Chapter 412 – You Are Different
The moment Kei spoke, the already silent meeting hall grew even heavier.
No one knew whether it was his overwhelming presence, or simply the weight of his identity and words—but the entire chamber fell into deeper silence.
After all—
Kei hadn't just cast the vote belonging to his position as a department Head.
He had also cast the vote of the Uchiha clan leader.
Only then did everyone suddenly realize just how terrifying the influence of a single man could be.
And only then did many of them remember—
How many jōnin the Uchiha clan actually had.
Without exaggeration, the number of Uchiha jōnin far exceeded that of any other clan.
For a single clan to produce so many elite shinobi…
That could hardly be a coincidence.
It must have been planned long in advance.
After all, under the previous system, the rank of jōnin—while honorable—did not necessarily hold much practical value for major clans.
Yes, jōnin status carried prestige.
It meant recognition within Konoha's hierarchy.
But compared to the power of a family name, that title was far less effective.
A jōnin might technically be part of the talent reserve for major departments.
But reaching those positions was another matter entirely.
A reserve candidate was still just a reserve.
Real authority remained in the hands of those with powerful surnames and political influence.
It was unfair.
But it was reality.
Not just in Konoha—
In the entire shinobi world.
And yet—
Kei was willing to break that reality?
Didn't he fear that Fugaku would return and hold him accountable?
Or…
Had the Fourth Hokage intentionally sent Fugaku to the frontlines so that Kei could control the Uchiha clan in his absence?
But even then—
What benefit would Kei gain?
Was he trying to destroy his own clan?
Countless thoughts spun through the minds of those present.
None of them could make sense of it.
---
"Surprised?"
Kei suddenly spoke again, interrupting their silent speculation.
"Do you think that because Fugaku isn't here, I can't decide the direction of the Uchiha clan?"
He shrugged slightly.
"Sorry to disappoint you."
"When Fugaku left for the frontlines, he made it clear before the entire clan—while he is away, all clan affairs are under my authority."
He glanced around the room.
"Any objections?"
His words effectively sealed their mouths.
Many of them wanted to argue—
Fugaku probably never imagined you'd do something like this.
But in the end, that was an internal Uchiha matter.
They had no standing to interfere.
Their real goal remained unchanged:
Stop the proposal.
For now, they still held the numerical advantage.
As long as they preserved it, victory was still within reach.
---
Kei suddenly sighed softly.
"To be honest… I'm a little disappointed."
His gaze swept across the chamber.
"But I don't blame you."
"After all, since the Warring States era, shinobi have operated through clan structures."
"Since the village was founded," Kei continued calmly, "I believe someone once attempted to do exactly this—to distinguish shinobi through ranks rather than through clan names."
"To weaken the concept of clans and make people remember that they are, first and foremost, shinobi of Konoha."
He paused slightly.
Then his gaze swept across the entire hall.
"But unfortunately…"
At once, irritation flared in many people's hearts.
What does he mean by that?
Isn't this bastard himself someone who rose because of his clan?
Everyone knew exactly who he was referring to.
The First Hokage.
But what was the point of bringing up someone who had been dead for decades?
Most of the people present belonged to a younger generation.
They had never witnessed the era when Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara dominated the battlefield.
Some of them had not even been born when the Battle of the Valley of the End took place.
To them, the legend of Hashirama "ending the Warring States era" sounded exaggerated.
After all—
Was it not the combined effort of countless clans that created today's peace?
Did anyone truly believe that one man had defeated the entire world alone?
---
Kei didn't give them the chance to interrupt.
Instead, his eyes shifted toward the civilian-born shinobi standing in the back rows.
"Unfortunately," he continued, "he died too early. His plan died with him."
"And what's even more tragic is that those who grew up within the system he left behind…"
His voice grew colder.
"…have completely lost the ambition to rise."
"A group that has lost its dreams, lost its drive, and doesn't know how to seize opportunity."
He looked at them with unmistakable disdain.
"To be honest, perhaps people like that shouldn't even be given such opportunities."
His tone remained calm.
But the contempt in his eyes was unmistakable.
"What a waste."
"But since you refuse to seize opportunity…"
"I have a different idea."
He leaned slightly forward.
"I once had nothing."
"I fought on battlefields where survival was uncertain."
"And I often wondered—"
What if I had enough resources to train?
What if I had the right to speak and have my voice heard?
"That was the past."
He shrugged faintly.
"Now I have everything."
"Whether others live or die doesn't really concern me anymore."
"As the second authority of the Uchiha clan and the Head of the Police Force, I could live comfortably in this village until the day I die."
His eyes sharpened.
"But I have always wondered about one thing."
"Why did shinobi clans gather together and create a village?"
"Does the village exist to protect clans?"
"Or does it exist to protect everyone who lives within it?"
He let the question hang in the air.
Then his final words landed quietly.
"So tell me."
