"Grandpa Hokage, how did you know I was invited over to Sasuke's house?"
The question caught the Third Hokage off guard. But Naruto didn't seem suspicious—instead, he excitedly began recounting everything he had seen and heard in the Uchiha compound, leaving out only the genjutsu attack.
After listening, the Third Hokage stroked his beard thoughtfully. He heard a version of the Uchiha clan that was different from what he was used to.
To Naruto, the Uchiha were no different from other villagers—cold, distant, and indifferent.
After a moment of silence, the Third Hokage asked:
"Then why did you go to Sasuke's house and not to Shikamaru or Choji's?"
Naruto replied without hesitation:
"Because they never invited me. If they had, I wouldn't have refused. But Sasuke was the only one who invited me, so I went."
"I see…"
The Third Hokage paused for a few seconds, then said,
"But in the future, if Sasuke invites you over again, it's best if you decline. It's not good to keep bothering his family."
"That's not true. Sasuke's mom said I'm welcome to come again."
The Hokage's expression darkened. His voice grew firm and unyielding:
"You're not allowed to go to the Uchiha compound anymore. They're not genuinely inviting you—they want to use the power of the Nine-Tails inside you."
Naruto's eyes widened in shock.
"Use the Nine-Tails' power? Aren't they supposed to be my comrades?"
Then, as if remembering something, his expression dimmed.
"Grandpa Hokage, why do I have the Nine-Tails inside me? And who were my parents?"
The Third Hokage looked directly at him.
"Why are you asking that?"
Naruto raised his head and met his gaze, voice growing firm:
"Because I want to know who I am. Sasuke's parents must've known mine—that's why they were so warm to me."
"They wouldn't tell me, so I figured only you could."
Relieved that Naruto hadn't learned the truth, the Hokage let out a silent breath. Then his tone turned cold:
"What good would it do to tell you? Your parents are dead. Knowing who they were won't bring them back. And knowing now won't help you in any way!"
As the Hokage turned to leave, Naruto lowered his head and said quietly:
"Then when will I be allowed to know the truth? I can't live my whole life inside a lie, can I?"
The Third Hokage had already stepped out of the apartment. His voice came from outside:
"When you become a ninja—when you can stand on your own—then we'll talk. For now, focus on making friends and growing quickly in school."
Once he was gone, the serious expression on Naruto's face vanished, replaced with a wry smirk.
Getting the old man to leave in frustration was a win. At least it meant the Hokage didn't suspect him—Naruto was still just a clueless, pitiful kid in his eyes.
At the same time, a gathering was underway at Naka Shrine.
The Uchiha, known as a clan of "love," often held clan meetings. These usually involved bringing together all Sharingan users to voice their complaints about Konoha's leadership and vent their frustrations.
Of course, they had no choice.
Their words were dangerous. Said anywhere else, the higher-ups could twist them out of context and turn them into accusations.
Today's meeting wasn't one of the monthly gatherings—it was an emergency session, convened specifically to discuss the ANBU's appearance earlier that afternoon and decide how to respond to the higher-ups.
As clan head, Fugaku stood before the shrine's statue with a grim face and officially started the meeting.
A radical jōnin was the first to step forward, visibly agitated:
"What happened today was a direct provocation from the higher-ups! They sent the jinchūriki here to gather intel on us—they're preparing for war!"
Another Uchiha stepped forward immediately:
"I can confirm that too. That jinchūriki was protected by some kind of seal that reflects genjutsu—Yuantai still hasn't woken up!"
"And look! The second that kid stepped into the compound, the Hokage appeared outside. If this isn't a trap, what is?"
"…"
As passionate voices filled the room, Shisui and Itachi's faces grew darker.
They knew the truth. This wasn't a trap—just two children forming a genuine friendship. But the clan had twisted it into another conspiracy from the village leadership.
Their people were far too sensitive, interpreting every event as hostility. In truth, it was more about releasing their built-up frustration.
Then, Shisui seemed to remember something. He leaned over and whispered to Itachi:
"Itachi, I thought Fugaku-sama knew this was all a misunderstanding. Why isn't he clarifying it? Why is he letting things spiral further?"
Itachi remained silent, his eyes locked onto his father on stage.
Shisui noticed the look in his eyes and hesitated. Then he said,
"Maybe it's not just Fugaku's fault. The Hokage was just as paranoid—he almost believed the clan was going to release the Nine-Tails."
"This all stems from a total lack of trust and communication on both sides."
"But as long as we continue acting as a bridge—connecting the clan and the leadership—there will come a day when both sides can put aside their prejudice and understand each other."
Itachi still said nothing. Shisui could only sigh helplessly.
Eventually, the clan members had vented their anger, and the meeting drew to a close. All that talk about opposing the leadership was mostly bluster—what they really wanted was a better life. They still had to wake up early tomorrow and report to the police force.
As the crowd dispersed, Fugaku glanced toward the corner, where Shisui and Itachi stood, then beckoned a few trusted aides and disappeared into a back room in the shrine.
The real decisions, as always, were made in private by a select few.
Shisui and Itachi noticed Fugaku's move but didn't follow. Instead, they left Naka Shrine side by side. After walking for a while, they arrived at a secluded cliff far from the compound.
There were no surveillance barriers here. They could speak freely.
Listening to the wind rustling through the trees, Itachi sighed softly:
"So Father still hasn't let go of the coup. He's secretly stockpiling explosives and other supplies. And now he's using the jinchūriki incident to stir up unrest in the clan."
"He's probably planning another secret meeting right now, without us."
"Why can't they just try to understand the village?"
Shisui placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and replied gently:
"If Fugaku-sama really intends to launch a coup, I'll stop him before he acts."
"How?" Itachi asked, clearly doubtful. He didn't believe Shisui had the strength to pull it off.
Even though Shisui had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, his power wasn't much greater than Itachi's—and Fugaku had the support of elite jōnin with fully developed three-tomoe Sharingan.
Shisui pointed to his own eyes:
"With these. I'll use them to change Fugaku-sama's thinking—to make him abandon the idea of a coup. Then peace between the village and the clan can still be possible."
"…But he is your father. Unless absolutely necessary, I don't want to use this power."
(End of Chapter )
support me at https://www.patreon.com/YugiroTL