"I'm sorry, clan members. I didn't teach Itachi well, and I allowed him to stand on the side of the village," Uchiha Fugaku bowed deeply to the remaining members of the Uchiha clan.
The Uchiha clan had suffered significant losses, and Fugaku felt personally responsible. As the clan leader, he understood that the Uchiha's downfall might have been in his hands. Had Smith not appeared when he did, the Uchiha clan would have perished entirely.
"No, clan leader, this isn't your fault." Uchiha Inahori, one of the few surviving Uchiha elites, stood up to offer his support. "If you hadn't fought against that beast, Uchiha Itachi, we would have all been wiped out."
Inahori continued, his tone serious. "The rebellion was a decision made by the Uchiha clan as a whole. If you hadn't prepared in advance and found helpers, we wouldn't have been able to stand against Konoha. Perhaps we were too arrogant from the beginning."
The Uchiha clan had once believed that their power, especially the Mangekyō Sharingan, made them invincible. However, the harsh reality had been a hard lesson. Most of the opposition they faced in the recent conflict came from elite forces in the Anbu Root and a few major families. Sarutobi Hiruzen and his forces hadn't even entered the fray yet. It was clear that their rebellion had little chance of success. Even if Itachi had sided with them, it wouldn't have been enough to stand against Konoha.
"Sorry," Fugaku said quietly, his voice filled with regret. He wanted to tell the others that the Akatsuki Organization and Daiyu had been the ones to initiate contact with him, but he hesitated. If the clan members knew that he had considered sacrificing the entire Uchiha clan to ensure the survival of his two sons, he would face severe criticism. Even Mikoto and Sasuke would be affected by his actions.
As for Itachi, Fugaku didn't feel he needed to worry about him anymore. Itachi was now part of Konoha, and Smith would likely need his combat abilities.
"In that case, clan leader, please lead us to expand the reputation of the Uchiha clan in this world!" Uchiha Inahori said earnestly.
Fugaku took a deep breath and nodded. "I understand. I will lead our people to survive in Liyue and enhance the reputation of the Uchiha clan."
Looking at the clan members gathered before him, Fugaku's tone turned more serious. "I know some of you may not accept it, but I must tell you: the Geo Archon, Morax, is incredibly strong—possibly even as powerful as the Sage of the Six Paths. As Uchihas, we have our pride. If someone saves us, we must repay them. If they protect us and treat us fairly, we must protect Liyue in return."
An older Uchiha, standing at the back, stepped forward and spoke with conviction. "Clan leader, rest assured. We are all deeply grateful to those who brought us to Liyue. The Uchiha clan will never betray Liyue. Whoever betrays Liyue will be a traitor to the Uchiha clan!"
Fugaku raised his eyebrows, intrigued by the intensity in the older Uchiha's voice. "Can we truly never betray anyone?" he thought, but then remembered their betrayal of Konoha. Konoha had, after all, wronged them first.
"Yes!" The clan members responded in unison, echoing their support for the words spoken. Fugaku nodded slightly, acknowledging their loyalty.
"Daohuo, you will accompany me to work for Lord Smith in the future," Fugaku said, turning to one of the younger members. "Smith wants to establish a special organization for people like us. There may even be people from other worlds joining. No matter which world we find ourselves in, we, the Uchiha, must never lose to others."
"Yes, clan leader!" Uchiha Daohuo replied eagerly, his face filled with determination.
Shortly after the meeting, Ganyu arrived to report on the Uchiha clan's situation to Smith. Upon entering, she saw Smith and Keqing feeding each other, and her heart felt a twinge of awkwardness. While she and Ningguang were constantly busy, Smith and Keqing seemed to be spending their time together, enjoying each other's company.
"Have you dealt with the Uchiha clan?" Smith asked, breaking the silence.
"Yes," Ganyu replied with a calm expression. "Not long ago, some families had been colluding with the Kingdom of Winter, betraying the Geo Archon. They were dealt with, and their houses were given to the Uchiha clan. I'm planning to assign them some work soon." Ganyu's eyes briefly lingered on the delicacies on the table, but she quickly restrained herself. She was careful about her weight, knowing that even if she didn't eat much, she could still easily gain weight.
"I see," Smith said thoughtfully. "When I discussed this with Morax, we decided that a new organization independent of the General Affairs Department would be established. The Uchiha clan will become one of the ten pilots. Perhaps people from other worlds will join as well."
Smith paused before continuing. "Those ninjas are quite capable. While their strength might not surpass that of the original gods, they are skilled in gathering intelligence, assassinations, and surveillance. By the way, Ganyu, isn't there someone named Ye Lan in the General Affairs Department?"
"Yes, Ye Lan is a very special person. She's Ningguang's collaborator and a hero of Liyue. Since joining the General Affairs Department, she has collected vast amounts of intelligence for Liyue and helped eliminate many spies," Ganyu explained. "I understand now what you mean, Smith. You're considering professionalizing all these individuals."
"Exactly," Smith agreed. "Both spies and counter-spies are essential. Don't you think there are too many Fatui agents in Liyue? They've been causing trouble for us, pretending to be envoys of the Kingdom of Winter, but secretly creating chaos."
He leaned forward, speaking with conviction. "The Uchiha clan is made for such tasks. They are professionals in the fields of intelligence gathering, assassination, and covert operations. However, they still know little about this world and will need some training. I'm thinking of asking Ye Lan to assist them. What do you think?"
Ganyu considered this for a moment. "Honestly, I'm not sure. This needs to be discussed with Lady Ningguang. After all, she and Ye Lan are close, and Ye Lan is often very busy. The situation with the Northern Bank and the Fatui has been volatile recently."
"Then let Ye Lan take Fugaku and the others to perform some tasks," Smith said, making his decision. "They can learn from her and gain practical experience."
Ganyu nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a good plan. I'll inform Lady Ningguang about it and see what she thinks."