"Ahem."
Uchiha Fugaku coughed lightly, and a hush fell over the crowded room. All eyes turned to him, the clan members waiting with bated breath for him to speak. But Fugaku remained silent, deliberately letting the suspense build. Nearly two minutes passed, and still, he did not speak.
"Lord Patriarch, please, say something!"
"We heard from Yakumi that Lord Madara intends to build a village with the Uchiha at its heart. Is that why you have summoned us?"
"If that is what this is about, I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight!"
"That's right! This is the first time the Uchiha have been masters of our own destiny! Let us help plan the new village! We have been holding back our ambitions for half our lives!" A buzz of excited chatter filled the air, everyone eager to voice their own ideas.
"My mind is already overflowing with ideas! Allow me to share one, to get us started." Uchiha Inahiro stood, his eyes shining with a fervent light. "I was there just now. You cannot imagine the sheer power of Lord Madara's presence!"
"Typically, to establish a ninja village, one must first align with a great nation. But Lord Madara declared that our Uchiha clan does not need to lower itself to seek anyone's protection. We are self-sufficient, because we have the strength to be!"
"If any nation dares to oppose us or refuses to recognize our sovereignty, he will lead us to war!"
As soon as these words were spoken, a roar of applause erupted from the assembled Uchiha.
"Well said! As expected of Lord Madara!"
"Follow Lord Madara, and our prosperity is guaranteed!"
"The Uchiha clan will no longer need to bow our heads to anyone!"
"From now on, I'll eat nothing but the finest cuts of beef!"
"To our new future!"
"Everyone, quiet down for a moment and listen!" Seeing the crowd growing more and more boisterous, Inahiro quickly raised his voice. "All of that will come later, after the village is built! First, you must listen to the rest of my plan."
"First, the location. I believe the very land beneath our feet is perfect. Though this area is officially under the jurisdiction of the Land of Grass, it is practically uninhabited for miles. The Grass government treats it as idle land, and it is almost completely undisturbed. We can build our homes here, establish commercial and entertainment districts, and make a name for ourselves to attract trade and commerce."
"Of course, we are ninja. We must not forget our foundation! The mission system, our main source of income, must be established immediately! We can begin by sending out teams to do some publicity, perhaps organize some events, and undercut the great nations, taking on missions from the smaller countries at a lower cost! Over time, our reputation will spread. I believe there will be no problem in developing our village this way!"
"What do you think of my plan?" Having finished, Inahiro raised his head proudly, awaiting the praise of his clansmen.
"Yes, I think it is feasible. It is just the beginning, after all. There is nothing wrong with a humble start."
"I agree. Why don't we proceed with this plan?"
"Alright! As long as I don't have to farm, I'll do anything. I'll tear up my plot of land right now and build myself a grand estate!"
"Good idea, I want to build one too! And let me be clear, the land I farmed is mine! No one is to take it from me!" The discussion quickly devolved into a frenzy, the clan members already beginning to fight over plots of land.
"Enough! Silence!"
Uchiha Fugaku's shout echoed through the hall, his voice cracking like a whip.
"Are you all fools?" he boomed, his gaze sweeping across the now-silent room. "Are you so blinded by this beautiful dream?"
"Why do you think I have said nothing this entire time?"
"I have no shortage of ideas!"
"I, too, can build a house!"
"Lord Madara has tasked me with building and developing this village. He has given me all the responsibility, all the great work, but he has not given me the one thing we need most!"
"Money!"
"The start-up capital to build a village!"
"Without it, all of these grand dreams are nothing but empty air!"
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