Debating the Clan

Although Uchiha Fugaku had closed his eyes, he used Spiritual Power to sense the reactions of the surrounding clan members.

He had known at the High-Level Meeting that this order was irreversible.

The Third Hokage, Danzo, and the other higher-ups had all agreed, while the other ninja clans had accepted the order. At this point, the Uchiha had no choice but to comply.

He was waiting for an opportunity, intending to speak after the more radical clan members had vented their emotions and carry out the village's order.

As he observed the clan members' reactions, Uchiha Fugaku suddenly noticed the exceptionally calm Uchiha Aozora.

Amid the indignant clan members, Uchiha Aozora sat cross-legged, his gaze deep and calm, standing out sharply.

As the Uchiha Clan Head, he knew the clan's experts inside and out. Naturally, he recognized Uchiha Shisui's only younger brother.

Thinking of Uchiha Shisui's stance, Uchiha Fugaku came up with an idea.

"Quiet!"

At his words, the clan members habitually shut their mouths.

"It is not whoever shouts the loudest who is right."

"The relocation concerns every clan member. Everyone should voice their opinion."

"Aozora! Why don't you speak first?"

Uchiha Fugaku suddenly called on him by name, leaving Uchiha Aozora somewhat dumbfounded as he rose to his feet.

The moment he stood, he guessed Uchiha Fugaku's intentions.

You think I'm a conservative like my brother? You want me to take the lead.

Seeing the unfamiliar youth stand up, everyone hurriedly asked their nearby friends about his identity.

Fortunately, although Uchiha Aozora rarely wandered around the Clan Compound, Uchiha Shisui was simply too dazzling. As his only younger brother, Aozora's identity was quickly exposed.

Once they learned Uchiha Aozora's identity, quite a few people vaguely understood Uchiha Fugaku's intentions.

"What could he possibly say? He's only a twelve-year-old boy, not even old enough to drink!"

"He'll just repeat his brother Shisui's views!"

"What does the Clan Head mean? Does he still want to compromise? Haven't we compromised enough already?"

"We compromised over Obito's Sharingan, compromised after the Nine-Tails' Rampage, and now we have to compromise again?"

"At least there won't be a war, at least..."

"..."

Noisy whispers rang in his ears, yet Uchiha Aozora still did not speak.

He had not prepared to make a speech. In truth, as an insignificant Genin, he had no right to speak at a Clan Meeting. So today, he had only prepared his ears.

Yet by a strange twist of fate, he had actually been given a chance to speak.

He wanted to see whether persuasion could change the fate of the Uchiha Clan.

At that thought, his blood surged, and he trembled slightly with excitement.

"Speak up, little brat!"

"Don't tell me you're so scared you can't talk!"

"..."

Quite a few clan members who disagreed with Shisui's views mocked him. Listening to them, Aozora suddenly laughed.

"Heh—hahaha—"

As he laughed, he swept his contemptuous gaze over everyone from above, including Clan Head Uchiha Fugaku seated at the front.

"Uchiha Aozora, what are you doing?"

"What are you laughing at? Why are you being so rude?"

"..."

Uchiha Aozora's contempt was so obvious that many clan members angrily spoke out. Even the conservative clan members and Uchiha Fugaku, who had called on Aozora, could not help frowning.

"What am I laughing at?"

Uchiha Aozora first gave a light laugh, then roared, "I laugh at your lack of strategy. I laugh at the Clan Head's stupidity. I laugh at how the Uchiha will be buried by your hands."

"Uproar!"

As soon as Uchiha Aozora finished speaking, the entire hall erupted. No one was not shocked by the youth's audacity.

Uchiha Yūichi's eyes widened round as he muttered, "What is he doing? How could he dare?"

Uchiha Sousuke's poker face vanished. A glimmer called hope flashed through his astonished eyes.

The Jonin, Captains, and Clan Elders seated in the front rows also turned to look at Uchiha Aozora.

The surrounding Uchiha clan members no longer looked at him with contempt, but anger.

A moment later, one clan member after another rolled up their sleeves and stood. Quite a few had bloodshot eyes, with scarlet Tomoe faintly appearing within them.

If not for the fact that this was the clan's Meeting Hall, a full-blown brawl would already have broken out.

Yet facing such a scene, Uchiha Aozora was not the least bit flustered. He continued mockingly, "Is this the Uchiha's tolerance?"

That line only added fuel to the fire, and the clan members' rage nearly blew the roof off the entire Meeting Hall.

Uchiha Fugaku deeply regretted carelessly lighting an Explosive Tag without first understanding the situation.

To keep a clan conflict from breaking out in the Meeting Hall, he shouted, "Everyone else, sit down!"

After saying that, Uchiha Fugaku fixed his gaze on Aozora's eyes. "Tell me properly. How am I stupid?"

Under Uchiha Fugaku's gaze, Uchiha Aozora felt an indescribable pressure!

It was the presence of a peak powerhouse, the presence of a clan head.

Yet surrounded by that presence, Uchiha Aozora instead felt somewhat more at ease.

Because he knew that he had time to perform.

Under the gaze of the entire clan, Uchiha Aozora said, "I once conducted an experiment."

"Stop talking nonsense. I want to know how I lack strategy."

The one who interrupted Aozora was Uchiha Inabi, seated in the first row.

He was currently the clan's greatest genius after Shisui. After joining the Konoha Military Police Force, he had earned many merits and was now a Jonin, one of the six Battalion Captains of the Konoha Military Police Force.

"I'll explain later how you lack strategy. Right now, you have already revealed your impulsive nature."

"Heh, then I would like to hear how a child like you intends to twist your words."

After saying that, he folded his arms and listened intently.

Uchiha Aozora gave Uchiha Inabi a deep look before beginning his account.

"I once conducted an experiment: I suddenly threw a frog into boiling water, and it immediately jumped out."

Hearing this, the Uchiha around him all took Aozora for a brat seeking attention.

"Then I put another frog into a large iron pot filled with cold water. The frog swam around leisurely. Then I secretly heated the pot, and the frog remained in the water, swimming."

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Fugaku and quite a few clan members realized something.

"By the time the frog realized that the water temperature threatened its life and wanted to jump out, it was too late. It no longer had the strength."

"And so, the frog was boiled alive."

At that moment, every Uchiha clan member present looked somewhat grim.

At that moment, a wrinkled old man stood up and angrily rebuked him, "Stop spouting nonsense! The Konoha Military Police Force's relocation is merely one part of the Revitalization Plan. The village has promised us additional compensation."

"Compensation?" Uchiha Aozora sneered twice before mocking, "Do you know what mankind's greatest regret is?"

"What?" The Clan Elder was led astray by him.

Uchiha Aozora said, "The person dies, but the money remains!"

Without waiting for anyone to react, Uchiha Aozora continued, "The relocation site has the Naka River behind it, Mount Kaen to its left, and the Barrier Squad's station in front."

"What a fine place—mountains, water, beautiful scenery!"

"But once the Barrier is activated, where can all of us Uchiha clan members flee?"

"You may be able to escape, but can your wife, your children, or your parents?"

"That place is not merely far from the village center. It is clearly a graveyard the village specially selected for the Uchiha."

Thinking of the terrain at the relocation site, everyone could not help breaking out in cold sweat.

Just then, Uchiha Fugaku, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke. "Utter nonsense!"