Within the Uchiha clan, things had now clearly split into two factions.
This was no longer a secret. By contrast, word was that the Hyūga clan had already completed their internal reforms and was gradually stabilizing.
Now—
It was the Uchiha's turn.
And that day…
Was only a few days away.
Shisui felt calm, without the slightest ripple in his heart. Upon returning to the clan compound, he could sense eyes watching him from the shadows—but he neither acknowledged them nor tried to seek them out.
There was no need.
Those people were merely pawns, following orders.
What truly mattered was dealing with the ones pulling the strings.
In a few days' time, there would be another clan assembly. It would be the moment Shisui and Inabi had prepared for—the moment to lay everything bare.
At the Naka River Shrine.
---
Itachi trained together with Izumi, and by the time they returned home, it was already quite late.
Waiting for them was their father's cold, unreadable face.
"Where have you been?" Fugaku asked.
"Training with Izumi," Itachi replied. "Her taijutsu is decent, but her ninjutsu is still lacking."
He explained calmly.
Fugaku studied his son in silence for a long time. Itachi did not retreat under that gaze. Eventually, Fugaku gave a small nod.
"Go eat. Your mother saved you some."
"Thank you, Father."
Itachi bowed lightly and went to the dining area. Sasuke was there—but after giving a sharp hmph, he awkwardly turned and stormed upstairs.
Itachi said nothing. He went to the kitchen, reheated the leftovers, and quietly ate by himself.
After finishing, Itachi planned to train a bit more alone. But as he left the dining room, he saw Fugaku sitting there, his gaze resting precisely where Itachi had just eaten.
He froze briefly.
"Father… is there something you need?"
"Itachi," Fugaku said slowly, "you've grown up."
He didn't answer directly. Instead, he rose and placed a hand on Itachi's shoulder.
"Go do what you want to do."
With that, he turned and headed upstairs.
Itachi stood there, stunned for several seconds.
Then he understood.
His father had always known—known his thoughts, known what he had been pondering these past few days. He simply hadn't said it aloud.
His emotions tangled into a knot. Just as Fugaku was about to disappear upstairs, Itachi clenched his teeth and asked:
"Father… you've always been the clan head. Why couldn't you do it yourself?"
"Someone has to bear certain burdens," Fugaku replied.
"And perhaps… I'm simply more cowardly than I should be."
A complicated smile crossed Fugaku's face—one of the rare times Itachi had seen him smile. It wasn't handsome, but it was gentle, lacking the former weight of authority.
Itachi liked it.
But the smile vanished quickly. Fugaku said nothing more and went upstairs.
Itachi no longer had the heart to train.
He sat in the corridor, his resolve wavering once more.
But as he looked up at the moon and the Chibaku Sphere hanging in the sky, his heart slowly hardened again.
Even if Father felt this way, what needed to be done still had to be done. The Hyūga had already changed—if the Uchiha continued to leave their old ailments untreated, disaster would eventually follow.
For the Uchiha to oppose Konoha now would be like an ant trying to shake a tree. Internal conflict would benefit no one—not even the clan itself.
From every angle, what they were doing was right.
And if it was right—
There was no reason to hesitate.
He drew his blade and began to train.
---
A few days later…
At the Naka River, most of the Uchiha clan gathered to offer sacrifices and pay homage to their ancestors.
Shisui and Inabi stood among them.
This was one of the few moments when the clan's upper ranks still held the right to speak.
"In the distant past," an elder intoned, "the Uchiha once stood against the Senju here at the Naka River. In that era, we were among the strongest clans in the shinobi world. Together with the Senju, we founded Konoha…"
They recited the unchanging words of history.
After reminiscing about the past, they spoke of the clan's recent development and achievements. Their tone gradually shifted—from reflection to sorrow, from sorrow to indignation—until finally—
"The glory of our ancestors is being slowly forgotten by us!"
"This is not how the Uchiha should be!"
The elder declared firmly.
Fugaku stood to the side, eyes lowered, breath steady.
Only then did he step forward.
"We, the Uchiha, have made many compromises," he said. "But we cannot compromise endlessly. At certain times, we must show our fists—to fight for our interests and our honor!"
"But some among us have already forgotten that."
He paused, scanning the crowd.
"That's right!"
Someone shouted.
Then more voices joined in.
Shisui lifted his gaze toward Fugaku. Inabi, meanwhile, showed a trace of surprise and turned to look at his companion.
But—
Neither of them acted. They continued to observe.
"Clan Head, tell us what we should do!"
Someone yelled.
Seeing the swelling numbers, the elders grew visibly energized. They had thought the support would be thin—yet now it was clear that many Uchiha still had backbone.
"I'm not saying we should rebel against Konoha," Fugaku continued. "We are part of Konoha. But we must fight for our rightful interests, for a place on the stage—not like this! These were promises made by previous Hokage!"
"Exactly!"
The shouts surged like waves.
Many people crowded forward.
Fugaku's words had struck straight at their hearts. This was the sentiment many Uchiha had long harbored.
Among those people…
Were some aligned with Inabi and Shisui.
Inabi felt momentarily at a loss, unsure how to respond.
At that moment—
"I disagree."
Shisui raised his hand.
Then he stepped forward from the crowd.
"The Uchiha did indeed contribute to Konoha," he said calmly, "but we also received things in return—honor, status. Those were the price. We cannot lie on our merits forever."
"As for the stage—you never accepted the stage. Why would the stage accept you?"
His gaze swept across the assembly.
"Look at yourselves. You cling to glory and the past because you believe you're superior, don't you?"
Shisui sneered.
"Isn't that true?" an elder shouted angrily.
"Of course not," Shisui replied coldly. "People may be born with different status, wealth, or position—but dignity is equal. If you don't treat the villagers as companions, why would they accept you?"
"Some areas of our clan are now open to the outside, no longer rejecting contact. But many of you rarely interact with others—especially you old guard. Not only do you live that way yourselves, you demand the same of your descendants."
"Stubborn. Fossilized."
"A pile of rotten rat droppings."
As he spoke those final words, the tomoe in Shisui's eyes began to spin.
The Sharingan—activated!
"I have no intention of persuading you. That would be a waste of time. The transfer of power and ideology always ends in violence."
"You…"
"Come at me all together!"
His expression was utterly cold.
At that moment, Inabi stepped forward as well.
"We agreed to do this together. Don't think you can leave us behind."
Itachi and Izumi silently took their places behind Shisui.
In the crowd, Sasuke stared blankly at the scene. He couldn't understand what was happening—why his brother and the others had all gone to the opposite side.
The elders glared at Itachi and Fugaku.
They felt betrayed.