Chapter 38: Power Struggles
"Did you hear?"
"The Uchiha clan… They're wiped out!"
"What? Are you… serious?"
"Though I never liked those arrogant guys much, the Uchiha were undoubtedly Konoha's foremost clan. How could they just disappear like that?"
"They say it was Uchiha Itachi, the son of the Uchiha clan leader!"
"He didn't even spare his own parents. That guy's a total monster!"
"He's only thirteen, right? Could he really have done all of this alone?"
"Isn't that a bit exaggerated?"
"They say he's a true genius. He awakened the Sharingan at eight and was already leading an Anbu squad at thirteen!"
---
The next morning.
Early at dawn.
Konoha was in shock.
The news of the Uchiha clan's annihilation at the hands of Uchiha Itachi had spread throughout the entire village, and, at an astonishing pace, was rippling across the ninja world.
People were stunned, finding it impossible to believe.
But, somehow…
Itachi's entire record was openly revealed.
He graduated from the Ninja Academy at seven, awakened the Sharingan at eight, passed the Chunin Exams solo at ten, becoming a Chunin.
At eleven, he joined the Anbu, and by thirteen, he had become an Anbu squad leader!
These feats left everyone speechless, struggling to believe it.
The Third Hokage was enraged.
He personally went to Konoha Hospital to visit the only survivor of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Sasuke, who remained in a coma.
Afterward, he returned to the Hokage's office without a moment's delay and called an emergency meeting for all Jonin-level shinobi.
There, he publicly declared Uchiha Itachi an S-class rogue ninja of Konoha.
He was to be hunted worldwide, dead or alive.
Still, no matter what was said.
The Uchiha clan, Konoha's most prestigious family, had a long-standing, intensifying conflict with the village's top leaders, especially under the Third Hokage's administration.
It was obvious to nearly everyone.
That the Uchiha clan had suddenly been wiped out… It was impossible for the other families not to have suspicions.
No one could believe this had nothing to do with the village leaders.
Even the Hyuga, Aburame, and the Ino-Shika-Cho families, who usually supported the Third Hokage, felt a chill run down their spines.
Though intimidated by the ruthless actions of the village leaders, they couldn't help but feel a mix of terror and sorrow, as if witnessing the inevitable fate that awaited them too.
As one of the founding clans of Konoha, alongside the Senju, the Uchiha had once held considerable power and reputation.
Despite their strained relationship with the top echelons, their historical contributions in past wars were undeniable.
And now, they were gone, just like that.
What if, one day, their own clans were next?
To calm the various families, who were unsettled by the sudden downfall of the Uchiha, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, was compelled to announce the formation of a new Konoha Military Police Force, selecting elite ninjas from each family to maintain order within the village.
The power and profits that had belonged solely to the Uchiha.
Were now divided among these families to ease their anxieties.
Of course, those who received the largest shares were not them.
Instead, it was the Sarutobi, Shimura, and Mitokado clans.
---
"Is it… true?"
In Konoha Hospital.
Upon hearing the news about the Uchiha clan's annihilation, Shizune was dumbfounded.
She recalled something the Third Hokage had said a few days prior and looked nervously at Tsunade, whose expression was dark and shifting. "Lady Tsunade…"
Traveling across the ninja world with Tsunade, Shizune's experiences went beyond those of the lower-level shinobi or the uninformed villagers.
She knew that there was no way a single Itachi could have wiped out a clan as powerful as the Uchiha, especially before the village could react or send reinforcements.
Besides, when they left the hospital, Kiyoshi had already noticed.
The Uchiha compound was surrounded by a large number of ninjas.
The clan couldn't have been annihilated yet, or else Kiyoshi would have sensed a mass loss of chakra.
"An entire clan… gone. The battle for power is truly terrifying."
Standing nearby, Kiyoshi murmured in apparent shock, feigning ignorance while seeming equally stunned by the news.
"Hmph…"
Tsunade clenched her fist.
Her brows furrowed, her face dark. "Those people… They're becoming even more shameless."
She had initially thought that whatever turmoil had erupted among the Uchiha last night might have been suppressed by the Third Hokage and the higher-ups of Konoha, with swift and targeted action taken against the Uchiha extremists who were plotting a rebellion.
But to think that the entire Uchiha clan had been ruthlessly slaughtered.
Only Uchiha Sasuke was left alive.
While Tsunade had never held much affection for the Uchiha's proud and arrogant attitude.
She didn't harbor hatred toward the ordinary Uchiha members.
After all, they were still part of the village.
Tsunade wasn't a saint, and she knew that being a ninja was no child's game.
But she also remembered her grandfather, the First Hokage Senju Hashirama, and the ideals he had held when creating Konoha. His dream was nothing like this.
She even believed that if her stern second grandfather, who'd had no love for the Uchiha, were still alive, he would never have supported such an action.
Moreover, Tsunade understood that the Uchiha's circumstances were partly due to their own issues.
But, even more, it was because Konoha's leaders had repeatedly oppressed them, pushing the proud Uchiha to their breaking point.
"This is none of your business. Just focus on your own duties."
Tsunade's expression was stony as she spoke to her students, Shizune and Kiyoshi, her disgust with Konoha's higher-ups only intensifying.
Without further comment, she led them to examine the surviving Uchiha's condition.
With a warm green glow emanating from her palm…
She placed her hand on Sasuke's head.
After a brief moment of treatment, she spoke quietly, "This kid's spirit has been severely damaged."
"But it's not a major issue, he should wake up soon."
---------------
Guys do leave some power stones and reviews.
🤞patreon.com/plotplanner🤞
If you guys enjoy this story, you can support me on Patreon and get access to Advance Chapters, it really helps me to work on new chapters.