belamy20

441-445

Added 2025-05-18 22:41:26 +0000 UTC

Chapter 441: A Moment of Speechlessness

The weather grew increasingly hot—it was midsummer once again.

On the wall of the hall, a calendar swayed slightly in the passing breeze, displaying today’s date in clear writing:

July 16, Year 47 of the Hidden Leaf.

What was I doing on this day in previous years?

Was I struggling and crawling through the filth of Konoha—a place that appeared beautiful on the surface but was, in reality, a wretched swamp?

Or was I diligently guiding the younger generation of my clan, tirelessly passing down the wisdom I had gained through decades as a shinobi, offering them stern yet valuable advice?

Or perhaps...

Was I not as busy as I imagined? Not as kind and approachable as I believed?

Standing at the pinnacle of the ancient Uchiha clan, wielding immense power in solitude and rigidity—

A face so cold and menacing that even that bastard Danzo would have to compete with me to see who could terrify children more.

And then—

Sitting alone in front of the Naka Shrine, not knowing what I was doing or why it even mattered.

Just like this, without expectation, yet harboring a faint hope,

I gazed into the distance—

Just as I am now.

Before me, the hall was packed, yet eerily united.

The Hawk Faction, the Dove Faction, and the Neutrals—three factions constantly at odds, each believing themselves to be the true future of the Uchiha clan—had all gathered in one place.

This scene, something I had never dared to imagine in the past, was now unfolding right before my eyes.

And yet, as I watched a deceitful, two-faced fool manipulate words at the center of the hall, I couldn't help but feel—

It was all a joke.

Fortunately, I couldn’t see.

Otherwise, Uchiha Setsuna suspected that his furrowed brows could crush the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, to death right then and there.

So, what was I looking at?

Amidst the darkness, my vision wavered, as if caught in an illusion.

I found myself transported back a year, sitting at the entrance of the Naka Shrine, silently gazing at the Naka River.

The setting sun cast its golden hues, illuminating the rippling waters of the Naka River.

And in that river—

A young boy, his delicate face twisted in frustration and reluctance, yet seemingly resigned to reality, was clad in a black T-shirt adorned with the Uchiha clan crest.

Biting his lip, he crouched in the river, gripping a two-pronged spear as he fished out the last sunken soda can.

Then—

As if all the strength had drained from his body, he collapsed onto the wooden bridge at the riverbank,

His vacant gaze drifting aimlessly, tracing the path of the sunlight. Eventually, he simply stared, entranced, at the ever-moving clouds reflected in the water.

Watching this, Uchiha Setsuna couldn’t help but frown deeply.

Who was this brat?

What was his name?

How could he be so lazy?

Finishing a mere D-rank mission of cleaning the river and collapsing like this—what a disgrace!

In three seconds, I must know everything about him!

And then, I would thoroughly reprimand him!

However—

Before Setsuna could storm toward the bridge, face dark as thunder, to demand the boy’s name, address, and whether he was eating and sleeping well—

The boy suddenly bent down, scooped up a handful of water, splashed it on his face, and smacked his own cheeks hard before yelling:

"This is it!"

"Damn it, this is the perfect time to drop dead!"

"Alright, screw it—I'm gonna grind through eight more D-rank missions!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the boy sprang to his feet, moving like a reanimated corpse, his posture awkward and stiff.

Then, as if his very life depended on it, he bolted toward the Uchiha Police Headquarters, where missions were assigned.

The last ray of sunset painted the sky as Uchiha Setsuna parted his lips, wanting to call out—but no words came.

In the end, as the wind carried away this fleeting memory,

All that remained was a faint recollection of how he later investigated the boy's background,

learned of his tragic past,

and instructed the Hawk Faction to offer him some minor, discreet assistance.

And then—

What was his name again?

A rare trace of bewilderment flickered across Uchiha Setsuna’s face.

Around him, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, and Uchiha Yatsushiro were engaged in a verbal tug-of-war over a surrender document,

while the surrounding clansmen murmured with great interest.

