Chapter 434 — Uchiha Kei's "Insight Mode"
"Do you really have to be this impatient?"
Within the Uchiha clan compound, beside the pond in the clan head's residence, Kei sat across from Fugaku.
He had expected Fugaku would come looking for him—
but not this quickly.
The troops had only just been settled in the morning, and by the afternoon, he had already been summoned.
Kei had originally been handling the matter of the prisoners, but in the end, he delegated everything to Nara Kyōhei before heading over.
The number of captives wasn't small—
six to seven hundred in total.
Yes—
that was all that remained alive.
And even that was because Fugaku hadn't deliberately made things harder for them.
The truth was simple:
their injuries were severe.
And Konoha's medical resources were limited. Even their own wounded hadn't all been brought back yet.
Naturally, the Cloud shinobi couldn't receive the best treatment.
Those who survived made it to Konoha.
Those who didn't—
their comrades carried back their ashes.
Cruel, perhaps—
but Konoha had already done more than enough.
After all, they had been enemies.
Now, they were the defeated.
The fact that they received any treatment at all was already mercy.
"Can't be helped," Fugaku said calmly, sipping his tea. "I've been away too long. There's a lot I need to catch up on."
He set the cup down with a faint smile.
"Besides… tea from home always tastes better. You don't get this kind of luxury on the frontlines."
"If you called me here just to drink tea, I'll take my leave," Kei replied, glancing at his cup before shaking his head.
"You brought back all those prisoners to trade later," he continued, tone turning sharper. "But you didn't think about the current situation."
"They're a burden right now—draining medical supplies, consuming food, and worst of all, we don't even have enough space to hold them."
Fugaku didn't seem bothered. He took another sip before speaking:
"I don't believe you don't already have a solution."
"Tell me—what's our bottom line for negotiations? And how do you plan to deal with the prisoners?"
"…Troublesome," Kei muttered as he stood up, grabbing a handful of fish feed and scattering it into the pond.
"Treat their injuries. Feed them. But don't let them sit idle."
"Konoha has plenty of places that need labor—construction, infrastructure, even mining."
"Let them work."
Most major mineral resources were concentrated in the Land of Iron and the Land of Earth—
but the Land of Fire had its own reserves.
Enough for self-sufficiency—
and even trade.
Mining and refining required manpower.
And Kei had no intention of letting these prisoners consume Konoha's resources for free.
If they wanted to live—
they would contribute.
"Of course," he added casually, "if they perform well, I won't treat them too harshly. Under the right conditions, giving them better treatment isn't out of the question."
Treating prisoners well—
such a concept was almost unheard of in the shinobi world.
But that didn't mean it couldn't be done.
Because in the end—
people could be influenced.
If the enemy came to understand you—
to acknowledge you—
then the returns wouldn't just be visible.
They would be far greater—
and far more valuable.
And that—
was an opportunity Kei had no intention of wasting.
Before coming here, Kei had already briefed Nara Kyōhei.
Kyōhei was sharp—he understood immediately what needed to be done.
"As for the negotiations," Kei said, watching the koi rise to the surface for food, a faint smile tugging at his lips, "it's actually quite simple."
"Three points."
"First—Kumogakure must surrender unconditionally and admit fault."
"Second—they must compensate Konoha for the cost of mobilization, and provide sufficient resources—ninjutsu, secret techniques—in exchange for the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki."
"Third—the war ends with Kumogakure acknowledging defeat, and entering an alliance with Konoha to address that mysterious organization."
He clapped his hands lightly and turned to face Fugaku.
"Of course… that's just our bottom line."
"We also have a far more excessive set of demands—something to hand to the negotiation team, so they can keep probing Kumogakure's limits."
"In short, we ensure the talks proceed smoothly—without ever letting them conclude too easily."
Fugaku nodded. He understood the principle—but even he hadn't expected Kei to go this far.
Clearly, Kei intended to push the elite members of the opposing factions' clans into handling the negotiations—
keeping them too occupied to interfere elsewhere.
It wasn't exactly underhanded—
but it certainly wasn't noble either.
Still—
as long as it achieved the objective, any method was acceptable.
"Pity," Fugaku said, pouring himself another cup of tea at an unhurried pace. "If the war had continued, I might've had a chance to trim down certain Sarutobi and Shimura factions."
He paused, then added calmly:
"Though… letting our own people live isn't such a bad outcome either."
"That depends on who you're talking about," Kei replied without hesitation. "Some people are worth protecting. Others… are better left to fend for themselves."
As fellow Uchiha, their instincts aligned—especially when it came to enemies.
