He coughed violently a few times and, under the tense gazes of the crowd, continued to "expose" the truth.
"He... he suddenly came to find this old man tonight... saying there were some clan matters... that needed discussion... I... I was off guard..."
"He... he suddenly attacked! He questioned why... why I didn't support their radical views... I rebuked him... saying he was too young and impetuous... and would bring disaster to the clan... then he... then he made his move!"
Uchiha Setsuna "struggled" to raise his hand, pointing at his bandaged temple and then at the messy room. His voice trembled, filled with the agonizing pain of "betrayal."
"He... he not only attacked me... but... but also forced me to hand over the maps of the clan's secret passages and... and some resources... He said... he wanted to take those... those young clansmen he had bewitched... and leave Konoha! To... to seek refuge in other great nations! I... I sternly refused... then he... then he..."
He seemed to be overcome by anger, gasping for breath again before gritting his teeth and speaking.
"He knocked me unconscious... took the maps and scrolls... he must have... have taken those people and... defected! Uchiha Shao Yu... he defected! He even attacked an Elder and plundered clan secrets!"
A deathly silence fell over the stone house, followed by an explosion of shock, anger, and unbelievable clamor!
Uchiha Shao Yu, the clan's acknowledged genius and one of the iconic figures of the Hawk Faction, had actually attacked the highly respected Elder Setsuna and coerced eleven young elites of the clan to defect from Konoha?!
This news was like a bombshell, instantly detonating among the Uchiha high-ranking officials and Guard Unit members gathered there. With the more impactful and specific version of "Uchiha Shao Yu defecting and attacking Elder Setsuna," it spread like wildfire through the entire Uchiha Clan Compound and inevitably spread rapidly to other areas of Konoha Village.
Uchiha Tenjima's face was already as black as the bottom of a pot. A clan genius defecting and attacking an Elder was not only a huge loss for the Uchiha but also a serious incident that the Konoha high-ranking officials, who were already suspicious of the Uchiha, could use as a pretext!
He immediately realized the severity of the situation far exceeded a typical internal clan conflict.
"Seal off the news immediately... No, it's too late."
He made a prompt decision and gave orders in a cold voice.
"Guard Unit, immediately organize elite squads to investigate along all possible routes out of the Village! At the same time, immediately... report this matter to Hokage-sama!"
He knew that the Uchiha could not keep this under wraps. Uchiha Shao Yu's defection would instantly become a massive scandal and crisis shaking the entire Konoha Village in the most intense and shameful way.
Meanwhile, lying on the ground and continuing to play the role of the weak victim, a very subtle, relieved glimmer flashed deep within Uchiha Setsuna's cloudy eyes, hidden from everyone's sight.
The clamor gradually subsided, and everyone turned their gaze toward the Clan Chief, waiting for his decision.
Uchiha Tenjima spoke slowly, his voice steady but carrying an unquestionable authority that instantly suppressed all the noise.
"Silence!"
He looked around, and wherever his gaze landed, the clansmen lowered their heads or looked away.
"Elder Setsuna is seriously injured and needs rest. Those uninvolved, leave the stone house immediately; do not disturb the Elder's rest."
"Guard Unit, leave two squads behind. One will be responsible for protecting the Elder's safety, and the other will immediately seal the scene, impose martial law within the clan, and investigate any suspicious persons or clues, but do not disturb the ordinary clansmen."
"As for the rest of you, attend to your duties. There is to be no private discussion, and certainly no spreading of unconfirmed news!"
His orders were clear and decisive, carrying the responsibility and ability to stabilize the situation expected of a Clan Chief.
Tenjima still possessed a bit more prestige and power than the later Fugaku.
Although the clansmen were full of doubt and horror, under Tenjima's long-established authority, they began to exit the stone house in an orderly fashion as instructed, leaving only the necessary guards and medical personnel.
Uchiha Tenjima then said in a low voice to several Influential Elders who had arrived upon hearing the news.
