Konoha Naka Shrine.
Uchiha Hikari, who was wearing a gray tribal uniform, slowly walked Earth Flow into the secret assembly hall. After finding his seat and sitting down, he casually glanced around.
Different from the high-spirited atmosphere during past gatherings, today's clan members seemed to have lost their backbone and were all listless.
Uchiha Hikari sighed. The last time this happened could be traced back to when Uchiha Madara left the village.
Thirty years have passed, but I didn't expect that Uchiha Clan is still the same as it was then, like a flickering candlelight, without any improvement.
After retracting his gaze, he was about to close his eyes and rest, but there was a soft cry from beside him.
"Fourth Elder, why are you here?"
Uchiha Hikari turned around and saw an old man with a square face, his eyes wide open in surprise, walking towards this side from behind.
"I still want to ask you. I came to you for a drink the day before yesterday. You didn't say you were going to lead a team to investigate the death of the clan leader. Why are you back now?"
"Hey, haven't you received a secret message from Great Elder and summoned me back?" Sixth Elder Uchiha Mei coughed dryly and lowered his voice and asked, "By the way, what is the situation in the clan now? Why was the meeting suddenly held?"
"Heh, I don't know either. It was decided by Great Elder and Uchiha Kan..." As he said that, Uchiha Hikari turned around and glanced at the crowded hall, and suddenly said meaningfully, "Maybe we want to elect a new clan leader."
At this gathering, all seven elders of the clan were present. Although they were all a group of old people whose bodies were half buried in the ground, their influence was still there. In such a gathering, important matters must be announced.
Coupled with this juncture, the clan leader and Young Clan Head died one after another, leaving the clan without a leader. Quickly determining the successor must be the most important thing at the moment.
In contrast, investigating the cause of death of the clan leader is not so urgent.
This is a great irony, but it is the most straightforward reality. After all, the living are always more important than the dead.
Thinking of this, Uchiha Hikari couldn't help but recall the rumors that spread in the village two days ago. Although it was quickly suppressed by Third Hokage, at such a sensitive moment, it will inevitably cause people's hearts to wander.
How to solve it? The only way is to quickly determine the candidate for the clan leader.
"Be careful." After sitting down next to him, Sixth Elder Uchiha Mei, whose hair was a little thin, lowered his voice.
Although he has not been in the village these two days, he is aware of the Wind Blow movements in the village.
Therefore, at times like this, we must be more cautious in our words and deeds.
"What are you afraid of? We are all dying. Today is such an important clan meeting, but we didn't go to Daimyo's Capital to invite Chen back. What are you doing? It's obviously abnormal!"
Uchiha Mei was shocked, "You mean...Great Elder wants to bypass Chen and needs to determine the candidate for the clan leader now?"
Uchiha Hikari sneered and said, "It's not impossible. When Fugaku died, I proposed that Chen be Young Clan Head. But at that time, the patriarch only wanted revenge, so the matter could not be settled in the end.
Now, the clan leader is also dead, and Great Elder suddenly summons the clan members, it is difficult not to think about this. "
"... It's really hard to say," Uchiha Mei frowned and pondered for a moment, but finally shook his head, "Let's wait and see what Great Elder says."
"That's right," Uchiha Hikari smiled, "It's impossible to wait until the meeting starts and still hide what we're going to discuss today."
As time passed, almost all the participants had arrived. In the dim hall, Great Elder Uchiha Yun waved his hand to signal the gathering to begin.
The host of this gathering is Uchiha Kan. As the dead patriarch's number one henchman and the deputy captain of Police Force, he does have this prestige.
When they saw him walking in front of Stone Tablet, the whispering among the middlemen in the basement gradually stopped, and many people had serious expressions on their faces.
"In the past year, we Uchiha Clan have suffered major blows one after another. The patriarch and Young Clan Head have passed away one after another. I am deeply saddened!"
As he spoke, Uchiha Kan gently wiped the wet corners of his eyes and continued, "I also know that everyone feels the same way, but Uchiha Clan cannot live without a clan leader for a day. The reason why this meeting is held is to give everyone a clear answer on the selection of the clan leader."
"Because this matter is of such great importance, we hope that the content we will discuss at the meeting will be kept strictly confidential."
As soon as Uchiha Kan finished speaking, noisy sounds suddenly rang out in the originally quiet conference room.
He exchanged surprised glances with the people sitting next to him, and many people saw surprised expressions on each other's faces.
Chief election?!
Although many people sitting here have imagined various issues that may be discussed today, most of them did not expect that it would be this matter.
What a surprise.
Because the most important person is not here.
You know, Uchiha Chen, as the hero of Second Great Ninja War, was famous for Shinobi World at the age of eleven.
