One Week Ago...
The Third Hokage stood alone on the rooftop, his hands clasped behind his back, the weight of his decisions pressing heavily upon him.
'Tsuki Uzumaki... Arashi Uchiha...' The names swirled in his mind, each a reminder of the tangled web of secrets and consequences he had woven.
'It appears hiding his true identity was a mistake after all... No, that's an understatement.' He sighed, a deep weariness settling over him. 'If this secret is revealed to the Uchiha clan, it could mean war with the village...'
'I should have stood against Danzo on that decision.' Hiruzen removed his hat, running a hand through his thinning hair. 'But I didn't completely disagree with it either. I simply... let it happen. For this, I am truly guilty about how things have turned out.'
He gazed out at the village below, the bustling streets a stark contrast to the turmoil in his own heart.
'As Hokage, I have to protect the village, the people I consider my family. I must ensure their stability and well-being.' But a bitter truth gnawed at him. 'Yet, I didn't include Arashi in my family because I feared losing the others. With a panicked mind, I let Danzo control my actions. Minato, Biwako, and many others died all at once. I paid the price when Arashi attacked me and killed two members of my Anbu.'
He turned, his gaze drawn to the stoic stone face of the First Hokage.
'And now everyone is paying the price for both of us taking his family away from him... By now, I'm almost certain Shisui Uchiha knows. He probably feels conflicted, or perhaps even harbors great anger towards the village and me. All I know is he knows about his brother, but he can't know that we know too.'
Hiruzen's shoulders slumped, the weight of his responsibility pressing down on him like a mountain.
'Sensei, I need your wisdom and guidance... I may be too old for this title, anyway.' Hiruzen sighed, his thoughts turning to the challenges ahead. 'Jiraiya is back in the village. Knowing him, he won't even consider the title of Hokage. Perhaps this is a sign to groom Arashi into being my next successor?'
A shadow of doubt crossed his mind. 'He is unlikely to accept this or even come near me if this goes wrong. In fact, because of me, he already despises the Hokage as a whole. Sometimes I'm not sure he even feels a connection to the village. That again has to do with me.'
Hiruzen's eyes drifted towards the stone face of the Fourth Hokage.
'Or maybe it's time for the Fourth Hokage's legacy to rise and succeed his parents. Minato... Kushina...' A small smile played on his lips. 'Naruto Uzumaki certainly has the motivation and potential for it. But even more importantly, he has great friends surrounding him despite having the Nine-Tails sealed inside him.'
Hiruzen donned his hat, a sense of purpose filling him. 'For now, all I need to do is confront this matter with Arashi and Shisui, then the rest will fall into place.'
With renewed determination, the Hokage walked back into his office. 'I've delayed dealing with the Uchiha as a whole for too long.'
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One week later, while Arashi caught up on what he had missed, Shisui and Itachi found themselves standing before the Konoha council, Fugaku, and Jiraiya in the Hokage's office. The atmosphere was heavy with tension, the air thick with unspoken accusations and simmering resentment.
Under Danzo's orders, Root ANBU members had apprehended Shisui, binding his wrists with chakra-suppressing cuffs. Now, he stood before the assembled leaders, his expression a mask of stoic defiance.
Danzo, his voice dripping with venom, launched into his accusations. "Shisui Uchiha has committed treason of the highest order," he declared, his gaze piercing. "He defied the Hokage's orders, fought and killed my Root members, who were merely carrying out their duties with the Hokage's approval."
He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Even now, he aligns himself with a child who has publicly expressed his hatred for the Hokage and even dared to attack him."
Danzo's gaze shifted to Itachi, his accusation cutting like a blade. "And Itachi Uchiha," he continued, "lied directly to his clan head and his fellow clan members, claiming ignorance of Shisui and that Rinnegan brat's whereabouts. He did all this for the selfish satisfaction of capturing them himself. Although his actions might have been noble, he overstepped his authority."
Danzo's voice rose, his anger palpable. "Two Uchiha have openly disregarded the Hokage's orders. They show no remorse or guilt for their actions, and it shames the Hokage. It's no secret that the Uchiha clan and the village are at odds. However, the village will not forgive what has happened here, even if it means the rift between us will only grow wider."
He turned to Fugaku, his tone accusatory. "Even you, Fugaku-dono, I'm certain you wouldn't forgive someone else if they did what your son and Shisui have done."
Fugaku remained silent, his eyes closed in deep thought. The room held its breath, awaiting his response. Finally, he opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping across Itachi, then Shisui, before settling on the Hokage. He deliberately ignored Danzo's expectant stare.
"Hokage-sama," Fugaku began, his voice calm and measured, "does Danzo-sama speak for everyone when he says this?"
"We already made our decision after thoroughly discussing it," Danzo interjected, his tone sharp.
Lord Third glared at him, silencing him with a look. "This decision has yet to be made," he stated firmly.
"Tch!" Danzo clicked his tongue in frustration.
"Hiruzen," Homura added, his voice grave, "he disobeyed your orders and nearly went rogue. Surely, you must punish him for his actions!"
