Yuhara's plan wasn't just ruthless—it was straight-up psychological warfare.
Even these six battle-hardened clan heads felt their blood pressure spike after hearing it.
While Yuhara didn't have direct proof, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't disprove it either. And worst of all? From an outsider's point of view, it all made perfect sense.
If Kakashi heard this… what would happen?
Kakashi and the Fourth Hokage were incredibly close. Minato's charisma spoke for itself.
And while the general public might not know what kind of life Naruto lived, these clan heads—who ran departments and led teams—absolutely knew.
Truth be told, Kakashi probably knew it too. So, when that information was combined with Yuhara's claims, the chances of flipping Kakashi skyrocketed.
If Kakashi truly joined them and brought out the so-called evidence Orochimaru mentioned, Hiruzen would have no way to recover.
At that moment, all six men felt a surge of hope—real, tangible hope.
Yuhara's plan wasn't perfect yet, but it was complete enough to give them confidence.
"So, they all agreed?"
Inside the Uchiha shrine, Shisui, Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Sō, and Uchiha Takechi stared at Yuhara.
Shisui looked calm—nothing Yuhara did could surprise him anymore.
But he was still turning over Fugaku's words in his mind—could the Fourth Hokage really have been assassinated by the Third?
While Shisui pondered, Fugaku and the others couldn't contain their emotions.
They didn't expect things to move this fast. Nor did they expect Yuhara to secure the support of every clan without breaking a sweat.
With all these clans united and all the evidence coming together, Hiruzen was truly cornered.
"Yes, they all agreed," Yuhara said, smiling. He sipped his tea before continuing.
"But we've got our work cut out for us. Impeaching a Hokage isn't easy—there's a lot we still need to prepare."
Kicking out a Hokage was no joke. First, Yuhara had to finalize the evidence chain. Only he had access to most of it, and only he could get close enough to Naruto to bait Kakashi.
Plus, he was the only one who'd interacted with both Kakashi and Orochimaru.
Of course, Yuhara wouldn't be doing everything alone. They were all in this together—no one was getting off easy.
So everyone got their assignments. For example, Nara Shikaku would handle coordination with the Daimyō.
The Fire Daimyō might be mostly useless, but his approval was still legally required.
Since their impeachment strategy hinged on legal grounds, they couldn't skip that step.
Shikaku was familiar with the Daimyō, so the job went to him.
Yuhara didn't expect much resistance anyway. The Daimyō wasn't exactly known for standing up to ninja.
Back during the Fourth Hokage's appointment, Danzo and Hiruzen had basically forced the Daimyō's hand.
Sure, Hiruzen was more "restrained" than Danzo, but his proposal had been equally forceful—there was no room for refusal.
So now, if Shikaku came asking to impeach the Hokage, the Daimyō likely wouldn't say no.
Aside from appointing a new Hokage, monitoring the village was also critical—especially keeping tabs on Hiruzen and his loyalists.
If the Third chose to resist—or if his faction decided to fight back—they needed to be ready.
Koharu and Homura's clans, for example, were deeply tied to Hiruzen. Their rise was built on his leadership. Losing him meant losing everything.
So the Hyuga, Aburame, and Inuzuka were tasked with monitoring and investigating those loyalist forces.
They needed to assess exactly how many people still stood with Hiruzen and be ready to counter them if necessary.
As for the Yamanaka and Akimichi clans, they'd provide general support—but their main role was helping Yuhara smuggle weapons and supplies.
Everyone knew about this part now. Yuhara had disclosed it himself—there was no need to hide it.
Both he and Shikaku understood that binding everyone together required mutual benefit. Profit sharing would seal the deal.
"After this next shipment is done," Yuhara said, "elders, go talk with the others and bring them into the trade. Then divide shares based on what each can contribute."
Uchiha Sō and Takechi nodded immediately.
"We understand. We'll handle it properly."
These two old men were surprisingly reliable. Just hint at an idea, and they'd get right to work.
