As the head of the Uchiha Clan—the most powerful family in terms of combat strength in the Hidden Leaf Village—being powerless to save his best friend's life had been Fugaku's greatest regret over the past three years...
And now, as the only surviving blood relative left behind by Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, Naruto's appearance was undoubtedly a huge source of comfort to Fugaku. More than that, it gave him a glimpse of hope—a chance to fill the hole in his heart.
Over the past three years, Fugaku had been weighed down by guilt—never realizing that the orphan of his closest friend was still alive. That guilt slowly turned into overwhelming affection for Naruto, treating him with near-total indulgence. Along with that, the unconditional trust that once existed between Uchiha Fugaku and Minato Namikaze—two men who, on the surface, were meant to be ideological opposites and political rivals—was naturally passed on to Naruto as well.
"Haa... Haha... It's been so long since I last cried, I'm not even used to it anymore... Acting like this in front of a kid really is shameful, huh? You're probably laughing at me, you little rascal... But honestly, after letting it all out, I do feel much lighter."
'A man doesn't shed tears easily unless his heart is truly broken.' After venting all the negative emotions bottled up inside, Fugaku's mood finally began to settle. He gently freed one hand to stroke the soft blond hair of the little guy who had been quietly comforting him in his arms, while his eyes softened, lovingly observing the youthful face that bore more than a little resemblance to his late friend.
"Since Jiraiya already told you everything about your background without reservation, he must have had his reasons. You didn't come to visit me today just to mooch off a hotpot meal, did you? Come on, little guy—tell your uncle what you want help with. As long as I can do it, I'll put my life on the line for you!"
"…Thank you, Uncle Fugaku. I really did come to ask you for a favor… And I believe only you have the authority to help me."
Fugaku's voice was powerful and sincere, ringing with honesty. That heartfelt concern immediately put Naruto at ease. He began mentally rewriting his original plan, stripping away all the vague, roundabout phrasing. There was no longer a need for tests or subtle probes.
"You must be wondering... As the son of the Fourth Hokage, why was I alive for three years without anyone knowing about it?"
"Exactly. If you hadn't told me yourself today, I probably never would've known… Kushina—ah, your mother—when she got pregnant, your father was so ecstatic, it was like he'd been injected with pure caffeine. Especially those first couple months after the news came out, he wouldn't shut up about it. Day and night, bragging like crazy with zero regard for his Hokage image. My ears nearly grew calluses from hearing it."
After confirming Naruto's identity, Fugaku—who had been very close to Minato Namikaze—unconditionally trusted the boy in his arms. Since Naruto's question happened to touch on something that had weighed heavily on Fugaku's mind for some time, he nodded lightly and answered thoughtfully.
"But I have to thank your father. If he hadn't constantly blabbed in my ear, I wouldn't have remembered your exact birth date… And because of the Nine-Tails incident that broke out on the day you were born, I truly believed that you had…"
"...died, right? If my parents hadn't protected me with their lives, I would've died that day too."
Naruto's abrupt interruption made it clear to Fugaku what he was trying to say. But Naruto didn't mind stating it outright. He adjusted his posture slightly, getting more comfortable in Fugaku's arms as he continued.
"But that's not the important part. What matters is: if it hadn't been for certain vile people meddling behind the scenes, my parents wouldn't have been forced to give their lives to reseal the Nine-Tails. And when the Third Hokage resumed power three years ago, you would've already known about me."
"And now, that same vile person has probably set their sights on your Uchiha Clan."
"A meddling villain? Targeting the Uchiha Clan?"
Although Naruto said it casually, Fugaku immediately sensed this wasn't a simple issue that could be resolved with authority or strength alone. He frowned slightly, lifted Naruto into his arms, and carried him into his personal study. After locking the doors and windows, he triggered a secret mechanism that revealed a hidden chamber, ensuring absolute privacy.
"Alright, no need to worry about eavesdropping here... Naruto, what did you mean by all that earlier? Who is this villain?"
"In the Nine-Tails attack three years ago, while the village suffered enormous losses, one man and his faction conveniently disappeared, remained unharmed, and came out as the biggest beneficiaries. He used that advantage to stop the Third Hokage from announcing my existence. And then, he went even further—manipulating and even altering Hokage decisions, pushing your Uchiha Clan into worsening relations with the Hokage faction."
