Chương 224: Changing Destiny

Fugaku sat quietly in his new home, located within the newly established Uchiha compound in the village proper. A cup of tea rested in his hands as he observed the small garden behind the house, its stone path still pristine, the leaves barely moving in the afternoon breeze. Since the Uchiha had moved here, things had begun to feel almost normal. Not safe, not comfortable, but closer to ordinary than they had been in years. The clan was slowly reintegrating into the fabric of the village once more.

People still feared them. Some still looked at them with open distrust. But the tension had softened. Conversations no longer stopped when an Uchiha passed by. The hostility was no longer sharp, only wary, and that alone was progress. Shisui had done an incredible job. Fugaku could not deny that. Noa's timely intervention, followed by the Yamanaka clan's swift and calculated response, ensured the survival of one of the clan's most valuable shinobi.

Shisui's survival gave Fugaku the leverage needed to extract concessions from Hiruzen. It was a meaningful step toward normalization. Fugaku sipped his tea slowly, already planning his next moves. His thoughts inevitably returned to the problem he had been trying not to dwell on. The rogue faction of his clan. Those who had refused to move back into the village proper. Those who remained behind in the old district, growing angrier by the day.

Most of the voices that once brought balance had already relocated to the new compound, leaving the most radical among them together, isolated and feeding on their resentment. They were left to stew in it, unchecked. Fugaku knew better than to ignore such a thing. Discontent left unattended had a way of becoming something far worse. It was no longer a minor concern. It was becoming a terrifying problem.

"If I do nothing about them, and soon, I will end up in a very bad situation," he sighed.

"Life is never all good, is it," Fugaku muttered, the words carrying a trace of mockery. A knock echoed at the door of his private study. It came during the one hour of the day Fugaku reserved for himself, a time meant for reflection and quiet meditation. Everyone in the household knew not to disturb him then. Any interruption meant something important had happened.

"Come in," Fugaku said, his voice firm, irritation slipping through despite his restraint. What he saw when the door slid open made that irritation vanish. Standing in the doorway was someone he never expected to find here. Sumire Yamanaka. For a brief moment, Fugaku simply stared. Her presence alone was enough to unsettle the room.

Her husband, Hirotaka Yamanaka, was one of the fastest growing power brokers in the village, a man whose influence had quietly wrapped itself around the civilian council and crept disturbingly close to the elders. They had even supported the idea of Noa moving into the Uchiha compound, a move Fugaku had not forgotten. He owed them enough to at least hear her out. She bowed slightly, her movements precise and polite.

"I apologize for disturbing your private time, Fugaku dono, but I need to speak with you." Behind her, the servants looked close to panic, unsure how to handle the situation. Sumire glanced back at them briefly before continuing, "I came to offer a housewarming gift. However, Lady Mikoto was not present." Fugaku waved the servants away and watched them close the door, relief evident on their faces. They left the two alone. Sumire moved further into the room and sat down with incredible grace.

Her movements were so smooth they felt almost suspended in time, oddly soothing to watch despite the tension settling in the air. She placed her gift carefully to the side before looking back at him.

"Fugaku dono," she asked calmly, "may I ask you to activate the privacy seals." Her tone was gentle, polite, and unmistakably decisive. Fugaku formed a hand seal, and with a controlled pulse of chakra, a barrier settled over the room. Such precautions were standard for a clan head's residence. Only then did he look at her, gaze cutting past appearance in search of intent.

"This is not just about a housewarming gift, is it," Fugaku asked, a faint smile touching his lips.

"No," Sumire replied evenly.

"My husband wished to attend. However, a meeting between the two of you, especially at this point in time, would have attracted unnecessary scrutiny and unwanted attention, so I came in his stead." She paused only briefly.

"As expected of the commander of the Military Police, your instincts are sharp. This concerns something far more important than a simple housewarming gift." He raised an eyebrow.

"And what would that be."

"The future of the Uchiha clan." Fugaku's eyes widened slightly as he gave her his full attention. Sumire did not waste time. She had no desire to linger or invite suspicion. Any delay risked exposing her true purpose for coming here, especially with the possibility of spies within the clan head's house.

