Originally, Uchiha Kai had been thinking about how difficult it would be to find a pair of powerful Uchiha brothers who both opposed him and posed a threat—but it seemed fate had handed him a convenient opportunity.
It was quite the coincidence that Uchiha Yū had jumped out in front of him so boldly. Kai was genuinely surprised—though not in the way one might expect.
When it came to people who simply couldn't get along with him, Uchiha Yū was easily one of the most disagreeable family members Kai had ever encountered.
Still, the worst of the bunch might be Uchiha Hiroki. Kai had threatened him before, and while Hiroki bore the title of Jōnin, he'd never set foot on an actual battlefield. To someone like Kai—who had fought through the horrors of the Third Shinobi World War alongside heroes like Minato Namikaze—such a man hardly even registered as a ninja.
"Even I managed to survive that war," Kai thought. "And he still acts superior?"
What's more, Hiroki had no brothers to speak of. If Kai were to take action against him, it would be a waste—no chain reaction, no meaningful consequences. Kai didn't bother wasting time on nobodies.
But Uchiha Yū? He was a different case entirely.
Yū was connected. The last time Kai had clashed with his older brother, Uchiha Osamu, the tension had nearly boiled into violence. Osamu had held Yū back at the time, but Kai hadn't forgotten. These brothers clearly had it out for him, and Kai had no intention of pretending otherwise.
More importantly, both brothers were part of the hardline faction within the Uchiha clan—a group that constantly pushed for military power and confrontation with Konoha's leadership. In Kai's eyes, these so-called "hardliners" were just as responsible for the clan's eventual downfall as anyone else.
Sure, it wasn't only their fault—Hiruzen Sarutobi's passive approach to the Uchiha situation had allowed mistrust and division to fester. In doing so, he'd helped raise two traitors: one in the shadows (Danzo's Root), and the other in the form of naïve idealists who believed diplomacy alone would save them.
But the hardliners? Their arrogance was astonishing. They wanted to rebel—but lacked the strength to back it up.
Their ambition exceeded their ability.
So, before Kai could deal with the so-called "doves," he needed to eliminate the hardliners entirely. They were too dangerous, too volatile. Leaving them alive would only jeopardize his long-term plans.
As for the doves… Kai would deal with them when the time was right. But for now, gaining influence and strategic control was the priority. If things went smoothly, there would be no need for a full-scale purge. If not—then he would make sure the Uchiha name was cleaned up the hard way.
"This is an unexpected bonus," Kai thought coldly as he eyed Uchiha Yū from across the clan hall. The opportunity had practically presented itself. Now, it was just a matter of careful planning. Kai never left loose ends.
While the clan meeting dragged on, Kai remained distant, barely listening. The typical arguments were playing out—hardliners versus doves, voices rising, faces flushed with anger. No matter how heated the debate got, it would be Uchiha Fugaku who made the final call.
Kai's mind was elsewhere.
Despite sitting through the entire meeting, his detached attitude didn't go unnoticed. His recent fame had made him a center of attention within the clan. He'd returned from several successful missions, some alongside high-ranking shinobi like Kakashi Hatake and even the Yellow Flash himself. Rumors had begun to circulate—calling him the "Hero of the Sharingan."
Add to that his open support from Fugaku himself, including a tea invitation at the patriarch's home—a public gesture that hadn't escaped anyone's notice—and it was no surprise people kept watching him.
But today, Kai was quiet. Too quiet. It caught many off guard—including Uchiha Yū.
Little did they know, Kai was quietly plotting how to eliminate him.
As the meeting ended, Kai left the hall swiftly. He'd already decided what needed to be done. The next step was gathering information on Yū's habits and connections. Once he had enough… Kai could make him vanish from Konoha without anyone suspecting a thing.
"Kai-kun."
Kai paused as Uchiha Osamu called out from behind him.
"I'm sorry about my brother earlier," Osamu said. "He was out of line."
Kai looked back and offered a cold smile. "No need for false apologies. Didn't he deliver your message for you? I remember exactly what he said."
"Maybe there's a misunderstanding here…" Osamu's expression tightened. He knew what his brother had said—but Kai's tone caught him off guard. "We truly wanted to invite you to join our faction. I believe, despite our differences, we can find common ground."
In Osamu's eyes, Kai's silence during the meeting had been a sign that he was considering things—possibly leaning their way. But this hostility? It was unexpected. Did Kai really intend to oppose them openly?
Osamu frowned. This wasn't good.
He'd always assumed that Kai was pragmatic—sharp enough to see the value in aligning with the strongest group. After all, Kai had survived the war, earned prestige, and proven his intelligence on the battlefield. A man like that wouldn't act recklessly for the sake of pride… would he?
But maybe he had misjudged him.
If Kai couldn't handle a little provocation from someone like Yū… if he couldn't see the bigger picture… maybe he wasn't worth bringing into the fold after all.
"Looks like you still need time to think," Osamu said flatly. "That's understandable. Some choices leave no room to turn back once they're made."
"Thanks for the advice," Kai said, shaking his head. "The patriarch already told me the same thing. I know exactly what choices I need to make—so I don't need you to teach me."
Because the truth was simple.
I'm going to kill you.