As a kid, Sogen spent a long time puzzling over what kind of deity was enshrined at Naka Shrine. The place was one of the Uchiha clan's private properties, used as a public venue for clan gatherings. Unlike the Uchiha clan grounds, which had been relocated a couple of times, Naka Shrine had always stood steadfast in a quiet corner of the village.
Funnily enough, those two relocations had actually brought the Uchiha clan grounds closer to the shrine.
"Sogen, I remember you as a kid, running around like a maniac, investigating who the deity of Naka Shrine was. You'd climb up and down this place so much, the old man guarding the shrine used to complain to everyone about how annoying you were," Uchiha Arashi said, standing under the shrine's torii gate. He gazed at the ancient, weathered building, a wave of nostalgia washing over him.
Staying tucked away in a corner of the village wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
At the very least, Naka Shrine had come through the Nine-Tails' rampage unscathed.
"Too bad I still haven't figured out who the deity here is supposed to be," Sogen said, chuckling as he recalled those carefree childhood days. Before he was sent off to the battlefield, his early years had been pretty joyful and free.
To make the most of his invisible Noble Phantasm, [A Knight Does Not Die with Empty Hands], he used to drag along a group of kids his age—Uchiha Chihaya, Uchiha Futaba, Uchiha Jun, Uchiha Hokuto, and others—for treasure-hunting games. They'd scour the Uchiha clan grounds, dreaming of uncovering hidden treasures.
Of course, it was all a bust.
With sensory ninjas around who were basically walking radars, any treasure would've been found long ago. No way a kid like him was going to stumble across something they missed.
Still, during those treasure hunts, the question of what deity Naka Shrine was dedicated to had wormed its way into Sogen's head. It nagged at him for a long time, and even now, he hadn't found an answer. The shrine was a shrine in name, but at some point, the deity's statue had been destroyed or removed.
He'd even asked his grandpa, "Why doesn't the shrine have a deity?" All he got was a vague, "It's always been like that!" For a curious kid, that was beyond frustrating. Sogen had even rummaged through the clan's library, but the Uchiha were a clan of cold-blooded killers, not scholars. Aside from a ton of outdated, dusty ninjutsu scrolls, there were hardly any proper history books to speak of.
"Sogen, you've always noticed things no one else even thinks about. If you hadn't asked why the shrine didn't have a deity, I probably wouldn't have ever thought there was anything weird about this place," Arashi said with a grin.
"That's because you guys lack curiosity."
"Curiosity, huh? Maybe you're right! I couldn't care less about who's enshrined here."
"You're such a stick-in-the-mud."
"Call it what you want. I think people should just live steady, grounded lives."
"Arashi, you're only eighteen, but I swear you sound like an eighty-year-old geezer."
"If I could live to eighty, I'd call that a dream come true!"
As the sun dipped behind the mountains, the 180 stone steps of the shrine's approach offered a view of the fading cooking fires in the Uchiha clan grounds below.
"Time's about up," Arashi said, snapping to attention.
For some reason—maybe tradition—the Uchiha clan always held their gatherings in the evening, right after dinner. Maybe it was just the time everyone was free? No one could give Sogen a straight answer. The clan just followed the rules and traditions without questioning why they existed in the first place.
"Oh! I see people coming," Sogen said.
Figures were starting to appear on the stone steps below.
"They're quick!" Sogen remarked, glancing at Arashi. "You know, I've noticed the clan loves these gatherings. Every time we hold one, the folks stuck guarding the clan grounds look like they stepped in dog crap."
"Don't ask me, I've got no clue," Arashi said, throwing up his hands. "You can figure out those weird questions yourself. I'm not answering them."
Arashi was genuinely stumped. Sogen had always been sharp, even as a kid, and he was known in the clan for being… well, odd. He didn't think like the other kids and was always asking bizarre, head-scratching questions that no one could answer.
Sogen didn't press further as the figures climbing the steps got closer.
"Arashi, Sogen, you two are here early!"
One of the clan members climbing up waved at them.
"Uncle Yatsushiro, you're pretty early yourself," Sogen said, smirking.
Of all people, the first to show up was Uchiha Yatsushiro, one of Fugaku's die-hard supporters. As a seasoned Jonin with serious strength, Yatsushiro wasn't just powerful—he was trusted by the clan for his experience in the Police Force.
This guy was almost certainly going to be a thorn in their side at tonight's gathering.
"Sogen, a word of advice: don't put too much stock in the hype others give you. You're still young. If you want to lead the clan, I'd back you in ten years, no question. But right now… Fugaku's steadier, more dependable."
"Uncle Yatsushiro, I've made up my mind. Save your breath," Sogen cut him off firmly.
Yatsushiro didn't get mad. With the trust he'd earned from so many in the Police Force, he wasn't the type to lose his cool over something . Seeing Sogen's stubborn resolve, he gave up on persuading him and headed straight for the secret chamber beneath the shrine's main hall.
One by one, more clan members climbed the steps. When they ran into supporters they'd already won over, Sogen and Arashi would chat briefly, strengthen bonds, and confirm their loyalty before letting them head to the chamber.
For those who were hesitant or wishy-washy, they didn't push too hard. They'd let them pass, but once they were gone, Arashi would make a quick mark in his notebook.
"So, Arashi, how's it looking?" Sogen asked once most of the clan members attending the gathering had entered the secret chamber. He glanced at the now-empty stone steps and opened the conversation again. "How many supporters do we have?" Original content can be found at novel-fire.ɴet
"It's… tricky," Arashi said, flipping through his notebook. "Even with Elder Sunao's people backing us, compared to Clan Leader Fugaku's supporters… it's about fifty-fifty. We don't have a big enough lead to make everyone fall in line. We moved too fast. If we had more time, even just a week…"
"The problem is, we don't *have* more time," Sogen said with a sigh. Seizing power was proving to be no easy task. He'd hoped to avoid using brute force, but… "Looks like we'll have to settle this with strength after all."
"Probably no way around it," Arashi said, scratching his head. "But honestly, Sogen, that's not necessarily bad. The clan respects strength. If you can overpower the toughest opponents, once you're clan leader, no one will dare stir up trouble."
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