Within the Uchiha clan, a great migration had begun.
Following Uchiha Jin's words at the Nanga Shrine, those clan members who believed him began moving toward the radical faction's enclave.
The reasoning was simple. Whether Konoha's leadership would retaliate or not, it was safer to prepare for the worst, and they had little to lose in the process.
Especially since disappearances within the Uchiha lands had been occurring with increasing frequency, it made sense to seek refuge under the radicals. For these clan members, factional disputes were less important than survival.
The radicals welcomed this with open arms. To them, it was a clear sign that they were winning hearts and minds.
Time passed.
As Fugaku's indecision and weakness allowed the situation to unfold, more Uchiha previously on the fence moved toward the radical faction. The vast Uchiha territory had effectively been split in two.
Meanwhile, Shisui approached the Hokage, but he was swiftly rebuffed.
According to Sarutobi, Danzo and Kagami were friends, and the Sharingan in Danzo's possession had been gifted in his final moments.
And just like that, Shisui believed him.
Given previous incidents with Obito and Kakashi, this explanation seemed plausible enough. If it had been Jin, he would have laughed it off. Danzo trying to intimidate Kakashi? Preposterous.
But unfortunately, Shisui was not Jin. He was easily persuaded.
The matter of Danzo's missing arm and Sharingan was brushed off with a casual "it's for Konoha's benefit." Danzo had sacrificed his arm for Konoha in the past; what was a few Sharingan to help the village?
Shisui, persuaded, had long since forgotten that the Sharingan carried the clan's bloodline, a sacred legacy that no ninja clan could tolerate being misused.
Ten days later, the great migration within the Uchiha clan was complete. The radical faction's enclave was bustling. Patrols and hidden scouts surrounded the territory, with new barriers covering the entire area.
Meanwhile, the moderate and centrist factions, under Fugaku's leadership and supported by Shisui, chose to trust the Konoha leadership.
But Danzo, missing an arm and a Sharingan, became increasingly desperate to stabilize the Hashirama cells in his right arm. He escalated the arrests of Uchiha wielders of the Three Tomoe Sharingan.
There was no alternative. It was not yet time for the Uchiha's annihilation. Danzo's stock of Three Tomoe Sharingan had been depleted by Jin's previous actions, forcing him to act for his own survival.
He became more ruthless than ever.
Yet, the radicals' defenses were so stringent that Danzo could only target the moderates and centrists.
For a time, members of the centrist and moderate factions were on edge.
Fugaku said, "Trust the village, trust the Hokage. It's just coincidence."
Shisui added, "Don't panic. The Hokage will investigate."
A clan leader and a Mangekyō user voiced their reassurances, both feeling the pressure, but neither dared emulate the radicals, alter the territory's barriers, or increase patrols any such act would signal mistrust toward the village. For people like them, even under immense stress, this was unthinkable.
Three days later, rumors of an impending Uchiha rebellion began to circulate throughout the village, more intense than ever before.
Fugaku and Shisui panicked but had no way to respond. Seeking advice from Hokage Sarutobi yielded only the usual platitudes:
"Trust the villagers, trust the village."
"Rumors end with the wise. Give it time."
"Do not panic, do not fear. I will handle it."
Though frustrated, Fugaku and Shisui were left with no choice but to temporarily trust the village and the Hokage.
Unfortunately, Sarutobi had done nothing to stop the situation. His inaction, or tacit approval, allowed the radicals to act freely, and yet Fugaku and Shisui failed to see this obvious fact.
Meanwhile, the radical faction remained eerily silent.
Uchiha Jin had gone completely off the radar. He spent his days moving in and out quietly, focused entirely on regenerating his Mangekyō chakra. Without any cheat systems, he had to maximize his strength to stay at his peak.
This was why he had not openly challenged the other factions or Konoha he was playing within the rules, using strategy over brute force.
Strength was key.
Unless he acquired Hashirama cells or unlocked the Eternal Mangekyō, he could not afford reckless moves.
"Jin, really doing nothing?"
"One of the moderates disappeared again last night, a wielder of the Three Tomoe Sharingan."
"They may be from different factions, but they are all Uchiha. Seeing this, he must feel the loss sharply."
"If we truly rebel, these are all losses in combat power!"
Uchiha Setsuna said bitterly. Even as a member of the radical faction, he felt deeply for the fallen.
Jin, however, calmly sipped tea, unconcerned.
"Elder Setsuna, I too feel the pain," Jin said.
"But the Uchiha have long been tamed like domestic dogs, stripped of the ferocity of our ancestors."
"The only way forward is destruction before reconstruction."
"These losses are insignificant. Only by sacrificing more will we shatter their illusions and unify the clan. Only then can we contend with Konoha's leadership."
"That is why I have not torn open relations with Konoha. Radical claims of rebellion alone do not grant us the right to drag them into a death struggle."
"Only by unifying the Uchiha do we earn that right."
"Yes, you heard me correctly."
"Even after unifying the clan, we would only gain the right to drag Konoha into a death struggle. Full-scale rebellion is still far too ambitious."
Jin's tone was quiet but resolute.
As a transmigrator, he understood Konoha far too well to act recklessly.
Setsuna froze. "Jin, why do you fear Konoha's leadership so much? Are the few old men really that strong?"
"You're being overly cautious."
"Even if Sarutobi was formidable in his youth, he is now old and weak. Other clans' ninjas are no match for the Uchiha. If we rebel, our chances of success should be high!"