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"Fugaku, you…"
Uchiha Mikoto, who had just entered, looked at the changing expressions on her husband's face and at Toshiro, who was sitting opposite him. She had no idea what they were discussing.
"It's okay, just keep an eye on Sasuke!"
Seeing his wife and Itachi entering together, Fugaku gave them a forced smile to reassure them.
"Excuse me…"
After clearing away the spilled tea, Mikoto didn't linger and left with six-year-old Itachi after bowing respectfully.
"The clan leader has a fine son!"
Seeing Itachi leave with Mikoto, Toshiro praised Fugaku, then chose not to continue their conversation. He knew that such matters couldn't be addressed all at once and needed to be introduced into Fugaku's mind gradually.
"Thank you, Toshiro! Itachi is still young and has much to learn. If he grows up to be as outstanding as you, I will be satisfied."
Speaking of his eldest son, Fugaku wore a rare, faint smile, clearly pleased with Itachi's talent.
"If I remember correctly, the ninja academy will start soon, and Itachi has reached the required age. How do you plan to train him?"
"I plan to send him to the academy so that he can interact with his peers in the village and build good connections."
"Is that so…"
"There is one more thing I need to remind you of, Fugaku-san."
"Konoha's ninja academy is indeed good for socializing, but... there are some teachings about the Will of Fire that I hope the clan leader will be cautious of."
Seeing that Fugaku didn't take his words seriously, Toshiro continued:
"As you know, children's minds are very malleable and are easily influenced by the concept of 'Will of Fire'. Indirectly, this belief in its ideals causes them to lose their individuality. They even disregard their loved one's wellness."
Seeing Toshiro's concern, Fugaku couldn't dismiss his advice outright.
"I will pay attention to this matter."
However, Toshiro could tell that Fugaku wasn't entirely convinced. He sighed inwardly, feeling a bit helpless. He couldn't exactly tell Fugaku, "Your good son will one day, for the village's sake and his brother's, decide to kill the entire Uchiha clan." That would surely lead to a fight.
"Anyway, I won't agree to either the relocation or letting Danzo off the hook!"
"If the Sandaime Hokage has any dissatisfaction, he can come and talk to me directly!"
After finishing his tea, Toshiro felt a bit disinterested and left. Whether dealing with the clan or the village, he was now in a position to negotiate and was no longer a child who simply followed orders.
...
"Is that so... I understand."
The Third Hokage's office was filled with smoke. Through the heavy smoke, the Third Hokage's frown was evident.
"Although Toshiro rejected the position, I will still reserve the ANBU spot for you. When a suitable candidate from the Uchiha clan emerges, I will bring him into the ANBU."
The Sandaime raised his eyelids slightly, looking at Uchiha Fugaku across the desk. His tone was warm and comforting, devoid of anger, as he made a casual promise—a blank check he could write however he wanted.
As for Uchiha Toshiro, the Sandaime had anticipated his refusal but hadn't expected him to obstruct the relocation.
"Thank you very much for the Sandaime's trust!" Fugaku bowed and then asked, "I wonder what the village's plans are for the relocation…"
The ANBU position holds a special place among Konoha's various departments. While it's not an easy job and getting in to it is tough, it offers many conveniences. Having a clan member in ANBU would be a significant step forward for the Uchiha, who have been confined to the police force for years. However, the clan's relocation is of greater importance.
When Toshiro mentioned it, Fugaku understood what this meant for the already unpopular Uchiha clan.
"I will discuss this with the other elders before making a decision. You may leave now."
Sighing, the Sandaime felt a headache coming on. As Toshiro had guessed, the relocation was partly a future strategy. The Sandaime, already old, didn't want to pass thie Uchiha clan issue on to the next Hokage.
Moreover, according to Kushina, the last attacker not only possessed the wood-style but also had an Uchiha Mangekyo Sharingan in his other eye. The attacker knew precisely when Kyuubi's seal was weak and the exact time and place of Kushina's birth. This pointed to a mole within their ranks.
Furthermore, the Kyuubi was summoned by the attacker. Who had a summoning contract with Kyuubi? The answer seemed obvious but improbable.
Another reason for the relocation was to test whether Toshiro would follow the Hokage's orders. Despite expecting rejection, the Sandaime still sighed when it happened.
After Fugaku left, the door to the Sandaime's room opened, and three people—the Sandaime's long-time friends and Konoha's three Hokage assistants have come.
"Sarutobi, what did Fugaku say? Will the Uchiha agree to move? Also, has Toshiro agreed to let go of Danzo's matter?"
As soon as they entered, the three of them skillfully took seats on the sofas in the Hokage's office. The Sandaime no longer sat behind his desk but joined them.
"…"
"did they not agree?"
