"Lord Patriarch, Uchiha Yuichi has taken the money, but he shows no intention of releasing the young patriarch."
The Jōnin who had earlier been dismissed by Yuichi reported to Uchiha Yuan, his voice tinged with frustration.
"Damn it, Yuichi! Does he think I can't deal with him?"
Uchiha Yuan's fury was palpable as he slammed his fist onto the table, only to cough up blood. The wound inflicted by Yuichi's Ryūjin Jakka reopened, causing fresh pain.
"Lord Patriarch, please, you mustn't exert yourself. The injury will worsen," a medical ninja pleaded, his tone laced with concern.
"Is there any chance of my wound healing?" Uchiha Yuan asked, his voice carrying a hint of desperation.
The medic hesitated before giving a grim prognosis. "Lord Patriarch, your injury is beyond healing. You might have had six months before, but now... it's difficult to say if you'll even survive a month."
Uchiha Yuan's face darkened. He dismissed the medical ninja with a wave of his hand, feeling a bitter acceptance of his fate. The reality of his situation hit hard—his once formidable strength was now a fleeting memory, and his days were numbered.
"Yuichi must be taught a lesson," suggested Uchiha Yori, the Jōnin who had just delivered the news.
"A lesson? Will you be the one to teach him?" Uchiha Yuan's gaze was sharp, cutting through the Jōnin's bravado. Uchiha Yori lowered his head, unable to meet his leader's eyes.
With a sigh, Uchiha Yuan slumped back in his chair, overwhelmed by the weight of his failing health and dwindling power. His son, Uchiha Fugaku, should have been his successor, but Fugaku's lack of strength made him ill-suited to challenge someone as cunning and powerful as Yuichi.
"Contact Uchiha Lin, Uchiha Wu, and Uchiha Shimata. They need to return at once," Uchiha Yuan ordered, his voice carrying the finality of a man preparing for the inevitable. "The Uchiha family is about to face a significant change."
These three Elite Jōnin were his most loyal supporters—seasoned warriors who had always stood by him and Fugaku. They were his last hope.
As Uchiha Yori left to carry out the orders, Uchiha Yuan convened an emergency meeting with the elders of the clan. He was well aware that his every move was being watched by Yuichi, who was anticipating an attack.
"Calling the elders for a meeting? Does Uchiha Yuan think he can still make a move against me?" Yuichi mused, a smirk playing on his lips. He had little respect for the ageing patriarch, knowing full well that the clan's elders were more interested in preserving their power than aiding Uchiha Yuan.
In truth, Uchiha Yuan's grip on the clan had long since weakened. Under his leadership, the Uchiha family had slowly lost its prominence, and many of the clan members had grown disillusioned. Yuichi, on the other hand, had steadily gained influence and was seen by many as a more fitting leader.
Meanwhile, at the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke from his pipe, deep in thought. Anbu had just delivered a report on the Uchiha clan's internal strife.
"Continue monitoring the situation. Do not interfere unless absolutely necessary," Sarutobi Hiruzen instructed, his tone calm but firm.
The Third Hokage knew better than to involve himself in Uchiha affairs unless they posed a direct threat to the village. The Uchiha clan's infighting was something the Konoha leadership viewed with cautious optimism—it was an opportunity to keep the powerful clan in check.
"Uchiha Yuan is nearing the end... The question now is, who will become the next patriarch?" Sarutobi mused, his brow furrowed in contemplation.
Between the two contenders, Sarutobi would prefer Uchiha Fugaku to ascend as the clan head. Fugaku, while competent, lacked the ambition and potential that made Yuichi a formidable threat.
The possibility of Yuichi unlocking the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan and becoming a Kage-level powerhouse was too dangerous for the village. Fugaku, on the other hand, posed less of a risk to Konoha's delicate balance of power.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was well aware that Uchiha Yuichi's rise to power would likely escalate tensions between the Uchiha clan and Konoha. Yet, he also recognized that the Uchiha were crucial to the village's military might, especially with the looming possibility of another ninja war. Losing the Uchiha clan would be a blow that Konoha could not afford.
Five days passed, and to Yuichi's surprise, Uchiha Yuan made no move against him. The patriarch remained eerily calm, and the expected retaliation never came.
Then, unexpected news arrived: Uchiha Yuan had died.
Yuichi had anticipated Uchiha Yuan's demise, but not so soon. He had calculated that the old man wouldn't last more than a week, but five days? It seemed almost too sudden.
Uchiha Yuan, in his final days, had been planning to outmanoeuvre Yuichi. He had intended to rescue Uchiha Fugaku first, secure his son's position, and then strike at Yuichi.
The patriarch had even summoned the elders, though he hadn't yet persuaded them to act. His plan was to lull Yuichi into a false sense of security before launching his counterattack.
But fate had other plans. Uchiha Yuan's body gave out before he could even begin his final gambit. The weight of his injuries, compounded by the stress and urgency of his situation, had hastened his end.
With Uchiha Yuan gone, the power dynamics within the Uchiha clan shifted. Yuichi now stood unchallenged, his position strengthened by the fact that Uchiha Fugaku was still in his custody. The elders, seeing the inevitability of the situation, would have little choice but to support the new order.
Yuichi had played his cards well. With the patriarch's death, his path to power was clear. However, the road ahead was fraught with peril. The eyes of Konoha were upon him, and the burden of leadership within the Uchiha clan would bring its own set of challenges.
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