Inside the top-floor conference room of the Hokage Tower, Homura Mitokado's view of the Uchiha clan represented the most orthodox stance held by Konoha's senior leadership.
These elders had personally witnessed Uchiha Madara's power. The title "Shinobi World's Asura" had been built on a mountain of corpses. The fear and respect they felt toward Madara was carved into their very bones. Combined with the Second Hokage's constant warnings, they had spent decades treating the Uchiha with suspicion rather than trust.
It was fortunate that Danzo, that old schemer, had already been dealt with by Taiichi. Otherwise, with him still in power, Minato might not have had the breathing room to address these matters at all.
Minato watched Homura speak at length, smiling without interrupting. He simply gave Taiichi a subtle glance. Taiichi immediately understood.
"Elder, your words are quite biased—"
Taiichi straightened his posture and looked directly at Homura, ready to voice his own opinion. But before he could finish—
"Matsushita Taiichi, I am speaking with the Hokage. It is not your place to interrupt."
The atmosphere in the room instantly grew heavy.
Taiichi's previously relaxed expression vanished, replaced by a sharp, battle-ready intensity.
"Homura Mitokado. Setting aside the fact that the Hokage was the one who asked me a question and you interrupted first—let me remind you that as a jonin of Konoha, I have the right to offer suggestions and participate in the review of all village affairs. Do I have the qualifications to speak or not?
Furthermore, in this public setting, throughout the entire meeting, you have repeatedly addressed the Hokage by name without honorifics. What? Do you look down on the Fourth Hokage?"
Taiichi's words grew harsher with each sentence, his voice rising until the final line came out as a direct roar.
"You— you—"
Homura's finger trembled as he pointed at Taiichi. He managed to say "you" several times but couldn't form a complete sentence.
He gave up and turned to Minato instead. "Fourth Hokage, look at him. Is this how someone speaks to their elders?"
Minato gave an awkward smile but said nothing. Internally, he was thoroughly enjoying the show.
"Hah— elders!" Taiichi pressed the advantage without mercy. "Now you remember to call him Fourth Hokage. Now you remember you're an elder. What, are you trying to pull rank with your age?
We're discussing critical decisions for the village. If we're just going to listen to whoever is oldest, then why bother discussing anything? We might as well just compare ages and be done with it."
Homura was genuinely furious now. He pointed at Taiichi, mouth opening and closing, but no words came out.
Minato decided it was time to step in before things escalated further.
"Enough, Taiichi. That's enough. We should still show respect to our seniors."
He appeared to be admonishing Taiichi, though the way he emphasized "seniors" made it clear whose side he was really on.
Taiichi knew when to stop. He stood up and bowed properly to Minato. "Understood, Fourth Hokage."
The respect he showed the Hokage was clear and deliberate.
"Alright, let's return to the main topic. Taiichi, you may now share your thoughts."
Homura looked like he still wanted to speak, but Koharu Utatane gently pulled his sleeve and shook her head. She then glanced toward Hiruzen.
From beginning to end, Hiruzen had kept his eyes closed, meditating. Even his pipe had gone still. His silence was a clear, wordless show of support for Minato's decisions.
Homura finally shut his mouth and let out a helpless sigh.
"The Uchiha's historical issues… since even the Second Hokage chose only to punish the main culprit and spared the rest, what more is there to say?
As for the Sharingan itself, all I'll say is that the world is fair. Great power always comes with a price. But to condemn an entire clan because of this one issue is far too arbitrary.
In the nearly fifty years since Konoha's founding, how many incidents have actually caused major damage to the village because of the Sharingan? Besides Uchiha Madara, there hasn't been a single one.
If we cripple our own strength over something like this, the other four great villages would be laughing in their dreams."
Taiichi swept his gaze across everyone present, his expression suddenly turning domineering.
"Even if one day some Uchiha really does lose their mind, I have more than enough power to suppress them. The Mangekyo is powerful, but the only one who was truly dangerous was Uchiha Madara himself—not every pair of Mangekyo. And even Madara… I've already clashed with him head-on."
Homura and Koharu looked at each other. They opened their mouths to argue but couldn't find the words.
Taiichi's achievements were real. He had genuinely fought Uchiha Madara. Even if it was an elderly Madara whose strength had declined, the fact remained that no prime-condition Madara was currently opposing Konoha.
