The Clan Meeting Begins

Uchiha Itachi—

No one had expected an Uchiha who openly served in ANBU to have the nerve to attend a gathering of the clan's jonin...

They leaned toward one another, whispering about Uchiha Itachi.

"Sit down."

Fugaku opened his mouth as if to say more, but in the end, those two words were all he said.

Uchiha Itachi headed for an empty seat in the back row. Just as he was about to sit, another Uchiha rudely slid into it.

Itachi showed no surprise. He looked toward the next empty seat, only for someone to beat him to that one too...

At last, Itachi frowned.

"Genjutsu: Sharingan!"

The next instant.

The clansman who had met Uchiha Itachi's gaze in challenge went slack-faced. Three Tomoe appeared in his eyes.

Scarlet Tomoe spun in Uchiha Itachi's eyes. "Move."

The clansman under his genjutsu obediently stood and gave up his seat.

A group of young men flushed with anger. They slapped their thighs and surged to their feet, their three-Tomoe Sharingan showing.

"Uchiha Itachi!"

"You've gone too far!"

One pointed at Itachi and accused him with a vicious glare. Another had already drawn his Tachi, ready to subdue the madman who had attacked a fellow clansman.

But...

Uchiha Itachi turned his head.

The three Tomoe in his eyes clicked into place, becoming a complete three-bladed pinwheel. Naka Shrine fell silent, as though someone had hit mute.

"..."

"..."

Fear filled every eye.

"What?!"

Even the elders, who had sat there unruffled, could no longer keep their composure.

They stared at Uchiha Itachi in shock. Some of the older men were trembling.

Yes. Those eyes!

The pattern was different, but those were unmistakably the eyes!

"Enough."

Fugaku put an end to the farce... As a father, he had never even realized his son's dojutsu had already reached its pinnacle.

Intimidated by the reputation of the Mangekyo Sharingan, and given a way out by the clan head himself, everyone took the chance to sit down in silence.

"My son has caused you all trouble."

Fugaku bowed in apology, then swept his gaze across the clansmen. "There is only one matter to discuss at today's clan meeting: a change of clan head!"

He paused for a few seconds.

Seeing that the clansmen were prepared, he said solemnly, "The challenger is Shinji Uchiha. I propose we settle this by vote. What do you think?"

Everyone nodded to themselves.

Choosing a clan head by ballot was hardly the Uchiha way. But with emotions running so high on both sides, a vote was the safest approach.

"Agreed!"

"Agreed!"

"Agreed!"

The elders exchanged glances. None objected to the method.

Fugaku nodded. "Then voting begins... Yashiro, you preside!"

"Yes!"

Uchiha Yashiro was about to rise when his eyelid twitched. He froze, staring in astonishment as Shinji Uchiha stood up across from him.

Shinji faced the clan and smiled. "I disagree."

!!!

The room erupted!

The clansmen stared at Shinji in shock. Only Shisui, Elder Siming, and a few others remained calm. They had seen this coming...

A clan head's position won through votes?

Too shaky.

It also fell short of what their group wanted and expected. Most importantly, the outcome of a vote was impossible to predict.

Even if they succeeded.

The result would leave serious problems for governing the clan afterward.

Shinji turned to face every elite member of the clan. His smile faded.

"I'll skip the introductions. I'm sure you all know me. I'm here for one thing: the position of clan head. Why? Simple. I believe Clan Head Fugaku has lost the drive to lead and the ability to make our clan stronger. That's all."

"That is all I have to say."

With that brief opening, Shinji set the tone.

Talk his way through this?

No need.

Compared with other clans, the Uchiha were the least likely to be swayed by words. When it did happen, it was only because someone needed to push a warped ideology.

Among the Uchiha, strength ruled!

But the Uchiha were stubborn fools, too!

Only overwhelming power that left them stunned and beaten into submission would make them truly, willingly bow to you!

In the corner, Uchiha Itachi listened quietly with his head lowered. Shinji's choice seemed to surprise him not at all.

The other young people, though, were excited by Shinji's words.

Exactly!

This was the Uchiha way!

