Inside the Senju Clan residence, Yechuan and Senju Touka sat opposite each other, the atmosphere heavy.

"That old man, Uchiha Hikaku… he's gone mad."

Senju Touka's face was filled with worry.

"I never thought he would actually secretly stockpile weapons and prepare to launch an armed rebellion!"

"As expected."

Yechuan's reaction, however, was calm.

"The Uchiha clan has been suppressed for too long, and Uchiha Hikaku is a hawk who followed Uchiha Madara. It's not surprising that he's reached this point."

"Then what should we do?"

Senju Touka looked at Yechuan.

"In this situation, Uchiha Uchiha Hikaku will likely soon come to force us, the Senju Clan, to take a stand!"

"Aunt, do you think… our plan for tomorrow should still proceed as scheduled?"

Yechuan suddenly asked.

Senju Touka paused, then understood Yechuan's meaning: the Rumble-Rumble Fruit transplantation plan.

Her eyes narrowed, and she nodded emphatically: "Proceed! A storm is coming, and we, the Senju Clan, must grasp every power we can!"

"Good."

Yechuan also nodded.

"However, before that, we must strengthen the security around Lady Mito, just in case."

"I suspect that Uchiha Uchiha Hikaku, in order to force us to comply, might even go to extremes and target the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!"

"You said… is there a possibility of us joining forces with Uchiha Uchiha Hikaku?"

Senju Touka suddenly proposed a possibility.

"Absolutely not."

Yechuan denied it without hesitation.

"Aunt, think about it. Even if we help him overthrow the Third Hokage, who will become the Fourth Hokage then?"

"It will undoubtedly be Uchiha Uchiha Hikaku!"

"For us, the Senju Clan, what essential difference is there between a village ruled by the Uchiha clan and the current village ruled by Hiruzen Sarutobi?"

"It's merely jumping from one cage into another."

"What we, the Senju Clan, need is a village ruled by the Senju Clan."

Yechuan's eyes, at this moment, became as deep as an abyss.

"Then you mean…"

"Watch from the sidelines."

He calmly uttered four words.

"Let the Uchiha clan fight the Third Hokage and his allies."

"No matter who wins, it will inevitably be a Pyrrhic victory, leaving them severely weakened."

"That will be the best time for us, the Senju Clan… to pick up the pieces."

Ever since he transmigrated to the Senju Clan, Yechuan had always understood one principle.

The greatest power the Senju Clan needed was the Uchiha clan.

The fusion of the Sage Body and the Sage Eyes could achieve the strongest power in this world.

He didn't mind seeing Uchiha Uchiha Hikaku's rebellion end in failure.

At that time, the remaining forces of the Uchiha clan would inevitably be abandoned by their allies and have no choice but to seek help from the Senju Clan.

Then, he would have the opportunity to also take control of the Uchiha clan's power!

...Hokage's Office.

The atmosphere was as oppressive as the sea before a storm.

All members of the Second Hokage Tobirama's direct squad, who now formed the core of Konoha's power, were present.

Uchiha Kagami had just finished reporting everything he had overheard while undercover in Uchiha Uchiha Hikaku's residence.

"...Clan Head Uchiha Hikaku plans to launch the rebellion the day before the next Jonin Meeting."

"And… his daughter, Uchiha Kotone, seems to have some means of… activating the Nine-Tails."

When he finished his last sentence, the entire office fell silent.

After a long pause, Akimichi Torifu finally spoke with difficulty, breaking the silence:

"Has the situation… really become this serious? Is Uchiha Uchiha Hikaku… truly going to…"

"The very thing Master Tobirama tried so hard to prevent is finally going to happen."

Utatane Koharu's face was extremely grim.

"We must act immediately!"

Danzo's voice was as cold as a viper's.

"Mobilize all Anbu, seal off the Uchiha Clan Compound! Arrest Uchiha Uchiha Hikaku and all his accomplices! Charge them with rebellion!"

"No!"

Homura Mitokado immediately vetoed.

"Acting now, with insufficient evidence, will only completely escalate the conflict and turn the entire Uchiha clan against us!"

"Then what do you want?!"

Danzo glared at Homura Mitokado.

"Wait until they release the Nine-Tails and let the village suffer another tragedy like that of years past?!"

The two began to argue again.

Finally, everyone turned their gaze to Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was seated at the head of the table, awaiting his final decision as the Third Hokage.

Hiruzen Sarutobi closed his eyes and took a deep drag from his pipe.

In his mind, he saw the moment before Master Tobirama's sacrifice, when he entrusted the Hokage position to him.

After a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly opened his eyes, all hesitation gone from his gaze.

"...I agree with Danzo's plan."

He slowly said:

"Three days from now, the night before the Jonin Meeting."

"The Anbu will launch a surprise attack, swiftly taking control of Uchiha Uchiha Hikaku and all his core conspirators!"

"We must… strike first! End the battle as quickly as possible, so that Konoha… sheds the least amount of blood."

"Yes!"

A glint of triumphant coldness flashed in Danzo's eyes.

"Kagami."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the man who had remained silent throughout, his voice softening slightly.

"You… have done very well."

"For the village, you have borne too much."

"Master, if he knows, he will surely be proud of you."

"This is the Will of Fire."

Utatane Koharu, Homura Mitokado, Akimichi Torifu, and others also stepped forward, patting Uchiha Kagami's shoulder, their eyes showing a hint of sympathy.

Uchiha Kagami remained silent, not speaking… After the meeting disbanded, Uchiha Kagami walked alone through Konoha's bustling streets.

The surrounding civilians and Ninja, upon seeing the crimson Uchiha clan fan crest on his back, instinctively avoided him as if he were a plague, fearful of any association with him.

Because he was an Uchiha.

Uchiha Kagami's eyes, at this moment, became somewhat hollow.

The three tomoe in his eyes began to slowly spin, eventually transforming into the Mangekyō Sharingan!

A miraculous scene unfolded.

The civilians on the street who had been avoiding him suddenly paused, and then… as if they hadn't seen him at all, they went about their business, walking past him as if he didn't exist in this world.

Ever since Master Tobirama's death, under immense stimulation, his eyes had changed.

They had become as they were now.

As long as he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, he could, to a certain extent, hypnotize and interfere with the perceptions of those around him.

He had never told anyone this secret.

Uchiha Kagami walked to the Ichiraku Ramen shop, his Mangekyō Sharingan slowly receding from his eyes, returning to its normal state.

Then, he pushed open the curtain.

Everyone in the shop turned to look at him.

Uchiha Kagami, as if no one else was there, found a corner, sat down, and placed his order.

"Sigh…"

He sighed softly in his heart.

"This is the troublesome part… when eating ramen, it's impossible to keep using this jutsu."

If only no one could see him all the time, that would be great.