Just as the standoff at the scene grew increasingly tense, an Anbu member rushed over and whispered something into Hiruzen Sarutobi's ear.
Sarutobi's brow furrowed instantly. He then whispered a few words in return, and the Anbu quickly departed again.
Once the Anbu had left, Danzo and the others stepped forward. "Is something wrong?" he asked.
Hiruzen replied with a heavy heart, "Two important updates just came in from the Anbu."
"First, all three great nations have deployed troops simultaneously this morning and are advancing toward our front-line garrisons."
"Second, the Uchiha clan head, Uchiha Shin, is on his way here, and he has awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Leaving him unchecked would pose a significant threat.
This could be our chance to eliminate the danger before it grows. Don't forget, Shin has always belonged to the hawkish faction."
Danzo spoke sternly, "Should we take this opportunity to eliminate Uchiha Ei also?
That woman is powerful, and after what happened today, there's no guarantee she won't retaliate against the village."
Hiruzen firmly shook his head. "Didn't Kagami ever mention it to you? The woman he fell in love with… her given name is 'Ei'. Now that I think about it, that boy, Uchiha Kaito, might very well be Kagami's child! The Anbu who monitored them back then must've missed this."
Mitokado shook his head. "It might not have been an oversight. Someone could've deliberately erased the child's presence from everyone's perception. And the only one capable of that would be…"
He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone there knew exactly what he meant.
The only one capable of doing such a thing, was the Third Hokage himself.
Koharu immediately defended him.
"I'm sure Arima had his reasons! Think about it, just like the Hyuga, the Uchiha elders value their family's reputation above all.
Ever since the Uchiha took over Konoha's Police Force, their arrogance has already caused widespread resentment.
If rumors of their clan's princess getting pregnant out of wedlock had spread, even if it were the child of a village hero, it would've brought shame upon the clan!"
Torifu rarely spoke, but this time he interjected, "Koharu makes a good point. Arima must have had his own arrangements. Idle gossip can silently destroy someone's future."
With a tacit understanding among them, the subject was dropped, no one spoke of it again.
Sarutobi raised his voice and shouted toward Uchiha Hiro, "Your clan head, Uchiha Shin, is coming to send you off!"
At those words, a nameless fury welled up within Hiro. He thought angrily, 'Uchiha Shin, you bastard!
I entrusted my daughter and grandson to your care, and now you come here to die? Are you trying to fill the Uchiha's graves or grow grass on Lord Madara's tomb?'
Hiro shouted fiercely, "This isn't some social gathering, we don't have time to wait! Everyone, listen to me. For the sake of the Uchiha clan, charge with me!"
Hiruzen hadn't expected Hiro to be so resolute. With no other choice, he led the Anbu to engage as well.
Even Shin himself wouldn't have expected that his arrival would only intensify the conflict.
At first, both sides had held back somewhat out of concern for their shared village origins. But as casualties mounted, the battle escalated into full-blown bloodshed.
Everyone present was an elite among shinobi, masters of killing arts. In such high-level combat, the outcome could be decided in an instant.
Hiruzen watched as fellow villagers slaughtered each other with ferocity, his heart aching. But as Danzo had said, rot must be cut out.
With Arima missing for nearly a month, and Konoha beset by internal and external crises, internal stability was a prerequisite for resisting outside threats.
It was a reality he couldn't ignore.
This time, Hiruzen had brought only the most seasoned Anbu operatives. To minimize the risk of accidents, he had even ordered them to fight in three-man squads.
In less than the time it took for one incense stick to burn, the battle had already ended in a crushing victory for Konoha's Anbu.
The fanatical hawkish members of the Uchiha clan were quickly wiped out under the sheer advantage of strength and numbers.
Only three remained resisting.
Elder Uchiha Hiro, Second Elder Uchiha Ken, and Police Force Deputy Captain Uchiha Kawa.
Just then, Uchiha Shin arrived.
The remaining combatants halted upon his appearance, pausing the fighting.
When Shin saw the field littered with the corpses of his clan members, grief overwhelmed him. He cried out in anguish, "Why didn't you wait for me?"
His plan had been to trade his Mangekyo Sharingan, and his life, for a deal with the village leadership, a chance to secure survival for his clan. But this scene shattered his hopes.
As he spoke, his Mangekyo Sharingan flared with emotion.
