Night fell.
The moon was hidden behind dark clouds, and the wind howled through the village.
Inside the Uchiha clan compound, in the residence of the Great Elder, Uchiha Setsuna, a gathering was underway.
"Great Elder, rumors are spreading everywhere in the village. It's obvious someone is targeting the Uchiha clan!"
"That's right! I heard the Third Hokage wants Clan Head Fugaku to voluntarily give up the compensation and rewards the Uchiha earned in the war. When Fugaku didn't immediately agree, the rumors started spreading that we're arrogant and greedy. This is clearly the Hokage's doing!"
"Heh… their greed is truly ugly. Today the rumors aren't even limited to money anymore. They're trying to completely destroy the reputation of the Uchiha clan!"
"You may not know this yet, but the ANBU watching our clan compound increased again this afternoon. At this rate, they might storm the compound tomorrow!"
"Great Elder, we can't wait any longer! We must retaliate!"
"Do they really think the Uchiha clan is some easy to bully they can squeeze at will?!"
…
The radical faction of the Uchiha were boiling with anger, urging Uchiha Setsuna to lead them in striking back against the village.
Setsuna was already past fifty. Wrinkles carved deep lines across his face, showing his age.
Yet there was no trace of frailty about him.
His half-closed eyes glimmered with sharp intelligence.
After raising a hand to silence the room, Setsuna turned toward Uchiha Tekka, who stood at the front.
"What did Fugaku say?"
Tekka was a member of the Konoha Military Police Force and a core member of the radical faction.
Since he frequently accompanied Uchiha Fugaku, he served as a communication bridge between Fugaku and Setsuna.
Tekka replied:
"Clan Head Fugaku said he will never give up the compensation for the fallen Uchiha, nor the rewards that rightfully belong to our clan."
"However, the most urgent matter right now is arranging funerals and handling the remains of those who died in the war."
"After those matters are settled, he plans to convene a clan assembly to discuss the situation."
"Hmph!"
Setsuna snorted.
"I didn't expect Uchiha Fugaku to finally grow a backbone for once."
"At least he didn't immediately bow his head to Hiruzen Sarutobi."
After a pause, Setsuna added with disdain:
"But if he had compromised again this time, how would he face the clan members who fought and bled on the battlefield?"
"How would he face the families of the dead?"
"If he didn't stand firm now, his position as Clan Head would be finished."
Tekka asked,
"Great Elder, what should we do now?"
Setsuna thought for a moment before answering:
"Fugaku may be soft, but he is right about one thing."
"The most important matter right now is properly handling the funerals of our fallen clan members."
"We must not be careless about this."
"We cannot allow the clan to feel abandoned."
"So you must all fully cooperate with Fugaku on this matter."
Although Setsuna belonged to the radical faction, his hostility was directed toward the village leadership, not his fellow clan members.
When it came to the Uchiha themselves, he spared no effort or sincerity.
Tekka nodded.
"Understood."
Setsuna continued:
"But preparations must also be made."
"Keep a close watch on the rats outside the compound. Be prepared in case they attempt a surprise attack."
"And in the next few days, all of you should recruit more clan members to our side."
"This time, Hiruzen's actions will definitely provoke resentment among many of our people."
"This is our opportunity."
"During the clan assembly in a few days, we will jointly pressure Fugaku."
"This time, he must clearly declare his stance."
In the past, the conflict between the Uchiha clan and the village had not been so intense.
Most Uchiha had preferred maintaining the status quo, which greatly limited the influence of the radical faction.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Fugaku himself had always remained indecisive.
He constantly tried to balance the different factions within the clan, smoothing over conflicts without ever expressing a firm stance.
This left Setsuna feeling like a man with immense strength but no direction in which to use it.
But this time—
By escalating tensions between the village and the Uchiha themselves, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the leadership had handed Setsuna an opportunity.
Perhaps he could use this moment to unify the clan's power.
And with the strength of the entire Uchiha clan…
Launch a coup.
And seize the position of Hokage for the Uchiha.
At the Same Time — Another Residence in the Uchiha Compound
Inside the home of the Second Elder, Uchiha Ya, another gathering was taking place.
Unlike Setsuna's meeting, this one included the Third Elder, Uchiha Ken, and the Fourth Elder, Uchiha Hiroichi.
Compared to the radicals, the conservative faction currently held greater influence within the clan.
At least—for now.
"What should we do?"
"The younger members of the clan are furious. They're extremely dissatisfied with the village's actions."
Uchiha Hiroichi spoke with a grim expression.
"What else can we do?" Uchiha Ken sighed.
"This time the village really went too far."
Although they were labeled the conservatives, it did not mean they were willing to endure endless humiliation.
In truth, they were simply ordinary people who preferred stability.
It was only because of the radicals led by Setsuna that they were categorized as the conservative faction.
Uchiha Ya closed his eyes and spoke calmly:
"This afternoon, Homura Mitokado came to see me."
"He said the rumors were caused by a spy from Iwagakure, and the Third Hokage has already sent people to suppress them."
"Iwagakure spy? Heh!"
Hiroichi snorted in disdain.
"Does he think the Uchiha are fools?"
"The whole issue started because they wanted to pocket our clan's compensation and war rewards!"
"Now that things have escalated, they toss out an 'Iwagakure spy' and expect everything to disappear?"
"But the Uchiha clan's reputation has already been ruined!"
"Enough."
Ya opened his eyes.
"There's no point arguing about it now."
"The war has not completely ended yet."
"If this conflict escalates further, it will harm both the Uchiha clan and the village."
"Homura said the Third Hokage is willing to offer the Uchiha appropriate compensation."
"After you return, calm the clan members' anger."
"We must resolve this matter as quickly as possible."
Although he spoke calmly, a trace of concern flashed deep within Ya's eyes.
For some reason…
He felt that something about this situation was not so simple.
Hiroichi snorted again.
"That depends on how much compensation the Hokage offers."
"And he must restore the Uchiha clan's reputation."
"Otherwise the clan's anger won't be easily suppressed."
Ya's eyes flickered slightly.
"First calm the clan members."
"Tomorrow morning, Fugaku and I will meet the Third Hokage and settle this matter."
He understood well that without tangible results, the clan's resentment would never disappear.
So he decided to negotiate with Hiruzen as soon as possible.
After some time, both the radical and conservative meetings came to an end.
Yet the dark clouds hanging over Konohagakure only grew heavier.
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