The road was paved with bluestone bricks, and the gardens were lush with greenery. The courtyard looked simple, yet carried a touch of exquisitely original design.
Clearly, even though the Uchiha Clan, with its long and illustrious history, had been driven to this remote corner far from Konoha's heart, the foundation of the Ninja World's foremost clan was still beyond the imagining of ordinary ninja clans.
Unfortunately.
As the Uchiha Clan's hall for handling daily affairs, it saw a steady stream of visitors who revered strength above all else. These "brutes" clearly had no interest in appreciating the obvious beauty around them.
"Setsuna, you're too radical!"
"Fugaku, you're too mild!"
Inside a house at the center of the courtyard, two men glared furiously at each other, as if they might come to blows at any moment.
After all, Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna were the Uchiha Clan's strongest fighters in the public eye, and their strength had already reached the so-called Kage Level.
If powerful fighters of this caliber truly went to war, even the shockwaves alone would be enough to reduce this hall, which covered several hundred square meters, to rubble.
Well...
The Uchiha Clan was especially skilled in Fire Release, so one careless move could even start a blaze on Konoha's lush outskirts—a fire that might prove difficult even for the ninja to put out.
And yet.
The Uchiha guards at the door seemed entirely accustomed to this tense situation, which was on the verge of erupting. They carried on with their duties as if a gentle breeze had just brushed past.
Me!
An elite Uchiha jonin, awakened wielder of the mighty Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
Uchiha Tekka, the epitome of cool!
Wasn't it just a matter of gathering the Uchiha jonin, intimidating Lord Hokage, and taking Shimura Danzō's position as Hokage Assistant...
Was that really so radical a demand?
Well...
A few years ago, it might have been. But compared to the "innocent things children say" that kept slipping from the mouths of Uchiha toddlers lately, this didn't seem all that radical.
But Clan Head Fugaku's theory about waiting for the right moment...
Was that something a Uchiha should say?
As a member of the Radical Faction, Uchiha Tekka stole a glance at the two men inside, both glaring and bristling with anger. For some reason, he felt a faint sense of absurdity.
So boring...
The clan head and Elder Setsuna were always looking for excuses to pick at each other. They had scenes like this several times a month, but in the end, they never actually fought.
Tsk, tsk...
For the Uchiha Clan, which had always prized strength and won over opponents with fists and eyes, were Uchiha Jin's "little games" really more exciting to look forward to?
"I really want to fight that guy Tunan. I let my guard down during our last spar. If I get the chance this time, I'll make sure to land a serious hit."
Huh!
Just as Uchiha Tekka was starting to feel drowsy—and had even begun imagining what a surprise his recently devised Great Fireball strategy might give Uchiha Tonan, the clan head's bodyguard, if Clan Head Fugaku and Elder Setsuna really flipped the table—
His powerful senses caught a familiar presence. His scarlet eyes appeared at once, and the Uchiha Clan's distinctive, formidable visual prowess shone through as he locked onto the presence.
Uchiha Jin!
That guy had come to the hall again?
At the thought of the terrifying man known as "Jade Shatter," Uchiha Tekka couldn't help the excitement rising in his eyes.
"Jin!"
"Jin?"
Once Uchiha Tekka had identified the newcomer, Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Fugaku also sensed the change in their guard's chakra and recognized their unexpected visitor.
They frowned.
The two men, who had been glaring and bristling with anger, rarely let one another off the hook—but now they did. Even the expressions on their faces were perfectly in sync.
Across the entire Uchiha Clan... no, across all of Konoha Village, only Uchiha Jin, this singular figure, could leave the two men wielding the greatest authority in the Ninja World's foremost clan so conflicted.
Although Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna seemed at odds, they both knew that they shared the same vision: the Uchiha Clan's glorious revival. They simply disagreed on the means and the path to achieve it.
Uchiha Setsuna wanted to unite the Uchiha Clan's strength and stage an armed coup, while Uchiha Fugaku wanted to wait for a new Hokage like the Fourth, Namikaze Minato, or to negotiate with the village by gentler means.
In other words...
If the right opportunity ever came along, either man could persuade the other.
Then Uchiha Fugaku might join Uchiha Setsuna in an armed coup, or Uchiha Setsuna might become the source of confidence that helped Uchiha Fugaku take a stronger seat at the negotiating table with the Konoha High Command. Either outcome would come naturally.
Their opposition now?
What genuine opposition could there be between politicians? It was just a matter of trading time for interests. Even low-level players like Setsuna and Fugaku understood that perfectly well.
But Jin...
That guy was a real madman!
A truly dangerous fanatic. If the timing was right, he could become the clan's sharpest blade—but clearly, this wasn't the right moment.
Why couldn't he wait until I'd united the Uchiha Clan's strength before making a move...?
If he goes off the rails and does something irreversible, my Uchiha Clan will lose any chance of waiting for the Fifth Hokage...
They exchanged a knowing glance. In an instant, Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna understood what their old rival was thinking.
Right.
Jin was one of the Uchiha Clan's pillars, and a foundation of its continued strength. But now was absolutely not the time to fall out with all of Konoha.
So!
Uchiha Setsuna suddenly swept his sleeve aside, anger flaring across his face once more as he coldly snorted at Uchiha Fugaku.
"Fugaku, you'll regret this!"
"Setsuna, I'm the clan head!"
Uchiha Fugaku understood at once. He gave the other man an equally cold look, and then the two of them prepared to hurry away from this troublesome place.
But...
"Clan Head!"
"Elder!"
The familiar calls made the two men stop in their tracks. Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna looked at each other and saw the helplessness deep in each other's eyes.
There was no choice!
To prevent Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō from targeting Uchiha Jin as much as possible, Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna had once joined forces to recommend him as a member of the Uchiha Elder Council.
Only clan elders, who could not be casually dispatched except during a Ninja World War, could keep him clear of those deadly, damned missions as much as possible.
But now that Uchiha Jin had become an Uchiha elder, they naturally couldn't ignore his right to participate in discussions as a member of the Elder Council.
"Isn't this Jin..."
Uchiha Fugaku sighed inwardly, but still greeted the young elder—almost absurdly young—with a complicated look.
Uchiha Setsuna also turned to look at Uchiha Jin. But compared to Uchiha Fugaku, his expression was even more complicated as he regarded this man, who was even more "radical" than he was.
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