> *Swish, swish, swish!*
After a long silence, all eyes turned to **Uchiha Daigo**, their expressions filled with alarm and disbelief—as if waiting for confirmation of what **Haruki** had said.
Daigo, now the center of attention, finally took a deep breath and admitted,
> "Yes. I called you all here to discuss exactly that. I need a few experienced shinobi—and rather than trust outsiders, I want to bring in members of our clan. I'd like to invite you to join the Chamber of Commerce."
It took less than a second for someone to flare up at his words.
> "Uchiha Daigo, you're asking us to work... *for you*? In commerce?"
**Uchiha Omura**'s gaze darkened. His voice trembled not with fear—but with indignation.
He felt insulted.
Members of the proud Uchiha clan weren't meant for guard duty or caravan protection. They were shinobi destined to fight on the front lines—to carry out missions for the **village**, not protect grocery wagons or scroll shipments.
To be asked to "work for a merchant" was, to him, a reduction of their pride—if not betrayal.
> "Daigo-san, calm down. It's not like that," Daigo tried to soothe the tension. "I want you to serve as elite 'vanguard support.' When emergencies arise, you'd be trusted allies—not workers."
He was doing everything he could to reframe the offer.
But even calling it something else couldn't mask the truth.
> "Even so, Daigo... I know what you're asking," Omura said coldly. "We can support you in private if there's danger—but don't ask us to officially represent your guild."
The other Uchiha nodded in unison.
They understood the benefits—but they also understood what it would cost them.
> *Their honor.*
> *Their standing in the clan.*
If word spread that they'd joined a merchant group, they'd be mocked, alienated—even cut off by some elders.
> "Omura-san, please reconsider." Daigo's tone softened, but grew firmer. "This isn't charity. It's survival. I'm offering you protection—from the village, from poverty—while also strengthening ourselves."
> "You still don't get it...?" Omura said, shaking his head. "We're Uchiha. Our pride is our strength. If we stoop to—"
> "Spare me the pride," Haruki cut in flatly. "You're broke. Can you even accept official missions anymore?"
His voice cut straight through the tension.
Suddenly, none of the Uchiha spoke.
Their eyes fell—some fists clenched tight.
They all knew the truth.
Ever since **Senju Tobirama**'s time, the village had distanced itself from the Uchiha. Even when they were handed responsibility for the **Konoha Military Police Force**, it wasn't a reward—it was isolation under surveillance.
Now, under the Third Hokage's reinstated leadership and **Danzo's** whispered manipulations, they had been pushed even further to the edge.
Konoha gave them the illusion of status—but not a seat at the table.
Only **Uchiha Shisui**, a prodigious exception, had managed to earn any real trust.
The rest of the clan?
Forgotten.
> "Brother Omura, don't you have two kids?" Daigo asked matter-of-factly. "What happens when you can't afford to feed your family?"
He turned to the other men seated nearby.
> "Uchiha Genji, didn't your wife just give birth last winter?"
> "And you—how much longer will you rely on clan handouts to pay for medicine, or housing, or food?"
Their faces paled.
Reality struck colder than any word of honor.
> "Why continue fighting for a village that treats you like liabilities?" Daigo's voice carried strength now. "Konoha looks down on us—but expects us to stay obedient. Why?"
> "Why keep burning ourselves for their 'Will of Fire' when they fan the flames *against us*?"
Silence.
These words held weight—not as rebellion, but as truth.
Even **Uchiha Omura** held his lips tight. He wanted to scream—to act superior—but inwardly, he was exhausted. Tired of knowing the truth but pretending not to see it.
Then—
> *SLAP!*
**Uchiha Genji** suddenly stood and clapped a hand against his thigh.
> "He's right! I'm done!"
Gasps escaped around the room.
> "I'm a jōnin—one of the strongest in the clan—and still, what have I gained? High-risk assignments. Deaths in my unit. No funding. No promotions. No say."
> "We bled and bled for Konoha—and they treat us like we're diseased. If working for Daigo-sama brings dignity and stability, so be it!"
Omura flinched.
> "Genji… you—"
But Genji cut him off.
> "Enough, Omura. Don't lecture me about pride while your kids go to bed hungry. Konoha abandoned us long ago."
> "Following them now would only prove we're blind."
Two other shinobi nodded in agreement.
> "We had nothing but loyalty—and they gave us nothing but scorn."
> "We don't owe them our backs anymore."
Daigo watched quietly, not gloating—only resolute.
Haruki sat with his arms crossed, exhaling calmly.
They got it now.
> (The "Will of Fire"? What a sick joke.)
It had never included the Uchiha.
And now—for the first time—they were ready to light a fire of their own.
📝 **Author's Note:**
If you're enjoying this series, please drop power stone, review! Your support helps me keep the chapters coming. Thank you!
📕 **End of Chapter 9**