"Arrogant, truly arrogant!"
Inside the Hokage's office after Uchiha Fugaku left, the Third Hokage's face was twisted with rage. With a furious sweep of his arm, the documents on his desk were sent flying, scattering across the floor.
The last time, Uchiha Fugaku had contradicted him in front of multiple clan leaders in the village, which had already infuriated him. But this time, what Fugaku had done was even worse.
Not only had he openly disobeyed orders, but he had also threatened him—forcing him to accept Uchiha Mikoto's private contact with Uzumaki Naruto.
As the leader of Konoha, after so many years of ruling, no one had ever dared to treat him with such disrespect.
His anger roared like a volcano on the verge of eruption, rolling and surging with endless fury.
Outside the Hokage's office, two Anbu guards heard the commotion, their expressions subtly shifting.
They had never seen the Third Hokage so enraged. The calm, benevolent image he had cultivated for decades seemed almost shattered at that moment.
"Uchiha Fugaku, your scheming runs deep. Danzo was deceived by you, and I was deceived by you as well!"
Taking several deep breaths, the Third Hokage forced himself to suppress his anger.
Was this truly the same Uchiha Fugaku from before? The once timid and submissive clan leader who retreated again and again under the pressure from himself and Danzo?
No. It had all been an act.
The weakness he had once displayed had been nothing more than a carefully crafted disguise, lulling them into underestimating him.
And it had worked. For years, he and Danzo had believed that Uchiha Fugaku was weak and easily controlled, allowing him to remain as head of the Uchiha clan without considering him a threat.
They had let their guard down.
They had missed their chance to eliminate him during the previous Ninja War.
Instead, Danzo had fallen into Fugaku's trap and was now dead, his body wiped from existence.
"Not only has he taken full control of the Uchiha clan, but he has also mended relationships with many other clans..."
The Third Hokage's face darkened further as he recalled the recent reports about Uchiha Fugaku.
Somehow, Fugaku had brought the three Uchiha elders—who had previously acted independently—under his complete control. The entire Uchiha clan was now united under his leadership.
Not only that, but he had also leveraged the Konoha Police Force to reshape the Uchiha clan's relationships with other families. By suppressing those who opposed them and extending goodwill to those open to cooperation, he had successfully eased tensions with multiple clans.
"He must be eliminated as soon as possible!"
A murderous glint flashed in the Third Hokage's eyes.
The danger that Uchiha Fugaku posed was no longer just about strength—it was about leadership.
If he remained in power, the decades-long plan to isolate and suppress the Uchiha would unravel.
The policies established by the Second Hokage to weaken the Uchiha clan would be undone.
Such a Fugaku could not be allowed to continue leading the Uchiha clan.
"The time has come for Shisui to make his decision."
A sharp light flickered in the Third Hokage's eyes.
If Uchiha Fugaku was to be eliminated, the best candidate for the job was Uchiha Shisui.
With Kage-level strength, Shisui was one of the few who could truly pose a threat to Fugaku.
The only issue was that Shisui, despite his loyalty to Konoha, was still an Uchiha by blood. He had always hesitated when it came to directly harming his own clan members.
But the Third Hokage had been guiding him, instilling doubts, and pushing him toward a decision.
And now, after today's events, there was no better opportunity to finally convince him.
Shisui valued stability and the well-being of the village. If presented with the right justification, he would be forced to act.
The Hokage was certain that it wouldn't be long before Shisui made his decision.
With this thought, his mood improved.
He stood up, left the Hokage's office, and headed toward the location where Uchiha Shisui was staying.
—
At the Uchiha residence, Uchiha Mikoto paced back and forth, her face full of worry and unease.
Regret gnawed at her.
She should have controlled herself. She shouldn't have acted impulsively and reached out to Kushina's child, bringing trouble upon her husband and their clan.
Suddenly, she rushed to the entrance, opened the door, and anxiously looked outside.
"Fugaku!"
Seeing her husband standing there, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. But her concern didn't fade.
"Did Hokage-sama punish you?" she asked, her face filled with worry.
"No."
Uchiha Fugaku smiled, shaking his head as he stepped inside, taking off his shoes on the wooden floor.
"That's good..."
Uchiha Mikoto pressed a hand to her chest, exhaling in relief. But then she looked at him apologetically.
"I'm sorry for causing trouble for you and the clan."
"Don't say such things."
Uchiha Fugaku wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his warmth. Her soft yet firm body pressed against him, and he spoke gently.
"Fugaku, from now on, I won't... I won't see Kushina's child anymore," Mikoto said hesitantly, guilt thick in her voice.
Despite her deep remorse, she couldn't afford to create more problems for her husband or their family.
"Really? That's unfortunate."
A smirk played at the corners of Fugaku's lips. "I had a hard time convincing the Third Hokage to allow you to visit Uzumaki Naruto."
Mikoto's eyes widened in shock.
"Wait... What? Is that true?"
Excitement, joy, and disbelief flickered across her face. She almost thought she had misheard.
Her husband had managed to convince the Third Hokage to allow her to see Kushina's child?
"It's true. But if you've decided to stop seeing him, then I suppose the permission I obtained is no longer useful," Fugaku said, his tone teasing.
"You're impossible!"
Mikoto playfully hit his chest, pretending to be angry, though a smile tugged at her lips.
Fugaku laughed.
She was always beautiful, but when she acted like this—playfully annoyed, yet happy—she had a charm that was impossible to resist.
"Fugaku... thank you."
She rested her head against his chest, warmth filling her heart.
Naruto's identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki was highly sensitive. Given the Uchiha's history with the tailed beasts and the Third Hokage's paranoia, the fact that Fugaku had secured permission for her to see Naruto meant he must have fought hard for it.
She knew that he had gone against the Hokage's wishes for her sake.
And she was endlessly grateful.
(End of this chapter)