The only difference lay in their methods.
Once someone was deemed an enemy—
neither of them had any intention of showing mercy.
Kei didn't bother explaining the full negotiation plan he had prepared for the delegates, and Fugaku didn't press further.
Knowing the bottom line was enough.
The rest didn't concern him.
Instead, Fugaku found himself studying the young man before him—
a boy not yet seventeen.
And yet—
this boy was the true pride of the Uchiha.
The one who had, by himself, annihilated an entire Kumogakure force.
The reason Fugaku had summoned him so urgently was simple.
He wanted to understand—
Susanoo.
That godlike form had lingered in his mind ever since the battle.
Before, when he had merely fought against it, he hadn't grasped its true significance.
But now—
he realized just how wrong he had been.
A half-formed Susanoo was nothing compared to one with full mobility.
The difference—
was overwhelming.
Especially that destructive power—
it stirred something deep within him.
"To be honest," Fugaku finally said, setting down his cup, "I didn't call you here just for this. There's something else I want to ask."
He wasn't a man who struggled to hide his thoughts—
but Kei's display had shaken him.
More than their previous spar ever had.
For a moment, he had even wondered—
had Kei been holding back back then?
Thinking about it now—
the answer was obvious.
Kei's combat style had always been efficient—clean, decisive, practical.
Yet during that spar, he had done the opposite.
Testing techniques. Matching abilities. Countering deliberately.
Only when the shockwaves grew too large—and Fugaku had nothing more to show—
did Kei end the fight in an instant.
That speed.
That blade.
Even now, recalling it sent a chill through Fugaku.
No matter how refined one's combat habits were—
without sufficient strength to back them up—
they meant nothing.
And for the first time—
Fugaku felt it clearly.
His strength… wasn't enough.
"What is it?" Kei tilted his head slightly, though he already knew. "The fourth stage of Susanoo?"
"…Yes." Fugaku nodded. "I know it's not ideal to ask you this, but the clan's records end here. I can try to figure it out myself, slowly… but—"
"You're feeling the pressure?" Kei interrupted with a faint smile.
"…In a way." Fugaku exhaled. "Using another's eyes comes with issues. Without guidance, I'll need far more time. And as a partner…"
He trailed off.
Kei understood perfectly.
Fugaku wasn't afraid of Kei's strength—
nor did he fear betrayal.
But he refused to be left behind.
To become irrelevant.
To lose leverage in their partnership.
Even if he had always been the more passive one—
he still wanted to retain enough power to keep things balanced.
To ensure Kei wouldn't act unchecked.
His mindset had changed.
He no longer saw himself as a rival—
but as a necessary counterweight.
Kei fell silent for a moment, studying him.
Their cooperation had worked well so far.
And more importantly—
Fugaku was indispensable.
To Konoha.
To the clan.
To Kei himself.
They weren't enemies.
They were allies.
Perhaps even… friends.
And while Kei was always cautious about how he categorized people—
once someone crossed into that category—
he wasn't stingy.
"I'd say we're more than just partners," Kei said at last, a small smile forming. "We're… friends."
"Though our friendship is still built on shared interests and time—not much else."
"But still… I can tell you something useful."
Fugaku's eyes lit up slightly. "Friends, huh… I'd prefer we become even closer."
(T/N: What the...)
"The fourth stage of Susanoo," Kei said calmly, "is completely different from the earlier ones."
"It requires reconstruction… and realization."
"It's the prelude to manifesting the 'complete Susanoo' that exists within you."
"…Within me?" Fugaku froze.
Then his breathing quickened.
"You mean—"
Kei didn't answer directly.
Instead, his eyes shifted into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
He tapped his temple.
Then his chest.
But not his eyes.
Because that was how he had awakened his own Susanoo.
And that alone was enough.
Fugaku understood instantly.
Susanoo—
was not merely a technique.
It was a guardian.
One that resided in the mind—
and the soul—
of every Uchiha.
To reach it—
one had to perceive it, understand it—
and ultimately, accept it.
"Where you encounter your Susanoo," Kei concluded, "is where you draw your power from."
"The stronger your connection… the greater the power you can wield."
"I see… I see!" Fugaku's voice trembled with excitement. "So that's how it is… Thank you, Kei. Truly."
"No need," Kei said, shaking his head. "That's what friends are for."
"Besides… I have another idea I'd like to discuss with you."
"Oh?" Fugaku steadied himself. "What kind of idea?"
Kei's smile deepened slightly.
"For now… let's call it the 'Potential Plan.'"
"The goal?"
"Those who might… awaken the Mangekyō."