"Lord Hokage, Uchiha Fugaku has arrived."
The voice of an Anbu reported from outside the door.
"Let him in," Aoki responded calmly.
Hearing this, the anxious Uchiha Fugaku felt a slight relief. From Aoki's tone, there seemed to be no anger, and his tense heart eased a little. He gently pushed open the door and slowly walked into the Hokage's office.
Looking at Aoki, who sat in the main seat—the man who had ascended to the position of Hokage with thunderous momentum—Fugaku dared not show the slightest disrespect. With a solemn expression, he bowed and said, "Lord Hokage, may I ask if summoning me means the Uchiha Clan has a way to serve Konoha? Please rest assured, the Uchiha Clan has always been a part of Konoha and will cooperate fully."
His words were filled with loyalty.
Aoki looked Fugaku up and down, taking in his cautious demeanor, and sighed helplessly. He understood the nature of the Uchiha Clan all too well. The clan was proud and longed for one of their own to ascend to the position of Hokage, hoping to change the current state of Konoha and the clan. Yet, time and again, they had been schemed against by Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo Shimura, ending up in their current predicament. The bitterness of it all was self-evident.
"Clan Leader Uchiha, there's no need to be so restrained," Aoki spoke, his tone calm. "As fellow members of Konoha, I treat everyone equally, regardless of whether they are from the Uchiha Clan or not."
Hearing this, Fugaku was inwardly startled but still dared not let his guard down. The influence of the old fox, the Third Hokage, still lingered. How much of Aoki's words were true, and how much were false? Although Danzo was dead, the villagers' prejudice against the Uchiha still weighed heavily on his heart, making it impossible for him to trust easily.
Aoki also knew that empty words were useless. The current state of the Uchiha Clan had to be fundamentally changed. Looking at Fugaku, he said bluntly, "The era of Sarutobi Hiruzen is over. If you have any thoughts, speak them openly."
Fugaku's heart was filled with mixed emotions as he pondered Aoki's intentions and considered the Uchiha Clan's current difficult situation. After a moment of silence, he cautiously replied, "Lord Hokage, the Uchiha Clan is doing well. If Konoha has any needs, our clan will do its utmost to contribute."
Hearing this perfunctory response, Aoki's gaze darkened.
Fugaku's heart raced, and the atmosphere in the office instantly grew tense, falling into a dead silence.
After a long while, Aoki slowly spoke, "In that case, the Uchiha Clan may continue to maintain the status quo."
With that, he waved his hand, and several Anbu instantly appeared, seemingly ready to escort Fugaku out.
Seeing this, Fugaku's heart trembled, and he instantly understood—if the Uchiha continued to cling to the status quo, they would likely be unable to survive in Konoha sooner or later. The proud Uchiha had already been pushed to the edge of the village. Without compromise and change, their only path was destruction.
He quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Lord Hokage, I admit my mistake. Please guide me on the right path!"
Seeing Fugaku's change of heart, a faint smile curled at the corner of Aoki's lips. The Uchiha Clan could finally settle down, though there was still much work to be done in the arrangements to follow.
He said slowly, "The Uchiha Clan's territory shall be moved back to its original location, closer to the center of Konoha. However, this does not mean everything will remain unchanged. To improve the clan's standing in Konoha, you yourselves must first make changes."
Aoki laid out the plan he had long prepared, informing Fugaku that he would gradually work to improve the reputation of the Uchiha Clan and help its members truly integrate into Konoha.
Uchiha Fugaku was overjoyed. As the clan leader, he might not have been the most competent, but as a father, he deeply wished for a better future for the younger generation of the clan. Now, hearing that the clan's territory could be moved back, and even that the younger members might receive guidance from the Hokage with the possibility of one day ascending to the position of Hokage, he was overwhelmed with emotion. He immediately bowed deeply once more and said solemnly, "I thank you, Lord Hokage! The Uchiha Clan will pledge our unwavering loyalty to you, without a hint of betrayal!"
"No need for formalities," Aoki waved his hand and added, "The Konoha Military Police Force will still be led by members of the Uchiha Clan. However, I will divide it into two teams: one responsible for handling disputes within Konoha Village, and the other retaining the Uchiha's original role, responsible for defending Konoha's borders. With this dual approach, the Uchiha Clan's reputation will surely improve gradually."
Fugaku was filled with gratitude and admiration, repeatedly agreeing and promising to arrange the clan's affairs as soon as possible.
Watching Fugaku leave the office, Aoki let out a long sigh of relief. Only by resolving the issues of the Uchiha Clan could Konoha's internal foundation truly be stabilized.
With determination in his heart, he turned and walked out of the Hokage Building, heading toward the direction of the Senju Clan's territory.