Chapter 73: The Nestling (Part 1)
The issues plaguing the Uchiha clan had long been festering, rooted deep even before the founding of Konoha. In fact, one could say they had been present since the village's very inception.
Back when the First Hokage still lived—an embodiment of the true "Will of Fire"—his presence kept these tensions in check. But after his death, with the ascension of the Second Hokage, a master of schemes, the suppression of the Uchiha truly began.
The older generations of the Uchiha had sensed this shift early on. Resistance had already begun to take form, embodied by figures such as Uchiha Setsuna—a cunning and radical hawk who had an obvious disdain for Tobirama Senju.
Uchiha Kei remembered reading a description of Setsuna as "a sly and uncompromising hardliner, clearly at odds with the Second Hokage." It's no surprise—Setsuna had likely seen through Tobirama's policies.
Unfortunately, that was a time shortly after Uchiha Madara's defection and Hashirama's death. The fear and resentment toward Madara still lingered, and few were willing to listen to people like Setsuna.
As for whether Setsuna was still alive, Kei wasn't sure—but he highly doubted it.
The Uchiha clan had once flourished. Even after Madara left, there were still quite a few who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. Setsuna was likely one of them. Others included Uchiha Rei, Uchiha Baru, Uchiha Naka, and Uchiha Naori.
Out of those four, three were either killed or eliminated during internal struggles for power. Only Naka and Naori remained.
However, Naori—while not directly mentioned in the original works—was most likely a pacifist. Her most notable legacy was creating the Izanami, the powerful genjutsu that traps its victims in an endless time loop.
This was the very technique Itachi would later use against Kabuto in Sage Mode.
The once-glorious Uchiha clan had descended into fragmentation after Madara's fall. Even their Mangekyō users ended up discarded in the annals of forgotten history, their potential wasted.
Tobirama had clearly understood how fractured the clan had become. Given his existing bias, he decided they were the perfect target.
At first, he acted subtly—like establishing the Ninja Academy.
And while the academy weakened the Uchiha's influence, it also reduced the power of other clans like the Senju. But no one could openly oppose such a move—it was, after all, an initiative to raise the village's overall standard.
Once the groundwork was laid, Tobirama pushed the Uchiha to the village's periphery—placing them in charge of the Konoha Military Police Force.
Undoubtedly, the Uchiha elders at the time were against it. But between Madara's betrayal and the rise of pacifist factions, there wasn't much they could do.
Moreover, Tobirama understood the Uchiha personality well. He purposely cultivated figures like Uchiha Kagami—a pacifist—and even accepted him as a personal student.
That move sent a powerful message to the Uchiha: You still matter. There's still hope.
Over time, this belief grew stronger. As the Third Hokage took over, this mindset gradually became ingrained.
But the truth was, the Uchiha were never a passive clan. There were always troublemakers among them.
In times of strength, this might not have been an issue. But now, with the Mangekyō becoming a myth of the past, that defiance was nothing more than self-destruction.
Power—it's an invisible, suffocating force that breeds endless ambition. Though intangible, it's undeniably real.
Some within the clan, lacking the strength to back it up, had begun entertaining dangerous ideas. Ideas that could spell ruin.
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"Is it really just about power?" Uchiha Fugaku asked. Though he nodded slightly, there was a hint of disappointment in his tone.
"Power is just the surface," Kei responded, understanding that this was a subtle test from Fugaku. One that came quicker than Kei had expected.
Still, whether early or not, Kei knew he had to seize this opportunity. He needed to slowly draw in Fugaku—this hesitant, indecisive man—bit by bit, until he could fully control him.
He had the advantage: anyone familiar with the original Naruto story knew Fugaku's greatest weaknesses. Kei just needed to play the long game.
"Hm?" Fugaku glanced at him, sipping his tea. "Do you have deeper insights, Kei?"
"It might just be speculation, but I'd like to share it anyway." Kei toyed with the teacup in his hand, then glanced at young Uchiha Itachi standing nearby. "But... the things I'm about to say might not be appropriate for a fledgling chick to hear—especially if it's mere conjecture. Are you sure you want him to stay?"
"A nestling will one day become an eagle," Fugaku frowned slightly, but eventually nodded. "If you have something to say, then say it."
"As you wish, Clan Head." Kei set the cup down. A faint, unreadable expression crossed his face. "While browsing the archives, I came across many writings—especially insights from past Sharingan users. Some of it was quite... intriguing."
Indeed, the clan's archives recorded many curious things—about past battles, about the military police, about life and death. Most were vague personal notes, but they held truths if you read between the lines.
Which is why Kei could frame this as "personal speculation." But what he was about to say went far beyond just that.
"The relationship between the Uchiha and the village," Kei said calmly, "is a manifestation of an imbalance in power. That was obvious even during the last clan meeting."
"But if we trace it back... doesn't it all lead to the Second Hokage's policies? And wasn't it all... because of Uchiha Madara?"
Clink.
The teacup in Fugaku's hand dropped onto the table with a sharp sound, echoing in the tense silence that followed.