Uchiha Clan Grounds, Setsuna's Residence.
Front Courtyard.
On the enormous training field, Shisui sat at the head seat, looking utterly bored.
To his left sat Uchiha Setsuna, and behind him sat Uchiha Yashiro.
Eleven Jounin were seated below the three of them.
The fifty-plus remaining Jounin stood behind their seated counterparts, clearly not qualified to sit.
As for the fewer than a hundred Genin—those had to crowd even further out on the edges.
One had to admit, Setsuna's estate was massive. Just the front courtyard alone could hold over a hundred and fifty people. Even packed together, the space was impressive.
Shisui rested his chin on his hand, gazing at the grand courtyard and the opulent estate, feeling a wave of speechless astonishment.
From Setsuna's personal income alone, there was no way he could have afforded such wealth.
Even Fugaku's residence, which Shisui had once thought extravagant, paled in comparison.
This was his first time visiting Setsuna's estate, and the sheer luxury shocked him deeply. Fugaku's house was nothing next to this—like a child's toy beside a palace.
Where did all this money come from?
The answer was obvious.
And so, when Shisui's gaze landed on Setsuna again, there was only contempt in his eyes.
"I say we seize power directly."
"I agree. Right now Kai and the clan head are unprepared. If we strike fast and kill them, we can take control outright."
"Once Kai and the clan head are dead, the rest will have no choice but to submit."
"Besides, with Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan, a surprise strike will succeed even more easily."
"No, too risky!"
"Since Shisui has the Hokage's backing, we should first pledge ourselves to the Hokage."
"I agree. With the Hokage as guarantor, Kai and Fugaku won't dare act recklessly. We can contend with them slowly."
"We should notify the Hokage and wait for him to arrive with Anbu. Then Kai and Fugaku will have to acknowledge our legitimacy."
"Exactly—better to fight later than rush in now."
"Rubbish! We should cut the knot with a swift blade!"
"No, you're the one spouting rubbish! We must rely on the Hokage first!"
"This is the perfect opportunity! Fugaku and Kai are unprepared—yes, there's risk, but if we succeed, the reward is greatest!"
"I say we act cautiously. Let's call the Hokage first."
The voices clashed back and forth, chaos filling the courtyard.
Even Yashiro and Setsuna themselves descended into bickering.
A supposedly solemn meeting had instantly degenerated into something like a street market.
Shisui was stunned into silence.
Good grief!
Listening to the endless squabbling gave him a pounding headache.
Suddenly, he understood.
Yes—before Kai's rise, every clan assembly had been like this: the two factions screaming at each other, Fugaku trapped in the middle, helpless.
But seriously—
They'd just formed a new faction. They hadn't even overthrown Fugaku and Kai yet, and they were already tearing each other apart over power?
Couldn't they at least wait until they'd defeated their enemies?
Shisui couldn't comprehend it, but he was utterly dumbfounded.
What a rabble!
Rely on this lot to succeed? Ha. Better to give up now.
Thankfully, he was only the figurehead leader. The true mastermind was Kai, pulling the strings from behind.
Still, today's fiasco made Shisui painfully aware: he could fight, but lead? Forget it. He had no talent for it.
"Shisui, you decide."
"Yes, Shisui—you're the leader."
"Whose side do we follow? You must give the word!"
Both Yashiro and Setsuna turned toward him.
Even in this newly formed faction, the moderates and militants still fought over who held the reins.
Power struggles had become second nature to them.
They'd only been quiet recently because Kai was too strong to challenge.
But now?
Shisui had awakened Mangekyo.
Perfect! They all knew his temperament—it was no different from Fugaku's: indecisive, overly cautious.
Exactly the kind of person who made a fine puppet.
A Mangekyo wielder, a top-tier Uchiha, with a soft temperament—if they succeeded, they would not only seize power but also gain a super-weapon under their control.
Their own strength might have waned with age, but when it came to scheming and politicking, they were unmatched.
The only problem—without an external enemy, they would devour each other.
Konoha's high command fought among themselves too, but at least they could tell primary contradictions from secondary ones. They knew better than to start civil strife before eliminating external threats.
Compared to them, these two elders were utterly lacking.
Shisui: "..."
His face went blank as everyone stared at him, waiting for an answer.
What was he supposed to say?
He didn't know!
Just as he hesitated, he suddenly sensed a large force approaching.
Moments later, the gates of the estate were blasted open—Uchiha elite Jounin stormed in, surrounding them on all sides.
Leading them were none other than Fugaku and Kai.
Relief flooded Shisui.
Finally, To him, they looked like long-lost relatives.
If they hadn't shown up, he was about to lose his mind listening to the endless squabbles of moderates and militants.
"Lord Kai, Clan Head…" Shisui began, but before he could finish—
"Uchiha Shisui!"
Kai cut him off sharply.
"You dare address me as Lord Kai?
You dare call him clan head?
You, a traitor who's sold yourself to Konoha's leadership—you've forfeited all right to those words.
There's nothing more to say. Today, I will kill you!"
"Susanoo, First Form—open!"
With a thunderous shout, Kai activated his Mangekyo power.
He had no choice. Shisui's face had lit up at their arrival, and if Kai didn't act decisively, the entire charade would collapse.
So he cut him off mid-sentence and went straight into battle.
After all, this was a performance—a spectacle meant for Hiruzen, the higher-ups, the clans, and the village masses.
So he unleashed the most dramatic, awe-inspiring weapon at his disposal—Susanoo!
Though it was his first activation, he could already handle the second form, and even briefly force the third.
The third drained too much power to sustain, but the first?
The first was plenty for intimidation.
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