Power decides everything.
Outside of those chaotic, absurd worlds filled with delusion and blind devotion, this was a truth that held firm in any reality.
Meeting Uchiha Setsuna's low, heavy gaze, Uchiha Ren continued speaking—deliberately voicing thoughts his grandfather clearly did not enjoy hearing.
"If we keep chasing the Hokage position… the Senju clan, no longer active as a clan, may very well become the Uchiha's future."
That made the grand elder frown.
Setsuna was no fool. He had lived since the Warring States era, long before Konoha was founded.
After the death of the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, Senju Tobirama took the mantle as Second Hokage. During his rule, the First Great Ninja War broke out.
Not only did Tobirama fall to Kumogakure, but the elite forces of the Senju were nearly wiped out.
Then came the Second Great Ninja War.
With the death of Senju Nawaki—Tsunade's younger brother and the last hope of the clan—the Senju abandoned their name entirely, choosing to dissolve into Konoha.
Such a decision… was no different from severing their own lineage.
And just like that, a clan once equal to the Uchiha vanished into history.
Setsuna, who had once rebelled and been suppressed by Tobirama, was no stranger to bending when necessary.
At this moment, he asked himself honestly—
If the Uchiha were placed in the Senju's position… could they make the same sacrifice for Konoha?
The answer was obvious.
Yes.
But unlike the cunning Senju, the proud and powerful Uchiha would charge headfirst into battle.
Their end might be even more tragic than the Senju—who at least left behind remnants of their bloodline.
Seeing the old man fall into thought, Ren spoke again, his tone calm.
"When it comes to the Hokage position, none of Sarutobi Hiruzen's promises can be trusted."
"His disciples are the Sannin. Orochimaru, Jiraiya… even Tsunade, who has already left the village—their prestige surpasses that of the Uchiha."
"If we want to compete for the Fourth Hokage… unless someone overwhelmingly powerful emerges, we'll end up like Uchiha Madara."
"No matter how great our contributions are, we'll still be voted out by the jōnin."
"Even the Fifth Hokage likely won't be ours."
"The 'Yellow Flash,' Namikaze Minato—famous across the shinobi world and master of the Flying Thunder God—is Jiraiya's student. A true successor of the Senju lineage."
After that string of words, Setsuna waved his hand impatiently, clearly irritated.
"You're boosting others' confidence while undermining your own clan. You brat—do you really think so little of the Uchiha becoming Hokage?"
Ren answered without hesitation.
"Not only do I think it's unlikely… I think it's unnecessary."
Setsuna's eyes narrowed slightly.
Ren continued, steady and composed.
"What fundamental benefit does becoming Hokage actually bring to our clan?"
"Take the current Third Great Ninja War as an example."
"If an Uchiha were sitting in that seat, then every hard battle, every suicidal mission, would require our clansmen to fill the front lines with their lives."
"Even if every one of our people is elite, on the battlefield of a great war… they're nothing more than expendable numbers."
"Clansmen who take more than a decade to grow—thrown into a battlefield where survival isn't guaranteed, all for Konoha… for a promise we'll never receive."
"Is that really worth it?"
A brief pause.
Then, quietly—
"Konoha has never treated us as one of its own. Why should we treat it as our home?"
The series of questions left Setsuna without an immediate reply.
He looked at the young man before him—exceptional, full of vitality, the heir he had placed his hopes upon—and his expression shifted again and again.
After a long silence, something complex surfaced in his eyes.
Relief… and the weight of age.
Instead of answering directly, Setsuna spoke as if to himself.
"When I think about it now… these past decades have passed so quickly."
"Among those old relics from the Warring States era… only three of us remain—the current clan head, Hokaku, and myself."
Ren listened quietly.
He was well aware of the three men.
They were the last veteran Kage-level powerhouses of the Uchiha, each representing one of the clan's major factions.
Among the younger generation, there were five at that same level—including himself and Uchiha Fugaku—alongside dozens of jōnin.
That was why, no matter how displeased Konoha's leadership was with the Uchiha, they could only grit their teeth and endure it.
Especially in times of war—they had no choice but to rely on them.
As for the future… the clan's sudden annihilation in a single night—
That could only be called fate.
After all, the very individuals capable of protecting the clan would one day turn their blades against it.
Otherwise, if the Uchiha truly chose to rebel… victory wouldn't have been impossible.
Setsuna's voice continued, now carrying a faint rasp.
"When Madara left Konoha… even now, we cannot say we have no regrets."
"But compared to the endless slaughter of the Warring States… the clan has lived far more stable lives within Konoha."
"Back then, even six-year-old children who could refine chakra had to pick up weapons—fight for the clan, die for the clan…"
He drew a deep breath and fixed his gaze on Ren.
"Remember this, Ren."
"The clan's stability and prosperity matter more than anything."
Ren nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
The Uchiha's pursuit of the Hokage seat was, on the surface, an obsession—something they believed rightfully belonged to them.
But at its core… it was simply for the sake of giving their people a better life.
"Grandfather, I understand."
"What was said today will not exist beyond this room."
He paused briefly, then added in an even tone—
"Of course… if the right opportunity appears, I wouldn't mind leading the Uchiha to start anew… and leave Konoha."
A beat.
"Or destroy it."
The words fell, and the air in the room froze.
Then, just as suddenly, it dissolved beneath Ren's soft chuckle.
He was smiling.
Yet that smile sent a chill straight through Setsuna's bones.
For the first time, he truly felt it—
The grandson who had grown under his watch… had already become an eagle ready to take flight, its cry echoing across the skies.
Whether that was good or bad… he didn't know.
But one thing was certain.
At the very least, Ren was far superior to that indecisive, spineless Uchiha Fugaku.
"The future of the Uchiha is yours," Setsuna said at last, his voice steady again.
"How far you lead the clan… what you make it achieve… a corpse like me won't live to see it."
"I won't trouble myself with it anymore."
As his emotions settled, the sound of footsteps came from outside.
Soon, a young voice called out—
"Grand Elder. Lord Ren."
"The clan head has convened a meeting at the shrine to decide participation in the Third Great Ninja War."
Inside the room, neither of them showed much reaction.
Only Setsuna's voice carried outward.
"I am old. Matters of the clan meeting will be handled entirely by Ren."
Outside, the young Uchiha's expression shifted—shock, confusion… and unmistakable excitement.
Inside, understanding his grandfather's intent, Ren drew a breath and bowed slightly.
"An ever-changing Hokage… but an unshakable great clan."
"Rest assured—I will lead the Uchiha to the very peak."
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