The Konoha ANBU had already begun their operation, moving swiftly to suppress all discussion surrounding the previous night's revelations. They spread the narrative that this was merely enemy propaganda—a psychological operation launched to sow distrust among the villagers and fracture unity during a sensitive period. But within the Uchiha Clan district, the mood was very different.
Inside the Uchiha compound, Uchiha Tianyin stood before Uchiha Yue, respectfully reporting on Konoha's ongoing situation. His gaze burned with a fervent admiration.
"ANBU reacted quickly, but at this stage… what does it matter?"
Uchiha Yue sat calmly, his voice laced with scorn. He didn't even spare Sarutobi Hiruzen's efforts a serious thought.
After all, his illusion-based offensive the previous night had ensnared not just select targets, but a broad swath of Konoha's shinobi and civilian population. From genin to jōnin, from council elders to merchants, no one had been fully spared the reality-bending truths broadcasted into their minds.
And the public debate that followed this morning—half-whispers in tea shops, pointed glances in training grounds, suspicious murmurs at mission assignment boards—had already taken deep root. Konoha was abuzz.
More critically, the accusations leveled against Sarutobi Hiruzen were not empty bluster. Yue had interwoven fabricated charges with verifiable truths: the Uchiha Clan's marginalization after the Nine-Tails incident, the manipulation of Itachi as a double agent, and the hidden surveillance placed on the Uchiha compound using Byakugan operatives under Danzo's orders—all of it sourced from Yue's reconstructed memories and insider intel. The fabricated details blurred seamlessly with undeniable evidence.
Even if some parts were half-truths or extrapolations, they were impossible to disprove, especially when the emotional undercurrent resonated with many villagers who had long suspected corruption at the highest levels.
At this point, any countermeasure from Hiruzen and his inner circle was far too late. The conspiracy angle fell flat—especially when faced with documents, testimonies, and even captured Root operatives exposed by Yue's illusion the night before.
"Lord Patriarch, should we initiate the next phase now?" asked Uchiha Tianyin, his tone reverent. His admiration deepened in the face of Yue's quiet dominance over the situation.
Unbeknownst to most, Yue had already prepared for this moment. Plans laid in the dark over the past few months had been set into motion last night. Now, the timing was perfect—the Uchiha clan would finally step into the daylight and claim their rightful place.
"Yes. The moment has arrived. Let's move. It's time for the Uchiha Guard to reclaim its name and honor," Yue declared coldly. His words were calm, but an invisible pressure radiated from him—a tangible force that caused Tianyin to stiffen in place.
The memory of his past life—his knowledge of Konoha's tragic fate, of the massacre, of Itachi's sorrowful burden—had weighed on him long enough. Strength had given him relief, but only the destruction of the old, corrupt system could bring catharsis. Hiruzen, the symbol of that system, had to be broken.
This wasn't vengeance—it was correction.
…
Time moved forward.
Due to their meticulous preparation, the Uchiha moved like clockwork. Within minutes of Yue's command, their forces mobilized and spilled into the streets of Konoha with a presence not seen since the days before the Uchiha were sidelined.
"All members of the Konoha Police Force, listen up!" Yue's voice rang out from atop a building overlooking the main plaza. "Stabilize the village. Ensure peace. Gather every civilian to the Hokage Building. They deserve answers."
"And if any ninja obstructs this order—detain them. If they resist, subdue them by any means necessary. As of this moment, any such resistance is treason."
The Uchiha Guard—long mocked and marginalized—responded with thunderous affirmation. They had been entrusted with Konoha's order before, and now, with their dignity restored, they acted with swift precision.
Their appearance in the streets of Konoha created immediate ripples. The sight of Uchiha clan members, armed and coordinated, struck fear into the hearts of some—but hope into the hearts of many. In contrast, ANBU units, operating under Hiruzen's direct command, were met with suspicion and hostility. Murmurs circulated that those very same ANBU might have been responsible for the disappearances of political dissidents or clan informants in the past.
Villagers who had seen flashes of the illusions Yue cast last night—the truths veiled beneath genjutsu—were no longer satisfied with whispered speculation. They wanted the Hokage himself to speak.
And so, when the Uchiha Guard instructed them to assemble at the Hokage Tower, many obeyed willingly. Even the hesitant followed, driven by the curiosity and confusion lingering from last night's revelations.
"Uchiha Yue! What are you trying to do? Gather all the villagers in one place? Do you intend to force me into surrender—force me to relinquish the Hokage title publicly?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen had arrived, flanked by elite ANBU, his aged face grave. His voice was hoarse but loud, straining against the noise of the crowd that had begun to form around the Hokage Tower.
He was no fool—he understood exactly what this public confrontation would lead to. If Yue succeeded in turning the village's collective judgment against him in this very moment, there would be no redemption. No quiet retirement. No respect for a once-esteemed leader. Only disgrace.
Better to die now as the Third Hokage, he thought grimly, than live to see himself unmasked as a liar, a coward, and a tyrant.
Uchiha Yue saw it all—the resolve, the desperation, the unspoken wish for a warrior's death rather than public humiliation.
"Hmph… That gaze, that resolve… Are you trying to force a final duel here, Hiruzen?" Yue said, his Sharingan spinning slowly as he descended the rooftop and walked toward him.
"Uchiha Yue, why are you pushing this so far?" Hiruzen shouted. "Yes, I restricted your clan. I made decisions meant to prevent bloodshed—but I never ordered your extermination!"
"You speak of conspiracies, of betrayals—but do you think I ordered the Uchiha Massacre? No! I asked Itachi to reason with his clan, to prevent a civil war!"
His voice cracked with emotion. "And look! Your people still live. No one has died. Can you not see we still have a future together?"
Even now, despite facing condemnation, Hiruzen extended an olive branch. Perhaps he hoped Yue would recall a fragment of the idealism Hiruzen himself once represented—a village united, not torn by vengeance.
But Yue's expression didn't waver. He had already seen the cost of mercy. The kind that allowed Danzo to flourish. The kind that buried Uchiha blood in the dark of night. The kind that allowed truth to rot while illusion reigned.
For Yue, there was no future until the old one was burned away.
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