Uchiha Chisen's "Mettle"

Night fell.

In just half a day, word of how Uchiha Chisen had disregarded the bond of blood and personally killed his only living relative, "Uchiha Onigawara," spread rapidly amid fervent discussion.

It caused an especially great stir within the Uchiha Clan.

After handling some official business for the day, Fugaku returned home and found that his eldest son, Uchiha Itachi, had also returned from the Anbu.

At that moment, Uchiha Itachi was playing with his second son, Sasuke.

Of course, it was mostly Sasuke clinging to Itachi.

"I heard about it."

Uchiha Itachi pulled Sasuke's little hands away and looked at his father, with whom he often disagreed. He took the initiative to say, "Whether it was Uchiha Chisen killing the Hokage's eldest son some time ago, or Uchiha Chisen killing Uchiha Onigawara today... I know all about it."

Fugaku looked at this child who had always made him feel so proud.

Even if this child's thoughts differed somewhat from his own.

He still believed that Uchiha Itachi would one day shoulder the burden of the Uchiha Clan.

That he could lead the Uchiha Clan toward an even more glorious future.

At that moment, Uchiha Itachi continued, "Before he died, Shisui once told me that Uchiha Chisen's 'mettle' far exceeded everyone's imagination. Looking at the current situation, Shisui was right."

"After today, quite a few extreme Uchiha may wish to follow that man's [Absolute Justice]."

"Father."

Uchiha Itachi stared at the silent Fugaku and said earnestly, "This is not a good thing for either the clan or Konoha. Uchiha Chisen's [Absolute Justice] is indeed admirable and worthy of respect. But..."

"His justice, which disregards the village's overall situation, is too extreme. Uchiha Chisen's stance stands apart from the village itself. Father, you should be able to see that clearly as well, right?"

After more than a full minute of silence, Fugaku, who had been listening to his eldest son, finally nodded slightly.

Fugaku asked, "What are your thoughts, Itachi?"

Uchiha Itachi lowered his eyes. "Father should restrain Uchiha Chisen's actions in your capacity as clan head. Today, his blade of justice was turned inward against the Uchiha Clan, so it will not cause too great a disturbance in the village for now."

"But if, as before, he turns his blade of justice outward, toward Konoha, he may be able to bear the turmoil it causes, but the Uchiha Clan cannot."

"The balance will be broken."

A trace of gratification flashed through Fugaku's eyes. This was one of the few matters on which he and Uchiha Itachi shared the same opinion.

Neither of them wanted the balance to be broken, and both hoped the village and the Uchiha Clan could coexist peacefully.

Only...

The word "peace" felt especially heavy to both father and son.

"Itachi, but I cannot restrain him either." Fugaku let out a sigh. This was what left him the most helpless.

Although Uchiha Chisen had not shown him any hostility, he had never once looked at him properly.

Fugaku did not even understand why.

"Father." Itachi fell silent for a while before slowly saying, "Sometimes, for the greater good, for Konoha, you need to be more decisive."

Fugaku's eyes suddenly narrowed.

He stared at Uchiha Itachi, drew a deep breath, and enunciated each word. "Itachi, you are the successor of the Uchiha Clan that I have chosen. As long as Chisen does not betray the Uchiha Clan or betray Konoha, you must never! Never harm your own clansmen!"

Itachi lowered his head.

But said nothing.

Elsewhere in the Uchiha Clan.

A group of Uchiha Hawks led by "Uchiha Setsuna," who advocated turning against the Konoha High Council and launching a coup that would sweep through all of Konoha, had gathered together.

The old, middle-aged, and young generations of radical Hawk Uchiha ninja numbered over a hundred in total.

They nearly packed the entire hall.

It was precisely because of their numbers that they had been able to force the clan head to acknowledge some of their views.

"Tch, Uchiha Chisen really does have some mettle."

A young Uchiha stood with his arms crossed. "I used to sneer at his so-called [Absolute Justice]. But I never expected that, for [Absolute Justice], he would truly raise his blade against his own kin. I saw him kill Uchiha Onigawara with my own eyes. It even felt like he did not hesitate in the slightest."

Another young Uchiha said excitedly, "Isn't that exactly what our Konoha Military Police Force should do? Whether the ones standing in our way are blood relatives or the so-called Hokage, we should raise our blades against them without hesitation!"

"Actually, we should bring Uchiha Chisen over to our side. We cannot let those weaklings get to him first."

The "weaklings" he spoke of were the Moderate Faction within the Uchiha Clan, who advocated peaceful coexistence with the village.

The two factions had never seen eye to eye, and that was hardly a recent development.

Sometimes, their differing views even led to physical conflicts.

"Uchiha Chisen's mettle is indeed sufficient." Someone nodded in agreement. "And he is very strong as well. If he joins us, our strength will completely overwhelm those spineless bastards."

"..."

Uchiha Setsuna, kneeling on a soft cushion, frowned.

As he listened to the discussions of the younger generation below him.

An inexplicable anger rose in his heart—Uchiha Setsuna had never let go of the fact that Uchiha Chisen had once stopped him from approaching the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. He clearly remembered the dense killing intent in that brat's eyes at the time!

He had felt a threat to his life from Uchiha Chisen, something he had not experienced in many years.

Knock!

Knock!

Knock!

Uchiha Setsuna lightly tapped the floor with his fingertips, gradually quieting the heated hall.

Everyone's eyes fell on him.

"Have you forgotten? Uchiha Onigawara, whom Uchiha Chisen brutally killed, was once one of us! The one he killed was your and my companion! He was one of our elite Uchiha!"

Uchiha Setsuna's gloomy gaze swept over them, startling some of the excited young Uchiha Hawks into hurriedly lowering their heads.

Uchiha Setsuna's voice was hoarse as he defined Uchiha Chisen's act of "killing his kin." "From beginning to end, Uchiha Chisen has never considered matters from our side!"

"You think he will stand with us? Hmph! Naive! One day, his blade will even be turned against us!"

"An Uchiha who raises his blade against his own clansmen is disloyal to the Uchiha Clan!!!"

A chilling gleam filled Uchiha Setsuna's cloudy eyes.

"Those weaklings in the clan are certainly stumbling blocks hindering the Uchiha Clan's progress. But Uchiha Chisen..."

"He is an Exploding Tag that is already burning."

"He will blow all of us to death!"