Chapter 113: My Intestines Are Full of Regret
Gen Uchiha didn't take Asuma Sarutobi's rude departure to heart. From Asuma's perspective, having just been thoroughly defeated and humiliated by a fellow shinobi younger than himself, it was understandable that he wouldn't be in the mood to complete a reconciliation seal.
"You two go ahead and shop. I have to leave first."
"Remember to come tonight."
The two women Yuhi Kurenai and Uzuki Yugao quickly agreed. Then with a soft poof, Gen Uchiha's figure dispersed into white smoke just a shadow clone.
After leaving the training ground, Gen returned to the Uchiha district, planning to head home for a nap before the night shift began. His night patrol duty, after all, was more like a glorified security role. Unless there was an incident, he simply had to make rounds now and then. The rest of the time, he could rest, study jutsu, or snack a comfortable gig compared to active combat duty.
But on the way home, Gen overheard a few clan members whispering about something strange: talk of the Uchiha clan relocating.
That set off alarm bells in Gen's head.
Considering what had happened during the Nine-Tails' attack, and how the Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze had defended the Uchiha clan from suspicion, what gave the Konoha elders the gall to now force the clan to move? Especially with no proof of wrongdoing?
Even without coercion, why would Uchiha Fugaku, a cautious but proud man, agree to uproot the entire clan?
This was no battlefield negotiation like back in Kirigakure. This was peacetime politics. If Fugaku caved to the pressure, it meant either severe intimidation—or enticement with rewards.
Without delay, Gen picked up his pace and sprinted toward the Clan Head's residence. But Mikoto, Fugaku's wife, informed him Fugaku was at the Konoha Police Headquarters.
Of course. As head of the Police Force, Fugaku often worked late.
Gen rushed across the district to the Police Department and knocked briskly at the office door of the Police Chief.
"Come in," came Fugaku's calm baritone voice.
Gen entered with a serious expression.
"Ah, Gen. Come in. Sit."
Fugaku looked up from a stack of papers, his demeanor dignified but relaxed, wearing his standard Jonin flak jacket. There was even a faint smile.rare for him.
Gen sat down without thanking him. His voice was sharp.
"Clan Head, I just got back to the compound and heard people discussing the clan's relocation. Is that true?"
Fugaku nodded calmly. "Yes. It was proposed at this morning's reconstruction council. I agreed. I had messengers spread the word this afternoon to let the clan prepare."
Gen's brow twitched. "Where is the relocation site?"
"Adjacent to the Police Department and the Police Detention Center."
Fugaku arched an eyebrow. "Why? Do you see a problem?"
Gen was almost amused by how serene Fugaku looked. You sure you're not a spy sent by Danzo himself? He almost said it out loud.
No, that wasn't it. Fugaku didn't look forced. There was no tension or frustration. Which could only mean… he accepted the proposal willingly.
So it wasn't coercion. It was a honey trap. Classic Danzo.
There's no way Fugaku would voluntarily isolate the Uchiha on the outskirts of the village next to a prison.unless some reward had clouded his judgment.
"There's definitely a problem," Gen said firmly. "What conditions did the Konoha Council offer in exchange?"
Fugaku wasn't offended. He leaned back and explained the full list of incentives from the administrative side larger plots of land, upgraded housing, extended clan authority over security matters, construction subsidies, and additional resources for the Police Force.
Gen's eyes narrowed. As he suspected, it was a sugar-coated dagger.
Given the Uchiha's recent falling-out with Danzo, it was no surprise. Of the village elders, only Danzo had consistently shown overt hostility toward the Uchiha. Even Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, though cautious, were not typically vindictive without cause.
"This is manipulation, Clan Head," Gen said coldly. "The elders are baiting you with short-term gains to ensure our long-term decline."
Fugaku frowned. "Those are real benefits, Gen."
"Yes, but they come at a hidden cost," Gen shot back. "Consider the economics: land in Konoha's center is exponentially more valuable than land at its fringes. Even if the new houses are bigger, their actual worth both now and in the future—is lower."
"That's just monetary."
"No. That's just the surface. The real danger lies in the clan's isolation."
"Articles 1, 4, and 5 of the proposal they enable us to become a self-sufficient enclave. Food, water, schools, even a medical wing. Everything internal."
"Self-sufficiency sounds good on paper," Gen continued, "but it reduces daily interaction with the rest of the village. No more running into Inuzuka kids or Hyuuga elders. No more small talk with civilian merchants. We slowly become strangers to them."
"As the saying goes, stagnant water rots. Without daily contact, rumors grow. Distrust festers."
"And the Police Department already has a negative reputation," Gen added. "We're seen as enforcers, not heroes."
"Look at the real-world equivalent: even the most powerful police forces are disliked. We're not ANBU or the Hokage Guard. We're the ones arresting their sons and interrogating their cousins."
"And now you want us to be stationed next to a prison, removed from the rest of Konoha?"
"We won't just be seen as enforcers. We'll be feared as jailors."
Gen leaned in. "Without goodwill from the public, how can we expect an Uchiha to rise to Hokage? Minato is gone. Hiruzen's return is temporary. And the Advisory Council.you know who they favor."
"You really think Danzo, Koharu, and Homura will back an Uchiha for leadership?"
Fugaku looked visibly shaken. He had indeed hoped that the clan's contribution during the war, and the Nine-Tails defense, had earned some goodwill.
"Unless we stage a coup and you know what that leads to this path will end Uchiha's place in leadership."
Gen's voice grew heavier, his tone a mix of genuine frustration and political acumen.
Fugaku, are you really so short-sighted? Or have you grown complacent after Minato supported us for so long?
This isn't even clever politics. It's just basic greed manipulation and you're falling for it like a genin.
If you mess this up again, I might have to consider… removing you. I'm not your father. I won't keep cleaning your mistakes.
With Mangekyō Sharingan, I may be younger but leadership should follow strength, not age.
Fugaku was silent. But as Gen's words settled, he recalled the morning's meeting in chilling clarity.
Before the formal session, Danzo, Homura, and Koharu had approached him with rare politeness even flattery. They were all smiles, warm greetings, and reassurances.
He'd been flattered.
And once the meeting began, the trio had taken turns speaking Danzo with vision, Homura with wisdom, and Koharu with sentiment. They wrapped him in kind words, noble ideals, and half-truths.
He hadn't even noticed how they boxed him in, until now.
Damn it. They started softening me before the session even began.
This was never a gesture of goodwill, it was a setup!
Fugaku clenched his fists under the desk.
The Uchiha clan could not decline under his leadership. No matter what.
His voice came out composed, but his eyes betrayed urgency.
"Gen," he said. "You've always had a sharp mind. Do you have a plan to reverse this?"
Gen didn't hesitate.
"There are a few ideas. Not perfect yet. But as the proverb says, 'Wisdom comes from discussion.'"
"I suggest we convene the elders, Shisui, and Sister Mikoto."
"The more minds we gather, the stronger our path forward."
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