Strategy

Genya's concluding remarks and call to action finally tipped the balance decisively.

The vast majority of the clan, whether persuaded, cowed, or simply choosing to wait and see, understood that the path to a coup d'état had been sealed off completely.

As clan leader, Uchiha Fugaku caught the meaningful look Genya sent him.

He understood that the real maneuvering and detailed planning were only just beginning.

He took a deep breath and announced,

"Today's discussion concerns our clan's survival. I have heard everything you have to say. But our specific course of action requires careful deliberation and cannot be decided amid this uproar."

"Sosuke Uchiha, Uchiha Izumi, Uchiha Itachi, Shisui Uchiha, and Elders Yakumi and Tekka will remain. Everyone else, disperse for now and attend to your duties. Cause no further trouble, and do not disclose the details of today's discussion to anyone outside the clan!"

Though many still had questions or were curious, no one dared object.

They began helping the wounded, clearing away the traces of the conflict, and leaving the Secret Chamber that had witnessed the Uchiha's dramatic upheaval.

Before long,

the last clan member to leave carefully closed the door.

The room suddenly felt much emptier, and the atmosphere grew even more solemn.

Those who remained were the clan leader and his son, Genya's family, two prodigies with unusual affiliations, and two respected, relatively levelheaded elders.

Genya's earlier words, along with Fugaku's decision to specifically keep them here, had already hinted at a great deal.

Genya wasted no time. He looked straight at Itachi and Shisui and got to the point.

"Itachi, Shisui."

"I imagine you both need to report what happened tonight to your respective departments, at least to some extent?"

Those words hit the Secret Chamber like a thunderclap!

The two elders, Uchiha Yakumi and Uchiha Tekka, widened their eyes and stared at Itachi and Shisui in disbelief!

They had vaguely sensed that these two prodigies had close ties to the village, but Genya's blunt mention of their "need to report" confirmed that, to some extent, they were "the high command's men."

The revelation left both elders deeply shaken and furious at the betrayal.

Sosuke Uchiha's brow furrowed, while Izumi clenched her hands anxiously.

Fugaku was not surprised.

Facing everyone's piercing stares, Shisui gave a bitter smile and nodded openly.

"Yes. I do have to account for my actions to my superiors. Itachi has to abide by Anbu regulations as well."

Itachi was even more direct.

"Surveillance and control have always been part of their strategy for dealing with the Uchiha. Given our positions, Shisui and I cannot escape that entirely."

They admitted the truth while explaining their helpless position, even hinting that they themselves were being watched and used.

Genya waved a hand, signaling for the two elders to remain calm.

"I'm not blaming either of you. On the contrary, I brought this up because I hope we can reach an understanding about what you report and how you report it."

"You can truthfully report our internal debate about the clan's future and the final decision. You can even portray me as a radical reformer trying to restrain the clan through rational means and avoid a direct clash with the village."

"You can also mention the intensity of today's internal conflict, and that the irrational voices suffered a severe blow. However-"

"The details of my actual strength must remain vague and be downplayed as much as possible. You can emphasize my talent and precociousness, but your assessment of my combat abilities must not give the high command, especially Danzo, an overly clear picture of how dangerous I am."

"For now, just let them think I'm a gifted child who can fight pretty well and has a few ideas."

Itachi and Shisui exchanged a glance and nodded.

They understood Genya's concerns and knew that revealing his full strength too soon would only invite harsher measures against him and a more urgent desire to eliminate him.

Keeping things vague would benefit both Genya and the clan's current plans for change.

"Agreed."

Itachi kept his response brief.

"I'll choose my words carefully."

Shisui gave his assurance.

With agreement reached on the most crucial point,

Genya began explaining the core of the plan he had devised.

"Next, we need to be clear about one thing!"

"Danzo has been our most dangerous enemy from the start, and he will remain so!"

"Hiruzen Sarutobi is old and wants stability. The other two advisors mostly follow the prevailing tide and shift with the wind. The threat those three pose is relatively manageable."

According to the original story, the time when Shisui would "die" and entrust his eye to Itachi was approaching...

Perhaps I could use that opportunity to turn the tables and lay a trap for Danzo?

Having Shisui "fake his death" or "disappear after being gravely wounded" could let him temporarily evade Danzo's attacks and any assassination attempts, while giving Itachi enough of a shock... to awaken his Mangekyo?

Then it would come down to Shisui's acting skills, along with how we staged the scene and steered public opinion...

