Chapter 48: Uchiha Ikeizumi’s “magnanimity”
Nightfall arrived.
In just half a day’s time, the news of Uchiha Ikeizumi disregarding his blood relative and personally slaying his only living relative “Uchiha Onigawara” spread rapidly amid heated discussions passed from mouth to mouth.
It especially caused quite a stir within the Uchiha Clan.
After Fugaku finished handling some official duties for the day, he returned home and saw his eldest son Uchiha Itachi had also come back from Anbu.
At this moment, Uchiha Itachi was playing around with his second son Sasuke.
Of course, it was mostly Sasuke who kept clinging to Itachi.
“I heard about it.”
Uchiha Itachi pushed away Sasuke’s small hand. He looked at his father, with whom he often disagreed, and took the initiative to say, “Whether it was Uchiha Ikeizumi killing Hokage’s eldest son a while ago, or Uchiha Ikeizumi killing Uchiha Onigawara today. All these things… I know about them all.”
Fugaku also looked at this child who always made him feel proud.
Even though this child’s ideas were not quite the same as his own.
But he believed Uchiha Itachi would eventually shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Uchiha Clan in the future.
Able to lead the Uchiha Clan to a more brilliant future.
At this time, Uchiha Itachi continued, “Shisui once told me before he died that Uchiha Ikeizumi’s ‘caliber’ far exceeded everyone’s imagination. From the current situation, Shisui was right.”
“After today, there may be quite a few extreme Uchiha who will want to follow that man’s「 absolute justice」.”
“Father.”
Uchiha Itachi gazed at the silent Fugaku and said earnestly, “This is not a good thing for the family or Konoha. Uchiha Ikeizumi’s「 absolute justice」 is indeed admirable and worthy of respect. However…”
“His justice, which disregards the village’s overall situation, is too extreme. Uchiha Ikeizumi’s stance is independent of the village. Father should be able to see that clearly, right?”
After remaining silent for a full minute or more, listening to his eldest son speak, Fugaku finally nodded slightly.
Fugaku asked, “What ideas do you have, Itachi?”
Uchiha Itachi lowered his gaze and said, “Father should, as Clan Head, restrain Uchiha Ikeizumi’s behavior. Today, his cleaver of justice was aimed at the Uchiha Clan internally, which won’t cause too much disturbance to the village for the time being.”
“But if he, like before, turns his cleaver of justice outward, toward Konoha. The disturbance he causes he can bear, but the Uchiha Clan cannot.”
“Balance will be broken.”
A hint of relief flashed in Fugaku’s eyes; this was one of the few places where he and Uchiha Itachi agreed.
Neither of them wanted balance to be broken; both hoped for peace and coexistence between the village and the Uchiha Clan.
It’s just…
The word “peace” felt especially heavy to the father and son.
“Itachi, but I can’t restrain him either.” Fugaku sighed; this was his most helpless point.
Although Uchiha Ikeizumi had not shown any hostility toward him, he had never truly looked him in the eye.
Fugaku even didn’t understand why.
“Father.” Itachi was silent for a moment, then slowly said, “Sometimes, for the greater good, for Konoha, you need to be more decisive.”
Fugaku’s eyes suddenly narrowed.
He stared at Uchiha Itachi, took a deep breath, and said word by word, “Itachi, you are the successor I have chosen for the Uchiha Clan. As long as Ikeizumi does not betray the Uchiha Clan or betray Konoha, you must never! Never harm your own clan members!”
Itachi lowered his head.
But he didn’t make a sound.
……
On the other side of the Uchiha Clan.
A group of hawk Uchiha ninja, led by Uchiha Setsuna, who advocated turning against Konoha’s top brass and launching a coup plan sweeping the entire Konoha, were now gathered together.
The number of radical hawk old, middle, and young generation Uchiha ninja added up to over a hundred.
Nearly filling the entire hall.
It was precisely because of their large numbers that they could force the Clan Head to reluctantly agree to some of their opinions.
“Tch, that guy Uchiha Ikeizumi really has enough caliber.”
A young Uchiha with arms crossed said, “I used to scoff at his so-called「 absolute justice」. But I didn’t expect him to truly swing the cleaver at his blood relative for「 absolute justice」. I saw with my own eyes the moment he killed Uchiha Onigawara; I even felt he didn’t hesitate for a moment.”
Another young Uchiha said excitedly, “Isn’t this exactly what our Police Force should do? No matter if it’s a blood relative or the so-called Hokage standing in our way, we should swing the cleaver at them without hesitation!”
“Actually, we should pull Uchiha Ikeizumi to our side. We can’t let those weak guys get him first.”
The “weak guys” he referred to were the moderates within the Uchiha Clan who advocated harmonious coexistence with the village.
The two factions had long been at odds.
Sometimes, due to differing opinions, they even resorted to armed conflict.
“Uchiha Ikeizumi’s caliber is indeed sufficient,” someone nodded in agreement. “And his strength is very strong. With him joining us, our power will completely overwhelm those softies.”
“…”
Uchiha Setsuna, kneeling on a soft cushion, furrowed his brows.
Listening to the discussions of the younger generation below.
An inexplicable nameless fire rose in his heart—Uchiha Setsuna still held a grudge against Uchiha Ikeizumi for previously stopping him from approaching the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. He clearly remembered the chilling killing intent in that kid’s eyes at the time!
For many years, the feeling of life being threatened, which he had never felt before, he felt on Uchiha Ikeizumi.
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
Uchiha Setsuna lightly tapped the ground with his fingertip, gradually quieting the heated hall.
All eyes fell on him.
“Have you all forgotten? Uchiha Onigawara, who was brutally killed by Uchiha Ikeizumi, was once one of us! The one he killed was our companion! Our elite Uchiha!”
Uchiha Setsuna’s gloomy gaze swept over, startling some excited young hawk Uchiha into hurriedly lowering their heads.
Uchiha Setsuna’s voice was hoarse as he characterized Uchiha Ikeizumi’s “kinslaying” behavior: “Uchiha Ikeizumi has never, from beginning to end, considered things from our side!”
“You think he will stand with us? Hmph! Naive! His cleaver will one day even be swung at us!”
“An Uchiha who swings the cleaver at his own clan members is disloyal to the Uchiha Clan!!!”
Murderous intent gleamed in Uchiha Setsuna’s turbid eyes.
“The weaklings in the clan are indeed stumbling blocks hindering the Uchiha’s progress. And Uchiha Ikeizumi…”
“He is an explosive tag that is burning.”
“He will blow us all up!”
……
……