They'd once been rivals, but now they were trusted lieutenants—and Yuhara treated them well, giving them space to shine.
Most importantly, they finally had hope for the clan's future. Of course they'd give it their all.
"Fugaku, Shisui—you two also have major responsibilities," Yuhara continued, turning to them with a smile.
"Last night I gave the six clans the blueprint for the Guard Division's restructuring. You know what that means."
It was a bold vision. The future Guard Division would be massive, and the Uchiha knew it.
Yuhara hadn't submitted the plan officially yet, but that wasn't a problem. Everything he'd changed was still within the Guard's authority.
And whether or not to announce the plan publicly was entirely up to him.
When he shared it with the six clans, they were stunned.
The three main administrative branches were huge in scope—these seasoned veterans understood that instantly.
But none of them dared to criticize Yuhara. The Guard really did have that kind of power—they'd just never realized it before.
Now that Yuhara had seized and optimized it, no one dared question him.
Instead, they were all thinking the same thing—how do we get a piece of that?
No one was stupid. Yuhara had laid out his blueprint with perfect clarity.
He was essentially telling them: "Look how big the Guard Division will be. Uchiha alone can't support it."
To build something that large—especially with three powerful, clearly defined branches—they'd need tons of personnel.
From foot soldiers to senior officials, the Guard would need everything.
And right now, those six clans were all silently calculating their way in.
They all knew—the Guard Division's ultimate authority would still lie with the Uchiha, or more specifically, with Yuhara himself.
Even the three governor posts beneath it would remain tightly in Uchiha hands. But with so many vacant positions, there were endless opportunities for the others to get a piece of the pie.
So, without Yuhara needing to say anything, the other clans proactively offered to send their unassigned members into the Guard Division.
The Hyuga Clan had already done so, and the Nara Clan—who had previously pledged to send people—now promised to ramp up their support even more.
Their cooperation helped Yuhara solve a major staffing headache, especially when it came to managerial roles.
"So, a lot of clan shinobi will be joining the Guard soon?"
Uchiha Fugaku immediately understood and nodded. "I know what to do. I'll arrange their training plans and future roles accordingly."
"I'll coordinate with Elder Fugaku," Shisui said without hesitation, fully aware that this would increase his workload drastically, but still showing no complaints.
"Excellent. But we've also got work of our own to do."
Yuhara smiled, but then his expression grew more serious.
"Clan shinobi alone won't be enough to fill the vacancies we're facing in the Guard.
Even if we're building step by step and focusing now only on the governor positions, we still need a large number of people."
"So, starting tomorrow, we're officially opening recruitment to the public. All civilian shinobi are eligible to apply.
As long as they pass our assessment, they'll be allowed to join the Guard Division."
"Yes, Clan Leader!"
Shisui and Fugaku responded loudly in unison. This was a plan they had already been preparing for.
But because the Guard's reputation had been so bad before, they hadn't been able to launch it.
Now, with the other clans actively sending in people, they finally had the green light to move.
Neither of them could hide their excitement—the Guard's successful reorganization would be the key to Uchiha's resurgence.
"As for the assessment process, I trust you both know what to do—I won't micromanage."
Yuhara nodded and added, "Fugaku, Shisui—stay focused. Once this phase is over, I'll assign you both formal leadership roles within the Guard.
This department will soon house elites from across the village. As Uchiha, your actions represent our entire clan.
Whether it's you or any Uchiha in the Guard, you must set an example. Don't tarnish our name again."
"Yes, Clan Leader!"
Both Shisui and Fugaku shouted with conviction, their expressions solemn.
The future Guard Division would truly include shinobi from every level of Konoha society.
In this melting pot, Uchiha behavior would directly represent their clan's image.
They'd already suffered once for ignoring that—people across the village resented them, and even when they were wronged, no one dared speak up.
But Yuhara had flipped that situation, and now they could feel the benefits—there was no way they'd let things go back to the way they were.
