As the saying goes: If you have not endured another's suffering, do not urge them to be virtuous.
After seeing the countless scars covering Uchiha Setsuna's body, both Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Ya fell into silence.
They had always known that Setsuna had spent more than a decade imprisoned in Konoha Prison, but they had never truly known what he had experienced during that time.
Yet thinking about it carefully, what Setsuna endured was hardly surprising.
In the early days after the founding of Konohagakure, the village was still chaotic. The prison held either enemy spies or the most vicious criminals.
And before being imprisoned, Setsuna—like any shinobi—would certainly have had his chakra sealed.
Without chakra, could a shinobi still truly be called a shinobi?
Aside from those who specialized in taijutsu, most ninja who lost access to chakra were barely stronger than ordinary civilians.
Under such circumstances, what would happen if Setsuna were locked in a prison surrounded by criminals who held grudges against the Uchiha clan?
The answer was obvious.
Uchiha Ya sighed softly before speaking earnestly.
"Setsuna… If the Hokage's position were truly something we could fight for, I would never stop the clan from trying."
"But look at Konoha now."
"Not a single department of real power in the village includes members of the Uchiha."
"In such a situation, even if you killed Hiruzen Sarutobi, what then?"
"The rest of the village would never accept an Uchiha Hokage."
"I know that," Setsuna replied coldly as he put his clothes back on.
"Since the founding of Konoha, the Uchiha's power has been confined within the Konoha Military Police Force."
"The other departments of the village simply refuse to accept us."
"And this latest rumor campaign has already destroyed the Uchiha's reputation completely."
"Even if a coup succeeded, it would only benefit someone else."
"But I will still launch a coup."
"The coup is only to kill Hiruzen and those others and vent my anger!"
"After that, we will take the opportunity to leave Konoha and build a New Konoha."
"Back then, the Uchiha and the Senju founded Konoha together."
"Now we can establish a new Konoha ourselves!"
Setsuna's tone was both mad and resolute.
His obsession had already hardened into something immovable. No persuasion could reach him anymore.
Helpless, Uchiha Ya looked toward Fugaku, silently asking for support.
Fugaku himself was also anxious.
Setsuna's ideas had completely exceeded their expectations. If things continued this way, it might disrupt the plans they had been preparing.
Then suddenly—
A calm voice sounded in the room.
"When a person becomes too obsessed, the heart becomes blind and ignorant."
A figure stepped into the living room.
"Uchiha Ren ?!"
Both Setsuna and Ya were stunned by the sudden appearance of Uchiha Ren .
Only Fugaku secretly breathed a sigh of relief, the tension in his heart easing slightly.
Ren walked to Fugaku's side and respectfully bowed to Setsuna and Ya.
"Great Elder. Second Elder. It's been a long time."
"Yes… it has," Uchiha Ya replied with a strained smile.
"When you were just a child, no one could have imagined you would become so famous."
Under normal circumstances, Ya would have gladly taken the opportunity to build closer ties with Ren .
But now, with the Setsuna crisis looming, he simply had no energy for such things.
Setsuna, however, had no such hesitation.
"Ren , you came at the perfect time."
"What do you think about this matter?"
He clearly wanted Ren to choose a side.
Back when Ren had first risen to fame, Setsuna had attempted to recruit him.
But Ren had clearly declared that he was loyal to Fugaku and would follow only Fugaku's orders.
The same was true of Uchiha Shisui, who had distinguished himself on the Kirigakure battlefield.
This was precisely why Setsuna had tried to pressure Fugaku during the clan assembly.
If he could win Fugaku over, he would effectively gain both Ren and Shisui, the two strongest Uchiha warriors.
At least, on the surface.
Facing Setsuna's question, Ren simply shook his head.
"Great Elder… you said you want to establish a New Konoha."
"Then may I ask—where exactly will you build it?"
"Back then, the Uchiha and the Senju were able to found Konoha because no villages existed yet in the shinobi world."
"But now the Five Great Nations all have their own hidden villages."
"Where would you create a new Konoha?"
"Or do you intend to establish it in a minor country?"
"But you know very well the situations of places like Amegakure, Kusagakure, and Yugakure."
"Those small villages exist only to be exploited by the great powers."
"If the Uchiha truly tried to establish themselves in a random small country, do you believe the clan would survive for long?"
"Before long, the Uchiha would be completely shattered—becoming resources fought over by the major nations."
Setsuna's face turned alternately pale and dark.
Seizing the opportunity, Uchiha Ya added,
"Setsuna, Ren is right."
"This is no longer the Warring States Period."
"If the Uchiha lose the protection of a village, we cannot survive in the shinobi world."
A sharp light flashed in Setsuna's eyes.
"So what?"
"I refuse to stay in a village where we are constantly suppressed!"
"I will not degrade myself by clinging to such humiliation!"
"Rather than live in disgrace…"
"I would rather die gloriously!"
Ya's face turned ashen.
"Then your death would be meaningless!"
"You must think of the entire clan!"
Setsuna laughed coldly.
"If the Uchiha still possess even a shred of courage, they will understand my choice!"
"And if they only wish to survive like cowards…"
"Then they are not worthy of being called Uchiha!"
"And if they are not Uchiha…"
"Why should I care about their lives?"
"You've lost your mind," Ya said in disbelief.
"You truly have gone mad."
Ren silently shook his head.
These elders had obsessions buried deep within their bones. Words alone could not persuade them.
Since neither side could convince the other, Ren decided not to waste more time.
"Since none of you can convince the other," he said calmly, "why not convene a full clan assembly?"
"Gather all the Uchiha shinobi together and hear everyone's opinion."
Setsuna and Ya exchanged glances.
Both were clearly tempted by the idea.
Ya knew he could no longer reason with Setsuna.
He would rather spend his efforts persuading the younger generation of the clan.
"I have no objections," Ya said.
Setsuna also nodded.
"I have no objections either."
Seeing their agreement, Ren concluded:
"Then it's settled."
"Clan Leader Fugaku has already decided to hold a memorial ceremony in three days for the clan members who died on the battlefield."
"So instead of choosing another day…"
"Let us hold the clan assembly on that same day."
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