"Are you the patriarch of the Uchiha clan, or are you Konoha's Jonin? There is no third option!"
The Great Elder had completely torn off all pretenses, directly confronting Uchiha Fugaku. Just moments ago, he received news from his grandson that Uzumaki Raiden had returned to the village, discovered Uchiha Ayako's abnormalities, and traced Uchiha Shi. Although he had successfully silenced him, this unexpected development had completely disrupted all his plans.
At this point, he had no choice but to force Uchiha Fugaku to take a stand and gain full control over the Uchiha clan before Uzumaki Raiden uncovered the truth.
"What does the Great Elder mean by this? I am Uchiha Fugaku—of course, the patriarch of the Uchiha clan, as well as a Jonin of Konoha!"
Uchiha Fugaku's expression was stern as he sat upright, secretly remaining on guard.
"I see. So that is your answer!"
"In that case, from this moment forward, you are no longer the patriarch of the Uchiha clan!"
The Great Elder took a few slow steps forward, and the three-tomoe Sharingan in his eyes began to change. The black tomoe spun rapidly, soon merging into a windmill shape.
"Mangekyō Sharingan?! How is that possible?!"
Uchiha Fugaku stared at the Great Elder in shock, exhaling softly in disbelief. At that moment, the Third Elder, who had been standing nearby, also began walking toward him. The tomoe in his eyes shifted, merging just like the Great Elder's—they, too, wielded the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"You..." Uchiha Fugaku was stunned. He had never imagined that these two elders possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan, and from the looks they exchanged, it was clear—they intended to stage a coup!
A heavy sense of oppression filled the entire hall, emanating from the two elders. The suffocating atmosphere gripped everyone, and the room fell into a tense silence. Not a single breath could be heard.
"Great Elder! Third Elder! What is the meaning of this?!"
Uchiha Fugaku quickly regained his composure and lowered his head, carefully analyzing the situation. Their strength had certainly caught him off guard, but so what? His lowered gaze concealed a crucial detail—his own eyes had begun their transformation. However, the two elders, standing high above him, failed to notice.
"As you can see, my younger brother and I have already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. Uchiha Fugaku, you are no longer fit to lead the clan—step down!"
"Our Uchiha clan has never been mere pawns, and Konoha's higher-ups continue to suppress us. It is time for the Uchiha clan to take control of Konoha!"
"Fugaku, I will give you one last chance. Are you Uchiha Fugaku of the Uchiha clan, or Uchiha Fugaku of Konoha?"
The Great Elder had lost all patience. Uzumaki Raiden's presence in the village placed immense pressure on him. As someone who had lived through multiple wars, he was well aware of Raiden's strength after the Third Ninja War. To execute his plan without a hitch, he had to act swiftly.
And the most crucial step was uniting the Uchiha clan's power.
"Great Elder, you seem quite anxious all of a sudden. Why is that? Could it be that Raiden's return has frightened you?"
"I may not know when you and the Third Elder awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, but do you honestly believe that the two of you alone can defeat him?"
"Great Elder, Third Elder, return to your seats. If you do, I can pretend this never happened."
Uchiha Fugaku slowly lifted his head, revealing that the tomoe in his eyes had already fused—he, too, possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"You… You as well?" The Great Elder and Third Elder exchanged glances, their faces filled with shock. This was the first time Fugaku had ever revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan to anyone.
Now aware of Fugaku's hidden power, the two elders felt a deep sense of unease, but—
"Fugaku, if you had revealed this earlier, none of this would have happened!"
"Uzumaki Raiden—if he had never returned, we wouldn't have reached this point!"
"But now, it's too late!"
The Great Elder's face paled momentarily before his expression hardened with resolve. His eyes burned with murderous intent as he suddenly launched an attack.
"Great Elder?!" His abrupt action sent shockwaves through the hall. At the same time, many Uchiha clan members on the ground quickly leaped up, kunai in hand, and turned on those closest to them.
In an instant, the hall erupted into chaos—screams and cries filled the air.
"A coup d'état?! Susumu Uchiha, Kiyoshi Uchiha—you dare incite civil war?!"
At this moment, Uchiha Fugaku discarded all pretense. He directly named the two elders, his voice filled with shock and fury. At the same time, he swiftly blocked Uchiha Susumu's attack, delivering a sharp kick to his lower abdomen and forcing him back before rushing to Uchiha Mikoto's side.
Uchiha Mikoto stood in a battle-ready stance, scanning her surroundings with caution. As soon as Fugaku reached her, she turned to him and urgently said:
"Fugaku, Raiden is still in the Uchiha compound—send a signal and ask for his help! Alert the villagers and have them assist in putting down the rebellion!"
"Uchiha Susumu and Uchiha Kiyoshi have led these people in a coup. They deserve to die!"
Her expression turned fierce, a stark contrast to the gentle demeanor she usually displayed at home. In this moment, she radiated the aura of a hardened warrior.
"No. If news of a civil war within the Uchiha clan spreads, what will become of our reputation?"
"I will handle this myself. You must escape and find a way to notify Raiden—ask him to help me, but do not alert the villagers!"
Even now, Uchiha Fugaku was determined to protect the Uchiha clan's honor. He made his decision swiftly. But in just this brief moment, the ancestral hall—where the clan had gathered—had already turned into a bloodbath. No one had expected Uchiha Susumu to launch a coup so suddenly.
To many Uchiha members, the conflict between Fugaku and the elder faction had never seemed so severe as to warrant such drastic measures. Even Fugaku himself was bewildered—he saw no reason why Susumu and the others had chosen such an extreme course of action.
"Susumu Uchiha, what are you afraid of?"
"If you are angry about how Konoha's higher-ups treat our clan, isn't Uzumaki Raiden's return the perfect chance to repair our relationship with the village?"
"Or… do you have another agenda?"
As Uchiha Fugaku spoke, he subtly bought time for Mikoto. She understood immediately—this was no time to hesitate. She quickly weaved through the crowd, attempting to leave. However, the moment she stepped outside, an ambush awaited her. She was forced into battle once more.
"Everything I do is for the Uchiha clan!"
"Fugaku, there is no need to say more. Since you have chosen Konoha's side, you must die!"
Uchiha Susumu refused to answer Fugaku's questions. Instead, he swiftly flung a barrage of shuriken before charging at him. Despite his old age, he moved with surprising speed, closing the distance in an instant before throwing a punch toward Fugaku's face.
"Die!"
As Uchiha Susumu attacked, his eyes locked onto a dagger near a fallen body. Under his gaze, the blade trembled—then suddenly shot forward, aiming straight for the center of Fugaku's back.
(End of chapter)