For their own selfish interests, Sarutobi Hiruzen and his faction took advantage of Byakuya's absence from Konoha to seize a large portion of the Uchiha clan's assets. Rumors even claimed they went so far as to install Uchiha Fugaku as the new clan head—someone more obedient, easier to manipulate.
As for whether they feared Byakuya's retaliation? They didn't. Or rather, they had no intention of letting Byakuya return alive.
They had already dispatched elite assassination squads—members of Root, ANBU, and even hired missing-nin—to eliminate him before he could step foot in the village again. Everything was meticulously planned, the ambushes timed perfectly.
But none of it mattered.
No one had expected Byakuya's power to have evolved to such an absurd level. He crushed every force they sent, left no survivors, and exposed the gap between a transplanted Wood Release and a pure-blooded Uchiha awakened to true power.
Now, the fear was real.
Sarutobi Hiruzen received the report of failure and slammed his fist into the desk—but not in front of the others. He took a deep breath and steadied his voice, the hallmark of a veteran manipulator.
"Don't panic. Don't lose focus," Hiruzen said calmly, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "We are the ruling council of Konoha. The village is ours. Even if Uchiha Byakuya possesses overwhelming strength—he is only one man."
His words brought temporary relief to the anxious Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura. Even Danzo, who rarely deferred to others, glanced at Hiruzen for guidance.
"Yes, Sarutobi. You're right... We still control the Daimyō's trust, the mission commissions, the ninja academy. No matter how strong Byakuya is, we have Konoha behind us."
They knew it wouldn't hold forever. But for now, they just needed a new plan.
"Sarutobi, what do we do next?" Koharu asked, biting back her frustration. "We'll follow your lead."
Hiruzen's answer came after a long pause.
"Byakuya and the Uchiha clan defended the village against Sunagakure's invasion. They're returning as heroes. We greet them as heroes."
Danzo's eye narrowed. "You're thinking of stalling him."
Hiruzen nodded slightly. "Exactly. We cannot afford direct confrontation, not yet. Welcome him, honor him, and when he lets his guard down... we strike."
None of them liked it—but none could deny it was the most viable path now. Hiruzen had always been a master at presenting a noble mask to cover dirty hands.
Meanwhile, Byakuya and his forces neared the village.
"Konoha Village… I'm finally back," he said with a cold smile, looking toward the village gate.
"Prepare yourselves. This isn't a homecoming—it's the beginning of a purge."
Behind him, Ino, Shikamaru, and Chōji looked solemn. During their campaign together, they had come to understand Byakuya not just as a powerful shinobi—but as a calculating avenger.
"Shikaku," Byakuya called, "is the evidence ready?"
"Yes, Lord Byakuya." Nara Shikaku stepped forward and held out a sealed scroll. "Everything we found in Sunagakure is here—mission logs, encrypted transmissions, everything. Unfortunately… none of it directly ties back to Sarutobi Hiruzen. It's all through Danzo's Root."
Byakuya took the scroll, lips curling in disdain. "Hmph… as expected of Sarutobi. Always clean. Always two steps behind the scenes."
He turned his gaze to Konoha again. "No matter. I'll expose the rot, one layer at a time."
Just then, the group noticed a large crowd gathering at the village gates.
"Looks like they're putting on a show," Ino muttered.
"They're scared," Shikamaru said flatly. "They're trying to buy time."
Byakuya's eyes narrowed. "Let's not disappoint them."
And with that, he walked toward the gates of the village he once called home—now a battlefield of ideologies, grudges, and vengeance.
"Third Hokage-sama, look ahead..."
"The Uchiha... they've returned," an ANBU operative reported solemnly, his tone cautious.
Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, then let out a soft, practiced chuckle.
"Haha... our 'heroes' have returned, have they?"
He masked his unease with a grandfatherly smile and gestured broadly.
"Come, let us welcome them properly... together."
Flanking him were Shimura Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura. Despite their deep-seated resentment and fear of Uchiha Byakuya's growing influence, they wore stiff, hollow smiles. Each of them understood the terrifying truth: they had already failed to eliminate him, and now, survival required deception. None among them dared to challenge Byakuya head-on again—not after the decimation of their elite strike force.
"Lord Byakuya," murmured Nara Shikaku, observing the sea of Konoha's elite gathering on the road.
"They're playing the part of gracious hosts... but this isn't just a greeting."
"The heads of every major clan are here. This is a political performance... a public coronation of your strength."
Byakuya smiled coldly.
"Hmph. Sarutobi Hiruzen, you old fox... I didn't think you'd resort to such theatrics."
His Sharingan spun lazily in his eyes as he surveyed the hypocritical parade.
"He knows force won't work, so now he plays the diplomat's game... trying to wrap poison in praise."
If this had been the original Byakuya from this world, such overt praise and faux reconciliation might have worked. But this Byakuya—sharpened by another life, another time—was not so easily swayed.
The crowd parted as Hiruzen approached, his voice filled with deceptive warmth.
"Welcome back, all of you... and especially you, Uchiha Byakuya."
"It is because of your bravery and the strength of the Uchiha clan that Konoha stands unharmed."
"You are the pride of our village... true heroes."
Behind Hiruzen, the clan heads—Hyuga Hiashi, Aburame Shibi, Akimichi Choza, Inuzuka Tsume, and others—offered polite nods and subdued applause. None dared defy the narrative now. Not after seeing the wreckage left in Byakuya's wake.
They had expected the Uchiha clan to be weakened, scattered. Instead, they returned not only victorious—but reborn under a new sovereign shadow.
And Konoha would never be the same again.
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