Fugaku’s face was livid, rigid as cold steel.
His brows knitted together in a deep scowl, radiating a chilling, oppressive aura that made it hard to breathe.
“Uchiha Senya, do you have any idea that this will get everyone killed!” Senya met Fugaku’s gaze head-on, refusing to back down.
“Clan Head Fugaku, endless compromise and retreat will only doom the clan beyond redemption!” Uchiha Fugaku let out a bitter, furious laugh.
“I thought you had forgotten who the Clan Head is.” Seeing Fugaku resort to pulling rank, Senya scoffed inwardly.
*’Impotent rage.’* *’Meek and submissive to outsiders.’* *’Ruthless and overbearing to his own people.’* *’That perfectly sums up Uchiha Fugaku.’* “Clan Head Fugaku, you can use your authority to suppress me, or even to stop us.
But when you make your decisions, please do not forget that you are our Clan Head, not Sarutobi Hiruzen’s accomplice!” Fugaku shot Senya a frigid, disgusted glare.
“For openly defying the Clan Head, you are grounded.
Stay at home and reflect on your actions.” Being the Clan Head wasn’t just about wielding power; it was about bearing responsibility!
Fugaku was an utter failure as a leader.
He didn’t even dare to defend their legitimate rights.
And when someone else finally stepped up, he tried desperately to crush them.
A Clan Head like that…
“Uchiha Senya speaks for me.” Uchiha Setsuna stepped forward, his gaze sharp as a blade as it pierced Fugaku.
“If you have a problem with that, take it up with me.” Uchiha Fugaku had been personally appointed by Uchiha Setsuna.
Out of both duty and respect, he could not openly clash with the elder.
He could only stiffen his face and mutter sullenly, “Elder Setsuna, we all want justice for Shisui, but we absolutely cannot go about it this way.
This will only provoke misunderstandings and displeasure from the Third Hokage.” “Uchiha Fugaku…” Uchiha Setsuna’s voice was soft, yet it exploded like thunder in Fugaku’s ears.
“This is the last time.
Do not disappoint me again.” He took the megaphone from Senya’s hand and raised his arm, pointing straight toward the Hokage building.
“Raise the clan banner!
My brethren, move out!” Uchiha Hikura brought out the massive banner they had prepared in advance, emblazoned with the Uchiha clan crest.
It featured a red upper half and a white lower half, shaped like a fan.
Though it resembled a table tennis paddle, its true meaning lay in the white fan’s ability to fan the flames and enhance the power of Fire Release.
Moreover, on the battlefield, the commanding leader would often carry a war fan to signify their authority.
The red upper half symbolized both roaring flames and the crimson Sharingan.
Together, the crest embodied the clan’s resolve to protect everything they held dear through martial might and wisdom.
Raising this banner was a clear message to the other ninja clans: this was a private vendetta of the Uchiha.
It was a warning for them to stay out of it.
The crowd surged into motion.
“Hey, you there, boy.
Hand us old geezers a kunai.” A white-haired old man leaned heavily on his cane, revealing a sparse, toothy grin as he spoke.
“What do you need a kunai for?” The young ninja asked, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
“As long as we’re still standing, we’ll never let anyone lay a finger on you!” The old man scowled, tapping his cane in annoyance.
“You foolish brat, this is war!
Not some ninja game!
If Konoha’s shinobi ambush us and take us hostage, what will you do then?” The young ninja couldn’t help but glance over at his grandmother and his girlfriend.
The mere thought of them being used as leverage drained the color from his face, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
If Konoha actually dared to lay a hand on them, he would completely lose his mind.
“The answer is simple,” the old man said firmly.
“Don’t worry about us.
We’ll use the kunai to end our own lives.” The old man’s son remained silent, but his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked.
At that moment, his instinct wasn’t to beg his elderly parents to go home, but to fight Konoha to the bitter end!
Even the old man’s six-year-old grandson was clamoring for a kunai.
The boy boldly declared that if his father and grandfather died, he would avenge them.
If an outsider had heard this, their hair would have stood on end, and they would have called them all lunatics.
