The morning mist has not yet completely dissipated, and at the gate of Konoha, the farewell atmosphere always carries a slightly cool dampness.
"Minato, you must be careful." Kushina Uzumaki pulled Minato Namikaze's clothes, and his purple eyes, which were always full of energy, were filled with worry and reluctance at this moment.
"Don't worry, Kushina." Minato Namikaze gently smoothed her long red hair that was messed up by the morning breeze. Her movements were as gentle as if she was afraid of disturbing a dream, "When I come back, everything will be over."
His eyes crossed Kushina's shoulders and fell on Senju Chen beside him, with trust in his eyes. "Little Chen, I'm leaving my family to you."
"Don't worry, Brother Minato." Senju Chen nodded, with a perfectly well-behaved and sensible look on his face, "I will take good care of Sister Kushina. Don't worry, we will wait for your triumphant return."
Minato Namikaze smiled, said no more, turned around and merged into the assembled team. The golden figure looked more dazzling and decisive in the morning sun.
It wasn't until the team's figure completely disappeared from sight that Kushina looked away, his eye circles slightly red.
Senju Chen handed over a handkerchief at the right time and said softly, "Sister Kushina, don't worry, Brother Minato is so strong, nothing will happen. Let's go back and make you your favorite miso soup."
"Yes." Kushina took the handkerchief, nodded vigorously, and tried his best to smile, "Let's go home!"
After sending Minato Namikaze away, Konoha's life seemed to have returned to its former peace. But for the Uchiha Clan, a silent storm was brewing deep in the clan.
In the meeting hall of the patriarch's house, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the sky before a heavy rain. Uchiha Fugaku sat at the head of the table and glanced at every clan elder present. Most of these people were old men with gray hair and beards, carrying the chilling air of having experienced battles for a long time, and their eyes showed the unique arrogance and stubbornness of the Uchiha Clan.
"There are two main reasons for convening the elders this time."
"The first thing is about the credit for killing Third Mizukage this time." Fugaku's voice was low and powerful, breaking the solemn silence, "My decision is that except for the deserved pension and mission remuneration, we Uchiha Clan will not accept any other rewards."
"What?!"
"Chief, are you crazy?!"
One stone stirred up a thousand ripples. As soon as he finished speaking, the meeting hall exploded instantly. A fiery-tempered elder slammed the table and stood up suddenly, the wrinkles on his face flushed with anger.
"Fugaku! Do you know what you are talking about? That is Mizukage! The merit of killing a strong Kage Level is enough to bring our Uchiha's status in the village to a higher level! You actually said you don't want it and don't want it? Are you worthy of the clan members who sacrificed for it?"
"Yes, patriarch! How much blood have we Uchiha shed for the village and how many people have died? Why should we extrapolate the credit? The village has been unfair to us to begin with. If we don't fight for it, will we still have a foothold in the future?"
Voices of doubt and anger came one after another, and the old faces were distorted with excitement, as if Uchiha Fugaku had done something unjust and treasonous. They were used to using a tough attitude to fight for benefits, and were used to treating every credit as a bargaining chip with the village's top leaders. In their view, Fugaku's decision was simply synonymous with cowardice and stupidity.
Uchiha Fugaku didn't speak. He just listened quietly, letting the elders vent their dissatisfaction. His eyes were as calm as an abyss, causing the originally aggressive elders to gradually quiet down their voices. From Fugaku's eyes, they saw something they had never seen before - it was not compromise or fear, but a confident decision.
It wasn't until the last complaint disappeared into the air that Fugaku slowly spoke. His voice was not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
"Then, what happens after taking the credit?"
He asked back, his eyes like lightning, looking directly at the elder who yelled the loudest just now, "Why do you think it has been so long since the incident, but my reward has not been received, not even a verbal reward?"
"It's not that those people are afraid of our Uchiha's power and are unwilling to give us more things."
"Yes, patriarch, if they don't want to give it, then we have to fight for it ourselves."
These elders expressed their dissatisfaction with Konoha High Command in every word.
"You also know that those people are afraid of us Uchiha? I am now the captain of Police Force. If Hokage goes up the ladder, will he give me his seat, or will Anbu be handed over to us, Uchiha?"
Hearing this, the elder suddenly became speechless and opened his mouth, but could not say a word.
"Then we can reward our tribesmen for their achievements." said an unwilling Uchiha elder.
"Yes, our Police Force equipment has not been replaced with new ones for a long time." Another elder immediately agreed.
Fugaku sneered, stood up, and paced in the hall. "High achievements shake the master, don't you understand this truth? We Uchiha already hold Police Force, is regarded as a serious problem by the village. Now coupled with this great power that can make any Hokage sleepless, do you think what awaits us is glory, or deeper suspicion and suppression?"
"Now when we go to ask for rewards, what will Third think? What will that old guy Danzo do? They will reward us verbally while sharpening their knives secretly, trying every means to weaken us and divide us! By then, will the false fame we have gained be able to exchange for the life of a clan member?"
These words were like a basin of ice water poured over the heads of all the elders. They were not fools, they were just blinded by their long-standing inertial thinking. At this moment, they were awakened by Fugaku, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on their backs. They only saw the glory brought by their merits, but ignored the huge crisis behind the glory that could swallow up the entire family.
Seeing everyone's changing expressions, Fugaku knew that the heat had come. He did not give them much time to think, but slowly said Senju Chen's rhetoric describing the grand blueprint in his own language.
From "retreating to advance", giving up great achievements in exchange for a small, seemingly innocuous "request"; to reforming Police Force, creating a positive image of "serving the people" and dissolving the hostility of villagers; to breaking isolation and recruiting talents. It turns Police Force into a force that unites the entire Konoha; finally, it even connects all this with the practice of Sharingan, depicting a broad road leading to glory through both internal and external cultivation.
There was complete silence in the entire meeting hall.