The Uchiha Clan's stance toward the village could generally be divided into three factions. The first was the radical faction—like the group before him—who believed that Konoha's leadership and the Uchiha were beyond reconciliation. They saw a coup as the only path to reviving the clan.
The second was the pacifist faction, actively working to mediate the relationship between the village and the Uchiha. Uchiha Shisui was the most notable representative of this group.
The last faction was the neutral party, with Uchiha Fugaku as one of its key figures. He had long wavered on whether to support the coup.
Logically, the conflict between the Uchiha and the village needed to be resolved entirely—otherwise, it would only flare up again sooner or later. But from a practical standpoint, Fugaku did not want a coup. He had personally experienced the Third Shinobi World War and had seen the horrors of battle firsthand. He had watched his closest friends die before his eyes. These memories, along with his concerns, were what made him hesitant.
"So, what you're saying is that these Uchiha clansmen are beyond your control as the clan head? Handing them over to us to eliminate would also remove a significant burden from your shoulders."
Fugaku closed his eyes upon hearing this.
"You've already gotten the information you wanted. Now, I need the proof I asked for."
Hatake Sakumo nodded. "The Nine-Tails incident years ago may have been quelled, but Konoha suffered heavy losses, with countless lives lost to the beast. However, I firmly believe the Uchiha were not behind it."
"If you ask why," he continued, "it's because Lord Kakuzu said so."
Fugaku's expression remained uncertain. Was it really enough to take one man's word as evidence? However, since it was Kakuzu who said it, that changed things.
"The Uchiha Police Force should have its name changed. From now on, it should be called the Konoha Security Force. Do you understand what I mean?"
Fugaku's gaze shifted slightly. "How many of my men are you planning to cut?"
"It's not about cutting numbers. It's about ending the Uchiha's monopoly over law enforcement. A monopoly often breeds conflict. Do you understand?"
The Uchiha Police Force was originally established by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama. To the Uchiha, it was both a source of authority and a ticking time bomb. After all, law enforcement was bound to make enemies.
"What's the plan?" Fugaku asked, needing clarity. This was, after all, a crucial issue for the Uchiha.
"There will be an evaluation system," Sakumo explained. "The capable will rise, and the incompetent will fall. The Uchiha may have many geniuses, but not all of them are qualified for this role. Those who take up space without contributing only drag your clan down. The radicals planning a coup are proof of that."
Fugaku folded his arms and closed his eyes again. Sakumo's argument made sense, but it still meant taking control away from the Uchiha. How could he explain that to his clan?
Seeing this, Sakumo sighed. "When you return home, ask your son about what he's learning at the Academy. He'll tell you that today's lesson was about Konoha's founding—that the Senju and Uchiha joined forces to end the Warring States period and create the shinobi village system, finally bringing peace."
"The Uchiha are proud and powerful," Sakumo continued. "Your love runs deep—but if it's not properly controlled, it can turn into destruction. And when that happens, someone will have to step in to stop it."
A breeze swept through, causing the robes of both Sakumo and Fugaku to flutter in the wind. This supposedly imminent coup, so full of tension, had ended in an anticlimactic manner.
...
Land of Dragons, Inside a Grand Hall
The core members of Akatsuki had gathered—Yahiko, Nagato, Konan, Kisame, and Hidan. After six months of effort, three new core members had also arrived.
One of them wore a mask that concealed his face, but from his voice, it was clear he was still a teenager. A crimson glow flickered occasionally in the depths of his eyeholes.
Beside him stood another boy, around twelve or thirteen years old, kneading clay between his fingers.
"Hehehe… Finally, I escaped from that village. No more of that old man's annoying lectures."
Deidara had ultimately abandoned the idea of sitting in an office molding clay and playing with black soil like a child. He had chosen to devote himself to art, which was why he had come to Akatsuki.
As for the final new member...
Deidara eyed the massive puppet before him, curiosity shining in his eyes. Unable to resist, he reached out and knocked on it, producing a hollow sound.
"Huh? What the hell is this? Old man, is this what you actually look like?"
"Idiot! Keep your filthy hands off! This is my art!"
The tail of Hiruko, the puppet, lashed out toward Deidara. With a few quick leaps, he easily dodged it.
"Whoa, whoa, why's this old man so short-tempered? I only touched your puppet. What's the big deal?"
"Hmph! You ignorant fool. This is my eternal art. Keep your filthy hands away from it."
"What?!" Deidara looked at his hands in disbelief. These hands were everything to him. But more importantly, Hiruko's words had struck a nerve.
"Eternal art? That's a joke. The most beautiful art is an explosion, a fleeting moment of ultimate beauty."
"Explosion? That's not art. True art is eternal, unchanging, standing the test of time."
"Forget it. There's no reasoning with an old man like you."
"You brat! Are you looking down on me? How about we settle this right here and now? Let's see whose art is superior!"
"Fine by me! I was just wondering if anyone here is even worth my time as a teammate."
A smirk spread across Deidara's lips. His hands had already slipped into his ninja pouch, his mouths beginning to mold clay. As a prodigy of Iwagakure, he wasn't about to back down.
A battle between Deidara and Sasori was about to erupt.
"Yahiko, aren't you going to stop them?" Konan asked.
Yahiko merely shrugged. "Stop them? Easier said than done. What do you want me to do? Let them fight it out."
After all, this group was full of proud and powerful warriors. Trying to suppress them too much wouldn't work. It was better to let them unleash their true selves.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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