Malphegor
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HSU: Ch. 243
🕑 Added 2025-04-02 17:53:01 +0000 UTC"Saying it was all planned would be an exaggeration..." Masashi replied. "It's just that I never take information at face value. I always approach what I read critically, thinking things through and verifying what I can."
"Oh?" Fugaku's eyes lit up. "You have the mindset of a clan leader."
How the hell did he link this to that? I think you've been thinking about retirement too much, and it's messing with your head.
"Come on now, you know my temperament, Fugaku-sama. I'm not exactly a peaceful guy."
"That's right. You have to be tough. Without discipline, one can't become great." Fugaku sighed. "Look at Tekka when he was young, and look at him now."
Masashi had a feeling that Sasuke was going to get beaten tonight. Since the boy was his disciple, he felt obligated to save him.
A combined beating from both parents would be too brutal.
"Honestly, I was just talking big earlier. My inspiration actually came from the clan's stone tablet," Masashi suddenly remembered. "You've seen it, right?"
"Yes, of course. After all, Izanagi was learned from it."
"When was the last time you saw it?"
"Hmm, after I became the clan leader. But aside from some techniques, most of it is just mythology."
When Fugaku became the clan leader, Masashi figured that he probably didn't have the Mangekyō Sharingan back then.
Madara, on the other hand, had read the last part of the stone tablet using the power of his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. According to the stone tablet's original design, that portion was actually meant to be seen with the power of the Rinnegan.
"You should take another look. But don't believe everything blindly. I verified that parts of it are true and parts are false. However, it does mention this phrase: 'Opposing forces, when united, give birth to all things.'"
"All things in creation, huh?" Fugaku raised an eyebrow. "That's a very broad statement."
"Which is why I read books often. I have confirmed that this phrase is correct, it refers to the Rinnegan. The 'opposing forces' it speaks of are Yin Release, which our Uchiha clan represents, and Yang Release, which the Senju clan represents."
"You're not telling the whole truth," Fugaku said. "The stone tablet is deciphered based on one's ocular power. While every Uchiha ninja is allowed to view it, how old were you back then?"
"Books! Knowledge is power!" Masashi felt that he was using all his wisdom just to save Sasuke's butt. "If I hadn't read books, I wouldn't have been interested in the stone tablet in the first place, let alone figured it out."
Fugaku looked at him suspiciously.
Masashi sighed inwardly, his clan leader was getting harder and harder to fool.
"No need to doubt me. Aren't these eyes of mine proof enough?"
Fugaku's suspicion eased a little. What Masashi said made sense. Perhaps, because of his unusual way of thinking, his love for reading and his rebellious nature, he had stumbled upon the secret of the Rinnegan from the stone tablet.
Tsk. Reading is fine, but promoting rebellious thinking? That's not a good idea. Uchiha kids are already a handful. If we start encouraging rebellious thoughts, how are we supposed to live in peace?
Forget it, let's just use what we have.
"Hmm, you do have a point." Fugaku stood up and grabbed his coat from the rack. "Alright, since you're back, come with me to an emergency clan meeting."
"Huh? A meeting this late?"
"That's why it's called an 'emergency' clan meeting. Don't tell me you don't understand the significance of your eyes."
"I get it..."
From Fugaku's attitude, Masashi realized that while he had been away, news about the Rinnegan must have stirred up a big reaction.
Well, what else could he do? Might as well attend the meeting and get it over with!
Following Fugaku out of the study, he saw that Mikoto was already waiting outside with Sasuke.
"Sasuke is attending, too?" Masashi asked.
"Of course. He's a ninja now."
"Oh, right. I keep forgetting..." Masashi looked at Sasuke, whose face was flushed with excitement, and ruffled his hair. "Sasuke, you'll be attending clan meetings from now on. Are you excited?"
"Yes!" Sasuke was practically bursting with energy. Beside him, Mikoto smiled gently.
"Where's Itachi?" Fugaku asked.
"Father, I'm here." Itachi, who had just said he was going to train, had already changed into a fresh set of clothes.