"Elders, please follow me to the next room to discuss how to report this matter to Hokage-sama. This is a grave matter and must be handled with caution."
The Elders nodded with solemn expressions and followed Tenjima out of the stone house, which was permeated with the scent of blood and conspiracy.
Soon, only Uchiha Setsuna, holding his head, a Medical Ninja left to look after him, and two high-alert guards at the door remained in the stone house.
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Uchiha Tenjima returned alone.
He said to the Medical Ninja and the guards.
"You all go out first and stand guard at the door. No one is to enter without my order. I need to ask Elder Setsuna about some details in private."
"Yes, Clan Chief-sama."
The three did not dare to delay; they bowed and withdrew, carefully closing the stone door behind them.
Silence returned to the stone house once more, leaving only Tenjima's steady breathing and Elder Setsuna's weak gasps on the floor.
Uchiha Tenjima walked to Setsuna's side and looked down at him from above, without saying a word.
After a moment, he suddenly bent down and reached out, but not to help him up. Instead, he used his fingertip to extremely lightly brush away a tiny, inconspicuous fragment of glazed pottery from the cuff of Elder Setsuna's sleeve, which had almost blended in with the surrounding dust.
The position of that fragment, the direction in which the main shards on the floor had splattered, and the posture Setsuna claimed to have been in when attacked... there was a slight contradiction that would be extremely difficult for an ordinary person to notice.
"Elder Setsuna," Uchiha Tenjima straightened up, his voice flat and emotionless, showing neither anger nor concern.
"That's enough. There's no one else here. Stop acting."
On the floor, Uchiha Setsuna's body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and then, the "weak" gasping stopped.
He slowly opened his eyes. The cloudiness, shock, anger, and sorrow faded away like an ebbing tide, replaced by a glint of cunning.
He didn't try to get up, remaining lying down, but he turned his head to look at Uchiha Tenjima, his lips curling into a faint arc.
"Oh? Tenjima, why do you say that? This old man really did take a hit and bled."
Setsuna's voice was no longer trembling or weak; it returned to its usual aged rasp, but with a relaxation that comes after a sense of relief.
Uchiha Tenjima didn't look at him; his gaze fell on the overturned wooden shelf, where the scattered trajectory of some scrolls also seemed slightly deliberate.
He said slowly.
"If the attacker were Shao Yu, given his strength, the urgency of what he planned for tonight, and his temperament, he would have either delivered a fatal blow to silence you forever or simply knocked you out and taken or bound you. He would never have left such a restrained injury and such an obvious yet not-so-intense'struggle' scene."
The entire Uchiha high command knew of Uchiha Shao Yu's reputation as a hothead; how could he possibly know how to hold back?
"This seems more like... you needed it to look like an attack, but you couldn't let the attack seem too fatal or too professional, lest it invite deeper scrutiny."
He paused and continued.
"More importantly, Uchiha Setsuna, you yourself are the invisible leader of the Hawk Faction. Among those in the clan most dissatisfied with the status quo and who distrust the Konoha high-ranking officials the most, you rank in the top three."
"When it comes down to it, the one who wants to leave Konoha the most and find another way out with the Uchiha's seeds is likely you."
"That boy Shao Yu has talent, but without someone supporting and guiding him behind the scenes—even providing secret passages and resources that even I might not be fully aware of—it would be impossible for him to organize such a clean and efficient defection so quickly and take so many people with him."
Facing Uchiha Tenjima's meticulous analysis, the smile on Uchiha Setsuna's face widened. He didn't deny it; instead, as if letting out a sigh of relief, he gave a long "Mm."
"As expected of Tenjima, you see right through it."
He simply stopped pretending. Supporting himself with his arms, he slowly sat up and leaned against the overturned wooden shelf. Though his movements were slow, they lacked the sluggishness of someone seriously injured.
"Indeed, I am an accomplice. I gave the maps, I chose the people, and I even suggested this path to Shao Yu."
He admitted frankly, his gaze looking out at the pitch-black night sky through the window, as if he could pierce through the darkness.
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808