Not to mention the Konoha High Command, which Mitokado Homura's cleverness had thoroughly led astray, after Uchiha Itachi resolutely kowtowed in the Uchiha Clan Compound, he used Body Flicker and fled the compound as though escaping, arriving at the Ninja Academy.
With little time left in Konoha, Uchiha Itachi intended to see his younger brother once more. After all, their enemy was a man who called himself Uchiha Madara, and with that strange space-time ability, even though he had learned from Minagawa Uchiha how to deal with it, he still had no certainty. This trip was a matter of life and death. As someone obsessed with his younger brother, Uchiha Itachi naturally wanted to say a silent farewell.
Yet upon arriving at the Ninja Academy, he discovered another Minagawa Uchiha there. Clearly, this was a clone Minagawa Uchiha had sent to protect Second Pillar in case Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other higher-ups became desperate and resorted to reckless measures.
The two exchanged no words. After nodding to each other, Uchiha Itachi handed a scroll to Minagawa Uchiha. He quietly watched Second Pillar, who was still being held up in the classroom by the school, for a while before silently choosing to leave.
Watching Uchiha Itachi's departing figure, Minagawa Uchiha's clone used the Wood Style Clone's ability to communicate with the original body and informed Minagawa Uchiha, who was in the clan compound, of what had happened here.
Meanwhile, Naka Shrine had caused an uproar. The reason was that Uchiha Fugaku had announced the list of clan members relocating to the central clan land, as well as the future operating principles of the Uchiha Military Police Force.
The point of contention was that many elderly clan members also wanted to move back to the central clan land. However, Uchiha Fugaku considered most of these elderly clan members stubborn in temperament, arrogant and rigid in conduct, unwilling to let go of the Uchiha glory of old. With their personalities, not only would they fail to achieve the Uchiha Clan's goal of deepening communication with the village's other clans and ninja, they might even worsen the divide.
Only the younger, gentler clan members, who had not been too deeply influenced by stubborn ways of thinking, could live peacefully alongside the other clans and ninja, changing the arrogant image the Uchiha Clan held among the villagers.
As for Uchiha Fugaku's demand that the Military Police Force enforce the law with restraint, that made those Military Police Force clan members who considered themselves elites feel deeply insulted. As elites, why should they have to humble themselves and serve civilians and weaklings? This mindset occupied nearly most of the Military Police Force's members.
Seeing this, Minagawa Uchiha had no mood left to concern himself with Uchiha Itachi's departure. He directly activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, and an enormous chakra pressure erupted from him. The immense force immediately silenced the clan members who had been shouting just moments ago.
"What's this? None of you want what's best for the Uchiha Clan, do you?"
That sharp rebuke made everyone look at one another. No one immediately spoke up to refute him. After all, Minagawa Uchiha's status within the clan was no longer ordinary, and the pressure radiating from him was overwhelming. Everyone was merely puzzled. How had their perfectly reasonable demands become an act of harming the Uchiha Clan?
"How does moving to the center of the clan land mean we don't want what's best for the Uchiha Clan? Do you think we'd deliberately ruin the Uchiha Clan's reputation in the center of the village? No one loves the Uchiha Clan more than us elders."
"Then is it wrong for the Military Police Force to enforce the law according to the rules? As the protectors of the village's security, should not we be more severe? Only by making others afraid can we deter them from making the same mistakes again. Is that wrong too?"
"..."
Hearing that these clan members still had not realized the clan's crisis and were still eloquently defending themselves, Minagawa Uchiha was so angered by their stupidity that he laughed.
But on second thought, this also exposed how few people in the Uchiha Clan could think calmly and see the bigger picture. Even these elders who had lived so long and the Military Police Force members holding important posts lacked such ability. The younger clan members were likely even worse, which left Minagawa Uchiha somewhat worried.
Sighing at how difficult and long the Uchiha Clan's path to revival would be, he had no choice but to patiently explain things one by one.
"Everyone knows what happened yesterday, right? Haven't you realized the Uchiha Clan's crisis yet? Do you think the Clan Head's and my Mangekyō Sharingan alone can stand against the entire village?
Surely everyone has read the records on the Mangekyō Sharingan. These are cursed eyes. The more they are used, the deeper one walks into darkness. From the moment of Awakening Eyes, our eyes inevitably begin their journey toward blindness.
How many of the clan members who attacked the Root Base last night are still left? How many were injured? A mere Root caused three hundred of our most elite clan members to suffer such losses. Count them yourselves—are there even a hundred of the vanguard clan members who set out with me left?"
"Even now, you still can't realize your own weakness? How long do you think you can rely on the Clan Head's and my Mangekyō Sharingan?
In any case, I certainly won't waste my precious dojutsu power on such meaningless disputes. You want me to pay the price for the Uchiha pride in your hearts? You're dreaming.
Your own arrogance is something you should fight for yourselves. Whether it was the Uchiha Clan's former glory or our ability now to strike back and kill Shimura Danzō and his Root, you know perfectly well how much you yourselves contributed.
If things truly become impossible, I won't concern myself with the Uchiha Clan anymore. I can live freely in the Ninja World on my own. Don't think I'm being heartless. I'm only an eleven-year-old Ninja Academy student. My parents also died fighting for Konoha and the Uchiha Clan. You have no right to demand that I fight to the death for the Uchiha Clan."
Those sharp words instantly filled everyone with shame. Especially the clan members who had survived last night's attack on the Root Base, each of them flushed and lowered their heads. Even those elders who usually relied on their seniority had been left speechless by Minagawa Uchiha's retort.
For a time, the entire Naka Shrine was silent, so quiet it seemed empty.
After this scene continued for a long time, seeing that everyone was so embarrassed and had realized their mistakes, Uchiha Fugaku finally stepped forward to soothe them.
"Enough. You needn't blame yourselves. You only need to understand that the clan's arrangements this time are meant to change the Uchiha Clan's current predicament.
The relocation list I announced should have made it clear to everyone. They are all clan members with gentle personalities and a talent for socializing. They are not moving to the central clan land to enjoy themselves. They also bear the important task of befriending other clans and ninja, changing the Uchiha Clan's image within the village.
The same goes for the Military Police Force. As long as we enforce the law with restraint—explaining the reasons behind serious crimes, seeking everyone's opinions, and finally making them public, while letting minor offenses go lightly and focusing on criticism and education—we will naturally earn the villagers' support.
This is not only to gain the goodwill of other clans, ninja, and villagers, but also so that the Uchiha Clan can gain their support in the coming Hokage election."
"So, I ask all clan members to be understanding of the clan. Only by giving can we gain something in return. We cannot merely talk about the Hokage Seat. These arrangements are all for the revival of the clan, so please abide by them!"
After saying that, Uchiha Fugaku did not forget to bow in respect. A group of clan members also understood his painstaking intentions and gave their assurances one after another.
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