Homura sat in stunned silence for a moment before finally slumping back into his seat, defeated.
This was the new generation—bold, aggressive, and backed by overwhelming power that left no room for argument.
"Haha, Taiichi makes a good point. But Elder Homura's concerns aren't entirely without merit either."
Minato stepped in to smooth things over, giving the elder enough face.
"The Uchiha are still part of this village. I also hope they can contribute more to Konoha. How about this—Taiichi, you have a good relationship with the Uchiha. Why don't you act as a middleman and sound them out?"
Minato made the final decision, bringing the meeting to a close.
Throughout the entire discussion, Third Hokage Hiruzen hadn't said a single word. He hadn't even opened his eyes, simply serving as a silent witness.
This made Taiichi view the old man in a slightly different light.
After Danzo's death, Hiruzen's political instincts had remained sharp. He had stepped down decisively, and afterward, he had chosen to play only a supporting role. Thinking about it now, Taiichi felt genuinely relieved that he had eliminated Danzo when he did. If those two had continued working together, Taiichi didn't even want to imagine what kind of chaos might have followed.
After the meeting, Taiichi accompanied Minato out of the conference room, leaving the three advisors behind.
Once their footsteps had completely faded, Homura could no longer hold back. He walked straight up to Hiruzen.
"Hiruzen, why didn't you say anything? You just let those two juniors do whatever they wanted. Can the Uchiha really be trusted so easily? It took our teacher and you so many years without solving this problem—do you really think they can?"
Homura was visibly agitated, his tone bordering on accusatory.
Hiruzen slowly opened his eyes. One look was enough to silence Homura.
He let out a long sigh, his voice heavy with meaning.
"Homura… the Uchiha issue is only a small matter."
Homura's eyes widened. He thought he had misheard and was about to speak when Hiruzen raised a hand to stop him.
"Taiichi's strength has already reached a level we can no longer restrain. Even if he hasn't reached Hashirama-sama's level, he should be in the same tier."
"What?! How is that possible?!"
Not only Homura—Koharu's eyes also widened in shock. This information was almost impossible to believe.
Taiichi was still so young, yet he already possessed such power. What would he become in the future? And with this, could Konoha finally unify the shinobi world?
Koharu's mind raced, already imagining a glorious future.
But—
"That is simply the reality," Hiruzen stated with absolute certainty.
As Hokage, he hadn't simply taken Taiichi's word for it. After both the battle against Uchiha Madara and the battle against the Otsutsuki, Hiruzen had sent ANBU to investigate the sites.
The scenes matched Taiichi's descriptions—perhaps even more terrifying. The reconstructed battlefields far exceeded anything Hiruzen had imagined. This was one of the reasons he had stepped down so decisively.
"Homura, there are some things I can't reveal to you. All you need to know is that Uchiha Madara is no longer our biggest headache. In a corner of the shinobi world, there are even more terrifying and powerful enemies waiting for us.
Compared to them, the Uchiha clan is truly insignificant. What we need to do now is unite every ounce of strength within the village and develop ourselves as much as possible."
Homura's aggressive momentum gradually deflated. He muttered to himself, "So that's how it is… I see now."
After hearing this, he finally understood why Hiruzen had made so many changes to the academy and hospital. Everything had been preparation for this.
But what kind of enemy could be so dangerous that even an advisor like him wasn't allowed to know the details?
He opened his mouth to ask, but in the end, he closed it. He was still a shinobi. Basic confidentiality came with the job.
That evening, after the Ninja Academy let out, the three children came to Taiichi's house for their usual training as always.
Golden sunset light lazily spilled across the training ground, stretching the three small figures into long shadows.
Sweat rolled down Jiang Tai's round cheeks as he gritted his teeth through squats, his body trembling. Yamei sat cross-legged nearby, eyes closed in concentration, faint whirlwinds swirling around her. She was showing remarkable talent in Wind Release.
Uchiha Itachi's movements were the most fluid. The kunai in his hands became streaks of black light, striking the constantly moving targets with near-perfect precision in both angle and force. He hadn't activated his Sharingan, yet the calm and insight far beyond his age already made Taiichi nod in approval.
"Alright, that's enough for today."
