Fukuyama was no ordinary person. Although he was low-key, he was extremely wise and had deep insight into matters. Ever since the battle between Madara and Hashirama at the Valley of the End, the situation for the Uchiha clan had gradually started to become abnormal. Many people in the village began to inexplicably distance themselves from and even show hatred toward the Uchiha clan.
This situation did not improve after the fall of Tobirama. On the contrary, it became more and more evident over time. Although the existence of the Police Force had always made the Uchiha clan unpopular, the current public sentiment in Konoha toward the Uchiha was clearly not something the Police Force alone could have caused.
Recently, unrest had also started to emerge within the clan. The hardliners in particular had become increasingly radical in their emotions due to the shifting attitudes of the outside world. After all, no one enjoys being alienated or hated for no reason. Especially not the proud Uchiha!
If things continued down this path, even he didn't know what direction the clan would take.
He had used his Mangekyō Sharingan countless times to simulate the future of the Uchiha clan. But the more he simulated, the more wrong it felt.
Yes, he awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan after witnessing his father die in battle during the First Great Ninja War.
However, he never told anyone about this. He kept it as a trump card, just in case.
One of the abilities of his Sharingan was simulation, he could simulate and glimpse fragments of the future.
It wasn't the kind of direct foresight where one simply "sees" the future. Rather, he could combine various elements and simulate them to arrive at an obscure and mysterious result.
For example, when he simulated a scenario involving the Uchiha clan together with Hiruzen, Danzō, and Koharu, the resulting future was one that headed toward a nightmarish abyss.
So he had long made up his mind to place all his hopes on Tsunade. Only if she rose to power would the Uchiha clan have hope. The closer she got to becoming Hokage, the happier he became. Or to be more precise, he placed his bet on the man behind her, Shin. Because only when the simulation included the Uchiha clan, Tsunade, and the mysterious shadow behind Tsunade did the future show a glimpse of light.
That shadow couldn't be described or simulated clearly. But his intuition told him that it was Shin, even though he couldn't simulate Shin's future at all.
So since Shin was seeking revenge against Hiruzen, he naturally saw this as a chance to add fuel to the fire. It was easy to help when things were going well, but much harder to lend aid in times of need.
If he wanted Shin to let go of past grudges and deepen his ties with the Uchiha clan, he couldn't remain on the fence, he had to make a decision early.
The earlier the alliance, the better it would be for the clan's future.
"Fukuyama-sama, aren't we going to arrest him?" an Uchiha clan ninja beside him finally couldn't resist asking as he saw Fukuyama frowning in silence.
"Sigh, I'd like to arrest him too," Fukuyama replied with a troubled look. "But you all must have heard about yesterday's conversation between the Hokage and Lady Tsunade. It's just as this guy says. So now I'm unsure whether those words truly represent the Hokage's will. Surround him for now, but don't arrest him. I'll go ask the Hokage myself."
And so he left for a full twenty minutes.
---
Meanwhile, beneath the teahouse, since no one was arresting him, the man publicly declaring his love shouted even more enthusiastically, loudly proclaiming his feelings with all sorts of cheesy lines.
Biwako was hiding inside the teahouse, covering her ears tightly. She desperately wanted to escape this place, but the teahouse was surrounded by a huge crowd. If she tried to push her way out in a panic, it would only worsen her predicament.
When the Police Force had first arrived, she had thought she was saved. But Fukuyama had ordered them to surround but not arrest, and then went straight to find Hiruzen.
Now, she could only hope that Hiruzen would come and resolve the situation quickly. But it was easy to imagine that from this day forward, for a very long time, people would gossip about her.
What kind of ridiculous mess was this?
---
Inside the Hokage's office, Fukuyama respectfully reported everything that had happened at the teahouse to Hiruzen.
After hearing this, Hiruzen asked, "What on earth are you doing? Why didn't you arrest that lunatic?"
"Lu… lunatic?" Fukuyama looked completely baffled. "That's not quite right, is it? Public confessions like this have happened before. As long as they don't cause a disturbance, the Police Force has no precedent for making arrests in such cases. Didn't you always teach me that the Police Force must strictly follow all the rules set down by the Second Hokage, and absolutely must not break precedent or act arbitrarily? That's why I came to you for guidance when I couldn't decide."
Hiruzen was absolutely furious. He had said those things, to restrain the Police Force. But he never expected Fukuyama to throw those words back at him at such a critical moment.
Looking at his innocent and confused expression, Hiruzen was a bit speechless...
"Guards!" he finally called toward the outside.
An ANBU ninja immediately rushed in, kneeling on one knee, awaiting the Hokage's orders.
"Go and arrest that lunatic at once…" Hiruzen began issuing the order, but just then, Fukuyama raised a hand to stop him. "Wait!"
Hiruzen, on the verge of exploding, asked, "You even stop an ANBU now? What are you trying to do?"
But Fukuyama still wore an innocent look and said, "You misunderstand. I wasn't speaking to him, I was trying to talk to you. Liking someone is a personal freedom. Confessing feelings is the same. And that man is just an ordinary civilian. Sending an ANBU after him, it's a bit out of line, isn't it? This kind of situation can be resolved by just rejecting him directly. There's no need to get angry. You're the Hokage, and Lady Biwako is your wife. It would be better to show a bit more magnanimity."
"Do you even realize what you're saying?" Hiruzen stared at him in disbelief. And wasn't this guy using his own words against him?
"Of course I know," Fukuyama replied, still with a naive expression. "But didn't you say all of this to Lady Tsunade just yesterday? The entire village has been talking about it. You say these things to her one day, then explode with rage when it happens to you the next, if word gets out, won't that be damaging to your reputation?"
"Fukuyama, are you rebelling?!" Hiruzen nearly lost his mind. He slammed the table and stood up, shouting angrily, "I'm the Hokage! How can I let myself be treated like this?"
Upon hearing this, Fukuyama's expression immediately changed from naive to cold as he asked sharply, "So you admit that yesterday you intentionally put Lady Tsunade in an impossible position?"
Faced with Fukuyama's sudden shift in demeanor, Hiruzen was momentarily stunned.
What was this guy trying to do?
Was he laying all his cards on the table?
As expected of the devious Uchiha, no wonder things had come to this point.
Aside from the Senju clan, he could sense there was another invisible force building momentum behind Tsunade. But no matter what he did, he couldn't trace the source of that power. And judging from Fukuyama's behavior now, that hidden hand must be him.
Very well. Very well.