When survival is at stake, even a child's voice can shake the room.
Weekend night.
Fugaku's residence.
After finishing his daily training, Kai had originally come over to freeload a meal—
only to find Fugaku hosting a meeting with the clan's elites.
Voices rose and fell.
Occasional arguments broke out.
Sitting along the corridor, idly playing with Sasuke, Kai caught fragments of conversation.
"Reduced stipends… lower benefits… suspicion from the higher-ups…"
It didn't take much to piece it together.
The village had likely cut funding to the Uchiha—
which meant reduced salaries for the Military Police Force.
And dissatisfaction.
As a prestigious clan with the Sharingan, the Uchiha—
were being suppressed.
They lacked strong commercial industries.
At the same time, to prevent the awakening of the Sharingan, Konoha's leadership deliberately minimized sending Uchiha on external missions.
After all—
trauma, loss, death—
these were the triggers.
Emotional shock would generate special chakra in the brain—
flowing into the eyes—
awakening the Sharingan.
A subtle strategy.
Effective.
But suffocating.
Less income.
Less growth.
Like boiling a frog in warm water.
The Military Police still had fixed stipends.
But ordinary clan members?
Struggled.
They opened small shops.
Set up street stalls.
Barely scraping by.
"Kai, play with me!" Sasuke tugged at his sleeve, pulling him out of his thoughts.
"What do you want to play?" Kai asked, ruffling his hair.
"Show me fire! Like this—!" Sasuke's eyes sparkled.
"…I can't."
Kai coughed awkwardly.
Fire Release techniques were tightly controlled within the clan.
Even though his parents had learned them, such jutsu weren't freely passed down.
At six—
he didn't have access yet.
Aside from the basic Three Techniques—
he had nothing.
(Well… except Wood Release.)
"Hmph! My brother can do it—you're weak!" Sasuke puffed up proudly, waving his hands in fake hand seals, making "whoosh whoosh" sounds.
Kai: …
Fine.
Kids get a pass.
"Come here."
He grabbed Sasuke's cheeks—
and started kneading.
"You're adorable."
Sasuke's face squished and stretched.
"Mmmph—!"
Before the future wielder of the Rinnegan could grow up—
Kai fully intended to enjoy this moment.
Whether Sasuke enjoyed it—
was another matter.
But Kai did.
Very much.
"I'm generous like that."
The door slid open.
Itachi stepped out.
Kai instantly straightened, hand resting gently on Sasuke's head like a kind older brother.
Sasuke immediately ran over.
"Brother! He bullied me!"
Itachi's gaze turned sharp.
Kai smiled awkwardly.
Just joking.
Itachi snorted.
"Father wants you inside."
Kai nodded and followed him.
In this world—
children could go to war.
Attending a clan meeting at six wasn't unusual.
Inside—
the atmosphere was heavy.
Fugaku sat at the head.
Beside him—
Uchiha Yashiro.
Uchiha Inabi.
Uchiha Tekka.
All core members of the Military Police.
Kai glanced around.
Shisui wasn't present.
Of course—
as an ANBU member, he wouldn't attend.
There were also several youths seated along the sides.
Observers.
"Kai, sit."
Fugaku gestured.
The meeting resumed.
"Since the Nine-Tails incident, the village suspects us. The people distrust us."
"Our reputation continues to decline."
"We must change this."
"Speak freely."
Fugaku, ever the moderate, still hoped to repair relations.
To restore funding.
To avoid conflict.
Yashiro sat silently, arms crossed.
He knew—
without overwhelming merit—
nothing would change.
"You're too naïve, Fugaku…"
Inabi and Tekka remained quiet.
Itachi frowned.
Fugaku sighed.
"…Is there no way?"
At that moment—
Kai spoke.
"Clan Head… the village has never truly accepted us."
"We've always been distrusted."
"This situation… won't change."
The room fell silent.
Kai knew the truth.
Danzo's shadow loomed behind everything.
Reconciliation—
was impossible.
But he owed Fugaku and Mikoto.
So—
he spoke.
And showed his worth.
Fugaku's expression turned bitter.
Even a six-year-old could see it.
How could he not?
"Then what should we do?" Fugaku asked.
This time—
with expectation.
Kai answered calmly.
"Our demands have always been simple."
"No suspicion."
"No discrimination."
"Fair access to power."
The Uchiha—
founders of Konoha.
Yet—
no Hokage.
No real authority.
No voice.
"Now… it's too late to change that."
"So we focus on one thing."
"Strength."
"We can't wake someone pretending to sleep."
"Just like we can't make the village trust us."
Clear.
Logical.
Fugaku's eyes lit up.
"How do we grow stronger?"
Kai paused briefly.
"First—the 'Eaglet Program.'"
Train the younger generation intensively.
After academy hours—
additional guidance from Chunin and Jonin.
Close the talent gap.
Prevent decline.
Strength—
meant leverage.
Not rebellion.
But dignity.
Standing—
not kneeling.
"Second—develop industry."
Money—
was power.
Without it—
strength stagnates.
Yashiro frowned.
"Other clans already dominate industries."
Weapons.
Medicine.
Livestock.
Food.
Pets.
Insects.
They were late.
Too late.
Kai smiled.
"Not everything."
"We can develop real estate."
Silence.
He explained—
high housing costs.
Barriers to entry.
Then—
long-term payment agreements.
Five years.
Ten years.
periodic payments.
Default?
Reclaim the property.
The room—
froze.
A completely new concept.
Yet—
brilliant.
Accessible housing.
Stable income.
Mass demand.
Even the younger members stared in awe.
Fugaku's Sharingan activated unconsciously.
Three tomoe spinning.
"This stays here."
"Not a word leaves this room."
"This concerns the survival of the Uchiha."
He could already see it—
endless cash flow.
If executed first—
they would dominate.
If leaked—
they'd lose everything.
Beside him—
Itachi was shaken.
For the first time—
he felt…
outclassed.
"Kai…"
His thoughts were ahead of everyone.
"Third—reduce unnecessary policing."
The Military Police—
had made too many enemies.
Strict enforcement—
against powerful clans—
bred resentment.
And manipulation.
Public opinion had turned.
"Let them see what happens without us."
Nods spread across the room.
Agreement.
At six years old—
Kai had redefined the discussion.
Not just insight—
strategy.
Vision.
"Perhaps…"
Fugaku thought—
"The Uchiha still have a future."
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