Awakening the Eyes in Anger

The instant Uchiha Fugaku spoke, Aozora realized he could no longer move.

The air in every direction seemed to have solidified. He could still feel his hands and feet, yet he could not even twitch a finger.

"Binding Jutsu!"

Aozora immediately knew what jutsu he had been hit with and hurriedly focused inward.

Sure enough, a concentrated mass of Chakra had entered his body.

That Chakra had dispersed into different acupoints throughout his body, robbing him of his ability to move.

Aozora hurriedly circulated his Chakra, trying to expel it.

However, although the Chakra Uchiha Fugaku had injected into Aozora's body was not much, it was exceptionally concentrated and not something Aozora could quickly deal with.

Inside the Meeting Hall, all three tomoe in Uchiha Fugaku's eyes were revealed as his gaze took in every Clan Member.

The crowd's momentum was overwhelmed by his, and for a moment, no one spoke.

"Aozora's words were nothing more than a youth's wild nonsense! The village will not, nor does it have the ability to, destroy the Uchiha Clan!

"Every other clan has accepted the decision to relocate from their original grounds. The Uchiha Clan cannot be the only one to refuse! I will negotiate further over the terms. But the move must be accepted.

"I will notify you later about the specific arrangements. This meeting is over! Dismissed!"

With that, Uchiha Fugaku rose and left at once.

Only then did everyone come back to their senses. They looked at one another, their expressions complicated. It seemed the relocation of the Clan Compound was set in stone and could no longer be changed!

A moment later, the Clan Members began leaving one after another with their companions.

As they left, they could not help glancing at Aozora, who was still standing there as punishment, their expressions conflicted.

Before long, only a few people remained in the room.

Uchiha Yūichi walked over and said to the immobile Aozora, "Aozora, there aren't many people I, Yūichi, have ever admired. You're one of them."

Uchiha Sosuke also said from the side, "I didn't expect you to have already made your own choice!"

The remaining few followed the long-haired Uchiha Inabi over.

Uchiha Inabi was about to undo the Binding Jutsu for him when Aozora broke free on his own.

The moment he escaped the Binding Jutsu, Aozora hurriedly turned to look outside.

But Uchiha Fugaku was long gone from beyond the door.

Uchiha Inabi said, "The Clan Head left a while ago."

Aozora turned back and thanked Uchiha Inabi. "Thank you, Brother Inabi!"

Though he had broken free himself, he still had to thank him for his goodwill.

Besides, if he had guessed correctly, Inabi had spoken first at the meeting specifically to create a chance for him to speak.

Surprised, Uchiha Inabi said, "You know me? I don't recall us ever meeting."

"The Uchiha Clan's foremost genius—who wouldn't know you?" Aozora praised.

To his surprise, Uchiha Inabi's face darkened. "I can't compare to your brother Shisui!"

Apparently taking Aozora's words as "mockery," Inabi lost all desire to chat. "You have good insight, but your strength is far too weak!"

"Insight alone is not enough. You also need ideas. But having ideas is not enough either—you need the strength to make them a reality."

After saying that, Uchiha Inabi left as well, the Clan Members behind him following closely.

As one of them passed by, he glanced at Aozora and said, "You're not bad! I'll remember you."

With that, the black-haired youth followed the group out.

Aozora was completely baffled. "Who's that? Why's he acting so arrogant?"

Uchiha Yūichi watched the youth's retreating figure. Hearing Aozora's question, he said in surprise, "You seriously don't know?"

Aozora asked, "Do I need to?"

"Uh..." Uchiha Yūichi was speechless. After a while, he introduced him. "He's Uchiha Tekka, Inabi's younger brother. He graduated at ten, became a Chunin at twelve, and is fourteen now. They say he isn't far from becoming a Jonin. He's another genius after Inabi and Shisui."

"Oh."

Seeing that Aozora was utterly unmoved, Uchiha Yūichi was about to speak when Uchiha Sosuke stopped him.

"Aozora, I didn't expect your insight to be so far-reaching. I'm inferior to you."

Aozora was about to be modest when Uchiha Sosuke added, "Unfortunately, today's timing was wrong."

