Uchiha Setsuna realized he couldn't wait any longer.
Whether or not Chizumi had dragged the clan into chaos, and regardless of whether the Uchiha had pissed off all the elites—none of that mattered anymore. A coup was inevitable.
He had to take the Hokage's seat and lead the Uchiha to greatness.
If he didn't, the entire clan would go down in flames under Fugaku's weak leadership.
But before that, he needed to take control of the clan for himself—he wasn't about to let it stay in the hands of someone spineless.
"Someone, come here."
Setsuna's voice was firm and cold. "Tell every Uchiha in Konoha—tonight, we're holding a clan assembly. Location: the main hall of Naka Shrine!"
"Elder Setsuna, what about Clan Head Fugaku?" one of the more radical Uchiha asked cautiously.
Setsuna let out a cold snort. "If we're calling everyone, that includes him. The point of this meeting is simple—Fugaku needs to step down."
"And while we're at it, we'll lay out our plan. Everyone's going to be tied to this—either they stand with me and go to war with the village leadership, or they betray the Uchiha and get purged. There's no staying neutral."
He paused, then added, "Uchiha Itachi is excluded. As far as I'm concerned, that traitor is no longer part of this clan."
The radicals around him responded immediately: "Yes, sir!"
…
Naturally, all this movement inside the Uchiha district didn't escape the notice of the higher-ups.
Koharu scowled. "Those bastards might finally be losing it. What the hell is Fugaku doing? Why is the clan so stirred up? Didn't Hiruzen tell him to keep things under control before he left?"
She looked visibly annoyed. "And Setsuna… that old guy never rests. I still don't know why Hiruzen let him out of prison in the first place."
Homura was just about to say something when a young, muffled voice cut in—clearly masked.
"Advisors, let me head into the Uchiha district and check things out."
They turned to the short Anbu standing nearby: Uchiha Itachi.
Homura remembered Hiruzen's warning and was about to say no when Koharu placed a hand on his shoulder, stepped forward, and said,
"Itachi, go. If you hear anything, report back immediately. Don't get caught."
"Thanks to Chizumi's so-called prophecy, everyone in the clan sees you as the enemy. If they spot you, you're not coming back."
Itachi nodded slightly. "Understood," and disappeared.
Homura frowned. "Are you sure about this? Itachi's a risk too."
Koharu's expression didn't change. "That's the point. Use one unpredictable element to balance another. It's better for the village."
Homura rubbed his temples. If Hiruzen were still here, he could've ended this whole discussion with a single sentence. But he wasn't, and Koharu wasn't someone he could order around.
"Let's just hope Itachi doesn't do anything reckless."
As night fell, every member of the Uchiha clan gathered inside the main hall of Naka Shrine.
Tension was thick in the air. Some looked serious, others nervous. A few looked angry, and more than a few seemed excited.
At the front of the hall, two cushions were placed: Fugaku on the left, Setsuna on the right.
The whispers began almost immediately.
"Why the sudden meeting? Is this about choosing a new clan head? Or is it about what Chizumi did?"
"Who knows…"
"Why are Fugaku and Setsuna seated on the same level? Are we really voting?"
"Tch. Fugaku's still protecting that monster of a son. If he really thinks someone like that won't destroy the clan, he has no business leading us."
"Not that Setsuna's much better. Guy looks like he could drop dead any second. We're really going to let someone that old lead the Uchiha? Honestly, I'd do a better job."
"Why hasn't the meeting started yet? Isn't everyone here?"
"Not quite. Look—there's still one cushion empty."
Setsuna glanced at Fugaku. "Still not ready to start?"
Fugaku looked back, expressionless. "You're the one who called this meeting. With all that influence, why don't you go ahead?"
Setsuna sneered. No more pretending to be polite.
He glanced at the empty cushion. His face darkened. "Still waiting on one little brat."
Fugaku responded, "Chizumi's in the Capital—he's not coming back tonight. Or are you saying just because his little sidekick isn't here, you're too scared to start the meeting?"
"Seems like Chizumi still has quite the presence. Even if he's not in the village, his shadow's enough to rattle you."
Setsuna's face turned grim.
Before he could say anything, a clear voice rang out from the shrine entrance. "Sorry I'm late."
Everyone turned. Uchiha Izumi walked in, clearly exhausted. Blood stained her clothes, but it wasn't hers. The smell of blood slowly filled the room, making more than a few clan members uneasy.
