After school, Obito became unusually clingy with Fenghuo, insisting on showing off his Sharingan.
Unfortunately, his infamously bad reputation wasn't unwarranted—he stared hard, nearly popping a vein, but the Sharingan simply didn't activate.
Fenghuo patted him on the shoulder, tone sincere. "Obito, next time, I think I'd rather train taijutsu with Uncle Dai."
"You traitor! Why?!" Obito shouted, eyes still fixed bitterly on the wall, as if trying to will the Sharingan into existence.
Fenghuo shrugged and flashed a wink at Kai, who was standing nearby. The two slipped away together like accomplices.
Once they left the academy grounds, Kai's expression turned serious.
"Fenghuo… something feels off about that duel. No teachers showed up. Even the staff from other classes vanished. It's like they all agreed to disappear."
Fenghuo narrowed his eyes. "Are you certain?"
Kai nodded, brows furrowed with uncharacteristic gravity. "Completely."
Fenghuo's heart skipped a beat. Only someone with extremely high authority could make the entire school vanish like that…
Only the Hokage.
The Ninja Academy was under the direct jurisdiction of the Third Hokage. Anyone tampering with it was, in essence, challenging the authority of Sarutobi Hiruzen himself.
Fenghuo's face grew grim. The Hokage must already know. So why allow this to happen?
Lightning-quick thoughts raced through his mind. He and Chūnin Uchiha Ye Xing were probably being used—as disposable pawns in a larger game. Someone intended to exploit this clash to build a case… against the Uchiha clan.
Danzo?!
A chill ran through Fenghuo's spine. That name flashed like a curse. Hiruzen, for all his flaws, was cautious and deliberative. He would never move against the Uchiha without clear provocation. But Danzo? Danzo wouldn't hesitate.
That means I'm already on his radar… and being used as bait.
"Damn it," Fenghuo muttered, fists clenched. The sense of helplessness left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Kai noticed. "Fenghuo? What's wrong?"
"Huh? Oh—nothing," Fenghuo said with a forced smile. He couldn't tell Kai. Root was classified even among Chūnin. And he was still just a student.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's Council Room…
Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen sat at the head of the table, pipe in hand. To his right were the elder advisors: Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Danzo Shimura. All three had been his comrades since the First Shinobi War.
Across from them sat representatives of the Uchiha clan—Patriarch Uchiha Chinatsu, Police Captain Uchiha Yamano, and his assistant, Uchiha Fugaku.
Chinatsu and Yamano were both middle-aged, hair streaked with grey, eyes sharp despite their age.
"You all know the situation. Let's discuss how to resolve it," Danzo said, his tone ice-cold.
Uchiha Chinatsu responded smoothly. "It was a childish dispute. Uchiha Fenghuo and Rakuna are young—hardly unusual for kids to fight. As for Ye Xing, he spoke out of turn while trying to protect his son. Danzo-sama, surely you wouldn't hold that against a father."
Koharu slammed the table. "Watch your tone, Patriarch Chinatsu! Ye Xing attempted to murder a student—he's not just a parent, he's a Chūnin and a member of the police force!"
Homura added, "Uchiha Hashio is the deputy captain of the police force. The entire department is under scrutiny."
Captain Yamano replied calmly, "Ye Xing has already been stripped of all duties within the force."
"Hmph." Homura scoffed, turning away.
The debate intensified. The elders emphasized the threat to Konoha's stability, while the Uchiha side downplayed the incident as internal family strife.
Eventually, all eyes turned to the Third Hokage.
Danzo pressed in. "Hiruzen. The decision lies with you."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, smoke curling from his pipe. His eyes, half-lidded beneath the brim of his hat, became steely.
"The academy exists to nurture the next generation of shinobi. I will not allow outside forces to interfere with its neutrality."
He set the pipe down.
"Duels between students must remain fair. No outside involvement is permitted. Uchiha Ye Xing's actions broke that rule. Uchiha Patriarch, I expect your clan to cooperate and give the school a formal explanation."
Chinatsu met his gaze without blinking. After a pause, she nodded. "Very well."
Beside her, Fugaku looked like he wanted to object, but Yamano placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"We'll end the discussion here," the Hokage declared. "And I expect no further pressure to be placed on Fenghuo or Rakuna."
"Of course," Chinatsu replied with a calm smile. "They are, after all, our clan's children."
As they left the Hokage Building, Fugaku finally spoke.
"That was a setup. Duels must be supervised by academy instructors. But there were none present! And Ye Xing—"
"Enough, Fugaku," Yamano cut him off. "This isn't the time."
"But—!"
"You're talented, but still young," Chinatsu said gently. "The Uchiha are rising. Our strength and status now eclipse the Senju. But remember—Hiruzen, Danzo, and the elders still hold resentment. One day, they will act against us. Be ready."
Fugaku fell silent, shaken by her words.
"Come. This isn't our battlefield," Chinatsu added quietly.
Her eyes glinted with crimson—three tomoe spinning slowly in each eye.
From a shadowed hallway above, Danzo watched her leave. Their gazes met—neither backing down.
Later that night…
News spread like wildfire: Uchiha Ye Xing was sentenced to Konoha's central prison, charged with interfering in an academy duel and attempting to harm a student.
The fallout was swift. The Uchiha's reputation took a blow, and under Danzo's quiet manipulation, formerly neutral families began pulling away from the clan—isolating them further in the political landscape of Konoha.