But a thousand years of bloodshed had forged the Uchiha clan into a people who never feared death!
“All shinobi, form up on me!” Senya shouted.
Uchiha Sasuke pursed his lips tightly.
Pulling away from his mother’s side, he took the initiative to stand beside the ranks of the shinobi.
His actions prompted several other children to run over and join him.
“Uchiha Sasuke, I am proud of your determination to protect our clan.” Senya had immediately spotted Sasuke standing at the forefront of the children.
*’Uchiha Sasuke…’* Sasuke noticed that Senya hadn’t referred to him as ‘Uchiha Fugaku’s son’ or ‘Uchiha Itachi’s little brother.’ He had addressed him by his own name.
This feeling…
Sasuke couldn’t help but puff out his chest.
It felt amazing!
Especially coming from Uchiha Senya, the man who had just stood on the podium and awakened the entire clan!
It immensely satisfied Sasuke’s deep-seated desire for recognition.
Senya’s voice softened.
“But until you graduate from the Academy, you are the ones we must protect.” “I’m not a little kid!” Sasuke protested.
“I already know the Great Fireball Technique!” There were about a dozen other children like Sasuke, glaring at Senya with wide, defiant eyes.
Senya knelt down, placing both hands on Sasuke’s shoulders.
Meeting the boy’s gaze at eye level, he offered a pure, radiant smile that felt as warm and bright as the sun.
“If we all fall, then it will be your turn to protect the clan.” “Until then, no one is allowed to harm you.
That is our duty!” Clan, duty, protection.
Those words took root and sprouted in Sasuke’s heart.
“I understand, Senya-senpai!
I promise I’ll protect everyone!” “I know you will!” Not far away, Uchiha Fugaku watched his foolish son willingly cozy up to Senya.
His face instantly contorted into an expression uglier than if he had just eaten dirt.
But he couldn’t reprimand Senya.
Because Uchiha Setsuna was standing right beside him!
*’Damn it!!!’* “Uchiha Sasuke, get back to your mother right now!
Stop causing trouble!” Uchiha Fugaku vented his pent-up frustration on his son.
His father’s sudden, harsh reprimand deeply hurt Sasuke.
He was a member of the clan too.
He just wanted to do his part.
Was that so wrong?
“Protecting your family from harm makes you a hero too.
Go on, Sasuke,” Senya gently consoled him.
Sasuke’s anger immediately faded.
He gave a serious nod, accepted a kunai, and returned to his mother’s side.
Senya gently sent the rest of the children back to their families as well.
When he stood back up, the warmth on his face was replaced by stern resolve.
“This is not a game!” Senya’s voice was deep and powerful.
His features hardened, shedding all traces of softness.
His spinning tomoe swept across the crowd, and his imposing demeanor made everyone forget his young age.
“I repeat, this is not a game!” “Perhaps some of you still believe that this isn’t Sarutobi Hiruzen’s fault, that Shimura Danzo is solely to blame.” Senya noticed a few people in the crowd actually nodding in agreement.
*’Unbelievable.’* He raised his voice, emphasizing his next words.
“But make no mistake—this is Sarutobi Hiruzen’s fault!” “As Hokage, he constantly indulges and shelters the perpetrators, yet chooses to turn a blind eye to our justified demands!” “We have bled and sacrificed for Konoha just as much as anyone else, but what have we received in return?” “We have compromised time and time again, only to be met with endless suppression and marginalization!” The vast majority of the shinobi resonated deeply with his words.
Their sacrifices had only earned them a knife in the back from Konoha.
The Will of Fire?
*’Bullshit.
Sarutobi Hiruzen is full of absolute shit!’* Senya’s voice rose to a roar as he issued a chilling question.
“When they hold a blade to our throats, are we supposed to just meekly bow our heads and accept it?!” Someone in the crowd roared, “Never!” “If they want to kill us, we’ll kill them first!” “Exactly!
That is the true spirit of the Uchiha clan!” Senya flashed a bloodthirsty smile.
“Blood for blood, tooth for tooth!”