Chapter 181 – The Letter
At dusk, inside a modest room within the Uchiha compound, all of the clan's elite members had gathered.
Uchiha Kei sat near the front, eyes closed, saying nothing.
This seat was deliberately arranged for him by Fugaku. In truth, clan meetings held little meaning for Kei. Unless someone's words directly disrupted his plans, or unless it became necessary to defend Fugaku's authority as clan head, Kei would never bother to speak.
The gathered elites seemed to understand this well. None of them dared provoke Kei—especially now that his political stance had become clear.
This boy, Uchiha Kei, stood firmly on Fugaku's side.
His words, actions, and choices had all shown it: he relied on Fugaku and backed Fugaku completely.
That didn't mean they liked him. In fact, most didn't. Fugaku's stance was flexible, capable of shifting when needed, and Kei's allegiance would naturally shift with him.
That instability made many wary.
Still, dislike was one thing; denying Kei's success was another. No one could say his choices were wrong.
In just a short time, Kei had gained more benefits than most of them could dream of. Nearly every resource Fugaku secured seemed to end up in Kei's hands. With Fugaku's support and his own formidable strength, Kei had reshaped an entire Guard division into a force that answered only to him.
His influence within the clan had skyrocketed. Compared to half a year ago, when he had just returned from the battlefield, he was practically unrecognizable.
"Humph. If not for his luck with the Sharingan… and opening it straight to three tomoe…"
Such bitter mutterings weren't rare in the clan—especially in this very room. Kei, however, paid them no mind.
He sat quietly, his thoughts elsewhere.
One name came to mind: Hyūga Ayaka.
Another: Uchiha Yuu.
Kei had deliberately revealed Yuu's Mangekyō. As expected, it stirred something in Ayaka: If the Uchiha can do this, why not the Hyūga?
Two clans whose fates had been entangled since the Warring States era… If neither had a future, how had they both managed to survive the grinder of endless wars?
Ayaka had also finally understood why Yuu had ended up the way he was, and why Kei—despite having access to those eyes—never coveted them.
Because Kei already possessed such eyes himself. And whose own eyes could ever be less useful than another's?
Though Kei's eyes didn't exude the same overwhelming, beastlike presence as Yuu's, the suffocating coldness they carried was enough to make Ayaka realize one thing:
If Kei wished, she wouldn't even know how she died.
Kei was satisfied with her reaction. That was exactly what he wanted—recognition of both his power and his authority. Their cooperation could be equal, yes, but only if she remained honest and useful. Otherwise, Kei had more than enough strength to overturn everything.
Ayaka was quick to grasp the point. She asked no further questions about his eyes. Kei could also see she now believed more strongly than ever in his claim: The Hyūga also hold hidden potential in their eyes.
That path would require time and research, of course. Ayaka would need to lean on Kei's experience as a guide. And all of it hinged on one thing—her continued obedience and value.
For now, the matter of Ayaka was settled. The rest would unfold later.
The possibility of a journey to the moon could be raised in the future—if a path could be found, and only if the Ōtsutsuki remnants there were already wiped out.
If such a trip could free Ayaka from the Caged Bird Seal, then Kei would have fulfilled his promise. If not, the fault would not lie with him.
As for the Tenseigan—Kei had no intention of letting her near such a thing. That eye, equal in tier to the Rinnegan, was far beyond even what he dared to consider now. He was still struggling with the path to the Eternal Mangekyō; the Rinnegan remained an impossible dream.
Yet among the top-tier eyes, the Tenseigan seemed slightly more attainable. With the right method and timing, the giant eye on the moon might one day provide the material for it.
At the lower levels, the Byakugan fell short, while the Sharingan reigned supreme through every stage. Only at the very top did both eyes stand as equals.
"The tragedy of the Byakugan," Kei mused, "is its lack of mid-to-high tier growth. The Sharingan, on the other hand, grows stronger and more practical at every stage—until it hits the wall of evolution. The Rinnegan is too demanding to attain… but the Tenseigan? That's left to luck."
Still, he knew better than to obsess. One step at a time. One move at a time.
Right now, Kei's priority was clear: Uchiha Shuu.
That was his most pressing mission. And he had already decided when to act.
