Chapter 29

The commotion among the Uchiha clan was growing louder. After thirty years of Konoha's existence, the village had already seen three Hokage, none of whom hailed from the Uchiha clan. This fact, combined with their natural pride and their status as one of Konoha's two founding clans, left many Uchiha deeply unsatisfied.

The high-ranking members of the Uchiha, led by Uchiha Fugaku, had grown frustrated over the years. Despite their crucial role in running the village's police force, they were consistently shut out of Konoha's central political circle. This growing sense of exclusion simmered within the clan, and it was only a matter of time before that resentment erupted.

"Clap, Clap, Clap—"

The sound of applause echoed through the gathering, drawing the attention of the Uchiha clan, led by Fugaku, as well as the Hyuga clan, led by Hiashi, and the five hundred civilian ninjas. All eyes turned toward Yusuke, who was casually clapping his hands, standing confidently before the group.

"Everyone, I understand that many of you are not convinced of my leadership," Yusuke said with an easy-going smile. "Although I haven't led an army into battle before, I know how dangerous it is when an army is divided. So, I think it's best to clear things up before we leave."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "If anyone here isn't convinced by me or doesn't want to follow my command, step forward now."

At Yusuke's challenge, several Uchiha members who had been murmuring among themselves stepped forward, their dissatisfaction evident in their expressions. One by one, more Uchiha joined them, totaling thirteen in all.

Uchiha Fugaku, watching from the sidelines, frowned in frustration. He wanted to stop his clansmen from acting rashly, but it was too late.

Over on the Hyuga side, a few ninjas had started to shift uneasily, but Hiashi, having noticed, quickly gestured for them to stay in place. The Hyuga clan remained still.

Yusuke surveyed the group, noting that only Uchiha had stepped forward. His expression remained calm as he continued, "Alright, no one else?"

Five seconds passed in silence, and Yusuke's voice cut through again. "Good. Now—"

Before the sentence could fully leave his mouth, Yusuke disappeared in a blur of motion.

Both Fugaku and Hiashi, elite shinobi themselves, immediately tensed up. But before anyone else could react, a series of loud crashes echoed through the front gate of Konoha. In the blink of an eye, the thirteen Uchiha who had stood up were slammed into the gate, their bodies hitting the ground with painful thuds.

The crowd was left in stunned silence for half a minute before the Uchiha clan erupted in outrage.

"What are you doing!?" one of the Uchiha members yelled, clutching his bruised side.

"Patriarch Fugaku, this guy is clearly targeting the Uchiha!"

"We're one of the founding families of Konoha! Who does he think he is!?"

Just as the crowd's anger began to swell, Yusuke's chakra flared up like a tidal wave, crashing over the entire assembly. The intense pressure of his presence was enough to silence everyone instantly.

"Shut up," Yusuke commanded, his voice icy and authoritative. His eyes flickered to Uchiha Fugaku. "Tell me, what's the first iron rule of being a ninja?"

Despite the tension in the air, Fugaku answered quickly, "Absolute obedience."

"Exactly," Yusuke said, his voice laced with disdain. "I don't care about your feelings. But since you all claim to be ninjas, remember that rule."

His gaze swept over the rest of the gathered forces, including the Hyuga and the civilian ninjas. He raised three fingers and continued, "Let me make this clear. There are three things I don't care about in this war."

"First," Yusuke raised his index finger, his tone cold, "I don't care if any of you live or die. Whether you survive this war or not makes no difference to me."

The crowd's eyes widened in shock. The boldness of his words left them speechless.

"Second," Yusuke raised his middle finger, "I don't care if Konoha wins or loses. I'm only here for one reason: to collect my reward. As soon as I take Onoki's head, this war is over for me."

Whispers and murmurs spread through the ranks, disbelief etched on many faces. Yusuke was openly admitting that Konoha's victory wasn't even on his mind.

"And third," Yusuke raised his thumb, "I don't care what any of you think of me. You can criticize me all you want behind my back, but I'm not White Fang. I'm not going to let your words bother me, and I sure as hell won't be driven to suicide because of them. Anyone who has a problem with that, well..." Yusuke's gaze narrowed, "Ask Sarutobi Shinnosuke how that turned out."

The sheer audacity of Yusuke's declaration left the ninja forces in stunned silence once more. His disregard for everything they held sacred — their lives, Konoha's success, and the approval of others — was staggering. Yet, none of them could deny the strength he had just displayed.

Yusuke smirked, the weight of his presence still pressing down on everyone. "Now that we've settled that, any more complaints?"

No one moved.