Chapter 12: The Hidden Depth of the Leaf; Jin's Next Phase!
Uchiha Setsuna was completely bewildered.
He couldn't understand Jin's extreme caution. In his eyes, Jin didn't seem like the type to be timid—after all, this was the man who had the nerve to trade blows with the village High Command in the Hokage's own office.
On the other side of the table, Uchiha Jin's brow furrowed slightly. Noticing Setsuna's confusion, he remained pensive for a moment before letting out a slow sigh.
"Elder Setsuna, the Hidden Leaf's foundations run deep—far deeper than most realize."
"Among the secrets in the Scroll of Seals, there is a jutsu called Shiki Fujin—the Reaper Death Seal. It was once part of the Uzumaki Clan's ultimate arsenal."
"By offering one's own life as a catalyst, the user can summon the Shinigami. This jutsu ignores all ninjutsu and barriers. As long as the summoner can seize the target, their soul is dragged into the belly of the Reaper, never to return."
"Minato Namikaze used this very technique to split the Nine-Tails into Yin and Yang halves, sealing the fox within himself and his son, Naruto Uzumaki."
"If we truly push the High Command to the brink, and they unseal this forbidden jutsu and force every Leaf Jonin to learn it..."
"What then?"
"While the jutsu is undoubtedly difficult to master, the Leaf has a vast number of Jonin. If even twenty of them managed to learn it, do you think our clan could survive? Even with my Mangekyo, I wouldn't dare test my luck against the Reaper."
Hiss!
Hearing this, Setsuna's face instantly paled with terror. The Leaf actually has something like that in their back pocket?
Before he could even process the horror of the Death Seal, Jin continued.
"Furthermore, there is the Nine-Tails."
"If the elders are pushed to a dead end, what's to stop them from releasing the Nine-Tails at any cost? Jiraiya will certainly stand with the village. Tsunade might have a phobia of blood now, but if the Uchiha actually rebel..."
"To protect the village her grandfathers built, she might just find the strength to overcome her trauma."
"Two Sannin-level fighters... who among us is going to stop them?"
"The Anbu and Root are fanatically loyal to the Hokage. While an Uchiha can fight three enemies at once, how many of our kin will die facing such overwhelming numbers? Danzo has already harvested plenty of Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and the bastard knows Izanagi. How many lives will it take just to exhaust his 'extra lives'?"
"Hiruzen Sarutobi might be called the 'Weakest Hokage' by some, but he is still a monster that average clansmen can't hope to face."
"And finally, I have personally investigated the Sarutobi Clan. Because they have embezzled village funds for years, they rarely take on high-risk war missions. Currently, the Sarutobi Clan has at least fifteen hundred active ninja. Among them, there are at least three hundred Jonin!"
"Even if these Jonin are weaker than an Uchiha, sheer numbers can crush anyone. And this is assuming the other clans don't intervene. With the Uchiha's 'notorious' reputation, do you think the other clans or the civilians want to see us in power?"
"If the entire village turns against us, we are finished."
As Jin spoke, cold sweat began to bead on Setsuna's forehead. He was left utterly speechless. He realized his previous thoughts had been far too shallow. The Leaf's hidden depth was truly terrifying; a half-crippled Uchiha Clan really didn't have the "caliber" to stage a successful coup.
Even if Uchiha Jin had the Mangekyo, the High Command could simply grind him down through attrition.
Thinking back on his old rebellion plans, Setsuna let out a helpless sigh. "Jin-kun, you are right. We truly don't have the qualifications to revolt yet."
He was convinced. Everything Jin mentioned were factors he had never even considered. No matter how strong the Uchiha were, they couldn't withstand the combined weight of those "hidden cards."
"Yes, it would be difficult," Jin nodded. "The Leaf's roots are too deep."
"Even though they've lost many powerhouses and are currently in a 'weak phase,' they are still far beyond what the Uchiha can challenge—especially when we have the Moderates and Neutrals dragging us down from within."
"Even if we take ten thousand steps back and assume we manage to kill the High Command and seize power, how would a broken Konoha fend off the other four Great Nations? Do you think the other villages would pass up the chance to invade a crippled Leaf?"
"So, let's be realistic."
"My current goal is to stabilize the High Command and unify the Uchiha. Everything else comes after."
Jin took a sip of tea, his eyes turning unfathomably deep. He could only hold the elders at bay right now because he had proven he was willing to play a game of "Mutual Destruction"—he was willing to burn the village down if they pushed him. The High Command wanted a stable Leaf; they had to calculate if destroying the Uchiha was worth the risk of leaving the village vulnerable to invasion.
Setsuna took a deep breath. Looking at Jin, his eyes were filled with relief and pride. A faint smile finally touched his lips.
"It seems my luck hasn't run out. To find a successor as capable as you in my old age... even if I were to die today, it would be worth it."
"The Radical Faction is yours. I can finally rest easy."
Setsuna was genuinely satisfied. In the past, the Radicals were strong, but they did nothing but shout. Under Jin's leadership, they had become a sharpened blade. Bravery was one thing, but Jin possessed the wisdom to temper it. He felt the heavens had truly looked down upon the Uchiha with mercy to send them such a talent during their darkest hour.
Jin smiled but didn't say much.
After a short silence, Setsuna asked, "But what about the missing clansmen and the increasing rumors in the village? Are we really going to do nothing? Won't it affect your plans?"
He knew Jin's plan was to let the Uchiha "bleed" to shatter their illusions, but as an elder, the loss was still painful to watch.
Jin shook his head. "In my view, it's not enough. Not nearly enough people have died yet."
"Only when the Moderates and Neutrals feel their hearts tremble with fear will their stubborn Uchiha minds finally break. Only then will they let go of their fantasies about the village."
"As for the rumors, that's not our problem to solve."
"Uchiha Fugaku is the Clan Head, after all!"
"A favor offered unasked is worth nothing. If they want me to step in and fix this, they have to beg me for it."
"It's not that I'm trying to act superior; it's that if I'm too proactive, those idiots will just start suspecting my motives. They'd spend more time sabotaging me and plotting in the shadows than helping. Do you think fixing the village's public opinion is easy? I have no intention of planning for the Uchiha's future while simultaneously fighting off a bunch of fools from the inside!"
Setsuna let out a long sigh. He realized Jin was right. Knowing how Fugaku and Shisui operated, internal sabotage was almost a certainty if Jin took the lead too early.
At that moment, Uchiha Tekka walked into the room.
"Jin-sama, Elder Setsuna."
"Word has come from Fugaku. He is convening an emergency Clan Meeting immediately. He insists that the Radical Faction must attend!"