Chapter 223: Council Meeting for future
Hiruzen began, his voice calm but authoritative. "Thank you all for coming. Today's meeting is crucial for the future of Konoha. After careful consideration and discussions, we have made a decision regarding the balance of power within the village.
We don't have to keep up the façade anymore; everyone here knows about the undercurrents in the village for the last two weeks."
He glanced at Fugaku Uchiha, who took that as his cue to stand. "Shisui Uchiha will be joining the Anbu Black Ops, and to maintain the power balance among Konoha's clans, he will also be leaving the Uchiha clan. This decision was not made lightly, but it is necessary. We Uchiha want to fully cooperate with everyone from now on and expect the same in return."
Murmurs spread through the room as the various clan heads digested the news. Many had already heard rumors, but some of the smaller clans and elders were still unaware. Yet, there was no dissatisfaction—most saw this as a necessary step.
Uchiha clan having two Kage-level ninja, along with their already massive ninja population, would be a thorn in the side for many present. If the meeting had ended here, everyone would have been satisfied, but Hiruzen had one more announcement.
"Additionally, Naruto Uzumaki will be placed under the care of the Anbu. Shisui, who is already one of our most powerful shinobi, will be personally responsible for Naruto's safety and upbringing. This arrangement will ensure that Naruto is protected and trained by one of our best, while also keeping his identity as the Jinchuriki secure."
Inuzuka Tsume, the head of the Inuzuka clan, was the first to speak. "Hokage-sama, while I understand the need for balance, isn't it too much responsibility to place on Shisui alone? Both being in Anbu and taking care of Naruto at the same time while leaving his clan... does he know about this arrangement?"
Everyone present knew the Inuzuka were not the type to scheme for power. Tsume's concerns were genuine, born out of pure concern rather than any ulterior motive.
Hiruzen nodded, acknowledging her concern. "Shisui already knows about joining the Anbu. As for Naruto, his father gave his life to protect the village, and his last wish was for a better future for his son. But as a Jinchuriki, that has been difficult.
Shisui is our best bet. His family environment is ideal for a child like Naruto, and when it comes to safety, I believe Shisui alone is enough."
Nara Shikaku, the head of the Nara clan, spoke next, his tone measured. "While this does seem like a reasonable solution to maintain the balance, we all know that the Uchiha clan is already under scrutiny. Won't this move isolate Shisui and potentially create more tension?"
Fugaku stepped forward. "This decision was made with the full support of the Uchiha clan. Shisui understands the importance of this role and is committed to it. We believe that by placing him in Anbu and distancing him from the clan, we can help alleviate any concerns about the Uchiha's influence.
Our strength is the village's strength. It doesn't matter where Shisui is, as long as he is in Konoha, the overall strength remains the same, and that's what matters to us."
This carefully planned response, prepared by Hiruzen and Shikaku, portrayed the Uchiha as making a sacrifice for the village, reducing opposition to the new decision significantly.
Despite the clan heads' acceptance, the village elders, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, were not as easily convinced. Koharu spoke up, her voice tinged with disapproval. "Hiruzen, are you sure this is a wise decision? Allowing an Uchiha to be so close to Naruto, the Jinchuriki, could pose a significant risk. We should reconsider this arrangement."
Homura nodded in agreement. "Shisui may be loyal, but the Uchiha clan's history cannot be ignored. We need to ensure that Naruto is protected, not used as a tool for any clan's ambitions."
If eyes could kill, Fugaku's glare would have done so a hundred times over. But before he could say anything offensive, Hiruzen intervened.
Hiruzen's gaze hardened as he looked at the two elders. "Why does this sound familiar? Ah yes, a certain snake used these same words to isolate the son of a hero, making his life miserable just so he could control the boy. And that was the lightest of his crimes."
He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. "I'm not in the mood to even discuss this point anymore. We all know that if the Uchiha wanted to do anything, the day of the Nine-Tails attack was perfect for that.
Most of the village's forces were either dead or distracted, yet they helped us, even when we indirectly blamed them for being traitors. I'm not going to repeat the same mistake twice."
The room fell silent as Hiruzen's words hung in the air. Koharu and Homura exchanged a glance before reluctantly nodding in agreement. "Very well, Hiruzen. We trust your judgment, but we will be watching this closely," Koharu said, her tone less confrontational but still firm.
Hiruzen nodded, signaling the end of the major discussions. Many clan heads wanted to ask questions, but the only one who dared was Hyuga Hiashi, given the Hyuga clan's standing.
"So, since Shisui will be leaving the Uchiha clan, will he also leave the clan compound?"
"No, that house was built by his late father. They have an emotional attachment to it, and he will continue to communicate with his friends. We are not expelling him from the clan because he did something wrong, so why should he have to suffer without any benefit?" Fugaku replied.
Though not everyone was happy that Shisui would continue to live in the Uchiha compound, there was nothing they could argue against. Since he would be in Anbu, the Uchiha would not have full control over him anyway.
With this, the meeting concluded, and the final details were discussed. After making sure there were no loopholes in the decision, everyone left for their respective destinations. Hiruzen, Fugaku, and Shikaku went to the Hokage's office to discuss a few more things.
"With this, the inner conflict will subside for some time," Shikaku said. He knew that such peace was only temporary; inner conflicts in any ninja village never truly ended. They only paused during times of war, when the village fought as a single entity. Otherwise, it was always a race to gain the most benefit for oneself or one's clan.
"Thank you for trusting us, Lord Third," Fugaku said, genuinely happy that the Uchiha could finally integrate into the village and have true peace after so many years.
"No problem, Fugaku. Just make sure you don't break this trust. My patience is already at its limit after the betrayal we've faced," Hiruzen replied.
Fugaku nodded, understanding the weight of Hiruzen's words, and left the office.