Fuck the Root

Anyone who's watched Naruto regularly knows that Uchiha gatherings usually discuss three things.

First, whether to rebel.

Second, if rebelling, when to rebel.

Finally, Fugaku wraps it up with a meeting summary.

Eiji figured today's meeting content would probably be about the same.

After a quick dinner, Eiji made his way to the shrine.

Greeting the clan members and elders, he took a seat at the very back.

At the same time, he quietly scanned the clan members in the room.

The Uchiha, hailed as the number one clan, each strutted around like they were hot stuff.

That big-nosed guy in the third row, Shisui, was pretty tough, but unfortunately not too sharp in the head.

He liked to spout edgy lines like "I can use these eyes to change their minds" and all that.

In the end, not only did he fail to solve the problem, but he got played by that old bastard Danzo.

That said, Fugaku had to take some responsibility for this too.

If he hadn't been wavering left and right all the time, and later raised that abstract eldest son, the Uchiha wouldn't have been reduced to just the Second Pillar alone.

While Eiji was silently roasting them, Fugaku arrived.

From his expression, he wasn't in a great mood.

Probably got called in for a talk by the Hokage again.

Sure enough, Fugaku kicked things off with the Security Division's relationship issues.

"Everyone, the Security Division has been seeing serious attrition lately, with a severe shortage of manpower. Please go back and mobilize your relatives and friends to join the Security Division."

Before Fugaku could finish, the meeting room erupted with complaints.

"Telling people to join the Security Division, isn't that just pushing them into a fire pit?"

"I'm thinking of quitting myself. I get chewed out every day, and I've lost count of how many times my family's been cursed at."

"My son's classmates found out I was in the Security Division and ganged up to isolate him. Now he's throwing a fit about dropping out of school."

"..."

One problem after another left Fugaku dumbfounded.

He didn't know how to respond.

In that case, he just wouldn't respond.

"We'll talk about this later," Fugaku said with a dismissive laugh. "Next topic."

Fugaku suddenly brought up Eiji's name. "Eiji, did you kill six Root Organization ninja today?"

Eiji straightened up and answered loudly, "Yes, Clan Head Fugaku. I was carrying out my duties in the Security Division."

The moment those words left his mouth, the room, which had just quieted down, exploded into chaos.

What did they just hear?

Eiji took out six of Danzo's lackeys?

Hell yeah! Serves them right!

Ever since Danzo took power, that old bastard hasn't thought about protecting the villagers. Instead, he spends every day scheming against the Uchiha.

He'd randomly drag a few clan members in for "investigation," and when they came back, they'd be covered in bruises.

Clearly, they'd been tortured for information.

That spineless Fugaku would storm off angrily to demand an explanation, only to come back with his head practically dragging on the ground.

That old fool Hiruzen didn't do anything either, just let his advisor Danzo and the two consultants run wild.

As a result, every time the Uchiha mentioned them, it was nothing but complaints.

A few bolder ones even wanted to follow in the footsteps of the late elder Setsuna and assassinate the Hokage's high command, but someone leaked the news.

Fugaku locked them in solitary confinement for a month, and by the time they came out, they were completely numb.

This only made them resent Fugaku even more.

You're so tough on your own people, so why can't you raise your voice at those idiots in Konoha?

A paper tiger of a clan head.

But not anymore.

The Uchiha's genius ninja was a real man who dared to fight Konoha!

"Eiji, well done!"

"Awesome! Take me along next time you make a move!"

"I've got some family heirloom poison. Smear it on your blade when you kill, and they'll die for sure."

"That old bastard Danzo didn't give you any trouble, did he? If he did, just say the word, and we'll find a chance to get you revenge!"

"..."

Eiji's head throbbed from the noise.

With so many voices clamoring at once, he couldn't make out what they were saying.

But from their expressions, it seemed they held him in considerable admiration.

Eiji couldn't help but blush. Look at how this turned out.

He'd only meant to complete a simple mission, and now he'd accidentally become a clan hero.

Thinking this, Eiji nearly laughed out loud.

But Fugaku, seated at the head, watched with a heavy heart.

Ever since the Nine-Tails' rampage, the voices clamoring for rebellion within the clan had grown louder and louder.

Even if he used his authority as clan head to forcibly suppress them, those people were likely only obedient in word, not in heart.

This was clear from today's events alone.

Fugaku had originally planned to admonish Eiji at the clan meeting, telling him to rein it in from now on.

Who could have guessed it would turn into a celebration in his honor?

He was somewhat frustrated, and Shisui, seated in the front row, felt the same.

All these years, he had walked the line between Konoha's higher-ups and the Uchiha, hoping to use his own strength to resolve the conflict between both sides.

But from the way things were shaping up today, achieving that goal was anything but easy.

Shisui suddenly spoke up, his voice loud: "Eiji, you really shouldn't have done this!"

After he said this, the room fell abruptly silent.

The Uchiha turned their heads one after another, wanting to see which traitor had uttered such words.

When they saw it was Shisui, the elders who had been praising Eiji suddenly transformed into raging critics, furiously cursing Shisui.

"Uchiha Shisui, what do you mean by that?"

"Come on, tell this old man, what exactly did Eiji do wrong?"

"If you don't give a proper explanation today, I'll beat you to death!"

Facing the elders' accusations, Shisui was long accustomed to it.

He had no choice but to patiently explain.

"Acting like this only brings temporary satisfaction, but it will arouse the Hokage's wariness and suspicion."

"In the end, it will bring even greater trouble to the clan."

After Shisui finished speaking, he was met with a chorus of boos.

"You're young, but your brain doesn't work well. Ever since Hashirama died, we Uchiha have lost the trust of Konoha's higher-ups."

"Shisui, if concessions could get us what we want, the Hokage would have been an Uchiha by now!"

Fugaku slammed the table hard. "Shut up! Don't talk nonsense!"

"Clan head, did I say something wrong? Back then, Lord Madara founded Konoha together with the Senju Clan."

"Even if they didn't give us the Hokage position, at least they could have let us serve as an advisor."

"But now? The Fourth died, and the Third is back in power. I won't accept it."

One after another, the crowd spoke up, making no effort to hide the resentment in their hearts.

Shisui was quite helpless, doing his best alongside the conservatives to calm things down.

Unexpectedly, as they argued, it devolved into a shouting match.

One side called the other cowards; the other side called them brainless.

Fugaku tried to mediate, but no one paid him any attention.

He rubbed his face in irritation. Honestly, he was used to it by now.

They'd stop once they finished arguing.

He glanced at Eiji. This genius ninja, who had sparked the clash between conservatives and radicals, was sitting off to the side with his hands tucked in his sleeves, as if none of this had anything to do with him.

After a full two and a half hours of arguing, both sides were hoarse and exhausted.

So they called a truce, resting their parched throats for a while.

And finally, Fugaku had a chance to speak.

He knew there was no way to continue today's meeting. If they kept this up, they might end up taking up arms and rebelling by nightfall.

"That's all for today. Everyone, go back and recommend some friends and family to join the Security Division."

"Dismissed."

With that, Fugaku was the first to leave the meeting room.

Itachi had just been discharged from the hospital, so he still had to go back and change his bandages.

After Fugaku left, Eiji followed the crowd out as well.

He arrived at his doorstep and found Shisui waiting for him.

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