Perhaps Fugaku, still in his prime, would teach the disobedient young Shinji a lesson with his strength.

Or perhaps Shinji, the foremost genius of the younger generation, known as the Fire God, would overthrow him in a dazzling display of power.

Either outcome suited the Uchiha!

A change of clan head should set hearts racing!

Uchiha Fugaku frowned as the clan's rivalry flared. "Shinji, do you know what you're saying?"

Shinji Uchiha rested a hand on the hilt at his waist and stopped at the end of the corridor, facing Fugaku.

"The position of Uchiha Clan head should never be decided by a feeble vote. That's a performance for the incompetent, for clans without backbone. The Hyuga, for instance..."

"Hahahaha!"

The younger generation burst into laughter, whether they supported Shinji or Fugaku.

Four years ago.

Before the Hokage Building had even stated its position, Hizashi Hyuga had died in his brother's place to appease Kumogakure's threats and anger. It had made the Hyuga Clan a laughingstock!

But only within the Uchiha Clan.

Ever since arriving in this world, Shinji had sensed something off about it. Other clans in the Shinobi World seemed to regard that twisted "greater good"...

With a perverse admiration and approval?

Shinji could not understand it.

Nor would anyone in the Uchiha Clan approve of such a ridiculous spirit of "sacrifice"!

So.

A good, satisfying fight—that was what the Uchiha valued most!

"Clan Head Fugaku, please grant me a match!" Shinji gave Fugaku a slight nod.

"Shinji!"

"Shinji Uchiha!!!"

Shisui and Yashiro spoke one after the other. They exchanged a glance, then Shisui nodded and said, "Shinji! You can't fight inside the shrine. If you truly need to settle this, go to the Training Ground..."

Fugaku's supporters frowned one by one.

They understood what Shisui was implying. At the border of the Land of Lightning, Kumogakure had given Shinji Uchiha the name Uchiha Fire Demon.

Besides, the sight of that small grove turning into a sea of hellfire that night had shaken everyone.

Clearly, if they fought inside the shrine, the "Fire Demon" would lose his advantage... That would suit Fugaku better.

Yashiro had no such schemes in mind. He simply nodded to the two of them. "Fugaku, Shinji, stop before either of you is seriously hurt!"

"Whichever of you becomes clan head, both of you are indispensable to the Uchiha! You're both smart men. You know what I mean!"

"Heh!"

Shinji tilted his head with a smile. "Clan Head Fugaku, aren't you going to make a move?"

Fugaku was about to speak when Uchiha Zonghe darted out beside him and pointed at Shinji. "Shinji Uchiha! If you want to fight the clan head, you'll have to get past me first!"

Shinji stood perfectly still.

Uchiha Zonghe was a squad captain in the Konoha Military Police Force, and he was no weakling. Taking down three or four ANBU elites alone was well within his ability.

But that was all.

"Clan Head Fugaku, are you sure?"

Fugaku sighed. "Zonghe, stand—"

Whoosh!

Uchiha Zonghe vanished from where he stood. When he reappeared, he was already behind Shinji.

His Tachi flashed cold as it cleaved down through the air!

Shinji raised an eyebrow. "Ryuka..."

Clang!

A much broader blade rose in defense and caught Uchiha Zonghe's Tachi!

"Heh heh heh!" A cruel smile spread across Uchiha Ryuka's roguish face. "An elite of the Konoha Military Police Force? Is that all you've got?"

"You!!!"

Uchiha Zonghe flushed with rage.

He had struck downward with all that force and speed, yet this man had brought a long blade up after the attack began, blocked it, and taken the impact as though it were nothing.

"Die!"

Humiliated, Uchiha Zonghe pulled back his blade and retreated, forming Hand Seals with both hands. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Ryuka refused to back down. He formed the Tiger seal with one hand and spat out a massive fireball!

The clansmen paled and scattered one after another with the Body Flicker Technique.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!" A sharp voice came from the corner. Elder Siming cast a jutsu ahead of time to prevent a fire.

Naka Shrine could not be allowed to burn.

Hissss!

The fireballs exploded. Water Release then extinguished the flames, and the steam filled the chamber with mist, making it look like a fairyland...