Those who sacrifice everything for Konoha will always find that their sacrifices are insignificant to Konoha.
The profession of Ninja, from the moment it appeared, was built upon the sacrifices of countless people. The longer it exists, the more people die for it. Whether it was the Sengoku period, the era of the Five Great Ninja Villages, or the distant future.
If this power is not directed elsewhere, then the deaths brought by such sacrifices will never cease.
Whether it be my father, my mother, or myself.
Uchiha Itachi knelt on the ground, looking at the hand extended towards him, his vision suddenly blurring.
He felt hatred, anger, resentment, and unwillingness.
But as the receding emotions settled, and his own rationality began to function again, he had to admit.
Everything Aizen Sōsuke said was correct.
Even if he hadn't revealed these things to him, his father would still have chosen to launch a coup, and his clansmen would still have died one by one in the encirclement laid out by Hiruzen Sarutobi and other Konoha Leadership.
It's just that in the end, his father might not have died by his hand.
The outcome of all this would not change.
The only change would be that he could have cowardly escaped the guilt that had already taken deep Root in his heart.
How cowardly was this thought?
If he did nothing, then tragedies like his would continue to unfold in the future.
Just like Kakashi Hatake now.
The true enemies are the Third Hokage, Danzo, the entire Konoha Leadership, and even all the Shinobi Clans—including himself.
Uchiha Itachi slowly raised his head, meeting Aizen Sōsuke's calm gaze.
But he did not take his hand.
Instead, he bowed his head deeply.
Finally, he knelt on the crimson soil and gave his answer:
"Yes."
"Lord Aizen."
...Meanwhile, the chaos in the Village continued.
The pincer attack agreed upon by Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna immediately fell apart after the entire Uchiha coup faction broke into the center of Konoha.
Although it was a coup faction, this did not mean that all Uchiha clansmen were fanatical fools.
After encountering the first wave of ambush, they realized that the Konoha Leadership was already prepared.
Thus, apart from the troops directly led by Uchiha Setsuna and Fugaku, everyone else dispersed throughout Konoha Village in small teams, breaking through separately.
Facing such a situation, even with prior preparation, Hiruzen Sarutobi was equally flustered.
After continuously dispatching the Root and Anbu, the news he received was that several small teams were quickly annihilated by Uchiha Ninja.
In terms of Ninja quality alone, the Uchiha Clan, possessing the Sharingan Bloodline Limit, was indeed a cut above most Chunin and Jonin.
Even Anbu Ninja, who had undergone brutal training, could not compare to them.
Watching the battle gradually deteriorate into a war of attrition, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face in the Hokage Office was as dark as ink:
"Where are the Shinobi Clans' forces?"
"Send them a message immediately!"
"Yes."
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi's order, once issued, was like a stone sinking into the sea.
By the time the order was received, the Ninja of various Shinobi Clans, led by the Hyuga Clan, were already waiting on the outskirts of the battlefield.
Not just the Hyuga.
Aburame, Inuzuka, Gekko, Kurama, and even the Nara Clan among the Ino–Shika–Chō.
Everyone was on the periphery of the battlefield, quietly observing the distant fighting, most of them chatting and laughing, completely disregarding the Anbu who came to deliver the message.
As for the reason, it was naturally the Hyuga Branch Family head standing at the very front.
"Lord Shinma!"
"The situation in the Village is critical; please dispatch teams to support immediately!"
"This is a Hokage's direct order!"
Looking at the Anbu Ninja standing before him, appearing serious and urgent, the Hyuga clansman called 'Lord Shinma' remained calm, his tone completely undisturbed:
"I have received the order."
"However, the incident was sudden, and the forces of various clans have not yet fully assembled, nor is their equipment complete. We still need to wait for the main force to arrive."
"Please report it as such."
"Lord Shinma!?"
The Anbu Ninja looked at the Byakugan user, who was clearly speaking nonsense, with disbelief, then glanced at the gathered Shinobi Clans behind him, and was about to say something more.
However, 'Hyuga Shinma's' voice suddenly became a few shades firmer:
"Please report it as such."
