Chapter 189 – The Conversation
"...We succeeded."
Fugaku repeated the words silently in his mind, savoring them again and again. The weight of their meaning stirred feelings that only he could truly understand.
As head of the Uchiha clan, no one knew better than he what a monumental victory this was.
A Hokage chosen outside the framework of the Second Hokage's rigid system, yet still a figure embedded within Hiruzen Sarutobi's inner circle of power—such a man was exceedingly rare. And yet, Namikaze Minato was precisely that.
For the Uchiha, his rise to power was unequivocally good news. Especially since they had already established ties of cooperation with him beforehand.
It was easy to imagine the path forward: as long as both sides upheld their agreement—Uchiha support for Minato's Hokage-ship, in exchange for his help in reintegrating the clan into Konoha's fold—then the Uchiha's future would be worth anticipating.
Drawing in a deep breath, Fugaku forced himself to calm down. He had so much he wanted to say, yet when the moment came, all that left his lips was a single line:
"Congratulations. We've done it."
His fists were clenched so tightly they trembled.
"Yes… we have," Minato answered, his smile gentle as he noticed Fugaku's barely contained excitement. "But Fugaku, Kei… this is only the beginning. From here, there is much more work to be done. Not only by me—but by both of you as well."
Fugaku nodded. Of course, he knew his own burdens had only just begun.
Their plan had cleared its first hurdle—the hardest, most unpredictable one. With Kei's vision and guidance, they had achieved what once seemed impossible.
Now the remaining challenge lay within the Uchiha clan itself. That was a storm Fugaku had to quell swiftly, before it could undermine everything they had built.
Only a handful of troublesome figures remained to be dealt with—but they were stubborn, dangerous ones.
"Before you take office, I will see this matter resolved completely," Fugaku declared through gritted teeth. "I won't drag anyone down. I know what must be done."
"I understand," Minato replied, his voice steady and firm. "I'll also prepare countermeasures where I can—to support you, and to support the Uchiha."
Kei stood in silence, watching. Among the three, he was the calmest, the quietest. But his stillness was not apathy. On the contrary, his satisfaction ran deep. His plan, too, was half fulfilled.
The wings of his butterfly had stirred the air violently—seizing much of the credit that once belonged to Kakashi, and even securing for himself a heroic title that should have been the boy's.
At times Kei worried whether his interference might warp the future beyond repair, especially given that his strength was not yet sufficient to dictate what was to come.
But for now, things remained within acceptable bounds. Minato still rose as Hokage. That alone allowed Kei to breathe easier.
Most crucial of all: unlike the "original path" where Minato's ascent left him indebted solely to the Third Hokage, Kei had planted a new conviction within him—that he owed this victory, in part, to the Uchiha's support.
That seed would bear fruit. A future where the Uchiha found new footing, drawing closer to the Fourth Hokage, was within reach.
Of course, Kei knew Sarutobi Hiruzen would not easily relinquish power. That was inevitable. Which meant he would need to find ways for Minato to claim more authority—real authority—rather than being shackled, as Tsunade would one day be, by the meddling of the village elders.
So Kei remained quiet, letting Fugaku and Minato exchange words. Just as before, he chose not to participate, merely watching, thinking.
Five minutes passed before the conversation wound to a close. Minato, ever polite, bid them farewell. Though he was curious about Kei's silence, he refrained from asking. Perhaps, he thought, Kei simply preferred to let Fugaku handle matters of the clan.
"I'll take my leave here. I expect to be busy in the days ahead," Minato said, adjusting his cloak. "If you need me, you can use chakra to trigger my kunai. As long as I'm not occupied, I'll come at once."
Blue chakra flickered faintly around him—and in the next instant, Minato vanished.
Both Kei and Fugaku stared at the spot where he'd stood, falling into wordless silence. Fugaku was still savoring the triumph of what had just been decided, while Kei slowed his breathing, letting chakra surge quietly through his body.
He didn't believe things would come to blows with Fugaku, nor did he want them to—but being prepared cost nothing.
It was a long moment before Fugaku finally returned from his thoughts. He immediately sensed Kei's quiet readiness. The realization left him wary, but also faintly helpless.
