I Confess!

"The position of clan head—that's your goal, isn't it? Change, Konoha... are you trying to start a coup? Don't even think about it. I will never hand the position of clan head over to you!"

Uchiha Fugaku lowered his head and shook it as he spoke.

"No, Fugaku, you've already lost your chance. Danzō is dead. Now, you're nothing but an ambitious man who conspired with him. No matter how you explain yourself, it's meaningless. No one will believe you!"

Uchiha Kazuto lowered his head, his crimson Sharingan fixed on Uchiha Fugaku.

"Confess your crimes, Fugaku. Don't force my hand. Think about it—you still have children. Sasuke is a good boy, and Itachi too. Oh, by the way, Fugaku, do you know about Konoha's Red Light District?"

Uchiha Kazuto spoke slowly, trying to reason with Uchiha Fugaku into voluntarily admitting his guilt.

"What exactly are you trying to do!!!"

Hearing Uchiha Kazuto's words, Uchiha Fugaku jerked his head up, revealing a pair of Sharingan. Six Tomoe slowly rotated, radiating an eerie light.

"Do? Heh. Become the new clan head, improve relations between the clan and the village. Everything you did before was terrible—a complete path to self-destruction. Only I can lead the Uchiha Clan to strength. And, Fugaku, we need you right now. Danzō is already dead by my hand. If you don't confess to the evidence... then the clan and the village will have a very hard time dealing with this, Fugaku. Deep down, you don't actually want a coup, do you?"

"Clan Head, someone always has to make a sacrifice. For the sake of the clan, for Sasuke, for your wife—Clan Head, think it over carefully!"

Uchiha Kazuto patted Uchiha Fugaku on the shoulder, then stopped. He knew Uchiha Fugaku would understand. The die was cast. Uchiha Fugaku had no hope left.

Now, Uchiha Fugaku was stuck in a no-win situation, guilty whether he was or not.

Politics... Uchiha Kazuto didn't really understand it all that well. Before he transmigrated, he was just an ordinary person—a completely average, unremarkable nobody. From childhood to adulthood, he'd never even been a team leader.

Still, despite that, as an ordinary person, he understood things like framing, fabricating charges, twisting truth into lies, and shifting blame. He knew them well.

He knew better than anyone that Uchiha Fugaku was innocent—and that he was the one framing him. But so what? Everything was for the sake of his goal. No one cared about the truth. They only cared about what they wanted to care about. Don't forget—he now possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan and had gained the support of the Hawk Faction. Plus, the Dove Faction of the Uchiha didn't actually want a coup. That was how he could pin this coup label on Uchiha Fugaku.

In truth, whether Uchiha Fugaku lived or died didn't really matter. Danzō was already dead. Whether he and Uchiha Fugaku had any conspiracy was entirely up to him to decide. Of course, there was no evidence that Uchiha Fugaku and Shimura Danzō had colluded or plotted anything.

But Uchiha Kazuto didn't care whether others believed him or not. He had the Mangekyo Sharingan now. As long as he didn't make a move, leveraging the lingering fear of Uchiha Madara, and as long as the surface hadn't been broken, if anyone wanted to start a coup, then his excuse—Hiruzen Sarutobi, for the sake of the village's stability—would have to be believed, even if he didn't want to.

If Uchiha Fugaku died, then he'd truly have no way to defend himself. Everything would be up to Uchiha Kazuto to decide. He wouldn't need to care about Uchiha Fugaku's opinion at all. After all, the merits and faults of the dead are entirely dictated by the living.

Unfortunately, Uchiha Fugaku couldn't die just yet.

"Be grateful, Uchiha Fugaku. You have a good son."

Uchiha Kazuto coldly stared at Uchiha Fugaku. If it weren't for Uchiha Itachi, he would have found a way to kill Uchiha Fugaku right now. But because Uchiha Shisui hadn't died in front of Uchiha Itachi, Itachi hadn't awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan yet. Whether he would have the chance later, Uchiha Kazuto didn't know. But he felt that if Uchiha Fugaku died, Uchiha Itachi might awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan.

Until he had fully taken control of the Uchiha Clan, become the Captain of the Military Police Force, enacted laws, and secured his source of power, Uchiha Kazuto didn't want to take that risk.

Uchiha Fugaku lowered his head, thinking. Then, he bitterly realized that he had no choice left but to confess. The Dove Faction Uchiha had already grown suspicious of him. Now, any truth he spoke would be seen by them as excuses, lies, or a refusal to admit his crimes.

Even if he killed himself right now, they would interpret it as suicide out of guilt.

If only the Hawk Faction members still wanted to start a coup. If only Uchiha Kazuto didn't have the Mangekyo Sharingan. Then he wouldn't have fallen into such a dead end. But there was no "if only."

Now, he was stuck in a no-win situation, guilty whether he was or not. Especially since Shimura Danzō was dead—the only person who could prove his innocence was gone. As for finding evidence, Uchiha Kazuto would just say that their collusion had always been verbal. That would be the end of it.

Sasuke... Itachi... Mikoto...

Uchiha Fugaku recalled what Uchiha Kazuto had just said, and rage burned in his heart. Of course, he understood what it meant. A threat. A blatant threat. Damn it. If only Uchiha Kazuto didn't have the Mangekyo Sharingan...

His heart grew heavier with grief, but there was nothing he could do. This wasn't a scheme where the weak exploited the rules. It was a bold, open strategy by the strong—one that, even if you saw through it, you couldn't counter. Unless he, too, had the Mangekyo Sharingan.

"Have you decided, Clan Head?"

Uchiha Kazuto looked down at Uchiha Fugaku.

"I... confess..."

Uchiha Fugaku met Uchiha Kazuto's gaze, then finally lowered his head in defeat. He knew he had no way to resist Uchiha Kazuto.

"Heh! That's more like it! Fugaku, you made the right choice."

Seeing Uchiha Fugaku's reaction, a smile spread across Uchiha Kazuto's face. Then his expression shifted.

"Uchiha Fugaku, did you and Shimura Danzō deliberately stir up conflict between the village and the clan?"

"I... yes... I did. The current tensions and disputes between the village and the clan are all part of a conspiracy between me and Shimura Danzō..."

Uchiha Fugaku's face turned pale as he spoke.

"Did you and Shimura Danzō intend to launch a coup and harm the Lord Hokage?"

Uchiha Kazuto barked sternly.