"Division of the Uchiha Clan."
The words echoed across the square.
For a moment—
Nobody reacted.
It was as if their minds had failed to process what they had just heard.
Then the shock arrived.
Many people stared at Toyoma with bewildered expressions.
Some frowned.
Others exchanged confused glances.
Division of the Uchiha Clan?
What did that even mean?
Setsuna looked at Toyoma.
Even he appeared confused.
"Aren't we already divided into three factions?"
His question immediately drew several nods.
The Hawk.
The Clan Head's faction.
The neutral Uchiha.
Everyone knew those factions already existed.
So why was Toyoma acting as if this was something new?
Toyoma looked at Setsuna.
His expression remained serious.
"No."
His answer was immediate.
"Right now, we are divided into three factions."
"But we still belong to the same clan."
His gaze shifted toward Fugaku.
"The same Clan Head."
The atmosphere gradually became heavier.
Toyoma continued.
"And his decisions affect everyone."
"Even those who oppose him."
Several Uchiha visibly stiffened.
Because they knew that part was true.
Toyoma slowly raised his hand.
Pointing toward Fugaku's side.
"The division I'm talking about..."
He paused.
"...is a complete separation."
Silence spread.
Those words immediately felt different.
More dangerous.
"Those who wish to follow Fugaku and his ideals can continue following him."
His voice remained calm.
"They can continue serving Konoha however they wish."
"They can donate their resources."
"They can hand over their secrets."
"They can sacrifice everything in the name of loyalty."
A few people frowned.
Others looked toward Fugaku.
Toyoma didn't stop.
"What they do with their lives is their choice."
"What they do with their resources is their choice."
"And what happens to them afterwards is also their choice."
Then his gaze shifted toward the Hawk members.
"And those who choose us..."
The surrounding Uchiha instinctively became alert.
"They will live with us."
"Their livelihood will become our responsibility."
"Their future will become our responsibility."
The atmosphere immediately changed.
Several clan heads narrowed their eyes.
Even the older civilians looked shocked.
Nobody could remember a clan attempting something like this before.
This was the main thing.
Toyoma looked directly at Setsuna.
"But joining us means something."
His voice grew colder.
"It means severing all ties with Fugaku's shinobi faction."
"It means becoming part of our merchant clan."
The crowd erupted into whispers.
Even some Uchiha looked shocked.
A complete split?
A real split?
Toyoma ignored the reaction.
Instead, he looked toward Shisui and the others standing behind Fugaku.
"And after that..."
His voice became almost indifferent.
"Their life and death will have nothing to do with us."
Silence.
"If one day Konoha decides they are rebels..."
"If one day they are abandoned..."
"If one day they are exterminated by some nonsensical reason..."
Toyoma shrugged.
A cruel smile appeared on his face.
"Then we can simply stand aside and say, they deserved it."
The entire square froze.
Because everyone understood exactly what he was doing.
Toyoma wasn't proposing a division of power.
He was proposing a division of responsibility.
A division of his people's fate.
"Absurd!"
Fugaku's voice rang across the square.
For the first time since Toyoma's declaration—
He reacted immediately.
"What kind of nonsense is this?"
His face was dark with anger.
Even he had not expected Toyoma to say something so extreme.
On the other side—
Jiraiya's brows were tightly furrowed.
His eyes remained fixed on Toyoma.
"And what exactly do you mean by that?"
His voice was serious.
"What do you mean by the Uchiha being exterminated by Konoha?"
The moment those words were spoken—
Many people instinctively nodded.
That was the question on everyone's mind.
Even several Uchiha looked confused.
Meanwhile—
Hiruzen, Homura, and Koharu's expressions darkened.
Not because they believed it.
But because they understood how dangerous those words were.
Some accusations could be ignored.
Others could not.
Homura stared at Toyoma.
A headache was already beginning to form.
'Just what does this boy want?'
The more Toyoma spoke—
The situation became more difficult.
Tsunade finally stepped forward.
A scoff escaped her mouth.
"Boy."
She folded her arms.
"Aren't you imagining things a little too much?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"Why would Konoha ever try to exterminate the Uchiha?"
The very idea sounded ridiculous to her.
"Wouldn't that be the same as cutting off one of its own arms?"
Several clan heads quietly nodded.
It was a reasonable question.
Even many civilians looked at Toyoma strangely.
On the Uchiha side—
Shisui was visibly angry.
More angry than before.
"Toyoma."
His voice carried obvious frustration.
"Aren't you being far too suspicious?"
He took a step forward.
"How can you even think something like that?"
Shisui genuinely couldn't understand it.
The village wasn't perfect.
It had flaws.
Many flaws.
But exterminating an entire founding clan?
The thought itself felt insane.
At that moment—
Hiruzen finally spoke.
His expression remained calm.
Yet there was seriousness hidden beneath it.
He could not allow such a rumour to spread through the village.
"Toyoma."
His gaze settled on the young Uchiha.
"Are you being unreasonable?"
A brief pause followed.
"Or have you already convinced yourself that we are unreasonable people?"
The square gradually became quieter.
Hiruzen's gaze swept across the crowd.
Across the villagers.
Across the clan heads.
