Chapter 63: The Funeral (Part 2)

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Chapter 63: The Funeral (Part 2)

Uchiha Kei had always wondered what would truly trigger Uchiha Fugaku.

Knowing Fugaku's personality, Kei had been carefully analyzing when such a trigger might appear—or perhaps, when he himself could present it to lure Fugaku in.

What he didn't expect… was for the opportunity to arrive so soon.

Kakashi—who was he? The future student of the Fourth Hokage. And Kei had already, to some extent, shown goodwill toward him. That alone was a perfect angle to play.

Now, it was all about how Kei would execute this setup—and sure enough, his actions and words had already caught Fugaku's attention. A solid opening move.

Kei had once deliberately shown a disregard for the clan in front of Fugaku—though, to be fair, that was partially true.

Even though Kei had made a more neutral stance afterward, Fugaku never believed he was that compliant. And as expected, this kid really was different.

"You…" The Uchiha clansman hadn't anticipated Kei to suddenly take such a confrontational stance—especially with those blood-red Sharingan eyes, spinning with all three tomoe. He faltered.

"What about me?" Kei's tone was unflinchingly firm. "You bring up matters like this here, of all times? Have you forgotten Kakashi's connection to Namikaze Minato? Or who stands behind Minato? The village has barely regained peace, and you're so eager to stir things up again? Have you ever even been on a battlefield?"

"Uchiha Kei! You're insulting the honor of the Uchiha Clan!" the man snapped back, clearly rattled. After all… he hadn't been on the battlefield.

Kei sneered. "Someone who's never even set foot on a battlefield thinks he can talk to me about honor?"

"Honor is earned. I fought for mine. You haven't, and you don't even deserve to enjoy it. Kakashi's eye was a gift from Obito—a battlefield hero. And you don't even respect the will of the fallen? And you dare speak of Uchiha honor?"

His words were sharp, merciless—and they hit hard. The middle-aged man beside Kei was rendered speechless.

Kei hadn't even lowered his voice. The nearby Hyuga Clan members could hear everything loud and clear.

It wouldn't take long before this little scene reached the ears of the Third Hokage and other Konoha shinobi attending the funeral. Which… was exactly Kei's intent.

It might've looked like a reprimand, but really, it was a message—directed at the Third Hokage and the average Konoha shinobi.

If Kei wanted to bait Fugaku, then the "trigger" had to hold enough weight. If it was shallow or unimpressive, Kei would only end up looking like a fool.

As Kei delivered his calculated outburst, he subtly observed Fugaku's expression. Sure enough, the clan head's face shifted with subtle emotion—anger, confusion, and deep contemplation. Complex, but… just the reaction Kei hoped for.

If even this much couldn't move Fugaku, then Kei's strategy would've been a total failure.

Fugaku was still Fugaku—unchanged by the Nine-Tails incident. He couldn't bring himself to make the hard decisions. Deep down, he was still loyal… not to the Hokage, but to Konoha itself.

"Enough. Both of you, that's enough." Fugaku finally spoke, his tone decisive. "This is a time to honor the fallen—not embarrass ourselves. Kakashi's Sharingan was a gift from Obito. Respect the will of the dead."

"But—" the clansman began, but Kei swiftly cut him off.

"Was the clan head not clear enough?" Kei's eyes returned to normal. "Do you even understand what it means to respect the will of the dead?"

"You stop too, Kei." Fugaku interjected, ending the argument. "Hiroki was from your father's generation. He's your elder."

Elder? Kei didn't say a word, but the cold smirk on his face spoke volumes—as if to say, This kind of trash counts as an elder?

His disdain was plain, and Uchiha Hiroki was visibly seething. Still, he couldn't lash out again—not when Fugaku had made his stance so clear.

No further conflict broke out. The "hero memorial" ceremony continued and concluded smoothly.

But afterward, Kei noticed Hiroki glaring at him with open hostility.

Kei could only sigh.

Still, he didn't dwell on it too much. He'd already made his decision. If he wanted to set his plan in motion, this kind of "cost" was inevitable.

There was a saying Kei remembered: "How can one have both the Buddha and the beauty? One must always make a choice."

Everyone wants a perfect ending—but such things don't exist. And even if they do, they come with a price: silent effort and unseen sacrifices.

Kei was a realist. He couldn't be sure if his plan would succeed, but if it could protect his life and future… he was willing to take that risk.

Still, he wasn't putting all his eggs in one basket. His current approach was to curry favor with both sides—a strategic compromise. After all, one must always plan for alternatives.

---

"Kei-kun, please wait a moment."

Just as he was about to leave, a familiar voice stopped him. It was Namikaze Minato.

"Captain Minato, is something wrong?" Kei turned back, polite and composed.

"I heard what happened just now," Minato said earnestly. Then, without hesitation, he bowed deeply. "Thank you for standing up for Kakashi. I truly appreciate it."

"Captain Minato, that's really not necessary," Kei quickly moved to stop him, clearly surprised. "I told Kakashi before—if any Uchiha gave him trouble, he could come to me. I was just keeping my word. No need to thank me."

Truth is, I'm just using your future status to build leverage, Kei thought silently.

He sighed inwardly. Minato's openness and sincerity left a good impression—but when he compared that to the Third Hokage's cunning, he couldn't help but shake his head.

No wonder Orochimaru said Minato is just the Third's puppet.