The thunderous cheers filled the assembly hall, with the clan members in a frenzy, their eyes all fixated on Fuma.
Fuma nodded slightly—this was the effect he had been aiming for.
He waved towards Minato, making a gesture to form a barrier.
Minato understood immediately, and with Kushina by his side, they moved to opposite ends of the hall and began weaving hand signs.
"Sealing Technique: Two Forms Barrier!"
A light blue barrier slowly rose, enveloping the entire arena.
The Two Forms Barrier was a simpler version of the Four Violet Flames Formation. Its strength wasn't particularly high, but it excelled in blocking prying eyes and muting sound.
Fuma wanted his next speech to remain private.
After making a few quick hand signs, a tall pillar of earth rose from the ground, forming a makeshift podium.
His gaze slowly swept over the gathered Uchiha clan members. He raised his hand, signaling for silence.
"First, we must thank the old clan leader, Setsuna, for his efforts in securing our interests even in the face of difficult circumstances."
Fuma led the applause, and the crowd followed with a round of respectful clapping. This gesture allowed Setsuna, a fairly respectable elder, to retire with dignity.
"From the policies I've implemented, I'm sure all of you can see that I intend to bring about some changes to the current state of the Uchiha clan. But before we can make any changes, we must understand what our goals are."
The crowd fell into contemplation, and Fuma sighed inwardly. This was a clear sign of the fragmented state of the Uchiha.
Some desired higher positions within the Hidden Leaf Village, others sought to seize the Hokage's title through force, and there were those who were simply fueled by pent-up resentment with no clear objective in mind.
Fuma's speech today would set the tone for the future development of the Uchiha.
"We, the Uchiha, are one of the founding clans of Konoha. Yet today, there is no Uchiha among the upper ranks of the village. This is the root of much of the dissatisfaction within our clan."
"And what has the village leadership been telling us to appease our frustrations? That the Police Force was created to substitute for advisory positions."
"Today, I will explain the real reason why Tobirama Senju created the Police Force. Why did the one who sought to suppress the Uchiha put such an important department under our control?"
"The first reason was to keep us away from the battlefield, to prevent us from gaining power and posing a threat to the Hokage's regime."
"The second reason was to isolate us from the majority of the village's ninja, and in turn, severely damage our reputation among the villagers, creating public opinion that would hinder our development in Konoha."
Seeing the puzzled expressions on the faces of the Uchiha, Fuma realized many still didn't grasp the second point.
After all, from the Uchiha perspective, they had merely been dutifully carrying out their responsibilities. Why would they be hated by both the villagers and fellow ninja?
Fuma sighed again. Tobirama's strategy wasn't exactly genius, but in the world of ninjas, it stood out among those who went to war as young as five years old.
"Perhaps you believe that you're just doing your job. But have you ever considered that no one has a good impression of those who punish them?"
"Especially with our Uchiha pride. When dealing with those who break the rules, we certainly don't show any kindness."
"The stricter you are in enforcing the law, the more ninjas and civilians you punish. Konoha's security may improve, but do you think those who've been punished by us will ever praise the Uchiha?"
Fuma's analysis of the Police Force deeply stirred the hearts of the Uchiha members.
Any Uchiha who had served in the Police Force for an extended period of time would find themselves struggling with confusion.
Why?
Why, after working so hard to fulfill their duties, were they met with scorn from the villagers and resentment from other ninjas?
Why?
Why, as Uchiha meant to spill blood on the battlefield, were they confined within Konoha, dealing with petty crimes day after day?
Seeing the growing anger among the Uchiha, Fuma shifted his tone and continued calmly:
"However, while the Second Hokage didn't give us a chance to rise in power, he did create a relatively peaceful environment for us. Our clan has thrived and grown in numbers because of it."
Fuma gave a nod to Tobirama, acknowledging that while the Uchiha's anger was justified, they couldn't let it consume them.
"Clan leader, what should we do now?!"
The Uchiha were at a loss. At that moment, they eagerly awaited Fuma's solution.
Fuma waved his hand to quiet them and spoke in a deep voice:
"What are we striving for? This is the most important question we must answer. We seek greater power, we seek the happiness of our families, and we seek fair treatment."
"Up to now, although the Uchiha haven't enjoyed the honor we deserve as Konoha's founders, we haven't been utterly humiliated either."
"But let me tell you this: the real crisis for the Uchiha hasn't even arrived yet."
"The current structure of Konoha is entirely based on the Second Hokage's vision. The Third Hokage is simply a rigid executor of that same vision."
"Tobirama's aim was to eliminate the ninja clans and integrate them through marriages within the village. But the reality is that most of the Third Hokage's supporters are also from ninja clans."