"Good. Let's go."
"We're just heading straight there? No prior announcement or anything?" Masashi remembered that Fugaku was a master of precise timing, he always made sure to enter meetings at the exact right moment.
"No need. While you and Jiraiya were away, the clan had already informed everyone."
"Oh?" Masashi immediately felt uneasy. If he had known, he wouldn't have stayed out drinking so late. Now, with so many people waiting on him alone, he was feeling a little embarrassed.
"Since it involved Jiraiya, everyone understands," Fugaku reassured him, seeing his discomfort.
Masashi let out an awkward chuckle. Then, the group left Fugaku's house and headed for the meeting hall.
Over the years, Konoha had been making a fortune, and the various ninja clans had also seen their private funds grow significantly.
As the wealthiest ninja clan in the village, the Uchiha were relentless money-making machines. With Konoha's influence, they had amassed so much wealth that they had almost become desensitized to it.
As a result, some of the clan's buildings had been renovated. The training grounds, of course, were a priority. Then came the hall specifically used for clan meetings.
The current meeting hall had been expanded. At least now, during full-clan meetings, people wouldn't have to stand due to a lack of seating. And tonight's clan meeting was of the highest level, a full-clan assembly.
By the time Masashi followed Fugaku into the hall, the place was already packed with people.
From genin to jonin, every Uchiha ninja was present.
As Fugaku arrived, the Uchiha clansmen all stood up. Their gazes lingered on him for a moment before shifting to Masashi.
Hmm, should he reveal his Rinnegan right away to satisfy their curiosity?
Here it came again, that familiar feeling, like being surrounded by a pack of hungry beasts. The last time this happened was after his sparring match with Shisui, when everyone started taking his Yang Release training seriously.
He glanced around and noticed that there weren't many empty seats.
"Masashi, come up with me." Fugaku suddenly spoke.
Alright, confirmed, tonight, he was indeed on the menu for the beasts. With no other choice, Masashi followed Fugaku toward the podium.
Meanwhile, Mikoto led her sons toward another area to find seats.
The podium's design remained the same as before, just slightly elevated above the floor. It was covered with tatami mats, allowing them to sit in the same manner as the rest of the clan.
After stepping onto the podium, Fugaku sat down on the floor.
"Masashi, sit." He gestured.
So, Masashi sat down as well. Once the two of them were seated, the rest of the clan also took their seats. However, this time, only Fugaku and Masashi were on the podium.
In the past, there had been a few elders present. But now, most of them were too old to attend clan meetings and spent their time resting at home. Even the stubborn old Setsuna could no longer handle the increasingly intense clan meetings and had reluctantly accepted his age.
Since the time of Madara, Fugaku had become the first clan leader to truly have no elders restricting his authority. Not that such restrictions had ever really existed in the first place.
Once everyone was settled, he began speaking.
"Tonight's main topic should be clear to everyone, it's about the Rinnegan."
A slight stir rippled through the crowd, though they remained orderly.
"First of all, regarding the rumors, yes, they are true. Masashi has awakened the Rinnegan, which proves that we, the Uchiha, are the direct descendants of the Sage of Six Paths."
The murmuring among the clan members grew louder.
Masashi listened carefully and caught the general sentiment: Yeah, we always knew our clan was amazing, but we had no idea we were THIS amazing! I'm actually feeling a little hyped right now! Go beyond! Plus Ultra!
What the hell are you guys getting so excited about?
He had basically cheated to get this power, sure, it wasn't "official" cheating, more like some back-alley hack job. Don't take this too seriously! He had no idea if this method could even be replicated!
"Come on, Masashi, show everyone your Rinnegan."
There was a hint of pride in Fugaku's voice. It felt less like he was asking him to reveal a legendary dōjutsu and more like he was telling him to show off something… else.
But since Fugaku was clearly in high spirits, Masashi decided to play along. Activating his curse mark, he revealed his Rinnegan.
