Inside the Uchiha compound, Fugaku saw Arashi and Shisui, who could barely control his expression, and immediately knew the answer to the question that concerned him most.
He seemed to age several years in an instant.
“Let’s return to my office before we speak.”
“Call Itachi over as well.”
Arashi’s voice was grave.
“He is the future of the Uchiha.
It’s time he learned certain things.”
“But Itachi is only six—”
“Bring him here.
Now.”
Just as Minato had done earlier, Arashi was no longer making a request.
He was giving an order.
Fugaku understood that the moment had come for him to make his decision.
“Yes.”
The choice did not require much thought, especially after confirming that the eye beneath Danzo’s bandages was a Sharingan.
Before long, the office door was shut.
Only four people remained inside as Shisui recounted everything he had witnessed and everything that happened afterward.
“That bastard!”
Even with Arashi present, Fugaku lost control.
His Sharingan spun furiously as he smashed the cup in his hand against the floor.
“Shimura Danzo!
Orochimaru!
Do they truly believe the Uchiha have no one left?!”
A flash of anger and lost control appeared on Itachi’s young face.
Strangely, however, he regained his composure even faster than his father.
Arashi calmly studied all three of them.
Only after Fugaku had settled down did he speak.
“Then forgive me for asking directly.”
“Does the Uchiha clan truly have anyone left?”
Fugaku opened his mouth, then closed it again.
His expression became even uglier.
Clearly, the answer was no.
At present, the Uchiha had no notable experts besides Shisui.
They could handle ordinary shinobi, but they were helpless against Kage-level figures such as Orochimaru and Danzo.
‘So Fugaku really doesn’t have the Mangekyo.’
Arashi raised an eyebrow in mild disappointment.
He had already guessed as much from Fugaku’s endless compromises.
Had Fugaku possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan, he would never have tolerated such humiliation.
Still, confirming it was disappointing.
Naruto was a massive franchise with anime, manga, films, and games, and many adaptations contained different versions of events.
For example, Fugaku had used the Mangekyo Sharingan in the Ultimate Ninja Storm games.
In this world, however, he clearly did not possess it.
After all, awakening the Mangekyo instantly granted power capable of challenging a Kage.
It was not something that could appear casually.
“Since you have no hidden trump card, your only option is to endure for now and create one yourselves.”
Arashi continued calmly.
“I obtained special permission from the Third Hokage.
Danzo will introduce me to Orochimaru.”
“We can gamble with Obito.”
“If the treatment succeeds, a powerful shinobi possessing both the Sharingan and Wood Release will be born.”
“Then Obito will become our trump card.”
Before Fugaku could speak, Itachi interrupted.
“And if it fails?”
“Itachi!”
Fugaku frowned.
It was clearly not the child’s place to interrupt, and his tone had been far from respectful.
Arashi merely smiled.
“If it fails, I can still guarantee that his Sharingan will not fall into enemy hands.”
“Obito respects and trusts you so deeply.”
Itachi could no longer suppress his emotions.
“Yet you only see him as a piece on a board?”
“Is Obito nothing more than a valuable pair of eyes to you?!”
“What else would he be?”
Arashi admitted it without hesitation.
“Do you believe he is any different in my eyes than he is in your father’s?”
Arashi genuinely loved the Naruto series.
There were many characters he liked and others he disliked, but those feelings belonged to his attachment to a fictional story.
They had nothing to do with the real world he now inhabited.
No matter how much he had once liked a character, everyone in this world belonged to one of two categories.
Useful or useless.
He would not spare someone from his schemes simply because he had liked them before transmigrating.
Only one person was an exception.
Namikaze Minato.
Minato had truly saved his life.
Without him, the current Kaeda Arashi would not exist.
Therefore, Minato was the only person Arashi would never deliberately betray or destroy.
Itachi’s expression changed, and he abruptly turned toward Fugaku.
His father looked somewhat embarrassed, yet still nodded.
“Don’t blame your father for being practical.”
Arashi continued before Itachi could speak.
“Even at six years old, you should understand how many threats the Uchiha currently face.”
“Everything your father has done was meant to protect this clan.
Nothing more.”
“So that makes it acceptable to treat clansmen as tools?”
Shisui frowned.
He also disliked such thinking.
“It’s easy to stand on the moral high ground and speak beautifully.”
Arashi remained composed.
“Actually accomplishing something useful is far more difficult.”
“Imagine that your father refused to lower the Uchiha’s proud head and cooperate with me.”
“Imagine he also refused to send Obito to Orochimaru.”
“What would happen five years from now?”
“Orochimaru and Danzo’s greed would continue growing.”
“Uchiha corpses would keep disappearing, and perhaps even children would vanish without explanation.”