"For the past few months, Sena has been working tirelessly to shape the reputation of her team, her sensei, and by extension, the Uchiha clan." Fugaku could not deny the truth of it. Sena Yamanaka had cultivated considerable goodwill through her precise handling of clients, mission desk personnel, nobility, and even the Hokage himself. To the point where the Uchiha were now treated fairly at the mission desk.

To the point where even the unchanging Hokage, Hiruzen, had approved Uchiha jonin as Academy instructors, ensuring further integration into the village. Sumire continued without pause.

"Given how strong that boy Noa is," she said, a flicker of restrained disdain passing through her gaze, "his team has a strong chance of promotion. That success would bring considerable prestige to Shisui and to your clan, especially considering Shisui's role in his training." Fugaku nodded slowly, following her reasoning, though confusion crept in. Sumire noticed it immediately.

"We have a proposition for you, Fugaku dono," she said.

"The Uchiha handle police duties, and as you know, that role has never made them particularly beloved by the village. But what if I had a way for the police force to score an undeniable victory against an enemy of the village, rather than acting only against its own citizens." If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. His interest sharpened.

"What kind of victory?" Hook, line, and sinker, Sumire thought, though her expression did not change.

"We have access to the identities and operations of a full Hidden Sand spy network operating within Konoha," she said calmly.

"If apprehended publicly, it would result in an immense boost to your reputation in a single stroke." Fugaku nearly rose from his seat before stopping himself.

"Do you truly possess such information."

"Yes." Suspicion returned immediately.

"Then why not bring this to ANBU and gain favor with the Hokage." Sumire tilted her head slightly, declining to answer. Fugaku's gaze hardened. He studied her carefully and noticed the ring on her finger, its presence subtly disrupting her chakra flow. It was not decorative. It was deliberate. Precautions. With Yamanaka jonin guards nearby and servants close at hand, she had clearly prepared for every angle.

"I will not entertain this further unless you tell me why you came to me instead of the Hokage," Fugaku said coldly.

"The Uchiha have been harmed too many times by trusting unknown intentions. If you decide to speak, do not bother lying. I will know." His chakra stirred, pressure rolling outward. He sensed her guards shift slightly, though none moved to intervene. Sumire remained completely unshaken.

"Principled and straightforward," she replied lightly.

"It is a good trait to have in an ally." Internally, she dismissed such principles as unwise, yet her words remained measured, shaped carefully for people of that nature.

"The village has grown rigid. Its power structure is fixed in place, stable, and stagnant. Stability is good for business, but it limits expansion. This single move would be a win for both of our factions. Trade influence would shift once the spy network is dismantled, since several merchants are entangled with it, and when those positions are vacated, we will move to fill them. You receive the credit for capturing an external enemy, and with your abilities, interrogation will not be an obstacle." Fugaku frowned.

"I would not gain enough from that alone to justify your involvement. What are your ultimate goals?" Sumire picked up on it instantly.

"We will influence the investigation into Danzo to ensure conflict between him and Hiruzen. While attention is focused there, we will organize morale operations. Distribution of food, clothing, and gifts to the village. In return, we will request that the Hokage allow the Uchiha police force to secure these events. You will be the face of them. You will distribute the aid. The goodwill gained will be immense." Excitement and alarm warred within him.

"Why go this far for us. We have never shared such a connection with the Yamanaka clan." Sumire did not hesitate.

"There is a chance the Third will step down following the investigation. He will likely take the fall to protect his friend from execution. Neither Jiraiya nor Tsunade will take the seat. With our influence over the civilian shinobi, the elders, and our connections to the daimyo, we will push for you to become Hokage if the opportunity arises, especially given your record as one of the candidates once named for the Fourth's seat, not to mention your reputation as a war hero.

My husband and I will play our part perfectly. The rest depends on you." Fugaku's thoughts spiraled. Sumire did not soften the blow. She had laid everything bare, knowing time was limited. It was an enormous proposition, one that could shape the fate of both the Uchiha clan and the village itself, delivered in mere minutes. He took a slow breath, calming his thoughts as he processed the information with frightening speed, something not unfamiliar to a Mangekyo Sharingan user.

After a moment, he asked the only question that truly mattered.

"What do you want in return." Sumire rose gently, her movements as controlled as ever, a faint smile settling over her face as though she already knew she had secured his cooperation.