Naruto stopped talking after warning Fugaku that someone was targeting the clan. He kept quiet until they were inside the secret room, and only after Kurama confirmed that no one else was present did he finally let his guard down. Glancing sideways at Fugaku's clenched fist, veins bulging, Naruto gave a subtle approving nod before continuing.
His brows furrowed, and he spoke each word with distaste and precision.
"One of the three senior advisors in the Elders' Council, leader of Root—Danzo Shimura."
"Danzo Shimura... Hmph! I always found it odd—why did the Third Hokage suddenly become so aggressive and heavy-handed, when his usual style was just like Minato's—gentle and considerate? All the goodwill Minato and I worked so hard to build between the factions was thrown away these past three years..."
Fugaku looked at the calm and collected child in his arms and simply assumed it was Jiraiya who had trained Naruto beforehand for delivering such news. After receiving confirmation, Fugaku's eyes flashed with chilling, murderous intent.
"That damned old bastard has been scheming behind the scenes all along…"
"To make sure no one from the next generation could threaten his shot at becoming Hokage, he used the Council's authority to force the Third Hokage into changing my surname and hiding the fact that I was still alive. He even tried to weaken the Third Hokage's power and seize the secrets of the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan. He doesn't care if it means sparking a civil war that would drain the Hidden Leaf's strength—he's just waiting for you to snap, so he can 'quell the rebellion' and get others to do his dirty work."
Thanks to Fugaku's trust, Naruto skipped the persuasion phase entirely. He laid bare Danzo's ambition and clarified his reason for coming:
"When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits... I came to tell you the truth, Uncle Fugaku, so you won't fall into that bastard's trap."
"Don't worry, little guy. After hearing this, there's no way I'll let that old fox succeed."
When Minato Namikaze and Fugaku secretly agreed to work together to ease tensions between the Uchiha Clan and the Hokage faction, Minato had warned Fugaku many times to be wary of Danzo. Fugaku, familiar with the Third Hokage's normally steady leadership, had been shocked when the Hokage immediately imposed restrictions on the Uchiha after returning to power.
Still trusting his late friend, Fugaku had spent the past three years suppressing the clan's growing discontent and stopping them from launching a full rebellion. Now, after hearing the truth from Naruto, he was grateful that he hadn't followed the elders' advice to revolt.
His fury toward Danzo burned brighter than ever.
"I'm going to see the Third Hokage personally—tonight. I'll cut off Danzo's damn head myself and offer it as tribute to your parents' spirits!"
"The fact that you're able to let go of your resentment toward the village is already the greatest blow we can deal to Danzo. But now's not the time to kill him. After all, he's still an official advisor. If we act too early, before we have solid proof of his schemes, he might twist the story and accuse you of treason."
Naruto deliberately used "we" instead of factional labels like "Uchiha," subtly drawing Fugaku into his camp.
"And if that happens, the rest of the village might misunderstand. The consequences would fall on us. That's why... we need to let that old dog live a little longer."
"You're right..."
Naruto's words were like a cold splash of water, calming the rage in Fugaku's heart. Frowning in thought, Fugaku unconsciously began treating Naruto—who was about the same size as his own son—as an equal.
"But then what? We can't just sit by and watch that bastard run wild."
"If you walk along the riverbank long enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet. No matter how cunning the fox, it will eventually reveal its tail. And now we know exactly what that old bastard wants."
As Fugaku listened, Naruto smiled—like a hunter watching prey step into a trap. That childish face showed a hint of age-defying maturity.
"You just need to coordinate with the Third Hokage, pretend like you've had enough and are about to launch a 'rebellion.' That'll be the bait. And once we set the trap, we'll finally get the evidence we need on Danzo Shimura."
"And when that happens… it'll be the perfect time to shut that bastard's mouth for good."
December 14, Year 51 of the Hidden Leaf Calendar
With bonds forged in the aftermath of war, Naruto Uzumaki easily gained the trust of Uchiha Fugaku, successfully dissolving the three-year-long tension and misunderstanding between the Uchiha Clan and the Hokage faction—just before things could escalate into open conflict.
And so, from this moment marking the complete reversal of the Uchiha Clan's fate, the destined course of the Naruto world began to shift ever so subtly… all because of Naruto Uzumaki's interventions.