Uchiha Clan

After the Hawk Faction members filed in one by one, the three people at the entrance stared at each other, none of them having any interest in speaking.

Their presence here was less about guarding against outsiders and more about keeping an eye on their own kin.

Having suffered a massive loss in strength after the clan's internal bloodbath caused by the abuse of the forbidden technique Izanagi, trust among the Uchiha had begun to crumble long ago.

During the height of the internal strife, different Uchiha factions even monitored each other within the clan grounds around the clock; the hatred between the various sides was enough to leave outsiders dumbfounded.

If not for the sudden emergence of Uchiha Naori, who ended the civil war with the forbidden technique Izanami, the Uchiha Clan might have vanished from the ninja world just like the Senju Clan.

After all, the Uchiha's greatest enemy resided in the Hokage Building in Konoha.

As everyone stepped into the main hall of the shrine, the calm atmosphere suddenly turned heavy.

The interior of the hall was dim and deep, with only a single beam of cold daylight pouring down from the high ceiling.

Dust danced within the light, illuminating the pedestal bearing the Uchiha Gunbai crest with a solemn and grave air.

The hall was quite spacious, enough to accommodate nearly a hundred people sitting on the floor, yet it was so quiet that one could hear the rustle of clothes rubbing together.

Under the gaze of the Dove Faction and the clan head's faction, the Hawk Faction members took their seats on the vacant left side, but to the astonishment of both other factions—

Uchiha Ren sat down unhurriedly in the primary seat of the Hawk Faction, which represented Uchiha Setsuna, and right beside him sat the stern-faced Uchiha Fugaku, his thick brows locked in a frown.

Behind them knelt Uchiha Shisui, who possessed a "button nose" and had shown exceptional talent from a young age, along with Uchiha Yakumi.

On the far right were the members of the Dove Faction, led by Uchiha Koh.

Behind him stood a young kunoichi with a dignified, beautiful, and spirited air—Uchiha Mikoto.

Beside her was a mature and curvaceous kunoichi, Uchiha Hazuki, who had married into an outside family, awakened the Sharingan, and been invited back to the clan.

She was the mother of Uchiha Izumi.

The total number of Uchiha in the hall reached over fifty, a terrifying figure that accounted for a quarter of all active jonin in Konoha!

This was the true weight of the number one noble clan in the ninja world, the very thing that made the Konoha high-ups so wary.

The Hawk Faction members occupied half of these seats; in the end, the militant faction held more sway over the Uchiha heart than the conservative or appeasement factions.

Unfortunately, the Uchiha were incapable of fighting internally or externally, remaining a completely scattered pile of sand.

Uchiha Ren's gaze swept across the room, and meeting the confused stares of the crowd, he spoke slowly, "Elder Setsuna is advanced in age and struggles to handle the trivial matters of the clan, so I shall act as his proxy to participate in the clan meeting."

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall fell silent.

Only the daylight shifted, splitting the Uchiha crest into two halves of light and shadow.

Many Uchiha looked surprised by Uchiha Setsuna's choice, while simultaneously turning their eyes toward the front.

If one were to talk about age, there were still two other highly respected elders present.

And the Uchiha, in particular, were obsessed with face.

Their rivalry with the Senju Clan for the position of Hokage was not without reason in this regard.

The "Fire" in Hokage, after all, originally represented the "Fire" of the Uchiha!

"Since Setsuna has already made his choice... why should I cling to this empty position?"

Uchiha Koh lowered his gaze, his peripheral vision sweeping lightly over his successor beside him. With a flicker of light in his eyes, his mind gradually settled.

Although Uchiha Mikoto's strength could not compare to the other two factions, her innate advantages as a woman combined with Koh's years of teaching were enough for her to maneuver between the factions and act as a mediator.

Whether assisting the clan head's faction or keeping the increasingly powerful Hawk Faction in check—no matter how one looked at it, she was capable of taking on this heavy responsibility.

"As for Mikoto's own marriage... I will let her decide for herself."

Uchiha Koh thought of the marriage proposal from Uchiha Setsuna and the one that followed from the Uchiha clan head; the successors of both men were outstanding figures in the clan, and both carried immense influence behind them.

No matter who Uchiha Mikoto married, it would cause a stir within the clan.

To maintain stability, Uchiha Koh had not given a definitive answer, all while secretly observing Uchiha Ren and Uchiha Fugaku.

Over time, beyond just their strength, the differences in their methods and personalities had increasingly swayed Uchiha Koh's preference.

Stability was the prerequisite for a clan's steady development, but stability that was stagnant and lifeless would only lead to the abyss of doom under external pressure.

"A child's character is set by three, and their future by ten."

Although the ninja world did not use this exact phrasing, they had similar proverbs.

Uchiha Fugaku was cut from the same cloth as the Uchiha clan head; one could see his future at a glance.

But Uchiha Ren was different; he did things without haste, and beneath his calm confidence lay a very clear sense of purpose.

The suggestions he had made in several clan meetings had brought significant benefits to the entire Uchiha clan and greatly eased the tension between the factions.

Uchiha Fugaku did not possess this ability; letting him become the clan head would merely be another cycle of the same.

"Besides, this child Mikoto likely already has someone in her heart."

Having figured this out, Uchiha Koh looked up and spoke directly, "If one cannot even attend important clan meetings, it seems Elder Setsuna is not just advanced in age."

As he stood up, he looked toward the Uchiha clan head, "Lord Clan Head, I shall go represent the clan in checking on Elder Setsuna; for this meeting, let Mikoto make the decisions on my behalf."

When these words were spoken, the Uchiha in the hall looked up in astonishment, and as Uchiha Mikoto's lips parted to say something, she met Uchiha Koh's gaze.

The old man smiled gently, "Mikoto, I leave the rest to you."

In the end, he paused, adding with profound meaning, "Of course, you are also free to do whatever you wish to do."

Finally, he bowed slightly, "Clan Head, I shall take my leave now."

The members of the Dove Faction rose at once, bending their backs to respectfully see Uchiha Koh off, before turning in unison to bow to Uchiha Mikoto.

The transfer of power within the Dove Faction had landed as smoothly as it had with the Hawk Faction.

Uchiha Mikoto took a deep breath and sat at the head of the Dove Faction, her gaze meeting Uchiha Ren's smiling eyes.

She blinked in response.

Uchiha Fugaku, sitting in the middle, remained calm and composed.

Sitting cross-legged before everyone, the Uchiha Clan Head, with his piercing gaze and vigorous spirit, watched Uchiha Koh leave without hesitation, a shadow cast over his heart.

The leaders of the Hawk Faction and the Dove Faction both relinquishing their power in such a synchronized manner was undoubtedly putting him on the spot.

"So be it."

"I never intended to continue serving as Clan Head anyway; it is not a bad thing that they left first."

"But the departure of Koh, who shared an unspoken understanding with me, is definitely not a good thing."

Whether the young Uchiha Mikoto, as the new leader of the Dove Faction, would prioritize stability and align with the Clan Head's faction as Uchiha Koh had done remained an unknown.