Armed struggle—except in those absurd worlds filled with lunatics and endless simps from certain romance-driven stories—is an unbreakable truth in any world.
Facing Uchiha Setsuna's heavy gaze, Uchiha Aran continued speaking, calmly voicing thoughts the old man clearly did not enjoy hearing.
"If we continue pursuing the Hokage position," he said, "then the fate that befell the now-vanished Senju clan may very well become the future of the Uchiha."
Those words caused the Great Elder's brows to knit together.
Having lived from the Warring States Period before Konoha's founding all the way to the present day, Uchiha Setsuna was far from a fool.
After the death of the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, Senju Tobirama succeeded him as the Second Hokage. During his reign, the First Great Ninja War erupted.
Not only did Tobirama die at the hands of Kumogakure, but the elite forces of the Senju clan were nearly wiped out.
Then came the Second Great Ninja War.
With the death of Senju Nawaki—Tsunade's younger brother and the final hope of the Senju clan—the clan ultimately abandoned its surname and merged completely into Konoha.
Such a decision was no different from severing their own lineage.
And thus, a great clan once equal to the Uchiha disappeared into history.
"Take the current Third Great Ninja War as an example," Aran continued.
"If an Uchiha were sitting in the Hokage's seat, then every brutal battle and desperate confrontation that followed would require our clan members to fill the battlefield with their lives."
"Even though our clan is filled with elites, on the meat grinder that is a ninja war battlefield, each of them is still nothing more than a tiny number."
"Clan members who spent more than a decade growing stronger would be thrown into battles where survival isn't even guaranteed—fighting for Konoha and for a promise that will never be fulfilled."
"Is that really worth it?"
"Konoha has never treated us as one of its own. So why should we treat Konoha as our home?"
Aran's series of rhetorical questions left Uchiha Setsuna silent.
The old man looked at the outstanding young heir before him—vigorous, brilliant, and carrying the hopes he had once placed upon him.
His expression shifted several times.
After a long silence, he finally revealed a complicated look—one part relief, one part the quiet heaviness of age.
Instead of answering Aran directly, the Great Elder slowly spoke.
"Thinking about it now… these past decades have passed in the blink of an eye."
"Among the old relics of the clan who survived from the Warring States Period, only three of us remain—myself, the current clan head, and that fellow Huohe."
Aran listened quietly.
He was not unfamiliar with the three men mentioned by Setsuna.
They were the final three veteran Kage-level powerhouses of the Uchiha clan, each representing one of the three major factions within the clan.
Among the younger generation, only two individuals possessed that same level of potential—himself and Uchiha Fugaku.
Five Kage-level shinobi and dozens of jōnin formed the backbone of the clan's strength.
Even if Konoha's leadership disliked the Uchiha, they could do nothing but watch helplessly.
Especially during wartime—they had no choice but to rely on them.
As for the clan being wiped out overnight in the future…
That could only be described as fate.
The very people capable of protecting the clan had raised their blades against it.
If that had not happened, an open rebellion against Konoha might not have been impossible.
Uchiha Setsuna continued speaking, his voice now tinged with hoarseness.
"When Clan Leader Madara left Konoha back then, even today we cannot say we have no regrets."
"But compared to the endless slaughter of the Warring States era, the clan living in Konoha has at least been able to enjoy relatively stable lives."
"In those days, six-year-old children who had just learned to refine chakra had to pick up weapons…"
"…to fight for the clan and die for the clan."
Uchiha Setsuna took a deep breath and stared directly at Aran.
"Aran. Remember this."
"The stability and prosperity of the clan are more important than anything else."
Hearing this, the young man nodded slightly.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
The Uchiha's pursuit of the Hokage position was not merely driven by an obsession with reclaiming something they believed rightfully belonged to them.
At its core, it was simply about allowing the clan to live better lives.
"Grandfather, of course I understand."
"Everything said here today will cease to exist the moment we walk out of this room."
Aran paused for a moment before speaking again.
"Of course… if the right opportunity arises, I wouldn't mind leading the Uchiha to start anew and leave Konoha."
"…Or destroy Konoha."
As those words fell, the atmosphere inside the room froze.
Then the tension slowly dissipated beneath the young man's quiet laughter.
Though Aran was smiling, Setsuna felt a bone-chilling cold run down his spine.
For the first time, he truly realized something.
The grandson who had grown up under his watch was no longer a fledgling.
He was an eagle spreading its wings—letting out its first cry toward the vast sky.
Uchiha Setsuna did not know whether that was good or bad.
But one thing was certain.
At the very least, he was far stronger than Uchiha Fugaku—that coward who appeared impressive on the surface but lacked true substance.
"The future of the Uchiha will belong to you."
"How far you can lead the clan… and what path you will make it walk…"
"I am already an old corpse waiting to be buried. I won't live long enough to see it anyway, so I might as well stop worrying about it."
Just as the Great Elder finished calming the turmoil in his heart, footsteps sounded outside the room.
Soon, a young voice called from beyond the door.
"Great Elder. Lord Aran."
"The clan head has convened a clan meeting at the shrine to decide which members will participate in the Third Great Ninja War."
Inside the room, neither man's expression changed.
Only Uchiha Setsuna's voice sounded clearly.
"This old man is already advanced in years."
"The matter of the clan meeting will be handled entirely by Aran."
Outside the door, the young Uchiha messenger's expression changed.
There was surprise and confusion—but far more excitement.
Inside the room, Aran fully understood the old man's meaning.
He took a deep breath and bowed slightly toward Uchiha Setsuna.
"Flowing Hokage… an unshakable great clan."
"Please rest assured."
"I will lead the Uchiha, step by step…"
"…to the very summit."