A stir went through the Uchiha clansmen behind him. How had Elder Kawasaki suddenly become the Vice-Patriarch?
But they quickly realized the Patriarch's move was a show of support for Kawasaki, and the crowd fell silent again.
Danzo scoffed at Fugaku's words.
"It is a fact that Shisui attempted to assassinate me tonight. My Anbu can testify to it."
Everyone present was a figure of consequence; they all knew Danzo's character.
If Shisui had truly tried to assassinate him, he would have reported it to the Third Hokage immediately. Why feign ignorance at the start?
Kawasaki laughed heartily. "It is also a fact that Elder Danzo attempted to assassinate the Third Hokage tonight. Every Uchiha here can testify to that."
The Uchiha clansmen behind him erupted in laughter.
"That's right! I saw it!"
"Me too! I witnessed it!"
The surrounding ninja clans struggled to suppress their amusement, casting sidelong glances.
The Third Hokage's expression shifted. He largely understood the situation but cleared his throat anyway.
"Since Shisui has been found, Kawasaki... Vice-Patriarch, this is all just a misunderstanding. Everyone, disperse."
"A misunderstanding?!"
Uchiha Kawasaki's expression changed in an instant.
"Third Hokage! Shisui's Sharingan is still in Danzo's possession! You call this a misunderstanding?!"
Danzo snorted coldly. "The assassination failed, so now you resort to slander?"
Kawasaki didn't even spare Danzo a glance, instead turning to shoot Fugaku a meaningful look.
He then roared sternly, "Third Hokage! Does your faction intend to openly seize the Sharingan of our Uchiha clan?!"
Uchiha Fugaku understood Kawasaki's signal and declared in a heavy voice, "Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
"If you do not return Shisui's Sharingan, the Uchiha clan will not let this matter rest!"
Behind Fugaku, the Uchiha warriors silently activated their Sharingan. In an instant, countless crimson eyes were fixed upon the Third Hokage.
The Third Hokage's face turned ashen. He inwardly cursed Danzo for the trouble he'd caused; now, all of Konoha would have to pay the price.
"Danzo, hand over Shisui's Sharingan at once!"
The corner of Danzo's mouth twitched. He had never anticipated things would escalate to this point.
But he made one last attempt to struggle. "I did have a conflict with Shisui, but I was not the one who took his Sharingan."
Kawasaki narrowed his eyes and drew a kunai.
The Third Hokage said grimly, "Kawasaki, calm down."
However, Kawasaki slowly placed the kunai against his own Konoha forehead protector.
If he struck, he would become a rogue ninja of the Leaf.
Kawasaki shouted to all the ninja clans, "Everyone from Konoha, listen! This is oppression from the village leadership...
"They will seize your Kekkei Genkai, your secret techniques, and your assets! Hyuga clan, you are next!"
The faces of the elites, pillars, and even the patriarchs of the various clans present turned ugly.
A stir went through the Hyuga clan in particular. After all, their Byakugan was also a world-renowned Kekkei Genkai.
Hiashi and Hizashi's expressions grew solemn as they watched coldly to see how the Third Hokage would respond.
The Third Hokage's face paled. If he truly forced a clan into rebellion, the entire ninja world would laugh at Konoha's leadership.
No clan would ever trust the Hokage's faction again. This was an attack on the very foundation of the Hokage's authority!
"Hiruzen Sarutobi, you listen to me! Immediately! Right now! Hand over Shisui's Sharingan!"
"Otherwise, the Uchiha will take Konoha down with us! You, the Leaf, forced our hand!"
Uchiha Kawasaki's face was twisted, his entire being radiating a near-maniacal frenzy.
A chill ran down the Third Hokage's spine. The Uchiha could rebel, but they absolutely could not be seen as having been forced into it.
If he gave the order to attack today, the Uchiha clan might be wiped out, but Konoha itself would crumble.
No ninja clan would serve a leader who coveted their assets.
At this moment, the clans surrounding the Uchiha had no will to fight. They merely stared at Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi with cold eyes.
This was especially true for the Hyuga clan. If the Uchiha fell, the Hyuga would be next.
While the other clans lacked the Sharingan or Byakugan, they each had their own secret techniques and clan assets.
If even the Uchiha's Sharingan wasn't safe, theirs wouldn't be either.
The Third Hokage sighed. "In light of Danzo's improper conduct...
"I hereby strip Shimura Danzo of his position as Hokage's Aide. Danzo, hand over Shisui's Sharingan immediately."
Danzo looked on in disbelief, his gaze as cold and venomous as a snake's.
"Hiruzen! The Uchiha clan can never be trusted! Shisui's Sharingan is too dangerous. I will never hand it over!"
"Enough, Danzo!"
"I am the Hokage!"
Danzo gritted his teeth. "Fine. I will go back and retrieve the Sharingan at once."
The Third Hokage turned to Kawasaki. "Is that acceptable?"
Kawasaki sneered. "Still trying to play tricks at a time like this? Shisui's eye is on your person right now. What is there to go back and get?"
Danzo's face changed, and he opened his mouth to argue.
Kawasaki waved a hand to cut him off. "Don't bother with excuses. The Uchiha have a secret technique. Shisui's eye is in your right eye socket!"
Danzo's expression turned awkward. He truly hadn't expected the Uchiha to possess such a technique. Had he known, he wouldn't have come.
He was helpless now.
Under the pressurizing stares of the crowd, Danzo gritted his teeth and unwrapped the bandages on his right eye, revealing a Sharingan.
An uproar swept through the clans. One of their own leaders, the Hokage's aide, had actually stolen an Uchiha's Sharingan.
And he had immediately implanted it in his own eye.
Of course, the Uchiha clan had no such secret technique, but Kawasaki had gambled that Danzo would have transplanted Shisui's right eye immediately after obtaining it.
Even if it wasn't Shisui's eye, it was undeniably a Sharingan.
Danzo was resentful and furious, but he had already incited public outrage. Every clan was now watching him with hostile eyes.
Who knew which of their clans Danzo would target next?
...
Under Uchiha Kawasaki's cold gaze, the Third Hokage quickly dispatched a medical-nin to remove the Sharingan from Danzo's eye.
Fugaku gestured for someone to take Shisui's right eye and give it to Izumi, who was watching over Shisui's side.
She was to confirm if it was truly his.
At that moment, Itachi Uchiha silently emerged from the crowd and stood beside Shisui.
He had returned as soon as the clan began to assemble, but he had not stepped forward when his father was speaking earlier.
He wanted to see what his father's true intentions were. By blocking off the path to the Hokage, was he trying to make Itachi return to the clan?
Was the clan truly going to rebel tonight? Just as he was lost in confusion, the situation developed in a way that completely defied his expectations.
He hadn't expected his father to be merely a supporting actor this time, with Elder Kawasaki handling everything.
But looking at it now, his father had been right. Elder Kawasaki had managed the situation perfectly.