Uchiha Yuichi was widely regarded as the most powerful member of the Uchiha clan, a fact that did not sit well with Uchiha Fugaku, the son of the current clan patriarch.
The tension between the two was palpable, and it was no secret that many within the village, especially among the higher-ups of Konoha, were pleased by the discord.
A united Uchiha clan was a threat, and the division between Yuichi and Fugaku played right into their hands. In particular, some of Konoha's older and more cunning leaders secretly fueled this rivalry, understanding that a fractured Uchiha clan was easier to control.
On one seemingly ordinary day, the friction between Yuichi and Fugaku escalated. At the Konoha Guard headquarters, where Yuichi served as the deputy captain, Fugaku confronted him about his habitual tardiness.
"You're late again, Yuichi." Fugaku snapped, his tone laced with barely concealed contempt. His expression was as stern as ever, reflecting the weight of his expectations and the pressures of his father's legacy.
Before Yuichi could respond, Uchiha Kenta, one of Yuichi's most loyal followers, stepped in. "Captain Yuichi isn't late. Some people just arrive too early," Kenta retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he cast a disdainful glance at Fugaku.
The tension between the two was evident, and the other members of the guard watched with bated breath, sensing the brewing conflict.
Fugaku's face darkened at Kenta's words. He turned his cold gaze towards Kenta, dismissing him with a wave of his hand. "I'm talking to Uchiha Yuichi, not some lackey. Know your place, Kenta."
The insult struck a nerve. Kenta's hand instinctively reached for the kunai in his ninja pouch, his eyes narrowing with fury.
"You want to die?" he hissed, ready to defend Yuichi's honour.
But before the situation could escalate further, Yuichi intervened.
"Kenta, don't waste your time on trash like him," Yuichi said calmly, his voice steady but filled with disdain. His eyes locked onto Fugaku's, and the contempt in his gaze was unmistakable. Fugaku, despite being seven years older, had always felt inferior to Yuichi.
The latter's strength and skill were unmatched within the clan, and his presence alone commanded respect.
Yuichi's words were a deliberate provocation, one that Fugaku could not ignore. He clenched his fists, his anger boiling over.
"Uchiha Yuichi!" Fugaku shouted, his voice filled with rage. Without another word, he drew the sword strapped to his back and lunged at Yuichi, aiming to strike him down.
But Yuichi was ready. With a swift movement, he evaded the attack, leaving Fugaku's blade to slice through the air where he had stood just moments before. The sword struck a log instead, which burst into a puff of white smoke—a classic substitution jutsu.
"Attacking a fellow villager, Fugaku? Do you intend to become a traitor?" Yuichi's voice echoed from behind Fugaku, filled with mockery and a hint of challenge.
In a blur of motion, Yuichi appeared behind Fugaku and delivered a powerful kick to his side, sending him sprawling across the training ground. \
Despite his status as an Elite Jōnin, Fugaku was clearly outmatched. Yuichi had already surpassed most shinobi, his skills bordering on the Kage-level, a realm few could ever hope to reach.
Fugaku gritted his teeth, his pride wounded as he struggled to his feet. His Sharingan eyes flared with anger and desperation as he prepared to unleash a powerful fire jutsu, one of the strongest in his arsenal. With a series of rapid hand signs, he summoned the Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique, sending a massive, fiery dragon hurtling towards Yuichi.
But Yuichi remained unfazed. He quickly performed his own hand signs, countering with the Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique. The massive sphere of fire he created dwarfed Fugaku's dragon, engulfing it entirely and continuing its path toward Fugaku with unstoppable force.
"How is this possible?" Fugaku gasped, barely managing to escape the onslaught using the Body Flicker Technique. The ground where he had stood moments before was now a smouldering pit, the intensity of the flames leaving behind scorched earth and ash.
The spectators were stunned. The Great Fireball Technique was considered a basic C-rank jutsu, a skill that every Uchiha learned early in their training.
