"This is more than just a plague."
Hiruzen said gravely. "The treatment reports from Inoichi and Shizune are in. The afflicted Ninjas have a foreign type of Chakra acting within their bodies. Judging especially from the brain's reaction, they should be trapped in some kind of Genjutsu dream."
"Furthermore, the Sharingan in the patients' eyes are real. If nothing unexpected happens, there's over a ninety percent probability they were controlled by a Sharingan Genjutsu through some means."
"The only thing that cannot be explained right now is why the patients' bodies are undergoing a wooden transformation, and whether the Uchiha Clan actually possesses the ability to pull nearly a thousand people into a Genjutsu overnight without anyone noticing."
The more Hiruzen spoke, the darker his expression became. His attitude towards the Uchiha was not as wary or guarded as Homura's or Koharu's, but this incident shattered his last illusions about the Uchiha Clan.
"In any case…"
"We must control the situation first. We cannot allow the village's condition to deteriorate further."
A rather severe expression appeared on Koharu's face. Unlike the relatively conciliatory Third Hokage, she was already considering taking drastic action against the Uchiha Clan.
Special matters require special handling.
Soon, the will of Konoha's highest leadership was implemented.
Administratively, the Uchiha Clan was temporarily relieved of their duties in the Police Force. All Uchiha Clan's Ninjas were ordered to return to the Uchiha Clan's compound and undergo rigorous scrutiny by Konoha's authorities.
To ensure this could be enforced, corresponding martial force was indispensable. Led by Minato and Jiraiya, Konoha's Anbu and a large number of Jonin spontaneously formed inspection teams and began stationing themselves within the Uchiha Clan's compound.
This time,
Even the usually good-tempered and gentle Minato was visibly provoked. His expression was one of extreme fury. The moment he entered the Uchiha Clan's compound, he headed straight for the Uchiha Clan's head, Fugaku.
The two had a very heated argument in front of everyone. Their voices were so loud and their tones so intense that even many Anbu's members monitoring outside the compound could hear it clearly.
This was perfectly normal. As a top candidate for the Fourth Hokage, who didn't know of Minato's love for Konoha?
With such a serious incident occurring, the likely perpetrator was, in Minato's eyes, naturally heinous.
If it weren't for the lack of conclusive evidence proving Fugaku was responsible, Minato would likely have already taken action to settle things with this 'mastermind' once and for all.
Some things…
The more you investigate, the more frightening they become.
Under the high-pressure pressure from Konoha's leadership, even Fugaku couldn't withstand it and admitted the fact that he had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan. And, as luck would have it, his Mangekyo's Dojutsu happened to be Genjutsu-based!!!
Another point confirmed.
By this time, the anger on Minato's face could almost solidify into something tangible.
"Uchiha Fugaku, have you gone mad? Do you want to destroy this village? Does the so-called Will of Fire mean nothing to you in your heart?"
"Genjutsu, the Sharingan…"
"Do you know how many innocent people are trapped in the Genjutsu World you constructed this time? Two thousand people, it's almost two thousand people now!"
"You must be insane, insane!!!"
Minato's roars seemed to carry for miles, shaking the entire Konoha village. If it weren't for the other Jonin present restraining the enraged Minato, he might have been unable to stop himself from executing the prime suspect, Fugaku, on the spot.
Fugaku, on the other hand, maintained an eerily silence. His eyes held both helplessness towards Minato and a trace of fear of the unknown.
In fact,
No one desired to know the truth more than Fugaku. Even he didn't possess such a Genjutsu Ability capable of plunging the entire Konoha into crisis, so it was even more impossible for anyone else within the Uchiha Clan to have it.
'Then…'
'Was it Uchiha Madara?'
'Was all this the work of that hidden Uchiha Madara, stirring up trouble?'
Fugaku didn't know. But one thing he was clear about: If the truth of this matter wasn't uncovered this time, both he and the Uchiha Clan would be in deep trouble!!!
…
In one day, two thousand people were affected. The entire Konoha was plunged into an atmosphere of panic.
Now,
No one cared about the Great Ninja War anymore. Everyone was fearing for their own safety, afraid that they would be the next one to fall under the Sharingan Genjutsu and turn into a piece of rotting wood lying there.
House doors were shut tight. Even during the day, few people could be seen on the streets. The once bustling Konoha Village instantly fell into a state of significant desolation.
Correspondingly, the number of Ninjas within Konoha Village reached a terrifyingly high level.
Countless eyes were fixed on the Uchiha Clan, awaiting the final verdict.
However,
Despite investing massive research resources, Konoha could not find the source of that foreign Chakra.
Even Fugaku voluntarily provided his own blood and spinal fluid for research, but they still couldn't achieve the expected match; the results were far from it.
Three days passed with no progress.
There was no evidence directly linking the Uchiha Clan to the incident, yet the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in the eyes of every severely afflicted person proved that the Uchiha Clan was fundamentally involved.
The situation entered an awkward stalemate. After all, this was the Uchiha Clan. Without conclusive evidence, even Konoha's leadership dared not act lightly.
Let's not forget,
Fugaku was the Ninja who had repelled the Fourth Mizukage. If the Uchiha Clan were truly pushed to the brink and a conflict erupted within Konoha, just the activation of the Susanoo would likely destroy a large portion of the village.
"Minato, you must be careful, doubly careful in this investigation. Uchiha Fugaku is the one who repelled that monster Mizukage. If he truly harbors malicious intent, you will be in great danger."
Kushina, who had rushed back from afar upon hearing the news, immediately sought out Minato, who was investigating in the Uchiha Clan's compound.
"Compared to the village's safety, my personal safety is insignificant. If it can resolve this incident, even sacrificing my life would be worth it."
"Whoever wants to harm the village will have to step over my corpse first!"
A gentle yet determined smile appeared on Minato's face, and he performed with his usual stirring and impassioned demeanor as always.