Chapter 9: The Clans of Konoha
"This is also a personal request of mine," Fugaku said, his weathered face showing a rare moment of vulnerability. "Can I entrust Sasuko to you, Yu?"
"I'll protect my little sister," Yu replied without hesitation, then added with quiet determination, "And all of you as well."
Unlike Itachi, for Yu this had never been a choice between sides. There was only family.
Seeing the serious expression on Yu's face, some of the tension lines around Fugaku's eyes softened. "I'm not quite ready to rely on a child for protection just yet," he said with a faint smile.
But receiving Yu's firm commitment lifted a massive weight from his shoulders. If he had to name who he worried about most, it would undoubtedly be their youngest—Sasuko.
She hadn't displayed the exceptional talent of her two older brothers. He still remembered the first time he'd tried teaching her the Uchiha clan's signature Great Fireball Technique. After struggling for what felt like hours, Sasuko still couldn't grasp the fundamentals. The little girl had been on the verge of tears by the end, forcing him to call off the lesson. He'd convinced himself that perhaps she simply lacked aptitude for ninjutsu.
Sasuko's future had always been a source of worry for him. In peacetime, she might find her own path, but in an era of conflict, powerlessness was a death sentence. He wouldn't feel comfortable entrusting her to anyone else—but if it was Yu...
Fugaku found himself studying the young man he'd watched grow up, and the more he looked, the more satisfied he became.
"Then I leave Sasuko in your care." Fugaku placed a heavy hand on Yu's shoulder before turning to leave. He still had a clan meeting to attend today.
"Father, please wait," Yu called out. "I have a few more questions I'd like to ask."
Fugaku paused. "What is it?"
"What's the attitude of the other clans toward the Uchiha?"
Fugaku hadn't expected Yu to suddenly ask such a politically charged question. After a moment's hesitation, he answered, "The suspicion the other clans harbor toward the Uchiha runs far deeper than you might imagine."
"The Senju and Sarutobi clans maintain a facade of reconciliation with us... while planting informants in every district." Fugaku gestured toward the distant Police Force headquarters. "The Second Hokage's police system was supposedly granting us authority, but it's really just an elegant cage."
"The Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi maintain some contact with us, but they keep their distance."
"As fellow dojutsu bloodline clans, the Hyuga maintain a subtle rivalry with us. They've spent years claiming the Byakugan is superior." A slight smirk crossed Fugaku's lips at that.
Yu frowned. "Even so, things haven't reached the point where war is necessary, have they?"
"But Danzo and his Shimura clan—ROOT—have always been extremely hostile toward the Uchiha. They've been making moves against us from the shadows for years. The disappearances among our clan members are connected to them." Fugaku's voice turned cold.
"What kind of man is Danzo?" Yu remembered the one-eyed elder who had fought alongside Itachi that day.
"An ambitious schemer who wraps himself in righteousness. He constantly claims that Konoha can only find its true path under his leadership. He's old friends with Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi." Fugaku's expression grew darker, clearly reluctant to discuss Danzo further.
No wonder... Yu had previously assumed ROOT and ANBU were separate departments, but now it seemed the leaders of both organizations shared an uncomfortably close relationship. No wonder no one stopped ROOT's activities—they might even have the Hokage's tacit approval.
This Konoha was becoming impossible to stay in.
"What if we moved part of our clan out?" Yu believed in not putting all eggs in one basket, especially when that basket was riddled with cracks.
"As I mentioned before, the clan elders would never agree to that."
"I mean moving out those clan members who support the idea first—especially the civilians who haven't awakened their Sharingan. We could establish a secondary base outside the village. It's not about fearing Konoha's people; it's about being prepared for all possibilities."
Yu knew that in battles between ninja, civilians couldn't contribute much. Rather than leaving them in danger, it would be better to relocate them temporarily. Those hot-headed hardliners who wanted to fight could have their war.
"Yu, you mean having some ninja lead the non-awakened clan members to establish new territory outside?"
"Exactly. Civilians have no power to interfere in ninja conflicts—they'd only suffer needlessly. If things improve later, they can always return."
"That's actually a reasonable approach. I'll try harder to convince the clan members." Fugaku seriously considered the feasibility of this plan. Combat had always been a matter for ninja; there was no need to involve civilians. Having the non-awakened clan members handle logistics from outside might actually be persuasive.
"There's one more thing, Father," Yu continued. "About Itachi."
Yu recounted his encounter with Itachi and Danzo. He wasn't trying to drive a wedge between father and son, but Fugaku trusted his eldest too much. In Yu's view, Fugaku—despite being an iron-willed clan leader—showed dangerous indecision when it came to family matters.
Some precautions needed to be taken.
He needed to force Fugaku, or rather Itachi, to make their choice early.
"I... understand," Fugaku said quietly, a note of dejection in his voice before he exhaled slowly.
Itachi, what are you really trying to do? As an ANBU member, how could you not know what Danzo has been up to?
This was the first time Fugaku felt disappointed in his eldest son.
"Then I'll take my leave, Father." Having received Fugaku's response, Yu bowed and turned to go.
Fugaku remained alone, staring pensively at the calm pond.
---
Several days later, Fugaku finally convinced part of the clan to evacuate Konoha and establish a new base outside the village.
The meeting erupted with objections, many clan members declaring they'd rather die with honor. Only when Fugaku slammed his palm down, shattering the conference table, and roared, "The Fugaku family will stay until the end! We're only evacuating the elderly, weak, women, and children first!" did the motion barely pass.
After that night's conversation with Fugaku, one thought consumed Yu's mind—
It was time to eliminate Danzo.
As someone from another world, Yu felt no reverence for Konoha's hierarchy or their so-called Will of Fire.
His only reason for staying was to protect his family. If anyone dared threaten those he cared about—even Konoha's leadership—he wouldn't show mercy.
If conflict was inevitable, that puppetmaster had to be removed first, or the troubles would never end.
Some people fancied themselves as chess masters, treating others' lives as disposable pieces while calling it "for the greater good."
Recalling his fight with Itachi, Yu had deliberately suppressed his strength to twenty thousand magnetic field rotations, even allowing himself to be caught by that sealing technique.
Even so, Danzo hadn't dared pursue him. That caution might stem from self-preservation, but it likely revealed another truth—his actual strength was nothing to fear.
In this village where power commanded respect, every clan leader was their family's strongest warrior.
Fugaku was the Uchiha's acknowledged strongest fighter. Hiruzen Sarutobi was hailed as the "Strongest Hokage."
But what about Danzo, this schemer who skulked in shadows? Just how much real ability did he possess?