The Hokage Building:
"Uchiha Fugaku is no longer the head of the Uchiha clan, and Uchiha Sougen has taken over as the new leader of the Uchiha... Kakashi, are you sure this isn't some kind of joke?" The Third Hokage, sleepless in the dead of night, stared in disbelief at Kakashi, who was kneeling on one knee in front of his desk.
"Yes, Fugaku told me this personally. There were also hundreds of Uchiha members from the police force present at the time, so it's unlikely to be a prank."
Kakashi dutifully reported everything he saw and heard during the mission.
To be honest, if he hadn't experienced it himself, he too would find it hard to believe. In fact, even as someone who witnessed it firsthand, he was full of doubts that had yet to be resolved.
The Third Hokage asked Kakashi several times to confirm the story, finally believing he wasn't lying and hadn't been put under any genjutsu... meaning the Uchiha clan had truly undergone a major shift. The seasoned Fugaku had stepped down, replaced by the 15-year-old Uchiha Sougen.
"...This is... definitely not good news!" The Third Hokage groaned, feeling the veins near his temples throb.
Fugaku, for all his fierce appearance, had actually been easy to handle once you understood him. But now, the new leader was the young Uchiha Sougen. Reflecting on their recent encounter in the forest, that boy, though young, was far more difficult to fool than Fugaku ever was.
And this resignation letter brought by Kakashi was the clearest evidence of that.
As for Uchiha Shisui... a descendant of Kagami, the Hokage had once considered bringing him under his wing. Unfortunately, Shisui could never fully transcend his ties to the Uchiha clan. His heart was with the village, but he couldn't completely let go of his family, which had left the Hokage disappointed.
Luckily, he had found another promising talent—Itachi.
Itachi's abilities rivaled Shisui's, and his understanding of the Will of Fire seemed even deeper. Though still young, with time, he would surely become useful... in a few years.
To be frank, the Hokage wasn't particularly concerned about Shisui leaving the Anbu. While Shisui hadn't fully broken free from the Uchiha's limitations, he believed Shisui wouldn't betray the village, so there was no need to be overly cautious.
What worried him more was what moves the troublesome young Uchiha Sougen might make. He had a strong feeling that this boy was nothing like the obedient Fugaku. Once Sougen was firmly in control of both the Uchiha clan and the police force, he would undoubtedly become a huge problem.
"No, I can't just sit by and do nothing... A 15-year-old leading a clan? This is ridiculous..." The Hokage frowned deeply.
He began calculating in his mind. There was no way he could let this situation be. He had to find a way to remove the troublesome Sougen from his position as clan leader, or at least weaken his influence.
But this wasn't something he could do alone.
Interfering in the internal affairs of a clan, especially one as notorious as the Uchiha, was a risky move. He would need to gather as much support as possible from other clans like the Hyuga and Aburame. Fortunately, the Uchiha's reputation in the village wasn't great, especially after the Nine-Tails incident, so garnering support wouldn't be too difficult.
"Kakashi!" The Hokage called to the boy kneeling silently before his desk like a scarecrow.
"Go find the two elders and tell them we need to meet immediately. Have them come to my office as soon as possible."
"Yes, Lord Hokage." Kakashi accepted the order and left.
The Third Hokage summoned another Anbu member and issued a similar command, but this time asking for Danzo instead of the elders.
---
Time flew by, and before long, the moon had set and the first light of dawn began to break over the horizon. The radiant morning sun rose, dispelling the remnants of the night and awakening the village from its slumber.
"Good morning, Chihaya." Sougen greeted Uchiha Chihaya, who had just entered as he re-fastened his belt.
"Already up, huh?" Chihaya remarked, glancing at the long couch, which still bore the marks of someone who had been sleeping there.
"I'm not a kid anymore!" Sougen shook his head helplessly.
When he was younger, getting out of bed had been a daily struggle, no matter the season. He would always stay curled up under the blankets, reluctant to get up. Fortunately, he had a childhood friend, Chihaya, who took great joy in waking him up every morning, turning it into a game.
"Where's Shisui? Is he up yet?"
Last night, they had all stayed at the police department instead of going back to the clan grounds. Sougen had slept on the couch in what was now his office. As for Shisui... there were plenty of couches in the police department.
"No idea!" Chihaya responded bluntly.
She only enjoyed waking Sougen. It had become a habit from childhood. As for others... they weren't her concern.
"No idea... Alright, fine. Chihaya, could you get us some breakfast? I'm going to wash up."
Sougen grabbed a fresh set of toiletries and went to freshen up.
By the time he returned to the office, breakfast was already laid out on his desk: two slices of golden toast, a strip of bacon, a fried egg, and a steaming cup of milk. Shisui was sitting on the couch, munching on a slice of toast.
"Shisui, how was the couch?"
"Not bad. It's definitely better than those tents we used to sleep in on the battlefield."
"True." Sougen chuckled. After experiencing the battlefield, most discomforts didn't seem so bad. Back then, you had to sleep with one eye open, always gripping your weapon, ready to fight at a moment's notice.
"By the way, did you see where Chihaya went?" Sougen asked.
"She's out practicing her swordsmanship."
"She's really dedicated. Never takes a break, does she?"
"Sougen, are we heading out after breakfast?" Shisui asked, his voice slightly muffled by the toast.
"Yeah, the sooner we deal with this, the better…" Sougen replied as he sat down, swiftly devouring his breakfast.
(End of chapter)