Otherwise, the village's finances would remain strained, and Konoha would become a laughingstock among the Five Great Nations.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, would never allow such disgrace to fall upon him.
"Well…"
Although the people sent by the Third Hokage might be questionable, the Uchiha clan's shinobi were at least trustworthy.
The daimyo, despite his caution, was swayed. His relationship with the Uchiha wasn't close, but he respected strength, and Uchiha had that in abundance.
Though surrounded by bodyguards and shinobi, most were ceremonial or mid-level in strength. If Danzo became desperate and acted recklessly, his current guard couldn't ensure his safety, not even with bribes or favors.
"The old man thinks this proposal is wise."
The Third Hokage had no choice but to step up and support Yan's proposition.
Yan seized the moment and pressed further:
"Daimyo-sama, the Uchiha member we'll assign is among the strongest of our clan—his strength stands out in all of Konoha. With such a protector, even Assistant Hokage Danzo wouldn't dare to make a move. And if he does, he'll be facing Uchiha wrath. Your safety would be assured."
The implication was obvious: he was referring to Shisui Uchiha, whose Mangekyō Sharingan made him a force few could match.
Hiruzen's eyes widened slightly.
Did Yan already know about Shisui awakening the Mangekyō?
This was supposed to be a tightly held secret, known only to a select few within Anbu and the inner circle. If Yan knew, then Shisui's loyalty and discretion were now in question.
Internally, the Third Hokage immediately reclassified Shisui from "usable" to "unreliable."
He had never fully trusted the Uchiha anyway. Even Uchiha Kagami, his former comrade, had been treated with caution. Trusting Shisui now was out of the question.
"Really?"
The daimyo was intrigued. A shinobi of that caliber was rare, even among the elite of the Hidden Leaf. If he truly had such a warrior protecting him, his safety was practically guaranteed.
"It's absolutely true. And if the daimyo does not believe me, Hokage-sama can confirm the prowess of Uchiha shinobi. After all, Konoha relies heavily on our strength."
"…"
What else could Hiruzen say? Yan had laid it all bare.
He could practically name Shisui and give his registry number.
Defeated, the Third Hokage nodded silently.
"Very well. I will entrust this to the Uchiha. If your clan guarantees my safety, I will help mediate and resolve the misunderstandings between your clan and the village."
The daimyo, having received protection, offered something in return.
Yan almost couldn't contain his joy. Was this an unexpected windfall?
Clearly, this plan was the right path. One only had to look at the Third Hokage's sour expression to know it.
The village had been marginalizing and monitoring Uchiha, binding their hands at every turn. But with the daimyo involved, things would shift. As long as the clan didn't align too closely with the daimyo's inner court, the Hokage would be forced to ease up.
That breathing room was all Yan needed to begin addressing internal clan issues.
The hardliners were a volatile threat. They had to be dealt with before they triggered disaster.
Yan had expected to wait a long time for a clean opportunity to act. But a simple visit to the daimyo's court had opened doors he never imagined.
Leaving the palace, the Third Hokage's face was stony with tension.
Without pause, he ordered Yan to find Feng and Hequan. They were to return to Konoha at once.
Time was of the essence. If Danzo caught wind of the daimyo's agreement and tried to spin it, it would cause chaos.
And Sarutobi had no intention of letting that happen.
He had to get ahead of Danzo and the ROOT division before a scandal could erupt.
They'd stirred enough trouble for Danzo already, kept the Hokage busy, and even opened new opportunities for Uchiha.
This mission had become a triple success.
"Assemble immediately—we're returning to the village."
Yan located Feng and Hequan but gave them no explanation. Time was short.
The three met the Third Hokage at the city gates, and without delay, they departed.
Unlike the leisurely journey out, their return was urgent. The Third Hokage pressed the pace, and they arrived in Konoha by nightfall.
"Thank you for your service."
Those were the only words the Third Hokage offered before vanishing into the night.
He had no time for pleasantries. If this was not handled correctly, the fallout could be disastrous—for the village, and especially for Danzo.
"Go home and rest. I need to speak with the patriarch."
Yan dismissed Feng and Hequan, then made his way to the Uchiha compound.
It was deep into the night when he arrived.
Fugaku's household had already turned in, so Yan deliberately made some noise upon entering the courtyard—just enough to alert them without being threatening.
He waited quietly.
Inside, the sound stirred the household.
Fugaku, Mikoto, and one of their sons woke quickly. Only Sasuke remained asleep.
Fugaku sat up, puzzled. "Someone's here… must be important."
Mikoto rose with him. "I'll make tea."
She slid the door open just in time to see Itachi peeking from behind his own door. She smiled and ruffled his hair.
"It's just Yan. He has something important to discuss with your father. Go back to bed."
Itachi nodded dutifully and closed his door.
Still, curiosity got the better of him, and he crept to the window to try and listen.
Unfortunately, the windows weren't thin enough to hear through, and the yard gave no clues.
Frustrated, Itachi gave up. He would just ask Shisui about it in the morning.
What he didn't know was that there wouldn't be time. Shisui would leave for the daimyo's mansion that very night, entrusted with protecting the noble himself.
It was the perfect opportunity—to boost Uchiha's prestige and quietly create a wedge between Shisui and the village's leadership. Two birds, one shuriken.
"You came back this urgently?" Fugaku asked, now seated cross-legged on the floor.
"Something major happened, didn't it?"
Yan settled in, though he never liked sitting on the floor for long. His knees would start to ache.
"Yes. Very significant—for the village and the Uchiha. This could be our turning point."
He then explained everything. The meeting with the daimyo, the Third Hokage's reaction, and their new role as protectors of the Fire Daimyo.
He only skipped the annoying parts, like the Third Hokage's long-winded lectures.
"…"
Fugaku sat silently, processing.
Mikoto arrived with the tea—then stopped, stunned.
"Hahaha…"
Suddenly, Fugaku burst into laughter, childlike and unrestrained. Gone was the usually stern and composed clan head.
For a moment, he was just a man reveling in victory.
Mikoto and Yan looked at each other. This was rare.
What made Fugaku so happy?
It wasn't just the shift in Uchiha's fortune—it was Danzo's downfall.
Danzo had long targeted their clan, more ruthlessly than even Hiruzen.
While the Hokage only monitored and restrained them, Danzo sought complete destruction.
Now Danzo's schemes would be exposed, and his influence diminished.
With Danzo weakened, the clan could finally breathe again.
"Well done. Well done! Hahaha!"
Fugaku laughed so hard he slapped the wooden floor, tears in his eyes.
Yan watched silently, thinking he might've gone mad.
Was it really that funny?
But he had to admit—it was satisfying.
"All right, the kids are sleeping."
Mikoto sighed, gently collecting the tea set and giving her husband a look.
While she didn't mind Yan hearing all this, it wasn't good to be noisy at night. Their children were still asleep, and the Uchiha had a certain image to uphold.
Fugaku coughed and composed himself.
He gave Yan a look that said: None of this leaves this room. My dignity depends on it.
Yan just rolled his eyes in response.
He continued, "Also, I suggested Shisui be assigned to protect the daimyo. His strength makes him ideal, but he's become unreliable in the clan's eyes. At Anbu, he's caught between factions. Better to remove him from the village—for his own good and ours."
Fugaku pondered this.
"Yes, Shisui is indeed the best candidate."
He had once placed Shisui in Anbu to be a bridge between the clan and village, but that bridge had become shaky.
Now it was clear—there was no need for such a bridge anymore.
If Shisui protected the daimyo well, and the daimyo…