Another clan meeting. Yet another clan meeting.
Jin Uchiha twitched the corner of his mouth and instinctively tapped his forehead. Fugaku as clan leader… he was speechless.
Anyone with a shred of sense knew the rules: minor matters require small meetings, major matters sometimes need a gathering, but sometimes no meeting at all.
Ordinary people lack the ability to make real decisions. The more participants there are, the more likely the discussion will be aimless, with people blindly following the loudest voice. It also increases the risk of spies finding out.
Effective planning requires fewer people those with prestige, authority over mid-to-lower ranks, and the ability to execute solutions. That's enough.
But now?
Fugaku opens meetings for anything and everything. Nothing gets resolved. He has none of the decisiveness a clan leader should have. He doesn't even know how to act.
For a clan, that's a disaster.
"This Fugaku is useless!"
"Disappearing clan members, rumors in the village…"
"Can't even handle such simple issues? Can't they think for themselves?"
"Always opening meetings it's madness!"
Setsuna Uchiha frowned deeply, unable to contain his outrage.
Before, he hadn't minded all the meetings. But now, after interacting with Jin, he increasingly saw them as inefficient. Meetings were mostly a waste of time.
Since Jin joined the radical faction, his operations had been swift and decisive. Few people involved, direct orders given, tasks completed.
Stealthy. Efficient. Flawless.
And effective.
Setsuna reflected on his own life attending clan meetings years wasted without achieving anything.
"Enough complaining," he said.
"Fugaku is clan leader, and as long as it doesn't involve principles, we can afford to give him some face. It won't hurt anything."
"Tetsu, take five elite Jonin from the radical faction to show strength. The rest maintain strict patrols. Watch the perimeter and all secret sentries. Root mustn't have any chance to exploit weakness."
"Elder Setsuna, let's go."
Jin rose and walked toward the exit.
Setsuna followed closely, making it clear to everyone that Jin was the leader of the radical faction.
Ten minutes later, Jin and Setsuna led the group, followed by Tetsu and other unnamed elite Jonin, arriving at the Nanga Shrine.
Onlookers frowned.
Unlike last time, many lower-ranking Uchiha stared at the radicals with mixed expressions, pondering silently.
Clearly, recent events had proven Jin's actions to be correct.
The Uchiha are stubborn, single-minded but not foolish. They could see the difference between the radicals' efficiency and the clan's inefficiency. Yet trust in the faction elders kept them from openly joining the radicals… for now.
"Elder Jin, Elder Setsuna!"
"Why did the radical faction send so few people? Why aren't other clan members attending the meeting?"
"This seems against tradition."
Fugaku sat in the central seat, radiating authority. At first glance, he looked the part of a clan leader. But looks can be deceiving. Fugaku was all style and no substance.
Once seated, Jin adjusted his robes and spoke calmly.
"The others must guard the base. Naturally, they cannot attend the meeting."
Fugaku's face darkened. That was a clear jab at him.
Before he could respond, Shisui spoke first.
"Jin, you should trust the clan leader and the Hokage. Your radical faction's actions are excessive. They show a lack of faith in both the leader and the Hokage. I hope the radicals remove their defenses."
Jin didn't even lift his eyelids.
"I do not trust the clan leader or Sarutobi Hiruzen."
Shisui froze.
Fugaku is clan leader, Hiruzen is Hokage, and Jin just dismissed them outright. Such blunt disrespect left his mind blank. Public respect is expected, no matter what one thinks privately.
Too bad.
Jin didn't care. He continued coldly:
"Recently, many have died in the clan mostly Uchiha with three-tomoe Sharingan, right?"
"I remember warning you at the last clan meeting. Yet you fools risked your subordinates' lives, gambling on the character of Fugaku and Hiruzen."
"Impressive. Truly impressive!"
"Fugaku has always been indecisive. During the war, the Uchiha earned merits, but the village doesn't even know they can't enter the memorials. Do they even realize how the Uchiha fought for the village?"
"The Nine-Tails Night, losing the clan's homeland, surveillance by the Anbu…"
"Event after event. You are hopelessly foolish!"
"But enough."
"It's useless trying to reason with fools. If you want to die, that's your choice. I won't intervene."
"However," he continued, "the radical faction does not recognize Fugaku as leader. I, Jin Uchiha, will openly take responsibility for the lives of the radical faction members."
"So, enough talk!"
"Let's get to the point. I have other business to attend to later."
Jin was direct.
Last clan meeting, he still showed the courtesy of addressing Fugaku as leader because his position was unstable. But with recent disappearances and no losses among the radicals, his authority had been established. He no longer needed to worry about Fugaku.
And indeed.
Even with Jin's rudeness, the shrine was silent. Not a single Uchiha spoke against him. Even elders from the moderates and centrists remained quiet.
The reason was simple.
Fugaku had proven himself incompetent. Even if the moderates disliked Jin's radicalism, they had no obligation to show Fugaku respect. They had endured enough from this useless leader.
Fugaku sat there in stunned silence, his expression dark and volatile.
His gaze toward Jin was sharp, gleaming with murderous intent.
He had sacrificed and humiliated himself for the Uchiha's stability, appeasing the village and his clan. All for what?
To integrate the Uchiha into Konoha.
But these fools why couldn't they understand?