The sudden appearance of Kotoamatsukami sent shockwaves through the entire Konoha camp.
But thanks to Fugaku's swift diplomacy, and his immediate public announcement of the technique's major flaw, that it could only be used once every ten plus years, the Uchiha Clan's situation finally eased a little.
And once Shisui woke up, he sought out Garp before dawn and offered a sincere apology in front of Orochimaru and the others.
With Garp nodding in acceptance, showing he wouldn't hold a grudge against the Uchiha, and with Tsunade and the Ino–Shika–Cho trio returning with critical intel about Kirigakure, the Kotoamatsukami incident was finally suppressed, for now.
However… Fugaku, Orochimaru, and the Ino–Shika–Cho trio all understood perfectly well that this was only temporary.
Once news of Kotoamatsukami reached Konoha, and once the Uchiha returned home after the war, a much bigger storm, personally anticipated by the Konoha council, was waiting for them.
But right now, Fugaku had no mental space to worry about that.
As long as Garp didn't mind Shisui's attack against him, then compared to the threat posed by a Mangekyo Sharingan genjutsu like Kotoamatsukami, the council's little intimidation and exclusion were nothing at all.
The Uchiha were already used to the Konoha council's special "attention," so if more was coming, then so be it. They could handle it.
…
"Tsunade, is this true?"
"Kirigakure really has a way to control the Three-Tails?"
"If that's the case, no wonder the Mist, who had been so quiet before, suddenly started acting aggressively."
Inside the command tent, Orochimaru, Kushina, Fugaku, and an eye bandaged Shisui were all gathered.
Not long ago, Tsunade, Shikaku, Choza, and Inoichi had returned with shocking intel.
Kirigakure had mastered a method for controlling the Three-Tails.
"It's true."
Tsunade nodded under everyone's questioning.
"We saw it with our own eyes, Isobu was being controlled."
Shikaku's expression was heavy.
"And not just that. The real problem is… we also saw the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist."
As soon as Inoichi finished speaking, the atmosphere in the tent dropped sharply.
For years, the reason Kirigakure had not been feared like the other great villages, aside from constant civil unrest, was its inability to control the Three-Tails.
Without effective control over a tailed beast, a village lost its nuclear deterrent.
By comparison, Konoha, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure all had Jinchuriki.
Even Sunagakure, despite being the weakest of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, once had a nearly perfect One-Tail Jinchuriki.
Kirigakure alone lagged behind.
Ever since Garp threw him into the Land of Water, the First Mizukage had died, and although the Mist held two tailed beasts, they had never successfully produced a Jinchuriki who could control them.
Because of that, Kirigakure's threat level had dropped more than one tier among the Five Great Villages.
"First the Three-Tails, now the Seven Ninja Swordsmen… looks like Kirigakure is truly prepared this time."
A shadow flickered across Orochimaru's snake-like eyes.
Each member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen was at least elite Jonin level, some even approaching pseudo-Kage or Kage level.
Together, empowered by their seven great blades, they were far more dangerous than any single fighter.
"If you trust the Uchiha, Shisui and I can work together and try to control the Three-Tails. But if we do that, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen will have to be handled by the rest of you."
At the moment when the tension felt close to suffocating, Fugaku suddenly stepped forward.
"Control the Three-Tails!"
Civilian ninja might not react as strongly, but for Orochimaru, trained by the Third Hokage, and for the Ino–Shika–Cho clans, Fugaku's words instantly tightened every nerve in their bodies.
It was no secret that a Mangekyo Sharingan could control tailed beasts.
Back then, Madara had used the power of his eyes to dominate the Nine-Tails and drive it into battle against Hashirama at the Valley of the End.
Fugaku and Shisui's Mangekyo power might not match Madara's, but the Three-Tails was also far weaker than the Nine-Tails. Together, the two truly could control it.
But if that happened, wouldn't the Uchiha effectively gain another tailed beast?
The Kotoamatsukami issue hadn't even settled yet, and now a Three-Tails problem was about to emerge.
Forget the Konoha council, the rest of them would also have to reconsider their positions.
After all, in Konoha, ninety-nine percent of clans were at odds with the Uchiha.
The remaining one percent were either faded former powerhouses or clans who simply avoided the Uchiha entirely.
As Orochimaru and the Ino–Shika–Cho group wrestled with the potential consequences of Fugaku's proposal, Garp, who had been sitting calmly in the central seat, suddenly stood up and headed straight for the tent entrance.
"Lord Garp, where are you going?"
Even while thinking about Fugaku's offer, everyone was still keeping their attention on Garp. His slightest movement pulled every gaze toward him.
"You all take your time. No rush.
I'm going to visit a little turtle I raised long ago. I want to see how he's been living all these years without me."
Garp waved his hand casually, then walked out of the tent without looking back.