To most people, Izumi had already become a symbol of Chizumi's Absolute Justice. Seeing her always reminded them of him.
Even the background chatter died down.
Fugaku's eyes darkened slightly. This girl… she's become just like him.
He sighed inwardly. If only he hadn't let her choose Chizumi as her examiner during the police selection test… Maybe her life would've turned out differently.
Maybe she and Itachi wouldn't be on opposite sides now.
"Hmph. Young people these days have no concept of time," Setsuna muttered. "Let's begin the clan meeting."
…
"Man, this is turning into a real mess…"
Up in a tree outside the shrine, Kakashi and Guy crouched side by side, peering down at the building under the moonlight.
"They've sealed it with a sound barrier," Kakashi said. "We can't hear anything from out here."
Guy rubbed his chin. "What if we just walked in and listened?"
Kakashi flinched. "Wow. Brilliant. Let's go crash a secret Uchiha meeting. What could go wrong?"
These were Uchiha radicals they were dealing with. If they stepped inside, they might not step out again.
Then something caught Kakashi's eye. He slapped a hand over Guy's mouth.
"Look there… small frame, Anbu gear…"
Only two Anbu were left in Konoha: Kakashi and—
"…Uchiha Itachi," Kakashi muttered, frowning.
The clan saw him as a traitor. What the hell was he doing here?
"Keep an eye on him," Kakashi whispered. "Chizumi's prophecy about a massacre—that wasn't about Chizumi. It was about him. He's even more dangerous."
To Kakashi, Chizumi's justice was brutal but fair. Everyone he killed had it coming.
Itachi? He'd kill everyone—even the innocent. Even his own parents.
"…Actually, no," Kakashi corrected himself. "He's not extreme. He's just not right in the head."
…
Elsewhere, the leaders of the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans were watching from a distance too.
"Think they'll really make a move while Chizumi, the Hokage, and the Anbu are out of the village?" Choza asked, narrowing his eyes. "I really don't want to fight the Sharingan."
Shikaku said, "Chizumi killing the Daimyo might've convinced the radicals they're out of time."
"They've lost all their noble backing. If they're going to act, it has to be now."
Inoichi crossed his arms. "If they try anything, the Yamanaka will step in."
Shikaku raised an eyebrow.
Inoichi explained calmly, "A coup like this would kill too many innocent people. Chizumi wouldn't allow it either."
"…That makes sense," Shikaku replied. "We're on the side of Absolute Justice now. It's only right that we act accordingly."
He clapped Inoichi on the shoulder. "Count the Nara in."
Choza nodded. "So are we."
"But," Shikaku added, "I don't think the radicals are the biggest problem here. A coup needs public support—and they're not trying to hurt civilians."
"The real problem… is Itachi. He's unstable. With Chizumi gone, the Hokage out, and Fugaku distracted, no one's keeping tabs on him."
…
Inside the shrine, Setsuna stood and addressed the crowd.
"Everyone, you've seen what's happening in the Land of Fire. The entire nation is on edge because of one person's actions. That's why I believe it's time the Uchiha elected a new leader—someone who can bring us back to greatness."
"We can't keep clinging to outdated ideas that only get us pushed further and further to the outskirts of this village. If we keep following the same path, our future is doomed."
He didn't name names, but everyone knew he was aiming at Fugaku.
And honestly? A lot of people agreed with him.
It was a fact: the Uchiha clan had been slowly squeezed out of power, their territory pushed to the edge of Konoha, and their only remaining role now was running the police force. Fugaku's endless compromise had already left many deeply dissatisfied.
Setsuna simply gave voice to what everyone had been thinking.
His tone dropped as he spoke solemnly, voice rasping with age: "That's why I propose we hold the vote tonight. I, Uchiha Setsuna, ask you to choose me as the next clan head."
"I promise you—once I'm in charge, every ninja clan in Konoha will bow to us. The village leadership will no longer be allowed to suppress the Uchiha. No… they won't even be them anymore. Konoha's leaders will be us. Konoha won't be their village—it'll be the Uchiha's village."
"And of course," he added mockingly, "if anyone's happy continuing to be a lapdog to the village, you're welcome to keep kissing Fugaku's boots."
In the audience, Sasuke, seated beside Mikoto, stared wide-eyed. He was about to get up in outrage when Mikoto gently stopped him.
"Sasuke… this isn't your place."
She shook her head and looked over at Fugaku, who hadn't said a word, though she could see the restrained fury in his blank expression.
