"I thought that boy was just another impulsive brat from the clan…"
"Seems I underestimated him."
Back in the Hokage's Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat behind his desk, pipe in hand, the smoke curling slowly toward the ceiling.
It took him a long time to calm the turmoil in his chest.
He had dealt with Uchiha Fugaku countless times before always with careful diplomacy, always maintaining control.
But today, for the first time, he had been outmaneuvered… and by a boy young enough to be his grandson.
"Hiruzen!"
A cold, sharp voice cut through the room.
The door swung open, and a dark presence entered.
The air seemed to chill instantly, the light dimming as if the room itself recoiled.
It was Shimura Danzō the shadow that followed Konoha's light, leader of Root, and embodiment of the village's hidden darkness.
"Hiruzen," he said, his voice low and accusatory, "I've heard Uchiha has replaced its patriarch. What's going on?"
Before Hiruzen could respond, Koharu Utatane stepped forward and briefly summarized the incident the duel, Chiya's victory, and the clan's unanimous acceptance of the new leader.
When she finished, Danzō's eyes narrowed.
"So you knew it was happening," he said icily, "and yet you didn't act? You waited until after the result before even sending word?"
"Hmph. This" he jabbed a finger toward Hiruzen " this is the cost of your indecision, Hiruzen!"
Hiruzen's expression darkened.
He had no rebuttal.
In truth, he hadn't expected any outcome like this. The idea that a lower-ranked Uchiha could defeat Fugaku one of the most skilled Sharingan users alive was nearly impossible.
Even now, it defied reason.
"I don't like it," Danzō muttered. "This isn't a coincidence. Something about that boy feels wrong."
He stepped closer, his voice dropping.
"The Uchiha have always been dangerous—prone to rebellion, driven by emotion. Perhaps this Chiya is simply their next move."
He slammed his cane against the floor.
"Hiruzen, stop hesitating! Act now while you still can. Place the Uchiha under full surveillance, or better yet, crush them before they move against the village."
"Enough, Danzō."
Hiruzen's voice was firm, his eyes calm but resolute.
"The Uchiha are still part of Konoha. As long as they remain within the village walls, we cannot treat them as enemies. The Will of Fire teaches us that every shinobi no matter their clan carries the same flame."
Danzō scoffed. "Your sentimentality will destroy this village one day."
But behind Hiruzen's idealism lay another truth one he could not speak aloud.
He knew that if he moved against the Uchiha without clear proof, the other great clans the Hyūga, the Nara, the Akimichi, the Aburame would see it as tyranny.
Today it was the Uchiha. Tomorrow, who would be next?
The fragile unity of the Leaf would shatter instantly.
And besides… there was still Itachi Uchiha.
The Hokage's eyes drifted to the window, where the ANBU insignia glimmered faintly in the sunlight.
If anyone could understand both sides… it was that boy.
The Uchiha Clan remained one of Konoha's core military powers.
If they were to suddenly vanish, the village's balance of strength would collapse.
The other Great Nations the Hidden Cloud, Hidden Stone, and Hidden Mist would not sit idly by.
Konoha's weakened state would invite invasion.
In the worst case, it could even spark another Great Ninja War.
That was why Sarutobi Hiruzen could not take reckless action.
"Your hesitation will doom the village, Hiruzen!"
Danzō Shimura's voice was cold, each word laced with accusation.
"Don't forget!" Hiruzen's tone hardened, his authority filling the room. "I am the Hokage."
"You!"
Danzō's jaw tightened until it trembled with fury.
That line again.
Every time they argued, Hiruzen would use the same phrase to end the discussion reminding him who sat in the chair Danzō had coveted for thirty years.
The sting of that old wound only deepened his resentment.
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen," he spat, turning sharply toward the door.
Without another glance, he vanished into the shadows of the corridor.
When Danzō's presence faded, silence returned.
Hiruzen turned toward the window, gazing at the stars scattered above the Hokage Monument.
For a long time, he said nothing.
Finally, he murmured, almost to himself, "Perhaps… a change in leadership within the Uchiha isn't entirely bad."
A younger patriarch might be easier to influence someone less hardened, more impressionable.
"Yes," he whispered. "If I can guide him… instill in him the Will of Fire like I did with Shisui then maybe…"
In truth, Hiruzen had never wanted to destroy the Uchiha.
He knew their strength was indispensable.
Their mastery of the Sharingan, their discipline, their loyalty as Konoha shinobi all of it had helped the village maintain its status as the most powerful of the Five Great Nations.
To him, control, not eradication, was the best solution.
If he could earn the loyalty of the new patriarch, the Uchiha would remain contained within the village's system neither rebel nor enemy.
That was the balance he sought.
…
Meanwhile, within the Uchiha compound, Chiya returned home from the celebration, heart still pounding from the night's events.
The cheers of his clansmen echoed faintly outside as he sat down and activated the mysterious system that had guided him so far.
[Ding! The host has successfully become the Patriarch of the Uchiha Clan!]
[Congratulations! Mission complete!]
[Rewards have been sent to the system inventory. The host may claim them at any time.]
"Claim reward!" Chiya ordered without hesitation.
At once, a surge of power erupted through his body.
He felt a burning sensation behind his eyes hot, sharp, alive.
The heat built rapidly, spreading through his temples and mind.
Then, just as suddenly, it faded.
When he opened his eyes again, his reflection gleamed crimson.
Three black tomoe rotated smoothly in each iris.
The Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
His perception of the world shifted instantly.
Every detail sharpened the flicker of candlelight, the ripple of air, even the faint hum of chakra around him.
Objects in motion appeared slower, as though time itself had been reduced to half speed.
And deeper still, his mind felt clearer than ever before.
The awakening of the three-tomoe had exponentially amplified his spiritual energy.
Since chakra was born from both physical and spiritual force, this surge of mental power triggered a matching rise in chakra reserves.
But it didn't stop there.
Within moments, Chiya felt another wave surging through his network raw chakra erupting like a storm within his body.
It was as if every cell in his being was awakening, responding to the newfound power of his eyes.
---