The domineering Uchiha drove the Third Hokage mad!

Chapter 93 Fugaku's Funeral... Mikoto, you're destined to be mine!

The lights of the Root base shone a stark white, illuminating the "tree" that Uchiha Fugaku had transformed into.

The outline of a human face is faintly visible on the bark, and the twisted branches seem to be struggling.

The high-ranking officials of Konoha stood around.

Uchiha Tsushima's forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his voice trembled slightly.

"The Fourth Hokage... regained his sight after injecting the second vial of Hashirama cell culture medium... and his chakra level increased fourfold... We advised him many times... but he became addicted to this kind of power-up... until he injected the fourth vial... and completely lost control..."

His fingers unconsciously traced the notebook, which clearly recorded the time and dosage of Fugaku's injection, as well as the moment he lost control.

Mikoto Uchiha knelt to the side, tightly embracing Itachi Uchiha.

Her tears fell silently, while Itachi's little hands gripped his mother's sleeve tightly.

Witnessing his father's death, 5-year-old Itachi Uchiha awakened the Sharingan with a one-tomoe shape.

He is now staring intently at the tree with his one-tomoe Sharingan.

Tsunade stepped forward, reached out and touched the tree trunk, feeling a rough and cold sensation on her fingertips.

Her brows furrowed deeply.

Hiashi Hyuga activated his Byakugan, staring intently at the inside of the tree trunk, and said in a deep voice, "The flow of chakra has completely stopped... There's really no hope."

Nara Shikaku rubbed his temples and sighed, "Fugaku... he's only been Hokage for a little over three months... this is a huge problem."

Uchiha Yatsuhoku's face was grim, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked: "Clan Chief Fugaku... how could he suddenly..."

Kurama Amako murmured, "The death of Clan Chief Fugaku was so sudden... what will happen to the Hokage position...?"

Uchiha Mitsumine frowned deeply: "Alright, the most urgent tasks are preparing for Fugaku's funeral and selecting the Fifth Hokage!"

Everyone fell silent.

......

The atmosphere in the Hokage Building's conference room was heavy.

Elder Advisor Nara Shikaku nodded: "According to convention, a Jonin meeting should be convened to vote on the Fifth Hokage... as a candidate!"

The Eighth Hokage suddenly stood up: "In terms of strength and seniority, the three members of the Uchiha clan are all qualified candidates for the Fifth Hokage!"

"My Kurama clan seconds the motion and supports Uchiha Mitsunori becoming the Fifth Hokage!" Logistics Minister Kurama Tensō then declared.

"And our Kazami clan also supports Uchiha Mitsunori becoming the Fifth Hokage!" Kazami Tomohiko, the propaganda minister, stated in succession!

In the Hokage Building's conference room, cheers of support rose and fell.

Uchiha Mitsunori leaned back in his chair and waved his hand lazily: "Thank you all for your trust in me, but I recommend Tsunade-senpai to become the Fifth Hokage."

These words were like a block of ice thrown into boiling water. The people in the conference room erupted in uproar!

Tsunade abruptly raised her head and exclaimed incredulously, "What?"

Uchiha Mitsumine smiled innocently: "You are one of the Legendary Sannin, the granddaughter of the First Hokage. Your strength and reputation are impeccable. Moreover... what Konoha needs right now is stability. If I were to become the Fifth Hokage, it would give the outside world the impression that the Uchiha clan dominates Konoha, which would hinder the village's future development!"

Uchiha Yatsuho asked in astonishment, "Mitsumine, why did you do this?"

Uchiha Mitsunori replied, "I will fight for the clan's interests, but only on the premise of not harming the village's interests. Moreover, I believe that Tsunade becoming the Fifth Hokage would be beneficial to our Uchiha clan."

As a veteran hawkish elder, the Eighth Hokage of Uchiha was not satisfied with this answer.

He shouted angrily, "Uchiha Sanfeng, you are not yet the head of the Uchiha clan, you have no right to decide the future of the Uchiha!"

Listening to the two arguing, Hiashi Hyuga's Byakugan narrowed slightly.

......

On the day of Fugaku Uchiha's funeral, a gloomy rain shrouded the Konoha cemetery.

Uchiha Sanfeng stood before Uchiha Fugaku's cenotaph, holding a black umbrella, and sighed inwardly: This unlucky kid, even his funeral is on a rainy day!

He glanced down at Uchiha Mikoto, who was crying herself to exhaustion, and... Uchiha Itachi, who was eerily quiet!

He stood in the rain... and didn't shed a single tear!

Uchiha Mitsunori turned to look at the silent clansmen in the rain: "Clan Head Fugaku, it's a relapse of an old illness. Everyone... please accept my condolences."

In the rain, Itachi Uchiha suddenly looked up.

His gaze pierced through the rain curtain, and he glanced at Uchiha Sanfeng, who was standing in the back row, with a complicated expression.

After the funeral, the Uchiha clan members gathered in twos and threes, whispering about the future.

"Lord Fugaku is gone, we Uchiha..."

