Fugaku Uchiha

After Danzo and the Konoha ninja left, Uchiha Yushu turned and gave the three behind him a deep bow.

"Thank you so much, Xuanyue, True Fire, Crimson Flame."

"Hahaha, we were only following Elder Youyan's orders to protect Miss Natsuri. It was simply our duty."

Grandfather? It seems I can reveal part of the plan to him. Uchiha Yushu thought.

Meanwhile, Fugaku wore a cold expression that made him seem quite frightening.

Speaking of which, Fugaku's face had played a major role in his victory over his rivals for the position of clan head.

His highly aggressive appearance radiated intimidation even when he was calm. It was precisely this deceptive appearance that had won him the support of most clansmen and elders at the time.

The Uchiha Clan had been in an extremely difficult position back then, and with the doves being weak, everyone had hoped for a strong hawkish clan head to lead them out of their predicament.

Yet after taking office, Fugaku's series of actions left many people dumbfounded. He spoke utterly nonthreatening words with the fiercest expression and did the most cowardly things.

Not only did he yield to the village again and again without any bottom line, but internally, he was indecisive and accomplished nothing all day except smoothing things over.

At that moment, Fugaku kept his face cold. After looking over the group, he said, "Everyone, go home. Yushu, come to my house tonight."

With that, Fugaku left with several others. Xuanyue's group also departed afterward. With Yushu here, Natsuri's safety was no longer a concern.

After everyone had left, Natsuri finally could not hold herself back any longer and ran over to hug Yushu's leg.

"Brother, were they really spies? They said earlier that they were under Lord Danzo's orders to take me away. Was he that scary old man just now?"

"Natsuri, remember this: aside from the few grandpas in the clan who treat you well, not a single old man outside is any good."

"By the way, Natsuri, how did you awaken your Sharingan just now?"

Yushu cautiously asked about it. Though he feared making Natsuri recall that terrifying experience, he also wanted to know exactly what Root had done to her.

Although those Root members were already dead, Danzo was still alive and kicking, causing trouble.

"Ah?! That? I awakened the Sharingan? Really?"

Natsuri asked excitedly.

"Yes, Natsuri. You must understand that the Sharingan is a powerful force, but you cannot let that power alter your mind, understand? Tell your brother how you awakened it."

"I don't know either. When Uncle Xuanyue and the others were fighting those ninja just now, it was so amazing. But they got faster and faster later, and I couldn't see clearly. I got really frustrated, and then suddenly, my eyes felt cool and comfortable, and I could see clearly. I probably awakened the Sharingan then."

"..."

"Brother, why aren't you saying anything? I heard that many clansmen awakened their Sharingan in fierce battles. Is the Sharingan I awakened just by watching a battle inferior to theirs? Will I be worse than them?"

"Of course not. They're all Sharingan. How could anyone be better or worse than another?"

"Whew... That's good, that's good."

As she spoke, she patted her chest as though still shaken.

I'm such an idiot, really. I thought Natsuri would suffer some kind of mental shock. With talent like this, at least before she awakens the Mangekyō Sharingan, the Sharingan probably won't affect her at all.

When they returned home, Mina had already prepared dinner, and the family soon began eating.

At the table, Natsuri talked about what had happened at school, and Uchiha Yushu roughly understood why there had been an attack that night.

As expected of you, Natsuri. The future prince of Konoha had actually become your little brother.

Yushu also understood why Konoha was so nervous. Understanding was one thing, but since they had chosen to make a move, they no longer got to decide when it ended.

After dinner, he told his parents that he was going to the clan head's home.

"Will you be all right, Yushu?"

His mother Mina looked worried, while his father Takuma silently held his teacup.

Clearly, Natsuri's words at the dinner table had made both of them think of unpleasant possibilities.

Uchiha Yushu immediately smiled. "It's not a big problem. I can handle it. Trust me."

Then he vanished into the night.

As the clan head of the Uchiha Clan, Fugaku's residence did not have many luxurious decorations, but it was certainly enormous.

It was also Uchiha Yushu's first time here. The moment he passed through the gate, he entered a vast front courtyard. Part of it had been converted into a small training ground. Though it could not compare to Konoha's training grounds, it was more than sufficient for children to undergo basic training.

Following the sound of Uchiha Yushu's footsteps, a small head soon peeked out from behind a gate pillar. Seeing that the visitor was Yushu, he came forward to greet him.

"Brother Yushu, you're here. Father is already waiting for you in the study. Follow me."

It was Uchiha Sasuke. After speaking, he led Yushu to a door.

"Mission complete! Brother Yushu, I'll be going now."

Looking at Sasuke, as lively and adorable as any ordinary child, it was hard to connect him to the image of the fool from his memories.

"What a sin, Itachi Uchiha."

Uchiha Yushu then entered the study himself. Fugaku was already seated in seiza before the tea table.

Still unaccustomed to kneeling, Yushu simply sat cross-legged across from Fugaku Uchiha.

Fugaku did not comment when he saw this. Instead, he picked up the teapot and filled the two cups before him.

His movements flowed smoothly, showing that he was quite practiced. Then, he pushed one of the cups toward Uchiha Yushu and gestured for him to drink.

Yushu did not know whether important people in every world disliked speaking first.

Without standing on ceremony, he picked up the tea and drained it in one gulp, unconcerned by its scalding temperature. Then he directly asked, "May I ask why Clan Head Fugaku summoned me here?"

"What a waste. This tea is a fine thing that can accelerate chakra refinement."

Fugaku Uchiha did not answer directly. Instead, he lamented the waste of good tea.

He then took a shallow sip from his cup in an exceptionally pleasing manner, set it down, and said, "In only two years, you have brought the members of two out of the three divisions of the Military Police Force over to your side, yet you are merely a squad captain."

