Naruto: The Rise Of Uchiha

"Village meeting? Looks like we've been discovered!"

Looking at the hawk circling overhead, Uchiha Fugaku muttered to himself.

He was not surprised that the village meeting was being held.

Shimura Ryoma was an elite jonin. There were not many who could reach this level, not only in the Shimura clan but in Konoha itself. The death of such an elite would inevitably cause a huge shock in the village, leading to the organization of a village meeting.

Fortunately, no one had discovered that Shimura Ryoma's death was connected to him; otherwise, the Anbu under the Hokage's direct command would have already knocked at his door.

**Whoosh—**

In a flash, Fugaku disappeared from his spot and rushed toward the Hokage Building.

The Uchiha compound was located on the edge of the village, and he didn't rush at full speed. When he arrived at the meeting room in the Hokage Building, many had already gathered. Among them were clan heads like himself and several elite jonin from the civilian ninjas.

As he entered, many glanced at him but quickly looked away.

No one took the initiative to greet him. The strained relationship between the Uchiha clan and the rest of the village had left them isolated, and this meeting was no exception.

The Uchiha's long-standing management of the Konoha Police Force had earned them enemies. Inevitably, during their law enforcement, they had stepped on the toes of many other clans, leaving behind a legacy of resentment.

This was precisely the intent of the Second Hokage when he had given the Uchiha clan control of the police force. Fugaku had to admit that the Second Hokage had accomplished his goal.

"Captain Fugaku!"

Uchiha Fugaku found an empty seat and sat down.

To his surprise, someone greeted him from a few seats away.

He glanced to the side and saw a man in his thirties, wearing a black kimono, with silver-white hair.

Nobuhiro Hatake. The man's identity flashed through his mind. He was the current head of the Hatake clan and the younger brother of the legendary White Fang of Konoha, Hatake Sakumo.

"Clan Head Nobuhiro."

Since he was greeted, Fugaku did not feign aloofness and responded politely.

"The clan's duty can be thankless at times, Captain Fugaku."

Nobuhiro spoke.

The reason Nobuhiro had taken the initiative to speak was to express his gratitude. Previously, the Hatake clan had a conflict with the Sarutobi clan, a matter that could have gone poorly for the Hatakes, given the Sarutobi's status in the village. Fugaku had handled the case impartially, despite the political weight of the Sarutobi clan.

"It was no trouble."

Fugaku replied, pleased that his actions had been recognized.

It was his strategy to maintain fairness with certain families like the Hatakes while keeping a distance from others, such as the Sarutobi and Shimura clans. This delicate balance could one day prove beneficial.

As more people arrived in the conference room, Fugaku observed the atmosphere closely.

Finally, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, entered the room, followed by his three advisors: Shimura Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura.

The four elders commanded attention from everyone present. After all, they were the highest authorities in Konoha.

"The reason I've gathered you all here today is due to a grave matter!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice echoed throughout the room. Though thin and aging, his aura was still formidable, making him appear much larger than his physical frame.

He surveyed the ninjas present before continuing.

"Two days ago, elite jonin Shimura Ryoma, along with jonin Shimura Sousuke and Shimura Ichiro, left the village on a mission. They have since gone missing."

"We have searched the area where their last known location was and found traces of a battle in the nearby forest. It is highly likely that all three were killed."

Some of the gathered ninjas reacted with shock, while others, already informed, remained composed.

Naturally, the news had not been shared with the Uchiha clan. Even though Fugaku already knew, he feigned surprise to maintain appearances.

"Hokage-sama, have we identified the responsible party?"

A voice from the crowd asked. The speaker was a man wearing a gray high-collared coat and black sunglasses.

It was Aburame Shibi, the current head of the Aburame clan. The Aburame clan was closely allied with the Shimura clan; one of Danzo's personal bodyguards, Aburame Torune, was from the Aburame family. So, it was no surprise that Shibi would be concerned.

"No, all evidence was meticulously erased. No traces remain to identify the attackers."

Hiruzen replied.

"I wonder what mission they were on when they were killed?"

This time, it was Nara Shikaku who spoke. With his spiky pineapple-shaped hair and the scars on his face, the head of the Nara clan was known for his extraordinary intelligence and strategic thinking.

"They were on a mission to Shirakawa Town. However, the specifics of the mission are classified."

It was Shimura Daisuke, head of the Shimura clan, who responded to Shikaku's question. He was hesitant to reveal too much, especially with Fugaku present.

As the mission involved Shimura Ryoma and his group, there was a suspicion that the mission had been aimed at the Uchiha clan.

"Shirakawa Town?"

Fugaku's eyes briefly flashed with recognition.

He was quite familiar with Shirakawa Town. The base of the largest merchant caravan in the Land of Fire, one that had favorable relations with the Uchiha clan, was located there.

The fact that Shimura Ryoma and his team were headed there was no coincidence. Fugaku surmised that their mission likely involved targeting the caravan in some way, perhaps to undermine the Uchiha clan's influence.

He noticed that when the name Shirakawa Town was mentioned, several of the other clan heads cast quick glances in his direction.

This only confirmed Fugaku's suspicions that Shimura Ryoma and his team had been sent to deal with something related to the Uchiha.

Thankfully, whatever plan they had in place had failed. The death of Ryoma and his team meant that the Shimura clan, for now, was too occupied to trouble the Uchiha any further.

For now.

(End of the Chapter).

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