Chapter 69: You Underestimate Me

"To die by my blade?" Hara found himself amused yet exasperated as he began to understand Fugaku's intentions. It seemed this man was teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Like Itachi, Fugaku was resolute. Once he made up his mind, he would act decisively.

For instance, after Shisui's death, when the moderate faction turned hardline, Fugaku, due to his indecisiveness, paid the price and was forced to lead the hardliners. He made numerous preparations for the coup, but on the night of the Uchiha massacre, despite having the chance to stop Itachi, he hesitated again. After seeing Itachi's vision of the village's future, he heatedly accepted his fate, choosing to die alongside his wife.

This puzzling behavior made Hara almost accustomed to Fugaku's erratic actions. Fugaku's current choice, while potentially beneficial for Hara, also posed significant problems.

"Yes, to die by your blade would be my redemption. I've brought the clan to this point, and my death can't undo it," Fugaku said, observing Hara's thoughtful, albeit confused, expression.

"But now, Uchiha has you. At such a young age, you have decisiveness and power. You will be a fitting clan leader. But to lead, you need authority, and killing me will give you the utmost respect. It will make them fear and recognize you. Let my death be the foundation of a new Uchiha. I have no regrets."

As Hara processed this, his mouth twitched slightly. Staring at the death-wishing Fugaku, he felt at a loss for words. Perhaps this was how Fugaku faced the frenzied Itachi, telling him, "You are a kind child, do it"?

"This is madness!" Hara thought. Killing Fugaku would indeed instill fear and grant him unprecedented authority, possibly leading to a near-absolute control over the clan, similar to Madara's era. But it would also sow deep-seated resentment among the clan's elite. Even Shisui might object. Killing one's own kin is a deeply abhorrent act, especially when they share the same blood.

Despite his rhetoric about "winning people over with reason," Hara had never taken a life in the clan, even though he had considered eliminating some uncooperative members. But that was a last resort, and his targets were always the "spiritual leaders," aimed at preserving the Uchiha clan's unity.

Moreover, Hara had to consider the repercussions from his system, which could penalize him for killing Fugaku.

"Alright, I think I've said enough," Fugaku resumed, interrupting Hara's internal rant.

"Now, let's…" Fugaku began, but Hara interrupted him.

"Why should I listen to you?" Hara snapped, cutting Fugaku off mid-sentence. "I will become the clan leader, and I will do it openly. I don't need to kill you to earn respect! This is why you are not a qualified leader. You lack the conviction a leader should have. You brought the clan to this point, and your death can't atone for that."

"Instead of seeking death, why don't you think about how to help me make the Uchiha great again?" Hara paused, then smiled slightly. "And why do you think I need you to go easy on me to win? You underestimate me."

With that, Hara activated his secret technique, "Resolute Will," instantly clearing his mind and focusing his spirit. He saw the interwoven black and white world around him, the frozen blades and flames. His Mangekyo Sharingan spun rapidly, and his chakra surged to its peak.

He raised his hand, and the monochrome sun in the sky turned blood-red, transforming the space into a crimson hue. The sun morphed into a scarlet eye with a rotating Mangekyo pattern, identical to Hara's own.

Fugaku, seeing this, was initially stunned. Then his expression changed drastically as he realized he had lost control of the illusion space.

With a sound like shattering glass, cracks spread across the black and white space, spreading like a spiderweb, with fragments falling away like shards of glass.

The shattering sounds grew louder and more frequent, and the space began to fill with colorful light. The world returned to normal, and in the real world, Hara had already executed the third stage of his dance, Susanoo now enveloping him.

Hara's blade struck Fugaku's Susanoo, creating more cracks. Hara's blue Susanoo then attacked with a punch, enhanced by Reversal, with earth-shattering power. Fugaku's Susanoo shattered under the assault.

Fugaku, now weakened with blood seeping from his eyes, was defenseless. Hara's Susanoo caught the falling Fugaku, preventing him from plummeting into the flames.

Looking at the exhausted but conscious Fugaku, Hara smiled. "I told you, you underestimate me, didn't I?"

Fugaku smiled bitterly but nodded firmly. The watching Uchiha clan members snapped out of their shock and erupted into cheers, with Uchiha Sou and Uchiha Takeshi proclaiming—

"The victor, Uchiha Hara!"