Yuichi stood confidently as tension hung in the air. His sharp gaze met Uchiha Fugaku's, who seemed cornered but determined.
"Let's see how you spin this, Shimana," Uchiha Kenta sneered, stepping forward.
Uchiha Shimana knew he had been framed. His face darkened, and without hesitation, he launched a counterattack. Kenta and Shimana exchanged rapid blows, each strike more desperate than the last.
Uchiha Sota, loyal to Yuichi, vigilantly watched over the clash. He had his orders—no one was to interfere, especially not Uchiha Fugaku or his supporters.
"You dare frame Shimana, Yuichi?" Fugaku spat, glaring at his rival.
"If it's a frame, then where's your proof?" Yuichi asked calmly. His tone was laced with mocking confidence.
"You still owe me an apology, Fugaku. Either you give it yourself, or I'll make sure you do."
Yuichi's words were as sharp as the sword he slowly unsheathed. The atmosphere became dangerously tense. Uchiha clansmen stood frozen, unsure whether to intervene or flee.
"Fugaku, don't escalate this!" The clan elder stepped forward, trying to defuse the situation. He knew how fragile their unity was, and a civil war within the clan could bring them to ruin.
But Fugaku's trust in the elder had already waned. A flicker of suspicion crossed his mind: Could the elder have betrayed him? Could he be aiding Yuichi behind the scenes?
"Step aside," Fugaku growled, shoving the elder away and quickly forming hand seals. His voice cut through the tense silence.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
Yuichi remained unshaken, watching Fugaku's movements with disdain.
"You never learn."
In an instant, Yuichiretaliated, his own hand seals blurring faster than Fugaku's. "Fire Style: Fire Destruction!"
A massive wall of flames surged forward, easily consuming Fugaku's dragon-shaped fire. The inferno swept through the battlefield, its scorching heat threatening to engulf everything in its path.
"Get down!" Uchiha Lin shouted. He and Uchiha Wu quickly raised their hands to perform Earth-style techniques, summoning walls of stone to block the incoming flames. Several other elite Jōnin joined in, managing to contain the fiery onslaught.
Despite their success, Fugaku broke out in a cold sweat. The sheer power behind Ye Feng's jutsu had rattled him. If Lin and Wu hadn't reacted in time, he knew he wouldn't have survived.
"Young patriarch, be careful," Uchiha Wu warned.
Before Fugaku could respond, Yuichi's figure appeared in a blur. In the blink of an eye, his sword slashed across Fugaku's torso from shoulder to waist, sending him crashing to the ground, blood pouring from a deep wound.
"You accuse me without proof, Fugaku, and now you pay the price," Yuichi said coldly, sheathing his sword.
"This is just a warning."
Fugaku groaned in pain, barely able to stay conscious. His vision blurred as he stared at the man who had so easily overpowered him.
"You hurt the young patriarch! You'll pay for this!" Uchiha Wu, enraged by Fugaku's condition, charged at Yuichi, kunai aimed at his throat.
With a swift motion, Yuichi caught Wu's wrist and twisted it sharply. The sickening sound of bone snapping echoed through the air as Wu cried out in pain. With a brutal kick, Yuichi sent him flying backwards.
Before Wu could make another move, Uchiha Sota had his sword at Wu's throat. "One more step, and I'll take your head," Sota said menacingly.
The entire fight had ended in mere moments, with Yuichi clearly demonstrating his superiority. Even the strongest of Fugaku's supporters, Uchiha Lin, hesitated to act, knowing full well that Yuichi was far beyond their league.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Kenta continued his duel with Uchiha Shimana. Despite Shimana's experience as an Elite Jōnin, Kenta, under Yuichi's tutelage, had improved. Slowly but surely, Kenta was overpowering his opponent.
Then, out of nowhere, a kunai flew through the air, piercing Shimana's abdomen. He staggered back, blood pouring from the wound, as his face twisted in agony.
Taking advantage of the opening, Kenta swiftly placed a kunai to Shimana's throat. "Move, and you're dead," he whispered coldly.
The kunai had been thrown by Yuichi, who now approached the fallen Fugaku. Standing over him, Yuichi placed his foot on Fugaku's arm, pressing down hard.
"An apology—or your arm. Choose wisely."
Fugaku, humiliated and weakened, looked up at Yuichi. The thought of submitting to him was unbearable, but in that moment, he realized he had no choice.
"I... I'm sorry," Fugaku gritted out, his voice strained with pain and anger. "I misunderstood you. The deaths of the elders were not your doing."
Yuichi stepped back, a small smirk playing on his lips. "See? Was that so hard?"
With a casual kick, Yuichi sent Fugaku sprawling further across the ground. "Take him for treatment. We wouldn't want him bleeding to death, now would we?"
Uchiha Lin hurriedly moved to tend to Fugaku's injuries. The wound was deep, and if they didn't act quickly, Fugaku could lose too much blood.
Meanwhile, Yuichi turned his attention to Uchiha Wu and Shimana. "Take these two to the guard's interrogation room," he ordered. Several guards rushed forward to comply.
As the scene unfolded, murmurs rippled through the crowd of Uchiha clansmen. Those who had once supported Fugaku began to waver. Was this truly the man they wanted as their leader, beaten and forced to apologize so pathetically? Doubts began to take root in their minds.
[Ding! You have successfully framed Uchiha Shimana. Evil value +3000.]
Though the reward was small, Yuichi was satisfied. Every little bit of power added up over time.
"The murderer of the two elders has been caught," Yuichi declared to the crowd. "You may all leave. Rest assured, those responsible will face justice."
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