This was supposed to be a crucial moment—

This was supposed to be an important matter for the entire Uchiha clan—

Yet, Setsuna found himself utterly detached, unable to summon any interest, unable to immerse himself in the discussion.

All he felt was noise—just unbearable noise!

It was as if his very essence had been stripped from this world, observing everything from a cold and calculating distance.

And yet—

Somewhere deep inside, amidst the chaos and silence, a voice screamed out—

A desperate, violent voice, grabbing him by the collar, shaking him, urging him—

"Uchiha Setsuna!"

"You senile old fool!"

"Hurry up and remember—that's what truly matters!"

"Hurry up and remember—"

"That kid—what was his name!?"

Until—

Creak—

The doors of Naka Shrine swung open!

A firm, resolute series of footsteps echoed through the corridor—

Each step striking like the beat of a war drum, unwavering and unyielding.

"Hmm?"

Uchiha Setsuna snapped out of his trance, his expression flickering with surprise.

He couldn't recognize the footsteps,

but the presence—he knew all too well.

This was none other than the ever-timid Uchiha Fugaku.

Turning his head slightly, Setsuna frowned.

Fugaku should have been with Uchiha Hikaru.

If Fugaku was here—where was Hikaru?

Just as he was about to ask—

It was as if Fugaku had already predicted the question. Without hesitation, he spoke:

"Elder Setsuna, Elder Hikaru had to go see the Third Hokage."

Setsuna’s brows furrowed slightly.

A minor deviation from the plan—but nothing beyond his control.

He was just about to respond—

But once again, as if reading his mind, Fugaku turned to Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, who had abandoned all sense of dignity, and smiled.

"Elder Setsuna, you've worked hard."

"Now—"

"Let me take over this meeting."

"Huh?"

Uchiha Setsuna was momentarily stunned,

his expression briefly blank.

And then—

Before he could even attempt to reclaim control,

Fugaku strode forward, closing the distance to Rasa in just two steps—

And in front of 274 Uchiha clansmen and Rasa himself—

He abruptly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of piercing, blood-red pupils—

Three hollow tomoe encircling the very core of his gaze—

The Mangekyō Sharingan!

Then—

Before the entire clan—before Uchiha Setsuna himself—

Fugaku smoothly snatched the surrender document from Rasa’s hands.

His gaze was cold, as if he were looking at nothing more than a mere insect.

And in an indifferent, dismissive tone, he declared—

"Sunagakure’s surrender—"

"The Uchiha accept."

Chapter 442: The Killing Intent’s Fire Line!

As the sudden commotion erupted in the arena, Uchiha Fugaku’s unexpected actions and words, combined with the chilling chakra fluctuations unique to a Mangekyō Sharingan wielder, sent shockwaves through the crowd.

Uchiha Setsuna’s expression changed abruptly.

Uchiha Fugaku... had awakened the same eyes as him?

Moreover, why did Fugaku suddenly seem like a completely different person? His demeanor at this moment carried an inexplicable yet familiar sense of déjà vu—almost as if he had been transported back to that hazy memory from four months ago.

That day, at the mobilization meeting before their march to Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Water, he had been utterly silenced by that brat...

Wait, that brat... Who was that brat again?

An inexplicable irritation surged across Uchiha Setsuna’s face. Here we go again. That same frustrating, familiar yet foreign sense of detachment—as if there were a layer of frosted glass between him and his memories. No matter how hard he racked his brain, he just couldn’t recall them.

These were things that had happened to him, yet he was utterly unable to remember them.

Like the young Uchiha that all the clan members revered—Shinji.

Everyone knew that brat shared a life-and-death bond with him.

Everyone said he treated the boy like his own grandson.

Everyone praised his keen eye for talent, marveling at how he had managed to cultivate such a rising eagle!

But—

Uchiha Setsuna himself had absolutely no recollection of any of it.

When others sang praises, all he could do was nod and mumble vague responses. Even after Uchiha Hokō explained everything, revealing—

The entirety of his lost memories.

