This made their previous attempts to weaken him backfire spectacularly.
Afterward, Kawasaki's request to investigate members of the Sarutobi clan was denied. The reason given was that these individuals all belonged to the secretive Anbu Black Ops and could not be subjected to a public inquiry. In the end, everyone present at the discussion watched the furious, grim-faced Kawasaki storm away.
After returning to the Uchiha district, he felt that the day's performance had achieved its desired effect, successfully earning Orochimaru a certain degree of fame and goodwill. It was time to proceed with the next phase of the plan.
Kawasaki's first step was to write letters to the leaders of the great nations. They were addressed to Onoki, the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure; Rasa, the Kazekage of Sunagakure; A, the Raikage of Kumogakure; and Terumi Mei, the Mizukage of Kirigakure. The task of delivering the message to the Land of Water was entrusted to Shisui, while the one sent to the Land of Lightning was a man named Yougetsu.
As planned, the nearly two-month-long combat drills for the younger generation finally came to a close. Throughout this period, many novices gained invaluable practical combat experience, and the Uchiha clan as a whole earned a great deal of renown. The continuous, high rate of injuries also served to temper the skills of their medical teams, who were now proficient in treating common external wounds. At the same time, after experiencing the rotation system, some veteran warriors had gradually developed an interest in teaching.
The announcement that the special training grounds were officially closing was met with disappointment from many, but they had no choice but to accept it. After all, from a broader perspective, the objectives had already been achieved, and there was no need for further delay.
Immediately following this, Kawasaki himself convened a full clan meeting to discuss a matter of great importance. This was the first clan gathering of such a scale since he had taken over as the clan head. All those permitted to attend were elite shinobi who had awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan or higher. They sat silently, awaiting his command. Everyone knew that being gathered here today meant Kawasaki was about to make another big move.
Gazing down at the sea of his clansmen filling the hall, Kawasaki was filled with a sense of profound emotion. With so many people supporting me, what great feat is impossible?
True to his habit of not wasting words, he got straight to the point.
"I have made a decision. We will secede from the current system and establish ourselves as an independent power!"
His words struck the clansmen like a bolt from the blue, leaving them stunned. Although they had achieved a degree of autonomy, they were still nominally under the jurisdiction of the village. If they were to formally declare independence, it would imply a complete separation.
But the innocent civilians were not people who could be simply abandoned. Any resistance or counterattack from the village could escalate into an armed conflict, resulting in massive casualties. The most critical consideration for the clan was how to ensure the safety of these ordinary families and prevent them from being harmed. Therefore, the key issue they faced was how to handle the non-combatants. The smooth transition of this segment of the population was crucial to a successful and stable migration.
For a long time now, every decision Clan Head Kawasaki had made, no matter how outrageous it seemed at first, had always ended up benefiting the entire clan. Because of this, everyone trusted him implicitly.
After a brief period of murmuring discussion, the hall fell silent, and all eyes turned to their leader.
Kawasaki waited for the crowd to settle before speaking again. "From the Warring States Period to the day we founded Konoha alongside Hashirama Senju, the Uchiha clan has always sought a life of peace and stability. However, this clan—whether by ability or by temperament—is not suited to live under the thumb of others. From the moment I became a temporary elder until now, as your clan head, my goal has been constant: to free every single one of us from this mess that is Konoha."
"Since we relinquished our status within Konoha, we have succeeded in business, allowing everyone to live prosperous lives."
The Uchiha present nodded in agreement. Since withdrawing from the Military Police Force and no longer participating in village missions, most of their lives had actually improved. Those who had previously worked in the Police Force felt a great sense of relief, no longer having to face the thankless duty of a job where their efforts went unappreciated.
Now, everyone was working hard for their own future. Those who wished to grow stronger could do so by completing missions from Otogakure. If one chose a peaceful life, they could stay home and raise a family. Thanks to a series of subsidies, Uchiha families became wealthier the more children they had. Now, many households had two or three children, and some even had four or five.
Kawasaki continued, "Under these conditions, remaining in Konoha will eventually become a bottleneck for our growth. In the future, when these children grow up, our population will surge, and our need for resources will multiply. To us, the name 'Konoha' has come to mean limitation and restraint. For the sake of the next generation, we must leave this place!"
"Everyone here today is a pillar of our clan. Please raise your hand if you support independence."
Hearing this, the clansmen below accepted his reasoning and raised their hands in unison. Some were unwavering supporters who trusted Kawasaki unconditionally, while others had been convinced by his words. In any case, the entire Uchiha clan was now completely united.
Sitting to the side, Fugaku and Itachi watched the scene, overcome with emotion. Compared to the old clan meetings, which were always rife with disputes, the current atmosphere was like night and day.
Fugaku's heart filled with relief. Making Kawasaki the clan head was the best decision I ever made.
The young Itachi, meanwhile, looked at his senior with profound respect. It was under his leadership that not only had the clan's quality of life improved dramatically, but Itachi himself had also grown into a powerful ninja. Sasuke, for example, had already awakened his Sharingan at the tender age of twelve. More importantly, Kawasaki had given them a vision of a bright future—without him, perhaps all that would be left right now would be a lone Sasuke.
Just then, the Fourth Elder, Youhei, cleared his throat to speak. The crowd quieted down and turned to face him.
The Fourth Elder gathered his thoughts and said, "Our businesses on Konoha's food street are doing quite well; they're one of our main sources of income. If we go independent, what will happen to that commercial street?"
Kawasaki nodded slightly. "An excellent point. I already have a plan for that. We can continue to operate that area under our independent status, maintaining nominally friendly relations with Konoha."
The Fourth Elder frowned. "Will they accept such terms?"
Kawasaki smiled and replied, "If they were to evict all of our shops, that entire specialty commercial street would cease to exist. Losing it would mean a significant economic loss for them as well."