But more worrying than his silence was the response of the crowd.
Even the usually moderate Uchiha were staying quiet.
Mikoto sighed deeply.
Then—cutting through the tense silence—a voice spoke up.
"So what, we're supposed to pick between the two of you?"
Mikoto blinked and turned around.
One of the Uchiha clan's elite jōnin had stood up, hands in his pockets, eyes locked onto Setsuna and Fugaku without a shred of respect.
"Yes," Setsuna replied coolly. "Fugaku is still the current clan head and eligible to run. I'm an elder with support from the younger generation—so I qualify too."
The jōnin scoffed. "Then there's really nothing to vote on. A coward or a fossil? I'd rather vote for a pig."
He turned his back on the stage and walked toward the exit.
"Let's have this vote when Chizumi's actually here."
At that, two more jōnin stood.
One said, stone-faced, "Not interested in picking between trash."
The other added with a light laugh, "A retreating Fugaku or an out-of-touch Setsuna? We'd rather follow 'Absolute Justice'. At least Chizumi earns our respect."
He looked toward the crowd, eyes settling on Izumi.
"You're probably already sick of sitting through this. Only reason you're here is out of politeness, right? You're half-blooded, and your way of thinking doesn't line up with most of us. So, let us idiots set the tone."
With that, the two followed the first jōnin out.
Everyone was stunned.
More than a few eyes turned to Izumi.
She stood up slowly, her voice calm but sharp:
"This whole election thing? It's a joke."
"Even if Chizumi were here, he wouldn't waste his time. Whoever becomes clan head—your vision is too small. You care more about power or some fake idea of 'balance' than actually helping the people who've been ignored."
"If any of you ever bothered to look down instead of up all the time, maybe this clan wouldn't be so lost."
She turned and walked out too.
Four empty seats. Just like that.
"Chizumi's justice… it really has left a mark," Mikoto thought, stunned. But then again, she wasn't really surprised.
Chizumi's idea of Absolute Justice—his boldness, his ruthlessness, and the fact that he never asked for support but still got it—resonated with the clan kids.
Even her.
If I hadn't believed in Chizumi's justice, would I have ever asked him to look after Sasuke?
On stage, Fugaku's poker face remained solid. But Setsuna's? His wrinkled face had gone dark, his expression almost twisted.
He recognized those three jōnin. They'd once been key figures among the radicals. But recently, they'd stopped listening to him.
Now he understood why.
They'd chosen to back Chizumi.
That damn brat wasn't even here, and they were still bending the knee to him!
Setsuna's hand clenched around his cane—until crack! It snapped in his grip, wood splinters digging into his palm as blood dripped down.
Then another young ninja from the police force stood up.
"Between Fugaku and Setsuna, I pick Chizumi."
"Maybe he doesn't care about leading the clan, but I respect him. I'll follow someone I genuinely believe in."
He walked out too.
Uchiha Hazuki, Izumi's mother, quietly stood and bowed to both men on stage—then left.
The splintered cane finally gave in completely.
More blood dripped from Setsuna's clenched hand.
"Sorry, Elder Setsuna…" a few young radicals got up hesitantly. "We're not really interested in a coup. The Uchiha don't have to become Hokage to earn respect."
"Chizumi has everyone's respect already, doesn't he?"
"Maybe… maybe there's another path for the clan. One worth exploring."
Crack! A false tooth in Setsuna's mouth broke from how hard he was gritting his jaw.
No one saw that coming—least of all the radicals who had still been loyal to him.
They looked around, confused, unsure what to do.
Logically, they should've stood up and argued back. But…
What the others said actually made sense.
Did either Fugaku or Setsuna really have what it takes to lead?
Fugaku was so timid it was frustrating.
And Setsuna—if he had any real ability, he wouldn't have spent the last few decades rotting in prison, tossed there by the Second Hokage.
No one stood up to defend him.
The atmosphere in the hall turned painfully awkward.
"Ehh…" One of the Uchiha elders finally stood, scratching his head. "My son just walked out. I guess I should too."
Setsuna's eyes widened—he was one of the radical elders too!
Back when Setsuna tried to force Fugaku out, this guy had been right there.
Now?
Looking out at the hall, at least a tenth of the room had emptied. And a good portion of those who remained were hesitating, clearly on the fence.
The silence was deafening.
Just then, Fugaku let out a deep sigh and stood up.