The decisions he had made for that boy.

The weighty choices he had taken upon himself for that brat.

The heroic feats Shinji had accomplished over the past few months—acts that had inspired the entire Uchiha clan.

The intense battles he had fought—each one enough to stir the blood of anyone who heard of them.

But even so—

To Uchiha Setsuna, it all felt like the rise of some unfamiliar Uchiha prodigy, much like Shisui Uchiha—another rising star within the Hawk Faction, someone capable of shouldering the entire clan’s future.

Under the watchful, expectant gazes of all,

With the growing recognition of everyone,

With the increasing ambitions of those around him,

It was now deemed only natural for this child named Shinji to take on the Uchiha clan’s burden.

And so—

He forgot Shinji’s name.

He forgot the choices he had made.

He forgot the bond they had shared.

He forgot how, in Hell Valley, he had chosen to entrust his final dōjutsu to Shinji. (Even Hokō didn’t know about this.)

He forgot how that decision had not been born out of obligation, but rather out of long contemplation—a private moment where he had thought to himself, "To hell with the clan. I’ve dedicated my entire life to them. Can’t this old man be selfish for once?"

He forgot that, above all, he simply wanted that child to live his life freely, on his own terms.

Now, he was merely the Elder of the Uchiha Clan—

A rigid, isolated old man standing at the pinnacle of the millennia-old Uchiha lineage, wielding immense yet suffocating authority.

Meanwhile, in Myōboku Mountain...

The entire land of the toads had descended into chaos.

At the center of it all, a colossal, pitch-black sword had fallen from the sky, carving out a massive crater nearly a thousand meters in diameter. Layers of rock and soil collapsed inward, forming an abyss.

At its center, the Great Toad Sage—the leader of the toad kingdom—was impaled through the chest by the enormous black blade, pinned to the crater’s depths, completely immobilized.

In his aged, murky horizontal pupils, a scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan pattern shimmered ominously.

High above in the sky, a streak of lightning flashed abruptly, shooting toward the southwestern corner of Myōboku Mountain.

Clad in the formidable Armored Susano’o, Shinji accelerated to supersonic speeds.

His face was dark with fury, his eyes brimming with murderous intent.

"The first time this toad came into contact with the Uchiha Clan was in Yunming City. It used Jiraiya to deliver a message... and that was the moment it drew that old man’s attention, wasn’t it?"

"Both that old man and this toad—after glimpsing a fraction of the future—wanted me to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.

So, within the crisis foretold in the prophecy, this toad deliberately manipulated the old man into sacrificing himself, steering the future toward the path it desired."

"And that prophesied crisis... was Uchiha Madara?"

"Furthermore, Madara’s sudden journey to Konoha—there’s something suspicious about it! Gamamaru alone wouldn’t have been enough to orchestrate this. There’s someone hiding even deeper in the shadows!"

"But no matter who it is..."

With a deafening sonic boom, Shinji landed violently, seizing a red-colored toad that had been attempting to flee.

It was ‘Kyosuke,’ a communication toad from Myōboku Mountain.

Without hesitation, Shinji used his Sharingan to control it, forcing it to reveal the closest location to Konoha where a toad or summoner could perform the Reverse Summoning Jutsu.

Short Book City.

Commanding the controlled Kyosuke to form the necessary hand seals, the red toad activated the Reverse Summoning Jutsu. An intricate seal formation unfolded in front of him.

Shinji narrowed his eyes coldly, stepping into the array as a flicker of killing intent gleamed in his gaze.

"Since you had the audacity to send Uchiha Madara to me without the Rinnegan—"

"Then perfect."

"I can skip a few steps, kill Madara in Konoha, and then head to the Land of Rain to collect the Rinnegan myself!"

As his chilling voice fell,

Shinji fully stepped into the summoning formation—

Boom!

A burst of smoke erupted, disorienting his senses as his vision spun chaotically.

When his surroundings cleared, he found himself in the middle of a bustling, noisy city.

The streets were broad and paved with stone, lined with numerous shops. Merchants called out their wares in loud voices.

