"We have disappointed you, Leader."
In the silence, Uchiha Kawa spoke with a complicated expression.
He was born into one of the Uchiha main branch families. Judged as lacking ninja talent, he had long been neglected at home. Even after training rigorously under Uchiha Yuan, he still found himself inferior to several of his cousins.
Around him, many of the Uchiha youths lowered their heads in shame.
Yuan raised a hand, signaling them to stand.
"Kawa, you're wrong," he said with a faint smile. "I am very satisfied with all of you."
The youths looked up in surprise.
"All of you here were labeled failures by the clan—declared unfit to become proper shinobi. But you did not lose heart. You chose to pursue strength. That is why you gathered here."
His gaze moved past Uchiha Daishi and the core members, settling on the younger boys below the platform.
"I have seen your daily training. None of your effort has been wasted. Even the least talented among you now possesses the strength of a solid lower-tier genin."
"But our strength is still insufficient!" one youth blurted out. "Because we were too weak, you had to let that old dog Danzo escape!"
"That was not your fault," Yuan replied calmly.
Then his expression grew serious.
"These past few days, some within the clan supported me. Others criticized me—claiming I escalated tensions and worsened the village's distrust of the Uchiha."
He paused.
"What do you think?"
"I absolutely support the Leader!" Daishi declared immediately.
The others, however, fell silent. Some looked thoughtful. Others' eyes flickered with uncertainty.
Yuan smiled faintly.
"My actions look reckless to ordinary people. But do you know why the Clan Head and several elders publicly expressed support?"
Curiosity lit up the youths' faces.
"Because the clan needed to display strength to the village. My identity made me the most suitable choice. I am powerful enough to act boldly, but not positioned so high that my actions would immediately be interpreted as a formal rebellion."
He continued evenly:
"If someone weaker had done what I did, the village would have crushed them, humiliating the clan. If someone of very high status had done it, the village would have assumed the Uchiha were preparing for open revolt. That would have spiraled out of control."
Understanding dawned across many faces.
"So that's what the elders were thinking…"
Daishi frowned.
"But Leader, our clan's name echoes across the ninja world. We control the Military Police Force. Aren't we already strong? I've seen ordinary shinobi get scolded by our patrols and not dare talk back!"
"Yes! Everyone in the village fears the Uchiha!"
Yuan lifted a hand for silence.
"What I am about to say is a truth most of you—and most clan members—do not know."
The chamber grew utterly still.
"In reality, the Uchiha have long been suppressed by the village."
The words struck like a hammer.
"What?!"
"That's impossible!"
"The village suppresses us?!"
After the uproar subsided, Yuan continued calmly.
"You believe controlling the Police Force means holding power. But the Anbu exist alongside it. Their responsibilities overlap heavily with ours. Matters like hunting rogue ninja or investigating espionage are handled by the Anbu, not us."
"The Police are left with routine patrols and civilian disputes."
He paused.
"The most important authority in the village is the Jonin Council. They oversee major decisions, including voting on the Hokage. Yet applications from multiple Uchiha for jonin promotion have been repeatedly denied."
"The purpose is simple—to reduce our influence."
His gaze sharpened.
"The Uchiha are called Konoha's greatest clan. But in truth, we have already been pushed to the margins."
Silence fell like a heavy curtain.
"Why would the village do this?!" one youth cried bitterly.
"Because we are strong," Yuan replied.
"Because only the Uchiha possess the power to threaten the Hokage faction's control."
A few boys instinctively smiled with pride—
—but Yuan's eyes suddenly turned cold as lightning.
"Do you see the danger we face?"
The pride drained from their faces.
"The clan seeks greater influence. The village seeks to deny it. This contradiction cannot be reconciled."
His voice grew colder.
"One day, when resentment reaches its limit… war between the clan and the village will erupt."
The underground chamber became deathly silent. Fear crept into young faces.
"Leader… what should we do?" Uchiha Kaede asked quietly.
Yuan's gaze remained steady.
"As I have always said—we will be the clan's final support."
"But now is not the time for us to emerge. You are still too weak. So we remain in the shadows. We train. We endure. We grow."
His voice echoed powerfully through the chamber.
"Remember this—when the time comes for us to step into the light…"
His eyes blazed.
"…there will be no enemy before us."
A beat of silence—
Then thunderous voices erupted in unison.
"When we step forth, no enemy shall stand before us!"
The gloom vanished from their eyes, replaced by blazing determination.
Above them, unseen and unheard—
The storm clouds continued to gather.
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