October 31. Height of the Konoha clans' meeting.
Root of the Problem. Part II.
Many saw the Kyuubi no Yoko's attack. "Shimamura Danzou ranted. "The Sharingan in its eyes too. Genin, Chunin, jonin, civilians. The Bijuu genjutsu control fact is out in the open for everyone. The death of the Yondaime Hokage with Uzumaki Kushina, especially. As well as the fact of Konoha's destruction.
"...And therefore!" Danzou said. "On the matter of trust in the Uchiha Clan. I propose we vote. Right here and now!" After which, the Root leader stood stately, swept the hall with his hand, and, setting an example for his people, raised his palm upward over his head.
Following him—after a few seconds—the hand of the jonin union representative rose. A little later—after long deliberations, as if reluctantly and through force—two hands. Inuzuka Kuromo and Ino Yamanaka—one after the other. And after them—what surprised the others—Hatake Kakashi. And no one else wanted to support the Shimura Clan patriarch and head of ANBU NE.
Danzou himself scorched the hall with his gaze, waiting for more hands raised against the Uchiha Clan. (Because the hawk faction—except Hatake—expected Nara's agreement for a strike at Konoha's founding clan, ... which would open all roads and elevate mon Sarutobi to the coveted Fire Shadow hat once more). Then, the old scout ... tried to continue his attack plan, but this time, ... the red-eyed Uchiha patriarch did not wait for the assembly procedure, the NE head, and especially did not stay silent at such a crucial moment. So, he slowly stood in opposition to the hawks, nodded likewise to his allies on his side now, and after Uzumaki Haero, Kurama Unkai, and especially Hyuga Hiashi rose—from which the entire assembly, realizing the opposition's power and the second center of strength, tensed up, quickly and strongly, for many reasons—Fugaku Uchiha spoke.
***
Thirty seconds earlier.
"Hiashi-sama," Ichiro addressed mentally, "urgent news. Orochimaru! ... It seems he's retreating somewhere. Slowly. His chakra has moved away from the assembly hall already by seven meters. And continues shifting toward the exit. Maybe escaping?" the iryonin suggested excitedly. "What do we do, clan head? Such a trump card is slipping away!
"Nothing! Let him go," Hiashi drawled thoughtfully. "Safety is far more important than kompromat. At the moment, definitely! You see, Ichiro-san! Four S+-rank shinobi, even all clan heads couldn't hold without heavy losses, ... Snake's departure plays into our hands. And so," the clan head shifted his train of thought, "as soon as he slips away, you start monitoring the assembly, and especially 'our' object, but unobtrusively only. Understood, Ichiro-san?
"Received, clan head, switching." Hyuga tensed his sensory perception and gave a count of the new forces. "Plus, one thing unclear, what about Hatake? He surprised me by siding with the ANBU NE head. As far as I heard, he's usually neutral.
"On the contrary, Ichiro-san. Kakashi's Sharingan, as I expected, ... is also on 'Their' side. But there's an important point! Hatake ... he's with Sarutobi, not Shimura! And that, as you understand, now means... yes, it means a lot." The patriarch finished explaining.
"Clear, Hiashi-sama." The iryonin digested the situation. "Sandaime kept Hatake as a trump in his sleeve, solely against Uchiha. Surprisingly," Ichiro noted, "today, the Uchiha are taking new blows calmly and accepting everything.
"Agreed. But Fugaku-dono, as you see yourself," Hiashi's 'voice' tensed (as did the entire white-eyed shinobi patriarch), "finally decided ... that the time for politics, with a general counterstrike at the old top, has come! Pull yourself together, Ichiro-san," Hiashi raised his voice, "our turn is coming any moment. Fugaku-dono gave the action signal! Operation 'Red Woodpecker'," the Hyuga Clan patriarch stately rose from his chair and stood level with his Uchiha colleague, on one side, "I initiate right now.
***
Operation "Red Woodpecker". Power of All Dojutsu.
Fugaku swept the hall with his gaze, waiting for allies, new raised hands against the Uchiha Clan, and decisions from neutral clans. Here, Kurama Unkai rose, after him Uzumaki Haero, and last Hyuga Hiashi, which raised the temperature of the clans' assembly and surprise, even in Sandaime Hokage's eyes.
(Tick tock... Tick tock—the wall clock continued working and changing the clans' assembly atmosphere with the sound of time's flow)...
Tension in the hall seemed to rise almost immediately; it could be touched by hand now. The hubbub of conversations quickly subsided because of it, then vanished entirely. A shaky balance reigned. It seemed to freeze briefly, awaiting action from either side. And as its continuation, and having waited for it, the Uchiha Clan patriarch chose the best moment (counterstrike in the ideal neutral timestop) and finally resolved to make his thrust at the old top and hawks.