This was Short Book City, a settlement southwest of Konoha.

Its most lively district, Short Book Street, was known for its casinos, hotels, and entertainment venues—a place notorious for leading shinobi into breaking the Three Prohibitions.

At that moment, a voice of mild surprise rang out nearby.

"Huh? Shinji?"

"You're back from Myōboku Mountain already?"

Shinji instantly recognized Namikaze Minato's voice, but he had no time for explanations.

The next instant—

Amid the astonished gazes of Tsunade, Shizune, and Minato,

Shinji leaped into the air, swiftly orienting himself, and shot off toward the northeast—

"BOOM!!!"

A thunderous sonic boom detonated over Short Book City,

A blazing crimson fire line tore through the sky, splitting the heavens apart, racing rapidly toward Konoha!

Chapter 443: The Ship of Theseus, A Disgraceful Scene

Time Rewinds: Before the Clan Meeting in the Real World

Inside the illusory dream world reflected by the ocular technique Mirror of Future Rotation: Limited Tsukuyomi—

After obtaining crucial intelligence from Uchiha Hikaru regarding the side effects of Uchiha Setsuna’s Mangekyō Sharingan, Uchiha Fugaku stood still, immersed in prolonged silence.

Only now did he finally understand why Setsuna’s behavior had changed so drastically before and after the Battle of Hell Valley.

Before the battle, although Setsuna wholeheartedly supported Uchiha Shinji, his assistance mainly focused on improving Shinji’s abilities as a ninja. At critical moments, he even risked his life to protect Shinji, acting solely as a guardian.

However, after the battle, he began standing on an elevated pedestal of superiority, dictating Shinji’s life through schemes and deceptions. Like hastily pulling up young sprouts to force them to grow, he desperately pushed Shinji toward awakening the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan.

His arrogance escalated to the point where he was willing to risk sacrificing the entire clan.

And yet, the only difference between these two versions of Setsuna was an insignificant period of memory loss—less than three months.

This brings to mind a classic philosophical question:

A ship capable of sailing for centuries undergoes continuous maintenance and replacement of its parts. Whenever a plank rots, it is replaced with a new one. Eventually, not a single original piece remains.

So, the question is—

Is this still the same ship, or is it an entirely different one? If it is not the same, at what point did it cease to be the original ship?

By analogy, if this applies to a person—

The ocular technique Heaven’s Eternal Stand was born from this very logic. This forbidden technique allows the host to be shattered into fragments and then continuously reconstituted, resurrecting with perfect consistency. The only cost? The gradual loss of certain memories, traits, abilities, and even the very will that once defined them. And yet, their mission—to restore the Uchiha clan—remains unchanged.

So then—

Is the current Uchiha Setsuna still Uchiha Setsuna?

“Yes.”

“The Grand Elder is still the Grand Elder!”

“It’s just that, due to his memory loss, he no longer trusts that brat, Uchiha Shinji!”

Taking a deep breath, Uchiha Fugaku lifted his gaze toward the solemn shrine beneath the Naka River.

“And what I must do is—”

With this firm resolve, Fugaku stepped forward into the morning light, his determination hardening.

“To make him regain that trust!”

However, this time, Fugaku did not move forward.

Instead, he stood before his home, silently counting down in his mind.

He had spent too much time explaining everything to Hikaru and analyzing the situation. Their discussion had lasted over ten minutes.

By now, it was already too late to rush to the Naka Shrine.

As the countdown reached 10 minutes and 50 seconds—

“—Boom!!”

A thunderous explosion erupted from the direction of the Naka Shrine.

Standing at his doorstep, Fugaku saw it all:

The shrine’s roof, now blasted open.

A tall, frail, white-haired elder standing atop the ruined structure, his face indifferent, his presence fleeting—before vanishing in an instant.

And then, silence.

“Something’s wrong!”

“The Naka Shrine has been attacked!”

“Somebody, help! My father is inside!”

“Jinichi! Jinichi!”

