Uprising (Please Follow)

"Heh, Clan Head Fugaku, you really do know how to see the big picture!" A faint smile appeared on Sarutobi Hiruzen's deeply aged face.

He understood the principle of giving someone a slap, then a date.

"Please rest assured, Clan Head Fugaku. Konoha won't forget your contributions. The village will cover the cost of relocating your entire clan."

"But..." Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly changed tack. "You know the difficulties the village is facing, so I must ask you to pay the expenses upfront. The village will make it up to you in the future!"

"This is my promise to the Uchiha Clan as Hokage!"

"Lord Hokage, you're very considerate. The Uchiha Clan understands!" Uchiha Fugaku had nothing else to say.

"Then this meeting is adjourned!"

"Take care, Lord Hokage!"

Uchiha Fugaku walked out of the Hokage Building alone.

As he looked at the bustling street before him, confusion filled his heart.

What did the future hold for the Uchiha Clan? How should they deal with the Hokage's faction?

Or did the Uchiha Clan... even have a future?

"Lord Yan, the clan head will be back soon!"

"I know. You know what to do next, right?"

"I do. I won't let you down."

"Then go... Hideto!"

When Uchiha Fugaku returned to the clan compound, he found his clansmen staring at him.

Their gazes were filled with discontent, agitation, anger, and every other kind of emotion, but not the respect they usually showed him.

It was as if they were looking at a criminal.

The sight left him perplexed.

He had only just returned from the Jonin Meeting and hadn't even had a chance to announce what had happened. Had something else gone wrong?

Before Uchiha Fugaku could ask what was going on, a clansman hurried over and asked anxiously,

"Clan Head, is the casino going to close? Is the entire Uchiha Clan going to be relocated? Did you surrender to the Hokage?"

"Watch your tongue!" the guard standing beside Uchiha Fugaku shouted. "Is that any way to speak to the clan head? Have you forgotten your manners?"

The clansman ignored him, staring at Uchiha Fugaku with a pair of blood-red eyes.

The clansmen watching from nearby were no different. They fixed their eyes on Uchiha Fugaku, waiting for his answer.

How did they find out?

Looking at the familiar faces around him, Uchiha Fugaku opened his mouth.

But for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to say the words that would clear his name. He could only lower his head in shame.

His reaction sent shockwaves through the clansmen.

"The rumors are true. The clan head really did sell out the Uchiha Clan."

"Don't call him clan head! Fugaku, you old dog! Traitor to the Uchiha Clan!"

"Is it true he's going to move into the Hokage Building with his wife and son?"

"I don't believe it! I refuse to believe the clan head is that kind of person!"

"Pah! Lapdog!"

"..."

The oppressive atmosphere within the clan erupted in an instant, like a spark tossed into a barrel of gunpowder. With a bang, flames and smoke spread rapidly through the air.

Every face twisted with fury. Anger grew wildly in the hearts of the crowd, like weeds.

Everyone who heard the news felt betrayed.

The clansman who had questioned Uchiha Fugaku even awakened his Sharingan.

The crimson tomoe turned slowly in his eyes, with a trace of madness glimmering in them.

Watching the scene unfold, Uchiha Fugaku felt a wave of panic.

When had the Uchiha Clan become like this?

He quickly turned to the guard and ordered,

"Notify the clan's jonin. I'm calling a clan meeting!"

The guard nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Clan—"

Just then, a voice from the distance cut him off.

"No need, Clan Head Fugaku. We're all here."

The crowd parted, opening a path.

Yan, Yashiro, Shisui, Tekka, and the others slowly came into view.

A large number of clan shinobi and ordinary clansmen followed behind them.

At a glance, there were nearly four hundred shinobi and over a thousand clansmen.

Some had their Sharingan activated, strange light gleaming in their eyes. Others wore blank, indifferent expressions. All of them stared at Uchiha Fugaku in unison.

Nobody spoke. A heavy pressure settled over the area.

Uchiha Fugaku looked at the people before him, his pupils contracting slightly as a chill crept through his heart.

The entire Radical Faction and Neutral Faction had arrived. Most of the Conservative Faction were there too, along with the ordinary clansmen who had kept joining from every direction. They now made up more than half of the clan.

Behind him, there were only the few shinobi from the clan head's faction whom his guard had urgently summoned—fewer than seventy in all.

How did Yan manage this?

Yan slowly stepped forward, each step seeming to carry immense weight. His footsteps rang out along the street, each one pounding on everyone's nerves.

"Clan Head Fugaku, it seems you haven't brought us any good news today!" Yan's voice was cold and provocative.

Uchiha Fugaku tried to remain calm. "Yan, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Yan's lips curled into a strange smile, sending a chill down the spine. "I just want to demand justice for the Uchiha Clan."

As he spoke, he looked around at the angry, confused clansmen and shouted, "Can't you all see it yet? What has all our endless patience gotten us?"

He pointed at Uchiha Fugaku. "A sudden betrayal!"

He pointed at the clansmen around him. "Endless disappointment!"

Then he pointed toward the distant Hokage Building. "And their brazen oppression of us!"

"We can't keep sitting here and waiting for death!" Yan's voice rang out like thunder, shaking the air. "We have to fight back and show them we're not to be trifled with."

"Not just for the Uchiha Clan's future, but so we can live with dignity and have better lives."

"We can't stay silent any longer."

"We have to use our power to make them pay a heavy price for what they've done!"

Yan's words set every heart ablaze.

The clansmen erupted in outrage, flames of anger burning in their eyes, ready to burst out at any moment.

Everyone clenched their fists, their bodies trembling slightly.

It was the prelude to emotions long held in check finally breaking free.

All it needed was one last spark to set everything off!

"Lord Yan, this is bad! Something terrible has happened!"

Just then, a frantic, urgent voice came from the distance.

Yan's lips slowly curled upward. Here it comes!

A shinobi raced over the rooftops, shouting as he ran, his voice loud enough for every clansman present to hear.

"Disaster! Uchiha Hideto has defected! He's gone to inform Sarutobi Hiruzen. He said he'd have the Hokage's faction bring the Uchiha Clan to account!"

At those words, the clansmen froze for a moment. Then their pent-up emotions erupted completely, like a volcano.

"Kill the traitor!"

"Let's fight the Hokage's faction!"

"Drag Sarutobi Hiruzen out of the Hokage's seat!"

"Long live the Uchiha!"

"..."

Their shouts instantly soared into the heavens, and the clansmen surged outside like a crashing tide.