"Should this succeed, we ask that you remember us. Should it fail, you will owe us a significant favor. Either way, you lose nothing." Fugaku activated his Sharingan, observing her closely. Every muscle. Every fluctuation of chakra. Every breath. He detected no deceit at all. Worse, she did not react at all. It was as though her expression and posture were carved into existence, fixed in a perpetual state of composure.

"You have yourself a deal," Fugaku said. The decision was final. Fugaku had never seen value in clinging to indecision once responsibility demanded action. For the first time since she arrived, Sumire nodded, a trace of genuine satisfaction finally breaking through her composure.

"A pleasure doing business with you, Fugaku dono." She departed the room, leaving behind servants struggling to hide their shaking hands. As she stepped into the front hall, the door slid open to reveal Itachi, smiling as he held a piece of sweets just out of Sasuke's reach. Sasuke jumped, complaining loudly, "Mom, Itachi won't give me my candy." Then he saw her. Sasuke froze before instinctively hiding behind Itachi. He felt something terrifying from her, something his young mind could not understand.

Itachi noticed the shift immediately and followed his brother's gaze. A woman in a kimono stood there. The fabric was white, not simply clean but pristine, layered with such precision that it felt sculpted rather than worn. Each fold rested exactly where it belonged, unmarred by movement or breath, as though the garment had been arranged once and never disturbed again. The color was uniform and pale, catching the light without reflecting warmth, giving the impression of polished stone rather than cloth.

Her hair was arranged with the same exactness, dark strands fixed perfectly in place, framing her face without a single loose thread to soften it. Nothing about her shifted or reacted. She did not fidget, did not breathe noticeably, did not sway. She stood like a statue given form, flawless and still. Her presence froze the air. Itachi sensed no emotion from her, only depth. Undefined, unfathomable depth, the kind that felt endless precisely because nothing stirred within it.

Her eyes were cold, frighteningly so, not sharp or cruel, but perfectly calm as they studied him, as though he were something already understood. For the first time in his life, Itachi felt a sense of unease he did not understand. A shiver ran through his body as he stood opposite her. Mikoto entered moments later, confused by the sight of servants panicking and her children frozen in place. She followed their gaze and found Sumire already watching her, standing calmly, her demeanor warm and pleasant.

"Lady Mikoto," Sumire said politely, "I came with a housewarming gift, but you were not present. I troubled Fugaku dono instead. I hope you do not mind my sudden visit." Mikoto smiled at her gentle tone.

"Not at all. We have had many visitors since moving here. Please, join me for tea."

"Another time," Sumire replied with a soft laugh.

"My time today is limited. I look forward to visiting you again soon."

"I will hold you to that," Mikoto said warmly. Sumire took Mikoto's hand and shook it gently, her scent pleasant and carefully soothing.

"Of course. I look forward to it as well." She departed as quietly as she had arrived, moving as though she floated rather than walked. Mikoto looked down at her children, puzzled.

"What happened to you two?" Neither Itachi nor Sasuke could bring themselves to answer. A/N: Now I'm really interested in what you all think of this lol. This is a pretty major move from the Yamanaka, but I'll give you a small spoiler. This is only a small part of the Yamanaka's full picture plan. I promise it is mind blowing. I'm really looking forward to your comments, predictions, and theories in the comment section hehe Also I'm still looking for a few beta readers with deep Naruto lore knowledge.

I mean solid on: manga, anime (optional: light novels, movies, and the weird edge cases most people forget.) On top of that, you should be very familiar with Stormbreaker's own lore, rules, and long-running setups. The goal is to help catch lore inconsistencies, canon conflicts, and moments where something doesn't line up with established Stormbreaker logic, which does happen sometimes given how bad my memory can be lol. Chapter review is part of it too. Grammar isn't the focus unless it breaks immersion.

Beta readers get early access to a crazy amount of advanced chapters, new chapters the moment they come out of the oven, and a say in keeping the story tight and internally consistent as things continue to escalate. If you're interested, DM me with: – How deep your Naruto knowledge goes – How long you've been reading Stormbreaker – How confident are you in helping me give our amazing readers the best chapters we can? Only good and trustworthy people allowed hehe.

Mostly because I want this to stay fun, chill, and drama-free.