"To maintain his legitimacy as the successor of Tobirama's will, he has no choice but to target our Uchiha clan."
"Behind the Third Hokage stand the Hyuga Clan, the Shimura Clan, the Sarutobi Clan, the Nara Clan, the Akimichi Clan, the Yamanaka Clan, the Kurama Clan, and a large number of civilian ninjas who've benefited from the ninja academy established by the Second Hokage."
"If we were to take power by force, assassination might have a high chance of success, but how would we maintain Uchiha's rule afterwards? These clans have formed a tight-knit web of interests over the last forty years."
Fuma didn't shy away from discussing a coup with his clan, but he pointed out that the key question wasn't just about seizing power—it was about maintaining a healthy Konoha afterward.
"If we were to clash with Konoha, and in the event of mutual destruction, what would happen if the other villages took the opportunity to invade?"
"As the victors of the internal conflict, would the Uchiha be the ones expected to defend the village? These are all factors we must consider."
The crowd, including Setsuna, fell into deep silence. Rather than saying the Uchiha wanted a coup, it would be more accurate to say that after decades of suppression, they simply wanted to vent their frustration.
Tobirama's policies weren't entirely flawed either.
He opened a path for civilian ninjas to rise, breaking the monopoly on ninja techniques and expanding Konoha's forces.
But he ignored one fatal issue, especially as the brother of the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju.
A ninja's power stemmed from the bloodline of the Ōtsutsuki, dependent on the strength of their chakra and Kekkei Genkai.
Once ninja clans began to intermarry, there was a high chance that future generations would lose the potency of their bloodlines, just as Indra's descendants fell to become the current Uchiha.
Under Tobirama's policies, Konoha might produce hundreds of jōnin in the future, but it would be nearly impossible to birth another ninja capable of single-handedly changing the course of a battlefield.
That's the nature of the shinobi world—everything depends on bloodlines. It's the law of the Ōtsutsuki.
In the future, when Konoha faces the Ōtsutsuki, they will be nothing more than ants.
You couldn't blame Tobirama entirely. He only knew so much about the shinobi world.
Moreover, with the Uchiha's unstable mental state, entrusting them with leadership might very well lead Konoha into a vortex of destruction.
But as the saying goes, "Right is right, regardless of relation," and Fuma, as an Uchiha himself, had to find the best path for his clan.
Seeing his clan members lost in thought, Fuma redirected their attention back to him.
"To solve this problem, we must wait for external factors to change."
"The ninja world will not remain peaceful. In the coming years, conflict between the villages will surely erupt once again. Military achievements are something that no one can deny."
"What the Uchiha must do is remain united, steadfastly holding to our own path. We cannot allow any external forces to disrupt our internal stability!"
"From today onwards, the Police Force will be drastically reduced in size and will focus solely on defending against spies from other villages."
"Matters concerning the civilians will be left for them to handle themselves; the Police Force will no longer be responsible for such things."
"The Uchiha freed from the Police Force will resume regular missions. With me here, the Third Hokage will no longer use the Police Force as an excuse to interfere with us."
"I will also establish a special unit, with three-tomoe Sharingan as the minimum requirement. I will personally select clan members whom I deem worthy to support the Uchiha's special operations."
Fuma's words gave his clansmen something to grasp onto.
"As for the position of Hokage, trust me, when the time is right, we, the Uchiha, will claim it!"
"Everyone, let us work together toward this goal!"
"Whoosh!!"
A surge of fiery bloodlust burst into the sky, forming a giant Uchiha clan emblem that gleamed behind Fuma.
Fuma raised his right hand, and the clan members responded in kind, raising theirs.
"For a greater Uchiha!"
Fuma roared.
"For a greater Uchiha!!"
All the clan members shouted in unison.
Just as Fuma was about to conclude the clan meeting with a perfect finish, Uchiha Shin staggered towards him, seemingly wanting to object to something.
However, before he could even get close, a heavy fist landed squarely on his face.
"Uchiha Shin, incompetence is one thing, but stupidity is deadly!"
Setsuna wiped his sleeve and said coldly.
Several middle-aged Uchiha, all with three-tomoe Sharingan, surrounded him, their eyes gleaming red as they glared intensely.
Uchiha Shin clutched his face and shouted:
"I just want to say, from this day forward, in the Uchiha clan, I only recognize Fuma as the clan leader!"
The crowd erupted into laughter, and Fuma, now standing beside Uchiha Shin, gently shook his hand.
Fuma's ascension as the clan leader signaled a new beginning for the Uchiha.
From this day on, the Uchiha clan would have its own principles and path, no longer wandering aimlessly in Konoha, bottling up their resentment.
The future of the Uchiha was bright!
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