Clan Head

After the matter at the village entrance was settled, Uchiha Toko, having obtained what he wanted, returned to the Clan Territory with the rest of the clan.

On the way back, some members of the Radical Faction wanted to say something, but when they saw Uchiha Toko's back, they wisely kept their mouths shut.

After returning to the Clan Territory, Uchiha Toko turned around and said, "I know everyone has many questions. Since everyone is here, let's convene a clan meeting."

Naturally, no one present objected. Lamps were lit inside the clan Shrine. However, when Uchiha Toko took his seat, he unceremoniously sat in the first position below Uchiha Fugaku.

The clan elders exchanged glances and tacitly accepted it. In the Uchiha Clan, strength reigned supreme. If Uchiha Toko, who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, wanted to become Clan Head, they would support him.

As for Uchiha Fugaku, who had remained silent all the way, he merely glanced at Uchiha Toko before continuing his silence.

"Are all the clan's chūnin and above present?" Uchiha Toko asked after everyone had taken their seats.

"They're all here," Uchiha Inaho replied first.

"Good. Then for the first matter: I will become the Clan Head. Who supports it, and who opposes it?" Uchiha Toko opened with a bombshell.

Compared with playing political games against the Hokage's faction, Uchiha Toko chose the simplest and most brutal approach when dealing with clan affairs.

The clan members present immediately fell into chaos. Shisui and Itachi, standing among the crowd, looked at Uchiha Toko with disbelief.

At that moment, an elder from the Dove Faction gathered his thoughts before speaking. "Douhuan, now that you've awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, it would make sense for you to take the position of Clan Head. But you've hardly participated in clan meetings over the years, and you don't know much about the clan's issues. Taking the position so abruptly is still far too hasty."

"That's right, Douhuan. You should first familiarize yourself with the clan's situation. Become Clan Head in a year or two," an elder from the Radical Faction also said in support. From Uchiha Toko's speech at the village entrance earlier, it seemed he was not on their side.

"Heh." Uchiha Toko smiled disdainfully. "I understand the clan's situation very well. That is precisely why I never attended the clan meetings."

"Tell me, after all these years of meetings, what conclusion have you reached?" Uchiha Toko braced both hands on the table and scrutinized every elder seated in the front rows. "Should we rebel through force, or simply raise our hands and surrender to the village? If you had managed to reach even one conclusion, I wouldn't be sitting here today."

"Chaotic quarrels will only drag the clan into the abyss amid disorder. What the Uchiha Clan needs is not these endless clan meetings, but a leader capable of guiding the clan out of its predicament. The clan only needs one voice!"

Uchiha Toko's words rang like a bell. The clan members looked at one another and fell silent for a moment.

"I support Douhuan becoming Clan Head!" Uchiha Inaho stepped forward, becoming the first to break the silence.

Earlier that day, he had witnessed Uchiha Toko casually slaughter nearly a hundred Root ninja by himself. That feat had turned him into Uchiha Toko's most fervent follower.

"Douhuan has the Mangekyō Sharingan! I support him becoming Clan Head too!" Uchiha Saito also spoke up in support.

Very soon, led by the two of them, the clan's young and middle-aged members voiced their support for Uchiha Toko becoming Clan Head.

"Enough!" Uchiha Fugaku suddenly spoke, suppressing the noise in the hall. Then he looked at Uchiha Toko. "Douhuan, judging by your intentions, you must already have a plan."

"Since I am standing here, I naturally have a fully formed plan. With Clan Head Fugaku's vision, I trust you can see the future of our clan." Uchiha Toko met Uchiha Fugaku's eyes directly.

Though Uchiha Toko had spoken vaguely, Fugaku understood what he meant. Uchiha Toko had likely guessed that he also possessed a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan.

At that moment, he could preserve his position as Clan Head simply by revealing his own Mangekyō. But could he truly expose them?

If there were only one pair of Mangekyō, some people in the clan could still remain calm. But once his pair was revealed, the last remnants of restraint in the entire Uchiha Clan would vanish completely. At that point, even if they did not want to rebel, they would have no choice but to do so.

Uchiha Fugaku looked meaningfully at Uchiha Toko. After a long time, he finally said, "So be it. I cannot escape blame for the clan's current predicament. Douhuan, I leave the clan to you."

"Clan Head!"

"Father!"

Itachi and Shisui immediately panicked. Unlike the other clan members, they knew full well just how insane Uchiha Toko could be. Although Uchiha Toko's speech at the village entrance had seemingly been from the village's perspective, Shisui still remembered every word of Uchiha Toko's mad ravings from the night before.

"Don't disappoint the clan, Douhuan." Ignoring Shisui and his own son, Uchiha Fugaku gently patted Uchiha Toko's shoulder and gave up his seat.

Before heading to the village entrance, Uchiha Fugaku had already used his Mangekyō Sharingan, which allowed him to see fragments of the future, to observe everything. Uchiha Toko's appearance had brought unexpected changes to the future. Though he still could not see it clearly, it was at least far better than the future that had originally contained not even a trace of hope. Thus, Uchiha Fugaku felt no attachment to the position of Clan Head.

"It is exactly what I wished for." Uchiha Toko stepped up to Fugaku's seat. Rather than sitting down immediately, he looked at the Uchiha Clan's elite before him and slowly said, "Since ancient times, the Uchiha Clan has been a clan of glory. Now, we have merely encountered a small setback. I will lead everyone to restore the Uchiha's glory, and I will not keep that glory for myself."

"Follow the Clan Head's orders! Loyalty!" Uchiha Inaho, who had long become Uchiha Toko's little fanboy, copied Uchiha Toko's earlier gesture at the village entrance and saluted.

With someone taking the lead, all the young members of the Uchiha Clan except Shisui and Itachi rose to their feet and saluted.

"Loyalty!"

Seeing this, the clan elders who still harbored doubts about Uchiha Toko succeeding as Clan Head could only remain silent.

Uchiha Toko looked at the crowd below with satisfaction. Most members of the Uchiha Clan might not have much sense, but as long as they had a pillar to rally around, their loyalty could absolutely be trusted.

"Next, I will announce two matters." Uchiha Toko gestured for everyone to quiet down.