Seeing Fox reveal the Sharingan, both Uchiha Kagen and his son were startled into instinctive reaction. Their own Sharingan opened in an instant.
They carefully observed Commander Fox's eyes, but could not find anything abnormal.
Commander Fox was a member of the Uchiha clan?
"Clan Head..."
Yako slowly put his mask back on.
"That 'Clan Head' was sincere. Because you truly are my clan head."
"Mm. Ah... yes..."
Uchiha Kagen answered chaotically.
Yako continued, "I am ANBU commander, so my identity is classified. However, the Hokage and the other senior leaders know that identity.
In that identity, my parents moved into the village in Konoha Year 18, after the First Shinobi World War ended.
I was born in Konoha in Year 23. Five years later, my parents died in a rogue ninja rebellion.
I always thought my background was exactly as my records stated.
Until one day, Clan Head Senju Rinju found me.
He told me my files had been forged when I was young, and that my entire identity was false.
My mother was a female ninja of the Senju clan who had run away from home. She possessed both Senju and Uzumaki blood.
As for my father, even Clan Head Rinju did not know.
He only said my mother never mentioned him.
My mother died early. Clan Head Rinju created a false identity for me and arranged for me to enter ANBU.
Only when I encountered a crisis and awakened the Sharingan did I learn that the man my mother had never mentioned came from the Uchiha clan."
Uchiha Kagen nodded repeatedly.
So that was it.
Fox's mother had fallen in love with someone the Senju clan could never accept.
She had fallen in love with an Uchiha ninja.
That relationship, doomed never to receive blessings, had only one result: Fox, the unknown orphan of the Senju clan.
What Uchiha Kagen felt most deeply now was that Senju Rinju truly had extraordinary methods.
He had actually planted a spy inside ANBU right under Sarutobi Hiruzen's nose.
Not only had he planted a spy, that spy was exceptionally talented and had already become ANBU commander.
With that, everything made sense.
Why had Tsunade and Fox formed an alliance so quietly?
Because they had been of the same clan all along.
Why did Fox often train Uzumaki Kushina?
His investment in Kushina far exceeded what an ANBU commander should do. Because he and Kushina were also kin.
Why had Fox taught the precious Flying Thunder God forbidden technique to Namikaze Minato?
Because Minato was the Uzumaki clan's son-in-law.
Senju Rinju had been unable to stop the Senju clan's decline, but with one divine move before his death, he had seized control of Konoha's dark side and completely reversed the Senju clan's decline.
The current Senju clan had help from the Uzumaki inside and Fox's ANBU as support outside. The clan was now filled with talent.
Yako said, "Clan Head, I admit that in the past, I targeted the Uchiha clan at certain times.
But after I awakened the Sharingan, I accepted my identity.
You know this yourself. If the Sharingan is not activated, my eyes are no different from an ordinary person's.
My desire to help the Uchiha clan is real."
"Of course," Uchiha Kagen quickly said. "I now completely believe your sincerity.
When you said you had recommended me to the Hokage as commander of the Land of Hot Water front, I did consider whether this was the village's new method to wear down the Uchiha clan.
But after seeing your Sharingan, I understand your painstaking intentions."
Yako nodded.
He had finally convinced Uchiha Kagen.
Uchiha Kagen had seen too much of Konoha's internal struggles. There was no way he would willingly stake the entire clan's future and fight for Konoha in the Land of Hot Water war just because of one sentence from Yako.
Only after seeing Uchiha blood in the ANBU commander himself could he fully lower his guard.
"As for the Uchiha clan's strength..." Yako said. "Of course the Uchiha clan alone cannot defeat Kumogakure. I will find a way to assign sufficiently powerful forces to the Land of Hot Water front.
Aside from the Uchiha clan, I will send at least three thousand ninja to the Land of Hot Water..."
Uchiha Kagen interrupted Yako.
"Commander Fox, you do not need to worry about strength."
He closed his eyes and prepared briefly.
When he opened them again, they were already Mangekyō Sharingan.
Yako froze.
Old foxes.
They were all old foxes.
Uchiha Kagen had hidden it so well. He had actually hidden a pair of Mangekyō.
Uchiha Kagen had served as clan head for twenty years. He had led the Uchiha clan through the chaos of the First Shinobi World War and endured multiple rounds of targeting. He was truly not simple.
Yako nodded repeatedly.
"My last concern has disappeared. Clan Head Kagen, I hope you will fully display your abilities on the Land of Hot Water battlefield and restore the Uchiha clan's name!"
"I understand," Uchiha Kagen said. "I have one final question."
"Please ask."
"Regarding Uchiha Madara, Commander Fox, as someone of the Uchiha clan, how do you view him?"
Uchiha Kagen suspected that with Fox's strength, he might have some unspeakable cooperation with Uchiha Madara.
Madara's death had been somewhat suspicious.
Logically speaking, no one should have been able to kill Uchiha Madara—unless Madara himself wanted to die.
Yako said, "Uchiha Madara's thoughts and actions have completely fallen into error.
Uchiha Madara is a major problem for Konoha. What I can tell you is this: Uchiha Madara will revive sooner or later."
"Revive? The dead can revive?"
"Yes," Yako said. "For the next few decades, Uchiha Madara will continue to haunt us."
He paused, then added, "Ninja become too powerful. They can play with death gods and souls. Many people refuse to disappear even after death."
Uchiha Kagen and Uchiha Fugaku could no longer understand the second half of his words.
Yako rose from the cushion.
"Clan Head Kagen, today's discussion ends here. Please prepare for war as quickly as possible.
Clan Head Kagen, Young Clan Head Fugaku—the people who know I have awakened the Sharingan, aside from you two, were all killed by me.
No one has seen my Sharingan and survived.
I trust you will not leak this secret. I can guarantee that ANBU will no longer target the Uchiha clan. In fact, I already stopped that several years ago."
"Of course we will keep your secret," Uchiha Kagen said. "In truth, this secret still makes my heart tremble."
Uchiha Kagen escorted Fox out of the compound.
Under a corridor, Yako saw Uchiha Mikoto.
Mikoto was holding an infant in her arms.
Noticing Commander Fox's mask turn slightly, Uchiha Fugaku quickly explained, "Commander Fox, you've met Mikoto through Princess Kushina. That child is our son, Uchiha Itachi."
Yako quietly said to Fugaku, "The Uchiha clan should not remain trapped in the Police Force. You can select some people to enter ANBU.
I need capable hands there.
Among Ninja Academy students and children, you can also begin selecting and nurturing some from a young age."
Hearing Commander Fox say this, Fugaku hurriedly agreed.
In the past, if the village had wanted the Uchiha to enter ANBU, the Uchiha clan would certainly have refused.
Entering ANBU meant hiding one's name and identity, as if disappearing completely. They might be killed somewhere by ANBU without anyone ever knowing.
Now it was different.
ANBU Commander Fox wanted some Uchiha to enter ANBU.
The Uchiha clan's top expert needed reliable subordinates. The Uchiha clan had no excuse to refuse.
After seeing Commander Fox and his group off, Uchiha Kagen said to Fugaku, "Fugaku, investigate who secretly had a child with a female Senju ninja more than twenty years ago."
Fugaku said, "Father, Fox and I are not that many years apart. Shouldn't you know all the young Uchiha from twenty years ago?"
"Yes. I should know all of them. Who was it? Who exactly was it?"