The clan members seated closest to him involuntarily activated their own Sharingan upon making eye contact, instantly feeling the overwhelming chakra and ocular power contained in those mythical eyes. At this point, Masashi's ocular power was far beyond that of the average Uchiha.
The gap between the Rinnegan and an ordinary Mangekyō Sharingan was even wider than the gap between a Mangekyō and a one-tomoe Sharingan. This absolute disparity in power made Sharingan-level genjutsu completely ineffective against the Rinnegan.
In the past, Masashi had been able to hold his own against Nagato with just a three-tomoe Sharingan, mainly because Nagato hadn't fully utilized the Rinnegan's capabilities.
If he had, all it would've taken was a single glance to put him in serious trouble.
Currently, the Uchiha clan's ninjutsu system was still the most compatible with the Rinnegan.
"I assume everyone has seen it clearly now."
Fugaku seemed quite pleased with the shocked expressions of the front-row clansmen.
"As for the method of obtaining the Rinnegan, Masashi has already explained it to me."
In truth, not everyone had gotten a good look. The hall was large, and Masashi's eyes were not. They weren't like the Nine-Tails', where you could see the tomoe in them from a mile away.
But everyone listened intently, ears perked up, afraid of missing a single word.
"Tonight, we are here to discuss whether we should change our traditional training methods and adopt Masashi's approach as our new path forward."
After Fugaku finished speaking, the room erupted into an uproar. The essence of a ninja clan was not solely based on bloodline.
Even the Hyūga clan, often perceived as extremely conservative and closed-off, periodically introduced new blood.
What sustained a ninja clan at its core was a unified system of ninjutsu. Essentially, a ninja clan was an organization managed and maintained through a familial structure.
The close bonds and cohesion established through blood relations primarily served the survival of the organization.
The direction of training was also one of the foundational pillars of a ninjutsu system.
The Uchiha clan was renowned for their Fire Release, shuriken techniques, and genjutsu. However, the effectiveness of the first two was entirely dependent on the level of the Sharingan.
Thus, to maximize the probability of awakening and upgrading the Sharingan as quickly as possible, especially in the fast-paced era of constant ninja warfare, the Uchiha clan adopted a method that yielded the fastest results: emotional stimulation. They focused solely on Yin Release while largely neglecting Yang Release.
This approach was further solidified as the right choice after the emergence of a powerhouse like Madara.
However, after the First Great Ninja War, this method was no longer as effective. The emotional stimulation approach, which heavily relied on external triggers, began revealing its greatest flaw during the two decades of relative peace.
When the Second Great Ninja War broke out, the Uchiha clan expected it to be their moment to shine. Yet, to their shock, they found themselves no longer on equal footing with the Hokage faction.
Twenty years was too long. The overall quality of Uchiha ninjas had declined, and the war itself wasn't intense enough to provide the necessary stage for the clan to thrive.
As a result, those who made a name for themselves on the battlefield were the Sannin and the White Fang. From this point onward, the Uchiha clan fully transitioned into a passive defensive position against the Hokage faction.
Without strength, nothing else mattered.
By the time of the Third Great Ninja War, the Uchiha clan finally produced some outstanding individuals. However, by then, the Hokage faction had completely overwhelmed them. The Uchiha clan was no longer capable of competing with the Hokage faction and had instead shifted to a Hyūga-style survival strategy, prioritizing family preservation above all else.
The problem was that this approach was more suited to the Hyūga clan, and the Uchiha clan struggled to adopt it effectively.
It was during this period that Masashi, who followed a "slow and steady" training philosophy, came into the spotlight.
This approach had been attempted before in Uchiha history, but most who tried it failed, dying before they could see its benefits. The strategy was ultimately abandoned because no one had ever accumulated enough strength to make it work.
However, Masashi was exceptionally stubborn. Using his well-honed persuasion skills, he managed to secure funding from various sources, including family subsidies, and stuck to his method for a full decade.
No one in Uchiha history had ever lasted that long.
