Chapter 10: Fugaku's Indecision; The Uchiha Devolve into Chaos!
The Clan Meeting ended in an anti-climax, leaving behind nothing but a mess.
Following the departure of Uchiha Jin and the Radical Faction, Fugaku no longer had the face to stay. After offering a few more hollow platitudes to the remaining crowd, he declared the meeting adjourned and retreated.
Uchiha Shisui watched Fugaku's retreating back, his eyes filled with a growing sense of disappointment. Even with the Hokage's support, can he truly hope to suppress Uchiha Jin?
Recalling Jin's parting words, Shisui took a deep breath and spoke with grim resolve. "Clan Head-sama, I am going to see the Hokage!"
"Regarding the Mangekyo Sharingan in Danzo's possession... I need to ask him exactly what is going on."
Without waiting for Fugaku's response, Shisui vanished in a blur of motion—the Body Flicker Technique.
Fugaku's expression darkened. He was already seething from Jin's verbal lashing, and now even Shisui was treating him with a lack of basic courtesy. An unnameable fury burned in his chest, yet he had nowhere to vent it. Gritting his teeth, he let out a cold snort and returned to his manor.
Shortly after, an Uchiha shinobi entered the room and knelt on one knee. "Clan Head, it's bad!"
"The Radical members—both ninja and civilians—have all relocated to the area surrounding Uchiha Jin's estate. They have already erected a new defensive barrier around that district. We've spotted patrol squads and numerous hidden sentries being positioned as we speak."
As he spoke, cold sweat dripped from the man's brow.
This was a "village within a village." Jin's actions were a blatant act of secession—something that was traditionally strictly forbidden. No matter how many factions existed within the Uchiha, they always maintained a facade of unity. If they didn't, the clan would have collapsed from within long before the Village High Command ever struck.
But now? Uchiha Jin had shattered the rules.
Crash!
Fugaku, who had just picked up a teacup, froze in shock before smashing the cup against the floor in a fit of rage.
"Bastard! That goddamn brat!"
"What does Uchiha Jin think he's doing? Does he intend to forcibly split the Uchiha Clan in two?"
Fugaku's face was twisted with fury, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes. He could not accept this! For years, he had walked on eggshells, desperately trying to maintain the clan's stability, terrified that one wrong move would lead to their annihilation.
And now? Uchiha Jin didn't just fail to understand his "sacrifice"—he was actively tearing the family apart.
The kneeling shinobi, Uchiha Inabi, kept his head low and offered no rebuttal. Instead, his eyes flickered with a trace of uncertainty. Jin's words at the Clan Meeting had struck a chord deep within him.
Looking back at Fugaku's reign, though he had earned the title of "Wicked Eye" on the battlefield, he had been nothing but a pushover when facing the Village High Command. Inabi hadn't felt it so clearly before, but after hearing Jin's perspective, it was hard to ignore.
Take the Night of the Nine-Tails, the event that had destroyed the Uchiha's future. The clan had been ready to deploy and rescue the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, but they were intercepted by Danzo's Root.
Inabi remembered that Jin—who was just a "nobody" at the time—had suggested they ignore Danzo's orders, citing that their loyalty was to the Fourth Hokage, not the retired Third.
But Fugaku had rejected the suggestion. No one had taken the boy seriously.
And the result? Minato Namikaze died, the Uchiha became the village's primary suspects, and they were forcibly relocated from their ancestral lands.
Inabi often wondered: If we had listened to Jin back then... if we had actually saved the Fourth Hokage... would our situation be different today?
But there were no "ifs" in this world.
After that night, Jin had returned to being a "transparent" member of the clan, only to re-emerge a month ago with the Mangekyo, seizing leadership of the Radicals in a matter of days. Inabi finally understood why Jin refused to follow Fugaku. Fugaku was simply too indecisive.
So, what do I do?
Inabi's mind was a mess. While he felt Fugaku was failing as a leader, he also feared that Jin was too extreme. He was caught in a state of paralysis.
Sigh. After a silent lament, he decided to wait and see.
"Inabi!" Fugaku's cold voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Sir!" Inabi replied respectfully. A spark of hope flickered in his eyes. Is Fugaku finally going to take decisive action?
Even if Jin had a point, Inabi couldn't stand the thought of the clan splitting. If Fugaku gave the order to move against the Radicals, Inabi would support him. The Uchiha did not fear a fight, even against their own.
But that hope was short-lived. The conflict in Fugaku's eyes returned.
"No... forget it."
"The Uchiha cannot afford any more internal strife. We will find a way to deal with Uchiha Jin later."
"Dismissed. As for the Radical's new district... pretend we don't know about it."
The light in Inabi's eyes vanished, replaced by a deep sense of disappointment. His Clan Head was simply too weak. He bowed and took his leave without another word.
Within the Uchiha Compound.
The air was filled with the sound of constant debate. Some argued that the change in the village's attitude was a testament to Fugaku's leadership.
But many others argued it was Jin's achievement. The clan was louder and more divided than ever before. Those with true clarity felt their dissatisfaction with Fugaku growing. What right does a man who can't even control the voices of his own people have to call himself Clan Head?
Before the argument could reach a conclusion, the news of the Radicals' "village within a village" spread. Furthermore, Jin's revelations from the meeting—the arm of Sharingan, the stolen Izanagi—were being whispered in every corner of the compound.
The village's retreat was forced by Jin's strength. The High Command will seek revenge.
Recalling the recent disappearances of their kin, many clansmen were terrified. While some dismissed Jin's warnings as fear-mongering, many others took them to heart and began moving their families into the Radical-controlled district for protection.
The Radicals turned no one away. After all, they were all Uchiha.
The Radical District, Uchiha Jin's Estate.
Late night.
Jin sat cross-legged on his bed, his Mangekyo Sharingan spinning at a low hum. He was testing a specific application of his ocular power.
"Amenotokotachi."
He had discovered a unique "passive" benefit of this technique. By maintaining a minimal flow of his right eye's power, he could expend one "unit" of ocular energy to gradually regenerate two units.
Though the process was incredibly slow—far inferior to the natural regeneration of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan—it was a godsend for someone like him. Without a "System," a "Cheat Code," or access to Hashirama's cells, this ability was his only lifeline against the looming threat of blindness.
He would stay in the light, and he would watch this village burn.