The Uchiha clan, in practical terms the largest clan in Konoha, had more than a thousand members. Over two hundred of them were active shinobi.
Only the Hyuga could compare in both population and number of ninja. Because awakening the Byakugan was so easy, most Hyuga genin and chunin tended to be stronger on average than Uchiha of the same rank.
But once an Uchiha awakened the Sharingan, anyone on their level stopped mattering.
Tonight, every single Uchiha shinobi had gathered.
Just as every eye in the chamber focused on two figures at the entrance, a clear voice rang out.
"Itachi, Shisui senpai, over here!"
Itachi looked toward the sound and saw a bright, cute face, a tiny tear mole beneath her eye.
Uchiha Izumi.
He led Shisui over and sat down beside her after a brief greeting.
"Itachi, you came too. I thought you hated these clan meetings."
Izumi leaned closer, voice dropping as soon as he sat.
"It is nothing. I just wanted to listen this time."
Itachi watched her familiar face and drifted for a moment.
It had only been a little over a week, yet it felt like a lifetime.
In one possible future, Izumi died by the hand of the masked man.
The girl who sat by the river with him, who happily shared her three-colored dango, who praised him as the genius of the Uchiha with shining eyes.
All of that warmth had been destroyed by his own hand.
Uchiha Itachi, you are the true coward.
Shisui gave his life to buy you time. With his dying breath he asked you to protect the Uchiha name.
You did nothing.
When you raised the blade against your clan, you turned your back on your own surname.
This time, no.
Itachi's fingers curled into tight fists. He looked Izumi in the eyes and said quietly, with a seriousness that made his chest ache:
"Izumi… I am sorry."
"Eh?"
Her cheeks had already gone pink under his gaze. The sudden apology stunned her. Before she could ask, Itachi had already turned away to face the front. She could only swallow her questions for now.
Everyone had arrived. Fugaku swept his gaze across the hall and began the clan meeting.
"Quiet."
A man with short white hair sticking straight up stepped forward, voice sharp as he shouted.
This was Uchiha Yaowei, one of Fugaku's closest lieutenants.
As the murmurs faded, Uchiha Fugaku finally spoke.
"I believe you all already know why we convened tonight. We will not waste time on trifles. Speak your thoughts."
As he spoke, three tomoe spun in his pupils, pressure rolling out across the underground hall.
"Know this. Tonight's gathering is driven by necessity and clan duty. The decisions made here will concern the survival of the Uchiha. I expect that no rumors will escape this room."
His eyes flicked past Shisui and Itachi without pausing. Then he nodded slightly, signaling that anyone could speak.
In theory, this was for collecting opinions. In truth, it was about fixing one.
The former moderates led by Uchiha Fugaku had already surrendered their illusions.
A clan not even considered worthy of nomination for Hokage, what path remained but battle.
The hall sat quiet for a moment. Most Uchiha knew their place. Whatever they felt, they understood that as long as they followed the clan leadership, their path would be decided.
Then, at an elder's subtle nod, a young man with middle-parted hair and dark circles under his eyes rose to speak.
This was Uchiha Inaho, one of the clan's elite and a pillar of the radical faction.
"Captain, everyone. I believe we must abandon all illusions and prepare for war. Konoha never intended to leave our clan a way out."
His gaze swept the silent crowd as he continued in a low, firm voice.
"To reassure the village leadership, we shrank ourselves into the Police Force and never stepped beyond it. We tolerated constant surveillance. We even scrapped the title of clan head in public and used only the village post of captain."
"You all know the result. I do not need to say more."
Murmurs rose at once.
He was right. They had bent further and further, given up more and more, yet the village's hostility only deepened. Even tonight, for a clan meeting, the grounds outside Naka Shrine were crawling with ANBU.
Resentment flowed from one heart to another, feeding on itself. Soon, most of the Uchiha present had tomoe spinning in red eyes, all staring straight at Uchiha Fugaku at the head.
In their gaze there was only one message.
We will fight. We will take back the honor that belongs to the Uchiha.
Fugaku looked out over their determined faces.
Feeling that long-lost unity within the clan, a fierce heat rose in his chest.
Uchiha Fugaku, you cannot waver again.
Cast off illusions. Lead those who still trust you.
Fight, Uchiha.
Make the Uchiha great once more.
He was just about to spread his arms and shout his declaration when an eager voice cut in first.
"Captain… no, Clan Head. What should we do now Do we declare war on Konoha directly"
Irritation flickered over Fugaku's face as he turned toward the speaker, only to soften when he saw who it was.
A man with short brown hair spiked upward, eyes habitually narrowed into slits.
Uchiha Hachidai.
He and Yaowei were brothers, both invaluable talents in the Police Force, their faces similar.
Hachidai possessed sharp leadership instincts and a fiery temperament. Yaowei was absolutely loyal and followed Fugaku's commands without question.
Now Hachidai's three tomoe spun in excitement, his slit eyes opened wide. As someone who had helped command the Police for years, he understood better than most how deep Konoha's malice toward the Uchiha ran.
He and Tekka and Inaho were close and fiercely loyal to Fugaku. They were also staunch hawks.
Upon seeing Fugaku finally step to their side, Hachidai could no longer restrain his excitement.
"No."
The sharp denial came from Yaowei, whose face was a shade older than his brother's.
Hachidai frowned. Yaowei hesitated, then spoke with concern.
"Konoha now has that red haired Uzumaki. He is far too dangerous. If we declare open war and he decides to intervene, we will surely be defeated."
At the mention of Uzumaki Mo Ke, Hachidai realized his own excitement had gone too far. He had almost forgotten that man.
The crowd, which had been burning hot with passion, cooled a little.
"Do not worry about Uzumaki Mo Ke. That man is an enemy of Konoha's leadership, not a friend."
Fugaku remembered the scene outside the Forest of Death, Mo Ke's cold rebuke to Hiruzen. For once, he felt grateful. The man was detestable, but at least he was not the enemy of the Uchiha.
That did not mean he accepted Hachidai's idea of an outright declaration.
He turned to face him, voice dropping into something heavy and commanding.
"Hachidai, do not let hatred blind you. We must be clear on who our true enemy is."
He looked across the gathered clan members, his words aimed at Hachidai yet meant for all.
"The Uchiha are the foundation stone of Konoha. With the Senju line gone, we are Konoha. The Third's faction merely stole our rightful glory."
"The people of Konoha will one day be the people of Uchiha. The ones we must overthrow are only the upper ranks of the village."
"This will be a revolution without blood."
Fugaku's eyes gleamed.
His original plan had been to lead the elite under cover of a report, strike directly at the Hokage, and use the power of his Mangekyo to crush the aged Hiruzen.
But now Shisui had awakened his Mangekyo as well.
So he decided to go further. He would sweep all four of Konoha's leaders in one blow.
Two Mangekyo Sharingan.
In the Konoha of today, as long as they avoided Uzumaki Mo Ke, those eyes were invincible.
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