The Uchiha had gone too far!
Yes.
To reach the top of the village, none of the elders were fools.
No matter how pretty the Uchiha's notice looked on the surface, full of talk about "the welfare of the villagers" and "justice for the people," at its core, it was pure nonsense.
Their true aim couldn't be clearer—
They were pointing their sword directly at Konoha's leadership!
The village's finances? Could that ever be made public?
Absolutely not!
If the budget were opened up for all to see, how could the elders funnel resources to their own clans?
Without those funds, could the great ninja families have grown so powerful?
And as for dismantling the ninja clans' industries—unthinkable!
Those industries were the foundation of every clan. Without them, how could they raise and train their shinobi? How could the clans even survive?
For the Uchiha to demand such things was worse than grave-robbing.
Unforgivable.
"Uchiha Kai…" Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was icy. "Interesting."
"At first, I intended to give your clan a little benefit—to calm you down, let you throw your full support behind the war effort, and settle accounts with you once the fighting was over."
"But I didn't expect…"
"That you Uchiha would be so insatiable! I just resolved your financial issue, and you immediately push another move onto the table?"
"Not even a single day of peace!"
Hiruzen was so furious he could spit blood.
After being persuaded by Nara Shikaku, he decided to step back, to take the initiative by controlling the pace of the conflict. He would make the moves, and the Uchiha would be forced to respond. That way, the situation stayed within his rules, and his advantage remained intact.
Losing one round wouldn't matter in the grand scheme.
But he hadn't expected this.
Kai didn't give him any time to breathe. No pause, no chance to regroup—just one ruthless move after another, forcing him onto the back foot.
What's the best defense? Relentless offense.
And now even Hiruzen himself felt cornered.
That bastard!
How could Uchiha Kai—just a boy—know such sinister, underhanded tactics? Was he even really an Uchiha? This level of scheming was more like a Nara!
But fury aside, Hiruzen knew one thing clearly.
This had to be resolved—fast. If it dragged on and public opinion turned into a tidal wave, not even he, the Hokage, could stand against it.
"What now?"
His mind spun furiously, but the move had come too suddenly. For once, he was out of ideas.
"Don't get lost in thought, Hiruzen." Koharu Utatane cut in sharply. "The Uchiha have gone too far."
"We can't afford to hesitate anymore. Even if our reputation suffers, they must be destroyed."
"Every extra day we let them live is another day of danger."
"This time, they've offended every clan in the village. Call all the clans together—no need for words, no more negotiations. We march straight into the Uchiha compound and wipe them out."
"Once they're all dead, we'll have time to worry about rebuilding public trust."
"The people are forgetful. As long as we eliminate the Uchiha completely, we'll have all the time in the world to fix things later."
Koharu's voice shook with barely hidden fear.
Yes, fear.
Her madness was only a mask for the panic in her heart.
Uchiha Kai was too dangerous.
Cautious in action, sharp in mind, ruthless in method—each move seamlessly connected to the next.
If not for the spies inside the Police Force, they never would've discovered his schemes in time. Imagine if he had rallied the villagers to march on the Hokage Building! The blow to Hiruzen's prestige would've been irreparable.
And now—
Just after they had conceded once to calm things down, Kai had already launched another attack.
A push to rewrite the law itself.
The same tactic as before: manipulating public opinion to threaten the leadership.
But this time, even more ruthless.
If not handled properly, the great clans' foundations themselves would crumble.
And this was only his second move!
Koharu couldn't help but think: even if they stopped this scheme, what about the next one? Kai would just devise another trap, and another, endlessly.
This was no ordinary Uchiha.
He wasn't just strong—he was clever, vicious, and terrifyingly clear-headed. His sense of strategy was impeccable.
Worst of all, he saw the truth: the village would always seek to exterminate the Uchiha.
So he never once considered compromise. He was prepared to fight the village to the bitter end.
There was no counter to such a man.
That was why she no longer wanted to play games. Reputation, rules, appearances—none of that mattered anymore.
If Uchiha Kai lived, they were doomed.
Shimura Danzo stormed in, face dark, and slammed the door behind him.
"Hiruzen, you're too soft!"
"Koharu and Homura are right—this is the perfect chance to destroy the Uchiha. If you give the word, every clan will side with you. Don't hesitate."
"Yes, our strength will take a hit. But by conscripting more family shinobi to the frontlines, we can weaken them further while we're at it."
"So much benefit, in exchange for nothing more than a bit of reputation? It's a bargain, Hiruzen. Don't tell me you'll refuse?"
His gaze burned into Hiruzen's, cold and sharp.
No one in the council hated the Uchiha more than Danzo. To him, this was an opportunity heaven itself had delivered.
And if, along the way, he could tarnish Hiruzen's good name and weaken his hold on the Hokage's chair—
Even better.
Hiruzen's brows furrowed deeper.
He understood his "old friend" too well.
Danzo wasn't just targeting the Uchiha—he was targeting him.
But even so… everyone's arguments made sense. This was a rare chance. If they seized it, destroying the Uchiha would be simple.
At last, after a long silence, Hiruzen nodded.
"Fine. I agree."
"This time, the Uchiha have gone too far. Even if I wanted to spare them, the other clans would never accept it. Very well—inform them. No need for Anbu; the three of you will go personally."
"Tell them to gather tonight at nine in the Jounin Council Hall."
His tone was heavy, decisive.
Yes.
It would damage his reputation, and Danzo might well try to use this against him. But Hiruzen was confident he could keep Danzo in check.
So be it.
The elders were overjoyed.
With the Hokage's approval, there was no stopping them.
They divided up the clans to contact, then rushed out, too eager to wait even a day.
The Uchiha were too dangerous. Better to end them at once, with a single decisive strike.
Once they were gone, the danger would be gone too.
The office fell quiet again.
Smoke curled from Hiruzen's pipe as he sat alone, brows knotted.
"Shikaku… why aren't you here?" he muttered.
"If you were, this would be easier. But… no matter what. The decision is made."
"Uchiha… don't blame me. I would've let you live a while longer. But with a monster like Kai among you, you cannot be allowed to remain."
His voice was low and weary, fading into the smoke.
Meanwhile, that same night, in the Uchiha compound—
Kai's courtyard was peaceful after dinner.
He and Itachi sat together, digesting their meal. For once, even Itachi wasn't training.
His complexion looked healthier than ever, his face rosy instead of pale. All thanks to Kai's care.
And Itachi knew it. That was why he now obeyed Kai without hesitation.
"Sensei," he said suddenly.
"In a week, I'll be starting at the Academy."
"But honestly, it feels pointless. I won't learn anything useful there."
"Do you think I could just apply to graduate early?"
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