night.

At his words...

Everyone present widened their eyes. A few knew very little about the Nine-Tails and had not even known who its jinchūriki was. They were astonished to learn that the Fourth Hokage's wife was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and shocked that someone had managed to cause such destruction under the Fourth Hokage's watch.

"Who was the enemy?!"

Uchiha Inabi asked instinctively.

He was a powerful Jonin within the clan, as well as one of the squad captains of the Konoha Military Police Force, and the clan trusted him deeply.

As an Uchiha Jonin, he had keen instincts. He felt certain there was more to this incident.

"The enemy's identity is still unknown. The few people who knew anything have already died."

Uchiha Fugaku turned his head to glance at Uchiha Inabi. Seeing the intensity in his eyes, he answered without hesitation.

"What about the Fourth Hokage?!"

Hearing Uchiha Fugaku's words and taking in his expression, Uchiha Inabi suddenly arrived at a shocking guess. He drew a deep breath, seemingly finding it too absurd to believe, and pressed him urgently.

He had worked with the Fourth Hokage before. Though they had never become friends, he knew how powerful the man was from their time as teammates. That had been several years ago, and he could not begin to imagine how strong the Fourth Hokage was now.

After all, he was a powerhouse who had mastered Space-Time Ninjutsu!

At Uchiha Inabi's question, a persistent darkness flickered deep in Uchiha Fugaku's eyes. He pressed his lips together, then uttered a few words. "The Fourth Hokage died in battle last night!"

"Impossible!"

"How could that happen?!"

"He was the Hokage!"

"..."

Apart from Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Hui, who sat cross-legged in a corner, everyone voiced their disbelief.

Uchiha Hui's expression remained calm.

Watching Uchiha Fugaku and the clansmen around him react, he suddenly felt that they were more real. Before this, his initial impression of the Uchiha had been "arrogant," as though they thought nothing of anyone outside their clan.

But clearly, though seemingly every Uchiha was "mentally unstable," they were certainly not fools.

To the Uchiha, the Fourth Hokage's death meant far more than the loss of a "Kage." At the very least, they had believed that his taking office would bring some improvement to the Uchiha Clan's situation in the village.

Uchiha Hui remained quiet, observing the reactions around him. Amid this atmosphere, he gradually found some peace of mind, feeling far better than he had during the tension and unease a few hours earlier.

And as Uchiha Fugaku spoke again...

Uchiha Hui heard more news, such as the losses the village had suffered last night—not just ninja, who were strategic assets, but actual financial losses as well...

However, Uchiha Hui, who had slipped out of the compound early that morning to survey Konoha's current state from afar, understood this all too well. In fact, the losses Uchiha Fugaku described had already been heavily glossed over. If everything were truly tallied up, the damage would probably rival the later "Pain invasion." The only saving grace was that the Nine-Tails' rampage had left Konoha some salvageable building materials on the ground!

As Uchiha Fugaku continued sharing information about the village...

Uchiha Hui gradually lost interest in listening. His mind began to wander, and he started considering his current circumstances and planning his eventual escape.

"Hui!"

"Uchiha Hui!"

Just as Uchiha Hui drifted off into wild fantasies about his future, calls suddenly reached his ears. A Chunin beside him even instinctively nudged him, seemingly trying to alert him.

He abruptly looked up.

Uchiha Hui found Uchiha Fugaku watching him with a stern yet puzzled gaze.

"What is it?"

Uchiha Hui asked casually, seemingly unconcerned that he had been caught spacing out.

The ninja around him looked at him with distaste.

"The Third has issued an order. For the next week, none of us Uchiha may leave the compound without permission. This is for our protection. Hui, the Anbu have already reported your departure from the compound today to the Third. I hope you won't make any more mistakes at such a critical time."

Uchiha Fugaku had already informed everyone present about last night's events and the restrictions the village leadership had imposed on the Uchiha. However, he had not shared the crucial detail that "the Nine-Tails appeared to have been controlled by the Sharingan." Finally, noticing that Uchiha Hui did not seem to be listening attentively, he had deliberately called his name to drive the point home.

Upon hearing this...

Uchiha Hui nodded instinctively without arguing, then calmly lowered his head again to look at the floor in front of him.

This unusual behavior surprised not only Uchiha Fugaku, but also the clansmen around him who knew Uchiha Hui's temperament well.

In the past...

No matter what Uchiha Fugaku said or decided, Uchiha Hui, the clan head's younger brother, would always jump in with a few objections. Whenever he opened his mouth, it was either "You're too weak" or "This is a disgrace to the Uchiha."

Yet today, he had said nothing at all. He was frighteningly calm!

"Then we'll adjourn for today. I'll negotiate with the Third later to let us Uchiha take part in rebuilding Konoha."

The clan meeting had lasted over an hour. Uchiha Fugaku felt they were essentially finished and gestured for everyone to leave. Most of the ninja rose and departed after a brief acknowledgment. Seated in a corner near the main entrance, Uchiha Hui naturally intended to leave with the Chunin around him.

"Hui! Stay a moment. I have something to say to you!"

Uchiha Fugaku called Uchiha Hui back, and he stopped in his tracks, rather annoyed.

Bro, what do you want with me?!

I need to get back and jerk off. I can barely hold it in!

After all, who could contain themselves after acquiring a kekkei genkai, especially one that had been so ridiculously cool in the early days of Naruto!