When the Third Great Ninja War erupted, he shocked the clan's leadership. After the war, when new conflicts broke out between Konoha and Kumo and Iwa, he astonished all of Konoha.
During this period, the Hokage faction suffered a major internal schism, leading to the downfall of Danzō.
With Danzō and his Root gone, Masashi became unstoppable.
The abilities he developed as a child to secure funding had evolved, he no longer just extracted resources from his family, but from the entire Land of Fire, and eventually from the entire continent.
His prowess in both combat and resource acquisition was unparalleled. As a result, Fugaku unexpectedly won the Hokage Advisor election by a landslide, forcing his way into the Hokage Building.
And now, he had dropped news so shocking that no one could remain indifferent.
He had awakened a pair of Rinnegan.
At this point, whether or not the Uchiha clan needed to adjust its training methods was no longer a question that could be ignored.
The Uchiha were a ninja clan, sharing a common surname and culture. However, with so many people, differing opinions were inevitable.
The discussions were intense.
Some believed they should immediately adopt a new training direction, starting from childhood. Others argued that making a sudden change was too risky, the Mangekyō Sharingan was already powerful enough, and Masashi might simply be an exception. From a clan perspective, they believed it was better to avoid unpredictable risks.
There were also moderates, but even they were split into two groups.
One faction suggested sticking with tradition initially and only switching to Masashi's method after reaching the three-tomoe Sharingan stage. They acknowledged that emotional stimulation was indeed an efficient way to awaken the Sharingan early on, with difficulties only emerging in later stages. This was the majority opinion among the clan members.
This perspective was based on the extreme rarity of the Mangekyō Sharingan and the fact that Masashi had jumped straight from the three-tomoe Sharingan to the Rinnegan.
The other faction proposed starting with Masashi's method up to the three-tomoe Sharingan stage before switching to the emotional stimulation approach. This was the least popular viewpoint. However, its supporters argued that Masashi had already unlocked Susanoo at the three-tomoe stage, having an entire squad of Susanoo users as a baseline for the clan's strength would be highly beneficial.
Fugaku allowed ample time for discussion. However, after sitting for so long, he grew bored. Watching the ongoing debate, which showed no signs of ending, he suddenly remembered that one person had yet to voice an opinion.
"Masashi, which viewpoint do you support?"
"Me?" Masashi replied. "I've already trained this way, what other opinion could I have?"
"I mean, from the clan's perspective, what do you think is best?"
"Hmm..." Masashi admitted that Fugaku had asked a difficult question.
If it were before the Third Great Ninja War, he would have answered without hesitation: Stick to tradition. Before the Nine-Tails' rampage, he still held this view. But now, things weren't so clear-cut.
"Fugaku-sama, do you think you can accurately predict the political and military situation for the family and the village in the coming years?"
"Do you believe the clan still needs to maintain a reserve of seasoned combat power?" Fugaku asked.
"The gap between the First and Second Great Ninja Wars was twenty years, but the time between the Second and Third was less than ten. Now, it has been over ten years since the end of the Third Great Ninja War," Masashi said. "I wouldn't be surprised if the Fourth Great Ninja War breaks out at any moment."
"And right now, the village's financial situation is stable, and the association's ability to buffer crises has actually weakened. This applies both to the village's external relations and to its internal affairs. Because of this, I can't easily judge what will happen in the future. But regardless of which path we choose, the first priority must be ensuring that the clan has enough strength to weather any crisis that may arise at any moment. Since that's the case, why limit ourselves to just one approach?"
To Masashi, this discussion was highly meaningful. One person's perspective was limited, but two minds together could come up with better strategies, let alone the entire clan gathered here.
Rather than a debate over a single training method, this was essentially a discussion on multiple strategies for the future. Since that was the case, why not pursue multiple approaches at once?
There were no technical barriers. After all, he had never hoarded knowledge for himself. Even the "cracked version" of Izanagi had been recorded in the clan's archives.
"The situation, huh..." Fugaku suddenly felt like having some tea, but he had forgotten to bring his thermos.
