Naruto: The Flame That Reshapes Fate

The ANBU appeared in response to Elder Homura Mitokado's orders.

These masked elites attempted to seize the barely-alive Kirigakure envoy from Shisui's hands, but this time, Shisui, who had resolved to stand firm, did not yield. Instead, he resisted decisively, swiftly taking down two full ANBU squads with genjutsu.

The sight of the ANBU collapsing like harvested wheat shocked many present.

Truth be told, several people in the room had the strength to singlehandedly defeat two ANBU squads—but precisely because they had that kind of power, they understood just how difficult it was to neutralize them so effortlessly and in such a short time.

Without a fierce and drawn-out battle, this wouldn't have been possible.

Shisui was truly worthy of the Uchiha name.

Last time, it had been the composed and effortless way Aburame Torune had been stopped that amazed everyone. Now, Shisui's performance once again gave them firsthand experience of how innately gifted the Uchiha clan truly was. Their endless stream of geniuses was hard not to envy—or resent.

A sour feeling welled up in many hearts.

Why didn't their clans produce such talents?

"Demonic Illusion: True Word Technique!"

Kurama Sōun acted just as swiftly.

Ever since his beloved daughter had become Rēn's student, the Kurama clan had effectively been bound to the Uchiha. If the Uchiha fell, so would they. So even if it meant angering the Third Hokage, he still chose to obey Rēn's command.

He used a genjutsu unique to the Kurama clan on the already weakened Kirigakure envoy—who had just been freed from Shisui's illusion and was in a mentally debilitated state.

This was a genjutsu specifically designed for intelligence extraction. It disrupted the target's chakra flow into a specific disordered state, inducing a trance-like condition. In that state, the target would answer any question truthfully, straight from the heart.

The reliability of the information obtained through the True Word Technique was beyond question. The Kurama clan, an old Konoha family with a Kekkei Genkai lineage—albeit unstable—was well known in terms of their capabilities.

Moreover,

Many present had carried out missions with Kurama clan shinobi. At least half of them had personally witnessed the True Word Technique in action.

Sitting across from Rēn, Hyūga Hiashi quietly activated his Byakugan and examined the Kirigakure ninja closely, confirming there were no signs of Sharingan influence. Other clan heads also used their own means to confirm the envoy was only under Kurama Sōun's genjutsu and had not been tampered with by any third party.

Kurama Sōun, seeing the technique had succeeded, breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

As for what to ask…

Rēn had already given the order: interrogate the envoy about what Kirigakure was planning.

"Tell me. What is Kirigakure's purpose in coming to Konoha?"

Kurama Sōun demanded.

As his words fell, the meeting room fell silent. Everyone's attention turned toward the puppet-like Kirigakure envoy held by Shisui. No one could deny their curiosity—back when Rēn had urged Yamanaka Inoichi to probe the envoy's mind, the itch to know had already begun.

Unfortunately, the Ino-Shika-Chō trio were masters of self-preservation, and Inoichi had remained motionless.

But now,

It seemed the show was still on.

The Third Hokage and the two elders had been single-handedly locked down by Rēn. The envoy was in Shisui's grasp. Two ANBU squads had been taken out. If they called in more…

That clearly wasn't an option.

The Third sighed inwardly.

The clan head's curiosity had been stirred. To continue obstructing now would only give the impression they were deliberately covering something up.

More importantly, the village wasn't ready to go to war with the Uchiha. Lately, he had been reviewing the Second Hokage's classified research on the Uchiha and the Sharingan, and the more he read, the more alarmed he became. The Mangekyō Sharingan, unique dōjutsu powers for each Mangekyō, Susanoo...

Until every contingency was in place, the village couldn't afford open conflict with the Uchiha.

Fortunately, he reassured himself, there were no shady dealings or secret arrangements between the village and Kirigakure—nothing the envoy could say that would truly endanger them. And even if something did come up... Danzo was still lying in the hospital...

Just as the Third Hokage's thoughts spiraled, the dazed Kirigakure envoy spoke up.

"Orders. Mizukage-sama ordered us to retrieve Samehada."

"And?"

"Also to intimidate Konoha with the threat of war—so that, along with returning Samehada, Konoha would hand over the heads of the two demons who killed so many of our comrades—Flame Demon and Shunshin."

The Kirigakure envoy spilled everything like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.

The meeting room erupted.

Even those who were not close to the Uchiha felt a sense of insult—Kirigakure had so blatantly looked down on Konoha…

Kurama Sōun was stunned. These bastards—were they dreaming? What village would ever agree to something so ridiculous? Kill its own battlefield heroes and hand over their heads to the enemy?

Wait.

A spark flashed through his mind.

He suppressed his chaotic thoughts and pressed further: "And why do you think Konoha would ever agree to such outrageous demands?"

"Outrageous?"

The dazed Kirigakure envoy instinctively responded with a question, startling Kurama Sōun, who feared the illusion might've been broken. Fortunately, the envoy continued, "Didn't Kumo successfully extort Konoha with the threat of war two years ago? The Third Hokage even killed the Hyūga clan head's brother and handed over the corpse to appease Kumo. So if we're asking for Samehada and two heads, that's normal, right? Even one would be fine."

When the envoy finished speaking,

The meeting room fell into dead silence.

Every clan head and department head fell silent.

The corners of their eyes subtly shifted toward Hyūga Hiashi, sitting across from Uchiha Rēn. The Hyūga clan head now lowered his gaze, expressionless, making it impossible to read his thoughts.

However,

A blank expression was a statement in itself—one that made the Third and the elder's expressions turn grim.

"This is sowing discord."

Elder Koharu Utatane forced a defense, trying to gloss things over.

"Elder Koharu, whether or not this is sowing discord—Kirigakure wants the heads of Shisui and me. What do you and Hokage-sama intend to do? Will you give them? Or not?"

Rēn pressed relentlessly.