"Are you shinobi of this village?"
"Or are you merely shinobi belonging to a clan that happens to live inside it?"
With that, Kei nodded once toward Minato and calmly sat back down.
The hall fell into deep thought.
His speech was masterful.
And deceptive.
Every sentence was technically true.
Yet when woven together, the argument subtly undermined the legitimacy of clan dominance.
At the same time, it encouraged civilian shinobi—and hesitant clans—to support the proposal.
As he sat down, Kei's eyes subtly swept across several minor clan leaders already aligned with the Uchiha.
The message was clear.
Those clan leaders immediately understood.
Their hesitation had always come from uncertainty about Uchiha's position.
Now that Kei—the true second-in-command of the clan—had made his stance clear…
Their decision was obvious.
"I represent my clan in supporting the Hokage's proposal!"
"Thank you, Hokage-sama, for giving us this opportunity. I support the reform!"
One by one, the voices rose.
Only now—
Did the real voting begin.
With Kei's declaration and his powerful speech, even the previously neutral clans began to move.
Many of these families were traditionally neutral.
They avoided aligning too strongly with either side.
Clans like the Kurama clan.
Once respected.
Now diminished after years of war and declining numbers.
Kurama Kumo, their current clan head, had hesitated earlier.
Because this decision had clearly transcended ordinary policy.
It was now a matter of political alignment.
But after deep thought—and Kei's speech—he made up his mind.
He stood.
"The Kurama clan supports the Fourth Hokage's proposal."
Their reasoning was simple.
The Kurama clan had already lost its voice within Konoha's core power structure.
Even if the reform forced them to contribute some ninjutsu resources—
Their clan specialized in genjutsu, making most of those techniques irrelevant to them anyway.
And most importantly—
They had little left to lose.
If the reform succeeded, they might regain a place in Konoha's political sphere.
Even if only partially—
That was still better than remaining irrelevant.
Many small clans thought the same.
The herd effect was now fully visible.
Once someone took the lead, others followed.
After the Uchiha faction and their allied clans declared support—
More and more neutral clans joined them.
Because truly—
They had nothing left to lose.
---
"Hokage-sama, I also support your proposal."
Kakashi stood up.
He had always supported Minato.
If no one else had spoken first, he would have.
Fortunately—
Kei had acted faster.
And that speech…
Even Kakashi admitted he could never have delivered something like that.
Yet it had inspired many to finally step forward.
---
"Hokage-sama, I support you as well."
Imai Kenta stood next.
"As Head of the Mission Department."
"And as the acting leader of the Senju clan."
The room stirred.
The Senju clan.
A name that had nearly disappeared during the Third Hokage's era.
Yet one that Kei had forcefully brought back into public view—with Minato's support.
A clan that had once stood at the foundation of Konoha itself.
Regardless of how much people doubted historical legends—
One fact remained undeniable.
Without the Senju clan uniting other clans—
The one country, one village system would likely never have existed.
The Senju's support carried immense symbolic weight.
And its impact was immediate.
For civilian shinobi—
It was even more inspiring than Kei's speech.
After all—
This was the clan that produced two Hokage.
The clan of Konoha's founder.
If even they supported the reform—
What reason remained to hesitate?
---
Just as Kei had said:
The opportunity had been given.
Would they still refuse to seize it?
Had they truly lost their dreams?
Had they truly lost their ambition?
Had they been suppressed so long that resistance was impossible?
No.
They still had dreams.
They wanted more.
They wanted a place within Konoha's core.
And this—
Was their chance.
Perhaps their only chance.
---
"I support the Hokage!"
"So do I!"
"I may not have a clan, but I am still a jōnin! I speak for myself—I support the Hokage!"
Voices erupted across the hall.
Civilian jōnin were not the largest group in attendance—
But they still formed a significant portion of Konoha's forces.
Even though many of their peers were currently fighting on the frontlines.
Those present could not represent every civilian shinobi.
But it was enough.
More than enough.
---
Watching the scene unfold, Kei allowed a faint smile to appear.
But then—
He noticed Ayaka beside him starting to stand.
Immediately, his hand pressed down lightly on her leg.
"What are you doing?"
"Supporting the Hokage, of course," Ayaka replied calmly, glancing at his hand before looking back at him. "Is that a problem?"
"Yes."
Kei tilted his head slightly toward the front of the room.
"Because Hyūga Hiashi hasn't spoken yet."
"He's the clan head."
"He must speak first."
"Even if you dislike him—or his stance doesn't represent your interests—you can still speak afterward."
He paused.
"Though frankly…"
"I'd rather you didn't speak at all."
Ayaka studied him curiously.
"Are you worried about me?"
"Or about the Hyūga clan?"
Kei looked at her for a moment before smiling faintly.
"The Hyūga clan doesn't concern me."
He leaned slightly closer.
"But you…"
"You're different."
-