It must be admitted that there was a reason why Uchiha Fugaku became the head of the Uchiha Clan.
Unlike the typical arrogant Uchiha Clan, although he possessed the arrogance of the Uchiha Clan, he kept it deep inside and was very reserved.
At the same time, his sense of responsibility as the clan leader allows him to assess the situation when faced with issues related to the clan. Even if he knows that his actions will damage the Uchiha's reputation, he will still choose to act in a way that brings the greatest benefit to the clan, rather than acting out of blind pride.
This is something that Kōki truly admires.
But despite his admiration, Kōki felt increasingly uneasy. Judging from Uchiha Fugaku's current behavior, he probably had some serious schemes up his sleeve.
Just as Kōki was about to ask a question, Uchiha Fugaku spoke first, saying, " Kōki, the reason we invited you here today is actually to hope that you can help ease the tension between the Uchiha and Konoha."
Kōki seemed to understand Fugaku's true intentions. However, his relationship with the Uchiha Clan wasn't that good, so he feigned humility and declined, saying, " Clan Head Fugaku, how could a boy not even ten years old like me influence the thoughts of the village's ninjas? Clan Head Fugaku is probably overestimating me."
" Kōki, you don't need to underestimate yourself. Although you are young, you are already one of the top figures in Konoha. You possess Wood Release and have repeatedly performed extraordinary feats, making you one of the most prominent figures in Konoha right now. In addition, your Medical Ninjutsu is also very superb, and many Konoha Ninja have been healed by you. Therefore, many Konoha Ninja admire you Kōki."
If you, Kōki, are willing to show a friendly attitude towards the Uchiha Clan, even if it doesn't completely bridge the gap between Konoha and the Uchiha Clan, many Konoha Ninja will try to change their attitude towards the Uchiha Clan. Over time, this can greatly change the Uchiha Clan's current predicament.
Uchiha Fugaku's attitude was very sincere, even bordering on pleading. He was truly helpless; he had always seen the problems of the Uchiha Clan, but was powerless to change them.
He originally thought he could achieve great merit on the battlefield, which would serve as a foundation for changing the problems of the Uchiha Clan, but the situation on the battlefield was not entirely as he had hoped.
Although the Uchiha Clan did make significant contributions on the battlefield, their participation time was relatively short, and they faced Kirigakure Ninja were somewhat effective against them.
Therefore, the merits they made were far less than imagined. In addition, the defeat of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist further shortened the time it took for the Kirigakure War to end.
Therefore, even if the Uchiha Clan fought until the end of the war, the greatest merit they could gain would only make the Uchiha Clan stronger, but it would still be far from enough to change the Konoha Ninja ' perception of the Uchiha.
After hearing Uchiha Fugaku's explanation, Kōki suddenly understood.
Kōki understood. Fugaku's previous inquiry about Madara was just a pretext; his real purpose was to use Madara's reputation to change the Konoha Ninja ' perception of the Uchiha Clan.
This method is not bad, but Kōki doesn't understand why Uchiha Fugaku would think he is willing to help the Uchiha Clan.
Keep in mind that while he didn't have much of a problem with the Uchiha Clan, he had only recently clashed with Uchiha. It's impossible to get his help just by a few kind words, is it?
Or did Uchiha Fugaku think he was too young to be easily deceived? If that were the case, then he would show Uchiha Fugaku even though he was young, he wasn't so easy to bully.
Fortunately Uchiha Fugaku was, after all, the head of the clan. He didn't think he could persuade Kōki to help with just a few kind words, nor did he look down on Kōki because of his Kōki age.
He directly offered Kōki the benefits he could provide.
"Of course, Kōki. I'm not asking for your help for nothing. You can name what you want, and as long as the Uchiha Clan can provide it, we can discuss it."
Uchiha Fugaku couldn't make any overly definitive statements, lest he fall out with Kōki because he couldn't meet Kōki's conditions.
He will try his best to meet Kōki's requests, and if that's not possible, he will find other ways to make up for it.
This is already the greatest show of sincerity he could offer.
After listening to Uchiha Fugaku's conditions, Kōki fell into deep thought.
To be honest, Fugaku's words really stumped him. He didn't know what else he needed, or rather, what within the Uchiha Clan he desired.