“Eventually, those filthy hands might reach you…”
He pointed toward Itachi.
“Or even the younger brother who hasn’t been born yet.”
“When that happens, who will help you?”
“Who will protect the Uchiha?”
“The Third Hokage?
Or the Fourth?”
Shisui and Itachi both frowned.
They wanted to say the Hokage would protect them.
But if Hiruzen intended to do so, the Uchiha would never have fallen into their current situation.
They had believed things might improve after Minato became Hokage.
Yet now, it appeared that nothing had truly changed.
“No one can protect you.”
Arashi gave his conclusion.
“The only people capable of protecting the Uchiha are yourselves, your clansmen…
and perhaps your allies.”
“That is why your father has gone to such lengths.”
“You can stand above us and call Fugaku and me cold-blooded executioners who care only about value.”
“But when disaster truly arrives, the people capable of saving the Uchiha will be us, not you.”
“But none of those things have happened.”
Itachi possessed the mind of a Hokage and quickly noticed that Arashi was manipulating them.
“You cannot justify your actions with events that haven’t occurred!”
“Preparing for danger is something every wise person—or rather, every person in power—must consider.”
Arashi’s voice turned cold.
“Why did your father only decide to cooperate with me fully now?”
“Because Shisui saw Danzo’s ambition with his own eyes.”
“He has already begun reaching toward the Uchiha.”
“The future I described is highly likely to occur.”
“Without an alliance with me, by the time your father finally resisted, he would be opposing the entire village.”
Arashi stared directly at Itachi.
“What could you and Shisui do then?”
“Rise and fight for your clansmen?”
“Or…”
A mocking smile appeared on his face.
“Would you destroy the entire Uchiha for the village’s stability, killing every clansman while sparing only your precious younger brother?”
“Please stop saying such ridiculous things!”
Itachi was visibly startled.
“How could I ever do something like that?!”
“Let’s assume you wouldn’t.”
Arashi smiled meaningfully.
“My offer remains unchanged.”
“Shisui, Tekka, and Inabi may continue serving beside me.”
“As for you…”
He looked toward Itachi and deliberately loosened his grip.
“If you cannot accept my methods, you are free to withdraw.”
“Advisor Kaeda, please don’t be angry.”
Fugaku was alarmed.
At present, Arashi was truly the Uchiha’s only possible savior.
By now, even children throughout Konoha knew that Shisui had publicly used his Sharingan to interrogate a Root operative on Arashi’s orders.
The Uchiha had already been bound to him.
Offending Arashi now would only make the clan’s future even more difficult.
“Itachi is still a child and doesn’t understand these matters.”
“Please don’t take his words personally.”
“I’m not angry, Clan Head.”
Arashi smiled.
“Itachi may be a child, but his way of thinking is not ordinary.”
“That is why I’m giving him a choice.”
Arashi extended one hand in invitation.
“Will you join us and help protect the Uchiha?”
“Or will you stop here and return to being the clan head’s sheltered eldest son?”
“My choice is…”
Itachi considered the matter before raising his head seriously.
“I choose neither.”
“I will continue following you and obeying your orders.”
“But I will observe you myself and decide whether you are truly someone worthy of the Uchiha’s trust—and the village’s.”
“Itachi!”
Fugaku was nearly beside himself with anxiety.
“A mature answer.”
Arashi waved one finger.
“Reaching your own conclusions is always better than accepting what others force into your mind.”
“But you are still not mature enough.”
“If I were you, I would openly declare my loyalty to lower the other person’s guard.”
“Then I would observe them in secret and form my conclusions without their knowledge.”
“If you truly wish to see through someone, the first thing you must learn is not to reveal your real thoughts in front of them.”
“Observe from the shadows, like a true shinobi.”
Itachi fell silent.
He did not know how to answer.
After all, he was still only six, and Arashi’s lesson was far too complicated for him.
Shisui also remained silent.
He clearly had thoughts of his own, but unlike Itachi, he understood the value of keeping them hidden.
Arashi did not mind.
He turned back toward Fugaku.
“Obito will be sent to Orochimaru within three days at most.”
“You can deliver the news to him.”
“And…”
Arashi studied him quietly.
“Do you have nothing else to say, Clan Head?”
Fugaku sighed inwardly.
He understood that Arashi was demanding a clear declaration of loyalty.
Slowly, Fugaku stood and lowered himself onto one knee before him.
He knew that after this kneel, the Uchiha would cease to be merely one of Konoha’s founding clans.
They would become another man’s obedient hounds.
But there was no longer any path back.
“Advisor Kaeda, from this day onward…”
“The Uchiha clan will follow your command.”
…