Danzo nodded in agreement. "Even you, of all people, cannot forgive them for this, Hiruzen." He spat the words out with barely concealed contempt for the Hokage's perceived leniency.
Hiruzen raised a hand, silencing the growing dissent. "Whether Shisui disobeyed me or killed your Root members doesn't matter," he declared, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "There is another issue at hand which takes precedence."
Danzo gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Shisui. "Don't bother trying anything," he warned, his voice laced with menace. "We've sealed your chakra away. If you try to escape, you'll be killed immediately."
"Hmph..." Shisui scoffed at Danzo, his defiance unwavering.
Fugaku's voice cut through the tension, his tone stern. "Shisui, don't even bother speaking if all you're going to do is make the situation worse for the clan."
"Hokage-sama," Shisui's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, "may I request something?"
"Go on," the Hokage replied, his gaze steady.
"I want to request that Fugaku-dono and the Anbu in here leave the room."
Fugaku's eyes snapped open, his surprise evident. "What is this about, Shisui?" he asked, his tone laced with curiosity.
"The truth is," Shisui explained, his voice firm, "I don't want you to know about this until I'm a hundred percent sure of the situation. If I'm uncertain and anyone in here misspeaks, it could mean trouble for both the clan and the village."
'Stubborn on protecting the village and the clan till the very end,' Itachi thought, a flicker of admiration in his eyes.
Fugaku took a deep breath, his expression thoughtful. "Very well then," he finally agreed, rising from his seat.
Lord Third nodded to the Anbu, and they filed out of the room, followed by Fugaku. The door closed behind them, leaving a palpable silence in its wake.
Jiraiya, unable to contain his curiosity any longer, broke the quiet. "Now that they're gone, mind telling us why you did this?"
"Forget the 'why'," Danzo interrupted, his voice sharp. "That doesn't matter right now."
He turned to Shisui, his gaze piercing. "Shisui. By the way you behave, I can assume you found out."
Shisui's eyes flashed with anger. "I have," he responded, his fists clenching.
"Found out? What is he talking about, Sarutobi-sensei?" Jiraiya asked, bewildered by the cryptic exchange.
The tension in the room was almost suffocating.
"I have failed as the Hokage," Hiruzen finally spoke, his voice heavy with regret.
"Long ago, when the Nine-Tails attacked," Hiruzen began, his voice heavy with remorse, "a boy from the Uchiha clan was born. His mother, Hae Uchiha, and his father, Yagami Uchiha. His name was Arashi Uchiha, but sadly, he was orphaned by that attack."
He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Hiashi Hyuga, who was on duty for reconnaissance and aiding the wounded, found the boy as an infant and brought him to me. He said he sensed great power and chakra in this child and told us to be careful."
Hiruzen's gaze grew distant as he recalled the difficult decisions made that night. "I was with someone else. We suspected the Uchiha clan of being behind the Nine-Tails attack, so we agreed not to tell them about this child."
Jiraiya's eyes widened in realization. His gaze slowly shifted to Shisui, a dawning understanding connecting the dots.
"This boy," Hiruzen continued, his voice barely a whisper, "awakened the Rinnegan. And is now known as... Tsuki Uzumaki."
The Hokage looked at Shisui, expecting anger, perhaps even outrage. Instead, he saw a profound sadness, a raw pain that pierced his heart. Shisui's head was bowed, his rage-filled eyes hidden from view.
"Arashi Uchiha is my brother," Shisui said, his voice trembling. "And you took him from me."
He raised his head, his eyes blazing with accusation. "Why? Why didn't you tell me I had a brother? Why did you let him be alone for all those years? He's a sensitive kid! He even blamed himself for all of this."
Hiruzen's shoulders slumped, his guilt overwhelming. "Because..." he confessed, his voice choked with emotion, "because I was scared."
The two elders, Homura and Koharu, turned their gazes towards Hiruzen, their expressions a mixture of shock and disappointment. They had never seen their leader so vulnerable, so... human.
"Shisui," Hiruzen continued, his voice heavy with regret, "when Arashi attacked me, he was barely four years old. He caused so much damage, it filled me with fear. His potential was so great, I had seen nothing like it."
He paused, his gaze distant. "But even though he attacked me and killed two Jonin near me, he still did it with no killing intent. He was just acting rashly after I tried to take his friend away from him. Nothing but a child's tantrum, albeit a powerful one. But a tantrum nonetheless."
Hiruzen's voice grew softer, filled with a profound sadness. "Since then, I've been living in fear, cowering from what I believed he could become. Arashi has potential I've never seen before, and the first thing I did was try to push him away."
He looked at Shisui, his eyes pleading for understanding. "To be honest, had it not been for Jiraiya, I wouldn't have even thought of telling you this. My decisions have shown me how disappointing I've been as a Hokage, allowing a child to be used by others and taking his family away from him. I won't allow it anymore."
Just then, a dry cough echoed from outside the door, breaking the somber silence.
Jiraiya's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Kids aren't supposed to spy on their elders... Arashi."
(Edited on: 21/09/24)