Silence.
Absolute, suffocating silence enveloped the Uchiha compound.
Hundreds of eyes were nailed in place by an invisible force—
Unblinking.
All of them fixed on the lone figure standing at the center—
Uchiha Kai.
The blood-red chakra had already receded from his body.
What remained was only the faint flow of moonlight within three feet of him.
And that—
Slowly rotating silver "little sun."
Before him, the Third Elder and more than twenty hawkish loyalists were left with only their heads exposed.
Like seeds forcibly "planted" into stone slabs.
Waiting for next spring to bloom.
Gulp.
Gulp.
The sound of swallowing echoed quietly.
The oppressive weight hanging over the Uchiha clan made it hard for anyone to even breathe.
No one dared inhale too loudly—
Afraid that the next person to be "planted" would be themselves.
Behind Kai, Fugaku watched the scene with a complicated gaze.
Inside him, emotions churned violently.
He already knew Kai was strong.
But he never imagined that his usually lethargic, carefree second son could be this decisive—
Especially in a matter like this.
Seizing power?
Taking control of the Uchiha?
He didn't mind.
He would even help Kai secure it.
But…
Was this really the same second son who occasionally acted out and went off the rails?
Thinking of this, Fugaku's expression grew more complex.
Relief.
Worry.
But more than anything—
A bone-deep exhaustion, as though a crushing burden had finally been torn from his shoulders.
Stepping back into the background… didn't sound so bad after all.
He remained silent.
Only taking half a step back—
Handing the entire stage over to Kai.
"Who objects?"
Kai repeated calmly, his gaze sweeping across the crowd like a cold searchlight.
Wherever his eyes landed, heads dropped instantly.
No one dared meet his stare.
"Looks like… no one objects."
His voice was flat, yet utterly unquestionable.
He stepped forward.
One foot came down squarely on the elder's head.
Left hand on his hip, right hand gesturing casually.
"Then I'll lay out a few points."
"First."
He raised one finger and pointed at the heads exposed at his feet.
"These people plotted against the clan head and the elders, incited internal chaos—crimes beyond forgiveness."
"Out of respect for Uchiha blood, I'll spare their lives."
"But—imprisonment and reflection."
"They'll remain confined until I decide they've truly repented."
He paused.
The enlarged three-tomoe pattern in his scarlet eyes spun at high speed.
Like a feral beast—
Exuding an aura that threatened to devour anyone it locked onto.
The moment those eyes were revealed, a disturbance rippled through the crowd.
"Three tomoe?! That's a three-tomoe Sharingan!"
"He's barely ten—how did Uchiha Kai already awaken three tomoe?!"
In a clan where most only possessed two tomoe,
Three tomoe already rivaled elders and jōnin.
And Kai had achieved it at such a young age.
Didn't that mean—
Another Mangekyō might one day appear within the clan?
At that thought, some hearts began to stir.
Overwhelming strength.
Young age.
Noble status.
Someone like this… leading them didn't seem unreasonable.
But then—
The Second Elder's eyes widened abruptly.
He stared at Kai's eyes, his breathing growing rapid.
"No."
"Those aren't three tomoe."
"They're… they're… Mangekyō."
His voice was slow—
But absolute.
As an elder, he knew the truth about the Mangekyō.
Boom!
The words exploded through the clan like a bomb.
"Mangekyō?! That's the legendary pinnacle of the Uchiha!"
"Hahaha—this is incredible! Mangekyō! The Uchiha are saved!"
Excited discussions erupted.
Any remaining resentment vanished completely.
Young?
Who cared.
Mangekyō alone was enough.
On the ground, the Third Elder—who had just regained consciousness—was utterly stunned.
"Mangekyō… Sharingan…"
He muttered weakly, a bitter smile creeping onto his lips.
If he'd known it was a Mangekyō—
He wouldn't have dared wag his tail no matter what.
Gradually, hundreds of Uchiha fell silent.
"Second."
Kai turned his gaze toward the now leaderless hawks.
"The upper echelons of Konoha manipulated Uchiha Itachi into betrayal."
"They fear the Sharingan. They fear our power."
"So they used the most despicable method—forcing us to destroy ourselves from within."
Damn the Konoha higher-ups!
The suppressed rage in every Uchiha heart reignited.
"But!"
Kai's voice suddenly thundered, crushing all noise beneath it.
"Blind rage and reckless revenge will only make us die faster—and die more miserably."
"Just like tonight."
"You were one step away from all being dead."
"And someone as strong as Itachi—Konoha has at least four more like him."
"What are you going to fight with?"
The blunt, merciless question was like ice water poured over their heads.
The fire that had just flared was forcibly pressed down.
For the first time, many felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
Konoha was strong.
Everyone knew it.
Even after endless wars, it still stood as the strongest of the Five Great Villages.
That was indisputable.
Seeing this, the Second Elder glanced at Kai, then turned—voice trembling—toward Fugaku.
"Clan Head… then… what do we do?"
"Do we… just wait to die?"
Fugaku's lips twitched.
He almost said, You were already dead.
But after hesitating, he spared them the humiliation.
And simply looked at Kai instead.
Perhaps—
The Uchiha truly needed a new leader.
Seeing this, Kai slowly raised his hand.
First pointing at the land beneath their feet—the Uchiha district.
Then toward the vast village of Konoha, bathed in moonlight beyond.
The Uchiha had served too long in the Police Force.
Their blades had grown dull.
It was time to change.
He took a deep breath and spoke with force.
"Wait to die?"
"The people in that village have already started selling Uchiha goods at inflated prices."
"Fifty ryō for a bowl of ramen today."
"What about tomorrow?"
"Five thousand? Fifty thousand?"
"Or—five hundred thousand?"
The chain of questions reignited the flames in their hearts.
Twists and turns—
Yet the fire burned hotter than ever.
Seeing the moment was right, he changed his tone and cut straight to the point.
"So—we change the status quo."
"Take down the two advisors."
"Seize economic control."
"Huh? Isn't that still a coup?" the Second Elder asked blankly.
He understood Kai's meaning—
But wasn't this still a coup?
His confusion mirrored that of many others.
Before the flames rose—it was a coup.
After the flames rose—still a coup?
Then what was the point of stoking them?
"No."
Kai shook his finger lightly, then added silently to himself,
"Only failure is called a coup."
"If we succeed—"
"It's called setting things right."
"Or…"
He paused, a faint smile forming.
"A revolution."
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