You Will Regret It, I Am The...

The path was paved with bluestone, flanked by lush gardens and courtyards that appeared simple yet possessed a refined, ingenious elegance.

Clearly, for the Uchiha clan with its long-standing heritage, even after being pushed to this remote corner far from the heart of Konoha, the foundation of this premier ninja clan remained beyond the imagination of ordinary families.

What a pity.

As the council hall where the Uchiha clan handled daily affairs, those coming and going were all "brutes" who valued strength above all else, and they clearly had no taste for appreciating the natural beauty before them.

"Setsuna, you are too radical!"

"Fugaku, you are too soft!"

Inside a building at the center of the courtyard, the two men stood at loggerheads, eyes wide with fury as if they might come to blows at any moment.

One must realize that Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna, as the highest combat powers on the surface of the Uchiha clan, possessed strength that had already touched the level of the so-called "Kage."

Once powerhouses of this caliber truly began to fight, the mere shockwaves of their battle would be enough to reduce this council hall, covering hundreds of square meters, to ruins.

Hmm...

Especially since the Uchiha clan was exceptionally skilled in Fire Release; a single slip-up could easily trigger a fire in this already lush corner of Konoha that even ninjas would find difficult to contain.

However.

Regarding this tense situation on the verge of eruption, the few Uchiha guards at the entrance seemed long accustomed to it, continuing to perform their duties as if a mere breeze were brushing past them.

Me!

An elite jonin of the Uchiha clan, an awakener of the powerful three-tomoe Sharingan.

Uchiha Tekka, super cool!

Isn't it just gathering the jonin of the Uchiha clan to intimidate the Hokage and seize the position of Hokage's assistant from Shimura Danzo...

Is such a demand really that radical?

Hmm...

If it were a few years ago, it might have been, but compared to the "childish nonsense" that occasionally drifted from the mouths of the young Uchiha cubs lately, it didn't seem all that radical.

But Clan Leader Fugaku's theory of waiting for the right opportunity...

Is that something an Uchiha should say?

As a member of the "radical faction," Uchiha Tekka cast a secret glance at the two men in the room, who were currently huffing and puffing, and for some reason, a sense of absurdity welled up in his heart.

So boring...

The Clan Leader and Elder Setsuna loved to pick fights with each other from time to time; situations like today repeated themselves several times a month, yet every time, they never actually ended up fighting.

Tsk tsk...

For the Uchiha clan, which had always valued strength and conquered opponents with fists and eyes, were Jin's "little games" not more worth looking forward to...

"I really want to have a fight with that guy Tonan. I was careless during the last sparring match; this time, if I find an opportunity, I must land a heavy blow on him."

Eh!

Just as Uchiha Tekka began to feel a bit drowsy, even starting to fantasize about whether his painstakingly researched Great Fireball tactic could give Uchiha Tonan—the Clan Leader's guard—a surprise if Fugaku and Setsuna really flipped the table, his powerful perception instantly captured a familiar aura. His scarlet eyes snapped open, the Uchiha clan's unique, potent ocular power manifesting as he locked onto the target.

Uchiha Jin!

This guy actually came to the council hall again?

At the thought of this terrifying man known as "Jade-Shatterer," a flash of excitement couldn't help but surface in Uchiha Tekka's eyes.

"Jin!"

"Jin?"

Just as Uchiha Tekka confirmed the identity of the newcomer, Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Fugaku, sensing the change in their guard's chakra, naturally discovered the identity of this unexpected visitor as well.

Frown~

The two men, who had been huffing and puffing just moments ago, uncharacteristically let each other off, their expressions even becoming uniformly identical.

Thinking about it, across the entire Uchiha clan... no, across the entire Konoha village, only a special existence like Uchiha Jin could make the two men holding the highest power of the ninja world's premier clan feel so conflicted.

Although Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna appeared to be at odds, both understood that their shared vision was the great revival of the Uchiha clan; they simply disagreed on the direction and path to achieve that goal.

Uchiha Setsuna hoped to consolidate the clan's power and launch an armed coup, while Uchiha Fugaku hoped to wait for a new Hokage like the Fourth, Namikaze Minato, or negotiate with the village through more moderate means.

It could be said.

If there were truly a suitable opportunity, Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna would both have the chance to persuade each other.

Whether it would be Uchiha Fugaku following Uchiha Setsuna in an armed coup, or Uchiha Setsuna becoming Uchiha Fugaku's backbone to better sit at the negotiating table with Konoha's higher-ups, it would all be a matter of course.

The current opposition?

Where could there be any true opposition between politicians? It was nothing more than an exchange of time and interests, a fact that even low-level players like Setsuna and Fugaku understood very well.

And Jin...

This guy is truly reckless!

He is a genuinely fanatical and dangerous element. If the time were right, he could become the clan's sharpest blade, but clearly, now was not that suitable time.

"Why couldn't this guy just wait until I had consolidated the power of the Uchiha clan before jumping out like this..."

"If this guy loses his mind and does something irreversible, then my Uchiha clan will truly have no chance of waiting for the Fifth Hokage..."

Snap.

Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna exchanged a knowing glance, instantly understanding the intentions of their old rival standing before them.

Indeed.

Jin was the backbone of the Uchiha clan and the foundation for ensuring the clan's continued strength, but now was absolutely not the right time to fall out with the entirety of Konoha.

Therefore!

Uchiha Setsuna swung his sleeve violently, his face once again contorted with rage as he coldly snorted at Uchiha Fugaku.

"Fugaku, you will regret this!"

"Setsuna, I am the Clan Head!"

Uchiha Fugaku caught the cue and swept a cold gaze over the other man, and the two of them immediately prepared to leave this place of trouble.

However...

"Clan Head!"

"Great Elder!"

The familiar calls caused both men, who were just about to depart, to freeze in their tracks. Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna looked at each other, both seeing the helplessness hidden deep within the other's eyes.

There was no helping it!

Back then, in order to prevent Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo from taking action against Uchiha Jin as much as possible, Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna had joined forces to promote Uchiha Jin as a member of the Uchiha Council of Elders.

Only such a clan elder, who could not be deployed at will unless it was a Great Ninja War, could maximize the avoidance of those treacherous missions that hid murderous intent.

However, since Uchiha Jin had become an elder of the Uchiha clan, his inherent right to participate in deliberations as a member of the Council of Elders could naturally not be ignored.

"Isn't this Jin..."

Uchiha Fugaku sighed inwardly, yet he still greeted the young elder—who was perhaps a bit too young—with a complex look in his eyes.

Uchiha Setsuna also looked toward Uchiha Jin, though his gaze was clearly even more complicated than Uchiha Fugaku's when faced with this existence who was even more 'radical' than himself.