As a Branch Family head, even if he only represented the Hyuga Branch Family, his status was more than one level higher than the Chunin Anbu in front of him.
Hearing his firm tone, the Anbu opposite him immediately could no longer speak.
Before leaving, his gaze under his mask swept fiercely over everyone present, as if to remember all of them.
The surrounding Shinobi Clans watched with cold eyes, occasionally with a hint of a sneer.
"No matter how arrogant the Uchiha are, they are still part of the Shinobi Clans. They caused this trouble themselves, and now others have to clean up their mess."
"Third Hokage, he is indeed getting old."
A few low chuckles, carrying obvious dissatisfaction, came from the crowd.
The Anbu could no longer listen and immediately turned and vanished.
'Hyuga Shinma' stood quietly in place, no emotion visible in his white pupils.
Clearly.
Their decision to stop here was not something he alone could make.
Not only was the Hyuga Clan dissatisfied with the Konoha Leadership's temporary decisions, but most Shinobi Clans felt largely the same.
Konoha was not a Village built by one person.
At its inception, this Village was naturally united by the formidable means of the Senju and Uchiha Clans.
However, now the Senju are in decline, the Uchiha are ostracized, and the Hokage in power is a Sarutobi clansman from a small clan in the past.
What right did Hiruzen Sarutobi have to treat them as mere pawns to be ordered around?
This was not a Great Ninja War that threatened the entire Village and determined future distribution of interests.
'Hyuga Shinma' dismissed the Anbu messenger.
He observed all the reactions of the surrounding Shinobi Clans.
Just as Lord Aizen had said.
The Shinobi Clans were not a group of fools to be manipulated by the Hokage.
They were the backbone of this Village, the biggest obstacle to the rise of common Ninja, and a resilient group that countered the Hokage's master-disciple lineage system.
They had their own interests to protect.
They were not without grievances regarding the various reforms carried out by the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama since he took office throughout Konoha Village.
This anger was quietly hidden in their hearts.
Only a small opportunity, and someone brave enough to stand up and lead the resistance, would cause their deeply hidden power beneath the surface to surge forth.
And the role he was playing now was that of this 'leader'.
The decline of the Uchiha Clan after tonight was already visible.
As Konoha's second largest clan, the Hyuga, to gain the maximum benefit from this chaotic situation, should play the role he ought to play.
Of course.
This was a performance for the Hokage, and for the Shinobi Clans behind him.
As for what the true Hyuga Clan decision-makers thought, 'Hyuga Shinma' did not care.
Yes.
The current Hyuga Branch Family head, 'Hyuga Shinma', was precisely the role Hyuga Hizashi was impersonating at Aizen's request.
It could be considered a type of method acting in a sense.
Tonight, Lord Aizen's orders to him were also very simple.
Delay for a period, exhaust as much of the Hokage's directly controllable forces as possible, and gauge their strength.
Clearly, this was not just Lord Aizen's order, but also what most of the Shinobi Clans present wanted to know.
The Hokage alone was not terrifying.
Even the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama, leading a six-person Jonin squad, was chased all over the place by the twenty-odd strong Kinkaku-Ginkaku Force.
What was truly terrifying was the unknown.
As Hyuga Hizashi thought this, he waited quietly.
In the distance, an elderly figure was seen approaching alone.
Almost the moment this person was seen, the chatter among the Shinobi Clans present gradually subsided.
Hiruzen Sarutobi personally came before them, his sharp gaze sweeping over the faces of each figure present.
Years of accumulation, the prestige gained from two great wars, and countless achievements and reputation adorned him.
The influence brought by these stacked halos on one person was something most people could hardly imagine.
Because of this, the moment he appeared before everyone, even if there had been many scornful tones in the crowd just moments ago, they had all vanished now.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was as calm as still water as he slowly withdrew his gaze.
He did not ask the reason for their disobedience, nor did he issue any accusations. He simply gave orders as always, as if on the battlefield of the Third Great Ninja War, calmly stating:
"Everyone, attack with me."
"Yes, Third Hokage!"