"...The Uchiha are a glorious clan, look at you all!"
"Every single one of you, being manipulated by Konoha's higher-ups with a few scraps of benefit!"
"Do you still think being in the Military Police Force is some great honor? They're using you as targets!"
"In that case! Our Uchiha Clan should abandon these things Konoha uses to bind us!"
"I propose the Uchiha Clan declare independence!"
At the clan gathering, Fugaku's impassioned speech made many of the older generation stiffen.
Most of them were radicals, with a few conservatives mixed in.
But now, facing an even more radical Fugaku, they all became the conservative faction.
Sasuke, Yuzu, and Shizuka stood behind Fugaku like guards. Sasuke hadn't revealed himself, instead disguising himself as an ordinary Uchiha clansman.
It wasn't time for him to appear yet.
His targets were Danzo and the masked man… or perhaps masked woman?
Looking at this father, whose demeanor had changed so drastically from his memories and who now had a forceful style, Sasuke silently gave him a thumbs up in his heart.
Of course, this was also thanks to the speech Sasuke himself had written.
As expected, Fugaku's 'crazy proposal' found almost no supporters.
The old folks who usually made the most noise and loved to oppose him didn't disappoint, surfacing once again.
Some played the good cop, some the bad cop, but their core message was for Fugaku to retract this order and continue following their plan: launch a coup to seize more political power.
-Even now, this group hadn't considered leaving Konoha Village or directly taking control of it.
'Good grief… even their rebellion wasn't thorough enough.'
When Sasuke looked at those clan's elders performing their act, it was like watching monkeys fighting over bananas.
Perhaps stimulated by Fugaku's proposal, the elders from both major factions actually joined forces for once, trying to make this usually manipulated clan head back down.
But this time, they miscalculated.
Screech-
A sound like a bird of prey's cry seemed to echo in everyone's minds.
The next moment, they clearly saw patterns they had never seen before appear in Fugaku and Shizuka's eyes.
"That is..."
"The Mangekyo Sharingan..."
Right under their noses, two pairs of Mangekyo Sharingan had quietly emerged within the Uchiha Clan.
"I'll ask one more time. Who agrees with my words, and who opposes?"
Fugaku kept his face stern, forcibly following the script as Sasuke had taught him.
The clan's elders didn't disappoint.
As expected, some who couldn't read the situation continued to surface, trying to use their usual tactics.
What awaited them was the ruthless Genjutsu overwhelming force of two pairs of Mangekyo Sharingan.
Perhaps to increase the intimidation, Fugaku even unprecedentedly used the Mangekyo Sharingan's exclusive Dojutsu: Susanoo.
Following Sasuke's instructions, Shizuka also activated Susanoo.
Although only partial forms, the appearance of a dark red and a cyan-green translucent Chakra Armor before the clansmen was still highly impactful.
For the first time, they felt the clan head's absolute authority.
Fugaku even struck while the iron was hot, actively pushing open the door and displaying this form to the other clansmen waiting outside for the meeting to end.
Then, he repeated his orders once more.
The younger members and the strong hardliners weren't as hesitant as the elders.
They were the ones truly being stirred up.
When the elders talked about a coup to seize power, they followed blindly. Now that the even more forceful clan head proposed direct independence, they didn't hesitate much either.
Just as Naruto had said long ago:
These people seemed to lack their own thoughts, easily swayed by others' ideas.
Such will cannot become true strength.
Hearing the cheers outside, the elders' faces turned pale.
Whether hawks or doves, they all clearly knew the tide had turned. The Uchiha Clan could now have only one voice.
"Shizuka, is this what you think too? You know..."
Some elders still refused to give up, looking at Shizuka and trying to pressure her with other reasons.
But unfortunately, the current Shizuka was no longer someone who could only go with the flow.
She had seen a better future for the Uchiha Clan.
And for that future, she didn't mind flattening all obstacles in the way.
The elder's words cut off abruptly; the state of falling into Genjutsu was Shizuka's answer.
"The clan head's will is my belief."
With that, these old fossils were completely kicked out of the Uchiha Clan's decision-making layer.
Actually, there were still many extremists hidden among the crowd who didn't agree with Fugaku's actions.
But all of these people were taken out in one fell swoop by an unknown Uchiha clansman when they gathered privately after the meeting dispersed.
At this point, a few missing people wouldn't attract attention.
Most clansmen's emotions had sunk into a kind of fanaticism.
…
The news within the Uchiha Clan couldn't be completely concealed.
At least, it couldn't be hidden from this world's Uchiha Obito… or here, her name is Uchiha Obiko.
Long ago, she witnessed her best friend Hatake Kasha pierce Nohara Jin's chest with a Lightning Release Ninjutsu.
Her subsequent experiences were similar to Obito's.
Actually, she already had plans regarding what Yuzu might do later.
But just before implementing this plan, White Zetsu brought her bad news.
Fugaku had retaken power.
Obiko's goal was simple: completely destroy the Uchiha Clan.
According to her original plan, Shizuka would die by Danzo's hand, and Yuzu would become her tool to achieve her goal.
But with this development, Obiko felt things were starting to slip from her control.
No good... can't wait any longer.
Obiko decided to act in advance.
Her figure quickly dissipated within the cave, heading towards Konoha Village.
Originally, according to Obiko's estimates, Yuzu's clan extermination plan should have been implemented months later, when she would approach Danzo and make their dirty deal.
Now it was different… she needed to contact Danzo in advance.
…
The Uchiha Clan's unusual movements quickly caught the attention of Konoha's higher-ups.
Because they made no effort to hide them.
The village's police stations were completely empty.
Pedestrians on the streets also belatedly noticed that the Uchiha patrols hadn't appeared all day.
The Third Hokage almost immediately called a high-level meeting. Koharu, Homura, and that old fossil Danzo all entered the meeting room.
Among them, Danzo was probably the happiest.
He had been constantly urging Hiruzen to act against the Uchiha Clan, but the latter kept putting him off with various excuses and reassurances.
Now with such obvious unusual movements from the other side, he didn't believe Hiruzen could keep lying with his eyes wide open.
"Hiruzen, you-"
Before Danzo could finish speaking, a Ninja pushed the door open.
"Hokage-sama! The Uchiha... the Uchiha Clan is gathering and heading towards the Hokage Building!"