"Why should we move without question? And to the area near Konoha's prison, no less! Do they think we're criminals now? Outrageous!"
An Uchiha from the Hawk Faction slammed his palm against the floor in fury. Almost immediately, a Dove Faction member stood up to argue.
"Didn't Lord Danzō already explain? This is only temporary. Once they find the true culprit behind the Nine-Tails' attack, we'll be allowed to move back."
"Hah! You actually believe that fairytale? You're even more naïve than I thought."
"How dare you! This isn't just Lord Danzō's decision—it was approved by the Hokage himself! That means it's the will of Konoha's leadership. Do you really think the Hokage would go back on his word?"
The Dove's face turned red with indignation, his voice rising as though the Hokage's word was divine law—the light, the truth, the only thing worth believing in.
Before the argument could turn into a fight, a neutral Uchiha spoke up quietly.
"But… what if they never find the real culprit?"
"That's impossible!"
"Impossible?" sneered a Hawk. "Come on. During the Nine-Tails' attack, every single one of us was inside the compound. Yet countless people saw Sharingan in the fox's eyes. Such an obvious frame job—do you really think the Hokage and his council can't see through it? If they choose to pretend not to, that just means they've already decided to scapegoat us. Waiting for them to clear our name is nothing short of a dream."
He stopped arguing with the Doves and turned to face the Clan Head.
"Clan Leader, what's your stance? Are we really just going to pack up and leave? You know what that means—if we abandon our land now, everyone will take it as an admission of guilt. Once that happens, there'll be no taking it back!"
Uchiha Fugaku didn't answer right away. His eyes shifted to another man—Uchiha Shisui, the clan's brightest prodigy and their strongest active shinobi.
"Shisui, you're in the Anbu. Tell us honestly—does the Hokage truly intend to pin the Nine-Tails' attack on us?"
Shisui stood, his tone calm but resolute.
"Everyone, the village suffered heavy losses in the Nine-Tails' attack. The Hokage's decision is for the sake of stability. I believe that if we cooperate and show our sincerity, he'll eventually clear our name."
"'Clear our name,' huh? Then are you saying all those rumors slandering us—the ones claiming we controlled the Nine-Tails—were spread by the Anbu?"
The speaker was none other than the clan's Great Elder, Uchiha Setsuna—a relic of a bygone era, older even than Konoha's Legendary Foursome. He had once followed Uchiha Madara himself, and though age had dimmed his sight, his presence still demanded respect.
"Elder Setsuna, I can assure you—this has nothing to do with the Anbu or the Hokage's will," Shisui replied quickly, almost nervously.
Setsuna's dim eyes glimmered coldly.
"If not the Anbu, then it must be Root. Hmph. Danzō Shimura—the Hokage's black glove. Everything Root does is an extension of Sarutobi Hiruzen's will."
"Elder…"
Before Shisui could finish defending his superior, Setsuna rose slowly to his feet.
"Fugaku, you're the clan head now. You need to prepare yourself. The days ahead won't be kind to the Uchiha. I'm old—lived long enough already. I could die tomorrow and feel no regret. But our children… they still have futures. Don't let them be buried under someone else's conspiracy. That is your duty as clan leader."
With that, Setsuna turned and left, his aged steps steady yet heavy with meaning.
Fugaku rose to see him off. Once the elder was gone, the meeting devolved into another shouting match. Hawks and Doves screamed at each other across the hall, neither side giving an inch.
The neutral members watched in silence. They knew the clan was taking a loss this time, but the damage wasn't yet catastrophic. So long as they didn't pick sides, the other factions could argue all they wanted—it wouldn't change the outcome.
In the end, the decision stood: the Uchiha would comply with the Hokage's order. The entire clan would relocate to the outskirts near Konoha's prison. The village would provide no funds for the move—every expense would be borne by the Uchiha themselves.
The clan swallowed its pride, but the fractures were already there—between the Uchiha and the Hokage's faction, and within the Uchiha themselves. Once a crack forms, mending it is no easy thing.
The next day, when the official relocation decree was issued, outrage swept through the clan. The merchant families were hit hardest; many clashed directly with the Konoha Police Force.
Normally, the police were the ones enforcing order. Now, they had to discipline their own relatives—sons restraining fathers, cousins arguing with cousins.
The internal strife deepened. When word reached Danzō Shimura, he reportedly laughed for a full two minutes before giving his order:
"Send a squad to monitor the Uchiha compound. If they drag their feet, remind them to hurry up."
"Yes, Lord Danzō."
Root operatives moved in, tightening surveillance around the Uchiha district. Tensions exploded again—this time between the clan's civilians and the police themselves. Fights broke out; arrests were made. Some Uchiha even ended up in prison—the irony was not lost on anyone.
For three straight days, the Uchiha compound was filled with shouting, resentment, and fear. Even the mildest, kindest souls were losing their patience.
Meanwhile, deep in the Forest of Death, Shisui was training with Itachi.
After missing another shot, Itachi lowered his kunai and sighed.
"What's wrong with you today, Itachi? You're completely off your game," Shisui said. "You're a full-fledged genin now—you'll soon be taking missions outside the village. If you're not sharp enough, it could cost you your life."
"Shisui… does the village really believe the Nine-Tails was released by our clan?"
"This… it's only a suspicion for now. But Itachi, you have to trust the Hokage. Everything he does is for the good of the village—for its stability and growth. We just have to give him time."
At that moment, Itachi remembered what Rokuro had once said about Shisui:
A spiritual dwarf.
Back then, Itachi couldn't have disagreed more. In his eyes, Shisui was the ideal Uchiha—gifted, powerful, pure-hearted. Even his father couldn't compare. Shisui wasn't just a mentor—he was a hero.
But now… that shining image felt dimmer somehow.
Still, despite the doubt creeping in, Itachi refused to side with Rokuro's cynicism.
"Maybe Shisui is a bit too idealistic," he thought, gripping his kunai tightly, "but what else can we do? We can't rebel. The Uchiha may be strong—but against the entire village? We're nothing."
He exhaled sharply.
"Hmph. Rokuro's just a loudmouth cynic. All talk and no action."