Kagami Uchiha's funeral was solemn and dignified. The entire clan compound lay shrouded in white mourning.
But once the last handful of earth fell and the last white lantern was taken down, what lingered in the air was no longer simple grief, but the oppressive unease of an approaching storm. The position of clan head could not remain vacant for long.
Naka Shrine, the underground assembly hall.
The enormous Uchiha Gunbai clan emblem seemed to burn in the torchlight. Shadows danced across the walls, casting light over the faces below, each wearing a different expression.
Every Jonin and elder with a voice in clan affairs had gathered here. The atmosphere was so oppressive it was hard to breathe.
Elder Hachiro Uchiha, leader of the Radical Faction, was the first to make his move.
He stood before the gathering, his aged but piercing gaze sweeping across the hall. His voice carried its usual force and inflammatory edge. "Clan Head Kagami's sudden passing is a tremendous loss to our Uchiha Clan! Yet a clan cannot go a single day without a leader! The Shinobi World may appear peaceful, but dangerous currents run beneath its surface! The Konoha High Command grows more wary of us by the day, while powerful enemies watch us from outside! In this hour of crisis, our clan needs a leader who will forcefully defend Uchiha interests and demonstrate Uchiha strength! I nominate Hazo Uchiha. Resolute in character and formidable in strength, he will surely lead our clan in cutting a bloody path through these troubled times!"
His words immediately drew agreement from a group of Radical Faction members, and a clamor of discussion filled the hall.
Many turned their eyes toward Uchiha Fugaku, who stood in a corner with a composed expression.
Fugaku had sufficient seniority and a