The entire courtyard fell deathly silent.
Everyone was immersed in Uchiha Jin's speculation, their faces turning extremely grim. Quite a few had even activated their Sharingan in shock.
If not for the fact that nearly everyone allowed into this small courtyard was considered an Uchiha elite, there might have been a whole group furious enough to awaken their eyes on the spot.
Especially the Moderate Faction and the Radical Faction!
They were among those most shaken, because Uchiha Jin's speculation had practically answered questions they had never been able to understand before.
It was one thing for the village to fear the Radical Faction, but why were people like them, who clearly had the village's interests at heart, still treated differently?
"How could this be?"
"Though it sounds somewhat unbelievable, with Elder Jin's speculation as a premise, everything that previously made no sense can now be explained."
"Who would have thought that while we wanted to integrate into the village, the village had its eyes on the Uchiha's thousand years of accumulated legacy!"
"We absolutely cannot let them succeed, I swear it!"
"..."
Everyone present began speaking in turn.
They all appeared righteously indignant, especially the Moderate Faction and the Middle Faction, because betrayal wounded people more deeply than anything else.
The Uchiha might have been so extreme as to seem foolish, but they were not truly brainless either. Though Uchiha Jin's speculation lacked any evidence, considering the village's current predicament and its all-too-obvious targeting of the Uchiha...
The possibility was truly high!
In fact, it was not just the Moderate Faction and Middle Faction. Even the Radical Faction struggled to contain their fury. They had never considered that the village's targeting of the Uchiha might conceal so many schemes behind it.
Uchiha Setsuna in particular had a dark look in his eyes. He had not expected this to be the reason Uchiha Jin had joined the Radical Faction.
Creak.
Just as everyone sank into thought, Uchiha Tano and Uchiha Yashiro entered, each leading their own trusted followers.
"Everyone, this old man shall join as well!"
Uchiha Tenno stepped to the front and respectfully bowed to Uchiha Jin. "I happened to overhear Jin-kun's speculation outside the door just now. Combined with the historical experiences of the village and the Uchiha, I believe Jin-kun's speculation is indeed highly plausible."
"For the Uchiha's survival, this old man must become radical as well!"
Uchiha Yashiro also gave a solemn bow.
His gaze toward Uchiha Jin was exceptionally complicated. This Uchiha junior, whom he had once considered too radical to even take seriously, had utterly shocked him with that conclusion.
So.
After letting out a helpless sigh, he could not help asking, "I am also willing to join the Radical Faction. But I am indeed curious—was it because Jin-kun noticed this that he ultimately chose to join the Radical Faction?"
At that question, everyone became interested.
Meanwhile.
Uchiha Jin showed no surprise at the two newly arrived Moderate Faction elders.
His sensory abilities were not weak. He had noticed them approaching long ago; he had simply deliberately allowed them to hear all this.
Hearing Uchiha Yashiro's question, Uchiha Jin pondered briefly before shaking his head.
"No, you are wrong!"
"I actually saw through the village's schemes long ago. But because of the Uchiha's nature, I did not believe I had the ability to change the Uchiha. At first, I only wanted to protect my own safety."
"Nine-Tails Night was an attempt."
"I tried to persuade Fugaku, the Clan Head, not to worry about Danzo and Root stopping him. If Fugaku had listened to me and gone to support Namikaze Minato, it would have proven that the Uchiha were still worth saving."
"But, regrettably."
"Fugaku refused, and the clan members did not support me either."
"At that point, I fell into complete despair!"
"I believed the Uchiha were too foolish to change. Compared to an Uchiha clan doomed to extinction, all I thought about then was how to save myself."
"I am not afraid to tell you the truth. As early as the Third Shinobi War, I had already prepared an escape route for my family."
"The Land of Snow!"
"My original plan was to get my parents out of Konoha amid the chaos before the village exterminated the Uchiha, then use the route I had prepared in advance to head for the Land of Snow."
"But, heh!"
"The day I finished training, it was already late at night. I saw Root abduct my parents right outside my door with my own eyes, and that very night, the shock directly awakened my Mangekyo."
"However, the shock was too great, and I passed out immediately. When I woke up, it was already the next day."
"I knew how tightly Root guarded its prisoners. Going to rescue them alone would not save my parents; instead, it would only get me caught as well."
"But Fugaku's personality meant he was destined to be unable to help me."
"So I chose the Radical Faction and began causing trouble at once, because I understood Danzo's nature. Once he decided I was an Uchiha who posed a threat, he would absolutely not kill my parents easily."
"On the contrary!"
"He would keep a firm hold on my parents, using them as a trump card to scheme against me in the future."
"The higher my status, the safer my parents would be!"
Uchiha Jin spoke calmly, laying everything out.
He had never intended to hide it from everyone, because sooner or later, he would have to rescue his parents. It was better for him to reveal this matter himself than to let Danzo expose it in the future.
So.
He did not deny that he had selfish motives!
Almost instantly.
As Uchiha Jin spoke, everyone drew in a sharp breath.
No one had expected the truth to be like this!
Uchiha Jin's parents had been abducted by Root, and he had witnessed it himself. It was precisely because of this that he awakened his Mangekyo.
"So that was it!"
Uchiha Yashiro wore a bitter expression. "I suppose I should thank Danzo. If not for what he did, our Uchiha truly would have had no hope of salvation."
The others nodded one after another.
Yet none of their expressions looked good, because Uchiha Jin's actions had practically treated the clan members as outsiders.
They wanted to call the Uchiha selfish, but they simply could not bring themselves to say it.
There was no helping it!
When they thought about their past actions now, they wanted to slap themselves!
Even if Uchiha Jin had stepped forward back then, they probably would not have believed him.
So, sigh!
Beyond a sigh, all they felt was relief.
Just as Uchiha Yashiro had said, if not for Danzo's stroke of inspiration, Uchiha Jin might have defected long ago.
Uchiha Tenno looked somewhat puzzled. "I can understand Jin-kun's choice. The Uchiha are far too straightforward. Back then, when Clan Head Madara chose to leave Konoha, did not people like us also fail to follow him?"
"What I am curious about instead is this: Jin-kun had already prepared an escape route during the Third Shinobi War. Had he noticed something was wrong even then?"
That was right!
With Uchiha Tenno's question, everyone immediately became interested.
Before you continue