Chapter 54: Uncontrollable Public Opinion

Chapter 54: Uncontrollable Public Opinion 

Today. Within the Uchiha clan compound, a strange rumor suddenly appeared for some unknown reason.

Uchiha Ikeizumi's Sharingan possesses a terrifying doujutsu that can see through "past evils" and "future evils." He saw through the "future evil" of the clan head's son, Uchiha Itachi, and Uchiha Itachi will betray the Uchiha and massacre the entire Uchiha clan on a certain future day.

Everyone in the Uchiha clan, men, women, old, and young, without exception, will fall by Uchiha Itachi's blade. Even his parents and close friends, Uchiha Itachi will mercilessly kill them.

When Uchiha Ikeizumi sought to eliminate this "future evil," Clan Head Fugaku obstructed Uchiha Ikeizumi, choosing to protect Uchiha Itachi, who would descend into darkness in the future!

The rumor involved the three most prominent figures in the Uchiha clan.

So much so that the ninja cats didn't even need to deliberately fan the flames.

The rumor quickly spread throughout the Uchiha clan.

But the amount of information in the rumor was truly too vast, so vast that it was somewhat unbelievable, causing people to instinctively question its authenticity.

After all, they had never heard of such a terrifying doujutsu that could see through past and future evils.

Furthermore…

Although Uchiha Itachi was quite out of place within the Uchiha clan, and many clan members didn't look favorably upon him, given his alignment with the Hokage.

But…

He couldn't possibly be that much of a beast, could he?

He was still an Uchiha, after all!

...

"Hey, new kid! Yes, you." In the women's restroom of a public toilet within the Uchiha clan compound, Izumi, who had just finished using the facilities, suddenly heard someone calling her from behind.

She cast off her troubled, heavy expression and shook off the water clinging to her hands after washing them.

Curiously, she turned around.

She saw a female Uchiha, dressed in Uchiha Police Force attire, quietly ask her, "You're Uchiha Ikeizumi's student, you must know things we don't. Let me ask you… is what happened this morning true?"

Izumi was bewildered: "Huh?"

She had no idea what Kijirō had done.

"It's about Uchiha Itachi," the other woman said, "Did Uchiha Ikeizumi really see through Uchiha Itachi's future evil?"

Izumi: "!!!"

Izumi was startled, looking at the other woman in shock, the expression on her small face already revealing the "answer."

"It's actually true…"

Before she even answered, the other woman had already realized something, mumbling in shock, repeating the phrase: "It's actually true."

Izumi noticed that as the woman mumbled hysterically to herself, veins seemed to bulge on the back of her hand.

This Police Force senior seemed to be getting strangely angry.

She also saw the woman's Sharingan activate in her fury.

"U-chi-ha I-ta-chi… you really did it!"

Izumi heard the other woman articulate Uchiha Itachi's name, syllable by syllable.

Things seemed to be developing in an unexpected direction.

And how did this person know what happened this morning?

Izumi was utterly confused.

....

With "Uchiha Izumi," the "witness" who had been tricked into speaking, authenticating the rumor, what was initially unreliable suddenly gained some credibility, sending shivers down the spines of countless Uchiha clan members.

Uchiha Setsuna handed his cane to a nearby guard, then slowly knelt on a soft cushion.

His gaze swept over the aggressive faction of Uchiha ninja gathered before him.

Uchiha Setsuna asked in a hoarse voice, "How credible do you find today's unusual rumor within the clan?!"

"At least 70% credible,"

A Uchiha ninja replied in a deep voice, "The girl by Uchiha Ikeizumi's side also confirmed the truth of this matter. And according to our investigation, there were indeed clan members who saw the clan head emerge from Uchiha Ikeizumi's house early this morning."

"Furthermore, considering Uchiha Ikeizumi's absurd case-solving rate, perhaps his eyes are indeed very special, possessing a unique doujutsu that we have never encountered before."

Bang!!!

Someone angrily and indignantly slammed the table, gritting their teeth: "What a Uchiha Itachi! What a Uchiha Fugaku! We work diligently and tirelessly to protect the future of the Uchiha. Yet… they want to destroy the Uchiha clan with their own hands!"

Another person clenched their fist, their eyes cold: "Elder Setsuna, we need to nip the future crisis of the Uchiha in the bud."

"However, what if the information is wrong? Does a normal Three-Tomoe Sharingan truly have the ability to see through future evil?"

"No 'what ifs'! Even if there's a slight possibility, we cannot let that possibility exist in this world. Besides, that Uchiha Itachi was never truly on our side. I've suspected for a long time that Shisui died at Uchiha Itachi's hands! After all, on the day Shisui died, we were all having a family meeting; only Shisui and Uchiha Itachi were not present."

"…"

In a few words, the aggressive Uchiha faction had reached a consensus.

—Believe the rumor!

Even if there was only a slight possibility, such a thing must never be allowed to happen.

"Everyone."

At this moment, Uchiha Setsuna, who had been silent for some time, slowly said, "This elder believes that Uchiha Fugaku, who chose to condone Uchiha Itachi, no longer has the right to be the head of the Uchiha clan."

All eyes focused on the elderly hawk-faction elder.

....

"Clan Head Fugaku, is this true?"

The moderate faction of the Uchiha clan, who advocated for peaceful coexistence with the village, found Uchiha Fugaku and asked him this question.

Fugaku's expression subtly darkened.

He had no idea who had leaked the information.

He naturally noticed the public uproar stirring within the Uchiha clan, but Fugaku found it difficult to step in and control the narrative. He knew that if he did, it would validate the matter.

But if he didn't intervene to control public opinion, this matter was very likely to spread beyond the Uchiha clan, into the village.

This left Fugaku in a dilemma.

So… could Ikeizumi have been the one to spread what happened this morning?

However.

This was completely different from Ikeizumi's usual taciturn style.

Had he changed?

Or…

Was it someone else?

"It's just hearsay."

Fugaku remained silent for a moment, then gave an answer that still protected his eldest son.

He put on a stern face and slowly said, "Itachi will not do such a thing now, nor will he ever. Our Uchiha clan needs to be united to continue coexisting peacefully with the village. Do not believe the provocations of those with ill intentions. I, as clan head, vouch for Itachi."

The moderate Uchiha elder shook his head and sighed, "I hope you have made the right choice, Clan Head Fugaku."

....

Noon.

Ninja Academy.

Sasuke Uchiha, sitting in his first-grade classroom at the Ninja Academy, had just finished his bento when he suddenly noticed that several students who entered the classroom were looking at him strangely.

They seemed to be whispering something.

And secretly pointing at him.

Sasuke's brows furrowed. Just as he was about to go over and ask them what they wanted, to his surprise, they approached him first.

"Sasuke-kun," one of them asked tentatively, "Did your older brother, Uchiha Itachi, kill everyone in your Uchiha clan?"

Sasuke: "???"

...

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