Within the grand main hall of the ancient Uchiha Clan, adorned with the iconic red-and-white fan crests upon the walls, Patriarch Hayato Uchiha, the High Elders, and the veteran elite warriors had gathered. They sat in organized, disciplined rows, waiting with a palpable sense of tension that filled the air. They had assembled to hear the news and results brought back by the official negotiation team, which had been dispatched some time ago to the distant Kingdom of the Blue Dragon to propose the purchase of the newly discovered gargantuan mine.
Patriarch Hayato turned his sharp, scrutinizing gaze toward the three figures standing before him in the center of the hall: the Second Elder, the Sixth Elder, and the young Patriarch-to-be, his son Hiroshi. All three of their faces bore clear and undeniable marks of extreme fatigue and profound exhaustion, as if they had not slept properly for many consecutive days. Their eyes were slightly bloodshot, their features pale, and their shoulders slumped under the weight of an invisible burden.
Finally, the Clan Patriarch spoke in a voice that was calm yet clear and audible throughout every corner of the silent hall. "So, tell us exactly how the operation and the negotiations proceeded, Second Elder. Spare no detail."
The Second Elder slowly raised his head and looked directly at the Patriarch sitting at the head of the hall. His expression was one of visible brokenness and a deep sadness that he could not hide. He spoke in a voice that was weary and slightly hushed. "The mission has failed, Honorable Patriarch." He paused to take a deep, shaky breath before continuing. "The Kingdom of the Blue Dragon has rejected our purchase offer finally and categorically. They refused to even negotiate the matter in any form. The door is completely shut."
Immediately, a chorus of voices erupted, carrying tones of clear annoyance and suppressed rage. These voices came primarily from the "Hawk" faction—the hardliners sitting in the rows—and they echoed throughout the vast hall.
"How dare they reject us in such an insulting manner?!"
"A mere fledgling state, recently established, dares to defy us!"
"They have directly insulted the Great Uchiha Clan!"
"This is intolerable! We must respond with force!"
The voices were angry and overlapping, fueled by wounded pride and insulted arrogance. Patriarch Hayato raised his right hand high in a decisive motion, cutting off the loud clamor. He spoke in a calm but firm and powerful tone. "All of you, maintain silence for a moment. Let us hear the full details first before we pass judgment on the situation."
Silence returned instantly; everyone respected the Patriarch's command. Hayato then focused his gaze directly on the Second Elder, who sat before him with weary features, and spoke in an investigative tone. "The matter did not end there, did it, Second Elder? Something else happened there, didn't it? I can see it in your eyes."
The Second Elder stared back with intense focus for several long moments, as if he were thinking deeply about how to phrase his next words. Then, he spoke in a serious and resolute voice, more powerful than before. "Honorable Patriarch, I strongly and most seriously suggest... that you never antagonize the Kingdom of the Blue Dragon. This is my honest opinion after what I witnessed there."
A heavy silence filled the hall for a heartbeat. Then, the angry voices exploded once again:
"What are you saying, Second Elder?!"
"Have you lost your mind?!"
"Second Elder, have you become afraid of a mere small kingdom?!"
"This is a disgrace to the clan!"
"How dare you utter such shameful words?!"
Different, furious voices broke out from the elders belonging to the extremist Hawk faction from every corner, harshly and cruelly criticizing the Second Elder's words and attacking him with stinging rebukes. Throughout all of this, Patriarch Hayato remained completely silent. He did not move; he did not speak. He only looked directly and steadily into the eyes of the Second Elder, trying to read what lay behind the words, searching for the truth within those tired eyes. What did he see there? What exactly happened?
Then, suddenly, amidst all the loud arguing and harsh criticism, the Sixth Elder—the man known for his extreme views and immense pride—stepped forward. He bowed deeply, then fell completely to his knees, prostrating himself on the ground before the Patriarch! His knees were on the floor, his head was lowered, and his body was entirely bent. He cried out in a loud voice, filled with genuine, desperate pleading:
"I beg of you, Great Patriarch! I implore you! Do not antagonize the Kingdom of the Blue Dragon! Please! For the sake of the clan!"
This sudden and shocking scene caused a gargantuan, unexpected wave of shock to ripple through the entire hall. Absolute and total silence spread into every corner and crevice instantly, as if time itself had suddenly frozen. The shock was incredibly visible on the faces of every single person present without exception; their eyes were wide, their mouths slightly agape, unable to believe what they were seeing.
Everyone in the clan knew exactly who the Sixth Elder was. He was the most radical and extremist figure in the entire Hawk faction, the most prideful and arrogant individual in the whole Uchiha Clan, bar none! He was the man who refused any insult, who always demanded force and war as the first solution. It was considered absolutely impossible for him to behave in such a broken and pleading manner—at least, that is what everyone had believed in their shocked minds.
Kneeling? Pleading? Visible fear? From the extremist Sixth Elder?! It was impossible! Yet, it was happening before their very eyes.
Patriarch Hayato looked at the Sixth Elder kneeling before him in long silence, then at the Second Elder standing with a serious expression, and finally at his son, the youth Hiroshi, who also appeared exhausted but remained silent, saying nothing. Were all three of them in agreement on this same position? Even the radical Sixth Elder?
What happened there exactly? What did they see? Whom did they meet? What was it that terrified them to this degree?
Many questions swirled in the Patriarch's mind, while the hall remained drowned in a heavy, charged silence. Everyone waited for the Patriarch's response. What would he say? What would he decide? Would he listen to their strange warning? Or would he ignore it and order war, as most of the Hawks demanded? The moment was decisive, the decision was fateful, and the future was shrouded in mystery regarding this matter.
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