“How… how could this happen? Even… even the Grand Elder is dead?!”

Shrieks and wails tore through the silence, sending shockwaves across the clan and even causing unrest in the distant village of Konoha.

Standing amidst the chaos, Fugaku remained expressionless as terrified clansmen rushed toward him, desperate for guidance.

Nearby, Rasa—recently expelled from the shrine—stood dumbfounded before his face twisted in horror. Raising his hands frantically, he sprinted toward Fugaku, shouting his innocence.

Further away, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi and his advisor, Danzo Shimura, rushed toward the scene with a battalion of Konoha shinobi, leaping across rooftops at breakneck speed.

Watching it all unfold—

As the tide of people swarmed around him—

At 15 minutes and 22 seconds—

Hiruzen’s scalp tingled as he demanded in shock:

“Captain Fugaku, what happened?”

“Who attacked the Uchiha?”

“Fugaku, speak up!” Danzo barked, his brows furrowed deeply. “Are you in shock? Report what you know immediately!”

“Yes! And make sure Shinji doesn’t misunderstand! No—don’t look at me like that! I didn’t do anything!” Rasa, nearly on the verge of tears, anxiously chimed in.

The surrounding clansmen, tense and fearful, pleaded:

“Captain, Fugaku! Say something!”

At that moment, it felt as if the entire world revolved around him.

Everyone was waiting for him to speak.

And yet—

Fugaku remained silent.

It was as if he was waiting for something… or rather, trusting someone. Trusting that, despite being late, they would arrive in the end.

And then—

He suddenly lifted his head.

Following his gaze, the crowd turned toward the sky—

“—Boom!!!”

A deafening sonic boom erupted above Konoha.

Shockwaves shattered the clouds and compressed the air as a crimson streak tore across the sky, splitting the heavens in two.

Like a meteor, it hurtled toward the heart of the Uchiha clan!

Watching that fiery streak descend—

Fugaku, who had remained silent like a mute all this time, finally curled his lips into a smile.

16 minutes and 10 seconds.

He burned this moment into his memory.

“Now, it’s my turn.”

Lifting his gaze, Fugaku scanned the panicked faces of Konoha’s leadership, including Rasa, who looked utterly terrified.

Unable to hold back a chuckle, he shook his head and muttered,

“How disgraceful.”

“All this time, I was afraid of them? Of this pack of dogs?”

“Uchiha Fugaku! What did you just say?!”

Ignoring the furious glares from Danzo and the other Konoha advisors, Fugaku let out a slow, eerie chuckle.

Then, without hesitation, he reached into his kunai pouch.

Before the gathered officials could react, he reversed his grip on the kunai—

And plunged it straight into his own heart.

“Wait! Fugaku, stop! Calm down, Fugaku!”

“—Schlck!”

The blade pierced flesh and bone.

Silence.

The entire battlefield froze, as if they had just witnessed Konoha’s top brass drive the Uchiha police captain to suicide before Shinji’s very eyes.

None could fathom the storm of fury that would soon engulf the clan.

Nor the catastrophic price they would pay in the inevitable reckoning that followed.

Sarutobi, Danzo, and the other Konoha leaders turned pale with horror.

As for Fugaku, darkness overtook his vision.

And in that chaotic void—

His eyes, bleeding from immense strain, fluttered open.

The illusion shattered. Reality returned.

Chapter 444: A Near-Death Experience—A Fight to the Death!

Mangekyō Sharingan Technique: Kuratō Soul Command

This eye technique increases chakra consumption as the number of foreseen individuals grows.

For every additional person whose future is predicted, the complexity of the envisioned future rises exponentially.

From Uchiha Fugaku’s residence to the Naka Shrine, the short journey from departure to death—when reflected through the Tsukuyomi—creates only a miniature, enclosed world that can briefly simulate the future of merely hundreds of individuals.

Thus, when this technique is combined with another, it is known as "Limited Tsukuyomi."

Through this method, Uchiha Fugaku was able to continuously relive and refine his understanding of the impending future within a controlled environment, introducing himself as a variable in each iteration.

