In the courtyard of the Uchiha clan leader's residence, Uchiha Setsuna looked sternly at Fuma, waiting for his response.
Fuma gazed at the ceiling, silently appreciating the ukiyo-e painting above, feeling a bit exasperated. He couldn't understand why the old man had suddenly summoned him today, saying it was to discuss the grand matter of the clan's prosperity.
But when he arrived, the first thing Setsuna said was, "In the upcoming war, the Uchiha clan will fully support any of your needs. We will definitely seize the position of Hokage!"
This statement left Fuma utterly baffled. He had faced the fierce poison of Hanzo without feeling this speechless.
Who gave him this confidence? Ever since Setsuna revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan, the reactions from the other clan members had been quite peculiar.
They were both thrilled that the Mangekyō Sharingan had reappeared and doubtful because Uchiha Setsuna had been bedridden for over two months.
"This Mangekyō Sharingan, why can't it deal with Uchiha Fuma? Maybe the clan leader doesn't know how to use it?"
"Maybe Brother Fuma is just too strong. But at least he's one of us Uchiha."
With such a strange comparison, their attitude towards civilian ninjas and even villagers began to shift, becoming more friendly like Fuma. As a result, even the Police Force, which had always been despised by the villagers, had recently seen a rise in reputation.
Setsuna took this as a sign that the villagers had started to respect the Uchiha, seeing it as a manifestation of popular support, and thought it was time to aim for the Hokage position.
Fuma looked at Setsuna, dressed like a warrior from the Warring States period, with a short sword by his side, and sighed. This was clearly a push to force him into action. Reluctantly, he spoke up:
"I say, old man Setsuna, didn't you claim to inherit Uchiha Madara's will? Was it not his will to become the Hokage?"
Though this question might indeed be answered with a "yes" by Uchiha Madara, lying underground somewhere.
Setsuna snorted heavily, not directly answering, and said, "The so-called Hokage is the strongest person in Konoha. Clan leader Madara simply chose to step back back then."
"And now, you have the potential to become the strongest in Konoha, so it's time to reclaim the position that rightfully belongs to our Uchiha!"
Fuma's expression turned subtle. It seemed Setsuna hadn't witnessed the "Thousand Armed Buddha" battle at the Valley of the End. And wasn't he always considered unconventional? Now they were pinning their hopes on him?
Due to the influence of the Sharingan on their psyche, Uchiha clan members who awakened their eyes often had obsessive and gloomy personalities. Not only were they arrogant, but they also spoke unpleasantly.
Rather than muddling through in the oppressive atmosphere of Konoha, it might be better to head north and join the Hidden Cloud. There, the straightforward folks settled things with their fists and wouldn't mind the Uchiha's quirks, potentially leading to great development.
However, in the eyes of the Uchiha, the Hidden Cloud was just a bunch of beggars in the mountains. As founding members of Konoha, how could they go to such poor and remote places?
Back to the main topic, at this point in Konoha Year 37, there were many reasons why the Uchiha couldn't become Hokage. Firstly, even their most prized strength wasn't enough to compete for the Hokage position.
In Konoha, there were over two hundred jonin-level ninjas, while the Uchiha clan had only about thirty with the three-tomoe Sharingan.
Among them, some were elderly warriors from the Warring States period, powerful but with limited time left.
Since taking charge of the Police Force, the Uchiha had been restricted to handling trivial village matters. The new generation lost the battlefield's bloodshed and hatred, and with it, their power.
The key issue was that the Hokage was not the leader of a single ninja clan but a representative chosen by various clans' interests. The Senju lineage had already occupied the high ranks of Konoha, backed by numerous supporters.
Uzumaki Mito was still alive, and major clans like Akimichi, Nara, Yamanaka, and Aburame fully supported them. They had also recruited many civilian ninjas, discovering talents like White Fang, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, giving them a numerical advantage.
In contrast, the Uchiha clan couldn't find a single friendly clan in Konoha, apart from a cat selling ninja tools.
The Uchiha had always been isolated and friendless since the village's founding. During the Warring States period, too many bloodthirsty Uchiha had made enemies of numerous clans.
Due to their arrogant attitude, they continued to show cold faces even after the village was founded, worsening relations. The Uchiha had few friends but many enemies.
In such a dire situation, asking Fuma to step up was like asking him to take a bullet.
Even if Fuma later dominated the ninja world, silencing everyone with absolute power, what would be the point? With overwhelming power, shouldn't he unify the entire ninja world rather than continuing this cycle?
The only feasible solution was for Tsunade and Fuma to quickly have a child capable of mastering Hashirama level "Wood-Release" resolving everything.
Fuma took a deep breath. There was no other way. He prepared to recite the classic teachings of his past life to correct Setsuna's thinking.
"Clan leader Setsuna, how many clan meetings have we held in the Uchiha clan? How many policies have we proposed and actually implemented? Haven't they all been the same old routine?"
"You want me to compete for Hokage, but let me tell you, who does Hiruzen lead? Who do we have in the Uchiha now? Who can I lead?"
"What is the current state of the Uchiha? With so few people, even if the Eighth Generation are all jonin, can they handle it? They can't! They don't have the capability, understand?"
"If we keep fantasizing, we'll not only lose to the Senju but also to the Sarutobi. After them, we'll lose to the Ino-Shika-Cho. Once there's no one left to lose to, even the Police Force will be gone!"
Setsuna, blushing with anger, finally found a reason to vehemently retort:
"From Konoha's origins, our Uchiha clan were the real founders! The Uchiha were the earliest to join Konoha. Every brick and tile here has Uchiha's contribution. We deserve the Hokage position as a reward!"
Fuma exaggeratedly waved his hand, as if a phantom of that man appeared behind him.
"Oh, thank heavens! Think about it. In the Hokage election, the Uchiha never laid a good foundation since the village's founding."
"Even if we get a nomination, how can you ensure we win in the jonin voting stage?"
"Let's be practical. I advise you to understand the clan's issues and the Hokage's ideals first."
"Uchiha Madara ran away. Why inherit his will? He was beaten by Senju Hashirama at the Valley of the End, losing even the Nine-Tails. How do you explain that?"
Fuma criticized Setsuna with heartfelt anguish. Seeing Setsuna's dazed expression, he nodded in satisfaction.
He kicked away the short sword next to Setsuna and strode off. Such matters depended on Setsuna's own enlightenment and couldn't be resolved in a few words.
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