"I heard that Lord Mitsumine doesn't want to become the Fifth Hokage... What should we do?"

"Will it be like what happened back then...?"

Uchiha Mitsumine suddenly clapped his hands and said in an unquestionable tone, "You should have heard that when Fugaku became the Fourth Hokage, the village was in dire financial straits. Even the Anbu's salaries were only paid by Fugaku using clan funds. The Guard Corps' salaries were also more than a month behind. In the end, I organized a tournament and earned 600 billion ryo for the village, which solved the village's financial problems. I refused to become the Fifth Hokage because the village couldn't offer us Uchiha more benefits."

"Lord Mitsumine is right. Our lives haven't changed much since Clan Chief Fugaku became the Fourth Hokage!"

"If Chief Fugaku hadn't been Hokage, the 600 billion ryo earned from the tournament might have all gone to the Uchiha clan. Ah! What a pity!"

"I feel that Lord Mitsumine is right..."

The Uchiha clan members were buzzing with discussion...

Uchiha Mitsumine clapped his hands, amplifying his voice with chakra, and said, "Disperse, I'm here, everyone can continue as usual."

The Uchiha clan members looked at each other in bewilderment, and eventually left one by one.

Itachi Uchiha walked over and asked, "Uncle Sanmine, why did it turn out like this?"

Uchiha Mitsunori asked gently, "Itachi, what do you mean by that?"

Uchiha Itachi said softly, "Why is it that when my father died, my clansmen didn't seem so sad? Instead, they were worried about their own interests."

"Your father, as I said before, was the head of the Uchiha clan and the head of the security detail. He had everything: power, status, strength, love, and family. He lived a life of privilege, which fostered Fugaku's arrogant and condescending mentality. He treated his clansmen as property and found it difficult to empathize with them, resulting in him rarely communicating with them."

Looking at Uchiha Itachi, he was completely bewildered.

Uchiha Mitsunori ruffled Itachi's hair and said, "You're only five years old, so don't worry about figuring this out. You'll understand when you grow up!"

Uchiha Itachi stared at the tombstone, his heart filled with questions and confusion: "Will I automatically understand when I grow up?"

While comforting Itachi, Uchiha Mitsumine kept glancing at Uchiha Mikoto beside him.

She was dressed in a traditional black mourning dress, holding a freshly picked white daisy in her hand. Her delicate and restrained appearance resembled a white camellia wilted by the rain, making one want to protect her.

The image of Uchiha Mitsumine bathing, which he had unintentionally witnessed using his Byakugan, automatically surfaced in Uchiha Mitsunori's mind...

This made his heart beat a little faster.

"Now that Fugaku is dead... Mikoto... is now a widow all alone..."

According to the rules of the ninja world, it is perfectly normal for a widow to remarry.

Mikoto... does she belong only to me?

A burning possessiveness surged up my blood.

He had even begun to imagine... marrying Mikoto... and the two of them interacting intimately...

Just then, Mikoto seemed to notice Uchiha Mitsunori's gaze.

She turned her head and their eyes met.

In that instant, time seemed to freeze, their gazes met in the air, and they could both feel each other's presence.

Mikoto Uchiha's eyes were clear and deep, reflecting the emotions in Mitsunori's eyes.

She was slightly taken aback at first, and then a hint of wariness flashed in her clear eyes: she clearly saw in Sanfeng's gaze an undisguised desire to "possess" her.

She was startled, but remained outwardly calm: Why do I feel like Sanfeng wants to forcibly possess me? Is this just my imagination?

But that gaze was so direct that it sent a chill down her spine.

The current Konoha Village is practically a one-man show by the three Uchiha peaks.

If... he's going to use force... should I give in?

What's even more terrifying is that if he uses the weasel to threaten her... then she'll have no choice but to give in!

Mikoto Uchiha forcibly suppressed the panic in her heart, lowered her eyelashes, and concealed the unease in her eyes.

Then, she gave a graceful bow: "Mitsubone, thank you for talking to Itachi today. The child is still young, so thank you for taking such good care of him."

Looking at her drooping hair, Uchiha Mitsunori knew that Mikoto had probably sensed his thoughts.

He admitted that he coveted Mikoto's beauty and gentleness, and that he had indeed considered possessing her.

Uchiha Mitsunori withdrew his greedy gaze, trying to keep his tone calm: "Mrs. Mikoto, please don't overwork yourself. Itachi is still young and needs your care. Please take care of yourself!"

Mikoto Uchiha gave a soft "hmm" and said nothing more, then turned around and took Itachi's small hand.

Itachi Uchiha looked up at his mother and asked softly, "Mom, are we going home?"

"Hmm, your hands are a bit cold. I'll cook you some hot porridge when we get home."

Mikoto Uchiha, holding Itachi's small hand, turned and left the cemetery.

Uchiha Mitsunori didn't rush to leave. He watched Mikoto's retreating figure, his possessiveness growing stronger.

This path may not be easy, but he will never give up...

Mikoto, she's destined to be mine alone...