Sougen humbly asked for advice.
"Do you remember what Uncle Yashiro said earlier? Don't take the praise of outsiders too seriously," Uchiha Ranzan said.
"That annoying old man!"
"Sougen, both you and Shisui have made a name for yourselves. Some say Shisui is the strongest in the clan, while others insist it's you… but no matter what people say, it's really just the younger generation talking. The senior jonin in the clan might not agree. Like Uncle Yashiro said, most of those people are also supporters of the clan leader."
Hearing this, Sougen understood the meaning behind Ranzan's words.
Showing your strength at the right time isn't a bad thing, especially in the Uchiha clan, which idolizes power. In a way, strength is synonymous with authority here. The key is knowing how to use it.
Shisui is the perfect example.
In the original history, when Shisui—undoubtedly the strongest in the clan—died, Uchiha Yashiro and the other staunch supporters of Uchiha Fugaku even stormed to the clan leader's house to question his eldest son, Uchiha Itachi. This shows just how influential the so-called strongest in the clan really is.
"I get it. Beat them into submission, and they'll naturally fall in line. Is that it?"
"...That's about right. It might not go as smoothly as you'd imagine, but it's a natural law that the strong lead the weak."
Ranzan nodded affirmatively.
In his eyes, Sougen was undoubtedly the strongest. Though Ranzan was three years older, he had never won against Sougen in all their countless sparring sessions growing up. Sougen's strength was absolute—in ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu, he was overwhelmingly powerful.
Ranzan supported Sougen not just because of their bond and shared ideals, but also because of his deep respect for Sougen's dominant strength. As he had said before, the Uchiha clan revered the strong.
And despite his calm demeanor, Uchiha Ranzan was a true Uchiha at heart. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ novｅlfire.net
"A natural law, huh?"
Sougen squinted his eyes.
At that moment, figures appeared on the temple steps.
"Grandfather, Elder Ryuuji, Elder Homaru, Elder Jun!"
A group of elderly men, all over sixty, arrived together.
"Sougen, don't let me down tonight," Elder Homaru, known for his fiery temper, was the first to speak.
"Sougen, give it your best!"
That was the familiar Elder Ryuuji.
"Sougen… I hope you haven't deceived Shisui. Otherwise, even with my old bones, I'll make sure you regret it." Elder Jun, thin and pale, gave Sougen a deep look before walking forward with the other elders.
Uchiha Genshi remained behind.
"How are things going?" Genshi asked.
"About fifty-fifty! Ranzan just told me—we might have to use force to deal with the hardliners."
"Fifty-fifty? That's not bad. To rally half the supporters in such a rush is a good result... Luckily, you pulled Shisui to your side. Otherwise, we wouldn't even have been able to hold this emergency assembly. Are most of the people here now?"
Ranzan spoke up: "Everyone is here except for the clan leader and his close confidants."
"Then let's go inside."
Genshi glanced at the main shrine of the temple. "No need to wait for the clan leader. Fugaku always shows up last. And there's no point in meeting with him alone right now. Even if he has any intention of conceding, Sougen, you shouldn't accept it. Instead of waiting for someone to give you something, it's better to take it yourself."
"Grandfather, you've noticed?"
"I'm not blind yet! When I proposed holding this emergency meeting, even with Jun's help, Fugaku could've opposed it. But he didn't. He supported it easily and even gave you advance notice… If I didn't know what Fugaku was planning by now, you might as well bury me."
"Well, I'd better find a good burial spot for you. Maybe next to Great-Grandfather?"
"Absolutely not. That old man was too much trouble. I don't want to be disturbed even after death. I'll pick a spot in the graveyard in a few days. When I die, just bury me there."
The three of them walked into the main shrine along the path paved with gray stone.
The seventh tatami mat from the right was lifted, revealing a staircase leading to an underground chamber.
They descended the stairs, which led to a seven- or eight-meter-long stone passage. After passing through the passage, the narrow space suddenly opened up into a large room capable of holding two to three hundred people. The spacious underground chamber was already filled with over forty clan members, all kneeling in their assigned spots on the dark red wooden floor.
In front of them was a sunken area.
There, a stone tablet covered in strange writing was displayed. On the walls were ancient murals of tengu, and on either side of the tablet, two large fire pits provided the only light in the dim room.
Not all clan members had the right to participate in this meeting.
Only the clan's ninja, specifically jonin, were allowed into the chamber. Chunin and genin were not permitted, and some jonin had been assigned to guard the clan grounds. In the end, fewer than fifty people attended the meeting.
Elder Homaru, Elder Ryuuji, Elder Jun, and two other elders had already taken their seats at the front. They didn't have much—just some floor cushions to kneel on, slightly softer than the wooden floor.
"Elder Genshi has arrived."
A few clan members at the back noticed the footsteps and turned to see Uchiha Genshi, along with the two young men by his side.
The atmosphere shifted. The clan members were quick to share information, especially among the jonin, who were the core of the clan. Most of those present had a general understanding of why this emergency meeting was called and knew that Uchiha Sougen would be one of the central figures tonight.
His supporters greeted him with enthusiastic gazes, most of them younger.
His opponents responded with cold, defiant stares, mostly the older generation.
A few others simply observed with curiosity, eager to get a look at the clan's famous "Flame Demon."
Sougen remained calm in the face of these varied looks. With his hands tucked inside his robe sleeves, he walked unhurriedly behind his grandfather, following the path cleared for them.
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