At the clan council,
Jin's words left everyone stunned.
No one had expected him to deny it outright.
There was no concrete evidence, that much was true. But in matters like this, who needed proof? If it was not the Extremist faction, then who else could have done it?
The straightforward Uchiha found themselves at a loss for words.
They valued combat and bloodshed. Verbal sparring was never their strength.
Shisui finally could not hold back. His face was tight with frustration.
"Jin, you dare act but refuse to admit it?"
"If I did it, of course I would admit it," Jin replied with a shrug. "The problem is that I did not."
"You want me to confess to something I never did? Are you planning to force a confession next?"
"Or should I swear an oath?"
"If this was done by my faction, then may the Sage of Six Paths strike me down with lightning."
The council hall fell into dead silence.
No one expected Jin to be this uncompromising. Swearing an oath like that left everyone completely frozen.
Now what?
The Moderate and Conservative factions were completely dumbfounded.
They had assumed the Extremists would admit responsibility, at most refusing to hand anyone over. That was why all their arguments had revolved around how to force concessions.
Instead, Jin cut the issue off at the root by denying everything.
The discussion was stuck.
Even the Extremists themselves were stunned.
Their expressions twitched uncontrollably.
Bold, shameless, and effective.
Jin spread his hands casually.
"As you can see, the Sage of Six Paths did not strike me down. That proves I am telling the truth."
A trace of mockery curved his lips. He clearly did not take the people in front of him seriously.
After all, if he could not outmaneuver people who were so easily placated by the Hokage, then all his experience and education would have been wasted.
Losing a fight was understandable.
But losing a verbal exchange to people like this would be truly humiliating.
As for swearing an oath, Jin was not worried.
The Sage of Six Paths existed, yes, but he was far from an omnipotent god. This world had no absolute will of heaven.
"Jin, you…" Shisui tried to argue, but no words came out.
Against someone this thick-skinned, his sincerity was useless.
Fugaku finally stood up, unable to remain seated any longer. He looked at Jin with a grave expression.
"Jin, stop this."
"I know the clan has suffered many injustices. Shisui and I are doing our best."
"Give us some time, all right?"
There was a hint of pleading in his voice.
And yet, in the depths of his gaze, a flicker of killing intent appeared.
Fugaku knew better than anyone how much the clan had endured. He also knew the Uchiha could never match the village head-on. That was why he had exhausted himself trying to maintain balance.
What he could not understand was why the clan refused to accept this.
Endure a little longer. Yield a little more. Once fully integrated into the village, everything would improve.
That was his belief.
The Extremists had already been difficult to control. Jin's rise only multiplied the pressure.
A genius who refused to obey was worse than having no genius at all.
Facing Fugaku's appeal, Jin's expression remained calm.
"I am sorry, Clan Head."
"I sympathize with the losses suffered by Root and ANBU. But if you want to pin this on me, then I suggest you bring evidence first."
"If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."
With that, he turned and walked out of the Naka Shrine without sparing Fugaku another glance.
There was no need to explain.
He had no interest in courting the other factions either. Prejudice was a mountain buried deep in people's hearts. Without a complete purge and heavy bloodshed, nothing would change.
If the Uchiha were to be reborn, it would require fire and blood.
But not yet.
He knew the opportunity was approaching.
As Jin left, the Extremists rose and followed him without hesitation.
It was obvious that Fugaku had already lost all authority in their eyes.
"Jin, you…" Shisui tried to stop them, but Fugaku raised a hand.
"Enough, Shisui."
"Let them go. Forcing them to stay is meaningless."
"Tell me about the battlefield. Did the village really find nothing at all?"
Fugaku was deeply puzzled.
If there had been evidence, the matter would have been much easier to handle.
Shisui hesitated. ANBU rules forbade casual disclosure. But given the complexity of the case, he shook his head helplessly.
"The scene was completely destroyed. The bodies were burned to ash. There are no clues."
"But I am certain of one thing. This was done by the Extremists. Jin is the mastermind."
Fugaku's expression turned bitter.
Everyone knew who was responsible.
Before Jin's rise, the Extremists were aggressive in words but never dared to strike the village directly.
At worst, they complained.
After Jin emerged, everything spiraled out of control.
Whenever an Uchiha disappeared, Root or ANBU casualties followed soon after.
The pattern was obvious.
But without evidence, there was nothing he could do.
After a long silence, Fugaku finally spoke.
"There is nothing more I can help with. Shisui, report everything honestly to the Hokage."
Shisui sighed and nodded.
"That is all we can do."
With a flash, he vanished.
Fugaku dissolved the council and returned home.
That was the end of it.
No one mentioned justice for the missing Uchiha.
This was precisely why Fugaku's credibility as clan head had eroded so badly.
Mikoto brought him a cup of tea and asked softly, "Is it resolved? Did the Extremists back down?"
"No. It is more complicated now," Fugaku replied, shaking his head. "Jin has taken control."
"The Extremists will be even harder to deal with. They now have a Mangekyo among them."
Mikoto looked thoughtful.
"Then how will we answer to the village?"
Fugaku paused briefly.
"There is nothing to answer."
"We stay out of it."
"Let the Hokage and Jin clash. It will show us the village's true attitude toward the Uchiha."
"If things go poorly, Jin can be sacrificed. If the village retreats, even better. Either way, it does not harm us."
Mikoto finally understood.
To Fugaku, Jin was nothing more than a piece on the board, used to test the village.
She wanted to persuade him otherwise, but in the end, she said nothing.
Jin was a clansman, but not someone close to them.
Neither of them noticed the small figure hidden outside the tea room.
Itachi Uchiha.
His fists clenched tightly as he listened.
"The clan. Always the clan."
"Why can't they think from the village's perspective?"
"What a foolish clan."