Seeing this, Hiro was stunned for a moment, then burst into wild laughter.
"It's too late, Shin! We chose this path so that you wouldn't have to die with us.
Still clinging to hope? After what we've done, even the Third Hokage wouldn't spare us, not with his compassion. This is our crime, not yours. Don't get involved!"
Koharu immediately rebutted, "Your crimes may be unforgivable, but if Arima were here, he would've shown mercy!
His vision was never confined to a single village. He will bring unity to the entire shinobi world!"
Hiro fell silent for a moment. He knew deep down that Koharu's words were true.
Even so, he insisted, "Eliminating stubborn fools like us must suit the Konoha leadership just fine, doesn't it? Without troublemakers, the Uchiha will be easier to control!"
Hiruzen snapped, "When has the Uchiha ever been oppressed or restricted by the village?
Those rumors, you brought them on yourselves! Arrogance, disrespect, pride, and prejudice, is that the Uchiha honor you speak of?"
Hiro understood Hiruzen's meaning, but he still refused to believe the fault lay with his own people.
He argued, "Those damaging rumors were spread by your damned Anbu!
I heard Danzo even tried to set up an 'Anbu Training Division' for shady operations, but it was stopped by the Third. Am I wrong?"
Danzo was shocked. Aside from himself, only his teacher, younger brother, and Hiruzen knew of that plan, and he was certain none of them had leaked it.
'How did he find out? Still, most of those rumors were spontaneous. Now he's just throwing mud,' Danzo thought grimly.
Hiruzen, aware of Danzo's proposed training unit, refused to acknowledge Hiro's baseless accusations.
Then Homura stepped forward, looking Hiro in the eyes. He said sternly, "Let's forget past. How about we talk about what your clan has done in recent years?"
"Konoha Year 18, November: A drunkard was beaten to death by Police Force officers during an arrest."
"Konoha Year 22, January: Three civilians were injured, one critically, when Uchiha officers used excessive force."
"Konoha Year 24, early summer: Three innocent civilians were hospitalized after being brutally assaulted."
"Konoha Year 25, mid-September: A mother and child were caught in a jutsu during an arrest, mother critically wounded, child lightly injured."
"Konoha Year 26, early March: A foreign merchant was unlawfully detained and savagely beaten. It severely damaged Konoha's reputation."
Homura adjusted his glasses and said flatly, "You haven't forgotten any of this, have you? Thanks to Kagami, we survived, but you've used him as a shield, becoming ever more reckless. I don't know how you convinced Arima, but your clan cannot deny responsibility for these events!"
Each of Homura's words struck Hiro like thunderclaps in his ears.
He couldn't stop the images of his clansmen's brutal arrests from flashing through his mind. And in that moment, he finally saw the truth.
He had always known how his faction operated, especially in recent years.
As the younger generation of Uchiha grew up, their behavior became even worse than their predecessors'. But they were still his clan, and he had never held them to account.
To him, outsiders were worthless. Why waste energy on them?
This passive tolerance from the Uchiha leadership only emboldened them, worsening their conduct, and straining relations with the rest of the village.
Even during Arima's leadership, when he tried to enforce rules and standards, the Uchiha would exploit loopholes, blowing up minor incidents, venting frustrations inappropriately.
Arima had punished them multiple times, but the deterrent effect barely lasted months before old habits returned.
He had considered overhauling the Police Force, but every time, Hiro would invoke Kagami's sacrifice as an excuse to derail the plan, offering empty promises of reform.
Over the years, the Uchiha's problems had only worsened.
Arima and his uncle had long since agreed on a cleanup plan, even if the radicals weren't executed, they would at least be imprisoned in places like Hozuki Castle.
Now, Hiro's heart was filled with despair. His convictions shattered.
"So I was the one who didn't understand anything," he muttered.
"The ways of the Warring States era are long obsolete. I'm such a fool. I should've been buried with Lord Madara long ago.
My indulgence caused the Uchiha's downfall… But fine, let my blood wash away our disgrace."
With that, he drew a kunai across his neck.
No one could stop him in time, they could only watch helplessly as tragedy struck.
---------------
Guys do leave some power stones and reviews.
🤞pa treon . com / plotplanner🤞
Remove all the spaces in between and then search.
If you guys enjoy this story, you can support me on Patreon and get access to 30 Advance Chapters, it really helps me to work on new chapters.