Chapter 99: The entire Uchiha clan gathers together to prepare for the public trial of the traitor!
Dignity, in the face of absolute power, was as fragile as a thin sheet of paper. Uchiha Akira looked at the figure below, who had aged 20 years in an instant, and showed contempt; this was the proper stance for the weak.
Akira dispelled the Susanoo, a being capable of making gods tremble. He landed back on the ground, standing before Hiruzen Sarutobi. The oppressive feeling, however, did not diminish in the slightest.
"Very good."
"Now."
"Take your people and leave this place. Everything from Root, from its buildings to every document and every ninja tool within, is the Uchiha Clan's spoils of war. Hokage-sama, you have no objection, do you?"
Hiruzen's body trembled violently once more. This was an eviction notice. This was him, the Third Hokage, being driven away like trash in front of everyone.
Hiruzen's cloudy eyes were filled with humiliation. But he could only nod. He could only obey Akira's words.
"…Let's go."
Hiruzen turned with difficulty. Two Anbu quickly stepped forward, supporting his tottering body. The ninja of Konoha Village, like defeated roosters, hung their heads and followed their Hokage.
Homura Mitokado, who had been scared out of his wits, was carried away like a dead dog. No one dared to look back.
After tonight, Konoha's sky had changed.
...
The sun rose as usual the next day. The streets of Konoha Village were still bustling with people, full of the breath of life. The aroma of breakfast shops, the laughter of children, the hurried footsteps of ninja rushing to mission rendezvous points—everything was no different from usual.
But for those who truly stood at the center of Konoha's power, today's air was permeated with a distinctly different scent.
Hyūga Clan, Main Family Residence.
Hiashi Hyūga had not slept all night. He sat quietly in the tea room, the tea in front of him already cold. The scenes from last night replayed repeatedly in his mind.
That 500-meter-tall Susanoo. That Susanoo weapon that cut down everything. Uchiha Akira, who casually crushed the Hokage Advisor and trampled the Third Hokage underfoot.
His proud Hyūga Clan, the oldest noble family in Konoha. In the face of that power, how many moves could they withstand? One sword? Or half a sword?
Hiashi discovered with bitterness that the answer was perhaps not even half a sword. The era had truly changed. The old era maintained by Hiruzen Sarutobi was completely shattered last night by Uchiha Akira in the most brutal and unreasonable way.
"Father."
A soft voice came from outside the door. It was Hinata Hyūga.
"Come in." Hiashi's voice was a little hoarse.
Hinata walked in carefully, carrying fresh tea, feeling the extremely heavy aura emanating from her father. Hiashi looked at his delicate eldest daughter with complex emotions.
The time to choose sides had come. The Hyūga Clan could no longer maintain that ridiculous sense of aloofness and neutrality as they had in the past. They would either choose to submit to the new king or, like Utatane Koharu, be mercilessly crushed into a pulp by that giant hand.
Hiashi picked up the freshly brewed tea Hinata had brought and drank it in one gulp.
...
Similar undercurrents also surged within the Ino–Shika–Chō Trio.
Nara Clan's backyard.
Shikaku Nara had smoked all night over a dead-end shogi game. The ashtray in front of him was already piled high with cigarette butts.
Trouble? No. It was over. Hiruzen Sarutobi's era had completely ended.
Chōza Akimichi and Inoichi Yamanaka sat opposite him, both looking equally solemn.
"Shikaku, now… what should we do?" Chōza asked in a deep voice.
Inoichi sighed.
"Hokage-sama can no longer suppress the Uchiha clan."
"It's not that he can't suppress them." Shikaku exhaled a thick puff of smoke, a hint of self-mockery in his voice.
"It's that the Hokage has already been trampled underfoot by the Uchiha clan. The question now is, what does Uchiha Akira want us Ino–Shika–Chō to do. To obey like dogs, or…"
Shikaku did not finish, but the meaning was clear.
"Then we…"
"Wait." Shikaku finally moved a piece on the board, placing it in an unexpected position.
"Wait for Uchiha Akira's next move. Then, make the choice most beneficial to our 3 clans."
Loyalty? In the face of a clan's survival, loyalty was the cheapest thing. Hiruzen Sarutobi could no longer protect them. They had to find a new path for their families.
...
Uchiha Clan Territory, Naka Shrine.
Uchiha Akira convened the first full clan meeting after the earth-shattering battle last night. The plaza in front of the shrine was filled with members of the Uchiha Clan.
Most of them were unaware of what had happened last night, only knowing that the new clan head had an important announcement. Their faces showed confusion.
Standing at the forefront of the crowd were nearly a hundred Uchiha Jōnin who had participated in the Root annihilation operation. Their eyes were distinctly different from the clan members behind them. No confusion, no bewilderment. Only an uncontrollable, heartfelt pride and honor.
Uchiha Akira stood on the steps of the shrine. He surveyed the dense crowd below.
"Fellow clan members." Akira's voice clearly reached everyone's ears.
"Just last night, a dark force from the Village secretly infiltrated our Clan Territory. Their goal was to completely eradicate the Uchiha Clan from this world."
As his words fell, the crowd instantly erupted. The ordinary clan members who were unaware showed shock, followed by uncontrollable anger.
"What? Someone wants to destroy our Uchiha clan!"
"Who! Who dares to be so bold!"
"Is it the Village elders? Do they still not tolerate us after all!"
Waves of righteous indignation rose and fell.
Akira raised his hand and gently pressed it down. The noisy plaza instantly fell silent. Everyone's gaze refocused on him, waiting for his next words.
"But." Akira's voice carried a hint of cold amusement.
"They failed. Under the leadership of myself and former clan head Fugaku, our Uchiha elite have completely crushed this evil force."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the Jōnin whose faces were filled with pride.
"And the mastermind who attempted to destroy our Uchiha Clan, Konoha Elder Danzo Shimura…" Akira's voice suddenly rose.
"Has also been personally slain by me!"
Slaying Danzo.
The plaza immediately fell silent. Then, this dead silence was completely ignited by a tumultuous roar of fanaticism.
"Long live the Clan Head!"
"Kill that old dog! Good riddance!"
"Long live the Uchiha clan!"
The resentment that had been suppressed for too long was unleashed at this moment.
Uchiha Akira watched the boiling crowd below with an expressionless face, and only when the clamor gradually subsided did he raise his hand again. The entire plaza once again became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
"However."
"This conspiracy was able to proceed so smoothly. Even almost pushing us into an abyss of no return. It wasn't just because of an external enemy like Danzo."
"It was also because a traitor appeared within our Uchiha clan."
Traitor!
These 2 words made the clan members, who had just been immersed in ecstasy, feel a sudden heavy sinking in their hearts.
Uchiha Fugaku, sitting in a wheelchair, instantly turned very pale, his body trembling almost imperceptibly.