I Want to Challenge You, Fugaku

Fugaku Residence.

At seven and a half years old, Uchiha Shinra already stood around one meter fifty. Dressed in a loose, dark blue long coat for the celebration, his sharp features were set off by a faint, ever-present smile at the corners of his mouth.

Two-and-a-half-year-old Shisui followed behind him, glancing left and right, his big eyes full of curiosity.

"Big brother, there are so many people here. What's this for?"

"To celebrate the birth of a child," Uchiha Shinra said flatly, his gaze indifferent as he looked at the child held by Mikoto Uchiha.

"Shinra, you're here." Somewhat aged, Uchiha Shinra approached.

He glanced at Fugaku's family greeting the clan members and sneered, "I heard someone calling that brat the young clan head. Hah."

"We Uchiha aren't the Hyuga, playing at hereditary succession. Even Lord Madara back then was only called the young clan head after he showed his talent."

"A baby in swaddling clothes—does he deserve it?"

"If he grows up normally, he might indeed be qualified," Uchiha Shinra replied calmly.

He hated Itachi Uchiha, but he wouldn't deny his talent because of it.

"I often feel those eyes of yours can see the future," Shinra sighed, smiling as he patted Uchiha Shinra on the shoulder.

"In a few more years, you might be able to beat Fugaku. When that happens, I'll call for a clan duel. You're the one fit to lead the Uchiha!"

Uchiha Shinra shook his head.

In another year or two, the Third Shinobi World War would begin. Border skirmishes were already frequent.

Following the original course, the Uchiha wouldn't get a chance to reach the Mist Battlefield until the war's end.

And the clan wasn't monolithic. The Radical Faction held the majority, but plenty still sided with the village.

Like Obito, who later joined Minato's team—he was just a representative example.

Where did Danzo's Sharingan come from before the Night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre?

To put it more darkly, the fact that Kakashi later kept his Sharingan was also the Uchiha Clan's compromise with the Fourth Hokage.

For a thousand years, the Uchiha Clan's iron law was that under no circumstances could outsiders covet the Sharingan.

They would pursue with the clan's full strength, to the death, never stopping!

Without Uchiha Madara, the Uchiha were nothing but a bunch of weaklings to be bullied, no longer bearing the spirit of the shinobi world's premier clan.

Fugaku probably didn't have the Mangekyo yet; he awakened it during the Third Shinobi World War.

If it was just Three Tomoe...

"I'll challenge Uchiha Fugaku in a little while."

!!

Shinra's pupils contracted sharply: "So sudden?!"

"It's not that big a deal."

Uchiha Shinra's gaze swept over the crowd, then he added, "Since everyone's here, let's fight first. I don't want to be clan head yet."

Fugaku was a fence-sitter, lacking the talent to steer the Uchiha, but he could serve as a transitional figure.

Uchiha Shinra planned to step forward as the Uchiha Clan Head when the Third Shinobi World War began, so the Third Hokage's faction wouldn't have much energy to target him.

At the clan head's child's Seven-Day Celebration, nearly everyone qualified to attend clan meetings had shown up, along with many ordinary Uchiha clan members.

At the banquet.

Uchiha Fugaku toasted the table where Uchiha Shinra sat.

"Elder Shenhuo, thank you for your contributions to the clan."

"Shinra-kun, and little Shisui, Itachi is your younger brother. Please look after him from now on."

Many clan members exchanged glances.

The Uchiha Clan's division was already clear. The village was still using a policy of appeasement toward the Uchiha, and Fugaku leaned toward peaceful coexistence.

Most of the Uchiha in the Security Force could be considered doves.

It was only later, when the village's oppression of the Uchiha grew too severe, that the Radical Faction overwhelmed the doves.

At the village's founding, the Uchiha Clan, weary of war, had even betrayed Uchiha Madara.

Uchiha Shinra set down his juice and slowly stood up.

"Clan Head, on this fine day of passing the torch, I'd like to ask you for some instruction in ninjutsu."

Uchiha Fugaku's smile didn't waver: "Of course. I'll go to your usual training ground tomorrow and wait for you."

Uchiha Shinra's lips pressed together slightly, his smile faint: "Do I need to say it more clearly? I'm challenging you, Uchiha Fugaku."

If this were just an ordinary Uchiha youth, no one would take his words seriously.

Just like that one Uchiha kid who shouts every day about becoming Hokage—do you think the Third Hokage takes him seriously?

But Kagami is different...

The Uchiha Clan reveres strength. Whether one has awakened the Sharingan is a baseline; after awakening, each additional tomoe marks a rank.

Any Three-Tomoe Uchiha is recognized as a Jonin-level combatant.

"Kagami, saying something like this here is a bit inappropriate, don't you think?"

An Uchiha elder spoke up, trying to give Fugaku an out.

Kagami Uchiha turned to him and said flatly, "Since when do we Uchiha need to consider the occasion to fight?"

"Has prolonged peace made you lot start imitating the Hyuga?"

If there were divided opinions among the Uchiha about the Hokage, then toward the Hyuga—those rivals vying for the title of the foremost Dojutsu clan—every Uchiha felt nothing but disdain and disgust.

What standing do you Hyuga have to compete with my Sharingan?

But what stung more... was that without a Mangekyo, the Uchiha truly couldn't suppress the Hyuga now.

The Hyuga prided themselves on their pure, noble bloodline, looking down on the boisterous Uchiha, while the Uchiha couldn't stand those effete types either.

Kagami Uchiha's words instantly silenced the speaker.

Fugaku's gaze darkened slightly. He waved his hand to signal Mikoto not to worry.

He stared solemnly at Kagami Uchiha and said in a low voice, "You're not even a ninja yet. Challenging me is a bit premature, don't you think?"

Kagami Uchiha turned and walked slowly toward the door, the sound of his geta echoing through the hall.

He looked back over his shoulder, and the Three-Tomoe Sharingan manifested in his eyes, a fierce surge of Chakra sweeping outward!

"Clan Head, I'll give you one minute."

"Such powerful Dojutsu... this is no ordinary Three-Tomoe!"

"This is Kagami, after all. He's definitely capable of reaching the realm of the Mangekyo!"

No one would fault Kagami Uchiha for disrupting the celebration.

To them, whatever a genius does is reasonable and forgivable.

Even the most rational Uchiha only believes in strength!

A large open space lay before the Clan Head's residence. Staring at Kagami Uchiha, Fugaku's face was expressionless.

"I'm not afraid to sound weak, but if you truly want to be Clan Head, I'm willing to train you for a few years, so you can better take over the clan's authority."

"You're still too young. You can't handle the village's affairs. I know you've been influenced by Elder Shenhuo, but some things aren't as simple as you think..."

"You've got it wrong, Clan Head." Kagami Uchiha shook his head.

"I just want to test my own capacity."

"And besides..."

Kagami Uchiha assumed a stance, a smile on his face.

"Nothing is as complicated as you think. This world..."

"Has always been ruled by the strong. Isn't that right?"

Shh!!

An invisible sharpness shot forth.

Fugaku sidestepped, and the large trees behind him were severed, crashing down with a thunderous roar.

A flash of crimson appeared in his eyes.

"As a new father, I'll treat this as a practical lesson for Itachi."

A surging wave of Dojutsu power instantly spread out, overwhelmingly oppressive.