"Alright, I understand."
Fugaku did not ask another question.
From the moment he had decided to leave Konoha with Natsu, he had completely entrusted the Uchiha Clan's future to this young man. Naturally, he no longer had the slightest hesitation.
Natsu then raised his eyes and swept his gaze over the clan's elites before calmly assigning their tasks.
"Uncle Kei, Uncle Tekka, take ten clan members at Jonin level and scout the surrounding area. Get a clear picture of the terrain, and deal with any threats you might encounter along the way."
"Uncle Taoho, Elder Setsuna, take the clan members at Chunin level and above. You'll be responsible for guarding and fortifying the area around the camp. Set up warning barriers, and do not let any accidents harm the clan's elderly, women, or children."
"Everyone else, follow the clan head and build a temporary base."
The instant the orders were given, every clan member moved at once, without the slightest delay.
The young adult ninjas carried their ninja tools and gripped their kunai as they followed Fugaku deeper into the forest.
Their Sharingan swept across the towering ancient trees, accurately selecting timber suitable for building the camp. With swift, decisive cuts, tree trunks thick enough to take several people to encircle crashed down, their movements so clean that not even stray wood chips splashed onto anyone nearby.
The women carried their children as they cleared level ground in an open patch of forest, pitched simple tents, built windproof cooking stoves, and neatly arranged the dried rations, cookware, and medicine they had brought with them. Before long, the once-empty and silent woods were filled with the faint warmth of cooking smoke.
Uchiha Kei and Tekka led ten Jonin, their figures instantly turning into several blurs as they raced toward the east, west, south, and north. In the blink of an eye, they vanished into the depths of the forest, leaving behind only the faint rustle of trembling branches and leaves.
Taoho and Uchiha Setsuna also led their people off in different directions. Their Three-Tomoe Sharingan slowly spun as immense sensory power spread outward, drawing everything within several kilometers of the camp into their security perimeter.
The Barrier Team's ninjas had already crouched down, chakra flowing from their fingertips to leave intricate patterns across the ground as they began inscribing the warning barrier. Every node fit together perfectly, leaving no room for even the slightest error.
Natsu did not join the others in their work. With a leap, he landed atop a massive boulder dozens of meters high beside him.
Facing the sea wind laden with the salty stench of the ocean, he looked toward the depths of the island.
Indra's Eye in his gaze turned faintly, and vast sensory power spread in all directions like a rising tide. It passed over layers of towering ancient trees, crossed rolling hills, and reached the white waves churning at the far end of the island.
This island was far more vast than he had imagined.
The area his senses could reliably cover alone was already more than a hundred times larger than the entire Konoha village, not to mention the depths of the island still hidden beneath the mist.
Natsu roughly calculated it in his mind. The entire island had fertile land and abundant water. Forget feeding their thirteen thousand clan members—even if their numbers increased tenfold, it would still be more than enough to support a hundred thousand people.
Back in Konoha, they had been confined within that clan district surrounded by walls. Above them was the ever-present surveillance of the Konoha higher-ups, while Danzo's fangs lurked in the shadows around them. Even leaving the village required layer upon layer of reports, and the slightest disturbance could earn them the label of rebellion. They had lived every step on thin ice, enduring humiliation at every turn.
But now, the endless land beneath their feet held no schemes, no wariness, and no ever-watchful eyes. It belonged entirely to the Uchiha Clan.
Natsu lightly rubbed his fingertips against his palm, a relieved smile curling across his lips.
From the day he had begun planning their withdrawal from Konoha, what he had wanted was never merely to escape alive. He wanted to find soil where the Uchiha, cursed for hundreds of years, could truly take root and grow freely.
This isolated island was their new beginning.
Next, they had to build an impregnable camp, understand this world's rules, break the curse of blindness in their bloodline, and ensure that the name Uchiha would no longer be the "evil clan" feared by everyone in the Ninja World, but a colossal force capable of truly gaining a foothold upon these magnificent seas.
He raised his eyes toward the place where sea met sky. The ocean wind lifted the hem of his clothes, and a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.
Whether it was the sea or the New World, those so-called Four Emperors, the Navy, and the World Government would not be able to stop the Uchiha Clan's rise.
From the moment they set foot on this land, a new era belonging to the Uchiha Clan had already begun.
"Uncle, I'll leave this place to you. I'm planning to head out for a while."
A short while later, Natsu found Fugaku, who was planning the temporary base.
Fugaku was crouching on the ground, holding a flattened branch as he carefully sketched out the camp's layout in the smooth dirt—
where the clan members' homes would be built, where permanent guard posts would be placed, where the supply warehouse would be sealed off. Even the barrier's nodes were marked with perfect clarity.
Hearing him, Fugaku looked up and stopped what he was doing.
"What is it? Did you find something?" He frowned slightly as he asked.
"Nothing in particular." Natsu shook his head. "This world seems to rely mainly on sea routes. I want to go take a look at the shore, see if I can run into any passing ships, and get a sense of the nearby waters while I'm at it."
Fugaku fell silent for several seconds before nodding. "I see... Alright, then. Take Yakumi and Yashiro with you. They're both Elite Jonin in the clan. With them looking out for you on the road, I'll be more at ease."
"Alright." Natsu answered, then added, "By the way, Uncle, this island is enough for us to rest and recover.
Use the supplies we brought sparingly. They'll easily last us a year.
Once the camp is built, have the clan's ninjas help reclaim the surrounding wasteland and let the ordinary clan members farm it. We need to stabilize our foundation first.
After we've rested for a while and figured out this world's rules, we can make plans for the next step."
"Mm, I know what to do." Fugaku looked at him, his tone steady. "Go on. Be careful in everything."
"Alright."
As he watched Natsu's figure disappear among the branches and leaves of the forest, the branch in Fugaku's hand slowly lowered. He let out a soft sigh, hesitation and contemplation churning in his eyes.
He was wondering whether he should completely hand the position of Uchiha Clan head over to Natsu.
Before you continue