Fugaku's Recruitment

"Now that you've awakened your Sharingan and become an outstanding Uchiha, what's even rarer is that you're only ten years old."

The timing of awakening one's eyes was not absolutely related to one's future development. Those who awakened late might not necessarily fail to become strong.

But relatively speaking, the earlier one awakened their eyes, the more time that Uchiha would have to evolve their Sharingan.

Emotions were most easily stirred during one's developmental years, and that was also when an Uchiha's Sharingan was most likely to evolve. Once they reached a certain age, their ability to control their emotions grew stronger, and the difficulty of awakening and evolving the Sharingan naturally increased.

Therefore, the Uchiha Clan believed that the earlier one awakened their eyes, the more likely their Sharingan was to reach greater heights in the future. In the original timeline, Uchiha Fugaku had even made Itachi witness the cruelty of war when he was five, hoping to make him awaken his eyes.

"Every clansman who awakens their eyes is the clan's most precious asset. The clan will do its utmost to nurture you. I hope that in the future, you too can become a powerful ninja. Do not disgrace the noble blood in your veins or the Uchiha name."

As he spoke, Uchiha Fugaku took out a Sealing Scroll from beneath the table and placed it on top.

"According to clan custom, every clansman who awakens the Sharingan receives a grant of five hundred thousand ryō from the clan, along with the death compensation for Clan Brother Senji and Clan Sister Rinna..."

"Death compensation?"

Uchiha Meikyō suddenly frowned, realizing something.

He had never heard anything about death compensation. And after all this time, he had not seen so much as a trace of it.

Uchiha Fugaku's expression abruptly changed, and he even activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

"Meikyō, are you saying... you never received the death compensation?" Uchiha Fugaku's already deep voice became even heavier.

Uchiha Meikyō shook his head.

Seeing this, Uchiha Fugaku closed his eyes and fell into thought.

I've only just taken over as Clan Head, and those old fossils have already done something like this...

Having realized that the death compensation meant for him had been embezzled, Meikyō obediently remained seated and kept drinking tea.

It had to be said, the Clan Head's tea really was excellent. Even someone like Meikyō, who knew little about tea, could tell it was good.

After sitting quietly for a long while, Uchiha Fugaku finally opened his eyes, the tomoe within them gradually fading away.

"Meikyō."

"Clan Head."

"Don't worry. You are an Uchiha elite who has awakened the Sharingan. What belongs to you will be yours. Not even the Hokage can take it from you! Oh, after awakening your Sharingan, you may go to the Clan Vault and exchange it for a ninjutsu. Take my authorization token with you. Also, remember to come to Naka Shrine tonight for this clan meeting."

After speaking, Uchiha Fugaku took an authorization token from his pocket and handed it to Meikyō.

January ninth was the birthday of Indra God. Therefore, Uchiha clan meetings were held on the ninth of every month, attended by all Uchiha elites who had awakened the Sharingan.

As for January ninth each year, the clan meeting was held on an even grander scale. All clansmen could participate, making it a festival unique to the Uchiha Clan.

"Clan Head, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

Uchiha Fugaku nodded. Watching Meikyō leave the room, he rose to his feet and stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the pond in the small courtyard outside the window.

Uchiha Fugaku had achieved success at a young age. Not only had he become a powerful Jonin and awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan while still young, he had also inherited the position of Clan Head of the thousand-year-old Uchiha family.

Few people his age in Konoha did not envy him.

Yet Uchiha Fugaku was not happy as Clan Head.

He was too young. Though he was a Three-Tomoe Jonin, he had not yet had the chance to make a name for himself in the Ninja World.

And the Uchiha had always believed only in strength. If he did not demonstrate enough power to match his position as Clan Head, then his title would remain an empty one.

Power was still controlled by those elders of the older generation.

Most of those elders had lived through the Sengoku era. They had personally watched Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju lead their clansmen to establish Konoha while they were young, and their seniority was considerable.

They still retained the old ways of thinking and doing things from the Sengoku era. In their eyes, Konoha had been founded jointly by the Senju and Uchiha. When Konoha had first been established, even the Sarutobi Clan had merely been a small clan dependent on the Uchiha's favor. They could not stand seeing a junior like Hiruzen Sarutobi sitting above them as Hokage and lording it over them, so their relationship with the current village leadership was far from pleasant.

In short, the newly appointed Clan Head Uchiha Fugaku was deeply dissatisfied with the Uchiha Clan's current situation, and even more dissatisfied with the clan elders who held power.

This time, Uchiha Fugaku saw an opportunity.

An opportunity to seize power!

Compensation for Konoha's fallen ninja was generally distributed by designated departments if the deceased had been civilian ninja. Even if it was embezzled, those civilian ninja came from humble families; even if they filed complaints, they could not stir up much trouble.

Ninja Clans were harder to provoke. Those departments would transfer the funds directly to the clans, which would then distribute them to the ninja's families. Great clans like the Uchiha and Hyūga Clan would even provide additional subsidies within the clan.

Now, judging by Uchiha Meikyō's situation, there was definitely a problem somewhere in the process. Perhaps this could become Uchiha Fugaku's pretext to make a move.

Since ancient times, the causes behind countless major events in history had perhaps been nothing more than tiny incidents when viewed from the grand scope of history.

He, Uchiha Fugaku, would use this matter to reclaim part of the authority that rightfully belonged to him as Clan Head!

And besides...

Uchiha Fugaku's gaze shifted toward the door.

"This junior has decent talent. Compared to those clansmen who become unbearably arrogant the moment they awaken their eyes, his temperament is much better. I hear he's also the top student of this class, and he awakened the Sharingan at such a young age. If I can use this chance to bring him under my wing, then in a few years, I may have a Jonin-level confidant at my side."

With that thought, Uchiha Fugaku summoned a trustworthy old servant from his household and took out a new token.

"Catch up to Meikyō. Tell him that I have been overwhelmed with affairs and was momentarily muddleheaded, so I gave him the wrong token earlier. Take this token and exchange it for his. And tell him not to worry. As Clan Head of the Uchiha, it is my duty to protect every outstanding genius in the clan."