Of course, Genya did not voice these deeper, riskier ideas yet. They required more meticulous planning and a more thorough discussion with those involved.

"In short,"

Genya summarized his strategic thinking.

"By every means possible, we need to shift the focus from internal conflicts to external ones! At the very least, we need to stop him from acting without restraint."

"At the same time, both inside Konoha and beyond it, we must unite every force we can!"

After he emphasized the importance of external conflicts,

everyone present except Genya, the "anomaly," was an experienced ninja with a deep understanding of the shinobi world's political situation and mission operations.

Shisui Uchiha had spent years operating on the fringes of both the Anbu and Root, giving him more direct knowledge of the village's external threats and covert missions.

Shisui tapped the tabletop lightly with his finger.

"Deliberately provoking border clashes would be too risky. If exposed, we'd be guilty of treason against the village, playing right into Danzo's hands. But... steering or escalating existing conflicts might be feasible."

He raised his head and looked at Fugaku and Sosuke.

"Although Kumogakure signed a peace treaty after the Hyuga Incident, its small-scale probes and infiltrations along the border have never stopped, especially around the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost."

"Sunagakure in the Land of Wind may be our ally now, but both sides remain deeply wary of each other. The border regions of the Land of Rivers are a mixed bag, with bandits, missing-nin, and unidentified forces constantly active."

"We Uchiha already shoulder a considerable share of border patrol and reconnaissance duties."

Shisui's eyes shone with intensity.

"Could we adjust our approach to those missions? Respond more forcefully when we encounter probing infiltrations by other nations or unidentified attacks? Without violating explicit orders, we could show more of the Uchiha's edge, or even create a few manageable flashpoints."

"That kind of external tension could also divert some of the high command's attention, forcing them to commit more personnel to border defense and potentially easing their excessive scrutiny of the Uchiha's internal affairs."

After Shisui finished, Uchiha Itachi calmly added,

"We could perhaps take a more active role in collecting and using intelligence on external threats."

"The Anbu's intelligence archives contain numerous records of activities involving various nations' S-Rank Missing-nin, dangerous organizations, and potentially hostile forces."

"Many of them have old grudges or tangled interests involving the Konoha High Command or certain clans."

"For example, the missing-nin Orochimaru..."

Several faces grew grave at the mention of that name.

Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin and an S-Rank Missing-nin from Konoha, was notorious for both the danger he posed and his complicated ties to the village.

"Reports of his activities occasionally surface in the Land of Rice Fields, the Land of Grass, and even farther afield."

"His human experiments and research into forbidden techniques require vast amounts of resources and materials. His reach may already extend into some of the Land of Fire's gray areas, and he may even have ties... to certain forces operating in the shadows."

Itachi did not say it outright, but he hinted that Danzo's Root might have dirty hands when it came to certain illegal research.

"If, through missions or intelligence channels, we happened to uncover clues relating to Orochimaru or the activities of forces associated with him, especially clues that might implicate the interests of certain people within the village..."

"We wouldn't need to act directly. We would only need to submit those clues through the proper channels."

"Someone within the high command would inevitably become uneasy. An external threat on Orochimaru's level would be enough to trigger an internal purge and a power struggle. Whatever the outcome, it would draw a considerable amount of pressure away from us and buy us time to breathe and put our plans in place."

The two prodigies' contributions gave concrete shape to Genya's strategic intent.

Shisui offered a tactic for creating tension along the border without crossing the line.

Itachi proposed a subtler strategy: using external factors such as Orochimaru, who bore old grudges against the high command and was a major threat in his own right, to provoke infighting among them.

Sosuke Uchiha spoke up then.

"The clan members carrying out these missions must be completely trustworthy, clearheaded, and aware of where to draw the line."

"The slightest mistake could let them turn the accusations back on us. I suggest that, at first, we select only our most trusted and levelheaded clan jonin to carry out these specially directed missions in squads."

Clan leader Uchiha Fugaku had listened in silence until now. At last, he spoke.

"Exploiting external conflicts is a double-edged sword. If it backfires, we could become everyone's target instead. Itachi's intelligence strategy involving Orochimaru is extremely risky, but if it succeeds, the rewards could be immense."

"It will require accurate intelligence and precise timing. Shisui's border strategy is relatively safer and could serve as a regular means of exerting sustained pressure."

He looked at Genya, his gaze deep.

"Genya, your ideas have given everyone food for thought. But all these concrete plans will require meticulous arrangements and strict secrecy."