Chapter 2: An Unshakable Aristocratic Family
The struggle for power—this is an unshakable truth in any world, except perhaps in the female-oriented fiction realm teeming with playboys and countless sycophants.
Meeting Uchiha Shisato's stern gaze, Uchiha Anran continued to speak words the old man deeply disliked hearing.
"If we continue to pursue the position of Hokage, the Senju clan—now nowhere to be found—may well become the Uchiha of the future."
These words caused the Grand Elder's brows to furrow.
Uchiha Shisaku, who had lived from the Warring States period before Konoha's founding to the present day, was by no means a fool.
Since the death of the God of Shinobi—Senju Hashirama—Senju Tobirama had become the Second Hokage. During his reign, the First Shinobi World War erupted.
Not only did Senju Tobirama fall at the hands of the Cloud Village, but the Senju clan's elite forces were nearly wiped out.
With the Second Great Ninja War, the death of the Senju clan's last hope—Tsunade's younger brother, Senju Neji—led the Senju clan to abandon their surname and choose to assimilate into Konoha.
This decision to renounce their ancestors and clan was tantamount to extinguishing their lineage.
Thus, a noble clan of the ninja world, once on par with the Uchiha, was consigned to the annals of history.
Uchiha Shisui, who had once led a rebellion only to be suppressed by Senju Tobirama, yet possessed a spirit capable of both resilience and flexibility, now asked himself this question.
If the Uchiha clan were in the Senju clan's shoes, would they be capable of making such a sacrifice for Konoha?
The answer, of course, is yes!
Unlike the cunning and scheming Senju clan, the proud and powerful Uchiha would have charged headlong into battle—and their fate would likely have been even more tragic than that of the Senju, whose bloodline still survives.
Seeing the old man lost in thought, Uchiha Anran spoke softly.
"When it comes to the position of Hokage, you cannot trust any promises made by Sarutobi Hiruzen."
"After all, his disciples are the Sannin. Whether it's Orochimaru, Jiraiya, or Tsunade—who has left the village—their prestige surpasses that of the Uchiha."
"If we wish to compete for the Fourth Hokage position, unless another unbeatable powerhouse emerges, we'll end up like Uchiha Madara did back then. No matter how many merits we've earned, the Jonin will push us out of the running."
"We likely won't even have a shot at the Fifth Hokage. Right now, the 'Golden Flash' Minato Namikaze—who's rising to fame across the Shinobi World and masters the Flying Thunder God Technique—is Jiraiya's disciple, a true-blue direct descendant of the Senju clan."
After hearing all this, Uchiha Shana waved his hand in exasperation and said irritably.
"You're just boosting others' confidence while crushing our own. You little brat, do you really have so little faith in our clan becoming Hokage?"
Uchiha Anran replied bluntly, "Not only do I lack faith, but I also see no need for it."
"What fundamental benefit would it bring to our clan if I became Hokage?"
"Take the current Third Shinobi World War, for example. If a Uchiha were in the Hokage's seat, our clan members would have to sacrifice their lives in the coming hard-fought, desperate battles."
"Even if every member of our clan is an elite, on the meat grinder of the Great Ninja War, we'd still be nothing more than an insignificant number."
"Is it really worth throwing clan members—who've taken over a decade to grow—into a battlefield where their very survival is uncertain, all for Konoha's sake and for a promise that can never be fulfilled?"
"Konoha doesn't treat us as part of the family, so why should we treat Konoha as our home?"
Uchiha Anran's barrage of rhetorical questions left Uchiha Shana at a loss for words.
He looked at the exceptional, vibrant heir standing before him—the one in whom he had placed such high hopes—his expression shifting repeatedly.
After a long while, he finally revealed a complex look, one that held both satisfaction and a sense of twilight.
The Grand Elder did not answer Uchiha Anran directly, but spoke to himself instead.
"Come to think of it, these past few decades have flown by. Of the old guard left over from the Warring States period, only I, the current Clan Leader, and that fellow Hokaku remain."
Uchiha Anran listened quietly.
He was no stranger to the three names Uchiha Shana had mentioned; they were currently the Uchiha clan's last three veteran Kage-level powerhouses, each representing one of the clan's three major factions.
Among the younger generation, there were he and Uchiha Fugaku. With five Kage-level figures and dozens of Jounin, they had established a situation where even if Konoha's higher-ups disliked the Uchiha, they could do nothing but watch helplessly.
During the Great War, they had no choice but to go along with it.
Then, overnight, the entire clan was wiped out. One could only say it was fate. The very powerful individuals who could have protected the clan turned their blades against it.
Had it not been for that, a true rebellion against Konoha might not have been entirely without a chance of success.
Uchiha Shisana's voice continued to echo, now tinged with a hint of hoarseness.
"To this day, we have not been without regret over Clan Leader Madara's departure from Konoha."
"But compared to the bloodshed of the Warring States period, our clan members living in Konoha undoubtedly enjoy a peaceful life."
"A six-year-old child who has mastered chakra refinement must take up arms, fight for the clan, and die for the clan…"
Uchiha Shana took a deep breath, fixed his gaze on Uchiha Anran, and spoke slowly, emphasizing each word.
"Anran, you must remember: the clan's stability and prosperity are more important than anything else!"
Hearing this, the young man nodded slightly, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
The Uchiha's pursuit of the Hokage—aside from the obsession born of the belief that this title rightfully belongs to our clan—boils down to one thing: ensuring a better life for our people.
"Grandfather, I understand perfectly well."
"What we've discussed today stays behind these doors."
Uchiha Anlan paused for a moment before speaking calmly, "Of course, if the right opportunity arises, I wouldn't mind leading the Uchiha clan to start anew and leave Konoha…"
"Or destroy Konoha!"
As those words fell, the atmosphere in the room suddenly turned icy, only to dissipate in the young man's light chuckle.
Though Uchiha Anran was clearly smiling, Uchiha Shana felt a chill that pierced to the bone.
He keenly sensed that his own grandson, raised right under his nose, was like a soaring eagle, letting out its first cry!
Uchiha Shana didn't know if this was good or bad, but one thing was certain: at the very least, he was better than that useless wimp Uchiha Fugaku!
"The future of the Uchiha clan is yours. To what heights you'll lead the clan, and what you'll accomplish with it—well, I'm just a skeleton in a grave; I won't be around to see it, so I'm not going to bother worrying about it anymore."
After the Grand Elder had calmed the turmoil within his heart, he heard footsteps outside the room.
Soon, a young voice drifted in.
"Grand Elder, Lord Anlan."
"The Clan Leader is holding a clan meeting at the shrine to decide on the participants for the Third Shinobi World War."
The expressions of the two men inside remained unchanged, but Uchiha Shana's voice rang out loud and clear.
"I am advanced in years; I entrust the clan meeting entirely to Anlan."
Outside, the young Uchiha's expression shifted—a mix of astonishment and confusion, but mostly delight.
Inside, Uchiha Anran—who understood exactly what the old man meant—breathed deeply and bowed slightly toward Uchiha Shana.
"Hokages come and go, but the Uchiha clan stands firm. Rest assured, I will lead the Uchiha to the very pinnacle!"
End of this chapter...