"Elder Setsuna… you didn't win. Neither did I. We both lost tonight."
"The real winner didn't even need to show up."
"I doubt anyone here will see me as the clan head anymore. That title is just an empty name now."
He turned and looked at Setsuna directly.
"There's no need to be so angry. At least you got halfway to your goal. And I… I didn't even have a response. I couldn't stop you."
Setsuna was silent.
But inside, he was screaming.
Halfway?! I was supposed to be the clan head! I was supposed to be Hokage!
His face darkened like soot, trembling with rage.
…
"…What the hell?"
Not far from the shrine, Itachi stood hidden in the trees, watching clan members file out.
The first wave were police jōnin. Next came Izumi. Then more and more Uchiha—shinobi and civilians alike.
It wasn't what he expected at all.
The killing intent that had been boiling inside him… faltered.
Even his brows furrowed in disbelief.
Then he saw them: his father, mother, and Sasuke all walking out.
And maybe it was just his imagination—but Itachi could've sworn Fugaku glanced in his direction.
"…Already over?" Itachi muttered.
He didn't get it.
…
"Hey Kakashi—look! They're all leaving!"
Guy slapped Kakashi's back so hard he almost fell out of the tree.
"Gah—I'm not blind!"
Kakashi groaned, steadying himself.
He looked down at Fugaku.
"Yeah… judging by his face, the rumors were right. He's finished. Trouble is, his rival is an old radical—and those guys don't play nice."
Just then, Setsuna and his group stepped out of the shrine.
Kakashi blinked. Wow. If Fugaku looked miserable, Setsuna looked like someone who stepped in crap, fell face first into it, and somehow got more crap on his face than his shoes.
"…He didn't win either?"
Kakashi frowned.
"So who did?"
…
Ten minutes later.
When Itachi returned to the Hokage building, the first thing Homura did was glance at his clothes—checking his boots, sleeves, anything that might have blood on it.
Fortunately, there was nothing.
Itachi didn't wait for them to speak. He lowered his head slightly and reported in a calm, expressionless voice:
"There was an unexpected development. I followed a civilian clan member in secret and used genjutsu to find out what happened."
He laid out everything he had learned—every detail.
Homura finally let out a breath of relief.
Koharu, on the other hand, looked like thunder.
"Him again?!"
She was starting to feel like no matter where she turned in the village, there was always that kid—Uchiha Chizumi—lurking just out of sight.
Even when he wasn't in the village, all the major events still seemed to orbit around him.
And every single one of them was a big deal.
Homura, however, said something different:
"Koharu… this might actually be a good thing."
"It shows that the Uchiha aren't just divided into two factions anymore—now there are three. The more divided they are internally, the less likely they are to cause trouble."
"Fugaku's side and Chizumi's side actually balance out the radicals. The radicals now realize not everyone supports their plan for a coup."
Whether he was saying it to her or to Itachi, no one could be sure.
Koharu's eyes narrowed. "The problem is… the ones who support Chizumi aren't like Fugaku. They don't lean toward Konoha, and they sure as hell don't support us."
"In fact…"
Her tone dropped, icy and grim.
"They're even more dangerous than the radicals. At least the radicals think of themselves as part of Konoha. They just want more power for the Uchiha."
"But Chizumi? That kid doesn't even acknowledge the existence of Konoha or the village system. And those who follow him? They'll end up doing exactly what he does."
"You know what it means to suddenly have a whole faction of Uchiha in the village… who don't even recognize the village?"
"They'll be a cancer in Konoha. Worse than Orochimaru ever was."
Even Homura fell silent after hearing that.
Itachi kept his head down. But something flickered in his eyes.
…
The next day.
Land of Fire Capital.
Hiruzen stared blankly at the report in his hands.
"…Chizumi's gone?"
An Anbu ninja reported seriously:
"We lost track of Uchiha Chizumi late last night. He's vanished. There've been no signs of him in the capital today. Mitarashi Anko and that ninja cat also disappeared."
He paused, then added, "Our guess is that Chizumi already killed everyone he saw as a criminal. With nothing left to do, he saw no point in staying."
"Either that… or he's already on the road back to Konoha. Given his speed, he might be halfway there by now."
Hiruzen was dazed for a moment.
Killed everyone…
Right. That tracks.
Over the past few days, the capital had turned into a river of blood.
And when Hiruzen tried to step in, the Daimyo's son had practically begged him not to.
