"Shisui, I'm sure you've heard some of the rumors circulating in the village about the Uchiha clan lately," said the Third Hokage in his calm, grandfatherly tone.
"I've already dispatched people to trace their source. I will never allow anyone to deliberately slander the Uchiha."
Shisui smiled, his expression bright and relieved.
"That's wonderful news. Thank you, Lord Third, for your concern. The clan has been furious about these rumors."
"I understand," Hiruzen replied gravely. "The village also knows that the Uchiha have been wronged in this matter.
But I hope you can also understand—these rumors likely stem from the grief of those who lost loved ones the night the Nine-Tails rampaged.
"After all, that night the Police Force was never seen. In their sorrow, many of the victims' families turned their hatred toward the Uchiha.
The village is doing what it can to comfort them. But for certain reasons, we cannot publicly explain why the Police Force was ordered not to mobilize.
So I ask for your understanding, Shisui."
Shisui straightened, his tone serious. "I understand, Lord Third. It's because of the Sharingan marks in the Nine-Tails' eyes that night, isn't it?"
Hiruzen nodded, his face solemn. "Exactly. That's why the village made the decision it did. I hope you don't resent us for it."
"I understand completely," Shisui said. "But many of my clansmen don't know the truth. Their anger toward the village runs deep."
The Third Hokage sighed softly. "Shisui, your grandfather Kagami was a man whose heart extended far beyond the clan. He embraced the Will of Fire and devoted himself to binding the Uchiha and the village together.
I hope you, too, can serve as that bridge—between the Uchiha and Konoha."
Shisui's eyes shone with resolve. "Rest assured, Lord Third. I'll make sure our clan and the village come to understand one another."
—So it begins. The brainwashing.
Hearing fragments of the conversation from a distance, Uchiha Yuan couldn't help but smirk coldly.
To anyone meeting Sarutobi Hiruzen for the first time, he appeared every bit the gentle, wise elder—kind, approachable, and full of warmth.
But Yuan knew better. That was merely one of Hiruzen's faces.
The greatest hypocrites always wear the kindest smiles.
Of course, perhaps this side of Hiruzen was genuine—but only toward those who posed no threat to his power.
Shimura Danzō, the so-called "Darkness of the Shinobi World," stood just beneath the Hokage, feared by every clan in Konoha.
In Danzō's mind, he and Hiruzen were partners—Hiruzen basked in the light, while he worked in the shadows as the village's unseen protector.
But to Yuan, Danzō was nothing more than Hiruzen's black glove—or, to put it bluntly, his chamber pot.
When the village needed to suppress a clan, Hiruzen sent Danzō to do the dirty work.
And when the deed was done, the Hokage would neatly retract Root's authority—washing his hands of it.
This was not mere conjecture. It was knowledge Yuan brought from his past life.
In the world he remembered, every time Danzō wanted to act, he first went to the Hokage's office. And when Hiruzen refused, Danzō could only mutter, "You'll regret this, Hiruzen," powerless to disobey.
That alone proved one thing: every move Danzō made had the Hokage's tacit approval.
This world was real—not the shōnen idealism of an anime, but the dark, grinding reality behind it.
The passionate tales of friendship and dreams were Naruto Uzumaki's story alone.
The shadows, conspiracies, and cold-blooded politics behind the scenes—that was the true heart of this world.
In his previous life, Yuan had always felt a lingering sense of injustice over the Uchiha clan's annihilation.
Within the clan were figures like Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Itachi—two prodigies whose fates burned like twin comets.
Outside the clan were the village elders—those who schemed, suppressed, and sowed distrust.
Then there was Uchiha Madara and the manipulative Black Zetsu, who stirred everything from the shadows.
Of all the forces that drove the Uchiha toward destruction, the hostility and suppression from Konoha's leadership were the sparks that lit the fuse.
Yuan harbored no trust toward the village elders.
To him, both Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō were the same—men who would do anything to preserve their power.
In the past, Yuan's understanding had come only from watching the anime. But after witnessing Hatake Sakumo's death firsthand, his doubts became certainty. From then on, his gaze toward Konoha's upper ranks had turned cold.
Hatake Sakumo—the famed "White Fang of Konoha"—had been one of the strongest ninja of his era, a hero whose name inspired fear across the entire shinobi world.
His prestige within Konoha was immense. During the Second Great Ninja War, he had crushed the advances of several major villages, leaving scars they would never forget.
And yet, after that war, discontent toward the Third Hokage began to grow. More and more voices called for Hiruzen to step down—and the one most often named as his successor was Hatake Sakumo.
Then came that infamous mission—an S-rank operation gone wrong, when Sakumo chose to save his comrades rather than complete the objective.
Yuan remembered vividly the uproar that followed: the accusations, the vilification, the sudden tidal wave of hatred that swept through the village.
The entire village spat on the name of its own hero.
But Yuan could smell the stench of conspiracy.
First of all—S-rank missions were classified. How could details of such a mission leak to ordinary villagers?
Ninja missions were never made public, not even the most mundane ones. Yet somehow, this one became common gossip overnight.
Second—the backlash had erupted almost simultaneously across the village, as if orchestrated.
The narrative had been set before anyone could think: Hatake Sakumo had disgraced Konoha and harmed its interests.
Just like now, with the sudden flood of rumors against the Uchiha, spreading through the village overnight.
It was obvious—someone was pulling the strings.
Throughout the entire White Fang incident, Hiruzen and the other elders had remained silent. They had simply watched as one of the village's greatest heroes was destroyed by public opinion.
And now, the Uchiha found themselves walking the same path.
From the days of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, the Uchiha's power had been both feared and resented.
As the Senju declined, the Uchiha's growing strength began to threaten the Hokage faction's control over Konoha.
And so the suppression began—covertly and overtly. The Uchiha were gradually forced out of the village's political core, confined to the outskirts, stripped of influence.
Naturally, the proud clan refused to accept such humiliation. Their resentment deepened, as did the village's fear of them.
The conflict spiraled.
As someone born in a modern world—a world that had studied the cycles of power and politics—Uchiha Yuan understood that this struggle between the Uchiha and the Konoha leadership, between the clan and Hiruzen's regime, was inevitable.
It was a battle over power.
One side sought to protect what they had.
The other sought to reclaim what they had lost.
Neither would yield.
Which meant—the Night of the Massacre was destined to come.
The only question was: how would it end this time?
Because this time—Uchiha Yuan was here.
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