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Uchiha Haru had ended up in this mess simply because he had stepped forward to save Hyuga Hiashi's daughter.
But at the critical juncture—when his life was hanging in the balance—Hyuga Hiashi had chosen not to stand by him.
Hiashi had uttered words that sounded noble, even lofty.
Yet Haru felt no resentment in his heart.
First, he had never saved Hinata expecting anything in return. It had been his personal decision, one made without regard for what benefits it might bring, or whether it would win him favor with the Hyuga clan.
Second, Haru understood all too well that Hiashi's words were, in fact, true.
In the original course of the incident, it had been Hyuga Hiashi himself who killed the envoy from the Hidden Cloud after the attempted abduction of Hinata. At the time, he had willingly prepared to die for the sake of the village's peace, choosing to take full responsibility.
Though Hiashi ultimately lived, it had come at the cost of his twin brother's life—Hyuga Hizashi.
Hiashi had chosen sacrifice for the sake of the village's peace. That kind of resolve was undeniably respectable.
But respect didn't mean agreement.
And now, with Hiashi's vote, the council's tally was even.
Both sides had received the same number of votes.
The Third Hokage had originally intended to bring the matter to a definitive conclusion today. But he hadn't expected it to end in a draw.
Just then, Danzo leaned over and whispered something in Sarutobi Hiruzen's ear—something cryptic, coded: "eight, six, zero."
The Third nodded slightly, seemingly accepting Danzo's suggestion. He then turned to address the room.
"The votes are tied," he said slowly, with a furrowed brow. "It is difficult for me to make a decision in this situation."
"For now, let's set the matter aside. We all need time to reflect on the best course of action."
None of the clan heads or Konoha's high-ranking officials raised an objection.
The negotiations had already dragged on to this point. Any further discussion was unlikely to yield a decisive result—it would only waste more time.
Delaying was the most practical decision.
"But what about Uchiha Haru?" someone asked abruptly.
"He already knows how we intend to deal with him. What if he tries to escape in the meantime?"
The peace-favoring faction quickly chimed in, their tone sharp and full of fear. "That's right—lock him up!"
"We can't just let him roam free like before!"
The war advocates responded with disinterest. Most hadn't advocated war for Haru's sake—they had merely wanted to preserve Konoha's honor and dignity.
Only a few, like Uzuki Yugao and Yuhi Kurenai, reacted with visible outrage.
But their status in the village was low. Their voices held little weight.
They could only grit their teeth and stay silent.
After a long moment, the Third Hokage turned toward Uchiha Fugaku. "Clan Head Fugaku," he said slowly, "Uchiha Haru is one of your clan. I will place him in your custody."
Fugaku gave a quiet nod of acknowledgment, accepting the responsibility without complaint.
No one in the room voiced further concerns.
In fact, most felt reassured. Haru might be powerful, but one man couldn't simply flee and drag the entire Uchiha clan along with him.
And if Fugaku allowed Haru to escape, he would bear the full responsibility. That risk alone would keep things under control.
So the matter, for now, was considered settled.
Uchiha Fugaku led Haru away in silence.
Yuhi Kurenai and Uzuki Yugao both wanted to say something to him—but in the end, they stopped themselves.
They had already offended a large number of Konoha's elders and clan heads during the vote. If they now made a public show of sympathy for Uchiha Haru—even against the Uchiha clan's wishes—it would mark them as traitors in the eyes of many.
It would be hard for them to continue living and working peacefully in Konoha.
Especially after today's meeting, they no longer harbored the naïve hopes they once had. For the first time, they had truly seen the rot inside the heart of the village they loved.
All in the name of peace, Konoha was willing to ignore justice, to sacrifice those who had done the right thing.
This was the darkness hidden behind Konoha's radiant façade.
After the assembly adjourned and everyone else had left, the Third Hokage called for a few people to stay behind: Uzuki Yugao, Yuhi Kurenai, Sarutobi Asuma, and a few others.
"After what happened today," the Third asked, "do you feel disappointed in Konoha?"
His voice was calm, as gentle as always.
"I wouldn't dare," Kurenai and the others responded hastily.
The Third may have looked like a kind, grandfatherly figure, but everyone knew better. He was the Hokage.
The older you got, the more you realized—those who rose to that level of power were anything but simple.
"Don't be afraid," the Third said, offering a faint smile. "Perhaps, in your eyes, many of the decisions made today were shocking… even unacceptable."
"But understand this: they were also acts of necessity."
"When you stand at a certain height—when you possess broader vision and deeper experience—you come to see that life cannot always go the way you wish."
"You may not understand this now. But you will—someday."
His gaze drifted across the room, from Asuma to Might Guy, and then to the others.
"All of you are the most promising of Konoha's next generation. Konoha's future will depend on your strength and your will."
