The funeral of Uchiha Nagisa was attended not only by the Uchiha clan but also by the major clans of Konoha, as well as the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. After the ceremony, Sarutobi Hiruzen patted Uchiha Fugaku on the shoulder.
"I'm sorry for your loss. Your father and I were old friends. If you ever encounter any trouble in the future, don't hesitate to come to me."
Of course, "old friends" was a lie; Sarutobi Hiruzen and Uchiha Nagisa never had a good relationship. It was just a casual remark, but if Uchiha Fugaku were to lose in his conflict with Uchiha Kisaragi, Sarutobi Hiruzen wouldn't mind stepping in to help Fugaku. Despite Uchiha Fugaku being older, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't see him as having much of a chance against Kisaragi.
"Thank you, Third Hokage," Uchiha Fugaku replied indifferently.
He was well aware of his father's relationship with Sarutobi Hiruzen. Though many attendees appeared sorrowful, they were likely laughing inside. Even Kisaragi was in a good mood. Uchiha Nagisa, that old man, had been a constant obstacle for him.
"I used to focus solely on improving my strength and never really admired women. But some of them truly are beautiful," Kisaragi thought as he noticed a gentle and virtuous figure in a black kimono.
It was Uchiha Mikoto, the future mother of Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke in the original series. She was the epitome of Yamato Nadeshiko, the ideal Japanese woman—gentle, kind, and devoted. Now, she was Uchiha Fugaku's fiancée.
Most of the Uchiha clan were handsome men and beautiful women, and Uchiha Mikoto was no exception.
Feeling Kisaragi's gaze, Uchiha Mikoto turned to look at him. She frowned slightly, feeling uncomfortable under his intense stare, as if his eyes could see through her clothes. She quickly tightened her kimono and turned her head away.
Kisaragi's subordinate, Uchiha Shin, noticed where his captain's eyes had lingered.
"Captain, have you taken a liking to Uchiha Mikoto? Would you like me to take care of it for you?" he asked slyly.
"Uchiha Mikoto is the one of a kind beauty in our clan. She truly would be a good match for you, Captain. Uchiha Fugaku isn't even close to being worthy of her."
"Do I really need you to help me with something like that?" Kisaragi asked, his tone indifferent.
"Heh, heh." Uchiha Shin chuckled, realizing that his captain didn't deny his interest. It seemed Kisaragi was indeed interested in Uchiha Mikoto. This was good—it meant that not only could they take the position of clan head, but also snatch Uchiha Fugaku's fiancée.
He pitied Fugaku, who at that moment had a leaf fall onto his head, complementing his already disheveled appearance.
The day after the funeral, Uchiha Fugaku was busy discussing his succession as clan leader. He had wanted to become the clan head on the day of the funeral itself, but many opposed him. Of the three elders of the Uchiha clan, only the first elder supported him. The other two elders, however, did not, as they were looking to secure their own interests.
They didn't mind supporting Uchiha Fugaku if he provided them with sufficient benefits. On the other hand, if Kisaragi offered them more, they wouldn't hesitate to switch sides. They cared only about their own gain. So, Fugaku's attempt to become clan head the day before had been thwarted.
Today, Fugaku planned to meet with the second and third elders—the "vampires" of the clan. With their support, it would be much easier for him to become the clan leader.
While Fugaku was running around trying to secure his position, Kisaragi made his way to Uchiha Mikoto's house. Mikoto's parents had passed away, and she lived with her grandfather, the first elder. However, the first elder wasn't home today, as he was accompanying Uchiha Fugaku.
"What are you doing here?" Uchiha Mikoto's expression changed as she opened the door and saw Kisaragi.
Recalling the way Kisaragi had looked at her the previous day, she felt a sense of unease.
"Are you here to see my grandfather?"
"No, I have no business with that old man. I'm here to see you, Mikoto." Kisaragi raised his hand and gently grasped Uchiha Mikoto's chin.
"Let go, Uchiha Kisaragi! Show some respect!" Mikoto's face flushed with anger. Although she had a gentle demeanor, she was strong-willed. She immediately slapped Kisaragi's hand away.
"I'm the captain of the Konoha Police Force. You know, I could arrest you," Kisaragi said as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.
"Mikoto, you know that I'm the biggest obstacle in Uchiha Fugaku's path to becoming clan leader. If you agree to one condition, I'll step aside and let him have it. What do you say?"
"What condition?" Mikoto asked, her voice tense.
"You're a smart woman, Mikoto. I think you can guess what I want," Kisaragi replied, his eyes gleaming with meaning.
"You… you're shameless!" Uchiha Mikoto glared at him, her anger burning. Of course, she had guessed what he wanted.
"Uchiha Kisaragi, I didn't expect you to be this kind of person. I won't agree to any of your conditions."
Initially, she hadn't thought badly of Kisaragi. After all, everyone admires beauty, and Kisaragi was a handsome man. Even among the Uchiha, known for their good looks, he stood out.
But today, Kisaragi's image in her mind was completely shattered.
"Why not? Compared to Uchiha Fugaku, I'm better in every way, aren't I?" Kisaragi wasn't angry. Instead, he looked at Mikoto's flushed, angry face with admiration.
Uchiha Mikoto said nothing, wanting only to get Kisaragi out of her home as quickly as possible.
She admitted that Kisaragi was superior to Fugaku in both appearance and strength, but her engagement to Fugaku had been arranged long ago. Although she and Fugaku were not yet married and had no substantial relationship, in her heart, the traditional Mikoto already considered Uchiha Fugaku as her future husband.
She would never betray that. Even with Kisaragi's threats regarding the clan leadership, she wouldn't compromise.
Besides, Fugaku wasn't necessarily going to lose in the fight for the clan leadership. His father had been the head of the Uchiha clan, which was an advantage in itself.
"It seems threatening you isn't going to work. But what about your grandfather? Don't you care about his safety?"
Uchiha Mikoto took a sharp breath, her eyes instantly activating the Three Tomoe Sharingan as she stared at Kisaragi.
"What do you plan to do to my grandfather?"
"I didn't expect you to have already awakened the Three Tomoe Sharingan," Kisaragi said, slightly surprised. Being able to awaken the Three Tomoe Sharingan meant that Uchiha Mikoto was at least at the level of a Jōnin. Even many of the Uchiha clan's Jōnin couldn't reach this level. The Three Tomoe Sharingan was the limit for most Uchiha.