"Nearly all the young ninja in the clan have also been drawn to your side. Can you tell me what you intend to do, Yushu?"

Uchiha Yushu knew he could not hide such matters. Fugaku was the clan head. Perhaps when his group had only a few people, it could remain well concealed, but after two years, aside from the older ninja of Fugaku's generation, nearly every young ninja had become his man.

It was impossible for that to go unnoticed. Yushu believed Fugaku Uchiha had not discovered this only today. Though he did not understand why Fugaku had chosen to pierce through this veil now, Uchiha Yushu had no intention of hiding it any longer.

Since he had been directly confronted, he might as well lay all his cards on the table.

"My intentions are simple. I want to become the clan head of the Uchiha Clan and the head of the Konoha Military Police Force."

"I see. But why are you so impatient, Yushu? Itachi may be highly talented, but his relationship with the clansmen is poor, while Shisui only excels at fighting. After I step down, with Elder Youyan's help, you can naturally become the next clan head."

Fugaku Uchiha did not blame Yushu for his ambitions. Though he was currently the clan head and department head, he instead asked why Uchiha Yushu was in such a hurry.

Of course it's because the Uchiha Clan is about to be exterminated. In two more years, your wonderful son Itachi will work with Konoha's higher-ups and Obito to slaughter the entire Uchiha Clan until only one person remains, while you, a man who looks fierce but is actually weak, will calmly accept your fate.

But he could not say those things. Uchiha Yushu considered his words before saying, "Because Konoha is about to move against the Uchiha Clan. Konoha is ready at any moment to tear away all pretense and completely destroy the Uchiha Clan. That is why I need to save the Uchiha Clan."

"Oh? From what I know, although the Third Hokage has not made his position clear, he has been striving to build a bridge between the village and the clan so that the clan can integrate into Konoha."

"A bridge? Striving? Then where is this bridge, and what has all that striving achieved? The reality is that there is no bridge between the village and the clan. The clan is becoming increasingly hated in the villagers' eyes. Is that the result of all this effort?"

"I am also doing my best to repair the relationship with the village. It simply takes time."

"Time? It has been six years since the Fourth Hokage died, hasn't it? Have six years repaired the relationship between the village and the clan? Not only has the village become increasingly harsh toward us, but calls for a coup within the clan are also growing louder. Once a coup truly happens, the clan will cease to exist. When that time comes, Clan Head Fugaku, you will be the greatest sinner. The Uchiha Clan, which has endured for a thousand years, will be destroyed by your hands!"

After hearing this, Fugaku Uchiha fell silent. He merely refilled the teacup before Uchiha Yushu.

"Forget it. Let's not talk about that. I believe the clan head has not known about my intentions for only a day or two. You did not summon me today merely to ask about the purpose of my actions over the past few years, did you?"

Fugaku Uchiha shook his head. "The matter of clan head will naturally be decided by the clan's elders and clansmen. Today, I wanted to tell you that if you truly wish to become clan head, you should do so as soon as possible."

"Has the Hokage's side made a move?"

"That's right. The matter involving the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki has made the higher-ups extremely nervous. Along with the deaths of those Root ninja, Konoha offered a price, and I accepted it."

"What price?"

"Thirty million ryo!"

That was not even the bounty on Asuma's head as a jonin less than ten years later. Uchiha Yushu asked in confusion, "Only that much?"

Fugaku continued shaking his head. "Of course not. That is only compensation for the losses. The real demand is that the Uchiha Clan must send fifty ninja to the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, including no fewer than five jonin. You must be among them."

"Also, Natsuri must withdraw from the Ninja Academy. Konoha does not want the jinchuriki to have any connection with the Uchiha."

"What about Sasuke?"

"Sasuke as well. After they return to the clan, I will arrange for people to teach Sasuke and Natsuri."

Hearing this, Uchiha Yushu knew that Fugaku had indeed done his best. After all, Sasuke attending the Ninja Academy was not because the academy's instruction was truly so good, but because Fugaku wanted to show that the Uchiha Clan was actively integrating into the village.

After all, even the clan head's son had been sent for them to teach. What more did they want? It was not as though they could make him change his surname to Sarutobi.

But now they were demanding that Natsuri and Sasuke withdraw together. Uchiha Yushu did not particularly mind that. Honestly, in his eyes, the Ninja Academy existed purely for building connections.

For those connections to become useful, these children would at least need to be capable of standing on their own, and that would not happen for more than a decade. What was urgent now was resolving the problem between the village and the clan.

Uchiha Yushu was not so determined to curry favor with Konoha's higher-ups. His thinking was simple: if Konoha's higher-ups were willing to speak reasonably, then they could speak reasonably.

If they were unwilling, then if the problem could not be resolved, he would simply resolve the people who raised the problem. Uchiha Yushu knew clearly that Konoha's higher-ups were not the same as Konoha itself.

There was no chance of winning against Konoha, but dealing with those few old men among the higher-ups would be effortless.

"When do I leave?"

Uchiha Yushu asked directly.

"You have three days at most. Within three days, they can remove you from the Military Police Force, and Konoha will likely approve the application for a front-line rotation tomorrow morning."

"I understand, Clan Head." With that, he stood, intending to leave.

"Will you not finish your tea, Yushu? I hope you do not disappoint the clansmen who believe in you."

Uchiha Yushu picked up the now-cold tea from the table and drained it in one gulp. He turned to leave, but when he reached the door, he looked back and said, "I will only disappoint my enemies! Clan Head Fugaku, although I have always believed you to be a completely useless clan head, at least you still keep the clan in your heart. That is probably the only thing about you that qualifies."

Fugaku Uchiha did not rise to see him off. He simply remained seated in silence.

"Enemies... completely useless... I hope the only thing about you that qualifies, Yushu, is not your mouth."