The balance would be broken sooner or later. By the laws of how things developed, anyone could enter a period of prosperity, just as anyone could fall into decline.
Once someone's power reached a certain level—or dwindled to a certain point—some would feel they were on top again, while others would feel they were about to go under.
After that, both kinds of people tended to make the same choice: pick an external fight, either to extend their prosperity or to delay their decline.
Put simply, those who felt strong would use their advantage to prolong their good fortune, while those who felt weak would gamble everything on one last shot.
So after receiving Jiraiya's reply, the Third Hokage felt he was on top again. It was time to gamble everything.
The first move: the center point.
Family ties were always the best way to bind people. Let the major and minor branches of the Uchiha Clan stir things up.
Standing in the Hokage Building, the Third Hokage looked toward the Uchiha Clan Compound. Sealing Jutsu kept him from seeing what was happening there, but the amusement in his eyes showed that he was looking forward to the show.
Several months had passed. Ever since leaving the Uzumaki Clan's home, Fugaku had been wrestling with his thoughts.
That day, Fugaku had anxiously waited at the Uzumaki Clan's home until Minato finally arrived. Unfortunately, he couldn't get anything out of him. The Hokage had ordered everyone to keep quiet, and Minato already had a poor opinion of the Uchiha Clan, so he was more than willing to carry out the Hokage's orders to the letter.
"Go home and ask Uchiha Kei about the mess he made!" That was Minato's only answer.
Lord Fugaku, head of the Uchiha Clan, had hit a small but significant wall.
He had keenly sensed the shift in attitude from a powerful contender for the Hokage's position, but he couldn't make sense of it.
After returning home in frustration, Fugaku finally learned that Uchiha Kei hadn't left the village without orders with a few dozen people, as he'd imagined. Instead, he had moved his branch of the clan back to their ancestral land.
That gave Fugaku some idea of what had happened.
Danzo must have taken quite a hit. 💥💥
Fugaku was surprised, but not shocked. Living in Konoha was expensive, and housing prices were high. The Uchiha Clan could no longer afford the housing needs created by its growing population.
Fugaku wasn't Hokage. He had no authority to assign land to his clan at will. They had to buy it themselves, so Uchiha Kei's return to the ancestral land with his people was unexpected, yet understandable.
But what had happened in between? What had made Minato's attitude toward the Uchiha Clan change so drastically? Even Fugaku's own intelligence network couldn't find out.
That wasn't normal.
Kei had run into Danzo. Then what? What had happened between them? Why couldn't Fugaku hear a single thing about it?
Should he speak with Kei, or stay cautious and wait for Uchiha Kei to approach him?
He was the head of the clan, after all. Surely people couldn't just disregard him.
Fugaku was caught in a dilemma. He had never been a decisive man.
He remained torn for so long that he failed to notice the turbulent undercurrents within the Uchiha Clan.
During this time, the various Uchiha branches had been constantly interacting and forming ties with one another.
Each elder had received a vague promise from the Hokage. The promises were all different, yet each was tailored to its recipient, targeting their preferences, secrets, and weaknesses.
The elders could no longer sit still.
The Hokage's timely offers had made it clear to the old men that he knew them inside out and could manipulate them at will. They could either accept his offer or risk having their secrets exposed. They had no choice.
Who in a position of power had nothing to hide? Besides, the Hokage was offering them something. Why not sell out that little brat who kept them all under his thumb?
And so!
In an elegant pavilion on the Uchiha Clan grounds, three elders sat together over a cup of sake and a plate of sliced fish. It seemed like nothing more than a simple private gathering.
After a long round of pleasantries, the oldest of them finally lost patience.
Uchiha Kaku set down his cup and sighed.
"Things aren't what they used to be. Ever since that little brat named Kei gathered a bunch of people of unknown origins from who-knows-where, even a small gathering like this has to be kept secret. We never used to let children walk all over us."
Before he could finish, Uchiha Yakumi, the representative of the Uchiha Clan's dove faction, spoke up. He was Fugaku's loyal supporter and naturally followed his lead in everything.
"Lord Kaku, choose your words carefully. They do have the Sharingan. They are Uchiha. We can't deny that."
"Hmph. If they won't listen to us, are they really our Uchiha?" Uchiha Setsuna said, displeased, knocking his cup against the wooden table. He dreamed of uniting all the Uchiha's strength and restoring the clan's former glory.
Of course, he wanted to be the one leading the way.
