Chapter 30: Fugaku is Cornered and Compromises; Shisui Stands Alone!
Kotoamatsukami?!
Hearing the function of this ocular technique, everyone's faces turned grave.
Then—pure fury.
They were genuinely enraged. Within this one room, there were three pairs of Mangekyo Sharingan.
Even looking back through the entire history of the Uchiha, this was a peak moment of power.
But unfortunately...
These three pairs of eyes were not united. Two of them were actively standing on the side of the enemy.
It was heartbreaking!
Shisui trembled, looking at Jin in shock.
Fugaku was equally shaken. While others were stunned by the revelation of his own Mangekyo and the terrifying power of Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, Fugaku was shocked by Jin's sheer resolve.
It was terrifying!
Jin had made it clear he was ready to burn everything down. He knew he couldn't protect the entire Uchiha Clan against the village's full might, so he had decided not to protect anyone. If the village or Fugaku dared to use force, Jin would become a rogue ninja lurking in the shadows.
And Konoha couldn't run away.
If Jin had been born in the modern world, he would understand that his strategy was essentially Nuclear Deterrence. If I launch, we all die.
However.
While Jin's ruthlessness was shocking, the direct threat to his family was what truly terrified and enraged Fugaku—leaving him feeling utterly helpless.
Unlike Shisui, who trusted the village blindly, Fugaku's weak spot was his wife and children.
He couldn't protect them 24/7. If he truly tore off the mask and fought Jin, he didn't doubt for a second that Jin would slaughter Mikoto and Itachi without hesitation.
So... sigh.
With a sigh of utter defeat, Fugaku finally spoke. "I am the Clan Head of the Uchiha. I will not raise my hand against my own kin."
"I will no longer interfere in the affairs between the clan and the village. In fact, if you wish, Jin, I can transfer the position of Clan Head to you immediately. All I ask is that you do not disturb my wife and children."
The others in the room were shocked by Fugaku's capitulation, but Jin remained calm.
As a transmigrator, he knew Fugaku's life was defined by compromise. The only thing the man truly cared about was his family.
Jin had pressed his death spot. Fugaku's retreat was expected.
So, Jin simply nodded lightly.
"I guarantee the safety of your family. Even if the Uchiha are exterminated in the future, I will ensure your wife and children are evacuated. I have prepared a route to the Land of Snow."
"Is that so? I see..." Fugaku was stunned, then relieved. "Then, thank you."
With that, Fugaku waved his hand dismissively and walked out of the room.
He had been a Clan Head in name only for a while now. Now that he had chosen to lay down the burden, he actually felt a weight lift off his chest.
He even thought this might be for the best.
No more worrying about clan politics. He would have more time to spend with Sasuke.
Since Jin had prepared an escape route to the Land of Snow—a place far from the shinobi continent—even if Konoha went crazy, they wouldn't chase them that far.
Shisui, however, was dumbfounded.
What the hell do I do now?
Jin controlled the entire clan. Even Fugaku, the only other authority figure, had folded. How was Shisui supposed to fight Jin and the entire Uchiha Clan alone?
A bitter taste filled his mouth. "Jin... can't we negotiate?"
"Who said we can't negotiate?" Jin replied calmly. "I am very willing to negotiate!"
"As long as the village stops targeting the Uchiha, the Uchiha will not start trouble. But can you make Danzo stop hunting us?"
"Why do you think the clansmen defected to the Radicals? It's because you and Fugaku accomplished nothing. You kept shouting about integration, claiming the Hokage would solve everything..."
"But in reality?"
"Our war heroes died without pensions, denied entry to the Memorial Stone."
"Our Ancestral Land was stolen. Our people are monitored and hunted..."
"In the beginning, the Uchiha wanted the Hokage seat—a promise made before the village was founded. Then they reneged."
"The Uchiha endured."
"Later, the Uchiha wanted rights and authority. The village refused."
"The Uchiha endured."
"Now, the Uchiha just want to live. But the village won't even allow that. Where exactly do you want us to retreat to?"
"Will the village only be satisfied when every last Uchiha is dead?"
"Sorry."
"I can't do that."
"If the Uchiha die, we are dragging the village down with us!"
Shisui fell silent, unable to find words.
While he wanted to believe the Hokage could change things, Jin was speaking the cold, hard truth. At the very least, Shisui knew he couldn't stop Danzo.
He used to think the clan was too radical. But hearing Jin lay it out, he realized the Uchiha had already retreated again and again.
Where else can we go?
His head throbbed with pain. Finally, he asked, "But confrontation is meaningless. It will only damage the village's strength. If we destroy each other, how will we defend against other villages?"
"Why are you asking me to choose?" Jin asked, his expression unchanging. "This time, let the Village choose!"
"For the sake of Konoha's stability, can't the village take a step back?"
Shisui froze. Let the village choose?
His mind had been so focused on making the Uchiha compromise that he had never considered asking the village to yield.
But thinking about it... it made sense.
The Uchiha had given up so much. Why couldn't the village give an inch?
Shisui was truly out of options.
Jin had unified the clan. Fugaku had given up. Stopping them was impossible for Shisui alone.
He wasn't Itachi; he cared about the clan too.
So, he decided to wait and see what Jin planned to do before making his next move. At the very least, he wanted to ensure stability, however fragile.
After a long pause, Shisui spoke seriously. "I want to know your next step. What exactly do you plan to do?"
"Wait for you to die," Jin said bluntly.
Shisui blinked. "What? Me... die?"
Jin's face was calm, his eyes deep and penetrating. "Yes. Wait for you to die!"
"If I'm not mistaken, you told the High Command about your Kotoamatsukami, didn't you?"
"The power of Kotoamatsukami is too terrifying. It makes anyone's skin crawl. Think about it carefully: Hiruzen doesn't dare to meet you alone anymore. He doesn't even look you in the eye."
"Hiruzen won't kill you himself; he needs to maintain his benevolent image. But he has Danzo."
"Danzo has Hashirama cells in his body and desperately needs Sharingan Yin Chakra to suppress them. More importantly, he fears Kotoamatsukami—and he covets it."
"Danzo dreams of becoming Hokage. If he gets your eye, he can control Hiruzen and force him to abdicate."
"He will definitely come for you. And since you trust the High Command so blindly, you will be unprepared. Your death is inevitable."
"Hiruzen knows this. That's why he tolerates Danzo."
"If Danzo succeeds, Hiruzen can use your death as leverage to crush him later. If Danzo fails, Hiruzen has clean hands. As Hokage, crushing a bug in the shadows is easy for him."
"Finally, don't think I'm warning you out of kindness!"
"I know the Uchiha stubbornness too well. Even after hearing this, you won't believe me. But I always play open hands."
"Your death is significant to me. Not only does it remove a threat I have to be wary of, but it also gives me the perfect casus belli to attack the High Command!"
"Theft of a Kekkei Genkai is a death sentence."
"As long as I use your death as the excuse, the other ninja clans will sit on the fence and watch."
"My next move... is waiting for you, Shisui Uchiha, to die!"
"Is that clear enough? Do you understand?"