The Second Elder continued the discussion:
"Tomorrow, the Uchiha clan will likely demand more rights. In my view, we should support them."
Hiashi nodded in agreement.
"Tomorrow, I'll speak to Fugaku about this matter."
After closing the gates of the clan compound, Fugaku dismissed the restless Uchiha crowd.
Only a few senior figures remained: the Third Elder, Takuya; the Fourth Elder, Yohei; Kawasaki; and Shisui, who was still lying on a stretcher.
Unlike the indignant Uchiha masses, the Third Elder greatly admired Fugaku's actions today.
He believed Fugaku had placed Kawasaki at the forefront as a spearhead while secretly maneuvering from behind the scenes.
Though usually low-key, anyone who became an elder was no ordinary man.
Surrounded just now by Konoha's finest shinobi, and with their ace Shisui gravely wounded, it was clearly not the right time to attempt a coup.
At the very least, they needed to wait until Shisui had recovered before striking.
Fugaku noticed the Third Elder's eyes brimming with admiration.
He sighed inwardly. Even if I said this wasn't my arrangement, you wouldn't believe me, would you?
But Fugaku had no time to dwell on that—he urgently needed to confirm one thing.
"Kawasaki, did you awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Everyone gasped! Kawasaki had awakened the Mangekyō?!
Kawasaki gave a small nod. The three tomoe in his eyes spun and transformed into a unique pattern: a blade encircling a flower.
The surge of ocular power was so oppressive that even Fugaku felt the weight of it.
Impossible!
Fugaku was utterly shocked. Kawasaki was a genius—barely nineteen years old—yet already a master of the three-tomoe Sharingan. Except for being slightly weaker in genjutsu, his other skills were exceptional.
Once, in a fit of anger, Fugaku had sent Kawasaki on a difficult mission, promising that if he succeeded, he would be granted the role of acting elder.
He never imagined Kawasaki would actually awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Hahaha! Excellent, excellent!"
Fugaku could barely contain his excitement. As a Mangekyō wielder himself, he knew all too well how difficult it was to awaken.
For years, he had lived cautiously, hiding his Mangekyō as a safeguard for the clan.
Now, to discover that another of the younger generation had awakened one—it was beyond thrilling.
Grabbing Kawasaki's shoulder, Fugaku exclaimed:
"My promise still stands. From now on, you are the Deputy Clan Head… and in a few years, once you're more familiar with governance, I'll pass the position of Clan Head to you."
His excitement was justified. Since the Third Shinobi World War, chaos had consumed the nations. Though Konoha held fertile lands, their endless clashes with Kumo, Iwa, and Kiri had left them exhausted.
The Uchiha had also lost many talented members.
The clan desperately needed a young powerhouse to anchor them.
And Kawasaki, with his bold yet cunning methods, was exactly what they needed.
Fugaku remembered how Kawasaki had used him as a shield earlier. Instead of resenting it, Fugaku admired him—here was someone both daring and strategic.
One misstep could mean the extermination of the Uchiha, yet Kawasaki had used Shisui's case to strike at Danzō, taking the moral high ground.
Danzō had suffered a loss, while the Hokage faction lost credibility.
The more Fugaku thought of Kawasaki, the more satisfied he became.
What he didn't know was that Kawasaki dared to act this way only because he was certain no real conflict would erupt.
If Shisui spoke out, the Uchiha would be seen as victims, and no other clan would dare kick them while they were down.
And even if it did come to a fight, Fugaku, Shisui, Itachi, and Kawasaki together made four pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan—enough to crush any fractured resistance within Konoha.
Watching Fugaku's joy, Kawasaki almost wanted to roll his eyes.
So what if I have Mangekyō? Don't you realize your son and Shisui both have them too?
Still, survival came first, and the mission had to be carried out.
Kawasaki closed his Mangekyō and cleared his throat.
"Since the Clan Head values me so highly, I won't refuse. For the future of the Uchiha, I do have a few suggestions."
Everyone grew serious, waiting for his words.
"First, let me explain my Mangekyō's ability. It's called 'Heaven's Rift,' and it allows me to see the future."
The room froze. Their eyes widened—see the future?!
Of course, Kawasaki was bluffing. In this world, identity and power could always be dressed up.
In truth, his Mangekyō ability hadn't even awakened yet.
"If we rebel tonight, the Uchiha will be wiped out!"
The two elders' faces turned pale. The Fourth Elder, Yohei, tried to speak, but Kawasaki silenced him.
"Fourth Elder, even your dream of peace will collapse. Ten years from now, the entire Konoha will be destroyed!"
"What?!"
Even Itachi, usually composed, looked shocked.
"Deputy Clan Head… are your words true?" the Fourth Elder asked hoarsely.
Kawasaki nodded. "Clan Head, Third Elder, Fourth Elder—don't resist. Let me show you the future."
His Mangekyō spun again, and an illusion engulfed them.
They stepped into a painted world—visions unfurled before them.
They saw Fugaku controlling the Nine Tails with the Sharingan, only to fail in a coup.
They saw the Uchiha slaughtered to the last.
They saw a massive shockwave obliterate the entire Hidden Leaf.
Kawasaki had carefully chosen these "visions." In reality, he was using Fugaku's own genjutsu techniques, weaving his knowledge of the real story into the illusions.
The ability to "see the future" was a perfect lie—and perfectly convincing.
He discovered the system allowed him to activate such skills without cost, even boosting them with chakra or ocular power as needed. At last, the system proved useful.
When the illusion ended, Fugaku and the two elders were shaken to their core.
The Clan Head himself has a Mangekyō? The elders turned to Fugaku, who silently confirmed with a nod.
They did not mention Shisui or Itachi. The truth about Itachi's future actions was not something to be exposed now.
When they recovered from the vision, Kawasaki spoke firmly:
"All of you desire Uchiha's strength. But the paths we've taken so far are nothing but dead ends."
The three fell silent. From what they had seen, even the title of Hokage no longer seemed meaningful.
Kawasaki then turned to Shisui and Itachi.
"Shisui, you're far too naïve. Your way of doing things is foolish beyond belief."
Shisui opened his mouth to protest, but Kawasaki cut him off.
"Itachi, how old is Sasuke now?"
Confused, Itachi still answered respectfully:
"Sasuke is five years old, Deputy Clan Head."
"Good. Now, both of you—look at me."
As they raised their eyes, Kawasaki's Mangekyō flared once again…