Fu Yue, seated in the minister's office of the Konoha Police Department, opened the encrypted scroll with furrowed brows. Suspicion had been lingering in his heart ever since he heard whispers of something happening in the Daimyo's Mansion.
"Ahem!!"
As soon as he unfurled the scroll and scanned its contents, he bolted upright, eyes widening in disbelief. His face paled, and a choking cough escaped his throat. The contents of the scroll were a jarring shock.
"What does he want to do!?"
Fugaku could scarcely believe what he was reading. Just yesterday, Yancai had been dispatched to the Daimyo's Mansion. Today, however, this... this was madness.
Not only had Yancai taken decisive action, but he had pulled Shisui into it and launched a coordinated attack—against Kakashi, no less.
And the goal?
To reclaim Obito's Sharingan.
Fugaku felt his mind race in disbelief. That eye—Obito's legacy—had long been handed over to Kakashi after Obito's presumed death. At that time, even after discussions with the Third Hokage and internal family debates, Fugaku had reluctantly agreed to let Kakashi retain it for the sake of diplomacy and village peace.
But now... now it was back.
Obito's Sharingan had been forcibly taken from Kakashi.
Yancai had collaborated with Shisui—Shisui of all people!—to launch a strike against one of Konoha's most trusted Anbu captains. And they had succeeded.
Trouble.
Big trouble.
Fugaku was certain that the moment this report reached Hiruzen Sarutobi, there would be hell to pay. He wouldn't be spared either. The incident reeked of Uchiha internal politics, and to the outside world, only one conclusion would make sense:
That Fugaku himself had authorized the mission.
After all, he was the Uchiha patriarch. Would Yancai and Shisui dare act without his approval?
But the reality was painfully ironic.
Fugaku hadn't known a damn thing.
This had been orchestrated entirely by Yancai.
What stunned him even more than the operation itself was Shisui's cooperation. The Shisui he knew would never engage in such a borderline treasonous act—attacking a comrade of the village? Unthinkable!
And yet he had done so.
Which meant only one thing: Yancai had convinced him. Somewhere between the mission to the Daimyo's Mansion and now, Yancai had met with Shisui and changed his heart.
What did he say?
What did he show him?
Just yesterday, the Daimyo had sent word of a successful negotiation, and the Third Hokage had seemed to be in high spirits. Even Tsunade had managed to keep her frustration in check long enough to see things through politically.
It was a brief moment of calm.
Then came this.
Despite irritating Tsunade with some of his decisions, the Third Hokage still held Konoha close to his heart. He had gone to the Daimyo's Mansion himself and smoothed things over, agreeing to some of the Daimyo's more... assertive proposals.
Danzo was untouchable. That much was clear. For better or worse, Hiruzen could not and would not move against him.
As for keeping Asuma and Kakashi in the Daimyo's service as members of the newly forming "Twelve Guardian Ninja"—that was something Hiruzen could live with.
At worst, it would just be a few years. They'd return.
Frankly, the Third Hokage welcomed the idea of Asuma staying far from Konoha. His son had grown too idle within the village.
And Kakashi? Well, Kakashi was a sacrifice the old man was willing to make—for the greater good.
He had just begun to relax when another urgent scroll arrived.
His hand trembled slightly as he opened it, half-expecting good news.
What he found made him bolt upright.
His face twisted into disbelief, and then fury.
"What the hell is Uchiha Yancai thinking!? He attacked an Anbu captain—his own comrade—and stole the Sharingan!"
Sharingan.
Obito's eye—long held by Kakashi—was now in the possession of Uchiha Yancai.
And worse, Shisui had helped.
All of the Third Hokage's efforts—reaching out to Shisui, nurturing the Will of Fire within him, hoping he'd be a moderating influence in the clan—gone.
Gone in a single night.
Shisui had crossed the line.
"Bring me Uchiha Fugaku."
The Third Hokage's voice was cold and sharp. There was no room for misunderstanding.
This was an insult. A betrayal.
He remembered their agreement clearly. Fugaku had promised him—Obito's eye would remain with Kakashi.
And now it was gone.
When Fugaku arrived, he stepped into the office with deliberate care, bowing respectfully.
"Lord Hokage."
"Fugaku," the Third Hokage growled, "see for yourself what this means."
He tossed the scroll toward the Uchiha patriarch like a weapon.
"You gave me your word. You said Obito's eye would remain with Kakashi. Now you have your people take it back? What exactly is your clan trying to do?"
Fugaku read the scroll quickly. It was almost identical to the one he'd received earlier.
Inwardly, he sighed.
How could he explain something he hadn't ordered?
How could he prove that this wasn't a ploy by the entire clan?
No amount of denial would save him from suspicion.
He would have to apologize.
He would have to take the blame.
Even if it burned him inside.
Fugaku lowered his head, voice calm but laced with quiet anger.
"Lord Hokage, this must be a misunderstanding. I've been attempting to restructure the police department, and many of the more... traditional elders aren't happy about it. They've started to stir up old issues.
Yancai may have acted on what he believed was the will of the clan, not my command."
The Third Hokage said nothing.
"I'll discipline Yancai and Shisui," Fugaku continued, "and we'll return the Sharingan to Kakashi. Both men will offer him an apology."
There was silence in the office.
The Third Hokage remained seated, puffing on his pipe, letting the smoke curl in the air. Slowly, he allowed his anger to ebb.
Fugaku's humility—and his skillful political deflection—did not go unnoticed.
He had placed the blame squarely on the more militant elders, distancing himself from the act while still taking responsibility.
And most importantly, he offered a resolution.
Sharingan would be returned. Apologies made.
Even Sarutobi knew he couldn't push too hard. Not now. Not with the Uchiha already under scrutiny.
He didn't want to push the clan to the brink.
Finally, the Third Hokage spoke again, softer this time:
"Fugaku, since this was all a misunderstanding... fix it. Quickly. The last thing Konoha needs is a rift with Uchiha."
"And Yancai—he's impulsive. Speak with him. Teach him restraint."
The message was clear.
"I will, Lord Hokage. This will not happen again."
The Third Hokage nodded slowly.
Fugaku had given him enough to work with. And the old man would not press further. Not publicly, at least.
The meeting was over.
As Fugaku left the office and returned to the police department, he immediately dispatched a message to Yancai.
Meanwhile, Tsunade—who had been briefed—was advised to continue working with the Daimyo and leave the Kakashi situation to the village and the Uchiha clan.
By nightfall, the news had reached Yancai.
The entire Uchiha clan was watching him. There was anxiety, yes—but also pride.
Yancai had done what they had all longed to do but never dared.
Even Shisui, typically composed, seemed nervous. Based on everything he knew of the upper echelons of Konoha, this was the kind of act that could lead to exile—or worse.
But deep down, part of him didn't regret it.
Not yet.
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