As for Uchiha Sō, Kei's predictions had been right. Fugaku hadn't punished him too harshly—he was, after all, one of Fugaku's most loyal subordinates. Kei had also given Fugaku a way to save face.
Later that evening, Kei even saw Sō himself. The man's behavior and attitude had shifted entirely, just as Kei had expected.
A tool should behave like a tool. Kei had no need to win his loyalty in spirit—obedience was more than enough.
And Sō, in his new role, quickly proved himself useful.
That very night, Yuu's handwritten notes ended up in Kei's hands.
With Uchiha Yuu's manuscript in hand, Uchiha Kei finally had the foundation he needed to forge a convincing imitation of the man's notes.
Of course, such a forgery would take time. Kei had to carefully study Yuu's writing habits—the cadence of his sentences, the choice of words—before he could reproduce them flawlessly. This wasn't something he could afford to do sloppily. After all, the counterfeit notes were meant to deceive Uchiha Shuu, and Kei had no intention of letting his work be exposed at a glance.
As for Uchiha Sō, Kei soon handed him a second assignment. There were many tasks that Kei himself couldn't carry out directly.
"I need certain materials—or drugs," Kei said flatly, his eyes cold as he looked at Sō. "Something that can preserve a body's vitality and prevent decay. The sooner, the better. And… check with the clan head if we still have any of the last batch of medicine."
"Yes, Lord Kei. I'll have it ready within two days."
Sō's demeanor was flawless, the perfect picture of a subordinate. It was obvious that Fugaku had spoken with him at length. His obedience, his submission—everything was just as Kei wanted.
The materials Hinata Ayaka needed were beyond Kei's reach; he simply didn't know the right people. Sō, however, was the sort of man who had long skulked in the shadows. The "rats in the gutter" he knew were far more suited for this kind of task.
With these miscellaneous matters settled, Kei turned his attention back to Yuu's manuscript. Patiently analyzing the man's style and tone, he then used his Sharingan to reproduce a letter in the same hand. That forged letter now rested on Kei's person, ready to be delivered into Shuu's hands once the clan meeting concluded.
This particular clan meeting was no different from the rest. By the time it ended around ten in the evening, it had proven, once again, to be little more than a sparring match between Fugaku's faction and that of the Great Elder.
Nothing of substance ever came from these gatherings. Most of it was bargaining, quarreling, and reluctant compromise over trivial interests. Occasionally, a so-called "dove faction" member would interject, though more often than not they stayed silent. For them, watching the two major camps bleed each other was advantageous; to their eyes, it was nothing more than a contest for power.
So they became fence-sitters, opportunists seeking to quietly expand their own influence. This sometimes drew irritation from both sides, but as long as they didn't overreach, no one could openly rebuke them.
Truly, a great clan was like a forge—within it, endless schemes and betrayals simmered, each one more elaborate than the last.
As the meeting dispersed, Kei cast a subtle glance at Fugaku. The clan head hesitated for only a moment before understanding his intent. With a small nod and a discreet gesture, Fugaku excused himself and departed.
Kei followed shortly after, his eyes already fixed on Shuu, who had left the hall earlier. Tonight was the perfect night to act. The election for the Fourth Hokage drew nearer with each passing day; opportunities like this would only grow rarer.
Once a new Hokage was chosen, the political climate would shift drastically. Hiruzen would never willingly relinquish his authority, and the Fourth's early reign would be unstable. The old guard might even tighten surveillance on the Uchiha once again.
If the clan wished for true security, they needed to invest in the future Hokage—using him as a bridge to unlock a higher path for the Uchiha. It was both Fugaku's goal and Kei's own. Difficult choices, therefore, had to be made.
"Uchiha Shuu." Kei's voice was calm and cold as he caught up to the man.
"Kei-kun?" Shuu remained courteous, smiling faintly. "What brings you to me at this hour?"
"There's something you ought to see." Kei handed over the forged letter. "I've read its contents, but I can't say whether it's true or not. Whether it's genuine or a fabrication—I leave that for you to decide."
"A… letter?" Shuu frowned, taking it from him. As his eyes scanned the page, his expression twisted, his face contorting with something between fury and despair.