But after much thought, Kōki realized that the most valuable thing about the Uchiha Clan was the Sharingan.
The problem is, he already has the Eternal Eye, so what use are those Sharingan that haven't even reached the Mangekyō Sharingan level?
Moreover, even if he asked Uchiha Fugaku for the Sharingan, Uchiha Fugaku might not necessarily give it to him.
It's important to know that the Sharingan, being the most precious possession of the Uchiha Clan, is absolutely not allowed to be passed on to outsiders.
Just as Kōki was about to refuse, a sudden inspiration struck him: since he couldn't get anything from Uchiha Fugaku, he could try from outside. Wasn't there another Uchiha ninja wandering outside Konoha?
If he were to use this condition to demand that the Uchiha Clan relinquish Kakashi's Sharingan, wouldn't he be able to obtain even more valuable items from Obito?
Besides, he could also further solidify his friendship with Minato and Kushina. It was a win-win situation.
The thought of potentially inheriting Madara Uchiha's legacy and gaining benefits from Minato filled Kōki with excitement.
He was excited, but he couldn't let Fugaku see it too obviously. So he pretended to be interested, but didn't say anything.
He knew that forcing a deal wouldn't work, and that it would be better for Uchiha Fugaku to make the initial offer. So he pretended to refuse.
" Clan Head Fugaku, I don't need anything."
However, Uchiha Fugaku was a sharp-eyed person, and he immediately saw through Kōki's expression, asking directly, " Kōki, I sincerely hope you can help the Uchiha Clan, so you can state your request directly."
From Kōki's expression, Fugaku knew that Kōki must have something on his mind, but for some reason, he didn't say it.
But that's okay. Even if it's a big problem, bring it up first, and we can discuss it slowly.
Uchiha Fugaku was confident that he could negotiate a mutually satisfactory deal with Kōki.
"Alright, since Clan Head Fugaku has said so, I will speak frankly. Today, I met a clansman sent by Clan Head Fugaku to Obito Kakashi- senpai for Obito-senpai's Sharingan."
I have a good relationship with Kakashi -senpai and Obito- senpai, and I deeply admire Obito- senpai's Will of Fire him to sacrifice himself to save his comrades. I also deeply respect the bond between Kakashi- senpai and Obito-senpai, who carried the relics of Obito comrades and saw the world in Obito-senpai's place. Therefore, I hope that the Uchiha Clan can give up on retrieving Obito- senpai's eyes and leave them with Kakashi- senpai instead.
Kōki's words caused Uchiha Fugaku's expression to freeze instantly. He had expected Kōki to make some unreasonable demands, but he hadn't expected it to be this outrageous.
That's the Sharingan! It's the lifeblood of the Uchiha! Now that it's been stolen by outsiders, it's such a blow to the Uchiha's reputation.
Furthermore, if the Sharingan were to remain on Kakashi, wouldn't other ninjas become suspicious upon seeing it, and might also turn their attention to the Uchiha clan? If that were to happen, it would be an absolute disaster for the Uchiha Clan.
After all, even if the Uchiha Clan is as strong as a tiger, they cannot always guard against countless jackals who are intent on launching sneak attacks.
This precedent cannot be set.
If we don't agree to Kōki's conditions, then gaining Kōki's support is out of the question.
After all, judging from Kōki's situation, he has no shortage of strength and his reputation is renowned throughout the ninja Shinobi World. Although he doesn't have power, if Kōki wanted it, the Konoha High Command wouldn't be stingy with it.
It's quite rare for someone who has everything and lacks nothing to make demands of.
If I refuse, it will be virtually impossible to find another opportunity to do Kōki.
This puts Uchiha Fugaku in a dilemma: he wants Kōki's help, but he also doesn't want his Sharingan.
Kōki noticed Uchiha Fugaku's conflicted expression, but it was clearly not enough for Fugaku to make up his mind, so he had to give Uchiha Fugaku more encouragement.
" Clan Head Fugaku, since you are determined to ease the tensions between the Uchiha and Konoha, you shouldn't place too much importance on the clan's ideology. Of course, I'm not saying the Uchiha Clan should abandon its founding principles, but rather that in special circumstances, they should act as Konoha Ninja."