"Hm?" Aozora looked at Sosuke in confusion.

"Did you notice that most of the people who came today were either old or young? There were very few Uchiha in their prime."

Aozora thought back, and it was indeed true.

"That's because the Uchiha ninja in their prime have all been deployed to the Cloud front. There are only eight Jonin and forty or fifty Chunin left in the clan."

A chill ran through Aozora's heart.

The Third Hokage and Danzo were truly calculating. No wonder they dared pressure the Uchiha Clan so severely—they had already transferred away most of the Uchiha's fighting force.

"The Clan Head stopped you not necessarily because he truly rejected you, but because we currently lack the strength to refuse."

After saying that, Uchiha Sosuke sighed. "While we Uchiha defend Konoha against invasion, they scheme against us from behind our backs. Despicable! Hateful!"

While Uchiha Sosuke sighed in frustration, a thought suddenly flashed through Aozora's mind.

"No!" Aozora shouted, then hurried down the mountain.

Uchiha Sosuke and Uchiha Yūichi exchanged bewildered looks before quickly following him.

The three ran with all their strength, racing like the wind. By the time they reached the foot of the mountain, they had finally caught up with Uchiha Fugaku.

He was not alone. His eldest son, Uchiha Itachi, stood beside him.

"Clan Head, I have something to say to you."

Aozora did not even pause to regulate his breathing. The moment he stopped, he spoke.

Uchiha Fugaku frowned at the three of them. "Say what? Continue driving a wedge between the clan and Konoha?"

Aozora shook his head. "Clan Head, I believe that with your insight, you must know what I said was not false."

"I know you are worried because most of the clan's ninja have been sent to support the Border, but that is not a reason for us to compromise."

Hearing this, Uchiha Itachi interrupted with a question. "Brother Aozora, Brother Shisui and Father have always been preserving the relationship between the village and the clan. Why do you want to break this balance?"

Hearing the stern accusation, Aozora asked in surprise, "Itachi, you heard my speech outside, didn't you?"

"Yes! You think far too badly of the village!" Uchiha Itachi said.

Aozora did not explain himself. Instead, he asked Uchiha Fugaku, "Clan Head, do you think the same way?"

Uchiha Fugaku pondered for a moment. "I admit that you have a point, but the Uchiha Clan is part of Konoha. I do not believe the Third Hokage would dare risk the condemnation of all Aozora."

Hearing that, Aozora was utterly disappointed. He said coldly, "As the head of a clan, you are actually placing the lives of the entire clan in the hands of another's mercy."

With that, Aozora turned and left.

He had just realized that while the Uchiha Clan was currently weak and might be wiped out if it resisted—

How much better off was Konoha?

The Fourth Hokage was dead, the Third Hokage was aged, and the Sannin had left the village. Did the Third Hokage really dare start a civil war now? Even if the Uchiha Clan were eradicated without a single casualty, Konoha would become so weakened that it would be destroyed by the other ninja villages.

Therefore, Konoha absolutely did not dare provoke conflict at this moment.

If the Konoha High Command provoked conflict, it was because they did not care about Konoha. Why should the Uchiha Clan pay for the Konoha High Command's actions and wrong themselves?

"What fucking idiots!!!"

Aozora could not help cursing aloud.

The Third Hokage, Danzo, and the other higher-ups were not afraid of Konoha being destroyed because of this, yet the Uchiha were sacrificing the clan's interests one after another for it.

The more Aozora thought about it, the angrier he became. He wished he could tear that brainless Clan Head to pieces.

Suddenly, a stabbing pain struck his eyes, and a cold Chakra flowed into them.

On the other side, Uchiha Fugaku and his son arrived together at the banks of the Naka River.

Looking at the beautiful scenery and the tranquil lake surface, Uchiha Itachi said, "The Naka River is so beautiful. I like it here."

But Uchiha Fugaku felt even heavier at heart.

The broad lake was so beautiful, and the steep mountain walls so magnificent.

Ordinarily, they were beautiful sights, but at a critical moment, they could become death traps for the Clan Members.

This worry prevented him from feeling happy even when his eldest son learned the Great Fireball Technique in a single attempt.