Patriarch Fugaku's hand—with the Uchiha mon card—rose into the air for general view, under the clans' assembly eyes, shifted to the table's center. After which the son of Indra's blood solemnly announced to the entire hall.
"Veto Right! ... As Konoha's founder, ... the Uchiha Clan rejects Danzou Shimura's proposal, representative of the jonin union, and Kuromo Inuzuka along with Ino Yamanaka-dono. At the same time, the Uchiha Clan requests the floor to clarify the entire situation, for half an hour.
"Of course," Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke for the first time on the hawks' side, "Fugaku Uchiha-dono, your right is lawful, so the entire assembly listens to you attentively.
"Half an hour, per regulations," Shimura interjected darkly and addressed ANBU, "flip the table clock. Fugaku Uchiha-dono, 'Veto' time for clarifying the 'Trust in Uchiha Clan' issue ... has begun.
"And so." Ignoring Shimura's insolence, Fugaku engaged and began painting the Uchiha picture right away, ... stroke by stroke, point by point, palette with vivid colors. "First! Now that the Konohagakure no Sato clans' assembly has established the primary cause of the October 10th events. The Kyuubi attack no longer seems so unexpected! Because the clans' council should have known about the jinchuriki's birth! But in fact, did not! Second important point!" Fugaku continued. "The previous Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze—did not trust the jinchuriki's birth to Uzumaki master specialists! To be specific... the Kyuubi no Yoko containment ritual! Plus," the Uchiha patriarch's hand went to Haero Uzumaki, "as we now know much, the Fox containment ritual involved a unique super-strong 'Perfect Barrier'! This barrier, as Haero Uzumaki-dono explained to us, is impenetrable, and—what is especially important—impenetrable by anyone or anything, from either side! From inside as well as outside! Physically, with techniques, as well as jutsu, including spatial-temporal ones! And regardless ... of which! 'Perfect Barrier' is S+-rank fuinjutsu! And Konoha's leadership refused it, wanting to take everything into their own hands. With all the consequences.
"Third mistake of Namikaze Minato and ANBU," Fugaku continued, "lies in conducting the jinchuriki's birth near the village. Committing, shall we say—a hidden but controversial act, in many ways! And as a result," Fugaku's voice grew overcast, "Konoha's leadership did not consider the risk of Kyuubi's attack significant! Thereby exposing our village from inside, in the guard perimeter, under the sensor alert circle, and moreover, in the wolf hour.
"From such a number of blunders by the Yellow Flash with Konoha's Shadow, the assembly hall—expecting this Uchiha move—finally began nodding in agreement, supporting Fugaku.
"Moving to the fourth point." Uchiha drove nails into the Hokage's coffin lid. "Minato Namikaze-dono, as Yondaime, along with Danzou Shimura-dono, ... both knew about the upcoming events. At minimum," Uchiha's finger pointed at Haero, "the 'Uzumaki-Konoha' contract was in their hands, and the danger of the jinchuriki's birth was known to each of them.
"Yes, Hokage's orders must be executed. But as head of ANBU NE, Danzou Shimura-dono had veto right on mission matters, including S-rank. He could! But did not deem it necessary ... for Konoha's good ... to preempt the Kyuubi attack situation! And now, after committing so many monstrous blunders, ANBU NE with ANBU, out of habit and the quick way, try to hide mistakes, burying them in roots, shifting responsibility further to branches and village Leaves! But," Fugaku raised his voice, "unlike those structures, we ... Konoha clans live openly. In plain view of each other! And therefore, all Konoha ichizoku do not dump problems like ANBU—nameless and very convenient people—into dead ground. But solve problems, no matter how difficult—'THIS' solution might be!
"And now," Fugaku glanced back at the door, "moving to the fifth point. The very one that our intelligence head kindly voiced for us all—Danzou Shimura-dono—accusing the Konohagakure no Sato founding clan of applying Sharingan genjutsu on Kyuubi no Yoko! And the Uchiha leadership's attack on their own village! I will refute intelligence and ANBU theories—with facts and scientifically confirmed data!
"Allow me to present," Fugaku looked at his own and allies, "witnesses from the clans' side—Uchiha, Uzumaki, and Hyuga.
"First is Ryu Uchiha—A-rank jonin, powerhouse. Second—Takashi Uchiha—retired B-rank jonin, and currently watch guard.
"With them are Akane Uchiha—she's D-rank iryonin, and importantly, at the moment—Hyuga Ichiro—Tokubetsu Jonin A-rank and combat iryonin B+-rank, ophthalmologist—eye problems specialist, brain diseases, and dojutsu treatment! I ask you, Ryu-dono, Takashi-dono, Akane-san, and ... Hyuga Ichiro-dono.
"I, Fugaku Uchiha," he nodded to the iryonin, "Uchiha Clan head, give the floor to you as witness for explanations of the entire situation.
