"Tell me, was the bounty on the Uchiha family issued by the Shimura family?"
Keeping his voice low to avoid being overheard, Uchiha Fugaku questioned Shimura Atsushi, his Mangekyō Sharingan glowing ominously in the dim light.
Shimura Atsushi's face contorted, a visible struggle reflecting his internal conflict. Fugaku's probing touched on deeply buried secrets, creating an intense resistance.
But resistance was futile against the overwhelming power of the Mangekyō Sharingan. As Fugaku increased the input of his ocular energy, Shimura Atsushi's expression gradually slackened, turning numb.
"Yes, the bounty on the Uchiha clan was issued by the Shimura clan," he replied mechanically.
"It is the Shimura family," Fugaku murmured, his voice laced with cold anger.
For a brief moment, Fugaku considered how close he'd come to being misled. The investigation into the Shimura family's financial records had yielded no abnormalities. Everything appeared clean—too clean.
It wasn't until they discovered Naoya Shimura's recent departure from Konoha that suspicion reawakened. Acting on that hunch and infiltrating the Shimura compound had led him to the truth.
"Where did the Shimura family get the funds to issue the bounty?"
"It was a property of the Root hidden by Advisor Danzo within the Shimura family," Atsushi answered in a monotone.
"The Root's wealth... no wonder."
Fugaku's eyes narrowed in realization.
Root, once Danzo's personal covert organization, had amassed vast resources over decades. Even after Danzo's demise, much of that wealth remained hidden in various locations.
The Shimura family had likely accessed these secret caches to fund the bounties, explaining the absence of any recent significant transactions in their official records.
A sneer formed on Fugaku's lips as he stared at the hypnotized Atsushi.
"I'll let you live... for now."
As a trusted confidant of Naoya Shimura, Atsushi had been complicit in the plot against the Uchiha. While Fugaku had no intention of sparing him in the long run, killing him now would alert the Shimura family and make them more cautious.
With that, Fugaku used the Mayfly Technique to sink back into the earth and quietly retreat.
Shimura Atsushi eventually regained his senses. He glanced around the bathroom with a vague sense of unease but couldn't pinpoint why. The hypnotic effects of the Sharingan had erased his memory of the encounter entirely.
The next morning, Uchiha Fugaku convened a high-level meeting at Naka Shrine.
Present were the clan elders, elite jōnin, and other senior members of the Uchiha clan.
The participants included the three elders: Uchiha Setsuna, Uchiha Shou, and Uchiha Genzo. The elite jōnin in attendance were Uchiha Min, Uchiha Kana, Uchiha Atsuko, and Uchiha Takehiko.
The only notable absence was Uchiha Shiro, who remained stationed at one of the Uchiha clan's secret outposts.
When everyone was seated, Fugaku addressed them, his voice calm but firm.
"Last night, I infiltrated the Shimura compound and used the Mangekyō Sharingan to hypnotize Shimura Atsushi, one of Naoya Shimura's closest confidants. Through this, I confirmed that the bounty on the Uchiha family was indeed issued by the Shimura clan."
A collective murmur ran through the group.
"Hmph. My Uchiha family hasn't even started dealing with the Shimura clan, yet they dare act against us first," Uchiha Setsuna growled, his voice brimming with anger.
The elder's eyes gleamed with cold fury, and a subtle killing intent radiated from his seated form.
"The Shimura family has always been a problem," Uchiha Shou muttered, his expression dark. "But for them to issue a bounty like this… it's an outright declaration of war."
"The Shimura family must be desperate to act so brazenly," Uchiha Genzo added, his voice tinged with derision.
Uchiha Atsuko frowned. "The Shimura family has declared their hostility, yet we're doing nothing in return? Are we just going to let this go?"
"The Shimura family acted while we were under surveillance from the Third Hokage," Uchiha Min pointed out. "Any direct retaliation will only draw more scrutiny toward us."
Uchiha Kana nodded in agreement. "The Hokage already suspects us of being involved in Danzo's death. Acting recklessly now could bring more problems."
Despite the logic of their words, the frustration in the room was palpable.
"We're being treated like cornered prey," Atsuko muttered, her fists clenching.
Uchiha Shou sighed deeply. "Enduring humiliation for now may be the wisest choice. The Shimura family is relying on the Hokage's surveillance to shield them. If we make a misstep, the repercussions could be severe."
Fugaku allowed the discussion to continue for a moment before raising his hand to silence the room.
"I understand your concerns," he said, his tone measured. "But I assure you, there are ways to strike back against the Shimura family—even under surveillance."
All eyes turned toward him, their interest piqued by his words.
(End of this chapter)
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