"Where the leaves dance, the fire will never cease. It's up to you now to carry Konoha forward."
He paused before adding, his tone heavy:
"What transpired in today's meeting is Konoha's highest-level secret. You are not to speak of it to anyone—not even your closest comrades."
"Konoha cannot endure another upheaval."
Yuhi Kurenai, Uzuki Yugao, and Asuma all nodded silently.
They understood.
Even though the truth left them furious—even though they now knew how twisted things had become—if this information spread, it would ignite a wave of dissent.
Especially within the Uchiha clan.
If more people thought like Haru... things could spiral into chaos.
So, the truth had to be buried.
As for some of the others present… they hadn't fully understood what the Third Hokage meant.
His words were vague, philosophical. Yet somehow, as he spoke, the righteous fury that had flared up inside them began to slowly dim.
Maybe… all of this really was for Konoha.
Maybe that made it understandable.
But still... was it really right to sacrifice Uchiha Haru's life for the sake of this so-called peace?
No one could say for certain.
And none of them dared ask again.
On the other side, Uchiha Fugaku escorted Uchiha Haru out of the council chamber and led him to the Konoha Military Police Headquarters.
"In order to reassure the higher-ups of Konoha, I have no choice but to inconvenience you by keeping you here temporarily," Fugaku said.
"I'll arrange everything. The environment here isn't ideal, but it won't be too harsh."
Uchiha Haru nodded.
The location didn't matter. What mattered was the fifth simulation from the system. He needed a space where he wouldn't be disturbed.
That was sufficient.
As for the environment, it truly didn't matter.
Before departing, Fugaku added, "Don't worry. I'll do my utmost to keep you safe."
"Even if I can't guarantee your safety, I'll try to buy time. Three months at most, and I can prepare everything. By then, we'll eliminate Danzo and have the leverage to negotiate with Konoha. You'll be safe."
With that, he left.
Uchiha Haru was confined in the detention cell.
"As expected, I've finally arrived here."
He looked around, recognizing this as the same prison where he had been held during the fourth simulation.
After calming himself, he immediately sat down and began to meditate.
As for what Uchiha Fugaku had said before leaving, he didn't care at all.
It was just a joke.
Three months?
There might not even be three days.
The night of the Uchiha clan's extermination, orchestrated by Danzo and tacitly approved by the Third Hokage, was approaching.
There was no time to prepare.
It was the same as before.
Fugaku wasn't a bad person. In a more peaceful and stable environment, he would have been a good clan leader.
However, under the current circumstances, Fugaku was somewhat incompetent.
Indecisive, weak, and lacking foresight.
It wasn't surprising that the Uchiha clan had fallen into its current predicament.
In the shadows outside the Konoha Military Police Headquarters, a masked man stood alone, staring at the building, lost in thought.
After a while, a white figure slowly emerged from a nearby tree.
"Hehehe, are you planning to recruit Uchiha Haru into our organization?" the white figure asked.
"Yes," the masked man nodded. "He's a man of merit, yet he's being sacrificed for the so-called peace."
"Betrayed by the village, and Uchiha Fugaku didn't show any resistance."
"He must be filled with anger."
"Indeed," the white figure chuckled, then continued, "The important thing is that our organization is short on manpower, and Uchiha Haru is strong enough to be a member."
"But why didn't he resist?"
"With his strength, if he wanted to leave, there would be few in Konoha who could stop him."
The white figure couldn't help but feel puzzled.
He had personally witnessed Uchiha Haru kill Kurosuki Raiga—clean and efficient, without any hesitation.
Such a master, even if not at the Kage level, was not far off.
Why did he just sit there and await death?
The masked man remained silent.
He was also puzzled. He had personally witnessed Uchiha Haru's power—such speed and responsiveness that even he had suffered some losses due to carelessness.
Such strength must have reached the Kage level.
Why did he just sit there and await death?
At night,
Uchiha Haru sat on the bed, meditating in silence.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and his Sharingan activated, turning blood red.
However, it wasn't the Mangekyō Sharingan, but the standard three-tomoe Sharingan.
Unless he was in a simulation or absolutely necessary, he wasn't willing to reveal his full strength.
The next moment, a vortex appeared in the void before him.
Then, a figure slowly emerged.
It was the masked man.
"It's you," Uchiha Haru said calmly, showing no significant reaction upon seeing the masked man.
Because now, he possessed strength.
"It's me, but don't get too excited. I mean no harm."
"In fact, I came here just for you."
The masked man spoke in his usual deep and majestic voice.
"Oh?"
Uchiha Haru's eyes flashed.
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This Week Bonus Chapter - 200 Power stones
2nd Bonus Chapter - 400 Power Stones
3rd Bonus Chapter - 600 Power Stones
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Love the story and can't wait to see what happens next?
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Thank you for reading, and I truly appreciate your support! 💖
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