***
Operation "Red Woodpecker". Power of All Dojutsu. Part 2.
Stepping to the assembly center, closer to the table, I greeted everyone, nodded separately to the Uchiha patriarch, and with a glance invited Ryu, Takashi, Akane, then, allotting myself ten minutes on the clock, finally took the floor before the clans' assembly and thereby began Operation "Red Woodpecker".
"Esteemed assembly. On October 10th, as you know, there were many casualties and victims from the Kyuubi attack. That night and the following days, iryonin," here my gaze fell on my sensei, "to the best of their abilities, got many village residents back on their feet. That night, as Konohagakure no Sato Central Hospital, headed by Hiroshi Akihiro-dono, as well as other medical facilities (due to the situation), opened their doors free of charge to all the injured! Understandably," I had to quickly correct myself, "first and foremost and for obvious reasons, priority-wise, we healed Konoha shinobi. Then the rest. To give protection to our village. And we did this with pride!
"And as a result," I continued, "this step in turn yielded positive and, at the same time, unique results! Namely...
"Ryu-dono, Takashi-dono," I addressed the patients, "and Akane-san, please confirm my testimony under protocol." (All three Uchiha bowed.) "Also," I swept the hall with my hand, "I ask the clans' assembly to activate truth-determination techniques, in any convenient way for you.
"After Aburame's kikaichu, Yamanaka Yin-threads, and Hatake dojutsu 'bound' me, covering hands, heart, and forehead, and Sharingan began monitoring muscle movement, breathing, and pupil behavior, I calmly continued and began the 'Confession'.
"I, Hyuga Ichiro, as tokubetsu jonin, combat iryonin B+-rank, and ophthalmologist with ten years' experience, on October 10th, ... I performed surgery transplanting Sharingan dojutsu! From donor eye Ryu Uchiha-dono to his friend—recipient—Takashi-dono, under Akane-san's supervision as safety witness and experienced iryonin.
"Hatake-dono, Yamanaka-dono, and Aburame-dono, please confirm to the assembly that I lied nowhere, and if so, comment where I erred, please.
"At the point: 'iryonin B+-rank' and 'ten years' experience'," Aburame said monotonically, "you definitely understated your skills, but," the bug handler nodded in agreement, "you told the truth, Ichiro-dono, one hundred percent.
"In my view and experience," Yamanaka confirmed, "Ichiro-dono is A-rank iryonin with far more experience. Otherwise, he is absolutely sincere—no half-truths or double meanings.
"Hatake simply nodded and croaked, like a raven, "Continue, iryonin-san, we're listening attentively.
"Good, Kakashi-dono, then I'll reveal the details.
"In this surgery," when Ryu-dono's 'live' Sharingan was transplanted to Takashi-dono, the eye donor—Ryu—unconsciously activated the dojutsu, and as a result, ... a previously unknown Sharingan technique was discovered! Yes, you didn't mishear!
"I, as iryonin with Byakugan, experienced ophthalmologist, and especially Hyuga with Yin-Yang chakra heritage, as treating physician, recognized with Byakugan the newly discovered effect called 'Common Field of Vision'.
"From such News delivery—Sarutobi, Danzou, ANBU commander, and the entire assembly perked up. And now began listening much more attentively.
"No wonder," I thought, "not every day the clans' assembly is gifted freebies—kekkei genkai secrets, dojutsu, and the tastiest delicacies.
"And so." I continued. "'Common Field of Vision' effect—its essence is as follows! Two Sharingan bearers can see through each other's eyes, at a distance and in different places. Independently of each other! Moreover," I noted, raising my hand, "there's a very important point here—the Sharingan eye donor must be alive and have dojutsu power from three tomoe and ... higher—for stable effect operation!
"Yes-yes, you didn't mishear, esteemed ones! I'm speaking precisely of Mangekyo Sharingan! Which was hidden from the eyes of all Konoha! Mangekyo Sharingan—Kakashi Hatake!
"What nonsense!" The Copy Ninja immediately objected. "My Sharingan is Three Tomoe! Not a drop—nothing more!
"Thus," I summed up the first point and nodded at the "Red Woodpecker" object, "Konoha's defense had a strong breach through which the village's enemy attacked that fateful night that doomed many people! Yes, you understood correctly again—the Enemy released and subjugated Kyuubi no Yoko! With his Mangekyo Sharingan!
"The Enemy considered a victim ... " Fugaku seized the conversation thread and yanked the facts, "Yondaime Hokage's team member, per ANBU info, a corpse ... " the Uchiha patriarch disdainfully glanced at the hawks, "Mangekyo Sharingan eye donor—Kakashi Hatake!
"Blind man with foreign Sharingan! Per ANBU patterns, accusing their benefactor dojutsu—the entire Uchiha Clan!
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