Chapter 16: Taking the Uchiha Clan to Break Away from Konoha!

"All power comes at a price. The price of using Izanagi is that the Sharingan of the caster will lose its sight forever and won't be able to open again. This is a jutsu listed as a Kinjutsu by the Uchiha clan!"

"Wait a minute! What you're saying lacks evidence. Everyone knows that Lord Tanzō's right eye was already..."

The unspoken words that followed showed his respect for Tanzō. His right eye was already blind!

Shisui Uchiha's words were nothing more than baseless accusations.

"Hahaha! What a joke! Sarutobi, are you just gonna sit there and let these Uchiha brats smear me out of nowhere? Don't my sacrifices and contributions to Konoha count for anything?"

Even though Tanzō was sitting there looking disheveled, he still had an indescribable air of authority! After all, he had held a high position for many years and had trained a large number of Anbu genius ninjas behind the scenes.

His words carried great weight not only in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart but also among the various clans from Konoha who had come here.

Everyone gave the Uchiha clan suspicious looks. Fugaku gritted his teeth in anger as he stared at Tanzō, who looked so relaxed. Clearly, Tanzō was the mastermind behind all this, but they didn't have convincing evidence.

"Lord Third Hokage, please believe me. I'm definitely not lying."

Shisui propped up his body with difficulty and looked at the Hokage he trusted the most. However, Hiruzen just sighed. He couldn't simply convict Tanzō based on Shisui and Sasuke's words.

"Hey, calm down, folks. Maybe there's just some misunderstanding here."

"Misunderstanding?"

"Lord Hokage."

Fugaku's eyes were dark and filled with a hint of hatred, which was especially obvious under the cold moonlight.

"Let's just be frank. Konoha was initially established through the alliance of the Senju clan and the Uchiha clan. Only after that did other clans join. After the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, passed away, the Second Hokage took over. He imposed a high - pressure policy on the Uchiha clan. To better control and monitor us, we were driven to the village corner, and it's still like this today!"

"Fugaku."

The Third Hokage didn't expect that he would bring this matter up in public. This was like the clan's dirty little secret, and now it had been exposed.

"Yet, even after all these years since Hashirama Senju's death, the village's surveillance of us hasn't weakened; instead, it has become even more intense! Does the village think we're all fools and can't sense all this? What have we done wrong? As the founding members of the village, why are we being treated so unfairly!"

He lost his usual calm and grand manner and instead let out the resentment he and the Uchiha clan had built up over the years.

"Don't make it sound so noble. The reason the Uchiha clan is under surveillance is because of Madara Uchiha's betrayal. It's simply because your clan is unruly!"

"Madara Uchiha? That man has been dead for years. Why should the entire Uchiha clan still suffer injustice because of the hatred he brought? Why should we be held responsible for things we never did?"

Looking at the silent crowd around him, he turned to the Hokage and continued to question.

"Lord Hokage, as a member of the Konoha Police Force, there are still many people who, even today, mention that during the Nine - Tailed Fox's attack on the village seven years ago, our entire Police Force cowered in the rear and not a single one of us stepped forward. Now that we have this opportunity, shouldn't we explain to everyone why we didn't go to the front line?"

"This was my order! Who knows if your Uchiha clan would try to control the Nine - Tailed Fox? Of course, I couldn't arrange for you to go to the front line!"

Fugaku Uchiha found what Tanzō said utterly ridiculous. That was a monster that cost the life of the Fourth Hokage to seal. Even if they had the Sharingan, how could they possibly control it so easily?

"Lord Hokage, won't you say something fair? How many more years do you want us to bear this stigma?"

"Fugaku, don't be so agitated. I also agreed to this. At that time, the situation was critical and someone had to guard the rear. This was also my trust in you!"

"Trust?!"

He suddenly raised his voice, finding it hard to believe.

"Trust means that for all these years, you've never said a single fair word for the Uchiha clan in public. Trust means that for all these years, you've turned a blind eye to Tanzō's constant pressure. Is this the so - called trust from you, the Third Hokage?"

"Lord Fugaku, please watch your tone!"

He looked up at those dissatisfied eyes and seemed to make up his mind.

"Everyone, Lord Hokage, since you don't trust the Uchiha clan and are so on guard against us, from now on, I'll lead the entire Uchiha clan out of Konoha Village and cut all ties with Konoha. From then on, let's never have anything to do with each other again!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

Tanzō coughed violently and roared loudly.

"This is an act of defection and I'll never allow it. As long as you dare to step out of the village, the members of Root will immediately wipe you all out!"

As he said this, the Anbu members behind him all picked up their kunai and were on guard against the Uchiha clan. Itachi and the young Uchiha members behind Fugaku also picked up their kunai and confronted them.

"See, it's because of people like Tanzō, who are so suspicious by nature, that the two of us can never trust each other. Clearly, we all hope the village will get better, and we have the same goal, but we're drifting further and further apart on different paths!"

Fugaku's voice was choked with sobs and his face was full of grief.

What on earth do they want the Uchiha clan to do to be given a way out? It won't work if they submit obediently, nor will it work if they part ways with Konoha. Do they really want all of them to die for these people to be at ease?

"Stop it all!"

Rarely did the crowd see the Third Hokage lose his temper. He was always a gentle and powerful ninja, and sometimes even a bit soft - hearted, but at this moment, he showed a rare ferocity.

"Enough! Fugaku, I understand the difficulties the Uchiha clan has faced over the years. I also assure you that from today on, no Anbu will monitor you anymore. If anyone dares to make unfounded speculations, I'll punish them severely. As for the accusations against Shisui and Sasuke, since there is no evidence, I can't easily convict Tanzō. This matter ends here."

The Third Hokage announced the final outcome to everyone. Obviously, he intended to overlook what Tanzō had done. But how could that be possible?

Just when everyone thought the matter was settled, Sasuke, who had been lying in someone's right - side embrace, said in a trembling voice.

"Lord Hokage, I'm not lying. Naruto and I were playing around here with the crystal ball that records everything in our clan. This crystal ball has recorded all that happened."

He carefully took out the crystal ball from his chest.

As soon as he said this, everyone present gasped in surprise.

As is well known, the records in the crystal ball can't be forged!

That means the truth of the whole incident is in his hands.

..................