Political power grew out of the barrel of a gun. Except in those female-oriented worlds filled with lunatics and countless simps, it was an unshakable truth in any world.
Meeting Uchiha Setsuna's somber gaze, Uchiha Ren continued saying things the old man did not particularly like to hear.
"If we keep pursuing the position of Hokage, then the Senju Clan, now nowhere to be seen, may well become the Uchiha Clan of tomorrow."
Those words made the Great Elder furrow his brow.
Uchiha Setsuna, who had lived from the Warring States Period before Konohagakure's founding until now, was certainly no fool.
After the death of the God of Shinobi—Senju Hashirama—Senju Tobirama became the Second Hokage. During his tenure, the First Shinobi World War broke out.
Not only did Senju Tobirama die at Kumogakure's hands, but the Senju Clan's elite forces were nearly wiped out as well.
Then, during the Second Shinobi World War, the death of Senju Nawaki, Tsunade's younger brother and the Senju Clan's last hope, directly caused the clan to abandon its surname and choose to merge into Konohagakure.
That decision to forsake their ancestors was no different from cutting off their own descendants and family line.
Thus, the great clan of the Shinobi World that had once stood alongside the Uchiha Clan was buried in history.
Uchiha Setsuna, who had once launched a rebellion only to be suppressed by Senju Tobirama and who was no stranger to yielding when necessary, now questioned himself.
If the Uchiha Clan had been in the Senju Clan's place, could they have made such sacrifices for Konohagakure?
The answer was obviously yes!
Unlike the scheming Senju Clan, the proud and powerful Uchiha Clan would only charge into battle at the forefront. Their fate would likely be even more miserable than the Senju Clan's, which still had bloodlines remaining.
Seeing the old man sink into thought, Uchiha Ren spoke softly.
"When it comes to the position of Hokage, none of Sarutobi Hiruzen's promises can be trusted."
"After all, his disciples are the Sannin. Whether it is Orochimaru, Jiraiya, or Tsunade, who has left the village, all of them have greater prestige than the Uchiha Clan."
"If we want to contend for the Fourth Hokage position, then unless another invincible powerhouse emerges, we will end up like Uchiha Madara back then. No matter how great our contributions are, the jonin will still kick us out of the race."
"Even the Fifth Hokage position probably will not be ours. Namikaze Minato, the 'Yellow Flash,' whose fame is now rising throughout the Shinobi World and who has mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, is Jiraiya's disciple and a legitimate descendant of the Senju Clan."
After hearing all that, Uchiha Setsuna waved his hand in irritation, rubbing his aching head as he snapped.
"You're boosting others' prestige while crushing your own! You brat, do you really have so little faith in our clan becoming Hokage?"
Uchiha Ren answered bluntly, "Not only do I have no faith in it, I also think there is no need for it."
"After becoming Hokage, what fundamental benefit would it bring our clan?"
"Take the current Third Shinobi World War. If the Uchiha Clan were sitting in the Hokage's seat, then in the hard battles and desperate fights to come, our clansmen would have to fill them with their lives."
"Even if every member of our clan is elite, on the meat-grinder battlefield of a Shinobi World War, we would be nothing more than insignificant numbers."
"Clansmen who took more than a decade to grow up would be thrown onto perilous battlefields for Konohagakure and for a promise that could never be fulfilled. Is that really worth it?"
"Konohagakure has never treated us as one of its own, so why should we treat Konohagakure as our home?"
Uchiha Ren's string of questions left Uchiha Setsuna without a response.
He looked at the outstanding, spirited successor before him, the one in whom he had placed great hopes, and his expression shifted again and again.
After a long while, a complicated look appeared on his face, carrying both relief and the weariness of age.
The Great Elder did not answer Uchiha Ren directly. Instead, he spoke to himself.
"Thinking about it now, these past decades have gone by so quickly. Of the old fellows left over from the Warring States Period, only I, the current clan head, and that fellow Huoke remain."
Uchiha Ren listened quietly.
He was no stranger to the three people Uchiha Setsuna mentioned. They were the Uchiha Clan's only remaining veteran Kage-level powerhouses, each representing one of the clan's three major factions.
Among the younger generation, he and Uchiha Fugaku, along with five Kage-level figures and dozens of jonin, had created a situation where even if Konohagakure's upper ranks disliked the Uchiha Clan, they could only glare helplessly.
During wartime, they had to accommodate the clan even more.
As for the clan being wiped out overnight later on, it could only be said that fate had played its hand. Every powerhouse capable of protecting the clan had turned their blades against it.
Otherwise, if they had truly rebelled against Konohagakure, it was not as though they would have had no chance of winning.
Uchiha Setsuna's voice continued, now carrying a trace of hoarseness.
"Back then, when Clan Head Madara left Konohagakure, we have not been without regret, even to this day."
"But compared with all the fighting and killing of the Warring States Period, the clansmen living in Konohagakure have undoubtedly been able to live in peace."
"Six-year-old children who understood how to refine Chakra had to take up weapons, fight for the clan, and die for the clan..."
Uchiha Setsuna took a deep breath, stared at Uchiha Ren, and spoke word by word.
"Ren, you must remember this: the clan's stability and prosperity are more important than anything else!"
Hearing that, the young man nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips.
The Uchiha Clan pursued the position of Hokage not only because it was something that should have belonged to them, creating an obsession, but fundamentally because they wanted their clansmen to live better lives.
"Grandfather, I understand."
"What was said today will cease to exist once we leave this room."
Uchiha Ren paused, then said unhurriedly, "Of course, if a suitable opportunity arises, I would not mind leading the Uchiha Clan to start anew and leave Konohagakure..."
"Or destroy Konohagakure!"
As those words fell, the atmosphere in the room abruptly turned cold and silent, only to dissipate again with the young man's soft laughter.
Though Uchiha Ren was smiling, Uchiha Setsuna felt a bone-deep chill.
He keenly felt that his own grandson, whom he had watched grow up, was like an eagle spreading its wings for flight, letting out its first cry!
Uchiha Setsuna did not know whether that was good or bad, but one thing was certain: at least he was far better than that useless coward Uchiha Fugaku!
"The Uchiha Clan's future is yours. How high you can lead the clan, and what you can lead it to do—well, I am already a withered bone in the grave. I will not live to see it, so I cannot be bothered to worry about it anymore."
After calming the turmoil in his heart, the Great Elder heard footsteps outside.
Soon, a young voice came from beyond the room.
"Great Elder, Lord Ren."
"The clan head has convened a clan meeting at the shrine to decide who will participate in the Third Shinobi World War."
The two men inside did not change expression. Only Uchiha Setsuna's voice rang through the room and beyond it.
"I am advanced in years. Leave all matters of the clan meeting to Ren."
The young Uchiha outside changed expression, showing shock and confusion, but even more delight.
Inside the room, Uchiha Ren understood what the old man meant. His chest rose and fell as he gave Uchiha Setsuna a slight bow.
"Hokage come and go, but great clans endure. Please rest assured, I will lead the Uchiha Clan to the very top, step by step!"
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