Chapter 19: The Council
The next morning, a summons arrived from the patriarch himself. Uchiha Raizen was to attend the clan's war council. As a newly appointed Special Elder, his presence was now required.
A man in a plain, dark uniform stood at his door. "Uchiha Raizen, this is your elder's vestment. You are to wear it for all official clan meetings and battlefield command from now on." The man's voice was flat, his presence muted yet sharp—a member of the Uchiha's covert ops division, the direct predecessors to Konoha's ANBU, answerable only to the patriarch.
"Understood. Shall I go now, or...?"
"Now. Follow me. You would not be able to enter the council chambers unescorted." The agent turned and led the way without another word.
Uchiha Raizen pulled on the formal, high-collared robe, its dark fabric emblazoned with the Uchiha fan. It felt heavy with implication. He followed the agent through the compound to a heavily fortified building.
"Uchiha Raizen, your seat is there." Uchiha Tajima, the patriarch, pointed to the last and most modest seat at the long table. His voice was devoid of warmth.
"Thank you, Patriarch." Uchiha Raizen bowed slightly and took his seat without complaint. He was acutely aware that many high-ranking clansmen were standing along the walls; having a seat at all was a significant privilege.
"Now that we are all present, let us begin," Uchiha Tajima announced, his gaze sweeping over the assembled elders and commanders. "As you are all aware, our conflict with the Senju has drained us. Our vitality is weakened. Furthermore, our trade with the Hagoromo clan to keep the Hyuga occupied cost us a valuable mine. Our resources are dwindling, and war consumes them like a furnace. This council is to determine our strategy for the conflicts to come."
The Second Elder, Uchiha Tenbu, a man with a fierce scowl, was the first to speak. "Patriarch, the Uchiha are known as one of the strongest clans for a reason: our power. Resources follow strength. The tribute from our vassal families meets our basic needs, but true growth requires conquest! We must fight!"
"The Second Elder is correct!" the Fifth Elder, Uchiha Kaito, chimed in, his voice booming. "Our truce with the Senju does not extend to others! The lands of the Kaguya, the Hyuga, the Uzumaki—they are rich and fertile. Crushing just one of these clans would provide resources for years and vastly expand our influence!"
A chorus of grim agreements rose from the war hawks in the room.
Uchiha Tajima's expression remained unreadable. "Are there other views?"
Uchiha Raizen took a slow breath and raised his hand. The room fell silent, all eyes turning to the new, young elder with varying degrees of skepticism and disdain.
"The Special Elder may speak," Uchiha Tajima granted, though a slight frown betrayed his own reservations.
"Thank you, Patriarch," Uchiha Raizen began, his voice steady despite the pressure. "I believe there are alternatives to outright force for some of our objectives. Or rather, we can use our force in a different way."
The Second Elder scoffed audibly. "A 'different way'? What way?"
"Why should we always be the ones to send out troops?" Uchiha Raizen countered, meeting the elder's gaze. "That wastes our resources, our time, and our energy. I propose we send envoys—small teams of our most powerful shinobi—to the smaller, independent clans. We demonstrate our overwhelming strength and demand their submission. Show them the futility of resistance. Many will bow to survive. Once we have integrated these smaller clans, our combined force will be far greater, putting us in a much stronger position to deal with the major clans like the Hyuga or Kaguya. And we must move quickly, before the Senju or others realize our plan and intervene. We must consolidate our power with speed and efficiency."
He laid out his idea—a strategy of rapid diplomatic intimidation and consolidation. In the Warring States Period, unification was the ultimate path to power.
A heavy silence fell over the council chamber. The warmongers looked thoughtful, while the more cautious elders seemed to be weighing the proposal. It was a plan that leveraged the Uchiha's greatest asset—their feared reputation—without immediately committing them to a costly, large-scale war. For the first time, Uchiha Raizen had not just their attention, but their genuine consideration.