Across the Uchiha.
Then he spoke clearly.
"I can assure everyone present."
"The village leadership is not so unreasonable that we would destroy one of our own clans."
His voice remained steady.
Measured.
"The life of every shinobi is valuable."
"They are the true strength of the village."
"Protecting them is one of our responsibilities."
Several villagers nodded.
Even some clan heads seemed to agree.
Hiruzen looked back at Toyoma.
His expression was firm.
"What this boy is suggesting..."
He paused.
"...is absurd."
The square fell silent once more.
As countless eyes turned toward Toyoma.
Toyoma didn't even look at Hiruzen.
Nor did he answer his question.
Instead, he turned toward Setsuna.
"Grandfather."
"As soon as we return, issue a notice throughout the clan."
The crowd immediately became restless.
Toyoma ignored them.
"Inform everyone about today's decision."
Setsuna's eyes narrowed slightly.
For the first time, he realised Toyoma wasn't making a threat.
He now started making preparations.
Toyoma then looked toward Raizen.
"Uncle Raizen."
Raizen immediately straightened.
"Make a complete list of all our businesses, properties, and partnerships."
The surrounding clan heads visibly reacted.
Even they understood what such an order implied.
Toyoma continued.
"And withdraw our people from the Uchiha Guard Force."
Silence.
Several Uchiha froze.
Even Fugaku's expression changed.
"From today onward, those positions can be handled by people who choose to follow Fugaku."
The atmosphere became increasingly tense.
Toyoma's expression remained unchanged.
"We are no longer Konoha shinobi."
The words instantly caused an uproar.
"We are merchants and landowners operating under the authority granted by the Daimyo."
Many civilians looked shocked.
Several clan heads exchanged glances.
Even Jiraiya's face darkened.
Toyoma then looked toward Uzuku.
"Uncle Uzuku."
Uzuku nodded.
"All children belonging to our faction will withdraw from Konoha Academy."
The crowd erupted.
Even Hiruzen's calm expression cracked slightly.
Toyoma continued.
"They will attend the Uchiha Security Academy instead."
The implications were obvious.
This was no temporary disagreement.
Toyoma was creating separate institutions.
Separate education.
Separate responsibilities.
A separate future.
Then—
He finally glanced toward Hiruzen and Jiraiya.
Only for a moment.
Before turning away again.
"I also want to make something clear."
His voice echoed throughout the square.
"So, there will be no misunderstandings in the future."
"And so, no bastard tries to spread rumours later."
When he said the word bastard—
His eyes briefly landed on Hiruzen.
Several people immediately noticed.
A few even winced.
Toyoma continued as if nothing had happened.
"The Uchiha Security Company exists under the authority of the Daimyo."
"Its purpose is simple."
"To protect our goods."
"To protect our businesses."
"To protect our people."
His voice gradually grew colder.
"So that no thief..."
"No beggar..."
"And no self-righteous fool..."
"Can come demanding what belongs to us."
The atmosphere instantly became awkward.
Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched.
Toyoma looked directly at him.
"And if someday another idiot appears before us crying about charity..."
He paused.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"...or the greater good."
The smile widened slightly.
"Our answer will remain the same."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
"My foot."
For a moment—
The entire square fell silent.
Even some Hawk members looked away to hide their laughter.
"What exactly are you going on about, boy?"
Fugaku's voice cut through the noise.
His expression was serious.
Angrier than before.
Yet far calmer.
"Do you really think I don't exist here?"
His eyes locked onto Toyoma.
"You stand before the entire clan and issue orders as if the position of Clan Head means nothing."
The atmosphere immediately became tense.
Fugaku continued.
"Have you already forgotten who leads this clan?"
His voice grew colder.
"Or have you convinced yourself that you can decide the future of thousands of people on your own?"
Many Uchiha looked between the two.
One was the recognised Clan Head.
The other was rapidly gathering support.
The tension between them was becoming impossible to ignore.
Before Toyoma could answer—
Homura stepped forward.
His face was equally serious.
Unlike Fugaku, however, his concern wasn't the clan.
It was the village.
"Boy."
His voice remained calm.
"But do you truly think Konoha will allow something like this to happen?"
The crowd immediately became quieter.
Several clan heads narrowed their eyes.
That was the real issue.
Homura looked directly at Toyoma.
"We have already made significant concessions."
His voice carried a trace of frustration.
"We allowed your faction to establish itself as a merchant organization."
"We tolerated your businesses."
"We tolerated your independent operations."
"But what you're proposing now is completely different."
His gaze hardened.
"This no longer affects only the Uchiha."
"It affects the village itself."
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Homura slowly swept his gaze across the crowd.
"You want to withdraw shinobi from village duties."
"You want to remove children from the Academy."
"You want to create separate institutions."
Each sentence made the implications clearer.
More dangerous.
Then Homura looked back at Toyoma.
His expression dark.
"Do you truly understand what message that sends?"
Silence spread.
************************************************************************************************
If anyone wants to join P@treon, they're welcome to.
Right now, P@treon chapters are available up to (Chapter 138: The Fire Daimyo's Judgment).
P@treon - Hear_tteeth [18 +]
Thank you for the support and patience.