Three days had passed since the celebration of Fugaku's appointment. He entered the Hokage's office trailed by the two elders. On his desk were stacks upon stacks of files and documents he had been reading nonstop for the last seventy-two hours. Fortunately, his relatively young age and honed mental capabilities helped him power through them with ease. He recalled the sheer volume of information held in those papers as he walked toward the desk. He sat in the Hokage's seat, removing his hat and placing it down with a confident authority radiating from his every movement. He belonged there, and he knew it.
The two elders bowed slightly as Fugaku held up a folder. "Thank you, elders, for sharing these files to ensure a smooth transition. I have spent the last three days completely focused on catching up. Now that I have a clear image of where we stand, I can begin implementing the necessary changes to make our path ahead clear."
Homura nodded but looked hesitantly at Koharu. Fugaku noticed the shift even though his eyes were still on the file. "What is it?"
The two elders shifted before Koharu finally spoke. "What of Danzo? I know his crimes are major. However, he is still..."
Fugaku's eyes shot up. They were sharp and final. The elders stopped talking immediately as they felt the unbound sternness radiating from him. "He is a traitor. That is the end of it. He should be treated exactly as all traitors are."
"You know well how hard he has worked for the village!" Koharu objected. "You know the kind of operations he has performed to ensure our security."
Homura continued the thought. "Not to mention that as a Hokage, you must use the assets you have. Danzo is a powerful fighter and an asset the village cannot afford to lose."
Fugaku leaned back into his chair. His eyes narrowed, but his voice remained clear and confident. "Danzo is a cancer, and..."
Before he could continue, a knock sounded at the door. Fugaku responded almost immediately. "Enter."
The door opened and Itachi and Shisui walked in, holding a thick file. The two elders looked on with interest as they asked Itachi, "What is that?"
Itachi ignored them completely. The slight caused a flicker of anger in the elders, but seeing Fugaku there, they chose to remain silent. Fugaku grasped the new files and started reading them, ignoring the standing elders entirely. The insult stung, but their irritation soon began to dim in comparison to the sudden shift in the room.
A wave of rage and bloodlust began radiating from Fugaku. It was mixed with a chakra so thick that it made it hard to breathe. The pressure was so intense that the elders started to shake. Finally, Fugaku threw the file onto the desk. His eyes focused completely on the elders, who were now covered in cold sweat.
Fugaku spoke, his voice low and menacing. "Itachi and Shisui have been interrogating Danzo for the last three days. We got all the information we need out of him. The files reveal something very interesting, honored elders. They detail your collaboration with Danzo during the Third Shinobi War to sideline me during the Fourth Hokage selection process. Not only that, but you also downplayed my accomplishments and those of the Uchiha to marginalize us and further isolate the clan."
The two elders almost fell. Their knees were nearly buckling under the weight of the revelation and Fugaku's unstoppable bloodlust. Fugaku had a small, cold smile on his face. "I had my suspicions before. However, with this new information, it makes sense why you want to help Danzo escape responsibility. You are not far from needing to carry that weight with him."
The elders shifted, their eyes darting around the room as if expecting the ANBU to jump them at any moment. Fugaku's tone became firm and commanding. "However, I know you mostly did it for what you believed was the good of the village. I do not intend to start my reign by disappearing the two elders of Konoha."
They gulped, finding it hard to swallow their fear.
"But you allowed yourself to be driven into following his actions without fighting against them. Therefore, I declare that the two elders of Konoha, Homura and Koharu, have served the village for a long time and have sacrificed enough. You are hereby freed from your responsibility. You will retire and live the rest of your days in peace. You have my word that no harm will befall you or your families. That should be the last lesson you receive on how a leader should act."
The two elders wanted to speak. They moved slightly, but the ANBU, Itachi, and Shisui all tensed, their hands moving closer to their weapons.
In the end, Koharu sighed. She shook her head mockingly at herself as she looked at Homura. "Looks like we lost, old friend."
Homura nodded as they started to walk out of the office. They stopped at the threshold one last time. "We will always care for Konoha," Homura said. "If the village ever needs us, we will always be at its service."
Fugaku nodded as the ANBU opened the door. They left the office they had influenced for a lifetime, leaving the new Hokage to forge a path without them.
For a long time, Fugaku stayed silent, looking at the door as if staring down the history of Konoha itself. A small smile appeared on his face as he turned to Shisui. "Look at what you have done, Shisui. You achieved your dreams and saved the Uchiha from impending doom."
Shisui's eyes began to tear up as he knelt, bowing to the Hokage. "I am happy that my clan did not fall. I appreciate every one of them and I do not want any of them to come to harm."
Itachi placed a comforting hand on Shisui's shoulder. Shisui gave him a small, grateful nod in return as he wiped his eyes. At that moment, Itachi felt that Shisui had shifted his fate, although he did not know how. The bond between them grew much stronger, and Fugaku was pleased to see it. After all, those two were the hope of the new generation of Uchiha, two unparalleled prodigies. He was happy with how blessed the clan was, even after being subjected to unjustified restrictions for so long.
Fugaku then asked, "Shisui, what happened with the Uchiha in the old compound?"
The mood of the room shifted instantly. A complicated look appeared on Shisui's face as he hesitated before answering. "They refused to talk to me. However, I have a feeling that they would talk to you, Lord Hokage."
Fugaku rubbed his forehead, moving his hand above his closed eyes as he sensed the trouble ahead. "Very well, Shisui. Go back and keep training Kaen. However, I need to ask you about that kid, Noa."
Itachi's interest rose right away. He focused on Shisui, who took a few moments to think before speaking. "Instead of explaining his powers, it would be better if I showed you a demonstration. He and Kaen will have a fight to determine the true winner of the Chunin Exam finale. Kaen refused to fight Noa, who, by my suggestion and the Third's permission, was barred from showing his full abilities during the exam. We feared that other villages would become aware of his true strength too early. We did not want them targeting him before he became the catastrophic threat he is surely to be soon."
Those words intrigued Fugaku. He had data on Noa, but he felt that certain things were hidden, known only by the Third and Shisui. A real show of force during battle would reveal much more than words or mission reports ever could.
Fugaku nodded, asking with an intrigued tone, "When are they supposed to fight?"
Shisui sighed. "Kaen keeps asking me to bring Noa for a fight. I keep visiting Noa, but he is too occupied. My guess is that he is working on some new seal work, but yesterday he finally agreed to fight tomorrow. He is getting annoyed by Kaen's unending challenges, which keep interrupting his thoughts and his seal work process."
Fugaku laughed lightly as he nodded. "Good. A challenge worth observing. I will accompany you to witness it myself when the time comes."
Shisui nodded. "As you wish, Lord Hokage."
Itachi could not hold back the curiosity eating at him. "Can I join as well?"
Shisui looked at him with a devilish grin. "What do I get out of it?"
Itachi narrowed his eyes. "You are starting to resemble Noa himself. It is concerning."
Both Shisui and Fugaku laughed at a flustered Itachi while looking forward to the fight that was to come.