Monopoly

"Uh, Gen, we may need to rethink our plan. Given the Konoha High Command's nature, once they learn what we can do, they'll probably use us like tools without treating us as people. And people are prone to envy. If the other villagers find out about us, that envy could turn into malice. No, this won't work!" As clan head, Uchiha Fugaku quickly saw the crux of the problem!

"Heh. The world throngs after profit. If the Konoha High Command can use the people, why can't we turn the tables and use them? I'm sure our clan has built up quite a stock of Three-Tomoe Sharingan over the years, hasn't it? As long as they can afford the price, what's wrong with selling them some?" Uchiha Gen said magnanimously.

"Impossible! The Sharingan is unique to the Uchiha Clan. How can we sell it to outsiders? It's bad enough that we haven't kept it under wraps, and now you want to sell it? No! Absolutely not! Even if I agreed, the elders and the clan wouldn't. And if outsiders learned about an ocular jutsu as godlike as Izanagi, our clan would never know peace again! We'd face endless assassinations, and the bounty on our Sharingan at the underground auction houses would skyrocket. Then even Konoha wouldn't be able to protect us!" Uchiha Fugaku bristled like a hedgehog.

"No, no, Clan Head Fugaku, we need to think bigger. So what if they buy the Sharingan from us at an exorbitant price? You have to understand: a Sharingan without ocular power is useless. Without my help, even if they had a Sharingan, it'd be little more than a burden. As long as we control the ocular-power supply, we control their lifelines. As long as they need Izanagi to save their lives, they'll never be able to escape the bonds of mutual interest with the Uchiha. And as for them resorting to underhanded tactics to steal our clansmen's eyes? That's even less likely. We'll only honor purchases on our registered list. Anyone else will be denied a recharge. A Sharingan that can't be renewed will only earn its owner our pursuit. It'll be too much trouble for too little gain. I'm sure any sensible person will know what to choose!" Uchiha Gen spoke with confidence. This was a little like the dollar hegemony from his previous life!

"Even so, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan our clan has stockpiled wouldn't be enough to keep selling them for long!" Uchiha Fugaku furrowed his brows.

"No, no, we don't need to sell them long-term. We just need to give them a taste and a little hope. We can set an astronomical price for the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, one that 99 percent of people can't afford. The remaining one percent are the ones we need to bind to us. But we can't let ordinary people lose all hope, or it could spark public outrage and make the Uchiha a target of everyone's scorn. So we can set up a lottery, selecting a few lucky winners each year and giving them a few Three-Tomoe Sharingan. And even then, we won't lose out. It's just the people pooling their money to buy a few Sharingan together! When you do the math, those eyes might even sell for more than the listed astronomical price. The winners won't lose out either. Even if they don't want to use the eyes themselves, or they're ordinary people without the chakra to use them, they can still sell their prize for an astronomical price under the Uchiha's supervision! The Uchiha Clan could even offer to buy those eyes back first. And if the clan head thinks that's still too much of a loss, we can simply have 'one of our own' claim the grand prize." Uchiha Gen spoke at length.

"Hmm? That does sound promising. But we shouldn't reveal Izanagi. When transferring the ocular jutsu, we can use a Transcription Seal to inscribe the Izanagi hand seals directly. It's best if outsiders know how to use it without knowing why it works!" Uchiha Fugaku added.

"That would be ideal. Everyone who buys a Sharingan will become part of the Uchiha Clan's common interest. As long as they need Izanagi, they'll never be able to break free of us!" Uchiha Gen smiled wickedly.

"But with so much at stake, the Konoha High Command won't just sit back and do nothing. When they get jealous, they'll resort to every dirty trick in the book!" Uchiha Fugaku worried. The pie was too big. With the Uchiha's appetite, it would be risky to try to eat it in peace.

"There's no need to worry about that. All the interests at stake depend on ocular jutsu and ocular power; neither can be missing. Whoever controls them controls the future. The Uchiha only need to fear a leadership that can unite the majority. But right now, it's the Uchiha who can unite the majority!" Uchiha Gen laughed boldly.

"Since that's the case, I'll make the arrangements. We'll hold a clan meeting first thing tomorrow morning. Every Three-Tomoe member must attend. Then we can put our heads together and fill in any gaps!" Uchiha Fugaku had successfully brought Uchiha Gen into the Chuanxiao Organization!

"Then it's settled for today. I'll head back first!" Uchiha Gen had achieved his goal, and Uchiha Fugaku had gained a great deal as well. They parted on good terms!

Watching Uchiha Gen walk away, Little Itachi looked up at his father and asked, "Father, was he the person from that night?"

"Yes. He's not only powerful, but remarkably clever, too. To have such a prodigy is a blessing for the Uchiha Clan!" Uchiha Fugaku sighed.

"Is he stronger than Lord Third?" Uchiha Itachi asked innocently.

"Uh, Lord Third is old and frail. He's no match for him."

"Is he stronger than Lord Fourth?" Itachi asked again.

"At present, there's probably no one in Konoha who can beat him! If I had to say, your father could just about hold his own against him." Uchiha Fugaku sounded a little proud.

"Hm?" Uchiha Itachi had always thought his father was, at most, an elite jonin. With his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, his father might be among the very best of the elite jonin, but even so, that hardly justified such a claim. Someone who outclassed the Third and Fourth, yet his father could hold his own against him? Itachi had spent all this time with his father and only now realized he had a bit of a boastful streak!

If Fugaku had said that before, it really would have been bragging. But just now, middle-aged gaming addict Fugaku had topped up his account with a hundred million at Uchiha Gen's place. It was no exaggeration to say that, with the Perfect Susanoo, Uchiha Gen ranked first in all of Konoha, and Uchiha Fugaku was firmly second! No boasting involved!

Seeing the suspicion in his son's eyes, Fugaku smiled mysteriously and offered no explanation.

The next day, at the Uchiha clan meeting...

"Fugaku, you're sure you're not joking?" Uchiha Yashiro exclaimed in shock.

"Divine Grace? Dojutsu Transfer? That's terrifying!" Uchiha Onibi gasped.

"I object! We are the proud Uchiha Clan! How can we engage in such merchant's business? What would that make us?" Uchiha Setsuna said indignantly.

"I support it..." said the jonin, Uchiha Kouotsu.