However...

During the last Tsukuyomi, Uchiha Fugaku had already pushed beyond the boundaries of what Limited Tsukuyomi could comprehend!

Standing before his residence—

His gaze encompassed nearly half of Konoha,

foreseeing not just the futures of the few hundred people in his simulated world,

but rather—

The fate of thousands, even tens of thousands of Konoha villagers, including the entire Uchiha clan, the upper echelons of Konoha led by Hiruzen Sarutobi, and the ANBU within multiple city districts!

By increasing the sample size, he was able to improve the accuracy of his predictions, forcing Limited Tsukuyomi to temporarily break its limits and evolve into a Pseudo-Infinite Tsukuyomi!

And through this, Uchiha Fugaku obtained the crucial intelligence he so desperately needed.

The 10-minute and 50-second mark into the future:

Uchiha Madara would make his move, slaughtering the clan members attending the meeting.

Uchiha Setsuna, Yatsushiro, Shinichi—even Fugaku himself—would all die at this moment.

The 16-minute and 10-second mark:

Shinji, in a desperate frenzy, would travel at supersonic speed across the entire Land of Fire, ultimately arriving at the Uchiha clan grounds.

Thus, a simple conclusion emerged—

If the clan meeting could be delayed until Shinji returned to Konoha,

if Madara’s attack could be postponed past 16 minutes,

then based on Fugaku’s repeated attempts within the simulated future,

even if defeating Madara was nothing more than a fantasy,

he could at least survive for 10 seconds.

That much, with his abilities, was possible!

"Fugaku! Are you alright, Fugaku?!"

"Hey—"

A familiar yet distant voice rang in his ears.

Before Fugaku could respond, he heard Uchiha Hokage’s startled exclamation:

"Y-Your eyes?!"

"Oh, this?"

Fugaku raised a hand to wipe his cheek, glancing at the blood-stained fingertips. He merely shook his head indifferently.

"It's nothing... Tch—!"

Before he could finish speaking, a sudden sharp pain struck his eyes, forcing him to clutch them tightly.

His once-clear vision blurred.

Everything he saw seemed covered in a layer of gray haze, as if peering through frosted glass. Even Hokage, standing less than three meters away, was nothing more than a vague silhouette.

"...Hah..."

His breath turned ragged.

The searing pain in his body, the rapid deterioration of his eyesight, and the complete depletion of his chakra and stamina—

all of it confirmed one undeniable truth.

This was no longer the illusionary world of Limited Tsukuyomi.

This was reality.

Even the Mangekyō Sharingan could not provide infinite chances to prepare.

Right now—

He had to face Uchiha Madara head-on.

And merely using his Mangekyō three times in succession had already pushed him to the brink of blindness.

For the time being, he could no longer utilize the advanced combined techniques of both Mangekyō eyes. If he forcibly attempted to do so, the cost would likely be his life.

If he were to die here in the real world, then all his previous efforts would have been for nothing.

But—

Fortunately, with the three glimpses into the future he had obtained, Fugaku had gathered enough information to make his move!

Steeling himself against the fatigue and searing pain in his eyes, he pushed off his knees and stood up straight.

Under Uchiha Hokage’s worried gaze, Fugaku exhaled deeply.

"All my life, I believed that unless something was meticulously planned, it wasn’t feasible.

As the one carrying the expectations of the entire clan, I could never afford to act recklessly."

"But then, I met that foolish little brat. And now, I finally understand—"

Straightening his back, he turned toward Naka Shrine—the very place marked as his death.

A grin formed on his lips.

"In this world, as long as there's even the slightest chance...

That’s more than enough reason to act!"

Hearing this, Uchiha Hokage chuckled and shook his head, looking at Fugaku with newfound admiration. After locking eyes and understanding the resolve within Fugaku’s gaze, he asked solemnly:

"Fugaku, how much of a chance do you have?"

"Ten percent!"

Fugaku grinned fiercely.

"A near-death gamble—but a fight to the death!"

