Ryuusuke's palm came crashing down toward Rukawa's head.
"You little punk! Get on your knees and apologize!"
Smack!
Rukawa calmly raised his hand and effortlessly caught the blow mid-air.
Then, in one smooth motion, he twisted Ryuusuke's wrist backward.
Crack!
Ryuusuke's entire hand snapped backward unnaturally.
"ARGH! You bastard! I'll kill you!"
In agony, Ryuusuke finally lost it and instantly activated his... double tomoe Sharingan.
Rukawa gave a dismissive sneer.
"Tch. Two tomoe? I thought you were tough. You're nothing but trash."
Crack!Crack!
With two lightning-quick kicks, Rukawa shattered both of Ryuusuke's knees.
"You want me to kneel? You think you're worthy?!"
Rukawa's eyes were icy cold, exuding the overwhelming arrogance of a monarch looking down on ants.
"AAAARRGHHH!!"
Ryuusuke could do nothing but scream in agony.
"So noisy."
Rukawa frowned, then reached forward and clamped his fingers onto Ryuusuke's jaw.
Crunch.
Ryuusuke's jaw shattered.
Now he couldn't scream anymore—only soft, broken gurgles came from his throat.
"Much better."
Rukawa nodded in satisfaction and casually tossed the man aside like trash.
Thud.
Uchiha Shūhei collapsed in fright.
"H-he killed him! You actually killed a fellow Uchiha here in the clan grounds!"
He was trembling, horrified.
Someone as strong as Ryuusuke, a tokubetsu jōnin, had been handled like a helpless chick.
He had never imagined the outcome would be like this.
"Kill?" Rukawa frowned. "Don't exaggerate. I didn't kill him. Just gave him a small lesson."
Shūhei glanced at the barely-alive lump that used to be Ryuusuke—this was way worse than death.
Then looked back at Rukawa's emotionless face and nodded frantically.
"Y-yes! You're absolutely right!"
"So, can I go in now?"
Rukawa smiled.
"P-please! Go right ahead!"
Shūhei stepped aside, terrified. He wanted no part of this monster.
Let the clan leaders inside deal with him.
Rukawa walked toward the Uchiha Clan Council Hall.
Inside, the elders and elite jōnin were seated in a circle.
To outsiders, it might've looked like they were playing a weird game of duck-duck-goose.
But every person here was a key figure in the clan.
Only elite jōnin and elders had the right to speak. Regular jōnin sat on the outer edge to listen.
Today's meeting was crucial—about the future of the Uchiha.
Bang!
Radical representative Uchiha Sōjin slammed the floor and shouted angrily at Fugaku:
"Fugaku! You're too damn soft!"
"That old dog Sarutobi is stomping on our faces, and you're still playing nice!"
"I supported you for clan head, and that was the worst decision of my life! I must've been blind!"
"I thought you'd lead us to strength—but instead, the clan's in decline!"
"At this rate, under your leadership, we're headed for annihilation! You're not fit to lead!"
He paused deliberately to let the weight of his words settle.
Then, raising his voice dramatically:
"That's why I propose a change in leadership—someone more capable should take your place."
"Only then can our clan rise to true greatness! Only then can we reclaim our rightful place in the ninja world!"
"Enough! Shut your mouth!"
Fugaku's patience snapped.
Even a clay doll has a temper—let alone the clan head of the Uchiha.
"You don't understand a damn thing! I've poured everything into this clan!"
"During the Third Great Ninja War, I fought on the frontlines to earn us respect!"
"My cautious policies have given the Uchiha peace and stability!"
"Ha! Peace and stability? What a joke!"
Sōjin laughed in his face.
"Constant suppression by the higher-ups, being blamed for the Nine-Tails attack, being forced to relocate…"
"This is your idea of peace?!"
Snap!
Sōjin's Sharingan activated, revealing three tomoe.
He glared at Fugaku with unfiltered killing intent.
"Tell me, what have your so-called policies actually accomplished?!"
"Besides losing our power, what have we gained?!"
Snap!
Fugaku's own Sharingan activated in response—three tomoe, more intense than Sōjin's.
"Watch your tone, Sōjin! I'm the clan head. You have no right to question me!"
"Heh."
Sōjin sneered, clearly unimpressed.
"Is that the best you've got? Just empty bluster?"
"Proves you really aren't fit to lead."
"I propose that I—Uchiha Sōjin—replace Fugaku as the new clan head."
"I vow to never again bow to Konoha's elite."
"And I'll reclaim all the power we've lost! At the very least, I'll make Sarutobi give us a seat on the village council!"
"Now then—who supports, and who opposes?"
Immediately, more than half the clan members raised their hands.
"I second it!"
"I support the motion!"
"Sōjin should be our new leader!"