Yet, in Yuichi's hands, it had overpowered Fugaku's B-rank Dragon Fire Technique, a feat that defied conventional wisdom. The difference in their abilities was becoming increasingly apparent.
"Master Yuichi's power is beyond compare," Uchiha Kenta murmured, his admiration for Yuichi growing even deeper. In his eyes, Yuichi was the only one capable of leading the Uchiha clan to greatness.
The Uchiha had not produced a Kage-level shinobi since Uchiha Madara, and Sasuke believed that Yuichi could be the one to restore their clan to its former glory.
Yuichi didn't give Fugaku a moment to recover. In a flash, he used the Body Flicker Technique to close the distance between them, reappearing right in front of Fugaku.
Fugaku activated his Three Tomoe Sharingan, trying to predict Yuichi's next move, but it was no use. Yuichi's Sharingan, far more potent and experienced, locked Fugaku in a powerful genjutsu, freezing him in place for a split second—just long enough for Yuichi to deliver a devastating punch to Fugaku's abdomen.
The impact sent Fugaku crashing through the walls of a nearby building, his body slamming into the ground with a sickening thud. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he struggled to breathe, the force of Yuichi's blow nearly knocking him unconscious.
But Yuichi wasn't done. He walked over to the fallen Fugaku, his expression cold and unforgiving. Without a word, he raised his foot and brought it down hard on Fugaku's head, grinding his face into the dirt.
"You dared to challenge me? You're nothing but a fool," Yuichi spat, his voice dripping with contempt. He applied more pressure, causing Fugaku to cry out in pain as his face was pressed deeper into the ground.
Uchiha Kenta, watching the scene unfold, felt a surge of excitement. Yuichi, who had previously shown little interest in the clan's politics, was finally asserting his dominance.
Kenta knew that this moment would be crucial in determining the future of the Uchiha clan.
"We need to let everyone know what happened here today," Kenta muttered to himself, already thinking of how to spread the news. "Fugaku isn't fit to be our leader. Only Yuichi has the strength to lead us."
The other members of the Konoha Guard who supported Fugaku were paralyzed by fear. None dared to intervene, knowing that they stood no chance against Yuichi. They exchanged nervous glances, unsure of what to do.
"Uchiha Fugaku attacked a fellow villager. He's to be arrested," Yuichi ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Kenta nodded, quickly rallying a few of the guards to carry out the command. Fugaku, barely conscious, was unable to resist as they bound him and prepared to take him into custody. The remaining guards, those loyal to Fugaku, hesitated, their loyalty tested by the sheer power Yuichi had displayed. In the end, they did nothing, too terrified to oppose him.
As Fugaku was dragged away, his followers hurried to the Uchiha patriarch to report what had happened. When the patriarch, an ageing man who looked far older than his fifty years, heard the news, he was livid.
"What do you mean Yuichi has arrested Fugaku?" he roared, slamming his fist on the table. His face was flushed with anger, and his eyes, though clouded with age, burned with the remnants of his once-formidable spirit.
The patriarch had long suspected that Yuichi might challenge Fugaku for leadership of the clan, but he hadn't expected such a bold move.
"What is Yuichi planning?" he muttered to himself, pacing back and forth. He knew that Yuichi was the only one in the clan with the strength to rival his son, and this attack seemed to confirm his fears.
"Did you just stand by and let this happen?" the patriarch demanded, turning his wrath on the guards who had come to deliver the news. They bowed their heads, too ashamed to meet his gaze.
"Fugaku was easily defeated. What could we have done?" one of them finally spoke, his voice trembling with fear.
"If we had tried to stop Yuichi, we would have been killed."
The patriarch's rage simmered as he considered his next move. Uchiha Yuichi's challenge to Fugaku was not just an assault on his son; it was a direct challenge to his authority as the clan's leader.
He realized that he needed to act quickly to prevent the clan from splintering even further. But deep down, the patriarch knew that Yuichi's power was undeniable. If he could not find a way to contain this rising threat, the Uchiha clan might be forced to choose between following Fugaku or bowing to Yuichi's might.