Uchiha Clan Grounds.
At this moment, the usual peace and quiet had long since vanished—what remained was the deafening roar of battle.
Fighting had broken out everywhere.
Uchiha Fugaku was covered in blood—some of it his own, most of it others'.
But…
No matter whose it was, it was all Uchiha blood.
His heart trembled.
How did it come to this for the Uchiha clan?
"Fugaku-sama!"
"What's the situation?"
"We've managed to suppress most of them, and a portion have surrendered. But… but the ANBU have taken all of them into custody, saying they'll be brought back for interrogation."
The elder looked visibly troubled.
The internal strife of the Uchiha was technically a clan matter—normally not something ANBU would interfere with. But what could they say when the Uchiha had proven so incapable that they were nearly overthrown by their own?
The rebellious clansmen had gone completely mad.
Granted, he too hadn't been in favor of handing over control of the Police Force at first. But after thinking it through, he'd come to believe that both Shisui and Fugaku had made the right call.
The Uchiha really couldn't be allowed to keep that thing.
It was a gift from Tobirama Senju, after all—what good could possibly come from it?
That thing was a damn landmine.
And yet those clansmen clung to it like they'd been brainwashed, convinced that if they gave up this one thing, they'd be forced to give up another, and then another… that eventually, Konoha would swallow them whole.
That kind of thinking…
Well, it wasn't entirely without merit. But still—what could they even do at this point?
"Elder, Fugaku-sama, if you ask me, we should've done what Shisui suggested."
One of the Uchiha trailing behind them—Uchiha Inahori—couldn't help but interject.
If they'd followed Shisui's plan—found an excuse to execute those elders outright, or better yet, provoked them into open rebellion and resolved everything in one decisive strike…
Would things have turned out like this?
"What's the point of saying that now?"
Elder shot him a glare.
And yet…
The implication was clear—Fugaku had miscalculated. His hesitation had allowed discontent within the clan to fester. Now it had exploded into full-blown civil unrest.
And that wasn't just an internal disgrace—it was a public spectacle.
People would start to think:
If the Uchiha can't even keep their own house in order, how can they be trusted to protect the village?
What had once been a promising course of action had now collapsed into utter chaos.
Fugaku stood to the side, listening, but he couldn't help the bitter frustration welling up in his chest.
Every single one of them…
Not a word before the crisis, and now they're all prophets, huh?
He didn't know what to say.
With a wave of his hand, he signaled the Elder to drop it. Then, standing in a daze for a few moments, he finally muttered, "I'll go speak with the ANBU. You two, go help settle the clan."
"Yes, sir."
The elder and Inahori exchanged a look before bowing and heading off.
Fugaku felt completely defeated.
His son's fate was uncertain.
The clan was in shambles.
What had once been a masterful plan had now unraveled into wreckage—and he had no idea how to salvage any of it.
Dragging his wounded body, he returned to the Uchiha district.
And just then—Kyoichi arrived.
He immediately noticed the state Fugaku was in—bloody, battered, barely standing.
For a second, Kyoichi wondered if the man was playing it up for sympathy. But looking closer…
It was all real.
This guy…
Don't tell me even now he's still holding back, trying to preserve the clan's strength?
Unbelievable.
Kyoichi stood silently for a moment, then approached, speaking in a disguised voice:
"Fugaku-sama. The captain is away. I'll be acting in his stead for the ANBU."
"Yes, you are…?"
"Just call me Tora."
"Yes, Tora-sama. About these people…"
Fugaku glanced at the sealed and bound rebel clansmen being escorted away. He wanted to question the decision—but also feared his attitude might spark discontent from the ANBU.
Kyoichi scanned the area, then said calmly,
"There's something off about this whole affair. We can go over the details once you're more recovered."
"Off…?"
Fugaku blinked, then muttered thoughtfully,
"It's true… They were oddly obsessed with Itachi. But he's only a little over a year old—there's no way to gauge his talent yet."
"You're surprisingly calm. Aren't you at all worried about his safety?"
Kyoichi had to admit—Fugaku really was cold and composed to the extreme, rarely letting emotions show.
After a pause, Fugaku sighed,
"Worrying won't help. Our enemy's capabilities are beyond what I imagined. I wouldn't even know where to start tracking them."
"Relax. I found Itachi. But the enemy was cunning, and I couldn't keep up. Uchiha Ki later incinerated his own body—brutal methods. What I can confirm is that he was just a pawn in all this."
Kyoichi lowered his voice.
Right on cue, Gekkō Hayate handed him a bag.
Inside were the remains of Uchiha Ki.
Fugaku was stunned.
