Clan Meeting

October 15.

The sun was shining brightly, the sky was clear, just like Uchiha Chen's mood.

Although he'd laughed himself breathless yesterday, and had even laughed so hard that his jaw dislocated.

But it was no big deal!

What true-blooded Uchiha didn't dislocate his jaw from laughing ten or eight times?

The Uchiha with the proper Flame Gunbai flag all had the "grounding marks" of chronic jaw dislocations!

"Haku, a fleeting flash; Obito, Kenji's only. They rely on their ocular powers to run wild everywhere. Trash weasel."

Humming his own version of Lonely Brave, Uchiha Chen, squad leader of the Home Guard, began his daily patrol.

In theory,

the Uchiha Police Force was a strange department with immense power in Konoha. It handled everything from espionage and war to theft and spousal arguments.

But in reality, well, you know how it is!

With departments like Anbu and Root around, the Police Force couldn't do a thing. Basically, all they did was keep the peace on the streets and mediate trivial disputes.

Of course, having an easy job was nice. He only had to patrol the streets a few times each day, leaving him plenty of time to train.

But today, Uchiha Chen sensed something strange as soon as he stepped out onto the street.

Whether they were ninjas or civilians, passersby all avoided his gaze and stammered when they saw the Uchiha crest.

Even the young widow who sold fruit, who usually swooned whenever she saw Uchiha Chen, didn't come over to chat and tease him today.

"Big Brother Chen! Big Brother Chen!"

Just as Uchiha Chen was about to look into the situation, a shout from above reached his ears.

He looked up at the rooftops along one side of the street.

A black-haired boy with a mole between his brows leaped from roof to roof. After a few bounds, he landed behind Uchiha Chen.

"Tekka, what's up?"

The boy named Uchiha Tekka was two years younger than Uchiha Chen and served under him in the Police Force.

"Big Brother Chen, the clan head sent me to tell you that all the Three-Tomoe clan members are meeting at the usual place this afternoon!"

"Got it!" Uchiha Chen nodded. "What's it about?"

Uchiha Tekka glanced at the people around them. Seeing how they all looked at the two of them as if they were something to avoid, he let out a cold laugh and said:

"Just some stupid rumors!

"Somehow, they suddenly spread like wildfire last night and today. People are saying we controlled the Nine-Tails and made it attack the village!"

Last night?

Uchiha Chen narrowed his eyes slightly and fell into thought.

He wasn't surprised that such a rumor had spread. After all, it wasn't a rumor at all.

What puzzled him was why it hadn't broken out the day after the Night of the Nine-Tails, but had suddenly spread through every street and alley four or five days later.

"Has Lord Orochimaru returned from the Eastern Front?"

After thinking for a moment, Uchiha Chen asked with a frown.

"Huh?"

Uchiha Tekka looked at him in surprise, then leaned close and whispered:

"My brother and Shisui came back with Lord Orochimaru last night, but they told me to keep it quiet!"

Uchiha Chen nodded, dismissed Tekka with a wave, then turned and headed toward the clan compound.

That confirmed it.

The village had suffered heavy damage, and the Third and the other higher-ups hadn't dared provoke the Uchiha, afraid they might actually cause trouble.

Now that Orochimaru had returned with a group of elite shinobi, and there'd been enough time in those four or five days to recall Jiraiya as well, they naturally had the confidence to test the waters.

After all, no matter how you looked at it, there was no denying the Three-Tomoe in the Nine-Tails' eyes that night.

A storm was coming!

That afternoon, nearly all of the Uchiha's elite gathered at a small shrine by the Naka River.

Naka Shrine had stood for nearly two hundred years. It had originally been an outpost built when the Uchiha marched south from the Land of Lightning to contend with the Senju Clan.

Later, after the Uchiha had established themselves in the Land of Fire, the old camp was converted into a shrine. The underground levels, which had been used to store food and weapons, were put to use by one of the clan heads and turned into a meeting place for clan gatherings.

The small underground hall was already buzzing with noise.

"It's a good thing the Fourth died!"

"I wouldn't say it was a good thing.

"But I thought he had a pretty boy's face and looked like he'd live a long time. I figured the clan head would die before him.

"Who could've guessed? I sure didn't!"

"Does that mean the clan head can be elected Fifth?" another, younger voice asked.

Some of the more radical, rebellious factions had already started celebrating.

"Bullshit! I suggest you first learn how a Hokage election works!"

Uchiha Ryoji, Uchiha Shisui's second grandfather, slammed a hand on the table and glared at the radical clan members who had just spoken, scolding them:

"Hokage elections are decided by votes! Votes from the jonin! Who besides our own clan members would vote for the clan head?"

"What a joke! I can take on two Sarutobi Clan jonin by myself! Why shouldn't I get two votes? How is that fair to an honest man like me?"

Uchiha Yashiro, one of the radicals, also slammed the table and glared at the old man across from him, gritting his teeth. "Oh, go to hell!"

"I'm your grandpa. You dare bare your teeth at me?"

Uchiha Ryoji yanked off his belt and raised it as if to strike. The entire clan meeting erupted into chaos.

At that moment, Uchiha Fugaku, who had been sitting in the chief's seat like a stone statue, raised a hand and slammed it down on the table.

Bang!

After the loud crash came sudden silence, followed by Uchiha Fugaku's clear, powerful voice:

"Everyone's here. Take your seats!"

With the clan head speaking, Uchiha Ryoji and Uchiha Yashiro had no choice but to show him some respect.

They exchanged a few more insults, then sat down on their cushions, scowling.

Uchiha Fugaku swept his gaze authoritatively around the clan members, taking attendance. His eyes lingered on a few of the younger ones before he spoke:

"I'll get straight to the point. There are three main matters to discuss today!"

He paused, then suddenly opened his Three-Tomoe Sharingan and said:

"First, Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Inabi both awakened the Three-Tomoe on the Mist battlefield. Let's congratulate them!"

Dozens of pairs of crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan flared to life. Their bleak, chilling red glow brightened the dim underground hall, while Uchiha Shisui and Inabi, the guests of honor, were scrutinized again and again.

This was the Uchiha's special way of offering congratulations.

"Good!"

A dozen or so seconds later, Uchiha Fugaku caught his breath and continued:

"Second, the Nine-Tails Incident caused extensive damage to the village's buildings. The village intends to have us move our clan compound to the southeastern corner of Konoha's barrier, downstream from the Naka River!"

The words caused an uproar!

"What? Why should we?"

"That'll be so inconvenient!"

"Little Sarutobi, do you think there's no one in the Uchiha Clan to stand up to you?"

Even the "Fierce Eye" couldn't stop the clan members from arguing and complaining.

Once the uproar had died down somewhat, Uchiha Fugaku, his face fierce, spoke again:

"Third, regarding the widespread rumors that the Nine-Tails was controlled by the Sharingan on the Night of the Nine-Tails.

"This isn't a rumor. It's true!

"The Nine-Tails really was controlled by the Sharingan that night!"