"Creak—"

The doors to Naka Shrine swung open.

"Regarding Sunagakure’s surrender—"

Standing at the center of the shrine, before 274 Uchiha clan members and the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa—

Uchiha Fugaku, with his blood-red Mangekyō Sharingan, spoke coldly.

"The Uchiha clan... accepts."

"W-What?!"

Both Rasa and Uchiha Yatsushiro, who had been arguing moments before, froze in shock.

A look of elation surged across Rasa’s face.

But before he could respond, Fugaku simply waved a hand and turned to Uchiha Yatsushiro.

"Yatsushiro, please escort the Kazekage to his quarters."

"The next topic in this meeting is not for outsiders."

"Ah... Yes!"

Yatsushiro, stunned, hesitated for a long moment before nodding instinctively. He wanted to say something, but the sight of Fugaku’s Mangekyō left him speechless, his questions swallowed back into silence.

As Rasa and the unrelated attendees exited—

Fugaku suddenly turned, standing before the 272 remaining Uchiha clan members.

Taking a deep breath, he fixed his gaze on the elder sitting at the head of the room—Uchiha Setsuna.

A sinister and calculating man.

"Elder Setsuna, let’s move on to the next agenda item."

"Hmm?"

Uchiha Setsuna furrowed his brows slightly.

There was something different about Fugaku—something both unfamiliar and eerily familiar.

But—

Recalling the Great Toad Sage’s prophecy, which foretold that this moment was the only chance for Shinji to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan,

Setsuna quickly dismissed his concerns.

Taking a deep breath,

He forced a benevolent smile onto his face—one that he himself found utterly repulsive.

Then, speaking with a sickeningly warm tone, he addressed the gathered Uchiha:

"Regarding Shinji's succession as the next clan head—

I have pondered this for a long time. And I believe... the time has come to discuss it formally."

"I’d like to hear your thoughts—"

However—

Before the gathered clan members could respond, before Uchiha Shinichi, eager to voice his opinion, could even rise from his seat—

A voice, laced with pure, unbridled fury, thundered across the shrine.

"I OBJECT!"

Chapter 445: Furious Fugaku, Confronting Everyone Online!

"W-What!?"

On the scene, the resolute yet anger-laden voice of opposition came from none other than Uchiha Fugaku, who stood in the center of the hall with his Mangekyō Sharingan activated. Everyone present was left utterly shocked.

Even Uchiha Madara, who was silently observing the events from the rooftop of Naka Shrine, blending into the shadows with his Ephemeral Technique, raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Oh?"

"So, this is the young man named Uchiha Fugaku from the list."

"And yet, such an insignificant figure actually possesses the ability to awaken his eyes?"

Frowning slightly, Madara glanced at Fugaku, who stood upright below, then shifted his gaze to the intelligence report about him. His expression immediately darkened.

At that moment, inside the shrine, Uchiha Shinichi, who was seated at the front among the clan members, abruptly stood up. He glared at Fugaku and questioned in a deep voice:

"Brother Fugaku?"

"Do you understand what you're saying?!"

"On what grounds do you oppose Shinji succeeding as clan leader?!"

"It's simple," Fugaku responded coldly, not even bothering to raise an eyebrow.

"Because he is unworthy."

"Hah?"

Hearing Fugaku's response, the entire crowd was almost driven to laughter out of sheer disbelief. Uchiha Shinichi, in particular, darkened instantly, his three-tomoe Sharingan spinning ominously.

Before he could retort, another person shot up from their seat, veins bulging in anger as they shouted:

"If Shinji is unworthy, then are you saying that you are? Based on what? Your disgraceful performance in the Land of Hot Water? Or the face you got beaten to a pulp by Kiyoshiro?!"

This man was one of those who had followed Fugaku to the Land of Hot Water for reinforcements and had personally witnessed his shameful actions in the Jashin cult incident. He was also one of those who often ridiculed Shinji’s infamous brothel visit. Yet now, this same person was the most infuriated of them all.

