Chapter 44: The Dove Faction Surrenders, Unifying the Hawks and Doves!
Dawn had just broken, and a thin layer of morning mist enveloped the entire Uchiha Clan Territory.
"Have you heard... about Lord Shisui...?"
"The Village's announcement… said he attacked Danzō and committed suicide out of guilt…"
"How is that possible! How could Lord Shisui do such a thing!"
The news of Uchiha Shisui's death struck hard at the heart of every Uchiha clan member. For the Hawk Faction, it fueled their anger, providing another testament to the high-ranking officials' shamelessness. But for the Dove Faction, it was nothing short of a cataclysm.
Inside the residence of Elder Uchiha Honoka of the Dove Faction, the atmosphere was heavy. Several Elders, highly respected within the clan and always advocating for peaceful coexistence with the Village, now wore grim expressions. Their faces no longer showed any trace of their usual gentleness and composure. Instead, there was deep fatigue, undisguised despair, and a hint of anger after being fooled.
"Committed suicide out of guilt…" Uchiha Honoka's dry lips trembled slightly as he repeated the words. "What a ridiculous accusation!"
Another Elder slammed his fist on the tatami mat, producing a dull thud. "Shisui, that child, we watched him grow up. He loved this Village more than anyone and wished to protect peace more than anyone! We believed in the Third Hokage, believed in the so-called Will of Fire, but what did we get in return? What we got was surveillance, suspicion, and isolation! Now, they've even mercilessly eliminated Shisui, our most outstanding genius, the only one who could have been a bridge of communication! Peace... The path to peace was a joke from the very beginning!"
They had placed all their hopes on Uchiha Shisui. These Dove Faction Elders naively believed that as long as Shisui was there—as long as this genius, known as "Shunshin no Shisui" and highly valued by the Third Hokage, was still alive—there would always be room for negotiation between the Uchiha and the Village. However, reality slapped them with the loudest blow. Shisui's death was clearly not an accident, but a premeditated murder. The Village's high-ranking officials had used the most ruthless methods to completely shatter all their illusions.
A long, dead silence followed.
"What… what should we do?" Finally, one Elder asked the question everyone wanted to ask but dared not.
What else could they do? The path was cut off. In front of them was the butcher's knife of Konoha's high-ranking officials, and behind them was the long-suppressed rage of the clan's Hawk Faction. These Dove Faction members were caught between a rock and a hard place.
"Perhaps… there is still one path," Uchiha Honoka slowly raised his eyes and scanned everyone present. "Elder Akira."
He uttered the name with difficulty. Uchiha Akira. The young man who had risen forcefully with lightning-fast methods. The new leader of the Hawk Faction who had unified all the Hawk Faction members, even making Clan Head Fugaku wary of him.
Upon hearing this, the Elders present all wore incredibly complex expressions. They had once scoffed at Akira's radicalism and domineering nature, believing he would lead the Uchiha into an abyss of no return. But looking back now, it turned out they were the clowns! For a drowning person, even a red-hot iron is the only straw to grasp.
"Go find him?"
"Will he… will he accept us old folks?"
"Elder Honoka, Elder Akira's methods… Do we really want to entrust the future of the family to him?"
Uchiha Honoka slowly stood up, his gaze gaining some determination. "We have no other choice. Either, like Shisui, we are mercilessly abandoned by the high-ranking officials and die with a stained reputation. Or, we let go of our ridiculous illusions and pride, and seize this last opportunity. At least, Uchiha Akira, he is fighting for the survival of the Uchiha."
Finally, the Dove Faction Elders decided that Uchiha Honoka, along with several core members of the Dove Faction, would go to Uchiha Akira's residence.
Uchiha Akira seemed to have anticipated their arrival, as he was standing alone in the courtyard. Uchiha Honoka's gaze fell on the large crater blown out by a Great Fireball Jutsu last night and the cracked marks on the nearby wall. Seeing these astonishing signs of destruction, the pupils of the Elders involuntarily constricted. They were all experienced Jōnin, and naturally, they could tell that this was not a power that could be caused by ordinary Ninjutsu.
"Elders, is there something you need?" Uchiha Akira asked.
Uchiha Honoka took a deep breath, suppressed the complex emotions in his heart, took a step forward, and bowed deeply to Akira. "Elder Akira."
Although the Elders behind him were unwilling, they could only follow suit and bow. This was a show of respect for the strong, and also bowing to reality.
"We… have understood. Shisui's death has made us see the true face of the Village. The so-called peaceful coexistence is nothing but self-deception. From now on, we of the Dove Faction are willing to follow Elder Akira as our leader and obey all your commands!"
Uchiha Honoka looked up, his gaze fixed on Akira, with a final plea in his voice. "We only ask Elder Akira to find a way out for the Uchiha and give us a… guarantee of peace."
"Peace?" Akira shook his head, saying mercilessly. "Elder, you still don't understand. True peace is never achieved through verbal promises, much less through begging. Shisui is the best example. His compromise, his concessions—what did they bring? They brought his own death and a greater crisis for the clan. Peace is equality built upon absolute power. It is something you are only qualified to discuss when your fist is hard enough, so hard that it makes your enemies dare not harbor any ill intentions."
Akira did not say another word. He just quietly watched these old people in front of him. As they fell into contemplation and struggle because of his words, Akira's eyes slowly closed, then snapped open.
Buzz—!
A terrifying surge of ocular power instantly enveloped the entire courtyard! They looked up in horror at Akira's eyes. Those were no longer the Three-Tomoe Sharingan they were familiar with.
Those were Mangekyō Sharingan!
The terrifying ocular power contained within those eyes far exceeded their comprehension. In front of this power, their proud Three-Tomoe Sharingan were like the difference between a firefly and the bright moon. They finally understood what Uchiha Akira meant by "absolute power." This was the guarantee.
[Ding! Detected collective surrender of core members of the Uchiha Dove Faction, clan cohesion greatly increased!]
[Clan Glory Value +50,000!]
[Congratulations, Host, for completing the hidden mission [Hawk-Dove Unification], clan internal integration reached 70%!]
[Reward: Clan Glory Value +100,000! Loyal Clan Member quantity limit increased!]
Uchiha Akira's Attribute Panel:
Strength: Kage-level (Beginner)
Mastered Skills:
Ninjutsu: Fire Release Ninjutsu Master, Lightning Release: Chidori (Mastered), Lightning Release Chakra Mode (Perfected), Lightning Fire Dragon Breath, Lightning Fire Spiraling Sphere.
Taijutsu: Uchiha-style Taijutsu Master
Genjutsu: Sharingan Basic Genjutsu, Advanced Genjutsu Release, Genjutsu Rebound.
Bloodline Limit: Mangekyō Sharingan.
Dōjutsu: Mangekyō Sharingan (Left Eye "Time Reversal", Right Eye "Technique Amplification").
Clan Status: Uchiha Elder (Joint Leader of Hawk and Dove Factions).
Clan Glory Value: 290,000.
Loyal Clan Member Quantity: Approximately 250 people (Core team loyalty 100%, Guard members loyalty 100%, most members of Hawk and Dove Factions loyalty significantly increased).
Overall Clan Strength Assessment: Quasi-Kage Peak.