This is the kind of person who has great military exploits and is famous far and wide.
With this halo, his reputation in the Uchiha Clan is almost unmatched.
Therefore, even if he doesn't say it, most Uchiha Ninja regard him as Uchiha Clan's savior and the hope that he can lead the people to glory again.
Its influence can be imagined...
Of course, this situation is also caused by many reasons, including the ruthless suppression of the village... the lack of superior ninjas... a series of failures since Second Great Ninja War...
Uchiha Clan longs for a hero too much.
Uchiha Chen appeared out of nowhere, with a light that could eclipse the younger generation of Konoha. So if you don't place your hopes on him, who can you place your hopes on?
But such a being did not attend this meeting. This is like selecting Fourth Hokage and Sannin did not show up. Isn't it ridiculous?
The entire underground space was suddenly flooded with quarrels between Chen's supporters and opponents.
["Uchiha Chen didn't come, I seriously suspect there is something shady."]
["What a shady guy, he is too young. No matter how powerful he is, can a fourteen-year-old boy be the leader of the clan?"]
["Fart, he will be fifteen years old after the new year. First Hokage also became the leader of the Senju clan at the age of fifteen. Madara is in charge of the family at the age of sixteen. Is there any problem?"]
["Uchiha Chen cooperates with those two?!"]
["Why don't you deserve it? In my opinion, Chen's current strength is completely inferior to Madara and First Hokage of the same age..."]
["Damage... you really dare to say that. Why didn't you say that he was in the air every second?"]
["What I'm telling the truth is, haven't you heard Third Hokage say that Chen is Uchiha Clan's best ninja, second only to him..."]
(Third Hokage: "??")
["You Tatsubuki, I've long been unhappy with you, so why don't you come out to challenge me?"]
["Come on, I'm afraid you won't make it!"]
Seeing that the clan members were quarreling more and more fiercely and tending to engage in all-out martial arts, Uchiha Kan, who was standing on the stage, cleared his throat and said in a serious voice.
"... Please be quiet! Everyone must have heard the rumors in the village. As the saying goes, there is no smoke without fire. Chen is now suspected of killing the clan leader, so he is not included in the election."
As soon as he said these words, the entire underground space fell silent.
After a while, Uchiha Hikari in the crowd sneered, "There were rumors back then that Uchiha Yama killed Jing. Is it different that he became the clan leader?"
"Is this a thing?"
"How come it's not the same thing?" Uchiha Hikari stood up and said in a cold tone, "Those who spread such rumors are either stupid or bad, or both. Their purpose is nothing more than to disturb us Uchiha Clan.
These are troubled times, and we must unite. If we don't trust our own people, should we trust those rats who only dare to talk secretly?
Vice-captain, what do you think? "
"... Okay, don't say anything anymore."
At this moment, Great Elder Uchiha Hikari interrupted the quarrel between the two.
"As for Chen, let me explain here. The reason why he didn't come was not because he was suspicious of him or because I didn't inform him, but because he had a mission.
Everyone knows that he is now Guardian Ninja, but that is not all. I just learned from Third Hokage... that he is now also the leader of the Anbu unit and is in charge of the entire Land of Water intelligence work, so he cannot withdraw and come back. "
Uchiha Hikari's words were like Explosive Tag falling into deep water, causing a thousand waves for a while.
Uchiha Clan has always wanted to penetrate into Anbu and extend the tentacles of power from Police Force, but there has been no success.
Now a team leader Anbu suddenly appeared, surprising everyone.
He is truly the star of hope for the Uchiha Clan!
But Uchiha Kan looked a little ugly.
He was willing to hold this meeting because the village had Danzo's commitment and the clan had Great Elder Uchiha Hikari's approval.
Coupled with the support of some of the younger brothers he has secretly cultivated over the years... the position of patriarch is almost guaranteed.
When Uchiha Chen comes back from Daimyo's Capital, the raw rice has already been cooked. Can he still openly object?
But now that Uchiha Hikari means... it seems like he's about to temporarily rebel?
This old yin b goes back on his word, isn't he trying to trick me?!
"Vote, raise your hands in support of Chen."
With the platform of Great Elder Uchiha Hikari, four of the seven elders expressed support, plus Uchiha Hikari himself, a total of five people.
Uchiha Kan really looks confused.
Danzo said before that his time has come, but he has fallen before it even started?
"Okay, everyone has seen the result. I announce the next clan leader, Uchiha Chen..."
Great Elder Before he finished speaking, the door was suddenly pushed open and a figure rushed in.
"What's going on?"
The guard panted as if he had seen a ghost. "Young Clan Head...Young Clan Head Fugaku... He's back."
"..."