A Decision Will Be Made Tomorrow

The next morning, Nanga Shrine, Uchiha Clan.

Nearly every member of the Uchiha Clan had gathered here.

Uchiha Gōka slowly walked onto the stage.

Behind him followed Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Setsuna.

There was also the Great Elder, Uchiha Hōka, as well as Yashiro, Inabi, and the other elders.

On the stage, Uchiha Fugaku appeared completely submissive before Uchiha Gōka.

The Uchiha clansmen below immediately stirred in astonishment.

"Why is Fugaku being so respectful toward Clan Head Karmic Fire?"

"I heard Fugaku actually stepped down as captain of the Konoha Police Force and handed the position over to Clan Head Karmic Fire."

"Fugaku is a very forceful man. I really wonder how Clan Head Karmic Fire managed to subdue him."

"What issue will this clan-wide meeting discuss?"

Every clansman watched the stage.

At Uchiha Gōka's signal, the Great Elder stepped to the center of the stage and announced, "The topic of this meeting is—relocating the Uchiha Clan's residential district to the central area of Konoha Village."

In an instant, an uproar broke out below the stage. The clansmen whispered among themselves.

"Excluding the Uchiha Clan is the will of Konoha's higher-ups."

"Fugaku has always obeyed the will of Konoha's higher-ups. He never dared to make such a request!"

"Under Konoha's oppressive policies against the Uchiha Clan, move the Uchiha Clan to the center of the village?"

"How could that possibly be done?"

Below the stage, the vast majority of the Uchiha clansmen believed that Konoha's higher-ups would never agree to relocate the Uchiha Clan to the village center.

This proposal was simply impossible.

Seeing the disorderly commotion below, Uchiha Setsuna stepped forward with a grim expression and snapped, "We, the Uchiha Clan, were one of the great clans that founded Konoha. We originally lived in the prosperous heart of the village."

"Later, we were ostracized by the Second Hokage, Tobirama, and forced to move here."

"Hmph! They dressed it up as having the Uchiha Clan maintain the village's security and contribute to the village!"

"Have you all been bullied so much that you've become fools?"

Uchiha Setsuna was a typical hawk within the Uchiha Clan, always dreaming of one day overthrowing Konoha's higher-ups.

He hoped to encounter a clan head like Madara Uchiha.

Uchiha Gōka's appearance seemed to have given Uchiha Setsuna a faint glimmer of hope.

After Uchiha Setsuna berated them like that, the area below the stage immediately fell silent.

Then the Great Elder, Uchiha Hōka, stepped forward.

"Setsuna is right."

"Our Uchiha Clan has done nothing wrong. The ones at fault are the Second Hokage and Third Hokage, along with the chief culprit, Danzo Shimura."

"The First truly regarded Madara as a friend. He sincerely wished to resolve the blood feud between the two clans and ensure Konoha's peace and prosperity."

"After the Second, however, everything changed. The Third, Danzo, and the others fundamentally distrusted the Uchiha Clan and were filled with hostility toward us, leaving the Uchiha Clan completely isolated within Konoha."

"As a result, the Uchiha Clan has interacted almost exclusively with its own people. The Uchiha have no friends in Konoha."

In truth, the aged Great Elder also deeply yearned for the Uchiha Clan to rise in the ninja world and restore its former glory.

Uchiha Yashiro stepped forward as well.

"We Uchiha also hate war and long for peace."

"Yet we are constantly bullied by Konoha's higher-ups!"

"At its root, Konoha's hostility toward the Uchiha comes from its fear of the Sharingan."

With a grim expression, Uchiha Setsuna said viciously from the side, "Every year, quite a few members of our Uchiha Clan go missing."

"Where do those missing people go?"

"Clan Head Karmic Fire has already investigated it thoroughly."

"Danzo has persecuted large numbers of Uchiha clansmen and seized their Sharingan, while Konoha's higher-ups have turned a blind eye. This is a major reason behind the Uchiha population's disappearances."

Uchiha Inabi also stepped forward and said, "Our current residence is in the village's remote outskirts, and we are still being monitored by ANBU."

"More frighteningly, Konoha's higher-ups seem to intend to keep driving the Uchiha Clan farther toward the village's edge."

After hearing them, the Uchiha clansmen below erupted.

Every clansman longed to leave this remote suburb and return to life in the center of the village.

However, after that brief surge of excitement, feelings of compromise, discouragement, despondency, and despair still filled the entire Uchiha Clan.

The Uchiha clansmen all knew that under Konoha's higher-ups' oppressive policy of excluding the Uchiha Clan—

relocating the entire Uchiha Clan to the center of the village would be very difficult to achieve.

"We all hope to move into the village center."

"But it's too difficult!"

"From the era of the Second Hokage Tobirama until now, so much time has passed, yet we still haven't returned to the village center."

"We're the people with the least presence in Konoha. We've been permanently isolated at the edge of the village."

"Konoha's higher-ups are far too prejudiced against our Uchiha Clan."

"Even if we negotiate with Konoha's higher-ups over this, the negotiations will probably take a very long time."

"Sigh! Even if we negotiate, the final outcome will still be failure."

Negative and pessimistic emotions spread throughout the entire venue.

The Great Elder and the other elders could do nothing as they watched the clansmen grow disheartened and dejected.

Uchiha Setsuna clenched his fists with a grim expression, his anger rising uncontrollably. He felt as though he hated iron for not becoming steel.

At that moment, Uchiha Gōka stepped into the center of the stage.

When they saw the young new clan head step forward, the area below the stage immediately quieted down.

Uchiha Gōka looked down at the crowd and swept his gaze across them.

"Tomorrow is Konoha's regular meeting!"

"At that time, the Hokage, Danzo, Konoha's other higher-ups, jonin, and important figures will all attend."

"Furthermore, I have received word that the daimyo of the Land of Fire will also attend this regular meeting."

"At tomorrow's meeting, I will propose moving the Uchiha Clan back to the village center."

"This matter will be decided tomorrow. We will see the result then!"

After hearing Clan Head Karmic Fire's words, every Uchiha clansman below showed traces of shock and concern on their faces.

The venue was utterly silent.

Everyone was thinking:

"This clan head is truly swift and decisive in his actions."

"However, Konoha's higher-ups will almost certainly reject Clan Head Karmic Fire's request tomorrow."

"What should we do when Konoha's higher-ups reject Clan Head Karmic Fire?"

"Can Clan Head Karmic Fire alone stand against all of Konoha's higher-ups?"

In a corner stood a girl with glossy black hair and clear, bright black eyes.

That girl was Mikoto Uchiha.

Mikoto Uchiha's eyes were as clear as spring water as she stared intently at Clan Head Karmic Fire on the stage.

"I heard the elders say that we used to live in the very heart of the village."

"Can this handsome Clan Head Karmic Fire really bring us back to live in the village center?"

Women admired strength.

Without realizing it, Mikoto Uchiha had developed a great deal of curiosity about Uchiha Gōka.

On the stage, Uchiha Gōka continued, "Moving the Uchiha Clan from the remote outskirts to the core area of the village center—"

"—is the first step toward the revival of our Uchiha Clan."

"This is only the beginning!"

"In the future, I will lead the Uchiha Clan to rise in the ninja world!"

Afterward, many members of the clan voiced their own views.

They examined the various difficulties currently facing the Uchiha Clan and exchanged opinions with one another.

This Uchiha clan-wide meeting lasted an entire day.

After the meeting ended.

Uchiha Gōka returned home.

Under Tsunade's attentive care, he rested and recuperated.