The clan members below, however, were well-prepared. Whenever their throats got dry from the discussion, they could just take a sip, something that made him quite envious.
"Are you thirsty?" Masashi was quick to notice. With a flick of his sleeve, two military-style water canteens appeared in his hands.
In the past, he used to store shuriken inside. But ever since he acquired Magnet Release and the chakra of Matatabi, the Two-Tails, he had switched to storing explosive tags, fresh water, and rations instead.
"You really came prepared." Fugaku's eyes lit up as he took a canteen and drank from it. Though it lacked goji berries, he understood, after all, Masashi's household didn't have access to the same special supplies as his.
That being said, Masashi's Yang Release was truly impressive. Meanwhile, at his age, Fugaku had already started drinking goji berry tea. Lately, he had been neglecting his training. Perhaps it was time to get back into it.
"Indeed, the situation is unpredictable, and with the upcoming joint Chunin Exams, it's even harder to get a clear picture."
Fugaku sighed. External factors could often help alleviate internal issues, unless, of course, the clan found itself in a situation similar to what had happened in the past.
Back then, the Uchiha clan had been utterly demoralized… no, rather, it was a specific someone who had shattered their will. The situation got so bad that they had to assign a portion of the clan just to guard the tombs.
Hashirama was unquestionably an unstoppable force, and Tobirama was a tactical genius. But at least back then, Madara and his younger brother Izuna could still go toe-to-toe with them, battling for hundreds of rounds without a decisive winner. Even though the Uchiha had started losing more than they won, they were still able to hold on, at least until Izuna's death.
But grave-robbing… that was just disgusting.
So when Madara proposed leaving the Senju behind and starting anew, many in the clan felt that staying in Konoha was the safer choice.
The main reason was, of course, war fatigue, as well as the undeniable fact that no one could defeat Hashirama.
But honestly?
A big part of it was that they were just tired of guarding the graves.
Back then, there had been a clan meeting just like this one. At that time, the person sitting in Fugaku's position was Madara. Disheartened, he had decided to pursue his dream alone.
Fugaku found it difficult to judge whether the former clan leader was right or wrong. After all, Madara had never done anything that could be considered a betrayal of his position. For instance, he had rejected some of the clan members who wanted to follow him, choosing instead to leave on his own.
This decision preserved the strength of those who remained in Konoha. Because the Uchiha clan did not split and retained its power, they were granted control over the Police Force.
Fugaku took another sip of water and glanced at Masashi, who was tilting his head back, chugging water like crazy.
If Madara had brought the Uchiha clan the Police Force, then Masashi had brought them the Police Force's special division, the Security Force.
Did he not want to be clan leader? That was a nice dream. Young people should dream big, who knows, it might even come true. After all, if he became Hokage, he wouldn't be able to be the clan leader.
What a shame.
On the other side, Masashi, having just finished drinking an entire canteen of water, put it down, only to find Fugaku giving him a meaningful look.
His heart skipped a beat. Crap, Fugaku is about to pull something, isn't he?
"Masashi, your thinking is indeed very comprehensive. It aligns with mine. Let's continue to wait and see."
"Oh, uh… alright…"
The two of them continued waiting.
After a long while, the discussions began to quiet down. It wasn't that everyone had reached a consensus, but rather that the different factions had stabilized.
Those who had been undecided had, through the discussion, made up their minds and firmly chosen a stance.
As the voices faded, all eyes returned to the platform.
Four jonin stood up from different sections of the room. Fugaku nodded to the first, a stern-faced man with creased brows.
"The Uchiha have followed our traditional methods for generations, and they have served us well," the first jonin declared. "This new approach undermines everything our ancestors built. We cannot abandon our heritage on a whim."
Several clan members nodded in agreement, though they were clearly in the minority.
"Thank you, Tekka," Fugaku said, then gestured to the second jonin, a younger woman with determined eyes.
"With all due respect to our traditions," she began, "they've left us stagnant while other clans advance. Masashi's approach has proven results. We need complete reform, not half-measures."
