"Konoha no longer has a place for the Uchiha, Tenjima. You know this better than I do. Hiruzen Sarutobi's soft approach is a poison coated in sugar, and Danzo Shimura's Root is an abyss waiting to swallow us at any moment."
"If we stay, we'll either be slowly assimilated and worn away, or uprooted in some accident or rebellion. Shao Yu and the others have spirit and potential. Instead of letting them be driven mad or killed here, it's better to let them out and fight for a future."
"The Uchiha's Sharingan should not be used solely for the trivial matters of the Police Force and the suspicious gazes of our own kin."
Uchiha Tenjima listened silently, his face devoid of expression. He showed neither anger at being kept in the dark nor condemnation for the act of defection.
After a long while, he finally spoke slowly, his voice remaining calm.
"Hedging our bets... isn't a bad idea."
These few short words caused a sharp glint to flash in Uchiha Setsuna's eyes. He looked at Tenjima with a hint of understanding.
"The problem now is how to explain this to Hokage-sama. Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura are not easy people to deal with. Especially Danzo; he never hides his malice toward the Uchiha."
"Shao Yu defecting and attacking an Elder... this matter can be framed as big or small. If handled poorly, it could be labeled as a premeditated Uchiha rebellion where radicals defected with secrets after an internal purge. This would give the high-ranking officials an excuse to take harsher measures or even launch a purge against the Uchiha."
"If handled lightly, it can be defined as a few young Uchiha members being misled, committing a grave mistake in a moment of passion, which the clan has already dealt with severely and is now pursuing with full force."
Tenjima's gaze became sharp again as he stared at Setsuna.
"Your performance is the key. It must be convincing enough to pin Shao Yu as a reckless traitor and frame this incident as the act of an individual or an internal clan misfortune. Only then can we gain some room to maneuver and avoid the entire clan being implicated."
"However, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo are both old foxes; they might not fully believe it."
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Setsuna actually smiled—a smile that carried the shrewdness and calculation of one who had weathered many storms.
"Whether they believe it or not isn't important. What matters is that they must believe it, or at least, they can only handle it publicly according to the version we provide."
He pointed to the wound on his forehead and then to the messy scene.
"The chain of evidence is complete. An elder of high prestige who always considers the big picture—myself—was attacked and left unconscious with heavy injuries. Radicals like Shao Yu and his group have collectively vanished, leaving traces of a hurried departure at their residences. The map of the secret tunnels has been stolen."
"Everything points to a logically consistent story: Uchiha Shao Yu, a young man of exceptional talent but extreme temperament, became utterly dissatisfied with the clan and Village policies. He took a desperate risk, attacked an elder, stole secrets, incited his comrades, and defected from the Village. As for me..."
Setsuna's smile became somewhat subtle.
"I am the victim, a representative of the moderate faction loyal to the clan and the Village, who was even trying to persuade Shao Yu before the attack."
"They cannot touch this image—at least, not openly."
"To move against me would be to negate their own propaganda that there are rational and loyal members within the Uchiha. It would be an admission that their suppression of the Uchiha has reached the point of forcing the loyalists to rebel. This doesn't align with Hiruzen Sarutobi's governing philosophy of maintaining a facade of peace, and it would add unnecessary resistance to Danzo's extreme actions."
He coughed and continued.
"They might suspect, they might investigate in the shadows, and they might guess that I was aware or even gave my tacit consent. But so what? There is no concrete evidence. All clues lead to Shao Yu."
"Even if they guess I'm acting, they'll have to hold their noses and play along with me. At least on a public level, they must acknowledge me as the victim and focus their primary target on the defected Shao Yu. This is an Open Scheme."
Uchiha Tenjima listened quietly. His face remained expressionless, but the gravity in his eyes seemed to dissipate slightly.
He had to admit that while Setsuna's move was risky, it was indeed quite well-considered.
Using himself as bait to create an irrefutable 'fact' forced the Konoha high-ranking officials' reaction into a direction favorable to the Uchiha Clan as a whole.
"Even if they guess, there's nothing they can do openly..."
Tenjima repeated Setsuna's words in a low voice, effectively acknowledging his judgment.
Indeed, in the absence of evidence, Hiruzen Sarutobi would not easily move against a 'victimized' Uchiha elder; that would break the balance he worked so hard to maintain.
Danzo might want to dig deeper, but without the Hokage's explicit support and a righteous cause, his Root couldn't openly take excessive measures against a 'victim.'
"As expected of Elder Setsuna. When it comes to being a calculating old fox, I am still far behind you."
"But to be honest, Uchiha Shao Yu's defection is a good thing for me. Firstly, after his defection, he can find a new path for the Uchiha Clan. Secondly, with him gone, the position of Clan Head will definitely belong to my son, Fugaku. So, it seems I have no reason to refuse."
With Uchiha Shao Yu around, it would have been very difficult for Uchiha Fugaku to take over Tenjima's mantle and become the next Clan Head. Uchiha Shao Yu was younger than Fugaku, had higher talent, and was superior in strength. No matter how one looked at it, Shao Yu had the greater advantage.
"Next," Tenjima resumed his decisive tone as Clan Head.
"I will officially submit a report to the Hokage in my capacity as Clan Head. The contents will be written according to the facts you provided."
"At the same time, I will proactively request the assistance of Konoha's Anbu and Root in pursuing the Rogue Ninja Uchiha Shao Yu and his group, to show the Uchiha's stance of drawing a clear line and cooperating fully."
"Internally, I will conduct a low-profile reorganization to soothe people's hearts, but also take the opportunity to clear out some hidden dangers that might cause similar problems. And you..."
He looked at Setsuna.
"Focus on 'recovering.' For a short time, do not make any more moves. Stay low-profile, very low-profile. You are the victim and also a warning. Play this role well."
Uchiha Setsuna nodded, leaned back again, and closed his eyes as if he were truly exhausted.
"I understand. I'll leave the rest to you, Clan Head Tenjima."
Uchiha Tenjima said no more and turned toward the door. Just before his hand touched the door, he paused slightly. With his back to Setsuna, he asked in a very soft voice that only the two of them could hear.
"Where do they plan to go?"
"The Hidden Cloud Village."
"The Hidden Cloud Village, huh? That's a good choice."
With that, he pulled open the stone door and walked out with large strides, meeting the confused and reverent gazes of the guards and Medical Ninjas outside. His figure soon disappeared into the shadows of the corridor.
Inside the stone room, Uchiha Setsuna was alone. Listening to the receding footsteps, the smile on his lips slowly faded, turning into a barely audible sigh that dissipated into the blood-scented air.
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808