Uchiha Chisao, sitting in the second row, waved her hand.
As a young ninja who had been promoted to Jonin for less than half a year, her seat should have been at the back. However, privilege exists everywhere. With a grandfather who is an elder and being a girl, no one complained about her squeezing into the front row alongside Elder Ryūji.
The arrogance of the Uchiha clan had long been ingrained in their bones.
Moreover, everyone qualified to attend this meeting was an elite member of the clan. Their pride was even greater than that of ordinary clan members. They wouldn't stoop to quibbling with a girl over seating.
"Chisao, sit still and stop moving around, or people will laugh at you." Sougen walked over and patted his childhood friend's head, then looked at the empty seat next to her. "I'm sitting somewhere else today. Call Futaba over to sit with you."
With that, he let go of her head.
He bypassed the second row and continued walking forward, stopping in the first row where only six elders were seated. He sat cross-legged beside Elder Homaru on the far right. There wasn't an extra cushion for him, so he chose the most comfortable cross-legged position.
A small stir immediately spread through the crowd behind him. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel✦fire.net
Sougen's unconventional behavior caused a wave of murmurs. Some thought he was breaking the rules, others admired his boldness, and still, others simply didn't care.
"Hey! Kid, I like your guts," Elder Homaru laughed, glancing at Sougen with approval.
Hearing the elder's clear support, the murmurs from the back grew louder, but fortunately, everyone understood where they were. All disputes remained verbal; no one was going to draw their sword in anger.
"If I've decided to do something, I'll do it openly and with confidence," Sougen replied matter-of-factly.
He sat cross-legged with his back straight, like a finely forged blade, exuding a sharp and resolute aura even from behind.
"Well said!" Elder Homaru nodded, his admiration growing stronger. He had a fiery and spirited personality, and he appreciated young people with such vigor. To him, this was how the Uchiha should be—bold and arrogant!
Compared to the overly composed and stifling Fugaku, he couldn't help but wonder why he had supported Fugaku as clan leader in the first place.
Just as the two were chatting idly, the clan leader himself finally arrived!
Fugaku Uchiha walked in, wearing the standard uniform of the police force—a green vest and dark pants, with the police force insignia on the sleeve near the shoulder, a shuriken embedded in a fan symbol.
He wasn't alone. Six Jonin from the clan followed him, all trusted aides similar in rank to Uchiha Hachidai. The youngest among them was glaring at Sougen with intense dissatisfaction. If looks could kill, Sougen would be a corpse full of holes by now.
"Sorry to keep everyone waiting. I had to deal with some personal matters and arrived a bit late." Fugaku Uchiha stood before the stone tablet and, after surveying the clan members gathered in the chamber, paused briefly on Sougen before turning his gaze forward. "I'll keep this short. I've called this emergency meeting to make an announcement."
He paused for a few seconds, ensuring everyone was paying close attention, then continued, "I intend to pass the position of clan leader to Uchiha Sougen."
This statement caused an uproar!
While the clan members weren't completely unprepared, they had expected a fierce power struggle. Some were eager to see the clan leader crush the rebellious youth with an iron fist, while others hoped to witness a successful challenge. Either way, it was supposed to be intense and dramatic!
What was this lukewarm nonsense?
Even the elders appeared surprised. Uchiha Genshi frowned and instinctively glanced at his grandson sitting at the far right.
"I'm sorry, clan leader, but I must refuse," Sougen stood up, his voice loud and clear, reaching every ear in the room.
The uproar intensified.
"This isn't what I heard would happen. What's going on?"
Everyone—young and old alike—was utterly confused.
"Sougen-kun, are you sure you understand what you're saying?" Fugaku Uchiha frowned at Sougen. "You..."
"The position of clan leader shouldn't be given; it should be taken!" Sougen interrupted Fugaku harshly, lifting his head to meet Fugaku's gaze without hesitation. "I'd rather take it with my own hands than have it handed to me."
He turned and looked at the group of Jonin from the clan.
"You all know who I am, so I'll skip the introductions. Let me get straight to the point. I believe Fugaku lacks the leadership and decisiveness to guide the clan through this crisis. Though I'm young, I believe I'm capable enough to take the position of clan leader. So I'm making it clear today: the clan leadership is mine!"
He didn't bother to slow his speech to choose his words carefully.
At this point, talking things out was a joke! He didn't believe he could convince the clan with words alone, nor did he want to. Compared to diplomacy, he believed that only through force could he make the clan members truly understand his determination and recognize the authority of their next leader.
To put it bluntly, Sougen thought the Uchiha were, in some ways, cowardly.
Back when Uchiha Madara was defeated by the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, the Uchiha clan became too afraid to rebel against the Hokage. They'd rather oppose Madara than challenge Hashirama, showing just how much they feared the overwhelming power of the First Hokage.
Now, Sougen intended to follow in Hashirama's footsteps, forcing these arrogant clan members to completely submit to him.
"Sougen-kun," Fugaku raised his voice, "There's no need to complicate things. I'll simply step down, and the clan members won't object to the official transition."
Sougen glanced at the clan leader with a sideways look.
Whether Fugaku genuinely intended to pass the position to him or wanted to use him as a scapegoat while secretly maintaining control, Sougen didn't care.
He still remembered his grandfather's warning at the shrine.
"Suwa, let's have a little duel."
Sougen provocatively gestured at the young man standing beside Fugaku—Uchiha Suwa, one of Fugaku's youngest trusted aides, who had been glaring at him since entering the chamber.
As expected, already furious over Fugaku's decision to step down in favor of Sougen and infuriated by Sougen's repeated insults, Suwa's anger had reached its peak. Now, with a direct challenge—
"Uchiha Sougen, don't be so arrogant! Is that how you speak to your seniors? Don't think that just because you've gained some fame, you're the best in the clan!"
With a sharp "clang," Suwa drew his short blade and slashed at Sougen in fury.