IN NARUTO AS KURAMA

Time seemed to slow as Shiro repeatedly struck Obito Uchiha, delivering a series of humiliating blows. It was clear Shiro had found a strange joy in teaching Obito a lesson. The masked man, often shrouded in mystery and power, was reduced to a figure of frustration beneath Shiro's relentless assault.

Finally, Shiro stood up, dusting off his hands. He grabbed Obito by the collar, lifting him as if he weighed nothing. "I think I've made my point, Oh-Bito," he said mockingly. "I'll let you off the hook for today."

With that, Shiro's hand released Obito, and the masked man disappeared into the void, using his Kamui to escape.

Uchiha Shisui appeared at Shiro's side, his breathing heavy from the earlier battle. He stared in the direction Obito had fled, his mind racing. "Senior… who exactly was that?" Shisui asked cautiously.

Shiro didn't bother to explain. His sharp eyes glanced at Shisui, his tone dismissive. "You don't need to concern yourself with that."

Shiro turned toward the hidden watchers outside the Uchiha compound. "Deal with those spies. You know what to do to shift the blame," he said, his voice calm but commanding.

Shisui nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Yes, senior."

Shiro's figure disappeared from the compound, reappearing moments later in Uchiha Fugaku's quarters. The clan leader turned, startled, but quickly composed himself. "Senior, is everything under control?"

Shiro's piercing gaze met Fugaku's. "The immediate threat is handled, but your Uchiha clan still has much work to do. If you want to avoid another disaster, you must change how the villagers perceive you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand," Fugaku replied, bowing respectfully.

Shiro's tone grew colder. "And remember, Uzumaki Naruto is the key to your clan's survival. Protect him at all costs. If you fail to do so, your clan will still face annihilation."

The words sent a shiver down Fugaku's spine. A cold breeze swept through the room, carrying with it the weight of Shiro's pure killing intent. Fugaku looked up, but Shiro had already vanished into the night.

Left alone in the silent room, Fugaku murmured, "The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki… such a dangerous position to hold."

---

Atop the Hokage's Office, the highest point in Konoha, a young man sat alone, pouring himself a drink. The moonlight illuminated his thoughtful face as he gazed up at the full moon. In his hand, he held a bottle of strong sake, and his voice was tinged with melancholy.

"It's been so many years," he sighed. "Naruto, I've cleared the path for you. With the Uchiha clan supporting you, everything should fall into place. It's up to you now."

As the moonlight shifted, the shadow of a massive fox loomed behind him, its eyes glowing ominously.

The Next Morning

The peace of dawn was shattered by angry voices echoing through the Hokage's office.

"Sarutobi Hiruzen! This is unacceptable! These were some of our finest elites!" Shimura Danzo shouted, slamming a document onto the Hokage's desk. His face was a mask of fury.

Hiruzen rubbed his temples, placing his pipe on the desk. "What now, Danzo? Must you always make a scene?"

"Our ANBU suffered significant losses during the attack on the Uchiha compound! Who's going to take responsibility for this?" Danzo demanded, his voice sharp.

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. "You've already caused enough trouble with your 'Root' division. Perhaps if you hadn't provoked the Uchiha—"

"Don't pin this on me!" Danzo snapped. "If you want solutions, hand the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki over to Root. I'll ensure Konoha's safety with the strongest ninja under my control. Or better yet, let Uchiha Itachi join Root."

The room grew tense as Danzo's greedy suggestion lingered. But Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk, cutting Danzo off. "Enough! I am the Hokage of Konoha, not you! The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki will remain where he is. And you will stay out of this!"

Before the argument could escalate further, there was a sharp knock on the door. "Enter!" Hiruzen barked.

The door creaked open, and Uchiha Fugaku stepped inside. His posture was stiff, and the events of the previous night seemed to have aged him overnight. His usually sharp eyes were dull, weighed down by exhaustion.

"Fugaku, come in, come in," Hiruzen said, his tone softening as he gestured to a chair.

Fugaku placed a thick stack of papers on the Hokage's desk. "Hokage-sama, our Uchiha compound was attacked last night. These are the casualty reports."

Hiruzen took the papers, scanning them quickly before placing them down. "Fugaku, your clan has endured so much for Konoha. We are grateful for your sacrifices. Rest assured, we will investigate this matter thoroughly."

As Hiruzen spoke, tears welled up in his eyes. He wiped them away, muttering, "Konoha owes the Uchiha clan a great debt."

Fugaku, however, remained composed. "It's nothing, Hokage-sama. The Uchiha clan will always uphold the Will of Fire. Even if we fall, there will always be others to rise in our place."

Hiruzen's face twitched slightly at Fugaku's words. Thousands of Uchiha? That would be a nightmare…

Nevertheless, Hiruzen patted Fugaku on the shoulder. "Thank you, Fugaku. Konoha will never forget the Uchiha clan's contributions."

Fugaku's gaze briefly flickered toward Danzo, who had been silently observing the exchange. Lowering his voice, Fugaku leaned closer to Hiruzen and whispered, "Hokage-sama, a word of caution—be wary of Shimura Danzo. He doesn't have the village's best interests at heart."

Danzo frowned. "What do you mean?"

Fugaku glanced at Danzo, who was watching them intently. Smiling, Fugaku spoke louder, "Ah, nothing, Danzo-san. Just ensuring everything is fine."

Danzo's eyes narrowed. Do you think I'm an idiot, Fugaku? I know you're hiding something.

Once again, Fugaku leaned closer to Hiruzen and whispered, "Last night, we found the bodies of twenty masked ANBU agents outside the compound. Their masks bore Root insignias."

Hiruzen's expression darkened. "Their ranks?"

"Jōnin," Fugaku replied simply.

Hiruzen inhaled deeply, his eyes hardening. "Understood. I'll look into it. Thank you for bringing this to my attention."

With a polite bow, Fugaku turned to leave. As he passed Danzo, he flashed a smile. "Goodbye, Danzo-san."

Danzo glared at Fugaku, his fists clenched. This isn't over, Uchiha.