Chapter 71 - CHAPTER 71

That means I've:

Preserved canon accuracy to the Naruto universe, especially political and character nuances.

Smoothed grammar, pacing, and tone into natural, novel-quality English.

Removed web-translation phrasing and redundancies while keeping your emotional and narrative weight.

Here's the polished and lore-accurate version 👇

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Chapter — Shadows Over Konoha

Uchiha Fugaku fell silent.

He hadn't expected the elders to learn about the Mangekyō incident so quickly. Barely five hours had passed since the awakening, yet every senior within the clan already knew.

He didn't need to ask how.

Someone on the front lines must have used the Ninja Cat Clan's courier network to send word back to the compound.

After a long pause, Fugaku exhaled quietly and spoke in a measured tone.

"I understand your concerns," he said. "But remember—we are still in the middle of a war. All of Konoha's clans are currently operating under the direct command of the village's leadership. I cannot make a unilateral decision without the Hokage's approval."

His gaze swept across the room. "Do not act hastily. I've already reported the matter to the higher-ups through secure channels. We should receive instructions within two days. Until then, I'm entrusting Uchiha Jin's protection to all of you."

Even as he said it, Fugaku's mind was restless.

Yes, Uchiha Jin had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan—an event that should have been a triumph for the clan. But Fugaku had no intention of challenging the Konoha leadership directly.

He sought stability above all else. If the Uchiha's reputation in the village was to change, he pinned his hopes not on rebellion—but on the goodwill of the next generation of Hokage.

To put it bluntly, he was a man of great ambition but limited insight.

Much like Yuan Shao of ancient times—full of potential, yet paralyzed by indecision. Fierce in appearance, timid in heart. Proud, yet unable to command true authority.

And tonight, that weakness was laid bare.

When Fugaku's words ended, the room filled with an uneasy silence.

The Mangekyō Sharingan—the pinnacle of Uchiha power—was now in their grasp, yet their leader was handing control of the situation to the very people who distrusted them the most.

Konoha's high council was no ally.

Respecting them in times of peace was one thing—but to surrender such a vital asset during war? It was unthinkable.

The Mangekyō was not just a bloodline secret—it was a strategic weapon, a deterrent that could change the balance of power among the Great Villages.

And Fugaku… wanted to let the Hokage decide its fate.

Several jōnin exchanged helpless glances, frustration etched on their faces. But they could do nothing.

They were only soldiers, not elders. They had no authority to defy the clan head's decision.

Finally, one of them sighed. "Understood, Patriarch. We will guard Uchiha Jin with our lives."

The others nodded in grim agreement before departing.

When the tent fell quiet again, Fugaku rubbed his temples and let out a weary sigh.

Of course he understood their resentment.

He knew exactly what would happen once the Hokage learned of Jin's Mangekyō. The village would move—whether under the pretense of protection or surveillance.

But he was trapped.

Konoha already viewed the Uchiha with suspicion. If he openly defied the Hokage now, he'd be accused of insubordination, widening the rift between the clan and the village.

So he chose the safer path—the path of compliance.

It wasn't foolishness. His reasoning was sound.

But his vision… was narrow.

Because in truth, this gesture of loyalty would win him no gratitude.

Sarutobi Hiruzen would not see restraint as virtue—only as weakness.

Danzo Shimura, even worse, would take it as confirmation that the Uchiha could be controlled.

Had Fugaku acted boldly instead—refused to surrender Jin, citing wartime necessity—the village would have grumbled, perhaps even cursed him behind closed doors. But that would have been the end of it.

Instead, by bending the knee, he only deepened their disdain.

Power that fears confrontation earns no respect.

That was why Uchiha Jin, ever since awakening in this world, had kept his distance from Fugaku.

Getting too close to a man like him was dangerous.

Because a leader who hesitates…

is the one who drags his people into ruin.

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Konoha — Hokage's Office

Meanwhile, in the Hokage Building, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat behind his desk, a letter from the front line open in his hands.

The candlelight flickered across his wrinkled face, casting deep shadows under his eyes.

His expression was unreadable—but in those dark eyes burned a quiet, killing intent.

So, it had finally happened.

The one thing he had feared for decades.

The Uchiha had birthed another Mangekyō Sharingan.

Ever since the days of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, every Hokage after him had kept their distance from the Uchiha.

And this… was why.

The Sharingan was too dangerous. Too unpredictable.

No matter how weak an Uchiha might be before awakening their eyes, the moment their Sharingan evolved—

their power skyrocketed.

And worse still… the Uchiha were slaves to emotion.

It wasn't arrogance or pride that made them dangerous—it was their hearts.

When an Uchiha loved, they loved too deeply.

When they lost that love, their sorrow became rage.

That rage became power.

The stronger their feelings, the stronger their Sharingan.

It was a bloodline cursed by passion.

Hiruzen's mind flickered to a name—Uchiha Obito.

Before his awakening, Obito had been a kind-hearted, clumsy boy—barely able to pass his academy exams. But when he watched Rin die before his eyes, that gentle heart shattered… and in its place arose a monster.

In an instant, he'd awakened a power so fearsome that even the Fourth Hokage, the Yellow Flash himself, had struggled against him.

A boy who once couldn't throw a kunai straight had nearly destroyed Konoha.

That was the Uchiha curse.

Senju Hashirama had dismissed it. He had loved the Uchiha and believed in coexistence.

Tobirama had feared it and sought control.

And Hiruzen… found himself trapped between both ideals.

He set the letter down slowly, exhaling a cloud of smoke from his pipe.

If another Uchiha had awakened the Mangekyō…

then the peace within Konoha was about to end.