A whole man reduced to a pile of ash—you expect me to believe this?
He looked at Kyoichi.
Kyoichi said with a touch of exasperation,
"I can't offer proof right now. But I've captured his accomplices. Once the Yamanaka clan extracts their memories, you're free to verify it yourself."
"Understood. Thank you, Tora-sama. And these rebels—how should we handle them?"
Fugaku felt helpless.
He wanted to ask, but also didn't want to seem weak.
Kyoichi looked at him.
"What would you do?"
"Uh…"
Good question.
Fugaku fell into deep thought.
Execute them?
The rest of the clan might think he was cold-blooded.
But…
Spare them, and they might rise again.
"Matters of the Uchiha Clan are typically outside ANBU jurisdiction. But given how suspicious this whole incident is, I hope you won't mind our involvement."
"Uh…" Fugaku was at a loss—because Kyoichi had hit the nail on the head.
He really was worried about the Sharingan.
Unlike other kekkei genkai, the Sharingan was a dojutsu—its power resided in the eyes.
Even in death, those eyes could be transplanted and used.
Of course…
It came at a high cost.
Kyoichi didn't value them much, but Fugaku's concern was valid.
Who in the entire ninja world didn't covet the Sharingan?
Even Kyoichi himself…
He wasn't immune to temptation. It's just that a basic three-tomoe Sharingan didn't impress him.
"If you're worried about the Sharingan, you don't need to be. If it eases your mind, we can let someone from your side join the interrogations. If you're interested, they can even join ANBU—though that'll have to wait until the captain returns."
"That…"
Fugaku's heart stirred.
Joining ANBU!
That was something the Uchiha had dreamed of for years, but the door had never opened.
Now it was being handed to him.
Truth be told…
He wanted to agree immediately.
However…
Right as the words reached his lips, he hesitated.
Who should he send?
Shisui was too young.
And he'd always worried about Kyoichi getting too close to Shisui—afraid the boy would fall under his influence. If he sent Shisui to ANBU, it'd be like serving him up on a silver platter.
Aside from Shisui, not many others had the age and strength.
Uchiha Inahori.
"No need to rush, Clan Head Fugaku. The captain isn't back yet. Telling me won't help. We'll talk again once he returns."
Right now, "Tora" was just Tora—not Kanda Kyoichi.
Only after dealing with Danzō would he officially resume his role.
Fugaku didn't know the details.
But…
He understood this wasn't something to rush. ANBU had already handled everything, and now they were even allowing Uchiha to participate in the interrogations.
That was a massive concession.
Any further demands would just make him seem ungrateful.
He quickly bowed his head.
"Then let Inahori go. If you and the captain see potential in him, feel free to make use of him. If not, that's fine too."
"Alright. Have him come with us, then."
Kyoichi nodded.
Uchiha Inahori.
Now this one had potential. According to Shisui, he was one of the few who remained close to him.
Even though Fugaku had managed to pull away most of Shisui's former allies, Inahori still maintained contact.
Of course…
Not as closely as before.
With Fugaku watching, being too close would've been risky for both sides.
They understood that.
So…
Inahori still had potential.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. As for the rest of the Uchiha situation, I'll leave that to you. If it gets overwhelming, you can ask the Police Force for help."
"Understood. Thank you, Tora-sama."
"No need. Just have him sent over."
Kyoichi waited.
Soon enough—
Inahori was summoned by Fugaku's people. Once he was briefed, he froze in shock. He hadn't expected something this big to fall on his head.
He didn't want to agree.
But one look at Fugaku's expression left him no choice. He bowed deeply to Kyoichi in thanks.
Kyoichi said nothing more.
He led the team away—quick and efficient.
With the Sharingan issue temporarily handled, Fugaku finally let out a breath of relief. But the more he thought about it, the more complicated his emotions became.
His son was safe.
That was good. But…
How should they deal with the rebellious clansmen?
If handled poorly…
The clan might fracture beyond repair.
As for Inahori…
He followed Kyoichi nervously, eventually arriving at the fabled ANBU interrogation chamber.
The moment he saw the equipment inside, a chill ran down his spine.
"What are you so scared of? You're not the one being interrogated."
"I—I'm not scared."
"Just pretend it's like working in the Police Force. No need to be afraid. The Yamanaka clan hasn't arrived yet—interrogations won't start for a bit."
"Yes, sir!"
Inahori sat down. Maybe it was the calm tone in Kyoichi's voice, but his nerves began to settle.
***************************
Read advanced chapters ahead of everyone else on my P@treon.
P@treon/GodDragcell
100+ powerstones for 1 extra chapter!