In a dimly lit interrogation room, Uchiha Yuichi sat back casually, his legs propped up on the table. His gaze, calm and unbothered, was fixed on the bound and battered figure of Uchiha Fugaku across from him.
"Attacking a fellow Konoha ninja so viciously... Uchiha Fugaku, are you planning to become a traitor?" Yuichi's tone was cold, almost mocking, as he observed the elder Uchiha's swollen, bruised face.
Fugaku, seething with rage, glared at Ye Feng with a ferocity that belied his weakened state. "You dare accuse me, Yuichi? If you've got the guts, kill me right here. Don't just sit there throwing baseless accusations."
Before Yuichi could respond, Uchiha Kenta, one of Yuichi's most loyal followers, interjected. His voice was filled with disdain, and a chilling intent to kill radiated from him.
"Lord Yuichi, why bother with him? He attacked you first. We could kill him right now, and even the Third Hokage would have no grounds to retaliate."
Yuichi stood, his movements unhurried as he approached Fugaku. He placed a hand on Fugaku's head, patting it almost condescendingly like an elder would a misguided child.
"Fugaku, you're still too impulsive. Hold onto that anger; you'll need it for what's coming next."
Turning to Kenta, Yuichi's demeanour shifted back to one of command. "Make sure he signs the confession, no matter what it takes."
Kenta's cruel smile widened at the directive. Torture was a skill he excelled at, and the thought of making Fugaku suffer brought him a twisted sense of satisfaction.
However, he couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment that Yuichi hadn't chosen to kill Fugaku outright. If Fugaku were dead, nothing would stand in Yuichi's way of becoming the head of the Uchiha clan.
As Yuichi exited the interrogation room, he was met by Uchiha Yuan, the current patriarch of the Uchiha clan and Fugaku's father. Yuan's face was a mask of barely contained fury.
"Yuichi, where is my son?"
Yuichi, unfazed by the older man's anger, responded nonchalantly, "He's in custody. He attacked a fellow ninja, so we had to detain him."
Yuan's eyes narrowed dangerously. "This is ridiculous. The captain of the guard was arrested by his own men. If word of this gets out, the entire Uchiha clan will be humiliated. Do you want to turn us into a laughing stock?"
Yuichi's expression remained impassive. "What if I refuse to release him?"
"You would defy the head of the Uchiha clan?" Yuan's voice rose with incredulity. His anger was palpable, and a dangerous aura began to emanate from him, a residual power from his days as a formidable shinobi.
But Yuichi remained unmoved. "Your son attacked a fellow Konoha ninja. That's an act of treason. Are you telling me to cover up his crime? Are you, the patriarch, trying to shield a traitor?"
At Yuichi's command, Uchiha Sota and several other guards stepped forward, ready to enforce Yuichi's will.
"Arrest the patriarch as well," Yuichi ordered calmly, his voice cold and authoritative.
"For the sake of justice, I'll do what's necessary, even if it means taking down my own clan."
Uchiha Yuan's fury reached its peak. "You dare arrest me? This is rebellion, Yuichi! You'll bring ruin upon us all!" He coughed violently, the strain of his anger exacerbating his old injuries.
Yuichi's eyes narrowed as he replied, "I'm not the one rebelling. It's your son who crossed the line. And if you're covering for him, then you're the real traitor here."
With that, Uchiha Sota moved to attack, his ninja sword aimed at Yuan's side. But Yuan, despite his weakened state, managed to evade the strike, his old instincts still sharp enough to keep him alive.
The other Uchiha members loyal to Yuan hesitated, unsure of whether to intervene. Yuichi's reputation as a ruthless warrior preceded him, and the cold glare from his Three Tomoe Sharingan was enough to paralyze them with fear.
Yuichi's participation in the Second Ninja War had earned him respect and fear in equal measure. Even as a young shinobi, his prowess on the battlefield had been unmatched, and the older members of the clan knew better than to challenge him lightly.
As the tension in the room escalated, the aura of death that surrounded Yuichi became almost tangible, freezing the other Uchiha in place.
The patriarch's guards, though loyal, were no match for Yuichi's power. The decision to bring only a handful of Chūnin with him had been a critical mistake on Yuan's part. In the absence of stronger allies, he was left to fend for himself against the combined might of Yuichi and Uchiha Sota.
Yuichi watched the battle unfold with a cold detachment. "This old man is still strong," he noted, observing how Yuan skillfully countered Sota's attacks.
"But he won't hold out for long."
Seeing an opening, Yuichi acted. He launched several shurikens with deadly precision, each one aimed at a vital point on Yuan's body. The patriarch managed to deflect most of the projectiles, but one shuriken found its mark, embedding itself in his right hand.
The pain was sharp, but Yuan's determination didn't falter. "Is this the way of the Uchiha now? Sneak attacks and underhanded tactics?"
Yuichi's response was immediate and cold. "We're shinobi, old man. There's no honour in death."
In an instant, Yuichi employed the Body Flicker Technique, closing the distance between him and Yuan in the blink of an eye. Drawing his blade, Ryūjin Jakka, he slashed at Yuan with a speed and ferocity that left the older man no time to react.
Though Yuan managed to block the first strike, the force of the blow left a deep gash across his chest, blood seeping through his robes.
Yuan staggered, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he realized the gravity of his situation. Yuichi's strength was overwhelming, far beyond what he could handle in his current state.
Even in his prime, facing Yuichi would have been a formidable challenge, but now, with his strength waning, it was an impossible battle.
"Damn you, Yuichi..." Yuan muttered, his vision blurring as he struggled to stay on his feet.
Yuichi sheathed his blade, stepping back as Uchiha Sota moved in to deliver the final blow. But before the killing strike could land, Yuichi raised a hand to stop him.
"Leave him. He's already as good as dead."
Sota hesitated, but then nodded, stepping back as well. Yuichi's logic was sound—Uchiha Yuan's days were numbered, and killing him now would only complicate things further.
The patriarch was a symbol, and his death would provoke questions and chaos that Yuichi preferred to avoid. Better to let him die slowly, his influence waning with each passing day.
With a pained groan, Uchiha Yuan collapsed to the ground, his strength finally giving out. His eyes, once sharp and commanding, were now clouded with pain and defeat. He spat out a mouthful of blood, glaring up at Yuichi with a mixture of hatred and despair.
"You planned this... from the start..." Yuan rasped, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. "You wanted to provoke me... to break me..."
Yuichi's expression didn't change. "You and your son have been a thorn in my side for too long. It was only a matter of time before I dealt with you both. Consider this a mercy."
Turning to the guards, Yuichi issued his final command. "Arrest the patriarch. He's guilty of covering up treason."
The guards moved to obey, though many of them did so with reluctance. Arresting the head of the Uchiha clan was no small matter, and they knew that the repercussions could be severe. But none dared to defy Yuichi, not after witnessing the sheer power he had just displayed.
As they bound the patriarch, Uchiha Yuan locked eyes with Yuichi one last time. "You may have won this battle, Yuichi... but the war is far from over. The Uchiha clan will never bow to you."
Yuichi's smile was cold and unfeeling. "We'll see about that. For now, rest easy, old man. Your son will be joining you soon enough."
With that, Yuichi turned and left the room, leaving the once-proud patriarch of the Uchiha clan to his fate. As he walked away, his thoughts were already turning to the future.
With Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Yuan out of the picture, nothing would stand in his way. The Uchiha clan was his for the taking, and with it, the power he had always sought.