The Elders' Dispute

Uchiha Kō got dressed. This time, he wore the robe of an Uchiha Clan elder, its plain black fabric bearing the Uchiha Gunbai emblem on the back, which matched his hairstyle.

He was every bit the handsome man, and when the elderly elders saw Uchiha Kō dressed like that, their minds reeled. That hairstyle, that face—it sent them tumbling into the past.

Back in the Warring States Period, when they were still young, they had seen that great man in the Uchiha camp!

The Hawk Faction's Great Elder seemed to breathe faster. Then Second Brother patted him on the shoulder, and he finally came back to himself.

He had no idea about what his grandson had been up to. At that moment, seeing Uchiha Kō dressed like that, he could hardly keep himself from bowing in worship.

So alike—too alike! Lord Madara had been just as arrogant and dashing back then.

The elders had their own thoughts, but Uchiha Hirotomo showed no reaction. Instead, he said, "Everyone must have heard what happened today. That's right, we owe it all to the newly appointed elder beside me, Uchiha Kō."

The Great Elder's eyes lit up. He was somewhat inclined to judge people by their appearance, and since Kō looked so much like Madara Uchiha, he felt favorably toward him. Besides, he was the leader of the Uchiha Clan's Hawk Faction.

The Second Elder, on the other hand, was neutral. He belonged to neither the Hawk Faction nor the Dove Faction, and his temperament had made both him and the Uchiha behind him deeply unpopular within the clan.

The Third Elder and Fifth Elder were the Great Elder's younger brothers, so they were naturally part of the Hawk Faction as well. The Fourth Elder, however, had chosen to side with the village and belonged to the Dove Faction. His son was none other than Kagami Uchiha, who had already died in battle.

"Clan Leader, what abilities does this newly appointed elder have to qualify for the position before the age of twenty?" The one speaking was the Fourth Elder. His brow furrowed; he sensed something was amiss and wanted to get to the bottom of it.

The Great Elder and the Fourth Elder did not get along, so he gave a cold snort. "Heh. Fourth Brother, do you doubt the Clan Leader's judgment? If Uchiha Kō was chosen as the new elder, then he must have the ability to back it up!"

The Third Elder sneered as well. "Heh. Exactly! With a face like that, he could become an Uchiha elder alone!"

What he meant was that Uchiha Kō was probably related by blood to Lord Madara. Did he really need to say more about Lord Madara's talent and strength?

The Fifth Elder nodded. The Fourth Elder looked to the Second Elder, who kept his head down and said nothing, as though he hadn't heard a thing.

The Fourth Elder was speechless. Did these people only care about appearances? Uchiha Kō looked like that great man, sure, but that great man had betrayed the Uchiha!

Uchiha Kō folded his arms and watched the scene coldly. Then he said, "Any of you have a problem with it? Why don't we settle this with a fight?"

With that, he looked at the elders. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan appeared, and his clothes fluttered despite the still air as he fixed his gaze on the Fourth Elder.

The other elders shuddered. That gesture—and even the way he spoke—was seven-tenths like that man!

The Fourth Elder frowned, then his Sharingan transformed into a Three-Tomoe Sharingan. A Kunai appeared in his hand. "Young man, don't get too cocky. You might hurt yourself! Let me teach you a lesson."

With that, the Fourth Elder used the Body Flicker Technique to rush at Uchiha Kō. Kō gave a cold snort, leaped into the air, and clapped his hands together. "Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

His chakra was Natural Chakra, so the Phoenix Sage Fire grew from small fireballs to the size of balls. The scorching heat even made those present break into a sweat.

The Fourth Elder frowned and formed Hand Seals. With a poof, he turned into a log, while his real body appeared beyond the attack's range.

The Phoenix Sage Fire struck the ground, leaving a huge crater, its high-temperature flames still burning inside.

"Hey, old man. Are you going to dance, too?" Uchiha Kō fixed the Fourth Elder with an aggressive stare. The Fourth Elder merely chuckled.

Then he used the Body Flicker Technique again. Well, what could one say? He was Kagami's father, after all. His Body Flicker Technique was so good that he was almost impossible to track.

Uchiha Kō's Sharingan shifted back and forth, following the Fourth Elder's movements. At that moment, the Fourth Elder seized his chance and appeared in Kō's blind spot, driving his Kunai toward him with all his might.

If it hit, Uchiha Kō would be seriously wounded, if not killed! Kō's eyes turned cold. Was this old bastard trying to kill him?

Then he snapped the fingers of his left hand. As his chakra surged, a Steel Shield appeared out of nowhere and blocked the Fourth Elder's Kunai.

Clang! The Kunai collided with the Steel Shield, sending sparks flying.

Magnet Release! The Great Elder, Second Elder, Third Elder, and Fifth Elder all drew in sharp breaths at once. A Kekkei Genkai—Magnet Release! This boy was terrifyingly talented! He might one day rival Lord Madara, or even that God of Shinobi!

The Uchiha Clan had hope of producing a Hokage! Desire and ambition shone in their eyes. What they didn't know was that, to Uchiha Kō, the Hokage Position wasn't all that tempting. It was more trouble than it was worth.

"Magnet Release! And Iron Sand, at that! You—" The Fourth Elder gritted his teeth, but before he could finish, Uchiha Kō reached out with his right hand without even turning around.

Then he slowly made a fist. "Magnet Release: Iron Sand Binding Pivot!" As the words left his mouth, the Steel Shield broke apart into scattered Iron Sand, which surrounded the Fourth Elder and closed around him.

Uchiha Kō had decided to teach him a lesson. The Iron Sand Binding Pivot formed, then gradually tightened, exerting pressure on the Fourth Elder.

The Fourth Elder spat out a mouthful of blood, then stared at Uchiha Kō in alarm. Was this newly appointed elder going to kill him?

Just as his bones began to crack under the pressure, Uchiha Kō waved his hand. The Iron Sand dispersed, and the Fourth Elder fell from the air. The Dove Faction members hurried to help him up.

The Fourth Elder's face was deathly pale as he glared at Uchiha Kō. Losing face was the least of his worries. Now the Uchiha had someone like this.

Could relations between the village and the Uchiha ever improve? The clan had already found it difficult to fit in, and now it had produced such a talented young man. Would the higher-ups really let this slide?

Otherwise, how could his son have... At the thought, his spirits sank.

Some rejoiced while others grieved. As the Fourth Elder sank into despair, the Hawk Faction's eyes were already shining. Uchiha Kō's strength and temperament made him an absolutely perfect fit for their faction!

The Uchiha Clan was a clan of fighters. They should use force to settle everything!

Uchiha Hirotomo stepped forward at just the right moment. "Does anyone else have any objections to Young Master Kō becoming an elder?" The Hawk Faction elders smiled broadly. The Uchiha admired strength, so naturally they had no objections.

The Dove Faction elder, the Fourth Elder, sighed. He had already lost, and there was no point in saying anything more. He looked at Uchiha Kō standing where he was, his expression complicated.

Uchiha Kō felt nothing in particular about it. For now, the Uchiha Clan was useful to him, since it could provide him with information. So he was determined to secure the position of elder.