Chapter 19: Aftermath
Root Base.
Danzo flipped through the report in his hand.
It detailed the damage inflicted on the Uchiha clan during the recent incident.
"So, you're saying all this destruction was caused solely by Fugaku and Itachi?"
A Root member respectfully responded,
"Yes, Lord Danzo. Most of the clan's buildings were destroyed. The scene resembled a battle between several Kage-level shinobi."
Danzo's brows furrowed.
Why is the Mangekyō Sharingan this powerful?
He paced silently. Previously, Shisui had only mentioned Kotoamatsukami.
Even if Shisui had been forced to use Susanoo while being pursued, Danzo never imagined it would be this devastating.
He didn't know that Uchiha's Susanoo had multiple stages.
Moreover, Shisui hadn't been in top condition at the time—he wasn't motivated to fight, so he had used his power conservatively.
Danzo looked up. "How many people did Itachi take with him?"
"We don't have exact numbers yet, sir. The Uchiha aren't cooperating. The preliminary estimate is... several hundred."
Danzo narrowed his eyes. "What did the Third Hokage say about this?"
"The Third Hokage claimed this wasn't a rebellion—just a departure."
Danzo slammed his cane hard against the ground.
"Hmph. Third Hokage... you've grown weak in your old age."
"You're still protecting the Uchiha, even now, despite their dangerous ambitions."
He turned coldly toward his subordinate.
"Tomorrow, spread word throughout the village: Uchiha Itachi and Shisui have defected due to the incompetence of the Third Hokage."
"Yes, sir!"
As the Root members left, Danzo walked deeper into the shadows, eyes gleaming with greed.
Mangekyō Sharingan…
Hyuga Clan Estate.
Hiashi, Hizashi, and the other elders sat silently, reviewing a separate report.
The devastation left behind in the Uchiha district was shocking—comparable to the aftermath of a tailed beast attack.
Could the Hyuga Clan even manage such power if placed in a similar situation?
As one of Konoha's two noble clans, the Hyuga had long been considered rivals to the Uchiha.
They had held their ground during the Third Ninja World War despite being at a numerical disadvantage.
The Byakugan's reconnaissance power was formidable, and the clan took pride in the fact that no foreign village had ever stolen one of their eyes.
Their strength was recognized, even feared.
But now, two powerful Mangekyō Sharingan users had emerged from the Uchiha: the clan head, Uchiha Fugaku, and the even more terrifying prodigy, Itachi, only eleven years old.
His future potential seemed limitless.
"Clan Head," Hizashi said, presenting a scroll. "The Uchiha sent this earlier today."
Hiashi unrolled the document—it was a letter of recommendation from Fugaku.
Due to injuries, Fugaku stated he could no longer manage the police force, and he recommended Hizashi as the new captain.
The scroll also contained suggestions and plans for future development of the force.
It had been prepared in advance.
After Hiashi finished reading it, the elders took turns examining it.
They all understood what Fugaku meant: he was formally withdrawing the Uchiha from Konoha's power structure.
Although he had hinted at it before, no one expected it would happen so suddenly—or so decisively.
And anyone with a sharp mind could tell: the damage to the Uchiha district had been deliberate.
Most of the buildings were empty.
There had been very few casualties.
In a real battle, who would evacuate civilians before fighting?
"I feel like Uchiha Fugaku has changed ever since Kaien returned," Hizashi said thoughtfully.
Everyone nodded. They had seen how Fugaku behaved before—and how much his stance had shifted afterward.
All agreed: Kaien was an exceptional strategist.
Hiashi spoke calmly:
"No matter their reasons, the Uchiha have now fully withdrawn from Konoha's political sphere."
"And Itachi has taken a significant portion of their people. There's no reason for the village to target them anymore."
He glanced down at the scroll.
"Fugaku gave us a generous gift before leaving. The Hyuga must respond with proper courtesy."
Then, he turned to Hizashi.
"There are still a few Uchiha remaining in the police force. Let them manage their districts and double their compensation."
Changing tone, he added, "Who else is attending the ninja academy in Hinata's batch? Is Neji included?"
Hizashi thought for a moment.
"Yes. Besides Hinata, there's Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji…"
He listed several prominent ninja heirs, also mentioning Naruto.
"As for Neji, he's a year older than Hinata," he added.
As a major clan, they always investigated the backgrounds of their children's peers—preparing to build useful relationships early.
Hiashi nodded.
"It doesn't matter if they're not in the same year. Let Neji build a good relationship with Sasuke."
"Yes, sir."
He paused and muttered quietly:
Sarutobi Hiruzen… I wonder if you regret your decisions now?
And indeed—he did.
The Third Hokage deeply regretted his actions.
After witnessing the devastation firsthand, he finally understood the true power of the Uchiha.
Part of him was relieved they had never gone to war.
But the regret remained: Why hadn't he treated them better?
Now, the Uchiha wanted nothing to do with him.
Early that morning, Uchiha Fugaku submitted his resignation—along with a formal letter of recommendation.
He took full responsibility for Itachi's defection, claiming it was due to his failure as a leader.
He recommended Hizashi to take over the guard force and stated that no one except Rikka was suitable for any remaining Uchiha leadership roles.
Along with that came the announcement of the Uchiha clan's migration.
Due to the destruction of their land, they relocated five kilometres outside Konoha to rebuild.
The number was not random.
Konoha's detection barrier extended only five kilometres.
The message was clear:
"You don't need to protect us anymore. We'll handle our security.
But don't think of spying on us either—we're no longer playing your game."
They didn't declare rebellion. They were still officially a part of Konoha.
But in practice? They were already gone.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at the documents on his desk, more exhausted than he'd ever felt doing political work.
Not only had Fugaku resigned, but so had several other high-ranking Uchiha.
The Third Elder, Uchiha Takuya, had left with Itachi. The Fourth Elder, Uchiha Hinata, resigned as well.
No senior Uchiha remained in any key position.
A few moderates remained at the lowest levels of the guard—likely to manage internal clan matters.
In the past, Hiruzen had worked tirelessly to suppress the Uchiha, fearing they would gain enough influence to pursue the Hokage position.
He launched smear campaigns, seeded public suspicion, and used Anbu surveillance to contain them.
But now?
The Uchiha had voluntarily walked away.
They didn't want influence.
They didn't want power.
They didn't want anything to do with Konoha's politics anymore.
Whether Itachi's actions were ordered by Fugaku or Kaien, no one could say.
But the result?
It was a strategic masterstroke that crippled Konoha.
First, they claimed they were leaving to protect their Sharingan from being stolen. Second, they flexed their strength—letting every other clan witness the terrifying power of Mangekyō. Third, they eliminated the threat perception: with their elites gone, they could claim a lack of manpower if ever asked to serve again. Fourth, they made it impossible to strike back—Itachi was unpredictable, and he wasn't alone. Finally, they chose the perfect moment: Konoha was negotiating peace with Kumogakure.
If the Third Hokage dared label them traitors or tried to pursue them, the peace agreement would crumble.
Cloud might see it as instability—and declare war.
All of this…
was Danzo's fault.
Had he not greedily stolen Shisui's eye, none of this would have happened.
And now, both Shisui and Itachi—once loyal to the village—were gone.
….
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Translated By – Ancient Lores
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