Clan Meeting at Naka Shrine

At around 9:45 p.m., Kaze set out for Naka Shrine to attend this Clan Meeting.

It was worth mentioning that...

Long before the Uchiha Clan had been driven out of the village center, Naka Shrine had already served as their secret gathering place.

In its basement stood a stone tablet written by the Sage of Six Paths, recording many unknown secrets.

Its contents could only reveal more information through the progression of Sharingan, Mangekyō Sharingan, and Rinnegan.

Little did they know that everything recorded on that stone tablet had been altered.

Poor Madara. The harder he worked to evolve, the deeper he was deceived.

As Kaze walked toward Naka Shrine, he could not help thinking of Black Zetsu, who had spoken so earnestly to Madara Uchiha.

He could only sigh inwardly.

Speaking of which, Konoha did not seem to have changed anything from beginning to end.

Although Naruto became the Seventh Hokage, the political principles he followed were still the same old set from the Third Hokage's era.

And he worked himself half to death.

The New Konoha Military Police Force established later was no different, still enforcing the law through violence.

Hinata, who kept talking about changing herself and aspiring to become an outstanding ninja, ultimately became a housewife.

Going in circles, so many people died, yet the order established by the Conservative faction still won out in the end.

In Kaze's view, Naruto was merely a more powerful ambassador of peace than Hashirama.

Under that kind of political philosophy, if Naruto were gone one day...

The entire Shinobi World would probably not be far from the Fifth Shinobi World War.

Nagato's Tailed Beast deterrence strategy, on the other hand, seemed much more reliable.

Of course, that was only Kaze's personal opinion.

Before he knew it, Kaze had arrived near Naka Shrine.

Although his main combat methods came from the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, he was still a ninja who had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

He could more or less sense the flow of Chakra.

The moment he entered the grounds of Naka Shrine, he keenly detected fluctuations of Chakra in the air.

With that in mind, Kaze decisively activated his Sharingan and observed more closely.

So that was it...

About half a minute later, Kaze deactivated his Sharingan.

His guess had been confirmed.

A special barrier had been set up around Naka Shrine.

Not only could it effectively prevent stealthy observation through Ninjutsu such as the Clairvoyance Jutsu.

If an outsider touched the barrier...

They would be discovered by the Uchiha.

With this safeguard in place...

The Anbu and Root ninja could not spy on what happened within Naka Shrine.

No wonder the Uchiha Clan's two coup plans were exposed once by Shisui and once by Itachi.

With such an exquisite secret gathering place, if not for those two traitors, Shisui and Itachi...

The Uchiha Clan's coup might really have caught the Konoha leadership off guard.

As for what the final result would have been...

Without the support of Shisui and Itachi, even if the coup had been launched, it probably would have ended in failure.

Kaze had once noticed a detail.

Those who could come to Naka Shrine for secret meetings were basically all people who had awakened the Sharingan.

There were around thirty or forty of them.

Without Shisui and Itachi, their combat power was still far inferior to Konoha's side.

Not to mention that Danzo now possessed two major pieces of black technology: transplanted Sharingan and Hashirama Cells.

Coupled with the defection of Shisui and Itachi, two top-tier combatants...

The Uchiha Clan's chances of winning were indeed slim.

As he analyzed the situation, Kaze entered Naka Shrine.

Most of the Uchiha clansmen had already arrived. They sat properly on round mats, waiting for Fugaku to arrive.

When Kaze entered, every gaze turned toward him in unison.

A trace of surprise appeared in the eyes of quite a few Uchiha clansmen.

According to their understanding, only geniuses who had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan had ever been qualified to attend the Clan Meeting at Naka Shrine.

Why was Kaze here?

"Kaze, why are you here?"

"This is not a place for you. Go back and sleep."

Several Uchiha Clan Elders could not help speaking up, demanding that Kaze leave Naka Shrine and return early to rest.

But just as Kaze was about to say something...

A deep voice came from behind him.

"I invited him to attend this meeting."

The newcomer was none other than the man currently leading the massive Uchiha Clan, Fugaku Uchiha!

And behind him stood Itachi, upon whom many had placed great expectations!

A prodigy among Uchiha prodigies.

However, just as Fugaku finished speaking, he shook his head where he stood.

"No..."

As Fugaku shook his head, he corrected himself. "More accurately, this Clan Meeting is being held because of Kaze."

Then, regardless of everyone else's reactions, Fugaku invited Kaze to sit.

Moreover, the place Fugaku indicated was not far from him.

This only highlighted Kaze's indispensable importance in this Clan Meeting.

"Mm." Kaze nodded. Without the slightest emotion on his face, he walked straight to the seat Fugaku had indicated and sat down heavily before the entire Uchiha Clan.

Not only did a trace of surprise flash through the eyes of those Uchiha clansmen.

Even Shisui and Itachi drew in a slight breath.

Seeing this, the Uchiha Clan Elders hurriedly objected to Fugaku.

"Fugaku, although you are the Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan, this does not follow the rules, does it?"

"At Clan Meetings in Naka Shrine, only those who have awakened the Sharingan have ever been allowed to attend."

"Even if Kaze's Lightning Release is rather outstanding, that is no reason to break this rule."

This Elder was several years older than Fugaku, and every word he spoke rang with conviction.

He had always belonged to the Hawk Faction within the Uchiha Clan, and his political views often clashed with Fugaku's.

Seeing that Kaze had not only taken a seat, but one high enough to stand alongside Elders like them...

The resentment he had accumulated in his heart naturally made him dissatisfied.

He was simply using the matter as an excuse to vent.

Seeing the tense atmosphere between the Elder and Fugaku...

Kaze quietly watched the show, as though the matter had nothing to do with him.

At the end of the day, he was just a Hawk Faction Elder.

If Fugaku could not even handle this, then he might as well step down.

After all, although Fugaku lacked resolve and courage and often wavered during major events, he was not an idiot.

How could he fail to hear who those words were aimed at?

He was using one thing to criticize another.

Even the Clan Head himself was not in a hurry, so there was even less reason for Kaze to be anxious.

"Do not forget that I am still the Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan."

Fugaku Uchiha crossed his arms, his sharp black eyes fixed directly on the Elder who had spoken.

"I do not need anyone's approval to invite clansmen to attend a Clan Meeting."

"Furthermore, the first matter I intend to announce today concerns Kaze."

Fugaku gradually raised his voice and declared loudly before all the clansmen.

"I intend to promote Kaze to Vice-Captain of the Konoha Military Police Force."

The moment those words were spoken, the entire hall erupted into an uproar.

Shisui and Itachi's eyes widened at the same time.

"What?!"