Chapter 67 – The Clan Assembly (Part 3)
"Shuu-kun, let's not bring this matter up again," said Uchiha Fugaku, his face tightening further. "We must respect the will of the deceased."
"My apologies, Clan Head," Uchiha Shuu replied, still maintaining a respectful posture. "I understand your position, and I too wish to honor Obito Uchiha's wishes. But his eyes hold the most guarded secret of our clan. I'm sorry, Clan Head, but I can't agree with this. And I believe there are many in the clan who feel the same."
Shuu's words were tactful. After all, wasn't the Sharingan the greatest and most closely guarded secret of the Uchiha?
To give it away so easily was to betray what the clan had always stood for. In that sense, Obito's actions could be seen as outright defiance of the clan's long-held rules—perhaps even dangerous.
And now, Shuu had invoked the sentiment of "many clan members," framing the issue not as his personal opinion, but a matter of broader clan interest. It had become a choice between individual will and collective preservation.
Fugaku, of course, noticed this shift. His expression darkened further.
This matter, depending on how it was handled, could be either trivial or explosive. And for the more hardline members of the clan—the "hawks"—this was a perfect opportunity. An opportunity to put pressure on the higher-ups of Konoha.
If Konoha could covet the secrets of the Uchiha today, then what about the Hyūga tomorrow?
And later... would the Yamanaka, Akimichi, or Nara clans be next?
Kakashi, after all, was the student of Minato Namikaze, who was Jiraiya's disciple—one of the Legendary Sannin and a direct student of the Third Hokage. Taking action against Kakashi would essentially be exerting pressure on the Hokage himself. The Third, understandably, would not want to be accused of "coveting the secrets of ninja clans."
Even if he suspected Danzō was already involved behind the scenes, he would never admit it—nor could he afford to be seen that way.
If Shuu's plan succeeded, the Uchiha could strike a severe blow against Konoha—and this time, the village would have little room to retaliate.
Shuu and the faction behind him were even considering leveraging this situation to extract more benefits from the Hokage.
But none of this aligned with Fugaku's vision.
He understood the gravity of this situation and would never approve of such a course of action. Still, looking at the man before him, Fugaku could only sigh inwardly. He had no love for the Third and his people, but he also hoped for peace in the village.
If they followed through with this, they might gain short-term benefits—but in the long run, they'd be planting the seeds of disaster.
He needed to persuade Shuu—and those clan members who supported him. But before he could respond, a young voice interrupted.
"You know what you're saying?" Uchiha Kei stood, mocking disdain on his face as he looked at Shuu. "Hiding behind the clan's name to override an individual's will—risking our entire clan for your narrow vision? Should I call you short-sighted or just plain stupid?"
"Kei Uchiha, I've heard of you," Shuu replied without emotion, turning to look at him. "A battlefield hero, sure. But your limited perspective is your greatest weakness. You only believe what you see—how ignorant. Now sit down and stop interrupting. Understood?"
"Who's truly ignorant, I wonder," Kei shot back, unfazed by the stares around the room. "I have a seat at this meeting, don't I? So I have the right to speak. If not, I'll leave right now."
"Kei-kun, if you have something to say, say it," Fugaku said. Though his expression remained grim, he forced himself to stay calm.
Despite Kei's youth and limited authority, his achievements could not be ignored. He had awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan, had been promoted to jōnin by Konoha, and had proven himself on the battlefield. That gave him the right to be here—and the right to speak.
And besides, Fugaku was curious what Kei had to say. He needed time to think about how to deal with Shuu anyway.
"Yes, Clan Head," Kei nodded, then turned to Shuu. "Let me ask you this—what's more important: the clan's secrets or the survival of the clan itself?"
"Of course, the clan's survival," Shuu answered, though his brows furrowed.
"Good. Then tell me—do you understand the cost of trying to take the Sharingan back from Kakashi? Do you even comprehend what that would involve?"
Kei's face was expressionless—just like Shuu's earlier.
"You probably think Konoha will suffer under the pressure and be forced to give it back. And you're likely planning to milk some benefits from the higher-ups in the process. How foolish and naïve. You're marching the clan straight toward destruction."
"Kei! Watch your words!" Before Shuu could respond, his younger brother Uchiha Yuu suddenly shouted, "My brother would never make a mistake like that!"
And in a flash, Yuu's eyes flared—three-tomoe Sharingan spinning.
No one had expected the situation to escalate so quickly. Even Shuu frowned; this wasn't how he thought things would go.
His younger brother certainly lived up to the name "Yuu," meaning courage. Unfortunately, it also meant he often let his fists do the talking.
Before Shuu could speak, Kei activated his own Sharingan.
"I also have the three-tomoe Sharingan. Are you seriously thinking of attacking me here—in front of the Clan Head?" Kei's tone remained calm, but his words were sharp.
It was a clever move—assertive without being aggressive, confident without looking afraid.
Kei knew Yuu was a tough opponent, but this was the Uchiha clan's inner council—a sacred ground of power. If Yuu raised a hand here, he'd be finished. Either reckless or brainless—either way, he'd never step foot into this hall again.
"Enough! What do you two think you're doing?! I am still the Clan Head!" Fugaku stood up, his voice cold and firm. His gaze froze Yuu in place before shifting briefly to Kei—and not forgetting a sharp glance at Shuu as well.
"Kei-kun, continue. Say what you want to say."
"Yes, Clan Head."