"Come in."
Aoki's voice came from inside the office. Responding to the call, Uchiha Fugaku gently pushed the door open and entered, guiding two small figures by the hand as he approached the desk.
"Hokage-sama, these are Shisui and Itachi," he introduced the two children to Aoki, leading them forward. At that time, Shisui and Itachi were still young children with faces full of innocence.
Recalling their performances in the original story, Aoki knew in his heart that with just a little guidance, these two children would undoubtedly become top-tier ninjas.
"From today onward, I will be your master. I will train you strictly, and it's not too late to back out now," Aoki said solemnly, his gaze fixed on the two children.
Upon hearing this, Shisui and Itachi's eyes instantly lit up with intense excitement.
Earlier, when Fugaku had told them that the Hokage intended to take them as disciples, they could hardly believe it. Even as they entered the Hokage's building, their astonishment hadn't faded. Now, hearing Aoki's words with their own ears, their excitement could no longer be contained.
"We are willing to become your disciples, Master!" they exclaimed in unison, their voices brimming with joy. Seeing this, Fugaku was overjoyed—the Uchiha Clan was now firmly tied to the Hokage.
Aoki looked at the two excited children and smiled, then turned to Uchiha Fugaku beside him. "From now on, I will personally teach these two. Starting today, they will accompany me daily."
Fugaku immediately agreed wholeheartedly. Having the two children stay by Aoki's side was exactly what he had hoped for. The purpose of summoning Fugaku had now been achieved.
Aoki hadn't expected that his method of combining kindness and authority toward the Uchiha Clan would prove so effective. And this was only the first step in winning them over.
By pulling Fugaku, the most influential figure in the Uchiha Clan, to his side, he could win over more hearts.
If Fugaku refused to submit, his fate would naturally be the same as those Uchiha elders who held opposing views—execution.
There were already many coveting the position of Uchiha Clan head. Without Fugaku, someone else would take his place. At that point, Aoki could continue his efforts, achieving even better results and making the Uchiha Clan completely loyal and obedient.
Contemplating these plans, Aoki stroked the Ninjutsu scroll Fugaku had presented and couldn't help but curl his lips in satisfaction. The show had just begun, and there was no room for error. This matter had to be announced to the entire clan!
Meanwhile, Shisui and Itachi were still immersed in the ecstasy of being taken as disciples by the Hokage. As children who had loved Konoha deeply since childhood, becoming the Hokage's disciples was a dream come true.
Seeing their excitement, Aoki smiled and said to them, "Alright, don't just focus on being happy. We won't train today. I'll take you to study some texts."
With that, he led the two elated children out of the Hokage's building. From this point on, the Uchiha Clan had become a core force under Aoki's command.
Meanwhile, within the Hyuga clan grounds, a fierce dispute was unfolding. Several clan elders were sternly rebuking Hyuga Hiashi, accusing him of violating ancestral traditions and declaring him unfit to remain as the head of the Hyuga clan. The atmosphere was tense and hostile, and nearby, several headless corpses lay on the ground.
Witnessing this scene, members of the Branch Family, marked with the Caged Bird Curse Mark on their foreheads, gathered together, whispering among themselves. They were puzzled as to why the clan head would allow an outsider like White Fang to intervene in clan affairs, yet they faintly sensed that this event would completely alter the fate of the Branch Family. Hyuga Hiashi's actions, they felt, were an attempt to save the entire Hyuga clan.
Facing the elders' accusations, Hyuga Hiashi had already made up his mind. For the sake of his brother and the future of the Hyuga clan, this outdated and oppressive Main and Branch Family System had to be abolished!
He declared that although the Hyuga clan had existed since the founding of Konoha, it had never truly become a great clan on par with the Uchiha. He criticized certain members of the Main Family for their laziness and lack of achievements, while expressing recognition and support for the Branch Family members who had worked tirelessly for the clan's development.
These words instantly ignited the emotions of the Branch Family members. They had long harbored resentment, having been relegated to the Branch Family simply because they were born a few seconds later, bound by the Caged Bird Curse Mark.
Had the Main Family members possessed great wisdom and strength, genuinely striving for the clan's progress, they might have accepted their fate willingly. However, the actions of the Main Family were now difficult to justify.
Seeing the Branch Family members' rising anger, the Main Family members who had been intimidated and cowed by White Fang's methods gradually regained their courage. Though they still stood behind the elders, they no longer dared to voice their support.
This scene struck the few remaining elders deeply, forcing them to reflect on what they had been desperately protecting all these years.
Amidst the heavy silence, a young, childish voice suddenly broke the tension. Everyone turned to look and, to their surprise, found that it was none other than the Hokage himself. They immediately bowed respectfully, their expressions filled with reverence.