The transition from the warmth of the Hokage's office to the ancestral grounds of the Uchiha compound felt like stepping into an open tomb. The air here was always colder, trapped behind towering wooden walls and the rigid weight of tradition. While the modern administrative building in the heart of Konoha pulsed with the progressive, chaotic energy of a young, unified village, the Uchiha sector remained a stark monument to the Sengoku era—isolated, heavily guarded, and deeply suspicious of outside authority.
Kagami walked through the central courtyard, his grey Hokage guard armor feeling unusually heavy against his shoulders. Everywhere he looked, clan members were silently dismantling the white mourning banners. They moved with a chilling, calculated efficiency—there was no crying here, only a quiet, simmering focus.
He didn't need to ask where his father was.
Kagami stepped into the primary meeting hall of the Clan head estate. The room was cast in deep shadows, illuminated only by a few flickering candles. At the far end of the tatami mats sat Uchiha Sosuke. The patriarch wore a simple, dark kimono embroidered with the prominent fan crest on the back. He was meticulously cleaning a polished tanto as the rhythmic scrapings of the cloth against the steel filled the silence.
"You took your time returning home, Kagami," Sosuke spoke without looking up. His voice was like grinding stones, carrying the weary but dangerous weight of the Uchiha clan head, wrapped in the reprimanding tone of a strict father.
"I was helping the Sandaime secure the perimeter and organize tomorrow's village assembly, Father," Kagami replied softly. He remained near the entrance, dropping into a formal, kneeling bow.
Sosuke stopped wiping the blade. He raised his eyes as candlelight reflected off of his dark irises.
"The Sandaime," he repeated, the title tasting like poison on his tongue. "You say it with such easy reverence. Tell me, my son... did your knees lock out of duty when you bowed to that Sarutobi boy today, or was it out of a desperate need to please your Senju masters?"
The insult hit exactly where Sosuke intended, but Kagami did not flinch. He straightened up, meeting his father's questioning gaze. "Tobirama-sensei chose Hiruzen on the battlefield because Hiruzen possessed the clarity, the strength, and the unyielding will to protect this village. I stood beside him because Konoha needs a unified front, especially now."
"Konoha," Sosuke scoffed, finally sheathing the tanto with a sharp, echoing clack. "You speak of the village as if it is a living god, yet you ignore the reality of the dirt you stand on. Hashirama built this cage. Tobirama forged the bars. And now, they hand the keys to a brat who thinks a pretty poem can win the village's heart."
Sōsuke stood up, his towering frame casting a massive shadow across the room as he stepped closer to his second son, his boots clicking heavily against the floorboards.
"We are not laughing because we fear an invasion, Kagami," Sōsuke said. "We are laughing because we see a fraud. Look around us. Suna has fled the field, completely broken. Kiri has retreated back to their islands. Kumo is currently burning from the inside out as that Ai tries to dismantle the Kinkaku faction. The only foreign threat left standing with any teeth is Iwagakure."
He took another step forward, stopping precisely three paces away from Kagami.
"The threat to Konoha isn't across the borders—it is right here, inside these walls. By what right does a Sarutobi take the mantle? Because Tobirama mumbled it to him in the dirt of a battlefield? That hat does not belong to the Senju bloodline to hand out like a family heirloom. Konohagakure was co-founded by two clans: the Senju and the Uchiha. A legitimate Hokage requires a proper democratic vote, ratification by the noble clans, and the explicit approval of THIS FAMILY. Hiruzen has none of it. His ascension is completely unorthodox, unverified, and an open insult to US."
"Hiruzen is not alone, Father," Kagami countered, raising his voice with a rare, defiant edge as he stood up, matching his father's height. "He has already moved to stabilize his position. He has asked me, along with Danzo, Koharu, Homura, and Torifu, to form a permanent Council of Advisors. He is sharing the administrative and military authority of the Hokage with us. The Uchiha will have a direct voice at the highest echelon of leadership. Through me."
The silence stretched as Kagami's breath quickened. The father and son continued their staredown, before a low, dry chuckle escaped Sosuke's throat.
"A council," Sosuke whispered, his expression hardening into absolute disdain. "A clever leash. He gives you a shiny title, places a few papers in your hands, and calls it power. And you, blind to the systemic rot of this village, swallow the carrot like a well trained dog."
Sosuke leaned down slightly, his eyes suddenly shifting. The dark irises flared into a brilliant, spinning three-tomoe Sharingan, as his chakra flooded the small room.
"Look at me, Kagami! Look at this bloodline! We are the Uchiha! Our clansmen and Your older brother, Eisuke, bleed on the western front to protect our prestige. I spent my youth fending off Hashirama's ridiculous ideals and Tobirama's systemic paranoia. And now." Sosuke exhaled. "...now, my own second son—a prodigy of my blood—is content to become a Senju's dog."
Kagami felt the crushing weight of his father's chakra. For a split second, the deep-seated instincts of a younger son clawed at his resolve. But then, he breathed out. He refused to ignite his own Sharingan; instead, his gaze remained calm and unyielding in its natural dark state.
"You see my loyalty as submission, Father, because you are still fighting the Sengoku era," Kagami said as his voice cut right through Sosuke's oppressive aura. "You think of power only in terms of total dominance or total subjugation. But the world has changed. If the Uchiha isolate themselves now, if we openly rebel against Hiruzen's ascension, the village will fracture from within. We will be blamed for the collapse of the peace treaties, and the rest of the clans will rally to destroy us."
Kagami took a step forward, refusing to back down.
"Hiruzen is offering us a hand to build the foundation together. He is even taking Tsunade-hime as his personal disciple to bind the Senju to his office. He is playing a long, calculated political game to ensure stability. I accepted his offer not to become his dog, but to ensure that our clan has a seat at the village council. If you cannot see the tactical value in that... then it is you who are trapped in the past."
Sosuke's Sharingan spun furiously, his jaw tightening so hard a muscle twitched in his cheek. The audacity of his second son lecturing him on tactical value burned like fire. He looked into Kagami's eyes, searching for a trace of fear or even a shred of doubt.
But, he found nothing but unyielding conviction.
Slowly, the crimson glow in Sosuke's eyes faded back into a dark, black hue. He turned his back to Kagami, walking over to the wide veranda that looked out over the quiet Uchiha compound.
"You have certainly inherited Tobirama's silver tongue, Kagami," Sosuke said with his back still turned. But his tone had grown softer with a faint hint of mixed guilt and regret. "But words do not govern shinobi. Power does. I will tolerate your little council for now. I won't oppose the Sarutobi brat at tomorrow's meeting. The Uchiha will maintain neutral silence on this matter."
He paused before he warned.
"But mark my words, my son. The moment Hiruzen fails. The moment Senju fails. and their 'Will of Fire' costs Uchiha lives or compromises our clan's sovereignty—It won't be just me you'll have to face."
Kagami closed his eyes for a brief moment as a heavy weight settled deep into his chest. He knew this was the best compromise he could gain tonight.
"Thank you, Father," Kagami said quietly. He gave a final, respectful nod to his father's back, turned on his heel, and walked out into the cool night air.
As he walked back down the quiet streets of the compound, Kagami looked up at the moon. The internal peace of the village was secure for now, but he knew the clock was ticking. He had to help Hiruzen succeed—at all costs.