Uchiha Yakumi fell silent. There was no point trying to persuade someone like that.
Kaku, however, only smiled and lifted his cup again.
"The Hokage made promises to both of you, didn't he?"
It was a secret everyone knew, though no one had known who else was in on it. Kaku had brought it into the open.
The other two didn't respond. They only watched Kaku, while Setsuna had already formed a Hand Seal with one hand.
The atmosphere grew tense.
Kaku wasn't nervous at all. He had once served Madara and had been one of Madara's most capable subordinates in his later years. The two of them together still wouldn't be a match for Kaku.
Besides, he had enough leverage to persuade them.
"I don't know what the Hokage promised you, but I doubt either of you could easily turn it down." Kaku stood and turned his back to them, showing his complete lack of caution as a sign of sincerity. Then he continued, "The promise itself doesn't matter. All we have to do is give that junior a fair trial. That's our right as members of the clan. We're in the right."
"He's spent the past two years throwing his weight around over us with his strength. He's had more than enough time."
Kaku paused to let them consider his words, then suddenly turned around and braced both hands on the table.
"Think about it. Since that boy rose to power, how long has it been since we've had a say at clan meetings? Are you willing to accept that?"
Uchiha Yakumi remained silent, drinking on his own, but Setsuna could no longer hold back. His face flushed as if he'd had too much to drink.
He was consumed by a hunger for power. Losing any of his authority felt worse than death.
"Hmph. So what if we're not willing? We can't beat his men. Even someone as strong as you, Kaku, could only handle one or two of Kei's standout subordinates."
Kaku gave a scornful smile. "What about Lord Uchiha Madara? Didn't he leave on his own? When the wall falls, everyone pushes it over. No one follows a man who's been abandoned by all."
He casually lifted a piece of sashimi with his chopsticks, showing how easily he could manage it.
"This time, just like before, all we have to do is make him a loner too. You're both clever men. Clever men should side with the winner. You know what that boy is about to face, don't you?"
"What are you getting at?"
"My point is, aren't there orphans in the clan whom Kei didn't take with him? We can use them to lure Uchiha Kei out. His subordinates are formidable, but he's not that strong himself. If we get the chance, we'll kill him in one fell swoop, then use his head to win over the subordinates who once followed him. The three of us can divide them between us, and our power will be on a whole different level."
Kaku tentatively laid out one of his plans.
"That guy goes everywhere with a crowd around him. How are we supposed to lure him out?" Setsuna clearly wasn't satisfied with the plan.
"Once we have the idea, the method will come. There's always something people don't want to bring an entourage to. For example, an invitation from a pair of sisters." Kaku continued refining his plan.
"What are you getting at?"
"Everyone is susceptible to the charms of youth. If old men like us can't resist the temptation of twin sisters, how could a hot-blooded young man?"
At Kaku's oily grin, the other two seemed to realize what sort of benefit he'd received.
Setsuna was tempted, but Yakumi still wasn't convinced.
"What if it doesn't work? Kaku, you're assuming too much. You might be willing to go through with this, but that doesn't mean he will."
"Then there's nothing we can do. We'll just follow the Hokage's plan." Kaku rolled his eyes. Twin sisters were every man's dream. Who could resist? But he couldn't very well argue with Yakumi.
After all, no one had heard any rumors about Kei and women in the past two years. Maybe no one had taught the boy, and he simply didn't understand such things.
"What do you mean?"
No plan was foolproof. A good strategist always had a backup, and Kaku was no different.
"The Hokage's plan is to have an Uchiha step forward and call on everyone in the clan to drive out Kei, who's supposedly trying to split the Uchiha Clan. They'll call it a protest march and stir up unrest among him and his people. Even if we only fool a small group, that's enough. Ideally, we'll spark bloodshed between the Uchiha and give the Hokage a good enough excuse to step in personally."
Hearing this, the other two exchanged a glance and considered how they would respond if they were in Kei's shoes. They realized they'd have no way to respond.
None of them believed that among the more than a thousand Uchiha, there wasn't a single person who resented Kei. All it would take was a righteous slogan and a few people foolish enough to be riled up.
After all, Kei really had left with his people!
The three abruptly raised their cups and clinked them together.
Their cackling laughter rang through the pavilion.
The three men's drinking session reached its peak, and they had already begun discussing how to spend Uchiha Kei's inheritance.
Then an order from the Hokage reached the Uchiha Clan, making the three feel even more certain that everything was settled and their future was bright.
Before you continue