"Nonsense!"
Hiashi slammed his palm down hard on the tatami.
"My son-in-law is still young. His political capital is nowhere near enough."
"Even his own strength isn't anything special."
"If he steps up now, isn't he just setting up a target for other people to shoot at?"
"Let that old bastard Danzo and the Third Hokage tear into each other like dogs."
"My son-in-law can sit back and take the fisherman's profit."
His gaze flickered for an instant.
Hiashi knew the Hyūga could never take the seat themselves.
The moment he dared to raise the idea, Konoha's upper ranks would unite and crush the Hyūga down.
Because the Hyūga could only ever sit at the same table as the Uchiha.
They were a lock Konoha's leadership had hung on the Uchiha.
They didn't trust the Uchiha.
And they'd trust the Hyūga?
Don't make Hiashi laugh.
If they really trusted them, then Hizashi—his own twin brother—wouldn't have been forced into death on the spot.
That humiliation, pushed to the absolute extreme…
The entire Hyūga clan would never dare forget it.
Forget it, and their spine would snap.
And Kangetsu—he had been the one who braced the Hyūga's spine when they were at their hardest.
And this groom-dono… he truly knew how to handle things.
If there was benefit to be had, he genuinely remembered his own people.
Ever since he'd become Hinata's prospective husband, the Hyūga had never gone hungry.
At the very least, they didn't have to starve anymore.
So.
The Hyūga clan might have no hope of taking the top—
But the hope of reaching out a hand for a piece?
That was still there.
And it was big.
Tell me—what family or faction that took money would not be resentful?
Look at Ino–Shika–Chō.
They were practically going cross-eyed from batting their lashes.
"Hold position. Watch the changes."
Hiashi set the plan.
"You do whatever you want. The Hyūga won't play along."
They'd only just started having money, only just started eating full meals.
And now they wanted the Hyūga to stand at the front and take the hit?
What kind of joke was that?
At the same time—
The Uchiha clan also had the air of a startled flock, jumpy at every rumor.
Fugaku urgently summoned his rebellious son.
"Itachi—are you involved in this?"
…Hiss.
Shisui sucked in a sharp breath on the spot.
No, Clan Head?
What are you trying to do?
With that hopeful look on your face—don't tell me you've lost your mind?
This is the man who got to be Clan Head?
Cold sweat nearly poured off Shisui.
Well. That explains it.
Back then, the Uchiha not being wiped out completely really was just dumb luck.
With a Clan Head this stupid, no wonder the Uchiha had been sliding downhill day after day.
You actually dared to think this?
Healed the wound and forgot the pain, huh?
For the first time, Shisui felt that Mr. Filial Son over there might actually be in the right.
Before, watching this "filial" son punch out his own father had been hard to look at.
Now?
Shisui met Itachi's eyes.
You do it, or me?
I'll do it.
Beating up your old man on a rainy day—
That's just muscle memory.
"Father!! I checked carefully—your 'coffin money' count is wrong!"
"Where's the money?!"
"Look again!"
No.
Huh?
Fugaku's brain went blank.
They were talking about serious business.
Why was this rebellious brat eyeing his funeral savings again?
He'd only just saved a few hundred ryō.
And you're already coveting it?
Hey—hey—hey!
We can talk this out!
Don't put your hands on me!
Shisui! You're just going to stand there and watch?!
Shisui thought for a moment.
Yeah…
He couldn't just stand there watching.
And so, the "referee" sitting in the audience started warming up too.
If you didn't beat the Clan Head for a single day, he'd be climbing onto the roof and ripping tiles off!
Outside.
Uchiha Yahiro let out a long hiss.
Too brutal…
"For the sake of seizing power, you two have already hollowed out Clan Head Fugaku."
"Is there really any need to keep this up?"
What?
The two Vice Clan Heads just got more slots from Mr. Kangetsu?
Yahiro's face flipped instantly.
Good hit!
Beautiful hit!
Hit him until Clan Head Fugaku squeals!
At the same time—
Hiruzen Sasuke was pacing in frantic circles at home.
What the hell?!
That old bastard Danzo actually wants to seize power?
And he's doing it as a "deputy," nice and proper, openly and legitimately?
I don't accept that!
"Dad! Say something, Dad!"
The Third Hokage frowned and glanced at his impatient eldest son.
"What are you panicking for?"
"As if I don't know exactly how much Danzo weighs."
He wanted to climb up while the old man had a major policy failure?
His timing wasn't bad.
But it still wasn't enough for Danzo to make anything happen.
Still…
The Third Hokage did regret it.
This "deputy" idea never should've reached Danzo's ears.
Sure, it did solve the Uchiha problem that had been a thorn in the side for ages.
But it also spawned that filthy thing called Danzo.
Now the bastard even dared to openly set up an arena against him.
So what now?
With his eyes narrowed to slits, the Third Hokage wasn't as calm as he looked.
Because of his own rebellious son, Danzo really did have about thirty percent "malleability."
At this point, all he could do was take it one step at a time.
After all—
That thirty-five hundred million was a pain in his heart that would never go away.
If he didn't solve it, he could be sure of one thing:
Danzo would grab his limp leg and kick it until it broke.
And speaking of solving it…
Strictly speaking, it wasn't even Danzo's job.
It was Kangetsu's.
A headache…
The Third Hokage didn't even enjoy his tea anymore. He didn't even eat.
It wasn't that he truly had no options.
If he just dragged Asuma back and made him take the fall, the Third Hokage would go right back to being the spotless, pure Third Hokage.
But could he?
You could call the Third Hokage bad, call him stupid.
Call him hypocritical, call him someone who'd done plenty of foolish things.
But when it came to family—
He really could shoulder the burden.
Take the Sannin in canon.
Tsunade-hime did whatever she wanted and never cared about rules.
Jiraiya would disappear for years and, most of the time, didn't manage Konoha at all.
Orochimaru outright defected.
Did the Third Hokage ever truly come down hard on them?
If he could tolerate disciples like that, there was no way he'd abandon his own son.
Asuma had to be protected.
He took a drag from his old pipe, and in the end, the Third Hokage's heart softened.
His son…
If he could protect him, he would.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have hinted at that "Anbu father-and-son relationship" nonsense in the first place.
"Let's go."
The old man reminded Hiruzen Sasuke.
Stop spacing out.
Go wait at the Hokage Tower office first.
I want to see—
Just what kind of stunt that old thing Danzo thinks he can pull.
Is he going to force a palace coup?
Or is he going to keep kicking my lame leg?
Either way, I'll take it.
But you want to take the seat?
The Third Hokage let out a cold laugh.
Inside, there was definitely fire burning.
Then let's see whether you actually have the ability.
If you were like the Fourth Hokage—strength, reputation, achievements—then fine, I'd accept it.
But you, Danzo…
What kind of filthy ass do you have, you think I don't know?
(End of Chapter)
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