The Purpose of the Meeting
The primary reason Uchiha Fugaku had convened this meeting was to inform the clan of the major events unfolding across the ninja world—and the war that was likely approaching.
Battle. Battle!Men are born to fight!
That was the unspoken roar echoing in the hearts of most Uchiha shinobi.
To the Uchiha, war meant glory.It meant awakening, tempering, and evolving the Sharingan.
Yet the vast majority of the clan were not mindless battle maniacs who lived only for bloodshed.
They understood something far more sobering—
Once war reached the village, it would inevitably reach their families.
And so, to the Uchiha, war was not just about fighting.It was about protecting loved ones, defending the clan…and yes, seizing the opportunity to push their Sharingan to greater heights.
Though the Elders faction, led by Uchiha Yashiro, and the Clan Head faction, led by Uchiha Fugaku, were usually at odds, they reached a rare consensus on this matter.
Given the current situation, Konoha would sooner or later be dragged into the Great Ninja War.
To prepare for this inevitability, Fugaku and Elder Yashiro jointly agreed to establish the Uchiha Special Operations Unit.
In truth, the Uchiha clan's legacy had always been inseparable from war.
Whether during the Warring States Era or the shinobi age that followed, the name Uchiha had always been synonymous with both war and power.
Now, as the shadow of another Great Ninja War loomed ever closer, Fugaku and Yashiro formalized their agreement and moved to create this special unit.
Unlike the Uchiha Police Force, which handled internal security within the village, the Special Operations Unit would exist specifically to respond to the coming war.
Its primary mission was to protect Uchiha civilians.Second only to that was safeguarding the people of Konohagakure itself.
Every member of this unit would be an Uchiha who had already awakened the Sharingan—elite shinobi with exceptional ninjutsu and combat skills.
They would carry out missions assigned by the village during wartime…but their highest priority would always remain obedience to the clan.
At present, however, there was one unresolved issue between Fugaku and Yashiro—
The appointment of the commander and vice commander of the Special Operations Unit.
Elder Yashiro proposed that Uchiha Tabika, Inabi's father and the Seventh Elder, serve as the unit's commander.
It was a practical suggestion.
Tabika was nearly fifty years old. Though no longer at his peak, he still possessed jōnin-level strength and—more importantly—vast experience.
From Yashiro's perspective, Tabika was a solid and reliable choice.
The elders aligned with Yashiro were mostly older clan members and their descendants. Many of them believed Konoha had long owed the Uchiha a debt—and leaned toward resolving matters through force.
The moment Yashiro spoke, voices of approval erupted throughout Naka Shrine.
"I support Elder Tabika as commander! His strength and experience make him the perfect choice!"
"That's right! He fought in the Second Great Ninja War—his experience alone qualifies him!"
For a moment, the shrine was filled with loud, overlapping voices.
Watching this, Uchiha Fugaku frowned deeply.
He knew the militant faction held influence—but he hadn't expected the imbalance to be this severe.
Glancing around his own side, he realized most of his supporters were children and teenagers, with only a handful of adults.
With a silent sigh, Fugaku placed his hopes on Uchiha Ryūka… and Uchiha Ran.
Among the Uchiha, strength was king.
When it came to selecting a commander, experience mattered—but power mattered more.
Fugaku decided the final choice should be determined through combat.
Ryūka, a veteran jōnin who had spent years stationed at the borders, had unquestionable strength.
However, two problems remained.
First—female shinobi leading male Uchiha was nearly unheard of. Because of that, Ryūka usually operated alone.
Second—while Ryūka was strong, a cunning old fox like Tabika might refuse to accept her challenge outright. Losing to a younger generation—especially a woman—would be humiliating.
Which left only one ideal candidate.
Uchiha Ran.
After the past two missions, Fugaku had finally realized the truth—
The once unremarkable Uchiha Ran was a genius on par with Hatake Kakashi.
Especially in genjutsu.
If Ryūka's reports were accurate—and Fugaku believed they were—then Ran's genjutsu prowess surpassed everyone present.
Sending Ran would be completely unexpected.
If Ran won, Tabika would lose all face and naturally withdraw from contention. At that point, appointing Ryūka and Tabika as vice commanders would neatly compensate for Ran's lack of experience.
A perfect solution.
Having reached his decision, Fugaku shot Ran a meaningful glance before walking over to Yashiro to speak in low tones.
Ran caught Fugaku's look immediately.
Ah… here we go again.
Brother Fugaku really isn't cut out for this.Strength, politics, even looks—nothing stands out. Completely average.Truly hard on Sister Mikoto…
For now, Ran had no intention of forcibly unifying the Uchiha clan.
After all, Floating Life, Dreamlike Illusion could still be countered by sensory-type techniques. Until Orochimaru-sensei's research on the Mangekyō was complete, it was better to wait.
Meanwhile, the surrounding clan members watched Fugaku and Yashiro whispering, curiosity spreading rapidly.
Low murmurs filled the shrine.
"What's Elder Yashiro hesitating for? Isn't this obvious?"
"Who else but Lord Tabika could be commander? Uchiha Ryūka? I'd be the first to object!"
"Wait and see. Looks like Clan Head Fugaku wants to fight for some authority."
"Enough. Everyone, quiet."
Yashiro and Fugaku spoke in unison, silencing the room.
Fugaku nodded toward Yashiro, who stepped forward to address the clan.
After discussion between the two highest authorities of the Uchiha, they had reached a unanimous conclusion—
Strength would be the primary criterion for selecting the commander.
As such, Uchiha Tabika and Uchiha Ran would duel for the position.
"Tabika. Ran," Yashiro said evenly. "Do either of you have objections?"
"Hah. So not Ryūka," Tabika scoffed internally. "As expected—how could she ever lead the Special Operations Unit?"
Then his gaze shifted to Ran.
"And this brat? A kid who just graduated? Fugaku really has no one left, does he?"
Hearing that he would be fighting Ran, Tabika felt utterly speechless.
Looks like the commander seat is already mine.
Still… bullying a freshly graduated kid at his age felt a bit embarrassing.
His face flushed faintly.
I'll go easy on him, Tabika decided. We're all clan members—no need to crush morale.
Ran, on the other hand, didn't overthink it at all.
To him, as long as they hadn't awakened the Mangekyō, it made no difference who stepped up.
"Not a problem."
"I will obey the orders of the clan head and elders."
The two answered calmly.
The duel—and the future of the Uchiha Special Operations Unit—was set.