Seeing the Sandaime just smoking with his head down, the three, as long-time friends, quickly guessed the situation.
When Sarutobi nodded lightly to confirm, Koharu's face turned livid. She glanced at Sarutobi and said, "Sarutobi, even if this Toshiro Uchiha is powerful, we mustn't appear too weak!"
"Hiruzen, although the opponent's strength is formidable and his giant summoning beast is troublesome, we cannot allow this kind of uncontrollable power to continue to exist," Koharu said sharply.
Following her, another voice chimed in. "I've always said the Uchiha are nothing but trouble," Shimura Danzo declared. Despite his involvement in the assassination attempt on the Sandaime Hokage, Danzo showed no guilt, even in Hiruzeni's presence. His expression remained calm.
"Hiruzen, where is Jiraiya now? We should join forces with him to eliminate this Uchiha brat."
Danzo had suffered significant losses, including damage to his prestige and dismissal from his post by the Third Hokage. Although he still controlled the Root, some of his secrets had been exposed. For instance, his research on wood release had been forcibly taken by Sarutobi. This fueled his rage, especially since the Sandaime suspected him of orchestrating the Nine-Tails Rebellion to seize power. Without concrete evidence, Hiruzen had nearly executed him.
Hearing that Uchiha Toshiro was still pursuing the assassination matter, Danzo's immediate reaction was to kill him. He saw Jiraiya, the Sandaime's trusted disciple, as the ideal candidate for the task.
"Jiraiya has returned, but this cannot be done," the Sandaime said, shaking his head and rejecting Danzo's proposal outright.
"If you're worried about conflict in the village, we can lure him outside," Danzo persisted. "With Jiraiya, Orochimaru, you, me, and the ANBU, no matter how strong Uchiha Toshiro is, he's still just one man."
"Yes, Sarutobi," Koharu added. "With Jiraiya, there's no problem in dealing with this threat. A powerful ninja, especially an Uchiha not under our control, is too dangerous."
Homura nodded in agreement. Taking a deep breath from his pipe and exhaling a cloud of smoke, the Sandaime looked at his companions and spoke reluctantly.
"Uchiha Toshiro may have learned Sage Mode…"
"What did you say?" Danzo, Koharu, and Mito exclaimed in unison, their composure shattered. Their eyes widened with surprise, confusion, and unease.
"Sarutobi, this is no trivial matter. Who is your source? Are you sure it's true?" Danzo stood up, his single eye fierce and focused like a lone wolf on its prey.
"The source of the information was the Fourth Hokage. He revealed it when he said goodbye to Kushina."
Minato, with his sensory abilities and knowledge of senjutsu, noticed something was off about Toshiro, despite his disguise. When he placed his hand on Toshiro's shoulder, he sensed the irregularity. Before his death, Minato shared this with Kushina, hoping the Third Hokage would tread carefully in dealing with Uchiha Toshiro.
"To confirm the information, I had Jiraiya observe him," the Sandaime said, knocking his extinguished pipe heavily on the coffee table. "Jiraiya has not provided definite news yet, but it seems likely."
This was what troubled him the most. If an Uchiha who had mastered Sage Mode were to be targeted and the attempt failed, the consequences for Konoha would be dire. Toshiro was not known for leniency.
Thankfully, Toshiro had not awakened the legendary Mangekyo Sharingan, which would have put them at an even greater disadvantage.
"This is all the more reason that we must eliminate him at all costs before he becomes even more powerful!" Danzo declared, his face twisted with determination.
His three companions exchanged incredulous looks.
"If you could kill him in one strike, it might be worth the risk," the Sandaime conceded. "But who among you can guarantee such a kill? And who will bear the repercussions if he retaliates?"
Leaning back on the sofa, he closed his eyes to rest, grateful that the Yondaime Hokage had shared this crucial information with Kushina. It had come to him during a visit to see Kushina and Naruto, preventing a potential disaster.
Uchiha Toshiro's character was another concern. The Sandaime had reviewed many of Toshiro's mission reports, noting that he behaved more like a seasoned battlefield veteran than a typical Ninja Academy graduate. If he sensed something amiss, he would flee immediately, leveraging his advantages: excellent sensing ability, proficiency in sealing jutsus, a flying summoning beast, and the Super Beast Imitating Drawing technique, giving him air superiority.
"What do we do about Danzo, then?" Homura broke the silence. "We can't just let him be killed by Toshiro."
Danzo's face darkened, finally realizing the gravity of the threat posed by an Uchiha skilled in Sage Mode.
"Could Toshiro be behind the Nine-Tails incident?" Danzo speculated, seeing no direct agreement from the Sandaime to eliminate Toshiro. His survival instinct made him desperate, hoping that associating Toshiro with the Nine-Tails attack would prompt Sarutobi to act.
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