Fugaku's mind raced, dissecting every aspect of the match.
He was convinced—Itachi hadn't lost due to a lack of strength.
He'd lost because he lacked information.
He hadn't anticipated Kaze's genjutsu attack, which left an opening.
If Itachi were given another chance, Fugaku believed he could go toe-to-toe with Kaze—or maybe even edge out a victory.
That thought brought him a bit of comfort.
Still…
Even putting aside Itachi's defeat, the strength Kaze had displayed was truly astonishing.
"Genjutsu…"
"Plus his unique lightning-style taijutsu…"
"When you factor in overall ability, the only ones in the clan who might still surpass him are Shisui and myself."
Fugaku had always acknowledged Shisui's strength.
And while Kaze had performed incredibly tonight, in his eyes, Shisui remained the superior shinobi.
As for himself—
There was no question.
He had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan back during the Third Shinobi World War.
His power was at least on par with Shisui's—if not beyond.
Yes.
As far as Fugaku was concerned, he was the one who truly carried the title of "strongest Uchiha."
"…It seems," he said, scanning the crowd.
Whether it was the hawkish elders or the rest of the clan, no one had raised objections to Kaze's appointment as vice-captain.
"If no one has any further issues," Fugaku continued, "then as both the clan head and the captain of the police force, I'll make it official."
"Starting today, Kaze is the vice-captain of the Konoha Police Force."
His arms crossed firmly, his tone rang with finality.
And the clan members seated around the room, having seen Kaze's power firsthand, remained silent—none dared to object.
"Kaze, I'll leave the second matter for you to announce."
Just as Kaze thought Fugaku was going to naturally segue into the next topic, the clan head instead tossed the responsibility right into his lap.
Kaze: "???"
He instinctively shot a glance at Fugaku and couldn't help but complain inwardly.
"This guy's really good at avoiding responsibility…"
Fugaku's pattern was predictable—if he wasn't completely sure about something, he'd either delay it or find someone else to handle it.
Despite being the clan head, the man had little decisiveness or resolve.
The Nine-Tails incident, the coup discussions—same story every time.
And now, even when it came to clan reform, he was acting like a bystander.
He's the head of the clan, for crying out loud.
And we have to rely on this guy to lead the Uchiha? No wonder we're in this mess…
"…Whatever."
Kaze shook his head. He'd held onto a faint hope that Fugaku might take the lead here.
Clearly, that was a mistake.
"Well then, since the clan head has handed it over to me…"
"I'll go ahead and announce the second reason I called everyone here today."
"Everyone..."
Kaze raised his voice, making sure he had everyone's full attention.
Though he looked like just a fifteen-year-old boy, his mind—shaped by two lifetimes—was far more mature than most.
"Do you all still remember the night of the Nine-Tails attack five years ago?"
The moment those words left his mouth, and he mentioned the Nine-Tails, the expressions of the hawkish elders instantly turned grim.
Their brows twisted together like knotted ropes.
That night… they would never forget.
It was the turning point for the Uchiha clan's standing in Konoha.
And it wasn't just the elders who reacted—Fugaku, too, froze on the spot.
When Kaze had told him about wanting to reform the Police Force, he'd assumed the discussion would focus on integrating non-Uchiha talent into the force—something already controversial enough. That was why he'd hesitated and passed the floor to Kaze, waiting to see how the clan would respond before committing.
But now?
Kaze was suddenly bringing up the Nine-Tails incident?
What the hell was he trying to do?
"Of course we haven't forgotten that night…" one of the Uchiha elders muttered, his voice low and trembling with barely contained fury.
No one could forget.
And no one dared to forget the humiliation it had brought the Uchiha.
Danzo had pinned the blame on them without evidence.
From that moment on, the rest of the village began to look at the Uchiha with suspicion and hostility.
They started rejecting the authority of the Police Force.
They saw the Uchiha not as protectors—but as threats.
And it was from that very night that the term "brutal law enforcement" began circulating.
Now, seeing how emotions in the room had begun to stir, Kaze continued.
"The Uchiha were one of the founding clans of the Hidden Leaf."
"No one can deny the role we played in building this village."
"And yet, how has the Leaf's leadership treated us?"
"They've pushed us out of the center of power."
"They exiled us to the edge of the village like outcasts."
"And as if that wasn't enough…"
"They pinned the Nine-Tails incident on one of our own."
"They refused to hear our side of the story."
"They produced no evidence."
"Instead, they weaponized a baseless accusation to oppress us for five long years."
He looked around the room.
"Tell me—don't you think the Leaf's leadership has gone too far?"
Kaze's tone was calm and steady, yet firm and commanding.
His words struck deep—no one who heard them could remain unmoved.
The Uchiha clan had long harbored resentment toward the Konoha leadership, and now those old grudges were being stirred up once more.
Several people clenched their fists, barely restraining their emotions.
Shisui and Itachi exchanged a look, an ominous feeling growing in their chests.
"Kaze, what exactly are you trying to say?" Fugaku asked, his brows tightly furrowed, anxiety creeping into his voice.
This wasn't what they had discussed earlier.
Now it was clear—Kaze wasn't just proposing reforms. He was inciting them.
"I'm saying…"
Kaze paused, letting the weight of his words settle.
"…the Uchiha clan should not be treated like this."
He let the silence linger, then added:
"We should take back everything that's rightfully ours."
"Reclaim the honor of the Uchiha name."
"We…"
"…need a coup."
"To change everything!"
The words dropped like a thunderclap.
All around the Naka Shrine, the Uchiha clan members gasped sharply.
What the hell did he just say?!
Even the hawkish elders, who'd long fantasized about revolt, sat stunned—eyes bulging, round as saucers.
They began to wonder if they were hallucinating.
Kaze… was more hawkish than the hawks themselves!
They had only been thinking about a coup, carefully weighing the risks and chances of success.
Yet here was this fifteen-year-old boy, asking openly—"Wanna do a coup?"
"What did you just say?!" Shisui leapt to his feet.
After witnessing Kaze's incredible talent, his biggest fear had been Kaze falling under the influence of the hawks—turning his back on the village.
But compared to this?
The old hardliners looked like pacifists.
"Hold on, Kaze!" Fugaku was stunned speechless.
This wasn't in the script!
What coup?! What are you talking about?!
Kaze took in the shocked expressions around him with quiet satisfaction.
"Of course, when I say coup, I don't mean a military one."
"I'm talking about a political coup—one that relies on strategy, not bloodshed."
"A peaceful way to achieve our goals."
Watching everyone reel from his words, Kaze finally spoke at a leisurely pace, his tone almost playful.
In his previous life, there had been a saying—
'Human nature leans toward compromise.'
'If you say this house is too dark and suggest opening a window, no one will agree.'
'But if you say tear the whole roof off, people will rush to compromise—and settle for opening a window.'
(T/N: Sheesh, Kaze's on fire. Anyway hope you all enjoyed the chapter.)
100 Stones = Two Extra Chapters
200 Stones = Three Extra Chapters
Keep the power stones coming.