Chapter 3: The Uchiha Clan Is Weakened Again  

Uchiha Obito watched silently as Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki died beneath the claws of the Nine-Tails. He felt no emotion—his heart had long since become numb. Despite his loss of hope in this world, memories of the past still lingered within him.

"Once the Infinite Tsukuyomi is activated, none of this will matter," Obito muttered to himself before disappearing into the night.

---

The news quickly spread throughout the village:

''"The Nine-Tails has been sealed!"'' 

''"The Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and his wife are dead!"''

As the rumors spread, Sasuke sat in his brother Itachi's arms. His young eyes observed how the villagers reacted—not with sorrow for the death of the Hokage, but with relief that the Nine-Tails had been subdued.

To them, the Hokage's sacrifice was expected. Their focus was on their own losses—the lives taken and the homes destroyed by the rampaging beast.

For the villagers, any Hokage was simply a protector. It didn't matter who held the title. But the Nine-Tails? That was a different story. The damage Kurama had caused was real and irreversible. The Hokage's sacrifice? That was just part of the job.

Itachi, still just a boy yet already wise beyond his years, was unfazed. He had been to the battlefield; he knew that life was fleeting, and death was inevitable.

It was just a question of when and how it happened. To Itachi, Minato's death had meaning—he had died protecting the village. That made his death valuable.

However, one question still gnawed at Itachi's mind: why didn't the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, perform the Reaper Death Seal instead of Minato? Hiruzen was older, and his death would have been less of a loss to the village compared to Minato's.

As he pondered this, a small tug on his sleeve brought him back to the present. It was Uchiha Izumi, one of his classmates and a fellow member of the Uchiha clan.

"Itachi, thank you for saving me," Izumi said softly. "I thought I was going to die."

Itachi nodded, his tone gentle. "I'm glad you're safe."

Izumi then noticed Sasuke in his arms. "What a beautiful baby... Is this your sister?"

Itachi smiled slightly. "No, he's my little brother. His name is Sasuke."

"Can I hold him?" Izumi asked, her eyes lighting up.

Sasuke, despite his young age, instinctively shook his head, thinking to himself, "I don't like this girl. She hasn't even done anything useful."

Izumi looked a bit disappointed. "I guess he doesn't like me... What's his name again?"

"Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke," Itachi replied.

Izumi hadn't attended Sasuke's birth ceremony since her parents weren't part of the Konoha Police Force, so she hadn't known his name until now.

---

In the aftermath of the Nine-Tails Rebellion, Konoha's leadership convened for a high-level meeting. Present were the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi; Shimura Danzo, the leader of Root; the Hokage's two advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane; and the heads of the major clans, including Uchiha Fugaku.

Danzo was the first to speak, his tone cold and blunt. "The Nine-Tails' attack caused significant damage to the village."

He pointed to a map, directing his attention to the Aburame clan leader. "The Aburame clan should relocate to this forested area. I know you've long desired a larger forest for your insects."

The Aburame clan head nodded in agreement.

Danzo continued, "The Nara clan didn't suffer any damage, so you'll stay where you are."

The Nara clan head nodded as well.

"The Hyuga clan took some damage, so they will rebuild on-site," Danzo added. The Hyuga clan leader also agreed.

Finally, Danzo turned his attention to the Uchiha clan. Their district had been hit hard during the Nine-Tails' rampage.

"The Uchiha clan will be relocated," Danzo said, pointing to a remote corner of the map. "You'll move the Konoha Police Force headquarters to this location."

Fugaku's eyes darkened as he stood, glaring at Danzo. "That location is far too distant from the village center. If an emergency arises, it will be difficult for us to respond quickly. This relocation hinders our ability to do our duty."

Danzo's eyes gleamed with cold indifference. "Oh? And where were your Uchiha clan members during the Nine-Tails' attack? The Konoha Police Force did nothing."

Fugaku's fists clenched. "The Police Force's responsibility is to protect the civilians who cannot defend themselves, not to engage in battle with a tailed beast! Where was Root during the attack? I didn't see any of your people fighting the Nine-Tails!"

The tension in the room grew thick. Hiruzen raised his hands, attempting to defuse the situation. "Enough. The new location for the Uchiha clan will be near the training grounds. That should be sufficient."

Fugaku knew it was pointless to argue further. Both Hiruzen and Danzo were working together to weaken the Uchiha once again. This move was just another step in marginalizing his clan.

Danzo smirked. "If there's an emergency, Anbu will handle it. The Police Force's role is to deal with civilian issues."

The meeting concluded, and as Fugaku left the hall, the head of a smaller clan approached him. "I'm sorry, Lord Fugaku... but Danzo has decided to rebuild our clan on the old land of the Uchiha."

Fugaku's eyes flashed with fury. His Sharingan activated, three tomoe spinning within his eyes as his chakra flared.

"Stay away from me!" Fugaku snapped, his voice low and dangerous. The smaller clan leader backed away in fear, but his parting words still stung.

"I'm sorry, Lord Fugaku, but it won't change the reality of the situation."

---

Back in the Uchiha district, Fugaku's expression was dark and heavy. As he walked through the streets, he happened upon Shisui Uchiha.

"Shisui," Fugaku called. "Summon all the adult men of the clan to the clan hall for a meeting. And bring Itachi as well."

Shisui bowed respectfully. "Yes, clan leader."

---