"That's all for this meeting… but there's still something else I need to brief you on."
Now that the clan meeting was done, Yuhara shifted topics to other matters.
"During our recent mission, we brought back a guy named Kakuzu. I'm sure you've heard.
You'll be responsible for his accommodations going forward, and someone must keep an eye on him too.
Kakuzu's a valuable asset. We can't trust him just yet, but I believe he'll prove extremely useful down the line.
So whoever's assigned to him—be respectful, but stay on guard. He's dangerous."
"Yes, Clan Leader."
All four responded seriously. Kakuzu was a pro bounty hunter with formidable strength.
Having someone like him take care of dirty work that the Uchiha couldn't do publicly would be a huge asset—so long as he stayed loyal.
"There's also that little Uzumaki girl—Karin. I want you to get her situated.
She's from the Uzumaki Clan, which means her potential is no joke. She's also the same age as Sasuke.
I plan to have them train together. Also, have the lab team monitor her closely—her abilities are... quite interesting."
At this point, Yuhara paused and a strange smile crossed his face.
"And one last thing—Fugaku, you'll be watching over Naruto…
Until Kakashi shows up to monitor him again."
Kakashi was one of Naruto's designated observers, but he didn't follow him around 24/7. So Yuhara needed backups in place.
What Kakashi didn't know was that he was already part of Yuhara's next move.
Right now, Kakashi was silently infiltrating the Hokage's office.
Failing last time hadn't discouraged him—in fact, after learning what Hiruzen had done to the Uchiha, he was even more determined to dig deeper.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have passed that intel to Yuhara.
Even if that intel had caused a few chaotic misunderstandings and a full-blown acting duel between two "Oscar-worthy" schemers, Kakashi didn't regret a thing.
Today was another day for his guard duty at the Hokage building. For him, it was the perfect opportunity.
"If I can't find anything in the Hokage's office, I doubt I'll find it anywhere.
I just hope… there's something left behind."
Kakashi exhaled, then casually headed toward the Hokage's office like he'd done it a hundred times.
He'd broken in once before, so Kakashi was already pretty experienced—not that it was something to be proud of. After all, he was infiltrating his own village's Hokage office.
But Kakashi didn't care anymore. He had to try—he needed answers.
Using a shadow clone to hold his post, he moved slowly along the outer wall of the Hokage office under a disguise. Reaching the window, he didn't peek immediately but instead used his peripheral vision to carefully observe the room.
Last time, he'd nearly been scared half to death—if Hiruzen and the others hadn't been distracted discussing how to deal with the Uchiha, he would've been caught.
He wasn't going to repeat that mistake. This time, he had to be absolutely sure the room was empty. Good luck never sticks with a blood-soaked ninja for long.
"No one's inside. And no sign of any Anbu either… but I missed something last time—this windowsill has a barrier. I really slipped up there."
He muttered to himself. Last time, he'd been too shaken to notice that detail.
Taking a deep breath, his Sharingan began to spin rapidly, quickly analyzing the barrier's structure.
He'd always known his Sharingan was insanely useful—not just for reading enemy movements in battle, but also for deciphering and copying techniques, even unraveling seals and barriers.
In short, this eye was perfect. And since it came from Obito, it held even deeper meaning for him.
"Yeah… just sucks that it eats so much chakra. I guess that's the price I pay to use it."
Focusing, Kakashi pointed to the barrier's core with one finger.
Buzz!
Chakra surged into the barrier's core, activating it. A network of black sealing marks suddenly covered the windowsill—any tampering would've set off alarms or even triggered attacks.
But the seals disappeared just as fast, dissolved by Kakashi's interference.
He hadn't disabled the barrier completely, but at least it wouldn't alert anyone now.
Still, that one move had drained nearly a fifth of his chakra. He didn't care—he scanned the surroundings once more, then quietly slid the window open and slipped inside.
Landing on familiar ground, he finally let out a slow breath.
