After returning to the clan, Shin sent Chiyo Hotaru back to her room, then went to the Conference Hall himself.
The roof of the Conference Hall had been smashed to pieces by Shin and the others two months ago, but it had long since been repaired. Shin took one look and stepped inside.
Everyone had already gathered in the hall. Besides his uncle, Uchiha Tajima, there were about fifty others. The weakest among them was a Jonin. Uchiha Madara was there as well. Shin gave Madara a slight nod, then went to stand before his uncle.
"Clan Head, I'm here!" At a meeting like this, even Madara had to address him as Clan Head rather than by a familial title.
"Mm. Find a place to sit." Uchiha Tajima nodded casually.
Shin looked around, then decisively went to sit cross-legged beside Madara. He really wasn't used to kneeling like the others, and figured he'd have a hard time getting used to it.
Uchiha Tajima spoke calmly from the front. "Last time, while I was on the battlefield, I suddenly heard that the clan had been attacked. I was terrified and didn't even have time to think about the battle. I led every shinobi in the clan back, marching day and night. Even so, we lost a full forty promising children from the next generation. It was a disgrace to the Uchiha Clan!"
Bang!
Uchiha Tajima slammed a fist onto the table, making it shake. He swept his furious gaze across the room. Everyone had their heads lowered, afraid to meet his eyes. Only then did he nod in satisfaction, feeling that his authority remained as strong as ever.
He cleared his throat and continued, "Someone must take responsibility for what happened. Third Elder Uchiha Yutaka was manipulated by the enemy, left the clan grounds without permission, and acted like a fool. He has already been stripped of his position as an elder, but that's still not punishment enough. Let's discuss what should be done with Uchiha Yutaka."
Uchiha Yutaka, who had been kneeling at the front, stood up. His face was deathly pale, and sweat had broken out across his forehead. He didn't dare say a word. When he'd received word that the clan grounds had been attacked, his mind had gone blank. Since returning, he'd been on edge, and had voluntarily given up his position as Third Elder. The few clan meetings held over the past two months had passed without incident, so he'd thought the matter was behind him. He hadn't expected to escape punishment after all.
"What's going on?"
Shin quietly asked Madara beside him. He'd heard that they'd held several clan meetings over the past two months. Had they not decided on a punishment for the Third Elder?
Madara shook his head slightly. "I don't know, but it seems they really haven't punished him. They've been discussing withdrawing from their territory and setting up defenses along the border with the Senju Clan. After all, the retreat from the battlefield was so chaotic that it left plenty of trouble in its wake."
Shin nodded in understanding. Compared to punishing one of their own, ensuring the clan's safety came first.
The Uchiha Jonin murmured among themselves, discussing how Uchiha Yutaka should be punished. Their suggestions varied, some lenient and others severe.
After they'd gone back and forth for a while, Uchiha Tajima raised a hand to quiet them. "What does everyone think?"
In the front row, a shinobi sitting just behind Uchiha Yutaka spoke up. He was around forty years old, which, in this Warring States Period with its high death rate, was already considered a ripe old age. He was one of the clan's strongest Peak Jonin, named Uchiha Zhan.
"The Third Elder was careless and failed in his duty, putting the next generation of our clan in an unprecedented crisis. If Madara and Shin hadn't turned out to be such geniuses, the consequences would have been unthinkable. Merely stripping him of his position as an elder is far too lenient. I suggest sending Uchiha Yutaka to Fujiwara Mine to oversee its development and protect its security. I hear several groups of bandits have appeared there today and pose quite a threat to the mine."
"What are you laughing at?"
Madara saw a mocking smile tug at the corner of Shin's mouth and asked quietly. He couldn't see what was funny about what Uchiha Zhan had said.
Shin looked at Madara with contempt, his eyes filled with superiority. He didn't bother answering. Hmph. No matter how incredible your talent for cultivation is, you're still only eight years old. How could you understand the deeper meaning behind Uchiha Zhan's words?
Fujiwara Mine was one of the three major mining sites controlled by the Uchiha Clan. The iron ore produced there was not only the clan's main material for making weapons, but was also exported to various Feudal Lords and shoguns. It was an extremely important source of income.
Being a shinobi was a resource-intensive profession, which was why shinobi were always taking on those high-paying missions. The Uchiha Clan was relatively well-off: it had a large territory, plenty of food, and abundant resources. If anything was lacking, they could buy it from other shinobi clans or Feudal Lords.
Normally, Uchiha Yutaka's punishment would have been to give him some exceptionally difficult missions so he could redeem himself, or to send him to the battlefield to fight alongside the other clan members.
But if he earned merit that way, he might have a chance to rise back to power. After all, he'd been an elder for many years and had built up quite a few connections.
Sending him to Fujiwara Mine was different. On the surface, it wasn't a severe punishment, but in reality it was exile. In a place like that, guarding the mine well was simply his duty, while failing to do so would be his fault. Far from the clan's center of power, he'd have almost no chance of returning. It was as good as casting him aside entirely.
Uchiha Zhan's proposal had a simple motive: he wanted the position of Third Elder. Since ancient times, the Uchiha Clan had had three elders beneath the clan head. Two years ago, two elders were killed in a surprise attack by the Hyuga and Senju Clans, which had sparked the three-clan war that lasted two years. Because of the fighting, the two positions had never been filled.
Now that the fighting had eased, the clan was deciding the Third Elder's punishment. That meant all three elder positions were vacant, and Uchiha Zhan had a good chance of securing one, given his strength and age. But several other Peak Jonin in the clan were also eyeing the positions. Naturally, he wanted to get Uchiha Yutaka as far away as possible while he had the chance.
Shin shook his head slightly. Sure enough, this kind of underhanded power struggle happened everywhere. This situation was still relatively mild. The threat of outside enemies was so great that even these minor disputes didn't go too far. At worst, someone would be sidelined; no one's life was in danger. After all, a Jonin's combat strength was valuable, and the clan might need it at any time.
But Uchiha Zhan's plan would probably fall through. The Uchiha Clan had just suffered a defeat and needed every shinobi it could get. They wouldn't send a Peak Jonin like Uchiha Yutaka to guard a mine. The Uchiha Clan wasn't that extravagant—not that any clan in the entire Ninja World could afford to be.
After Uchiha Zhan made his proposal, the whole hall broke into an uproar. Several Jonin who had benefited from Uchiha Yutaka in the past immediately spoke up, listing his past achievements and arguing with Uchiha Zhan.
Uchiha Tajima frowned and snorted. The two sides glanced at him, then gradually fell silent, waiting for his decision.
"Forget Fujiwara Mine. Recently, a number of rogue shinobi have appeared in the Land of Yuze to the west. They're quite strong, including two Elite Jonin. We've received a request for help from the Feudal Lord of the Tianmingliu Clan. The commission is one million. Uchiha Yutaka, you'll go. Mm, the clan needs people everywhere right now, so go by yourself. Leave at once."
Uchiha Yutaka glanced at him, sighed, and turned to leave.
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