Taiichi's voice broke the quiet of the training ground. He set down the scroll where he had been recording their progress and clapped his hands.
Jiang Tai collapsed onto the ground with a groan of relief, breathing heavily. Yamei slowly opened her eyes and wiped the sweat from her brow. Itachi silently put away his kunai and walked over to Taiichi with a questioning look.
Taiichi approached Itachi with his usual gentle smile, though his eyes carried more seriousness than usual.
"Itachi, when you go home, tell your father that I will visit the compound tonight. There are important matters to discuss."
Itachi's clear black-and-white eyes widened slightly for a moment before returning to calm.
He didn't ask any questions. He simply nodded seriously. "Understood, Taiichi-sensei." His voice was young, but carried a steadiness that didn't match his age.
Jiang Tai and Yamei looked at Taiichi curiously, but he only smiled at them. "You two should head home early as well. Your wind training is coming along well, especially yours, Yamei. Jiang Tai, you need to eat more. Taijutsu training consumes a lot of energy."
After watching the three children leave the training ground, Taiichi looked up at the sky. The sun had mostly set, leaving only a dark red glow on the horizon. He turned and went back inside, changing into a more formal dark casual outfit.
As night fell, the lights of Konoha began to glow. The streets gradually quieted, but the Uchiha compound maintained its own distinct atmosphere.
Even within such a large clan, not everyone possessed talent as a shinobi. Most of the people Taiichi saw were civilians who simply carried Uchiha blood. Unlike the Hyuga, who had strict rules about marriage with outsiders, the Uchiha had no such restrictions. As a result, ordinary people made up a significant portion of the clan.
Taiichi walked openly to the entrance of the Uchiha compound. The guards clearly recognized him—the famous Konoha jonin and young Itachi's teacher. A trace of wariness and respect flashed in their eyes, but they still allowed him entry after proper formalities. Someone quickly went to inform the clan head's residence.
Uchiha Fugaku's residence was simple and solemn. Taiichi was led into a clean but imposing reception room.
Fugaku was already waiting in the main seat. Two cups of hot tea sat on the small table in front of him.
He wore a dark clan robe, his expression calm. His deep black eyes looked especially sharp under the lamplight. The nickname "Wicked Eye Fugaku" was clearly not for show.
"Taiichi-kun's visit is a great honor." Fugaku's voice was low and steady, with a hint of genuine pleasure. He gestured for Taiichi to sit. "What brings you here today? Do you have any guidance for me?"
He got straight to the point without unnecessary pleasantries.
After Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato took office, the Uchiha had become extremely sensitive to any movement from the village leadership. Taiichi, as someone with close ties to both sides, arriving in person was already a signal.
Taiichi sat down without hesitation, picked up the teacup, and took a small sip. The slight bitterness followed by a clean aftertaste spread across his tongue.
He set the cup down and looked directly at Fugaku.
"Clan Head Fugaku, I wouldn't dare offer guidance. I came today to tell you that the opportunity your clan has been waiting for… has arrived."
Fugaku's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly. His fingers tapped lightly on the table as he forced himself to remain composed, keeping his tone even.
"Oh? I'd like to hear the details."
"Fourth Hokage-sama," Taiichi deliberately emphasized the title, "intends to push for deeper integration of the Uchiha clan into Konoha's core systems."
He paused, observing Fugaku's reaction. Seeing that the man remained expressionless, he continued.
"This isn't a test. It's a sincere offer based on practical considerations. Konoha needs the Uchiha's strength, especially during these turbulent times."
Fugaku was silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "The Uchiha clan's determination to protect Konoha has never changed. However… deeper integration—what exactly does that entail?"
He deliberately avoided addressing the implication that the Uchiha had previously been kept at arm's length and steered the conversation toward substance.
Taiichi smiled faintly and delivered the key proposal.
"The Fourth Hokage hopes to invite outstanding Uchiha shinobi to join ANBU."
The moment the words left his mouth, a sharp light flashed in Fugaku's eyes.
ANBU was the Hokage's direct elite force. They handled the village's highest-level classified missions and held a unique position. Uchiha members joining ANBU would mean they were truly entering Konoha's inner circle of power—gaining access to the most critical intelligence and decisions.
This was an olive branch of considerable weight.