Her faction was small but vocal, with enthusiastic support from the younger members.
The third jonin, a middle-aged man with a diplomatic demeanor, rose next. "Both sides make valid points. I propose we begin with our traditional methods to build a proper foundation, then gradually integrate Masashi's innovations. This preserves our heritage while embracing necessary change."
Looking around, it was clear this moderate view had gained the most traction, with more than half the room nodding in approval.
The fourth jonin, Kenjiro, stood last. "Time is not on our side. The village faces growing threats, and we need combat-ready forces now, not in five years." He gestured toward both Fugaku and Masashi. "I suggest a dual approach. Our current jonin and chunin were all trained traditionally - keep them that way. But for the younger generation, implement Masashi's methods immediately."
Murmurs of consideration spread through the room.
"And your reasoning?" Fugaku prompted.
"Simple efficiency," Yashiro replied. "Retraining veterans takes time we don't have. But the next generation can start fresh without unlearning old habits."
Masashi exchanged a glance with Fugaku. This aligned closely with what they had previously discussed in private.
"Good. Now that everyone's opinions are clear, let me share the latest updates on the clan's situation to help with your final decision."
Fugaku set his canteen down and began to explain.
As the Hokage Advisor, he had a clearer understanding of Konoha's internal affairs than anyone else in the clan.
"The Sarutobi, Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka clans have traditionally been close allies, and recently, their ties have grown even stronger. It's now almost certain that Shikaku will be the next leader among them.
"As for us, Hiashi and several of their elders have recently met with me and made it clear that they intend to strengthen their cooperation with us.
"However, the Inuzuka and Aburame clans have been getting closer to the Nara clan. While they haven't shown any intent to change their relationship with us, their stance has softened toward them.
"And then there's the Uzumaki clan. As always, they haven't formed direct alliances with any other clan. However, after the Chunin Exams, an Uzumaki clan member will be promoted to jonin and placed in the jonin corps. There's also a possibility that the Sealing Team and Barrier Team will merge into a new department. That's the general situation."
Masashi listened silently.
Even though he was now the head of the ANBU, he had yet to fully integrate its intelligence network under his control, it was still being managed by the old ANBU leadership.
What he did control were the former members of Root. But that didn't mean he only had a bunch of enforcers at his disposal. It was well known that Root had originally risen to power by handling ANBU's training functions.
Essentially, it was like the "Education Department" within ANBU.
Controlling education meant controlling the minds of the next generation. It took time, but as long as the Uchiha clan remained stable, he could afford to wait.
And so could Minato, after all, ANBU wasn't truly under his control either.
Once the Uzumaki clan had members in the jonin corps, the next step would be their entry into ANBU. This was an unspoken understanding between Masashi and Minato. They both knew the plan.
"Now, let's talk about external affairs."
Fugaku paused to let everyone process the information before continuing.
"This time, the scale of the joint Chunin Exams will be unprecedented. The Mizukage, Tsuchikage, and Kazekage will all be attending. Kumo will be sending a special envoy. Additionally, the leaders of Ame, Taki, Kusa, and Oto will be present. Even the leader of the Land of Iron has been invited as a guest."
"Fugaku-sama, with so many village leaders attending, the pressure on us will be immense," someone said. "There are reports that the major nations have been stockpiling military resources. Having this many key figures gathered in Konoha… it doesn't seem like a good sign."
"Of course. That's why the Hokage is taking this extremely seriously. Right now, all operations are prioritizing the success of this event. As for Konoha's participants, the confirmed number stands at ninety-three, thirty-one teams. The jonin should start selecting your recommendations."
"How many participants will the other villages have?"
"Suna has 39, Iwa has 87, Kiri has 63, and Kumo has 90. Every team will be composed of three members, as in previous years."
Everyone did some quick calculations and immediately felt… That's a ridiculous number of people! We're going to be working overtime like crazy!
From the first time Konoha hosted the joint Chunin Exams until now, it had been 24 years. The Konoha security forces were very familiar with just how much chaos these exams could bring.