When had it come to this—that within his own clan, there were so few who trusted him? Perhaps none at all.
The Uchiha had fractured into opposing camps. As clan head, he had no choice but to hold them together, never daring to reveal his true stance.
The elders schemed and clashed among themselves. Outwardly they showed him respect, but in truth, none of them placed him in their eyes.
Never once had he truly wielded the full weight of a clan leader's authority. Always, he had been led by the nose, forced to compromise, to yield again and again to the demands of each faction.
Until Uchiha Kei appeared, Fugaku had never realized just how unreliable he himself truly was.
He had always thought of himself as the Uchiha clan's guardian—but looking back now, weren't his choices pushing the clan closer to ruin instead?
The cruelest irony of all: the only person he could truly cooperate with inside the clan… was also the one he had to be most wary of.
That thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. For the first time, Fugaku felt utterly like a failed clan leader.
"…There's no need for this, Kei," Fugaku sighed heavily.
"I don't want to fight you. I won't move against you. What we need right now is dialogue, not conflict. We are partners."
"This is simply my habit, Clan Head," Kei replied evenly. He turned his gaze toward Fugaku, calm and watchful, though his Sharingan remained dormant.
"There's something I want to ask."
"Go ahead," Fugaku nodded. He had already guessed what Kei was about to bring up.
"How does the Clan Head intend to deal with those new eyes that are about to be born?" Kei's voice was steady, deliberate.
Fugaku's brows tightened. He had suspected as much—that Kei already knew about the Mangekyō experiment, about the possibility of creating the Eternal Mangekyō. And of course, it was this very matter that sharpened the wedge between them.
Their partnership was a contradiction in itself. They both understood that clearly.
Fugaku had no Mangekyō of his own. He had been left with no choice but to ally with Kei, who possessed it. And yet, the benefits of working with him had proven enormous—so great, in fact, that Fugaku could overlook the ruthlessness and blood it entailed.
In his mind, their partnership was all gain, no loss. With Minato's rise as Hokage, repairing his relationship with Kei was now more important than ever.
But the irony gnawed at him: the very "disposable pawn" they had once used had resurfaced as their greatest new source of conflict.
If Minato had failed to ascend, perhaps Fugaku would have clung more desperately to the idea of controlling the Mangekyō for himself. But now, after seeing Kei's frightening value—his foresight, his reach, his uncanny vision for the clan's survival—Fugaku desperately wanted their alliance to continue.
Because Kei was dangerous. Not just in strength, but in mind. His cunning was something Fugaku had no confidence in countering.
And yet… how had he let things get to this point? Why had he ever agreed to let Kei examine the Mangekyō in the first place?
Just as one conflict seemed close to resolution, another—sharper, more dangerous—was rising in its place. The weight of it left Fugaku with a bitter sigh.
Was the fate of the Uchiha doomed to be this twisted?
Were even the few people he could cooperate with destined to clash with him?
"…What is your stance, Kei?" Fugaku asked at last, forcing himself to meet Kei's gaze. "Why not tell me directly?"
"The Eternal Mangekyō," Kei said plainly. "Neither of us is willing to let such a thing slip away, are we? And I'll be honest—my ambition is large. I refuse to see the balance between us tilt too far in your favor."
"I don't mind your ambition," Fugaku answered, his voice steady, though his eyes darkened. "If it leads the clan to thrive, I don't mind if you gain power.
But tell me—do you truly have the ability to seize what you desire now? Or… am I, the clan head, just another piece you plan to replace in your grand design?"
"No," Kei sighed softly. "I've never wanted to be clan head. That role is yours.
All I want is to protect myself. After everything I've done—the risks I've taken—I'd be a fool to trust promises alone. I need something tangible. Our plan is already half complete, and neither of us intends to throw that away… do we?"
Fugaku fell silent. Of course Kei was right. At this stage, neither of them could afford to abandon their goals.
But it was clear now: Kei had ideas and strategies that extended further than his own. Kei's connection with Minato, too, was clearly closer, with far more opportunities to influence him directly.
And if Kei were ever to turn against him… the damage he could unleash would be far greater than Fugaku dared imagine.
The thought made Fugaku's mind harden with resolve. Slowly, he reached a decision.