In the end, he'd done nothing except attend a half-hearted funeral. He'd come all this way… for nothing.
Just then, the Daimyo's son—surrounded by nervous retainers—rushed up to him.
"Hokage-sama." He wiped sweat from his forehead, voice low and anxious. "Chizumi came to see me last night. He said… he wanted me to be the new Daimyo of the Land of Fire."
"He also warned me. If I ever do evil—or tolerate evil—he'll come back and kill me."
"…And then he left."
"I… I was wondering… does that mean he's leaving the capital? I mean, he wouldn't say that if he planned to stay, right?"
Hiruzen didn't answer immediately.
One ninja.
Just a few sentences.
And with no one objecting, he handpicked the next Daimyo of an entire nation.
Now that very man was standing here, still visibly nervous, like he was afraid one wrong word might get him killed.
Is that even still a ninja…?
Chizumi was something else entirely.
"…Yeah," Hiruzen said eventually. "He's probably left."
"Then… Hokage-sama." The Daimyo's son swallowed hard. "Am I… really going to become the next Daimyo?"
That question made Hiruzen feel like all the hairs on his neck were standing up.
He responded quickly, flustered:
"Your Highness, that decision rests with the Daimyo's court. I may be Hokage, but the Fire Daimyo and I are not in a hierarchy. I really shouldn't get involved—it'll lead to rumors."
The Daimyo's son blinked. "But… Chizumi-sama…"
"He's not me!" Hiruzen practically shouted, now sweating heavily. "You mustn't confuse Chizumi's words with my own!"
He had to put distance between himself and Chizumi's actions—fast.
But it was already too late.
…
"The Fire Daimyo… killed in a plot by the Hokage? And the one who did it was a Konoha shinobi named Uchiha Chizumi?!"
In the Land of Earth capital, the Daimyo stared in horror.
"Is this real? A Konoha ninja turned on their own Daimyo?!"
His advisors nodded grimly. "That's what we're hearing from every source."
The Earth Daimyo took a deep breath.
They were enemies, sure—but hearing the news still chilled him.
It was a wake-up call. A gut-punch.
"…That Tsuchikage, Onoki… he wouldn't do something like this, right?"
No one answered.
A year ago, someone might've said, "Of course not."
But after what just happened?
No one was willing to bet on anything.
…
In Iwagakure, Tsuchikage Onoki stared out into the distance.
"…Sarutobi Hiruzen," he muttered, face dark. "I didn't think you had it in you, you damn monkey."
"You broke a rule that should never be broken. This is going to throw the entire shinobi world into chaos."
He didn't need to think twice.
The Earth Daimyo would absolutely start fearing Iwagakure now.
And not just him—every Daimyo in every nation would start second-guessing the power of their own hidden villages.
The idea that their own shinobi could overthrow them?
Terrifying.
"Hiruzen's opened Pandora's box," Onoki said, shaking his head. "I really underestimated him."
…
In Kumogakure.
"Uchiha Chizumi…"
The Fourth Raikage, A, scowled as he read the report.
"That name again. The brat with dual bloodline limits. Damn near impossible to kill. That Lava Release ability still gives me nightmares."
He studied the report carefully. His face hardened.
"I knew something was off about him from the start. And now? He's actually killed a Daimyo?"
"He's completely unhinged."
He stood up, handed the scroll to a nearby Cloud shinobi.
"Get this to Killer B. The kid who nearly melted his arm is back in the spotlight."
"And he's back in the worst way possible—this time, the entire world's going to see him as an enemy."
He could already see it happening.
Every Daimyo and noble with a shred of self-preservation instinct would want Chizumi dead.
…
Evening.
Konoha's front gate.
Seven-year-old Nara Shikamaru was lazily sweeping the stone path, his usual dead-fish eyes more lifeless than usual.
"…Man, what a drag. First time skipping class and Iruka-sensei catches us. Now we're stuck cleaning the gate…"
"When I get home, Dad's gonna laugh me to death."
Next to him, Choji was munching on chips. "Still early. Lemme finish my snack—huh? Shikamaru? What's with the face?"
He looked over—and froze.
Shikamaru looked like he'd just seen a ghost in broad daylight. Eyes wide, face pale, sweating bullets.
"Behind you…" he whispered.
Choji blinked. "Huh?"
Then he heard it too.
A quiet step.
A shadow.
And Shikamaru whispered, voice shaking:
"Uchiha… Chizumi."
~~~
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