Night fell.
The moon hid behind thick clouds, and a red haze lingered faintly overhead, as if the sky itself sensed unrest.
Inside the Uchiha compound, the residence of the clan's First Elder, Uchiha Setsuna, was brightly lit.
"First Elder, the rumors in the village are spreading like wildfire. It's obvious someone is targeting the Uchiha!"
"Yes! I heard the Third Hokage wanted Clan Head Fugaku to voluntarily give up the compensation and rewards we earned in this war. When he didn't agree immediately, rumors began saying we're arrogant and greedy. Isn't that a little too convenient?"
"Hah. They've dropped the pretense. It's not just about money anymore—they're trying to smear the entire Uchiha name."
"And there are more ANBU outside the compound today. If this keeps up, who knows? Maybe tomorrow they'll march straight in!"
"First Elder, we can't keep waiting! Do they think the Uchiha are some soft fruit to squeeze at will?!"
Voices overlapped, anger thick in the air. The radical faction's shinobi were fired up, eager for retaliation.
Setsuna, though past fifty, showed no trace of frailty. Deep wrinkles carved his face, yet his half-lidded eyes gleamed sharply.
He raised a hand, and the room quieted.
"What did Fugaku say?"
The one addressed stepped forward.
Uchiha Tekka, a member of the Konoha Military Police Force and a core figure among the radicals. As someone who frequently accompanied Uchiha Fugaku, he often served as a bridge between Fugaku and Setsuna.
"Clan Head Fugaku stated clearly: he will not relinquish the compensation owed to our fallen, nor the rewards due to the Uchiha."
"However," Tekka continued, "his priority right now is handling the remains and funerals of the fallen clansmen. Once those matters are settled, he'll convene a full clan assembly."
Setsuna let out a cold snort.
"Looks like Fugaku finally grew a spine for once. At least he didn't bow his head to Sarutobi Hiruzen this time."
He paused, then added with faint disdain:
"If he had compromised again, what face would he have to meet the families of the fallen? What right would he have to stand before the warriors who bled on the battlefield?"
"If he can't be firm now, he might as well step down."
Tekka asked, "First Elder, what should we do?"
Setsuna considered briefly.
"Fugaku may be soft, but he's right about one thing. The most urgent matter is honoring our dead."
"There must be no negligence. The clan's heart cannot be allowed to grow cold."
"You will fully support him in this."
Though radical in his stance toward the village leadership, Setsuna was uncompromising in his loyalty to his own clan.
Tekka nodded. "Understood."
Setsuna's eyes sharpened.
"But preparation must begin as well."
"Keep watch on the 'rats' outside the compound. Be ready in case of sudden action."
"And in these coming days, win over more clansmen to our side."
"This behavior from the Hokage's faction will anger many. That is our opportunity."
"At the clan assembly in a few days, we will pressure Fugaku together. This time, he must declare his position."
In the past, tensions between the Uchiha and the village had not been so acute. Most clan members had preferred maintaining the status quo. The radicals had always been restrained by that majority.
Fugaku himself had often played mediator—balancing factions, smoothing conflicts, rarely committing to a firm stance.
To Setsuna, it felt like possessing strength with nowhere to direct it.
But this time, the village had escalated matters first.
And that opened a door.
Perhaps—
With the full weight of the Uchiha united, they could seize political power and claim the Hokage's seat.
Meanwhile – The Second Elder's Residence
Elsewhere in the compound, another gathering was underway.
At the home of the Second Elder, Uchiha Yashiro, a group had assembled as well.
Unlike Setsuna's gathering, this one included not just Yashiro, but also the Third and Fourth Elders—Uchiha Ken and Uchiha Hiroichi.
Compared to the radicals, the conservative faction currently held broader influence within the clan.
But that advantage was fragile.
"The younger members are furious," Hiroichi said gravely. "They're deeply dissatisfied with how the village handled this."
"What can we do?" Ken shook his head. "This time, the village truly crossed a line."
They were labeled conservatives—but that did not mean they were weak or submissive.
They simply valued stability.
If not for Setsuna's fiery faction, they might not even have been called conservatives at all—just ordinary Uchiha seeking peace.
Yashiro closed his eyes and spoke calmly.
"Mito Homura came to see me this afternoon."
Homura.
One of the Hokage's long-standing advisors.
"He said the rumors were stirred up by an Iwagakure spy. The Third Hokage has already ordered measures to contain them."
An Iwagakure spy?
Hiroichi gave a cold laugh.
"Does he take the Uchiha for fools? The root cause was their attempt to withhold our rightful compensation."
"Now that things have blown up, they throw out a scapegoat and expect us to swallow it?"
"Our clan's reputation has already been dragged through the mud!"
"Enough," Yashiro said quietly. "The war has not fully ended. Escalation benefits no one—not us, not the village."
"Homura said the Third Hokage will provide appropriate compensation."
"Go back and calm the clansmen. Let this matter settle."
Outwardly calm.
But deep in Yashiro's eyes, worry flickered.
For reasons he could not articulate, this incident felt… too deliberate.
Hiroichi snorted.
"That depends on how much compensation they offer. And they must publicly clear our name. Otherwise, the clan's resentment won't fade so easily."
Yashiro's gaze shifted.
"Stabilize the clan first. Tomorrow morning, I'll accompany Fugaku to meet the Third Hokage."
He understood that without tangible results, words alone would not extinguish anger.
Before long, both meetings—radical and conservative—dispersed.
Yet above Konoha, the clouds only thickened.
The storm was drawing closer.
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