Anbu assigned to protect the Hokage often hid inside this office. Only those trusted by the Hokage were allowed.
Kakashi was one of them, so he'd spent plenty of time here. That familiarity now gave him an edge.
He shut the window and immediately turned toward a specific cabinet—the one that held the Scroll of Seals. He figured what he was looking for might be there too.
"…Not here?"
Moonlight streamed into the room, casting silver across the floor.
Kakashi remained in the shadows, carefully searching through the cabinet.
His face darkened—there were tons of scrolls, some unlabeled, all protected with various seals.
They were obviously important, so he painstakingly broke the seals one by one to inspect them.
Thankfully, Kushina—his teacher's wife—had taught him a lot about sealing techniques. He wasn't a specialist, but with help from his Sharingan, he could manage.
One by one, he opened them… but none held what he was looking for.
They contained records of shelved missions—high-risk operations that, if executed, would've left Konoha heavily damaged.
But every single one had been vetoed by Hiruzen Sarutobi and sealed away.
After reading through them, doubt began to creep in.
"…Was I wrong?"
All those records showed Hiruzen choosing the village over reckless ambition, directly contradicting Yuhara's claims.
Kakashi was thrown into confusion.
But then he remembered his father's death—his own childhood—and Naruto's current treatment.
And once again, he steadied himself.
Maybe he had been influenced by Yuhara's genjutsu—after all, he knew how powerful that guy's eyes were.
But deep down, he'd always wanted answers. Not just for himself—for his teacher, for his father.
Just like Yuhara had said—this wasn't just about him.
Taking a deep breath, he resealed the scrolls and returned them to their original place.
There was nothing more to gain here, so he'd have to search elsewhere. But before leaving, he had to clean up carefully—getting caught would ruin everything.
Clunk.
As he slid the last scroll back, his hand bumped against the back panel of the cabinet—triggering a faint thud.
He instantly froze.
He knew the difference between hollow and solid just by sound. It was a basic Anbu skill.
"…A hidden compartment?"
He activated his Sharingan again, scanning for seals—none.
Then he carefully began searching for the trigger.
It took time, but he was methodical. After all, what kind of secret could be hidden inside a concealed compartment in the Hokage's office?
Eventually, he found it—an extremely well-hidden switch located on the Hokage's desk.
Without the Sharingan, he never would've noticed.
After checking for traps one last time, Kakashi twisted the switch. A hidden compartment opened inside the cabinet.
He stepped closer. Inside was a massive sealing scroll.
There was no label to say what it contained—but just looking at it made his heart race.
He'd already searched every other lead—Anbu, the old Root base—nothing. He'd almost given up.
Now, suddenly, a new clue appeared.
He felt both hope and fear.
If this turned out to be nothing again… that would be devastating.
"…Please let this be it."
He whispered, then carefully removed the giant scroll.
After a thorough inspection, he formed a quick series of hand signs—
Poof!
As smoke curled around him, Kakashi opened the massive sealing scroll. Inside were dozens of smaller scrolls, each clearly marked—these were Root operation reports.
His whole body trembled with excitement as he began flipping through them.
Then he froze.
He saw a date—Year 39 of the Hidden Leaf.
Kakashi was only five then. That was the year Iwagakure began escalating against Konoha. The Third Great Ninja War hadn't started yet, but the tension was boiling over. Both Konoha and Sunagakure had already begun to move.
That same year, his father accepted a mission that was ultimately deemed a failure—and not long after, his father took his own life.
That year had been burned into Kakashi's soul. It was the beginning of his descent into darkness.
He took a deep breath and slowly opened one of the scrolls. Each smaller scroll had its own sealing tag.
He kept reading, heart pounding, even before finding anything about his father—his whole body was already cold with dread.
Then he reached the third scroll.
And he couldn't stop shaking.
His grip tightened on the parchment. His Sharingan eyes were bloodshot, tears streaming down his face.
