The strength of the Mangekyō Sharingan required no embellishment.
Below Kage-level, there were virtually none who could resist it.
Even true Kage would find facing the Mangekyō a troublesome ordeal.
The Uchiha being hailed as the strongest clan in the shinobi world was no empty boast—it was a conclusion written in blood and history.
"Yusuke… have you truly made up your mind? To replace the Clan Head?"
Inabi voiced the final doubt lingering in his heart.
Though many within the clan were dissatisfied with Fugaku, Yusuke had never openly shown such discontent.
Fugaku's household had just produced a once-in-a-generation prodigy in Itachi. And yet Yusuke was choosing this moment to challenge for leadership.
It felt abrupt.
"I never wanted it to come to this," Yusuke said quietly. "But there's no other way."
His gaze was unwavering.
Fugaku had treated him well. More than once, the Clan Head had shielded him from subtle hostility and political pressure.
As one of the two most outstanding talents of the younger Uchiha generation, Yusuke had long been under scrutiny from Konoha's higher-ups.
Whenever he left the Uchiha District, ANBU shadows followed.
If not for his position as Vice Captain of the Military Police Force, Danzo's Root might have already made a move against him.
If Fugaku had been capable of leading the Uchiha down the correct path, Yusuke would have had no objection to standing behind him.
But Fugaku was indecisive.
And indecision, in times like these, was fatal.
"Fugaku doesn't even understand where the real problem lies," Yusuke said, lifting his head and exhaling slowly.
"He keeps compromising with Konoha's leadership, believing coexistence will ease tensions. All it's doing is worsening the conflict between the clan and the village."
"At this rate, the Uchiha's destruction is only a matter of time."
The issue went far deeper than mere political targeting.
As the Military Police Force, the Uchiha inevitably offended others through law enforcement. The major clans, civilian shinobi—even ordinary villagers—harbored resentment toward them.
Even if the Uchiha succeeded in staging a coup, would anyone truly support an Uchiha Hokage?
Public support had always rested with the Hokage's lineage.
Once the Senju brothers.
Now Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Konoha elders.
The Uchiha lacked popular backing.
That was the root problem.
After the Second Hokage's death, Hiruzen had shamelessly allowed the title "Strongest Hokage" to attach itself to his name.
To Yusuke, it was laughable.
When Hashirama and Madara walked the earth, who dared boast?
When the "Two Gods" faded and Tobirama—master of Water Release and countless forbidden techniques—fell alongside the Gold and Silver Brothers of Kumogakure, suddenly grandiose titles bloomed like weeds after rain.
"Hanzo the Salamander—the Demigod."
"The Strongest Hokage—Hiruzen Sarutobi."
"The Strongest Kazekage."
And most of the shinobi world actually believed them.
Only those who had truly witnessed the era of giants—like the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki—understood how hollow such claims were.
Fugaku had never once considered reshaping the villagers' perception of the Uchiha.
He naively believed that maintaining peaceful relations with the higher-ups would gradually resolve the clan's crisis.
It was impossible.
Why did Konoha's leadership target the Uchiha?
Was it a misinterpretation of Tobirama's will? Was it the clan's pride?
No.
It was fear.
And greed.
Years ago, when the Nine-Tails was unleashed, the entire village was helpless.
Yet the Sharingan could subdue a Tailed Beast.
Imagine—
If Konoha's jinchūriki fell under Uchiha control, could the current leadership still guarantee their power and authority?
A man is not guilty for possessing treasure—only for being unable to protect it.
Whether the Uchiha harbored rebellion was irrelevant.
What mattered was that if they ever did, no one could stop them.
The elders were not particularly formidable in strength—
But they clung desperately to power.
Even after Minato became the Fourth Hokage, Hiruzen retained considerable political influence among the elders and senior leadership.
As for Danzo—
No matter who wore the Hokage's hat, he remained Konoha's shadowed second ruler.
To someone like Danzo, any power beyond his control was a threat.
If it could not be used—
It must be suppressed.
Or destroyed.
Over the past two years, more than a few Uchiha had vanished without explanation.
Yusuke suspected their corpses lay hidden within Root's underground facilities.
If the timeline continued unchanged, Danzo would soon make his move against the other prodigy of their generation—"Shunshin no Shisui."
Four years remained until Shisui's death.
Danzo had likely already implanted a Sharingan and was secretly practicing the incomplete forbidden technique—Izanagi.
The power of the Sharingan was the original sin.
Even with Tobirama as Hokage, Yusuke believed coexistence would have been possible.
Tobirama was strong—strong enough to defeat Uchiha Izuna, who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
He had confidence.
Confidence enough not to fear the Uchiha excessively.
But Hiruzen and Danzo?
They lacked both the strength and the conviction.
The mere thought of a Sharingan controlling a Tailed Beast would make their scalps crawl.
Hiruzen bore the title "The Professor," yet in old age, sacrificing his life only managed to seal Orochimaru's arms.
Danzo—
He stabbed Susanoo with a kunai. He activated the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique in a failed attempt to take Sasuke down with him.
Absurd tactics, hardly worth mentioning.
Against Shisui, Danzo had been overwhelmed in a single exchange, falling into genjutsu instantly. Only through Izanagi and a sneak attack had he managed to steal one of Shisui's eyes.
Even mobilizing all of Root, they still failed to capture him.
In the end, Shisui chose death.
Incompetent—
Yet obsessed with control.
Konoha's leadership was a farce.
And yet, the Uchiha were not blameless.
Though powerful, many clan members suffered from blind arrogance. Coupled with the authority granted by the Military Police Force, the clan had grown swollen with pride.
They had become a target of collective hostility—
And still refused to restrain themselves.
How could they not be marginalized?
If the Uchiha wished to change their fate, they needed unity.
Total unity.
In the shinobi world—
Strength reigned supreme.
That was reality.
Seeing the iron resolve in Yusuke's eyes, Inabi and Tekka exchanged a final glance.
They had long held reservations about Fugaku's leadership.
If Yusuke was prepared—
They would follow him to the end.
Yusuke looked at them calmly.
"Contact those within the clan who are willing to stand with me."
"Tomorrow, at the clan assembly…"
"I will formally challenge for the position of Clan Head."
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