Clan Conflict

Not only the Clan Head Faction, but even members of the Dove and Hawk Factions looked at Uchiha Mikoto in confusion.

If Uchiha Ren had said those words, no one would have been surprised—the Hawk Faction had always been outspoken and fond of openly challenging the Clan Head.

But why would a newly risen Dove Faction leader expose the unspoken, mutually understood pretense between the Clan Head Faction and the Dove Faction?

Uchiha Yashiro also looked surprised, but he knew the truth perfectly well: the person who had been passing along "reliable information" was none other than Uchiha Mikoto.

Through the exchanges between the two sides, he had even realized that Uchiha Koh knew about it. He simply couldn't understand why Koh hadn't stopped her and had instead chosen to turn a blind eye.

Uchiha Yashiro had reported the matter to the Young Lord of the Hawk Faction, too. The only response he received was, "Keep in contact."

Later, during a chance encounter, Uchiha Hazuki, who had awakened her Sharingan, was invited back to the clan by Uchiha Mikoto.

Within a few years, she had gained the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

And since they were both women, Uchiha Hazuki became Uchiha Mikoto's confidante and began meeting with Uchiha Yashiro on her behalf.

Silence settled over the shrine's main hall. Even the light streaming down from the skylight seemed to grow still.

The Old Clan Head's aged gaze slowly swept over Uchiha Mikoto's composed face. He had no choice but to accept that the Dove Faction's position had shifted outright with the change of generations.

Young Uchiha Mikoto was redefining the voice of the "Dove Faction" in a way he had never anticipated.

He replied frankly.

"Mikoto, there's nothing wrong with what you said."

The Old Clan Head paused slightly, his gaze turning distant, as if piercing through time to look back on the dust-covered past.

"The real problem has never been the principles themselves. It lies in the longstanding, tangled grudges between the Uchiha and the Hokage faction, feuds that have persisted since the founding of Konohagakure."

His voice was low and measured.

"There's no need to dwell on the disputes from before Konohagakure was founded. A few years after its founding, our clan head, Uchiha Madara, left the village."

"When he returned, he had already brought the strongest Tailed Beast, Kurama, under his control. He fought an earth-shaking battle to the death against the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, at the Valley of the End."

"In the end, Clan Head Madara died, and the First Hokage was gravely wounded. He passed away a few years later. His younger brother, Senju Tobirama, succeeded him as the Second Hokage."

"Our clan's Great Elder, Uchiha Setsuna, raised an army in rebellion... and was swiftly suppressed."

"And when Sarutobi Hiruzen succeeded as the Third Hokage, our clan also made its displeasure perfectly clear."

The Old Clan Head's gaze swept across every face in the hall before returning to the present.

"So the grudges between our clan and the Hokage faction can't be untangled with a few words. All we can hope for now is that, with time, we'll demonstrate the Uchiha's sincerity and slowly wear away this deep-seated conflict."

His earnest words made many Uchiha from the Clan Head Faction straighten their slightly hunched backs. They looked at the Hawk Faction with displeasure.

—The Uchiha of today were paying the price for their mistakes.

The balance of the discussion shifted at once. Uchiha Mikoto didn't panic; she simply glanced instinctively at Uchiha Ren, her lips parting slightly.

"That history is certainly as you say. But what if the Konoha High Command is only using 'acceptance' as a pretext to weaken us, making our clan bleed piece by piece? What then?"

A faint hiss of breath went through the hall.

This was something the Old Clan Head worried about, too. But could they simply refuse to act because they were worried?

Ordinary Uchiha could avoid the issue, but as the head of a clan, he absolutely could not.

He understood better than anyone.

Some roads had to be walked, even if they were lined with thorns.

"I understand your concern."

Under the gaze of the gathered Uchiha, the Old Clan Head answered decisively.

"But should we stop carrying swords forever just because we're afraid they might cut someone?"

He looked around, his gaze passing over Uchiha Fugaku's furrowed brow, Uchiha Ren's deep-set eyes, and the restless looks of the many clan members.

"Whether we can succeed is something to consider only after we've given it our all. If we refuse to move forward simply because we fear the risks, if we make promises but take no real action—"

The Old Clan Head's voice suddenly rose, echoing through the solemn shrine.

"Then what reason would the Hokage faction have to believe in the Uchiha's sincerity?!"

"The fact that we're allowed to control the entire Konoha Military Police Force already shows the rare goodwill the Konoha High Command has extended to us!"

The force of his question left the inexperienced Uchiha Mikoto furrowing her brow in thought. She tried to find a strong argument against the Old Clan Head's words in her dealings with Uchiha Ren.

Even the Uchiha of the Hawk Faction were now pondering the validity of the Old Clan Head's argument.

In the silence, a clear and resolute voice cut through the heavy air like a sword.

"The Clan Head makes a fair point, but why should our Uchiha Clan have to suffer this kind of humiliation?!"

Amid the interwoven gazes around him—some concerned, some trusting, some annoyed, and some full of anticipation—Uchiha Ren slowly rose to his feet.

He surveyed the hall and spoke clearly enough for every clan member to hear.

"Of course, the Uchiha aren't blameless. But isn't the Hokage faction the real source of the mistakes?"

"If the Senju Clan hadn't betrayed their word and resorted to political schemes, Clan Head Madara should have become the First Hokage, protecting Konohagakure. Then why would he have left in anger?"

"If fairness had prevailed when Konohagakure was founded, would all the events that followed have happened one after another?"

"We're simply taking back what should have belonged to us in the first place, with our own hands. What's wrong with that?!"

At last, a cold, mocking smile crossed Uchiha Ren's lips.

"What's more, after Clan Head Madara defected from Konohagakure and attacked the First Hokage, after Elder Setsuna attacked the Second Hokage, and after we defied the Third Hokage, we can still control the Konoha Military Police Force and live in Konohagakure."

"That's never been thanks to the mercy of the Konoha High Command. It's because of everyone here—the strength every Uchiha forged in blood and fire!"

"They don't dare to truly wipe us out, but our compromises will only encourage them to test us again and again!"

If Konohagakure were a dynasty, the Hokage would be the emperor, and the Uchiha would be a prince of the highest rank, commanding an eight-hundred-thousand-strong frontier army.

If they were just a little stronger—even if they had only one Mangekyo Sharingan—Uchiha Ren would truly dare to lead the Hawk Faction alone in a campaign to "cleanse the emperor's court" and bring all of Konohagakure to heel!

For now, though, the Hawk Faction lacked the strength to make that happen. But if the entire clan stood united...

Uchiha Ren took a deep breath, looked around, and dropped a bombshell.

"Take today, for example. If our entire clan charged the Hokage Building, how many people in all of Konohagakure could stop the edge of the Uchiha blade?!"

At those words, everyone was left dumbfounded.