Chapter 46: Is It Really the Uchiha’s Fault That They’re Being Monitored?

Konoha Year 54.

Naka Shrine, Uchiha Clan Assembly.

Most of the elite shinobi of the entire Uchiha clan had gathered here.

Many clan members were visibly furious, venting their dissatisfaction with the village.

"How long are those damn ANBU going to keep spying on us?"

"During the Nine-Tails’ attack, we Uchiha wanted to go out and fight, but Danzo ordered us to protect the civilians instead! And afterward, the villagers turned around and called us cowards who hid from the battle!"

"We asked the village to issue an explanation, but there hasn’t been any response!"

"We were simply carrying out our duties according to the regulations, yet the villagers still filed complaints against us!"

"The ANBU are constantly clashing with our Police Force as well!"

The Uchiha already had grievances because they had been excluded from the village’s central political power.

Over the years since the Nine-Tails’ rampage, those grievances had only grown deeper due to the forced relocation of their clan district and the ANBU’s twenty-four-hour surveillance.

Some clan members had even occasionally begun mentioning the word "coup."

The accumulated resentment between the Uchiha and the village leadership had simply become too deep.

At the very front of the Naka Shrine stood Uchiha Fugaku and the other senior members of the Police Force.

The Police Force had a structure similar to the ANBU.

Uchiha Fugaku was its commander, while Uchiha Yashiro served as deputy commander and also led the First Division.

The other three division commanders were Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Inabi, and Uchiha Tekka.

Reiji, meanwhile, was a squad captain under Shisui’s Second Division.

Uchiha Yashiro looked around.

Seeing that Reiji hadn’t said anything, he asked:

"Reiji, do you have any thoughts?"

"At this point, I just want the village to stop monitoring us. Do those ANBU really think their cameras are hidden?"

Reiji spoke with little interest.

As soon as he finished, many Uchiha immediately voiced their agreement.

This was especially true of those who had awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan.

For Uchiha with the Sharingan, not noticing the large number of cameras around their clan district was actually the difficult part!

Every day, whether they were walking through the streets or training at the practice grounds, they could feel the almost omnipresent sensation of being watched.

It was incredibly irritating!

Uchiha Yashiro nodded, looking somewhat regretful.

"Unfortunately, the clan head raised this issue with the village again recently, but they still refused."

In fact, this wasn’t the first time they’d brought it up.

Originally, the surveillance of the Uchiha district had been established to identify the mastermind behind the Nine-Tails’ attack.

So, at first, the Uchiha had endured it in order to clear themselves of suspicion.

But from the Nine-Tails’ attack until now, six years had already passed!

They had been monitored for six years, yet the ANBU still hadn’t uncovered anything.

And every time the Uchiha requested that the surveillance be removed, their request was rejected.

"Itachi, do you have any information from the ANBU?"

Uchiha Yashiro asked Uchiha Itachi, who was standing toward the back of the crowd.

Uchiha Itachi stood up, lowering his head slightly with his eyelids half-closed.

"I believe there is another reason the village continues monitoring the clan."

"The clan has been holding too many gatherings recently."

"The village fears that the Uchiha may be planning some kind of disturbance, which is why they have continued monitoring the clan district."

"So, I believe the clan should reduce the number of gatherings and demonstrate our goodwill to the village leadership. If we do that..."

As he spoke, Uchiha Itachi suddenly realized that the entire room had fallen silent.

He looked up.

Almost every clan member was glaring at him angrily.

At the front, Uchiha Shisui was frantically signaling him with his eyes.

"Itachi!"

Uchiha Yashiro roared furiously.

"Which side are you on?! I seriously question your loyalty now!"

Again!

It’s this kind of thing again!

Uchiha Itachi felt dissatisfied inwardly and frowned.

"I’m both Uchiha Itachi of the village and Uchiha Itachi of the Uchiha clan."

Beside him, Uchiha Inabi and Uchiha Tekka also spoke with displeased expressions.

"Then show us the attitude expected of an Uchiha clan member!"

"According to what you’re saying, are you implying that it’s actually our fault that the Uchiha are being monitored?!"

Of course it is!

Uchiha Itachi desperately wanted to say those words.

The clan members were arrogant, conceited, aggressive, and unwilling to consider the bigger picture. They only cared about themselves while disregarding the village.

In his eyes, his fellow clansmen had completely lost their reason.

All they knew how to do was complain like resentful wives, pointlessly venting their anger.

As for the frequent clan gatherings, and the fact that some people had even begun discussing a coup, that was simply disregarding the village’s peace!

However.

When Itachi looked up and saw the worried expression in Shisui’s eyes, he ultimately gave in.

"I’ll report the clan’s concerns to the Hokage."

After the clan assembly.

Shisui went to find Itachi.

"Itachi, what you did just now was extremely dangerous."

Just moments ago, Itachi had practically opposed every member of the Uchiha clan.

He had even said that the ANBU’s surveillance was partly because the clan held too many gatherings.

Such words would have been fiercely opposed by the clan members even if they had come from Shisui or Fugaku, let alone Itachi.

"I stand by what I said."

Itachi’s expression was firm.

"I understand that you dislike the clan assemblies, but you also need to consider how the clan members feel. They’ve been monitored for so long. It’s only natural that they would have some resentment."

Shisui sighed.

He had been trying to restore trust between the Uchiha and the village.

Yet the clan’s dissatisfaction with the village was only growing stronger.

Itachi said nothing, clearly unmoved.

Seeing this, Shisui spoke with a complicated expression.

"Let me tell you something, Itachi."

"Yashiro and the others asked me to keep an eye on you during my daily activities. They’ve gradually lost their trust in you and believe that you’ve completely sided with the village."

Shisui had originally not wanted to tell Itachi that he had been asked to monitor his own friend.

"..."

Itachi’s expression froze.

Immediately afterward, a powerful sense of disgust surged through him.

His rejection of his fellow clan members almost became impossible to suppress.

Lowering his head, Itachi concealed his expression.

"Sorry, Shisui. I need to leave first."

After saying that, he headed straight toward the Hokage’s office.

As an ANBU under the Hokage, he needed to report the contents of the clan assembly to the Hokage.

Uchiha Shisui watched him leave with an extremely complicated expression.

When Itachi had first joined the ANBU, Shisui had been the one who recommended him.

At that time, he had never imagined that the conflict between the clan and the village would eventually become this severe.

And now, Itachi had become a double agent caught between the village and his own clan.

Shisui raised a hand and gently touched the corner of his eye.

Could I really be forced to use Kotoamatsukami...?

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