Absolute control: Fugaku reveals his Mangekyō Sharingan

Konoha's Graveyard.

"..."

As the crowd before them continued hurling curses, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō realized something was wrong.

Both acted at once, their hands, held behind their backs, suddenly gesturing to the guards beside them.

Naturally, they had prepared contingencies for unexpected developments like this.

They were both old foxes, after all. How could they possibly have only one plan?

"What's that?"

After receiving Hiruzen Sarutobi's signal, Kakashi immediately led the Anbu members beside him into action, searching the surrounding area.

Not only that, but one of them turned and rushed toward the Sarutobi Clan's compound when Kakashi wasn't looking.

To be safe, Hiruzen Sarutobi had prepared to mobilize the Sarutobi Clan as well, rather than relying solely on Kakashi and the others as his backup!

And he had told no one about this decision, not even his so-called confidants!

As for Shimura Danzō's guards...

After he sent out his signal, not a single Root member actually moved.

More precisely, they couldn't move.

The shinobi from the major clans present had quietly taken them all down without alerting anyone!

No matter how many trusted subordinates Shimura Danzō had, could they possibly outnumber the combined forces of Konoha's major clans?

Meanwhile, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura quietly withdrew under the protection of their respective guards.

For them, keeping their seats as elders and preserving their interests was enough.

They would naturally take a share of any additional profits if there was no danger, but if their lives were at stake...

Then they would pass.

"Those two useless old fools..."

Shimura Danzō naturally noticed Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura leaving, but he didn't pay much attention.

Even if everyone he had brought this time had been dealt with, the trusted subordinates he had planted among the civilians were still enough to throw this place into chaos!

The final victory would still be his!

Yet after some more time passed with that thought in mind, Shimura Danzō began to panic again.

The trusted subordinates who had disguised themselves as villagers earlier weren't acting according to plan either!

A moment later, deeply reluctant though he was, he turned toward Hiruzen Sarutobi beside him and growled under his breath.

"Hiruzen! How exactly did you find out?"

"..."

Hearing Shimura Danzō's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly realized something and whipped his head toward Uchiha Fugaku, who had remained calm from beginning to end.

Fugaku, what exactly have you done?!

Seeing the expression on his face, Shimura Danzō, his rival of many years, seemed to realize something too and likewise turned toward Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Could everything happening now have been Uchiha Fugaku's doing alone?

Something like that... come on, that couldn't be possible...

Neither Hiruzen Sarutobi nor Shimura Danzō could understand how Uchiha Fugaku had managed to get this far.

Even with the help of Senju Ye, that so-called disciple of the First Hokage, he couldn't possibly oppose both of them with the strength of a single clan!

Unless he had persuaded the other clans in Konoha to join him.

But how could he have done that?!

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't understand it, and neither could Shimura Danzō. Nor would they ever understand.

Because everything Uchiha Fugaku had accomplished was thanks to Shisui Uchiha behind him.

No, more precisely, it was thanks to the overwhelming advantage Shisui Uchiha held through knowing every storyline in this world!

Tap, tap.

As Hiruzen Sarutobi's and Shimura Danzō's expressions grew increasingly grim, Uchiha Fugaku, who had been standing in the same spot all this time...

Finally began to move.

And as he advanced, the "civilians" blocking his way actually stepped aside of their own accord, clearing a path for him.

At this sight, Hiruzen Sarutobi's and Shimura Danzō's expressions changed drastically, and they could no longer stand still.

"So even that chaos just now was something you orchestrated yourself? Uchiha Fugaku!"

Shimura Danzō practically spat out the name one syllable at a time.

But despite his bitter resentment, he backed away as he spoke.

Given the current situation, he certainly couldn't stay here any longer.

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi, though forcing his face to remain composed, watched Uchiha Fugaku warily, the gravity in his eyes undiminished.

Uchiha Fugaku was far too different tonight. His entire way of doing things had changed.

Not only had he stopped readily compromising, but he had also outmaneuvered every one of them.

Or could it be...

Had this man been biding his time all along, with the Nine-Tails' Rampage merely providing him with an opportunity to act?

If that was true, then the depths of Uchiha Fugaku's scheming were terrifying!

Tap, tap.

Under everyone's gaze, Uchiha Fugaku walked unhindered all the way up to Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō.

The two tacitly stepped back together.

After all, the scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan in his eyes weren't...

Tap!

As Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō stared fixedly at him, Uchiha Fugaku suddenly stopped.

And his Three-Tomoe Sharingan transformed directly into the Mangekyō Sharingan!

"What? Your eyes... your eyes actually aren't..."

"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"

Seeing that the coward he had always dismissed possessed the same Mangekyō Sharingan as Shisui Uchiha...

Shimura Danzō could only feel that every strategy he had ever used against Uchiha Fugaku had been utterly laughable!

As for Hiruzen Sarutobi, despite his grave expression, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Whether Uchiha Fugaku's Mangekyō Sharingan had evolved on the night of the Nine-Tails Incident or long before that...

It had little to do with him, because he had already approached Fugaku to discuss matters beforehand!

As long as he could get through tonight, once Shisui Uchiha returned, he could have him approach Uchiha Fugaku for detailed negotiations.

At worst, he could allocate some of Root's less important holdings to the Uchiha Clan.

But all of that depended on getting through tonight!

With that thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately chose a side. He edged closer to Uchiha Fugaku, keeping his expression as calm as possible, and spoke.

"Fugaku, you..."

"Quiet."

Boom, boom, boom!

Hiruzen Sarutobi had just been about to approach Uchiha Fugaku and speak to him, only to be intimidated by the powerful chakra fluctuations and ocular power radiating from him. He swallowed every word that had reached his throat.

After cowing Hiruzen Sarutobi, Uchiha Fugaku, still standing with his back to Konoha's civilians and shinobi, reverted his Mangekyō Sharingan to the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

Under the two men's gaze, Uchiha Fugaku slowly turned around and raised Naruto high in his arms.

Before everyone, he shouted.

"The Nine-Tails is indeed sealed inside this child, but he is also the child whom the Fourth Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki entrusted to me before sacrificing their lives!"

"I, Uchiha Fugaku, may not amount to much, but since I promised the Fourth Hokage that I would protect his child, both I and the Uchiha will ensure this child lives his entire life in safety!"

Tap, tap.

Just as Uchiha Fugaku finished speaking, the group of "civilians" and shinobi closest to him raised their heads slightly, revealing their scarlet Sharingan.

Not only that, but ninja weapons were drawn one after another, their edges gleaming coldly.

"Now, anyone who wants to lay a hand on the child of heroes, step forward!"

"The Uchiha Clan will take you all on!"