All eyes were on Fugaku Uchiha, who sat at the head of the table.
He slowly raised his gaze, "The relocation has been called off thanks to the efforts of the Fourth Hokage; there's no need to bring it up again. If we truly go to war with the village, it will be a disaster for both the clan and Konoha."
"But, Clan Head!"
A short-haired Uchiha clan member suddenly stood up, "The villagers look at us like we're monsters, and you're excluded from the high-level meetings. If we keep enduring this..."
"Exactly!"
Another person slammed the table, their Sharingan unconsciously activating. "Those disgusted looks from the commoners, I'll never forget them for as long as I live!"
The furious emotions spread like wildfire.
Menma saw several Uchiha ninja simultaneously activate their Sharingan, the crimson points of light particularly dazzling in the dim room.
"The Fourth Hokage's concession only proves they fear the Uchiha's power!"
A ninja with a scarred face roared, "Konoha was co-founded by our ancestor, Madara Uchiha! Why should we be excluded? We must reclaim our place at the center of power!"
"That's right!"
"We can't endure it anymore!"
Amidst the rising tide of agreement, Menma's heart sank little by little.
He silently scanned the agitated crowd, committing their faces to memory.
"Too naive..."
He sneered inwardly.
These people simply didn't understand that once war broke out, the Uchiha would face eternal damnation.
Whether the Uchiha won or Konoha won, the other four great ninja villages would never let go of this opportunity, and the Fourth Great Ninja War would inevitably erupt... Thinking of this, a chill ran down Menma's spine, as if he could already see rivers of blood and the figures of his parents and younger brother donning armor for battle... Menma's pupils contracted violently.
No, this absolutely cannot be allowed to happen!
He turned his gaze to Fugaku in the main seat, seeing the other man's brows tightly furrowed and his knuckles white from clenching, as if he were in a fierce internal struggle.
"Uncle Fugaku, I hope we won't become enemies..."
Both for his father's position as Hokage and for his own affection for Sasuke's family, he longed to see both sides coexist peacefully.
But now, that wish seemed somewhat impossible.
A cold, mechanical voice suddenly rang out in Menma's mind:
"Ding! Detected a rebellion within the Chiyou Demonic Eye Clan, a sect."
"Mission One: Suppress the Rebellion."
"Content: In the name of the sect, lead elite disciples to exterminate the Chiyou Demonic Eye Clan, ensuring no roots remain."
"Reward: Chiyou Demonic Eye (Upgradeable)"
"Consequence: The sect's strength will be greatly diminished, potentially triggering a major war in the cultivation world."
"Mission Two: Lead the Uprising."
"Content: Betray the sect and lead the Chiyou Demonic Eye Clan in an uprising."
"Reward: Annihilation Demonic Eye (Upgraded version of Chiyou Demonic Eye)"
"Consequence: You will face your parents in battle."
"Mission Three: Covert Incitement."
"Content: Incite the genius of the Chiyou Demonic Eye Clan to quell the rebellion through their hands, minimizing losses."
"Reward: Heavenly Fiend Reincarnation Eye (Upgraded version of Annihilation Demonic Eye)"
"Consequence: The genius will bear the name of a traitor, living a life worse than death."
"Is this system crazy?!"
Menma almost bit his tongue. "Is this system insane?!"
Although he didn't understand the specific effects of these eye techniques, just by reading the descriptions, he knew they were definitely related to the Sharingan.
"Bullshit options, I'm not choosing any of them!"
He felt these missions were all too lame.
Just then, an Uchiha's shout interrupted his thoughts: "With Shisui and Itachi, we're sure to succeed!"
Menma then realized with a start that neither of them was present at the meeting.
"Where are Shisui and Itachi?"
Someone raised the question, and all eyes focused on Fugaku.
"They... are on a mission."
Fugaku's voice was dry, and an unprecedented weariness showed on his face.
He already knew that Danzo had made a move on Shisui; if the clan members were to find out, the flames of anger would instantly engulf the entire Uchiha compound.
"Minato..."
He silently called out the Fourth Hokage's name in his heart, as if doing so could provide guidance.
But all that answered him were the shouts echoing through the conference room, the clan members blinded by hatred, clamoring for a decisive battle with the village.
Fugaku slowly closed his eyes.
He had long given up any hope for Danzo and the other high-ranking officials. But what pained him even more was that, at this moment, he couldn't even fully trust Minato.
As clan head, he knew better than anyone how dangerous the Uchiha's situation was;
As a father, he understood even more clearly what fate Itachi and Sasuke would face once war broke out... In the Hokage's office, Minato looked at the two Uchiha prodigies kneeling before him, feeling somewhat bewildered.
"What is this?"
His voice was still gentle.
Itachi Uchiha slowly raised his head, complex emotions swirling in his dark eyes: "Lord Fourth, please forgive me..."
His voice was even lower than usual, "I've concealed many things about the clan."
As a double agent operating between the village and the clan, Itachi had long grown accustomed to using lies to maintain a fragile balance.
But the moment Danzo made a move on Shisui, he finally understood that the illusion of peace he had woven would ultimately shatter.
Minato's azure pupils suddenly contracted, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees: "Please tell me in detail about the current situation of the Uchiha clan."
Over the next half hour, Shisui and Itachi took turns revealing the clan's entire plan for rebellion.
As Minato listened, cold sweat gradually seeped down his back. He had long known about the conflict between the Uchiha and the village, but he hadn't realized it had deteriorated to such an extent.
"Do Lord Third and Danzo... know about this?"
Minato's voice carried a hint of tension.
The two Uchiha youths exchanged a glance.
Even they couldn't be certain about that question. The roots of the Foundation had already infiltrated every corner of Konoha; who could say what lay hidden in those shadows?
"Go back for now."
Minato stood up, his Hokage robe glowing with a golden-red halo in the setting sun, "Try to delay the clan's actions as much as possible."
As the two turned to leave, Minato suddenly bowed deeply: "I swear on my name as Hokage that I will do everything in my power to protect the Uchiha clan. Please... trust me."
Shisui and Itachi froze in place.
In the twilight, the young Hokage's tall figure seemed to radiate a warm light. The dark clouds that had weighed on their hearts for days seemed to tear open a gap at this moment... Menma walked thoughtfully along a path in the Uchiha compound.
He had just reverted to Sasuke's appearance and was about to sneak away when he bumped into Shisui and Itachi, who were returning, at a corner.
"Sasuke?"
Shisui raised an eyebrow slightly, a gentle smile on his face, "Where are you going so late?"
"I, I'm going to play with Naruto..."
Menma instinctively took half a step back and turned to slip away.
Suddenly, a cold light flashed.
Itachi's kunai was already at his throat, and the three tomoe in his black eyes slowly rotated: "You are not Sasuke."
His voice was as cold as ice.
"What?!"
Shisui instantly drew his short sword, his Sharingan glowing crimson in the night.
Menma sighed, dispelled his transformation jutsu, and reverted to his original appearance: "Brother Itachi, how did you find out?"
"Menma?"
The two exclaimed in unison, their weapons simultaneously dropping.
A hint of helplessness flashed in Itachi's eyes: "Sasuke's first reaction upon seeing me is to pounce on me, wanting to train."
His tone softened unconsciously when he spoke of his younger brother.
Shisui stared at Menma in shock: "A transformation jutsu that even the Sharingan can't see through..."
Then he suddenly lowered his voice: "That ANBU who saved me that day, was it you?"
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