"Fugaku, how do you even have the face to say such things?!"

"Submissive, weak, always groveling to Konoha's higher-ups for peace—someone like you has the audacity to claim that he is unworthy?!"

"Do you really think that just because you possess those eyes, you can impose your will on all of us?"

"No," Fugaku remained unmoved. With an indifferent gaze, he swept his Mangekyō Sharingan over everyone present and said in a calm but firm tone:

"Perhaps you misunderstand my meaning. I am not saying that Shinji is unworthy of being clan leader. In fact, it is more than fitting for that boy to take on the role. He could even become the Fourth Hokage without too much difficulty."

"Based on his achievements and strength, he is more qualified than anyone."

"What I am saying is—"

Fugaku's gaze swept across the faces of those present, his expression quickly turning into one of mockery.

With a heavy sneer, he declared:

"You are unworthy!"

"You do not deserve to have Shinji as your clan leader. Compared to him, you are nothing more than maggots festering in a filthy corner of a sheep pen—not even worthy of being the sheep, let alone food for a true lone wolf!"

"What... did you say!?"

As soon as those words were spoken, the faces of the gathered Uchiha members darkened in an instant.

One by one, crimson Sharingan eyes flared open, glowing ominously as they all turned their furious gazes toward Fugaku.

Seeing this, Fugaku's heart tightened. He knew that the real confrontation was about to begin.

Through numerous cycles of reincarnation, Fugaku had finally pieced together the logic behind Madara's actions—his ultimate goal.

It was simple: by killing those important to Shinji, Madara sought to push him into awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Fugaku’s goal, however, was to save as many clan members as possible during this pivotal gathering where their true attitudes toward Shinji would be revealed.

But within a short span of time, even with the Mangekyō Sharingan, Fugaku knew it was impossible to change the deep-seated beliefs of his clan members. Persuasion would be futile—it would only expose himself and lead to his death at Madara's hands.

Thus, the only option left was to fight back!

A deception executed right under Madara's nose, a game of misdirection and manipulation!

Now that their emotions were sufficiently ignited, Fugaku seized the moment, his Mangekyō Sharingan flaring to their fullest as he glared at the crowd.

"What?"

"Did I say something incorrect?"

He suddenly turned his gaze toward Uchiha Shinichi, eyes cold and sharp.

"You, Uchiha Shinichi, why do you want Shinji to be clan leader?"

"Do you genuinely acknowledge this boy whom you’ve only met a few times? Or is it because you simply desire the benefits that come with his leadership?"

Fugaku then swept his disdainful eyes across the room and scoffed:

"And you, Uchiha Yakumi, as well as everyone sitting here—many of you have never even seen Shinji in person."

"Search your hearts—do you truly want him as clan leader? Or are you merely lusting after the prestige that comes with having the strongest ninja in the world as your leader?"

"Fugaku, you’ve gone too far!"

Uchiha Shinichi trembled in anger, his face alternating between red and white, veins bulging across his forehead.

"Back on the battlefield in the Land of Rain, I—"

"You were about to say that Shinji saved you, a man sent on a suicide mission, by dragging you back from the brink of death—correct?" Fugaku cut him off with a cold sneer.

"Listen to me—weaklings admiring the strong is a natural law."

"But it should not be an excuse for a bunch of worthless parasites to cling to power under the guise of bloodline ties!"

Fugaku looked at them with utter contempt and questioned with unwavering conviction:

"Just as you once betrayed Uchiha Madara for the sake of temporary peace, why should I not suspect that you would betray Shinji in the same way?"

"When he becomes clan leader, when he grants you what you desire, when your vanity is fulfilled, when your arrogance peaks—"

"When the next crisis arises, what kind of choice will you make?"

"You are unworthy!"

"Do you understand? You have given him nothing along his journey, no real support, no burden shared!"

"He has fought alone, in solitude, every step of the way!"

Fugaku’s voice thundered through the shrine:

"If you have never walked beside him through hardship, do not covet the glory that was never yours to claim!"

"Because you are unworthy!"