Uchiha Chisen's "caliber"

Night fell.

In just half a day, word of how Uchiha Chisen had disregarded the bonds of blood and personally slain his only surviving relative, Uchiha Onigawara, spread rapidly amid heated discussions.

It caused a considerable stir within the Uchiha Clan in particular.

After finishing the day's official business, Fugaku returned home to find that his eldest son, Uchiha Itachi, had also returned from the Anbu.

At that moment, Uchiha Itachi was playing with his younger brother, Sasuke.

Of course, it was mostly Sasuke clinging to Itachi.

"I heard."

Uchiha Itachi pried Sasuke's little hands away and looked at his father, with whom he often disagreed. He spoke first. "Whether it was Uchiha Chisen killing Lord Hokage's eldest son a while ago or killing Uchiha Onigawara today... I know about all of it."

Fugaku, too, looked at the son who had always made him so proud.

Even if the boy's views differed somewhat from his own.

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

That he would lead the Uchiha Clan toward a more glorious future.

Then Uchiha Itachi continued, "Before he died, Shisui told me that Uchiha Chisen's 'caliber' far surpassed what anyone could imagine. Judging by the current situation, Shisui was right."

"After today, quite a few extremists among the Uchiha may want to follow that man's [Absolute Justice]."

"Father."

Uchiha Itachi gazed 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 remarkable, even admirable. But..."

"His justice disregards the village's broader interests. It's too extreme. Uchiha Chisen stands apart from the village. Surely you can see that clearly too, Father?"

After remaining silent for over a minute, listening to his eldest son, Fugaku finally gave a slight nod.

"What do you have in mind, Itachi?" Fugaku asked.

Uchiha Itachi lowered his eyes. "As head of the clan, Father, you should rein in Uchiha Chisen's actions. Today, he turned his blade of justice inward, against the Uchiha Clan, so it won't cause too much upheaval in the village for now."

"But if he turns that blade outward again, against Konoha, as he did before, he may be able to weather the resulting storm, but the Uchiha Clan cannot."

"The balance will be broken."

A trace of relief passed through Fugaku's eyes. This was one of the few things he and Uchiha Itachi agreed on.

Neither wanted the balance broken. Both hoped the village and the Uchiha Clan could coexist peacefully.

But...

The word "peace" weighed heavily on both father and son.

"But I can't rein him in either, Itachi." Fugaku sighed. This was what left him most helpless.

Although Uchiha Chisen had shown no hostility toward him, he had never so much as given him a proper look.

Fugaku did not even understand why.

"Father." After a long silence, Itachi said slowly, "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 said, enunciating every word, "Itachi, you are the successor I have chosen for the Uchiha Clan. As long as Chisen has not betrayed the Uchiha Clan or Konoha, you must never! Never harm your own clansmen!"

Itachi lowered his head.

But he said nothing.

Elsewhere in the Uchiha Clan's compound.

A group of Uchiha Hawks, led by Uchiha Setsuna, had gathered in a hall. They advocated breaking with the Konoha High Council and launching a coup that would sweep across all of Konoha.

The radical Hawks numbered well over a hundred Uchiha ninja, spanning three generations: old, middle-aged, and young.

They nearly filled the entire hall.

It was precisely their strength in numbers that forced the clan head to accept some of their views.

"Tch. That Uchiha Chisen really does have quite the caliber."

A young Uchiha folded his arms and said, "I used to scoff at his so-called [Absolute Justice]. But I never imagined he'd actually raise his blade against his own blood for it. I saw him kill Uchiha Onigawara with my own eyes. I don't think he hesitated in the slightest."

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

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

By "weaklings," he meant the Moderate Faction within the Uchiha Clan, which advocated peaceful coexistence with the village.

The two factions had been at odds for far more than a day or two.

Sometimes, their disagreements even led to physical clashes.

"Uchiha Chisen certainly has sufficient caliber," someone agreed with a nod. "And he's powerful, too. With him joining us, our strength would completely overwhelm those cowards."

"..."

Uchiha Setsuna frowned as he knelt on a soft cushion.

He listened to the younger clansmen discussing the matter before him.

An inexplicable anger rose within him-Uchiha Setsuna still held a grudge over Uchiha Chisen stopping him from eliminating the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. He clearly remembered the chilling murderous intent in that brat's eyes at the time!

Through Uchiha Chisen, he had experienced something he had not felt in years: the threat of death.

Tap!

Tap!

Tap!

Uchiha Setsuna tapped his fingertips lightly against the floor, gradually silencing the heated discussion in the hall.

Everyone's eyes settled on him.

"Have you forgotten? Uchiha Onigawara, whom Uchiha Chisen brutally murdered, was once one of us! The man he killed was our comrade! One of our elite Uchiha!"

Uchiha Setsuna swept his dark gaze across the room, startling some of the excited young Uchiha Hawks into hastily lowering their heads.

His voice hoarse, Uchiha Setsuna passed judgment on Uchiha Chisen's killing of his own relative. "Uchiha Chisen has never, from beginning to end, considered anything from our side!"

"You think he'll stand with us? Hmph! Naive! Sooner or later, he may even turn his blade on us!"

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

A sinister look filled Uchiha Setsuna's clouded eyes.

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

"He is a burning Exploding Tag."

"He'll blow us all to pieces!"