1. Uchiha Clan

In Konoha 55, on the high tower outside the Uchiha Clan, masked Anbu ninja monitored the situation within the clan through jutsu.

"Report to the Third Hokage. The Uchiha clan meeting has started; everything is normal."

"Yes!"

The figure in the dark vanished in a flash, and any ninja capable of entering Anbu had a certain level of skill.

As a respected leader in the shinobi world, Sarutobi Hiruzen listened to the Anbu's report, waved him away, and took a puff from his pipe, his gaze shifting to the Uchiha district.

"Uchiha clan gathering... Fugaku, don't let me down!"

······

"Clan leader, there are more and more complaints against our police department, and several ninja are expressing growing dissatisfaction. If this continues, we'll drift even further from the village!"

The Uchiha is a prominent family in Konoha, with strength in numbers, but this also leads to internal disagreements.

Currently, the vast Uchiha clan is divided into radical factions(against Konoha elders), peaceful factions(in support of Konoha elders), and neutral factions.

The elder who had spoken was of the dovish faction. He typically worked in the police department, managing village affairs, so he was very familiar with complaints.

The family head, Fugaku, remained silent after hearing these words, but one of the hardline elders spoke up.

"So what if we're distant from the village? After the Nine-Tails incident, how did the village leaders treat us, Uchiha? Look at those high towers outside.

Do you dare to claim they weren't built to monitor us? There is no trust whatsoever."

"If the village rejects us, why should we humble ourselves to lean on it?"

The Fourth Elder spoke sharply, implying a potential split from the village.

"Fourth Elder, what are you suggesting? Do you intend to defect from the village?"

The Fifth Elder's expression shifted, and he responded sharply.

"Konoha was originally founded by the Uchiha and Senju. Why would we rebel? If anyone should leave, let those families go! And now? The Hokage has no Uchiha representative, and the Council has no place for us. With the power of the police department, why should the Uchiha be treated this way?"

The Fourth Elder's forceful words immediately resonated with many Uchiha members, who all expressed that the Uchiha deserved a stronger voice in the village.

Amid the debate at the clan meeting, a boy whose stature seemed out of place among the other Uchiha watched the scene with a playful expression.

Though the clan meeting was an internal matter of the Uchiha, not everyone could attend. To be here required at least the strength of a special Jōnin.

Uchiha Yagami, a genius on par with Shisui within the Uchiha clan, had no trouble attending the meeting, as the Uchiha respected strength.

However, unlike Shisui's battlefield prestige, Yagami's reputation was more rooted in the improvement of his personal strength, making him less well-known outside the Uchiha than Shisui.

Seeing the Fifth Elder's anxious reaction to the Fourth Elder's words, Yagami noticed his gaze searching the crowd, a trace of disdain appearing at the corner of his mouth.

If nothing else, the Fifth Elder was likely looking for Shisui! After all, for the peaceful faction, Shisui was considered their strongest pillar.

"Enough! Every clan meeting turns into a quarrel. Is it effective? Let's hear everyone's opinions!" 

Fugaku intervened, halting the debate between the radical factions and the peaceful faction. As a neutral figure and the clan head, he had many responsibilities, and in such factional disputes, he could only strive for peace without showing favouritism.

"Opinions? What opinions?" Yagami sneered. "Shisui is being hunted outside right now, and yet you're still having a meeting here?"

As a Hokage qualification researcher in his previous life, Yagami had studied several timelines. It had been four or five years since he arrived in this ninja world, so he could roughly calculate the timing of major events.

At first, Yagami was both surprised and anxious about crossing over into the shinobi world. After all, it was far from safe.

Discovering he was in the Uchiha clan left him feeling uneasy!

The shinobi world was brutal—those without bloodlines or unique abilities were essentially fodder. One could train hard for a lifetime only to be overwhelmed by someone with awakened bloodline powers.

Though Uchiha was one of the most powerful clans in the ninja world, it was doomed to face betrayal. Before long, the clan would be annihilated under a joint operation by Konoha and Obito.

Naturally, Yagami didn't want this to happen. However, as someone of little influence, he couldn't sway Konoha's leadership or dictate his clan's future. All he could do was continue improving his skills to gain a voice within the clan.

So far, he had secured a place in the clan council.

However, living within the Uchiha clan itself, he learned much more than what he'd seen in the anime. The more Yagami understood about this prominent clan, the more disappointed he felt.

Just like now, everyone understood the tension between the village and the clan. Konoha's metaphorical blade was at their throats, yet they continued to meet like this.

The peaceful faction wanted to mend relations with Konoha, while the radical faction had resolved, though they lacked full support within the clan, and Fugaku, as clan head, was somewhat hesitant.

The ninja world's largest clan was cowering, retreating repeatedly in the face of Konoha's pressure, lacking the appearance of a first family.

To be honest, if the Uchiha clan truly united, Konoha might hesitate to act.

Even if Konoha could subdue Uchiha, the cost would be severe, and it was unlikely that other shinobi villages would sit idly by.

"What? Yagami, is what you said true?"

Fugaku turned to Yagami, and the others looked at him in astonishment. Many glanced around, but there was no sign of Shisui.

Although Shisui, being relatively close to the village, was sometimes seen as separate, he was still Uchiha. The Uchiha could be critical of him, but they wouldn't tolerate him being hunted by outsiders.

"Is it really worth debating the truth right now? Let's get going first. Who wants to join me?"

Yagami rose, showing little affection for an outsider, but with his own strength not yet surpassing others, he was bound to Uchiha. Besides, with the village actively pursuing Shisui, he knew they couldn't afford to sit back.

As he spoke, many people stood up. Yagami held some influence, and Shisui had considerable support among the peaceful factions.

The Fifth Elder watched Yagami's actions and said nothing. Though a dove, he wasn't one to stay passive under threat. As for the Fourth Elder, he was silent.

"Fourth Elder! Mobilize the clan's ninja immediately and prepare for battle!"

Fugaku's face darkened, and after a long silence, he gave the order. The Fifth Elder opened his mouth as if to speak but ultimately said nothing.