In the quiet living room, Uzumaki Raiden sat on the floor, listening intently to Uchiha Mikoto's account of the ongoing tensions within the Uchiha clan.
He had some understanding of the situation, but it was clear that the conflict between the Uchiha and the villagers was steadily escalating. Despite Namikaze Minato and Sarutobi Hiruzen's joint efforts—alongside Fugaku—to mediate the situation, their attempts had yielded little success.
At this rate, if left unchecked, the Uchiha clan could become completely estranged from Konoha. Although the conflict hadn't yet reached its breaking point, it would only take a single spark to push the clan toward rebellion.
"Shimura Danzo was dealt with long ago, yet the Uchiha clan still seems to be heading down the same path."
"Even without Danzo's influence to fuel tensions, events are still unfolding in an eerily familiar way."
Raiden sighed internally, realizing that despite his past efforts—such as restructuring the Konoha Police Force and eliminating Danzo—the Uchiha clan had still drifted toward conflict. It was as if an unseen force was guiding them down this inevitable road.
"Raiden, is there anything you can do to help Fugaku?"
"In the village, Fugaku trusts you the most!" Mikoto asked, her voice filled with hope and desperation.
"There's a way, of course," Raiden said calmly.
"I'm sure Fugaku has already thought of it. Whether he's willing to use it or not is another matter entirely."
"If he doesn't..."
Raiden trailed off, his expression hardening. The solution was simple—remove those causing the conflict. If Fugaku had the resolve to assert control over his clan with an iron fist, the problem would be resolved swiftly.
"What do you mean?" Mikoto asked, sensing the weight in his words.
Raiden looked at her steadily and said in a quiet yet firm voice, "Elimination."
Mikoto's eyes widened in shock.
"Elimination? But... they are our own people!"
As she met Raiden's unwavering gaze, realization dawned on her, and she fell silent.
"You know there are divisions within the Uchiha clan," Raiden continued. "From what you've told me, persuasion won't work. If we don't put an end to this now, it will only fester and spiral out of control."
"If Fugaku won't take action, someone else will—when it's too late to salvage anything."
Raiden's voice was steady, yet the weight of his words was undeniable. If the situation escalated to outright defiance, Konoha wouldn't hesitate to eliminate the entire clan to prevent a rebellion.
"Let Fugaku return, and I'll speak with him personally."
"I'm his friend—I'll help him carry this burden."
Raiden stretched his legs, speaking in a casual tone, but his words hung heavy in the air. Mikoto's heart wavered as she processed everything he had said.
"Is there really no other way?" Mikoto whispered, a tinge of unwillingness in her voice.
"That depends on how deep the divide within the clan is," Raiden replied. "If it's not too far gone, then there are alternatives."
Before Mikoto could respond, Raiden's sharp eyes flicked toward the window. A small spark of lightning crackled at his fingertips and shot out, piercing through the thin paper screen.
"Ahhh!"
A startled cry echoed from outside. Mikoto jumped to her feet and rushed to the door, peering outside, but the corridor was empty.
"Interesting," Raiden murmured with a smirk.
The next moment, his figure vanished from the room in a blur.
"Raiden?" Mikoto called, but he was gone.
Realizing the urgency, Mikoto quickly left the house, heading toward the clan's meeting hall.
Meanwhile
Uchiha Ayako darted through the clan district, glancing over her shoulder frequently. Her frantic pace and panicked expression drew curious stares from the other Uchiha.
"Damn it! That bastard lied to me!"
"The so-called protection he gave me didn't work at all!"
"And now I've been exposed!"
Her Sharingan spun rapidly, a testament to the stress she was under. Despite her position as a mere housekeeper in Fugaku's residence, Ayako was, in reality, an elite kunoichi who had awakened her Sharingan.
After weaving through several streets, she finally reached a secluded wooden hut, scanning her surroundings to ensure no one had followed her before knocking lightly on the door.
After a brief pause, the door cracked open, and a hand pulled her inside.
"Ayako? What are you doing here?"
The dimly lit room had no windows, only a small vent in the ceiling. The furnishings were sparse—a simple bed and a table with two chairs.
Inside were two men; a middle-aged man seated at the table, and a younger man in his twenties standing behind him. Ayako, catching her breath, quickly relayed her distress.
"My lord, I've been exposed!"
"The tracking jutsu I was given didn't work!"
The middle-aged man furrowed his brows.
"Calm down. Explain everything clearly," he said in a low, measured tone.
"A few hours ago, two guests arrived at Fugaku's house—one of them was the Fourth Hokage, who was supposed to be dead, and the other was the Jinchūriki."
"Mikoto entertained them personally, and I tried to listen in, but Hokage spotted me!"
"What?!"
The man shot up from his chair, his face dark with shock.
"The Fourth Hokage?! You were caught by him?!"
Ayako swallowed nervously and nodded.
"You fool! And you dared come here after being exposed?!"
The middle-aged man's face contorted with fury, his Sharingan flickering to life as he glared at Ayako.
"I checked carefully with my Sharingan on the way here! No one followed me!" Ayako insisted, but her voice lacked confidence.
The man gritted his teeth. "And you think you can outrun him?"
"You know who—"
Knock knock knock!
The sudden knocking on the door sent a shiver down everyone's spine. Sweat dripped from the man's brow.
"There's no one outside?"
"Then I'll just let myself in!"
A deep, hoarse voice echoed from the other side, followed by the door splintering apart. A tall figure stepped into the dimly lit room.
"Fourth Hokage... Uzumaki Raiden!"
The middle-aged man stammered in disbelief as the shadow of Raiden loomed over him.
(End of this chapter)