Chapter 33

________________________________________

Konoha Village,

Uchiha's New Settlement,

Uchiha Setsuna paced anxiously between the Ninja R&D Center and the training grounds.

"Don't waste the hard work of the patriarch! Today is the day our Uchiha clan rises!" he shouted.

"Think of your parents, your children, the bitterness of being pushed into this remote corner!"

"Feiri is too harsh on us! The patriarch said it himself: 'If the Uchiha clan can overpower a village, who would dare say we don't care about the overall situation?' Strength is everything! Anything else is nonsense!"

In the training ground, the new shinobi were filled with excitement. When Uchiha Setsuna first brought them here, they had been in awe. This training ground, which allowed for tenfold accelerated cultivation, was beyond their wildest dreams.

What amazed them even more was that their abilities seemed to unlock effortlessly in this space. Ninjutsu they had struggled to master came naturally, and kunai that had always missed the mark now hit the bullseye with ease.

The physical memory of these skills stayed with them even after leaving the training ground, making their progress feel permanent. With this facility, they could train to the same level of skill as Uchiha Shisui or Itachi. Though they might not match Shisui in actual combat, their growing strength was undeniable.

Watching from a distance, Uchiha Fugaku had a complex expression. Even after all this time, he couldn't believe such a terrifying Mangekyō Sharingan existed.

"The Mangekyō reflects the heart," Fugaku muttered to himself. "Is your dream to make the clan strong?"

Fugaku found himself at a crossroads. Though he had often been criticized for his indecisiveness, the role of Uchiha patriarch forced him to constantly navigate between the desires of his clan and the overall well-being of Konoha. Torn between fighting for the Uchiha's interests and Sarutobi's rhetoric about the greater good, he had taken a passive approach, neither endorsing nor suppressing the rebellion within his clan.

Ultimately, Fugaku chose suicide, saving his two sons while abandoning the rest of his clan to their fate. Though he never directly betrayed the Uchiha clan by conspiring with Sarutobi, his failure to act made him complicit in its destruction. As the clan's strongest fighter, Fugaku knew about Konoha's plans, but still chose to do nothing, allowing his sons and Obito to annihilate the clan.

Toki's feelings toward Fugaku were always ambiguous. Now, as Toki prepared to head to the frontlines, he needed someone strong to safeguard the Uchiha clan in his absence. But high-level combatants were in short supply among the Uchiha.

Between Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Fugaku, Toki ultimately chose Fugaku. Although both had their flaws, Shisui's decision to reveal his Mangekyō Sharingan to Sarutobi showed a dangerous naivety. He had foolishly exposed his abilities, which allowed Danzo to easily steal one of his eyes and leave him vulnerable to assassination.

Shisui's loyalty to Sarutobi could have disastrous consequences for the Uchiha. Fugaku, on the other hand, had been through it all as the patriarch and would likely resist being swayed by Konoha's Will of Fire rhetoric. His kage-level strength made him a strong candidate to protect the clan, at least in Toki's absence.

"Lord Setsuna!"

At that moment, a member of the front-line cavalry squad arrived in front of Uchiha Setsuna, the squad responsible for long-distance travel and relaying supplies and information.

"the patriarch has ordered you to contact Chief Shikaku as soon as possible, following the original plan!"

________________________________________