Konoha had good living conditions and great food, so the examinees were always full of energy. On top of that, the foreign ninjas leading the teams, as well as various guests, were all up to something. Even though the security force had expanded, it still seemed like they wouldn't have enough manpower to handle this event.
In the past, there were even violent incidents where Konoha's examinees got into large-scale brawls with those from other villages outside of the official exam period.
"The ANBU will also be involved. In the past, things were indeed troublesome, but now that Masashi is the ANBU commander, that should ease things a bit," Fugaku said.
Hearing this, everyone's expressions brightened.
"I can directly deploy about 30 people from the ANBU," Masashi added. "The rest will have to be arranged through the original ANBU leadership. I estimate that, in total, we can pull together around fifty to sixty personnel."
Everyone looked even more relieved.
"As expected of Masashi, reliable as always when it counts!"
"That's right! If Fugaku-sama retires and Masashi doesn't take over, I won't accept it!"
Damn! I was just helping you guys with personnel, and now you're trying to put me in charge?!
Masashi's face darkened.
Meanwhile, Fugaku was thoroughly enjoying the moment. Leisurely taking a sip from his water flask, he felt like he was drinking the finest sake. "The internal and external situation is as it stands. Discuss a bit more. After that, we'll move on to the voting."
The group once again engaged in discussions.
At the same time, Fugaku and Masashi resumed their conversation about the ANBU.
"Masashi, the 30 people you mentioned, those are the ones you took out on this mission, right?"
"That's right. They're all former Root members."
"I remember there were more Root members left. It seems that, now that Danzō is gone, they're being heavily sidelined." Fugaku sighed.
He had witnessed Danzō's golden age and knew just how formidable that force was, it didn't just support half of the ANBU, it practically carried the whole operation.
"It's only natural. Official members tend to stick together, but the majority of them were never truly integrated into the organization. Many joined Root in the first place for its benefits," Masashi explained. "More importantly, the Inuzuka and Aburame clans are proving to be troublesome."
"Yeah. The Hyūga clan prioritizes their own survival. Our clan growing stronger doesn't affect them, in fact, it benefits them. But for the Inuzuka and Aburame, that's not necessarily the case. Still, this was expected."
"Do you have any plans to counter this, Fugaku-sama?"
"Minato is the Hokage. While we're friends, his priority is still maintaining the village's internal stability. Plus, given his relationship with the Third Hokage, he won't and can't side with us. If we want to break through this situation, the Uzumaki clan is our best bet."
Masashi nodded.
He realized that Fugaku had finally taken this crucial step forward.
He had abandoned the narrow mindset of focusing solely on the Police Force faction.
The Uchiha-Hyūga alliance between the two major bloodline clans would continue to deepen, while the Inuzuka and Aburame clans would be viewed through the lens of their shared role in the Police Force. As for the currently weak Uzumaki clan, they would be pulled in as allies.
There was nothing wrong with this approach.
Masashi began considering which cards he could play to further this plan. The ANBU seemed like a great tool. But there were risks.
Let's take this one step at a time. First, we need to take back control over the 'education system'… Seriously, what kind of training programs are they running these days!?
As Masashi was lost in thought, he suddenly heard clapping, pulling him back to reality.
It was Fugaku.
"Have you reached a decision?" Fugaku asked. Upon hearing his question, the four jonin representatives stood up again.
"We've made our decision."
"So have we."
"Alright, then let's proceed with the vote," Fugaku nodded. "The four of you will step onto the stage and raise your hands in turn. For the others, when your chosen jonin raises their hand, raise yours as well. The proposal with the most votes will be our final decision."
The four jonin walked onto the platform, standing in a line. From left to right, they each raised their hands in turn.
In the audience, the clan members cast their votes by raising their hands in support of their chosen jonin.
The results were clear, the fourth jonin received the most votes by a landslide.
The Uchiha had made their choice. Given the clan's current situation, the vast majority supported Kenjiro's "multi-pronged approach."
