By the waterfall.
Uchiha Fugaku looked around cautiously, only relaxing once he confirmed they were alone. Still, when he turned to Uchiha Ye, his expression held a hint of helplessness.
"Ye-kun… You should be more careful about what you say in the future."
Uchiha Ye blinked innocently, pretending not to understand, though his mind had already drawn some conclusions.
At present, White Fang was Konoha's brightest star — so famous that across the shinobi world, there was a saying: If you encounter Konoha's White Fang, abort the mission.
And this hero, White Fang — Hatake Sakumo — seemed to already be lined up as the next Hokage.
Which was odd, considering Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, was only in his early forties, still in his prime. So why were people already discussing a Fourth Hokage?
If you thought there wasn't some kind of political maneuvering behind this... you'd be lying to yourself.
Ye's eyes flashed with a cold glint. Fugaku hesitated, then leaned in and lowered his voice:
During the First Great Ninja War, the Third Hokage only took power temporarily. It was thanks to the unity of all the clans that we won that war. But afterward, the major clans suffered heavy losses… and some of their rights and influence… vanished."
As Fugaku's voice echoed quietly, Uchiha Ye pretended to suddenly understand.
So it was as he had suspected.
White Fang's candidacy for the Fourth Hokage wasn't just about power — it was being backed. Likely by the major clans… and maybe even the Senju.
Between the First and Second Great Ninja Wars, Konoha enjoyed twenty years of relative peace. From various hints in the original story, Ye had pieced together something important:
During that time, the number of civilian-born ninja exploded.
But training a ninja took resources, and Konoha's resources were limited.
The result was obvious.
When the village was first founded, the academy hadn't yet produced powerful civilians. After the First War, though Konoha claimed victory, the major clans had suffered tremendous losses.
That's when the Third Hokage stepped in, using that moment to expand his faction and start aggressively training and promoting civilian ninja.
"So that's why the clan is trying to grow closer to the Hatake family," Ye said aloud, feigning realization. "Once White Fang becomes the Fourth Hokage, the Uchiha will finally gain the village's trust."
Fugaku smiled and nodded.
"Exactly. Once the Fourth Hokage takes power, he could act as a bridge between our clan and the rest of the village. It would ease the tension we've been facing for years."
Seriously?
You almost facepalmed.
The Uchiha make the worst bets. Every time they back someone, it ends in disaster.
Even in the original timeline, Fugaku had a good relationship with Minato, the eventual Fourth Hokage. And how did that end?
White Fang or Yellow Flash — didn't matter. Every "investment" ended with the clan losing big.
Still, Ye's face lit up with excitement.
"As expected of the clan head! I've heard all about the Third being the Second Hokage's student!"
But mid-sentence, Ye suddenly paused — as if he realized something. His expression turned awkward.
Fugaku, too, seemed to recall something. His face softened a bit as he waved it off.
"It's all in the past."
Ye leaned in, dropping his voice to a whisper like a trusted confidant:
"Captain Fugaku… I've studied the Second Hokage's policies. I can understand them. At that time, with everything that happened — especially the Uchiha Madara incident, and later Elder Setsuna — it's only natural that he'd be wary of our clan."
Back then, Madara had tried to seize control, and Elder Setsuna had stirred up trouble soon after.
Anyone would have been on high alert.
Fugaku sighed and patted his shoulder.
"It's true. While the Third inherited the Second's mindset and remained cautious of us, the next Hokage won't."
What Fugaku didn't realize was that, step by step, he had walked straight into the trap Ye had carefully laid.
He had just implicitly admitted that the Third Hokage had inherited the Second's suspicion toward the Uchiha.
Even Fugaku himself seemed to hesitate after saying it, as if something didn't quite sit right.
But Ye quickly nodded with that warm, sunlit smile of his.
"Big Brother Fugaku, I believe in White Fang. He's a true hero. The clan will receive the respect it deserves."
Ye's smile remained sincere and full of admiration, giving Fugaku no room to reflect or backtrack.
"You said it, not me. You're the one badmouthing the Third Hokage. I'm just agreeing with you."
Besides, from an objective standpoint, did the Third Hokage ever truly trust the Uchiha?
If the Second Hokage viewed the Uchiha as a threat, would his student have thought any differently?
Normally, Fugaku might have frowned at such speculation, but Ye had already planted the idea of White Fang becoming the Fourth Hokage.
Suddenly, everything else… didn't seem to matter as much.
Fugaku even smiled and reassured him:
"Don't worry, Ye-kun. I know White Fang personally. He has no bias against our clan. He's not from that era."
Not being the Third's disciple meant he didn't inherit that narrow, suspicious worldview.
Strangely, as that thought crossed Fugaku's mind, he instinctively wanted to argue with himself.
But then… he laughed bitterly.
The whole clan is placing their hopes on the Fourth Hokage. What's the point in overthinking it now?
During the Second Hokage's rule, Uchiha Madara had used the Nine-Tails to attack. The First Hokage had died of illness soon after.
How could the Second not be wary?
You could even say… the Uchiha had indirectly caused the First Hokage's death.
Given that the Third grew up in that chaotic time, of course, his view of the Uchiha would be affected.
But all of that was in the past.
Right now, Fugaku could only think about the future — about how White Fang held no prejudice against them. A genuine smile appeared on his face.
Whatever happened before, it's about to become history. All that matters now is earning the trust of the next Hokage.
Ye saw that smile — and grinned inwardly.
Step by step, he had led Fugaku to accept that the Third had inherited the Second's distrust… and then redirected all of Fugaku's hopes onto the future Fourth Hokage.
And when you eventually find out that White Fang never becomes Hokage…
Oof.
Ye's lips curled into a genuine-looking smile, his heart filled with satisfaction.
Once the seed of doubt is planted, it won't show at first. But if I keep watering it… It'll grow into a towering tree.
And when it does — boom.
Fugaku wasn't just any Uchiha. He held enormous influence in the clan.
Ye refused to let the Uchiha walk blindly to their doom again.
He refused to be part of a timeline where they were wiped out just like that.
As the two spoke, far above them — hidden among the tree leaves — a small, nearly invisible slug clung to a branch, eavesdropping.
Back in the command tent, Tsunade slowly opened her eyes.
She let out a cold snort, her usual tsundere expression returning.
"That little Uchiha brat… he's more ambitious than he looks."
Still, she couldn't help the smirk that tugged at her lips.
At the very least, it proved one thing:
Right now, the Uchiha were focused on trying to win the village's trust. They were actively looking to ease tensions.
And that was a good sign.
At the very least, this Uchiha kid — and the clan heir Fugaku — didn't seem like the type driven by ambition or rebellion.