But beneath the sorrow burned a sharp and consuming rage.
"April, Year 39 of Konoha.
Kakashi Sakumo's popularity in Konoha continues to rise. According to Root reports, his name is increasingly mentioned among villagers. Support from low- and mid-level shinobi is visibly growing, and even some jonin are beginning to show open support.
If things continue at this pace, Sakumo will become a top candidate for the Fourth Hokage. However, Sakumo is not suitable to lead. While powerful, he lacks experience in administration. His greatest leadership role thus far has been in squad-level operations, which are incomparable to managing an entire village.
To prevent further elevation of his public image—and to stop the ignorant, emotionally driven masses from elevating someone unfit to the highest seat in Konoha—special actions must be taken.
A preemptive strategy must be deployed to stop a dangerous future from becoming reality.
Plan Initiator: Shimura Danzo
Plan Approved By: Sarutobi Hiruzen"
"June, Year 39.
Sakumo failed a critical mission after choosing to save a comrade. This is an inexcusable act.
As war looms, we must make it clear to all Konoha shinobi—missions come before everything.
No matter who causes a mission to fail, regardless of actual damage, they must be judged. This incident is a key breakthrough point for our suppression plan.
We must find the shinobi Sakumo rescued, and through certain methods, ensure he understands that war is not a game. He must publicly denounce Sakumo.
At the same time, we must expand our operation and use our control over public opinion to destroy Sakumo's reputation.
We will turn his supporters against him. We will make the ignorant masses see the truth.
Only then can we stop an unqualified man from becoming Hokage—and ensure Konoha's future.
Yes, the methods are cruel. Yes, it is shameful. But it is necessary.
Plan Initiator: Shimura Danzo
Plan Approved By: Sarutobi Hiruzen"
"August, Year 39.
Sakumo's reaction was unexpected. He chose suicide. A pity, but also confirmation he was unfit for the Hokage's seat.
A Hokage must possess unwavering will. Taking one's life over 'shame' is irresponsible—suicide is a samurai's ideal, not a ninja's.
Ninjas must press forward through the darkness.
Sakumo's death also brought risk. Sunagakure, having received intel, has begun to accelerate their plans—they now know Konoha has lost a powerful combatant.
Sakumo's action may have hastened the outbreak of war. Countless lives could be lost as a result. He should be remembered in shame.
The war appears inevitable. As we prepare, we must also quell public panic and reinforce among all ninja what it means to be shinobi.
They exist to complete missions—no matter the difficulty, no matter the cost. That is the way of the ninja.
Sakumo will serve as a cautionary tale—a line that no one can cross.
Only then will our shinobi become fearless warriors capable of protecting Konoha.
Plan Initiator: Shimura Danzo
Plan Approved By: Sarutobi Hiruzen"
Reading those words, remembering everything from that time, Kakashi finally broke down.
His father had committed suicide—but not from guilt over a failed mission.
Just like Yuhara said—he'd been slandered and driven to death by deliberate manipulation.
He stared at the scroll, at the damning signatures of Danzo and Hiruzen. His chest burned with rage.
He had never hated someone so deeply. Never wanted to kill someone this badly.
Not since Obito died… not since Rin died by his own hand.
The hatred was all-consuming. It devoured every last bit of calm he had.
But eventually, he forced himself to breathe, forced the fury back down.
Revenge. He wanted it—needed it.
There were two targets: Danzo and Hiruzen.
One was already dead. The other still sat as Hokage.
If he acted now, the village would plunge into chaos.
Konoha was protected by Obito, Rin, his teacher, and his father. He couldn't destroy it with a single rash decision.
He needed control. He needed a better way.
He raised his head and looked out the window.
He knew what to do now.
This time… he wouldn't hide who he was.
"Uchiha Yuhara… you're the one who asked me to investigate. And you also know the Hokage wants to come after you now.
It's time I found you—because you're the only one who can take him down."
(End of chapter)