Staring at Yusuke's calm, cloud-light smile, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a faint unease crawl up his spine.
"Blazing Demon" Yusuke had become the new Clan Head.
That meant the Uchiha's future was now filled with variables.
He was unwilling—
But he could only accept the reality.
The Third Shinobi War had only just ended, and Konoha had barely survived the Nine-Tails incident. Kumogakure watched like a tiger stalking prey, and the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, was no less ambitious.
At a time like this, Konoha could not afford to fall out with the Uchiha.
Hiruzen took a long drag from his pipe, then began to pour the Will of Fire into Yusuke with practiced ease.
"Where the leaves dance… the fire will burn on."
"The newborn buds will one day illuminate the village."
Yusuke said nothing.
That brand of "righteous faith" had poisoned generations of Konoha. If it came to pure rhetoric, he wasn't about to win against the Third Hokage.
Yusuke believed in one thing—
Power.
As long as the Uchiha grew strong enough, Hiruzen would not dare move recklessly.
Once Hiruzen softened his stance, the two furious advisors immediately fell silent.
Those old crows had always been bullies who relied on status.
If the Hokage was willing to accept it, they had no grounds to continue.
Unable to target Yusuke, they turned their resentment on Fugaku instead.
"So this is the famed 'Wicked Eye' Fugaku—losing to a young upstart."
"You truly are getting worse with age."
Fugaku's brows twitched, but his voice remained even.
"Advisor-dono is correct. I've clearly become useless."
"Why don't you step up and teach an Uchiha youngster a lesson in my place?"
The two advisors choked on their words.
In their youth, they had skill.
Now?
They were shadows of what they once were.
To challenge "Blazing Demon" Yusuke would be nothing but suicide.
Hiruzen's face darkened as he reprimanded them.
"We are all comrades of Konoha."
"Peace above all."
"This constant talk of fighting and killing—what kind of example is that?"
Fugaku immediately seized the opening and nodded along.
"Hokage-sama is right."
"We shouldn't do things that harm harmony."
The two advisors felt as if they'd swallowed a fly, yet they had no way to press further.
Yusuke turned back toward the gathered clansmen in the dueling grounds.
"The rise of the clan cannot rely on me alone."
"I need all of you."
"Are you willing—for me, and for the honor of the clan—to go through fire and water?"
The response was unanimous.
"We are willing to die for the Clan Head! Willing to die for the clan!"
"We are willing to die for the Clan Head! Willing to die for the clan!"
Watching the scene of complete unity before him, Hiruzen maintained a gentle smile—
But deep inside, he felt a heavy, instinctive dread.
"Blazing Demon" Yusuke… such a forceful style.
From this day forward, the Uchiha would no longer be as easy to deal with as before.
With everything already decided, Hiruzen didn't want to force the relationship into open hostility.
He offered Yusuke a few words of superficial comfort, then left in silence with the two advisors.
The moment they stepped off Uchiha ground, the advisors began complaining bitterly.
"Hiruzen, you're far too indulgent with the Uchiha!"
"At this rate, they'll break free of control sooner or later."
"You really should listen to Danzo more."
Hiruzen's expression turned grim.
"I'll find an opportunity to put the Uchiha in their place."
…
Hokage's Office.
Danzo sat in the Hokage's seat, facing the direction of the Uchiha district as he stared into the distance in thought.
"Hiruzen went to the Uchiha grounds…"
"If he clashes with them… does that give me a chance to become Hokage?"
A Root member suddenly leapt in through the window and knelt.
"Danzo-sama. 'Blazing Demon' Yusuke has become the Uchiha's new Clan Head."
"The Hokage and the two advisors have accepted it."
Anger flashed across Danzo's eyes.
"They let a junior succeed?"
"Useless—every last one of them!"
He stared toward the Uchiha district, eyes filled with both fear and killing intent.
"Defeating Fugaku and taking the Clan Head's seat… has Yusuke already grown to this extent?"
"Fine."
"Then I'll propose it."
"Exterminate the Uchiha. Eliminate future trouble at its root."
"When you tear each other apart…"
"The Hokage's seat will be mine."
…
After Hiruzen and the others left, Yusuke's lips curled into a cold, mocking smile.
"They acknowledged my position as the Uchiha Clan Head…"
"But avoided mentioning who will serve as Captain of the Konoha Military Police Force."
"Trying to drive a wedge between me and Fugaku?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked dignified and righteous on the surface.
But behind that mask was a man skilled in dirty politics.
The Third Hokage's greatest "talent" was having someone like Danzo serve as his black glove.
Danzo caused trouble repeatedly, and Hiruzen tolerated it—
Was it really out of nostalgia?
If it were truly nostalgia, then why did he later allow the extermination of the entire Uchiha clan?
Danzo was an old friend.
Was Uchiha Kagami not?
Hiruzen tolerated Danzo for one reason:
Danzo was useful.
A man like that was impossible to replace.
Yusuke took a slow breath.
"It's time to talk to Fugaku."
If he was going to unify the Uchiha, he couldn't neglect the dove faction's mindset.
Otherwise, while he charged forward on the front lines, the doves might quietly drift toward Konoha—
And that would be disastrous.
Yusuke swore to the heavens—
The clan would never produce another "filial son" like Uchiha Itachi.
Then he thought of the masked man lurking in the shadows, and his head began to throb.
Uchiha Obito, inheritor of Madara's will…
Would not be easy to deal with.
And beyond him—
There was still Black Zetsu, stirring chaos from the darkness.
Changing the Uchiha's fate would be a long, difficult road.
He could only take it—
One step at a time.
Want More? Get up to +60 Extra Chapters on Patreon!
➤ https://www.patreon.com/aureliusstudios
➤ +300 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter Drop!
Thanks for the support!