"You’ve lost, Fugaku. Don’t make this worse," Hiruzen Sarutobi stood on the rooftop, gazing at the Uchiha clan leader within the Susanoo. "I promise to spare the Uchiha, just as the Second Hokage did when Uchiha Setsuna rebelled."
Uchiha Setsuna was a mber of the Konoha Police Force during the Second Hokage’s tenure. He sought to reclaim power from the Senju clan and incited rebellion among his clan mbers, only to be swiftly crushed by the Anbu.
Setsuna wasn’t the Uchiha clan leader, and his rebellion failed before any significant action was taken. Compared to Fugaku’s current situation, their scale and nature were entirely different.
Hiruzen’s ssage was clear: only the ringleaders would be punished. He wanted Fugaku and a few high-ranking Uchiha to surrender and spend their lives in prison while the remaining clan mbers would be spared.
"Who said I’ve lost?" Fugaku asked calmly.
"The Nine-Tails hasn’t appeared. Your plan has failed. Isn’t that enough?" Hiruzen frowned. Aside from causing damage to Konoha, he didn’t see what Fugaku’s persistence would achieve. "I never knew you had such hatred for Konoha."
"I don’t hate Konoha," Fugaku shook his head. Perhaps due to the Mangekyou Sharingan, his face twisted in anger. "But my clan hates you and Danzo to the core!"
"Hiruzen!!"
"My Uchiha clan has been pushed to this point by you and the other Konoha leaders!"
"It was Tobirama, it’s you, it’s Danzo, all of you have continuously marginalized the Uchiha, reducing us from founders of Konoha to re police officers!"
"You’ve had us under surveillance day and night!"
"You forced us to move our clan from the heart of Konoha to this remote corner!"
"And today, without any warning, you attacked our compound!"
"If the Uchiha don’t resist, we fear we’ll never see the light of day again!"
Hiruzen firmly shook his head at Fugaku’s last accusation. "That would never happen!"
He also disagreed with the penultimate accusation. "You kidnapped Naruto first. We invaded your compound to prevent sothing far worse!"
Fugaku sneered and shook his head.
Who slapped whom first didn’t matter anymore. This back-and-forth had ended. What mattered was the outco between Konoha and the Uchiha.
Fugaku, as if recalling sothing, glanced around. "Tell , how did you find my hideout… I was so close."
Hiruzen, feeling a bit proud, turned and saw Neiki, who had retreated behind the group. He praised, "It was our Hyuga’s strongest spear, Neiki, who found you with his Byakugan."
Luckily, Neiki arrived in ti. Otherwise, if Fugaku had managed to summon the Nine-Tails, the consequences would have been dire.
Neiki’s involvent lessened Hiruzen’s resentnt towards the Hyuga clan and increased his displeasure with the Hyuga elders.
Such a talented young man like Neiki was wasted as a Hyuga’s private warrior.
Fugaku couldn’t help but think of his son, who, alongside Neiki, was considered one of Konoha’s brightest talents.
His son hadn’t shown up today.
This didn’t surprise Fugaku.
After all, he was a coward.
A coward who couldn’t choose between his clan and the village.
His intense emotions cald slightly. Fugaku glanced at Neiki with so understanding:
"I suppose that’s not just any ordinary Byakugan you have."
Fugaku knew Konoha had Byakugan users, so he placed special ninjutsu defenses around his hideout. Yet, Neiki had still found him. It was baffling.
Neiki didn’t answer, feeling irritated.
He had helped Fugaku so much, and now Fugaku was fixated on him. Such ingratitude.
Did Fugaku think he could make Naruto take that final step alone?
"Where is Naruto? He hasn’t wronged the Uchiha. Since you’ve already failed, can you release him before we continue?" Hiruzen’s concern for Naruto, the hero’s orphan, was evident.
"Oh?" Fugaku’s mouth curled into a smile. "You really want to see him?"
Hiruzen’s brow furrowed, a terrible suspicion rising.
"What have you done to him?" His tone was low, filled with warning.
He didn’t believe Fugaku would harm Naruto, especially after failing to summon the Nine-Tails.
Naruto had no family.
But Fugaku still had his clan.
Crossing that line wouldn’t benefit Fugaku at all.
But Fugaku’s response wasn’t what he expected. He smiled and said:
"Nothing much. He’s fine."
"Since you want to see him, I’ll show him to you now."
Fugaku suddenly slamd his right hand to the ground!
Black runes spread from his palm.
Sensing sothing, Hiruzen and the others looked down at the ground.
The earth.
Was trembling.
This… this is?
They heard Fugaku shout:
"Summoning Jutsu!"
The next mont.
—Roar!!!
A roar shattered every cloud within a hundred miles!
Roof tiles were blown away, and the surrounding buildings were reduced to rubble.
In the sunlight, a massive shadow lood over the gathered shinobi.
Staring at the monstrous creature before them, both the Uchiha and Konoha forces, even those fighting fiercely within the compound, paused and lowered their weapons.
All Konoha shinobi who had experienced the Nine-Tails’ attack years ago knew what this creature was.
This is—
The Nine-Tails.
The Nine-Tails in its Eight-Tails form without its fur!!
Its eyes reflected the Mangekyou Sharingan!!!
Indeed.
Fugaku hadn’t summoned the Nine-Tails.
But he had pushed Naruto to the Eight-Tails state using the Tailed Beast Unsealing Jutsu.
Only one step away from the full Nine-Tails.
Just one small step.
But Neiki had found Fugaku before he could push Naruto to that final step.
With Hiruzen’s forces storming in, Fugaku had to halt the transformation process.
Yet clearly, the Eight-Tails Nine-Tails was nearly as devastating as the full form.
It was enough to bring disaster upon Konoha.
"So?"
"Hiruzen!"
"Did I lose?!"
"Did the Uchiha lose?!"
Fugaku looked at the stunned Konoha shinobi, at Hiruzen’s grave expression, and burst into laughter.
"This ti, there’s no Minato."
"Hiruzen."
"Do you think you’ll win?"
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