Success or Failure

Someone below reported from outside the door.

Uchiha Shihu put away the account books and said, "Let him in."

Before long, a travel-worn Senyo entered.

The Great Elder looked gravely at Senyo and the heads in his hand.

"What happened!?"

Senyo tossed the three heads aside and sat down cross-legged.

"Danzo's men ambushed our squad on the way. Kōichi and Ōsei are dead."

"If I hadn't made a breakthrough, I wouldn't have made it back either."

The Great Elder's face turned livid. He said in disbelief, "Danzo! How dare he!?"

"Why wouldn't he dare? News of our coup has already leaked. Konoha is about to move against the Uchiha Clan."

Shihu shuddered. "Senyo, what do you mean!?"

Senyo sat down and poured himself a cup of water.

He had barely had any supplies along the way. Now, he was starving and parched.

Only after downing two cups of water did his dry throat finally ease.

"Great Elder, why don't you take a look at my eyes first..."

Senyo slowly exhaled and reminded him.

Shihu's heart skipped a beat. Senyo had already been one of the clan's Three Tomoe elites. He said he had made a breakthrough—could it be...?

Senyo slowly opened his eyes. The pattern in his blood-red Sharingan had changed from three tomoe into three inverted V-shaped marks.

A massive pressure crashed toward him. The overwhelming ocular power made Shihu's breathing grow heavier.

Shihu shot to his feet. His face first showed astonishment, then wild joy.

"Ha... Hahahaha... Good! Excellent!"

"Our Uchiha Clan has successors! We have successors! This coup will definitely succeed!"

Senyo remained calm, with no joy on his face. After his initial ecstasy, Shihu also came back to his senses.

"How did you know the clan was preparing a coup!?"

"You just said that news of our coming coup had leaked?"

"Senyo, now that you have the Mangekyō Sharingan, what could possibly be beyond your ability to handle?"

Senyo shook his head and sighed. "Great Elder, don't ask how I knew the clan was going to stage a coup."

"There's a crucial piece of information you don't know. Uchiha Itachi also has the Mangekyō Sharingan."

Before Shihu could rejoice, Senyo continued.

"...But Konoha has already brainwashed him. He has become Konoha's blade. He was the one who reported news of our coming coup to Konoha."

Shihu was shocked and stunned. He was shocked that thirteen-year-old Itachi possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.

What stunned him was that Itachi was actually on Konoha's side.

"Why!?"

Although every Uchiha was proud and unruly, most members of the Uchiha Clan had a strong sense of belonging to the clan.

He simply could not understand why Itachi would help Konoha instead of the clan.

"It's a long story. The Uchiha Clan is already in grave danger. If Konoha strikes first, the Uchiha Clan will be finished."

"We need to strike first!"

Although Shihu still had many doubts, the Mangekyō Sharingan represented strength and authority.

Senyo loved the clan deeply. Naturally, he would not make baseless claims.

"Then I'll take you to Fugaku right now."

Shihu grabbed Senyo's hand and prepared to take him to Fugaku. After all, Fugaku was currently the clan head.

But when he pulled Senyo, Senyo did not budge.

Senyo pressed down on the Great Elder's hand and said in a deep voice.

"Great Elder, if Fugaku were reliable, news of our coup would never have leaked."

The Great Elder looked at Senyo in astonishment. Seeing Senyo's serious expression, he sat back down with a grave face.

"Fugaku bet too heavily on Minato back then. When Minato died unexpectedly, Fugaku lost everything."

"He agreed to the coup only because the clansmen had already put him over the fire. He had no way to back down."

"The Uchiha Clan has a common flaw: the stronger a person is, the more stubborn and self-righteous he becomes."

"Fugaku is like that. Itachi is like that. Shisui was like that too."

"And they have only one thing in common: they all possess the Mangekyō Sharingan."

The Great Elder was stunned. "Fugaku and Shisui too!?"

Senyo waved his hand wearily. He seemed far too mature for his age.

But the Great Elder did not find anything strange about it. Instead, he calmed down and continued listening to Senyo.

"Shisui naively believed the clan and Konoha could coexist. He cowardly killed himself and placed all the pressure on Itachi, who was only eleven."

"Every day, the Third Hokage had praised Itachi into ruin. Itachi refused to admit his failure, and now he could only become the village's blade to protect his younger brother Sasuke."

"Fugaku never truly spoke with Itachi, yet he naively believed Itachi would certainly stand with the clan. So he confidently sent Itachi to be a double agent."

"None of them communicated with anyone. They believed they were the only ones who were right. If they could not think of a solution, then no other clansman could either."

"That self-righteous arrogance is the fundamental reason the Uchiha Clan has been driven to the edge of the cliff."

Shihu calmly listened to Senyo's analysis. The way he looked at Senyo was filled with immense appreciation.

There were quite a few powerful fighters in the Uchiha Clan, but very few intelligent ones.

Those with strong political awareness were practically nonexistent...

Senyo had said all this to show the Great Elder his abilities and value.

In other words, besides being a Mangekyō Sharingan wielder, Senyo was also a qualified leader.

Senyo was only seventeen years old. Though he was strong, without anyone's support, he had little say.

Senyo poured himself another cup of water. "Most likely tonight..."

"Konoha will move against us."

The Great Elder's eyes were bloodshot, his blood surging with fury.

"I'll nominate you as an Elder right now. That will make it easier for you to command everyone."

The Great Elder believed that they could only fight to the death now, and Senyo, with his Mangekyō Sharingan, was their strongest trump card.

Senyo shook his head slightly. "A direct clash is worse than outwitting them..."

"Itachi has merely been brainwashed. He is not beyond saving."

"A genius like him should, of course, be brought back to the clan."

"If Itachi returns to the clan, this crisis can be resolved easily."

A sharp gleam flashed in the Great Elder's eyes.

"Senyo, what is your plan!?"

Senyo said calmly, "Konoha cannot act during the day. The earliest they can move is tonight."

"We still have the entire day to prepare."

"Great Elder, first gather all the troublemakers and the powerful clansmen. I'll come over in two hours."

"Remember, keep this from Fugaku for now."

The Great Elder was also affected by Senyo's calm tone. He looked at the travel-worn Senyo.

"Go rest and recover first. I'll make the arrangements."

Senyo nodded slightly, then stood and left.

Senyo held no particular fondness or dislike for Itachi.

Some people determined their stance based on right and wrong, while others determined right and wrong based on their stance.

Senyo did not judge right or wrong. He only judged success or failure.