The Second Elder spoke up. "Tomorrow, the Uchiha clan will likely demand more rights. In my view, we should support them."
Hiashi nodded in agreement. "I'll speak with Fugaku about this tomorrow."
After closing the gates to the clan compound, Fugaku dismissed the grumbling Uchiha members.
Only a few high-ranking members remained: the Third Elder, Takuya; the Fourth Elder, Yohei; Kawasaki; and Shisui, who was still on a stretcher.
Unlike the other resentful Uchiha, the Third Elder greatly admired Fugaku's actions today. He had let Kawasaki charge ahead as the vanguard while he himself orchestrated things from behind the scenes. Though his usual demeanor was somewhat low-key, one did not become an elder without being formidable.
Moments ago, they had been surrounded by Konoha's elite forces. With their own top shinobi, Shisui, gravely injured, it was clearly not the right time to launch a coup d'état. At the very least, they had to wait until Shisui had recovered.
Fugaku saw the look of deep admiration in the Third Elder Takuya's eyes. He thought with a headache, *Even if I told you this wasn't my plan, you wouldn't believe me, would you?*
Fugaku paid the elder little mind, eager to confirm something else.
"Kawasaki, have you awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan?"
Everyone was stunned. Kawasaki had awakened the Mangekyo?!
Kawasaki gave a slight nod. The three tomoe in his eyes instantly shifted, transforming into a unique pattern: blades on the outside, a flower within. The surging ocular power was so immense that even Fugaku felt a hint of pressure.
*How is this possible!*
Fugaku couldn't hide his shock. Kawasaki was exceptionally talented, only nineteen years old. He was already a master of the three-tomoe Sharingan, and while his genjutsu was a bit weak, he excelled in all other areas. Fugaku had once, in a fit of pique, assigned Kawasaki a difficult mission, promising him the position of acting elder upon its completion. He never imagined Kawasaki would actually awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Hahaha, excellent! Truly excellent!"
Fugaku was overcome with excitement. As a Mangekyo Sharingan user himself, he knew just how difficult it was to awaken. For years, he had been walking on thin ice, carefully concealing his own Mangekyo to provide the clan with an extra layer of security. He never thought someone from the new generation would awaken it as well.
Fugaku clapped Kawasaki on the shoulder excitedly. "My previous offer still stands. You are now the Deputy Clan Head... In a few years, once you're familiar with clan affairs, the position of Clan Head will be yours."
Fugaku's excitement was not without reason. The Third Great Ninja War had thrown the ninja villages of every nation into chaos. Though Konoha was blessed with fertile lands, successive conflicts with the Cloud, Stone, and Mist villages had left it severely depleted. The Uchiha had also lost many of its own. The clan desperately needed a young, Kage-level shinobi to secure its position.
Faced with oppression from the Hokage's faction, Kawasaki's style of action showed he was a man with his own convictions. The earlier strategy where Kawasaki had used him as a spearhead actually made Fugaku feel that the young man possessed both courage and cunning. One wrong move, and the Uchiha could face annihilation. But Kawasaki had used Shisui's situation to challenge Danzo, placing them firmly on the side of justice. He had not only made Danzo suffer a loss but also eroded trust in the Hokage's faction. The more Fugaku considered it, the more satisfied he was with Kawasaki.
But Fugaku didn't know that Kawasaki had acted this way only because he was certain no conflict would erupt. If Shisui had exposed the truth, the Uchiha would have been the victims. The other clans would never kick them while they were down. Besides, even if a real fight had broken out, with Fugaku, Shisui, Itachi, and himself, they would have had four pairs of Mangekyo Sharingan, enough to sweep through the internally divided clans of Konoha.
Looking at how happy Fugaku was, Kawasaki couldn't help but want to roast him. *What's the big deal about one more Mangekyo? Don't you know that your own son and Shisui both have it?*
*To save my own skin, I still have to complete the mission,* Kawasaki thought. He deactivated his Mangekyo and cleared his throat.
Then, he addressed the others. "The Uchiha clan is in a precarious position. Since the Clan Head has placed such great trust in me, I will not decline. I have some suggestions regarding the future of the Uchiha."
The others sobered, their smiles fading as they leaned in to hear what he had to say.
"First, I will explain the ability of my Mangekyo. Its name is 'Heaven's Fissure,' and it allows me to see the future."
Kawasaki's words were like cold water on hot oil, causing everyone present to stare with wide eyes. See the future?!
He had made it up on the spot. After all, when you're navigating a world like this, you can package your identity and abilities however you see fit. In reality, his Mangekyo's dōjutsu had not yet awakened.
"If we had rebelled tonight, the Uchiha clan would have been annihilated!"
The two elders' faces changed drastically. The Fourth Elder, Yohei, started to speak, but Kawasaki stopped him.
"Fourth Elder, the peace you seek is also unattainable. Because in ten years, all of Konoha will be destroyed!"
"What?!" Even the usually stoic Itachi's eyes widened in surprise.
"Deputy Clan Head, is what you're saying... true?" the Fourth Elder's voice was hoarse.
Kawasaki nodded. "Fourth Elder, Third Elder, Clan Head... do not resist. Let me show you the world of the future."
His Mangekyo spun rapidly, and a ripple of power spread out, pulling the three of them into what felt like a living painting. Various scenes flashed before them: Fugaku using his Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails, only for the coup to fail in the end; the sight of the entire Uchiha clan being massacred; and a massive shockwave that obliterated the entire Hidden Leaf Village. Kawasaki had selected a few specific scenes from the future to show them.
Of course, his Mangekyo couldn't actually see the future. He was borrowing from another's dōjutsu—Fugaku's genjutsu. These were merely his own predictions, not facts. But Kawasaki knew the plot of this world, so using these events as glimpses of the future was perfectly viable. There was no better way to win their trust. Kawasaki discovered that activating his system's abilities required no conditions or cost. He could even use it to increase his chakra or ocular power to enhance them. From this perspective, the skills granted by his system were finally proving useful.
He deactivated his Mangekyo. Though he hadn't shown them much, the impact on the three men was profound.
*The Clan Head has the Mangekyo Sharingan, too?* The two elders looked toward Fugaku, who gave a slight nod to confirm their suspicions.
He had deliberately left Shisui and Itachi out because some of Itachi's future actions were not suitable for others to know. After all, the Itachi of this moment had not yet conceived of destroying his own clan.
As Fugaku and the two elders recovered from the genjutsu, Kawasaki spoke. "The elders and the Clan Head all want the Uchiha to be strong, but our past methods were undeniably wrong."
The three fell silent. After seeing those images, the position of Hokage no longer seemed so important.
While the others were lost in thought, Kawasaki turned to Shisui and Itachi.
"Shisui, you're far too naive. Your methods are utterly foolish."
Shisui opened his mouth to retort but was cut off by Kawasaki.
"Itachi, how old is Sasuke this year?"
Itachi was confused but still lowered his head and replied, "Sasuke is five, Deputy Clan Head."
"Both of you, look at me!"
Itachi and Shisui looked up. As expected, Kawasaki had activated his Mangekyo once again...