For example, right now, Obito- senpai was willing to sacrifice himself to save his comrades in a time of crisis, and was even willing to give the eyes of his clan to his comrades. This manifestation of the Will of Fire moved and impressed many Konoha Ninja, and countless Konoha Ninja recognized Obito- senpai as a hero of Konoha.
If Clan Head Fugaku could take this opportunity to formally acknowledge this gift, wouldn't that improve the Konoha Ninja's perception of the Uchiha Clan?
They would believe that there are also people in the Uchiha Clan who value their comrades. Wouldn't this gradually help Clan Head Fugaku's goal of easing tensions between Konoha and the Uchiha?
"Conversely, if the Uchiha Clan insists on Sharingan, then in the eyes of the Konoha Ninja, the Uchiha Clan members are extremely selfish, valuing their own bloodline above all else, and ignoring the Will of Fire that is passed down in the village."
Such behavior will only discourage the Konoha Ninja, and the rift between Konoha and the Uchiha will only deepen. The Clan Head Fugaku's ideal of harmonious coexistence between the Uchiha and Konoha will never materialize.
Kōki wasn't just spouting nonsense.
In Konoha, the Will of Fire, though invisible and intangible, has always been firmly believed in by the Konoha Ninja. Especially the common ninja, who have always believed in the Will of Fire of Konoha, and realizing the Will of Fire is to realize their life's value.
If the Uchiha Clan truly intends to disregard the Will of Fire, it will only cause them to lose the trust of ordinary ninjas, which will be detrimental to the Uchiha 'Uchiha Clan situation.
Kōki's words struck Uchiha Fugaku like a thunderclap, shaking him to his core belief in the Sharingan.
At the same time, he was also very surprised. He didn't expect that Kōki, who was so young, would have such a deep understanding of the emotions between ninjas. This made him feel a little ashamed, thinking that he, an adult, hadn't seen as far ahead as Kōki.
However, while the principle is sound, there are significant problems in its implementation.
After Kōki's explanation, he was indeed persuaded by Kōki, but the Uchiha Clan did not belong to him alone. Even as the clan head, he could not disregard the wishes of the clan members, and many things needed to be discussed with them.
Uchiha Fugaku looked troubled and said, " Kōki, I personally agree with what you said, but not all the ninjas of my Uchiha Clan are like me. Most of them value the glory of the Uchiha immensely, and they will be furious if anyone dares to disrespect the Uchiha. I'm afraid that something even worse will happen, and it might even deepen the conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha."
In truth, it was somewhat unbecoming of Uchiha Fugaku to directly discuss his clan's problems with Kōki, given his status as the head of the Uchiha Clan Head. However, Kōki's words were indeed reasonable and well-founded, and his strength and future prospects were promising, which compelled Uchiha Fugaku to open up.
Hearing this, Kōki sighed softly to himself.
Now he understood why the Uchiha Clan ultimately met its demise; it was definitely related to the indecisive nature of their clan leader Uchiha Fugaku.
You could say he's smart, and he certainly has some brains; he knew to seek help from someone Konoha as him.
But if you call him stupid, he really is stupid.
He had just presented Uchiha Fugaku with all the solutions for easing tensions between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha. If Fugaku agreed, not only would the relationship be improved, but he would also gain Fugaku's approval.
With the help of such a renowned figure, it was only a matter of time before the Uchiha Clan truly integrated into Konoha.
But unexpectedly Uchiha Fugaku felt he needed to consider the feelings of his clansmen.
Yes, indeed.
As the head of the Uchiha Clan, he certainly needed to consider the feelings of the Uchiha Clan.
But he didn't forget that as the clan head, the future of the Uchiha Clan was far more important. Was the discontent of the clan members more important than the clan's future?
This inability to prioritize is truly baffling to Kōki. No wonder that someone who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, a powerful being, ultimately died at the hands of his own son.
How stupid!
It's pitiful that a child has to worry about an adult two or three times his age; God really has no eyes.
But there was nothing he could do; he was after Madara Uchiha's legacy that Obito. He had received information from a clone that he had indeed looted a lot of valuable items from Madara's base, but some things seemed to still be in Madara's possession.
And Obito, who hasn't turned evil yet and still has the Uchiha Clan, Kakashi, and Rin in his mind, is the one he needs to deal Obito carefully.