Click, click...
Fugaku's footsteps echoed in the corridor, each step seemingly heavy.
Fugaku, who hadn't been in the Hokage Building for who knows how long, was now in a state of turmoil.
The recent Uchiha clan meeting was postponed temporarily under his persuasion because Shisui, the apparent strongest member, was absent. Therefore, under his persuasion, it was temporarily postponed.
However, unexpectedly, shortly after he returned to the clan, a clan member reported that Kakashi had come to the door, stating that Hiruzen had ordered him to come and meet.
Kakashi came to the door.
Hiruzen summoned.
Neither of these appearing at the Uchiha would be a good thing.
The former goes without saying, the Uchiha clan's Sharingan is in his left eye. Although it was willingly given by Obito, who died in battle, even when the Fourth Hokage was present, there was significant dissent and dissatisfaction within the clan.
The latter, being summoned by Hiruzen, was almost never a good thing.
Was the Uchiha clan meeting discovered?
Or did something happen to Itachi?
Fugaku glanced at Kakashi, who was leading the way, and his eyes couldn't help but narrow.
"Uchiha clan head, please rest assured."
Kakashi, walking ahead, suddenly said something that startled Fugaku, who had been preoccupied the entire way.
Just as he was about to ask, Kakashi quickened his pace, leaving him behind.
...
Upon arriving at the Hokage Office, Kakashi knocked on the door.
After receiving a response, Kakashi signaled Fugaku, who was standing in front of the door, to enter.
Fugaku took a deep breath, his entire demeanor becoming steady, and reached out to push open the door. He is the head of the Uchiha clan, he cannot show any weakness compared to others.
Seeing Fugaku walk into the office, Kakashi, standing outside the door, reached up and paused at his masked left eye. His reminder just now was nothing more than concerning the owner of this pair of eyes.
Immediately after, Kakashi also followed into the Hokage Office.
Inside the office.
Fugaku, who had entered first, now stood in place, looking at the Hokage Office, which was already filled with many people. At a glance, what met the eye were the heads of various major clans, or individuals with Jonin status.
At this moment, everyone's gaze was directed at Fugaku, who had just entered.
Behind the Hokage's desk, Hiruzen's face was stern, looking at him calmly.
Feeling Hiruzen's gaze, Fugaku's mind suddenly cleared. He stepped forward calmly, bowed slightly, and said, "Hokage-sama, I have come as summoned."
Hiruzen nodded to him, then looked at Tenzō, who was already prepared nearby, and said, "Begin, explain according to the intel content one by one."
As soon as these words were spoken, almost everyone in the Hokage Office turned their gaze to Tenzō beside Hiruzen.
Tenzō, being watched by so many eyes at once, felt cold sweat trickle down the back of his neck. He glanced at Shinji, who was transparent in the corner, before starting to speak.
Shinji, meanwhile, stood leisurely in the corner, watching Tenzō express himself clearly under the gaze of so many important figures.
Not bad, not bad, very good.
He didn't want to appear before these clans in such a setting, mainly because he didn't want to waste words again.
As Tenzō spoke, the atmosphere in the entire Hokage Office gradually became heavy.
Fugaku's heart was now stirred. Even knowing that his clan's members had been killed by Danzo in recent years, he didn't feel the slightest anger in his heart, he just listened calmly. After all, the part about the Naka Shrine was glossed over a bit. Perhaps, Hiruzen knew about the Uchiha clan's restless heart.
Finally, as the scroll reached its end, Tenzō put away the scroll and slowly retreated.
"All right, that's the general information." Hiruzen spoke at this time, then stood up, leaning his hands on the desk.
Looking intently at the Konoha Jonin present, he slowly said, "Regarding everything the advisors have done, as Hokage, I did not detect it immediately. Here, I need to apologize to everyone."
As soon as these words came out, the Jonin spoke up one after another, "Hokage-sama, this is Danzo's mistake, you don't need to do this."
"That's right, you don't have to bear responsibility for others' mistakes."
"Hokage-sama, the advisors' actions are betraying and backfiring on Konoha's Will of Fire. You don't need to do this."
Shinji, hiding behind, couldn't help but look over when he heard this.
This guy is good. He put the three old geezers of the Konoha Council on the hot seat with his words.
Shinji couldn't help but wonder who this fierce general was.
Hmm?
Looking at the man wearing sunglasses, his face full of indignant expression, Shinji was a little surprised for a moment.
Isn't this Ebisu, who will become Konohamaru's tutor in the future?
So, this guy is already a special jonin now?
Although the Jonin were all speaking, Hiruzen remained silent. His gaze was directed at Fugaku, who was standing before him. This person was the reason he had summoned the clan heads and Jonin.
Some veteran jonin and clan heads naturally understood Hiruzen's intention, so they all waited quietly. Among them, Shukaku's gaze inadvertently swept towards Shinji's location.
As the first one to arrive, he knew that all of Hiruzen's actions today were brought about by this young Anbu.
After each expressing their opinions, the office fell silent for a while.
Many people's eyes were on Fugaku, after all, it seemed the Uchiha clan was the biggest victim.
Fugaku knew it was time for him to make a statement.
Thinking of what Kakashi had said before entering the door, a glimmer of hope inexplicably rekindled in his heart at this moment. Perhaps, the Uchiha clan doesn't have to be like before anymore. And the extent to which it could reach would depend on how he answered Hiruzen, who was currently looking at him.
Fugaku took a deep breath, trying hard to calm his mind, then slowly bowed and said, "The Uchiha clan respectfully obeys Hokage-sama's instructions, submits to the overall situation, and fully cooperates."
As soon as Fugaku said this, Hiruzen behind the desk instantly softened his gaze. A slight smile appeared on his face, and he slowly said, "Fugaku, before, I was not a diligent Hokage, but now I hope you can give me, the village, and the Uchiha clan a chance to make amends."
"Hokage-sama is too kind, the Uchiha clan will always be Konoha's Uchiha."
Good heavens.
Shinji couldn't help but sigh upon hearing this. As expected of an old fox and a clan head.
One implicitly stated that he would change his attitude and make changes in the future, and he could pretend not to know about the Uchiha clan's actions behind the scenes.
The other indicated that as long as what you said could be done, there would be no possibility of the Uchiha clan rebelling.