The next day.
Hokage Building.
Hiruzen sat in the Hokage's seat, looking at the seven-year-old boy in front of him, rubbing his temples in a headache.
"Hiromi, we are all from the same village. Can you be a bit more tolerant?"
Who goes around crashing into a clan's compound just because they don't like them?
"What tolerance? I said I was testing a new technique and failed, accidentally entering the Hyuga Clan Compound. I even got injured in the process and reduced the power. Now that not a single Hyuga has died, what are you yelling at me for?"
Hiromi seemed annoyed, ready to unleash a massive attack at the slightest disagreement.
It was as if he were saying: "I, Uchiha Hiromi, have always been honest and law-abiding. You want to frame me? I won't stand for this injustice!"
Hiruzen: "..."
"Hiromi!"
The Hyuga Grand Elder was so angry his beard was blowing, he wished he could kill Hiromi.
Yes. No one died, but with the clan compound in that state, what face did the Hyuga Clan have left?
"What are you yelling about?" Hiromi asked.
"Hiromi!!!"
The Hyuga Grand Elder didn't expect the perpetrator to have such an attitude.
Seeing this, Hiruzen knew that if these two stayed together any longer, they might start fighting.
So, he cut through their confrontational atmosphere and said, "The losses of the Hyuga Clan will be compensated by the Uchiha clan."
He looked at Hiromi and asked, "Any problems?"
The Hyuga Grand Elder snorted coldly, somewhat dissatisfied that Hiruzen didn't ask him, the Grand Elder, but instead asked that Uchiha brat.
Hiromi glanced at the Hyuga Grand Elder and narrowed his eyes.
Then, he looked at Hiruzen and smiled. "That goes without saying. The damage caused by the Uchiha will naturally be compensated by the Uchiha."
Hiruzen smiled. "In that case, let's handle it this way..."
Before he could finish, Hiromi smiled and said, "Just deduct it from the funds promised to us Uchiha for relocating our clan compound."
Hiruzen's expression changed slightly, his smile vanished, and he said with a forced smile, "That was promised to you by Danzo; you can ask the Root for it."
"Oh, is that so? So that's what it means."
Hiromi acted as if he had just realized, and said to the Hyuga Grand Elder, "Although I, Hiromi, promised to compensate for the damage to your Hyuga Clan Compound, the Uchiha clan didn't say we would pay, so we don't have to pay."
After finishing, Hiromi said "Hmm," as if confirming his own understanding, and looked at Hiruzen with a smile. "Is that right?"
Slap!
The sound of a table being slammed rang out.
The usually amiable Hiruzen turned ferocious and terrifying, his eyes filled with rage. "Hiromi!"
Hiromi said with a smile, "You're slamming the table and yelling at me?"
As he spoke, the smile curling at the corners of his lips gradually faded, and his gaze became oppressive and terrifying. A wisp of orange flame ignited from his body, and the scorching high temperature made the atmosphere dry and terrifying.
The Hyuga Grand Elder looked at the two of them confronting each other, his expression shifted slightly as he stepped back, swallowing his saliva.
At this moment, a touch of gold appeared in the orange flames on Hiromi's body. As soon as this golden hue appeared, his terrifying aura intensified hundreds of times.
It was as if a noble emperor above all others was furious, and the whole world was about to turn into a hell flowing with rivers of blood. It made him feel terrified and anxious, actually wanting to lower his head and kneel, begging for mercy.
Hiruzen was also shocked back to his senses by that flash of gold, his gaze flickering uncertainly.
Immediately, his expression changed as quickly as turning a page. The hideous, frightening look on his face instantly reverted to a kind and amiable one.
He laughed. "Hiromi, I was just joking with you. The compensation for the Hyuga Clan Compound will be covered by Konoha."
"Fine."
The golden flames on Hiromi turned into orange flames and the orange flames gradually dissipated.
Both the Hyuga Grand Elder and Hiruzen felt a weight lift from their hearts and a sense of relief like surviving a disaster.
As Hiromi turned to leave, he seemed to remember something and turned his head to look at Hiruzen.
"Oh, right. When will we be compensated for the losses caused by the Shimura Clan's ambition over these years, the times Uchiha were arranged on the front lines of wars, causing huge casualties—when will that be paid to us?"
Nine-Tails rumors, Danzo digging out eyes, clan members' casualties, concealment of war merits...
Although Hiromi didn't state it very clearly, Hiruzen thought of these instantly, and his gaze immediately became obscure.
But under Hiromi's smiling gaze, he quickly squeezed out a smile and said, "The village's current financial situation is quite tight. Can the Uchiha clan show some understanding?"
"Oh, then I'll understand you for a few more days."
Hiromi waved his hand and left.
Only the Hyuga Grand Elder was left with Hiruzen, his mind greatly shaken.
Although he had heard that an Uchiha brat was always causing a ruckus in the center of the village, he hadn't paid much attention to village affairs. Now, he realized it wasn't just a ruckus. It was practically taking a shit on Hiruzen's head and making him eat it. And Hiruzen had no choice but to eat it.
Is the Uchiha clan this terrifying now?
Hiruzen looked at the Hyuga Grand Elder with a fake smile and asked, "Is there anything else?"
The Hyuga Grand Elder knew this was Hiruzen in a bad mood, chasing away guests. So he left in a hurry, lest he be caught in the crossfire.
After he left, Hiruzen's expression quickly turned gloomy. His tightly clenched fists trembled incessantly, filled with frustration.