Reincarnated as Itachi Uchiha at the Start

A Jinchūriki is someone in whom a Tailed Beast or its chakra is sealed.

A Jinchūriki is not merely a vessel—they are living disasters, capable of ending wars or starting them.

But if things go awry, the beast's chakra can overwhelm the host's consciousness, turning the Jinchūriki into a living weapon—rampaging and destroying entire villages.

As the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, whatever happened to Naruto Uzumaki, Hiruzen Sarutobi had to thoroughly inspect and investigate to ease his mind.

With the conspirators still unknown, and threats lurking, he must remain ever-vigilant. One misstep by him, and Konoha could fall.

Inside the hidden chamber:

Naruto is laid onto a bed. Hiruzen lifts his shirt and places his hand over Naruto's navel, where the Eight Trigrams seal resides.

Hiruzen is well-versed in all seven chakra natures, adept with every technique in Konoha—including the powerful sealing arts. The Eight Trigrams Seal is an advanced version of the Uzumaki clan's Four Symbols Seal, combined and enhanced into what Hiruzen calls the Double Four Symbols Seal.

With care, he examines the seal repeatedly—no flaws, no tampering, no breaches. Finally, he exhales in relief.

As he pulls down Naruto's shirt, Hiruzen's expression clouds. Naruto had said his parents taught him the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu—which means Kushina and Minato gave it to him.

Hiruzen pauses, heart pounding. Could something have happened last night that awakened Minato and Kushina's chakra within him?

Could someone have tried to harm Naruto while he slept?

The thought made Hiruzen's face sour. He remembered how Minato and Kushina sacrificed themselves that fateful night, sealing part of their chakra into Naruto—preparing for the day he could harness the Nine-Tails.

If someone had tried to strike at Naruto, Minato and Kushina's chakra had defended him... otherwise, the Eight Trigrams Seal would be broken.

Determined, Hiruzen presses his hands firmly and dives deeper into the seal with his mind.

Inside the spiritual realm of the seal:

Hiruzen found himself standing in front of the colossal cage deep within Naruto's subconscious—the place where the Nine-Tails was sealed.

Behind the bars, the enormous fox bared its fangs, eyes filled with primal rage and killing intent. Even sealed, its chakra radiated a suffocating pressure that made Hiruzen's heart skip.

Then, two familiar figures emerged from the shadows.

Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. They held Naruto gently by the hands, their expressions cold and distant.

"Lord Third," they said in unison, their voices devoid of warmth.

Hiruzen froze. "Minato… Kushina…"

Meanwhile, in Konoha—

The Nara, Hyūga, Akimichi, Yamanaka, and other major shinobi clans observed the growing unrest from behind closed doors.

In the streets, enraged villagers and civilian shinobi had taken to shouting, protesting, and even scuffling with Root and Anbu operatives. But the clans watched with cool detachment, unmoved by the spectacle.

They understood one simple truth: these mobs couldn't possibly topple a Hokage or take down Danzo. Not without clan support.

After all, the true strength of Konoha's shinobi forces rested in the hands of these powerful families. Without the backing of an elite clan—without chakra, money, or unity—this so-called uprising was nothing but a fleeting illusion. Like a flower reflected in a mirror, or the moon rippling in water, beautiful but powerless.

If the Anbu or Root chose to retaliate in full force, this riot could be crushed in the blink of an eye. Blood would spill. Families would be destroyed.

Inside the Hyūga compound, Hiashi Hyūga made his stance clear.

"For now, the Hyūga clan will remain neutral," he said firmly. "Until the truth is known, we will not take sides."

"Yes, Clan Head!" the Hyūga shinobi responded in unison.

They closed the compound gates and forbade anyone from leaving. At the same time, additional covert bodyguards were dispatched to protect Hinata and Hanabi.

Elsewhere, three clan heads gathered in private: Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Chōza, and Yamanaka Inoichi. Their expressions were solemn, their voices low. The legendary Ino–Shika–Chō alliance—unbroken since the Warring States era—had convened again in crisis.

"Shikaku," Chōza said grimly, "who do you think is really behind this?"

Shikaku narrowed his eyes. He was, after all, the sharpest mind in Konoha.

"There's no doubt that someone's pulling the strings," he said. "The timing, the riots, the posters, the leaks to the press... It's all too coordinated."

"There's a hidden hand manipulating everything—stirring the public, revealing old sins like the Hashirama cell experiments and the Nine-Tails attack... framing both Lord Hokage and Danzo."

"They're using young people as pawns, fueling chaos, and pushing the civilians and low-rank shinobi toward disaster... all to shake the very foundation of leadership in this village."

"They don't want reform. They want a coup."

Chōza and Inoichi remained silent. Shikaku continued.

"Until the fog clears, our priority is stability. We must remain neutral. Make sure your clans don't fall into the enemy's trap."

"If anyone from our clans is currently stationed in Root or Anbu, have them call in sick. Withdraw them. We stay out of the upper-tier politics until it's settled."

"And remember this," Shikaku said, eyes sharp. "The Ino–Shika–Chō alliance has always backed the Hokage. Not the person, but the position. Whoever wins the seat—we support them."

Chōza and Inoichi nodded immediately.

Shikaku let out a long sigh.

"We know someone's behind this. We also know it's deliberate—an open conspiracy. But the worst part? It's working. They've hit Konoha right where it hurts."

"Danzo won't waste a golden opportunity like this. He's ready to drag Hiruzen down to take his place."

"And now... the masks are off. Anbu and Root are already fighting. A full-scale confrontation is all but guaranteed."

"At this point, the truth doesn't matter anymore."

"What matters… is who ends up in the Hokage's chair."

He looked between his allies and said quietly:

"Small clans might try to gamble for power—but we're already at the top. The only seat higher than ours... is the Hokage's."

"And that seat? The cake's already been sliced. There's no point spilling clan blood over crumbs."

"We've always been loyal. Always moved together. And because of that, the Hokage—whoever they are—will always make room for us."

"But if we pick the wrong side, and the other wins... everything we've built over generations will be gone in an instant."

"That's why we stay out of it this time."

"Yes, both sides will resent us—but at least we won't be crushed like traitors."

"After all... we all know it—those experiments were authorized by both Sarutobi and Danzo. Neither of them can walk away clean."

"The Nine-Tails incident? That's harder to pin down. We don't know who's lying. But one of them is."

"And one thing is certain…"

Shikaku leaned forward.

"The loser… will take the fall."

"Because history? It's written by the victor."

"And we're about to find out who gets to hold the pen."

"Could be tonight. Could be by week's end. But when it's over…"

"It'll be either the Sarutobi clan or the Shimura clan still standing."

PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin