"A traitor has appeared. No, this is impossible!"
The Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna retorted instinctively.
As a member of the Uchiha clan, the most prominent family in Konoha, everyone took pride in their Uchiha heritage.
How could there possibly be a traitor in such a clan?
"Impossible, this is impossible!"
The Third Elder, Uchiha Tsukasa, also shook his head repeatedly.
Although the Uchiha family was known for their arrogance, they held a strong sense of clan pride. Betrayal was unthinkable.
He wouldn't have been surprised if a traitor emerged from any other family in the village, but he refused to believe that there was a traitor within the Uchiha clan.
"Clan leader, could this be a misunderstanding?"
The Second Elder, Uchiha Shou, asked doubtfully.
Though he often disagreed with the First and Third Elders on many matters, he was in complete agreement with them when it came to a traitor within the clan.
The pride of the Uchiha clan was immense, and betrayal seemed out of the question.
"Take a look at this scroll."
Uchiha Fugaku, the clan leader, tossed a prepared scroll to the three elders, who quickly passed it among themselves.
As they read, their expressions darkened. The veins on their foreheads bulged, and their faces were soon filled with barely-contained anger.
"Traitor! This traitor!"
The Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna slammed his hands onto the table, his body trembling with rage.
"It's good he's dead, but it's infuriating he got away with it for so long!"
The Third Elder, Uchiha Tsukasa, had bloodshot eyes, his hatred clear.
"How could he be a traitor?"
The Second Elder, Uchiha Shou, appeared dazed, struggling to process the shocking revelation.
The scroll Uchiha Fugaku had shown them contained an investigation report about Uchiha Chi.
Like Fugaku, Uchiha Chi had been one of the few rational clan members who didn't support the coup and someone with whom Fugaku had shared a close bond.
Fugaku had been deeply saddened by Chi's death just days prior, but he never expected Chi to be a traitor.
"He's been lurking in the Uchiha clan for sixteen years. His death is a relief for us, but it's maddening that such a treacherous individual existed among us!"
The Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna seethed with hatred.
The thought that Uchiha Chi had been a spy within the Uchiha clan for so long filled him with fury.
In those sixteen years, many clan secrets had likely been exposed.
"Of course, he couldn't escape punishment."
Uchiha Fugaku said coldly.
"After confirming his identity as a traitor, I executed him myself."
"However, to avoid alerting the Third Hokage, I made it appear as though Chi was killed by a ninja with the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai."
Now that Uchiha Chi's true identity as a traitor had been revealed, Fugaku saw no need to hide the truth behind Chi's death any longer.
As for whether there were any other traitors among the three elders, Fugaku had already investigated and ruled out that possibility.
Considering their high-ranking positions, betraying the Uchiha clan would bring no benefit to the three elders.
They were too tied to the clan's fortunes, and their loyalty was beyond question.
As for the Third Hokage's "Will of Fire," it might have influenced younger shinobi, but it held no sway over these seasoned elders. Their age and experience made them impervious to such ideals.
"Well done!"
"Yes, that was the right decision!"
The Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna and the Third Elder Uchiha Tsukasa looked at Fugaku with newfound respect.
Over the years, Fugaku had repeatedly compromised under pressure from Konoha's leadership, giving up Uchiha interests time and again.
They had become increasingly disappointed with Fugaku, considering him too weak and unfit to lead the clan.
But Fugaku's decisive handling of the traitor Uchiha Chi had changed their perception.
"Since Uchiha Chi was the traitor, does that mean the Third Hokage already knows about the clan's plan for a coup?"
Suddenly, the Second Elder Uchiha Shou turned pale, cold sweat running down his back.
Uchiha Chi had been a spy within the family for sixteen years, and the coup had only been planned in the past few years.
There was a good chance that Uchiha Chi had already informed the Third Hokage about the coup.
A chill ran through him, the icy fear creeping into his heart.
"The Third Hokage already knows... about the Uchiha clan's plans for a coup?"
The words of the Second Elder hit the First and Third Elders like a shockwave. Their pupils contracted, and panic crossed their faces.
The coup they had been planning for so long had already been discovered.
A strong sense of crisis and panic gripped their hearts.
With Uchiha Chi having been the Third Hokage's spy for so many years, it was almost certain the Hokage had known about the Uchiha clan's intentions from the start.
"The Third Hokage has been aware of the coup from the beginning. He's been waiting for an excuse to wipe out the Uchiha clan."
Fugaku explained.
"If I hadn't used my position as clan leader to suppress the voices calling for a coup, the Third Hokage would've used it as a pretext to destroy us."
"The Third Hokage has likely already taken action against the Uchiha clan. It's possible that our clan's very survival is at stake."
The backs of the Great Elder Uchiha Setsuna and the Third Elder Uchiha Tsukasa were drenched in sweat.
They both knew that if a coup were attempted, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Even they had to admit that with the Third Hokage prepared, the chances of a successful coup were slim to none.
"Clan leader, you've eliminated the traitor Uchiha Chi, but you also mentioned that there might be another traitor within the family. Is that true?"
Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, the Second Elder Uchiha Shou asked quickly.
"The Third Hokage has been scheming for over ten years. It's almost certain that there's more than one traitor in our clan."
Uchiha Fugaku stated firmly.
"Another traitor? Clan leader, who is it?"
The fists of the First and Third Elders clenched tightly, their knuckles turning white from the pressure.
Their anger was palpable, their eyes bulging with fury.
The Uchiha clan, once proud and united, was now crumbling under the weight of betrayal.
After a long silence, Fugaku spoke in a grave tone.
"In addition to Uchiha Chi, we have discovered another traitor, Uchiha Shisui."
(End of this chapter)