This was the first time Fugaku had contacted Satoshi since he left Konoha .
Satoshi could probably guess what it was about.
Nine times out of ten, it was that inherently evil Danzo, stirring up new trouble behind the scenes. He was pushing the already tense Uchiha clan to the brink of rebellion.
And Fugaku was always indecisive. He wanted to suppress the increasingly radical voices within the clan, but he also couldn't resist the ever-tightening pressure from the higher-ups. That's why he needed to call Satoshi back.
Don't let his current age of twelve fool you. His strength had long surpassed most ninjas in the clan.
Perhaps... all of them.
Kakashi keenly sensed Satoshi's change. "What's wrong, Satoshi?"
Satoshi's expression remained unchanged, and he spoke without hesitation, "Konoha is suspected to be under attack by unknown invaders. The situation is urgent, and I must return immediately."
He quickly pulled out a detailed map and handed it to Kakashi.
"The places we've searched are all marked. Kakashi-senpai, the mission to find Obito is now up to you and Tenzo-senpai."
No sooner had he spoken than Satoshi's figure vanished instantly.
—
Satoshi's guess was correct. The situation between the Uchiha and Konoha had not eased. Instead, it had become even more tense due to the masked man's identity being exposed.
At a recent Konoha high-level meeting, Danzo once again presented his view.
"Uchiha Obito!" Danzo slammed his hand on the table.
"A dead last, a good-for-nothing despised by everyone. It was he who successfully controlled Nine-Tails and almost destroyed Konoha's foundation. Doesn't this explain the problem?"
Danzo's face was extremely grim. "Controlling Nine-Tails doesn't require the world-destroying power of a legendary Ninja World Shura like Madara. A resentful Uchiha good-for-nothing is enough."
He scanned the solemn faces of Homura and Koharu, finally settling on Hiruzen, who was smoking.
"Think about it, what if another dead last like Obito appears in the Uchiha clan?"
"What if this dead last happens to be a fanatical admirer of Madara, constantly thinking about overthrowing Konoha? Can Konoha afford to have Nine-Tails rampage through the village again?"
The two advisors exchanged glances.
Koharu coughed lightly. "Hiruzen, Danzo does have some valid points."
Homura said, "There are still voices of rebellion within the Uchiha clan, and they are growing louder. Itachi's intel has confirmed this. We can no longer rely on luck."
Hiruzen took a deep puff from his pipe, and in the swirling smoke, his brows furrowed.
He had originally held a glimmer of hope, believing that Fugaku could control the situation.
However...
As the three of them continued to speak, Hiruzen's thoughts changed.
If the Uchiha were allowed to grow too powerful, it would be difficult to manage. A slight punishment might not be out of the question.
"Alright, proceed with your ideas. Be sure to act cautiously."
Thus, Root, which had been dormant for some time, was once again mobilized. They cooperated with Anbu, closely monitoring every member of the Uchiha.
Even Sasuke, returning from school, they would check where he went if he didn't go home.
Danzo even intensified his actions, questioning members of the Uchiha clan. He implied that the reason Obito was able to enter Konoha so smoothly was actually because there were spies within the Uchiha clan.
This action enraged the Uchiha clan members. They felt that Danzo was just looking for trouble.
At that time, Satoshi was called a hero who repelled the invaders, and the Konoha Military Police Force also did well in that matter.
How long had it been since the Uchiha were suspected of being internal collaborators again?
What an idiot!
Fugaku naturally hoped they would be calm and endure if they could.
He would go to the Hokage and ask him to preside over justice.
Unfortunately, they didn't think so. Fugaku always said that every time.
What was the result?
The Uchiha suffered more and more.
The benefits the clan head brought them were even less than what Satoshi brought.
And Satoshi had shown increasingly powerful strength, instilling confidence in the Uchiha clan.
If they couldn't activate the legendary ability, the Uchiha's strongest power, Susanoo, then they would pave the way with their own blood, letting Satoshi step on their corpses to climb up.
Even if it meant death, they didn't want to suffer such indignity.
Shisui, who advocated peace, stood up at the meeting but was thoroughly scolded by the clan members.
"Get out! Don't stop us from fighting for the Uchiha's dignity! Satoshi will definitely be on our side!"
"What Shisui of the Body Flicker, he's just a dog of Konoha."
"Both are geniuses, but Satoshi has won us so many benefits, while you only know how to tell us to endure."
They firmly believed that if they rebelled, Satoshi would definitely stand with them.
However, Fugaku felt that Satoshi didn't seem to have much desire for rebellion.
In past gatherings, when the radical clan members were clamoring, Satoshi acted as if he hadn't heard anything. He was probably pondering something else.
According to Shisui, Satoshi even seemed to have expressed a burning will of fire?
If that were the case, Satoshi would be a pacifist, just like Shisui. Then it would be even less likely that he would support them.
What Fugaku didn't know was that everything Satoshi did was for Itachi to see.
Itachi had been brainwashed by the Hokage and had become a legitimate double agent.
Hiruzen knew exactly who in the clan wanted to rebel and who advocated for endurance.
But Fugaku still wanted Satoshi to return. He held high prestige within the clan now. If he asked the clan members to temporarily endure, perhaps they would listen to him.
So, after the gathering, Fugaku sent a secret letter to Satoshi.
It was also at this time that Itachi and Shisui met.
"Shisui, is there no solution?"
Itachi's brows were tightly furrowed, hoping his dear friend, and also his teacher, could give him a plan.
"Or try to delay it. We can work together to slowly change the clan's views."
Shisui looked up at the sky, his face filled with deep pain and helplessness. "Now the clan members believe Satoshi can lead them in a military coup. Satoshi hasn't returned yet, so they haven't taken action."
"But what if he returns, what if he's blinded by momentary anger and forgets the will of fire that guided him..."
Shisui didn't continue.
Itachi suddenly understood something.
He abruptly looked up.
"Shisui, are you saying we need to resolve these matters before Satoshi returns?"
Itachi now had only one thought: he had to find a way to break the deadlock before Satoshi returned and the situation completely spiraled out of control. Otherwise, things could get even worse.
Clearly, reality always unfolds more cruelly than the worst predictions.
That evening, a fuse was lit.
Several Root members, holding Danzo's orders, demanded a thorough search of the Konoha Military Police Force's core prison, citing "receipt of top-secret intelligence that enemy spies might be lurking in the Konoha Military Police Force prison."
This was tantamount to pointing at the Uchiha's noses and calling them a bunch of ungrateful bastards.
Root's arrogant attitude and these fabricated charges were like pouring oil on a raging fire. It instantly ignited the furious wrath of the radical faction led by Inaho and Tekka.
If they wanted to leave, they would have left a long time ago. Why would they endure your indignities for so many years?
Do you know how many villages outside were begging the Uchiha to leave, and they didn't?
A fierce conflict erupted between the two sides.
Roars, the clash of metal, and the explosive sounds of Ninjutsu reverberated through the Konoha Military Police Force building.