Chapter 190

The outbreak of war was abrupt.

Just as the smaller ninja villages outside the Five Great Shinobi Nations began to grasp what "Infinite Tsukuyomi" truly meant, a war meant to preserve the balance of the ninja world had already erupted.

The battleground was in the Land of Fire.

Even from great distances, people could see the massive sphere in the sky. The towering, cyan-blue figure of the complete Susanoo radiated an overwhelming presence. It was something the world had never seen before—a type of combat that transcended their understanding.

For the first time, the world truly understood what it meant to face the peak of Uchiha power.

"The pinnacle of Uchiha strength."

The Uchiha clan's settlement, a branch of Konoha, wasn't far from the Valley of the End.

Uchiha Fugaku was in the midst of his official inauguration ceremony, conducted by his father. From this day forth, he would become the clan leader of the Uchiha.

But the expressions on the faces of those gathered were far from celebratory. Their moods were complicated.

It wasn't without reason. The rumors surrounding Uchiha Madara were no longer secrets in the shinobi world.

Everyone knew—the once domineering and ruthless former clan head was up to something.

Some were hopeful. Others anxious.

Madara...

There was a time when he was the spiritual pillar of the clan. Even after his departure from Konoha, his name had become forbidden.

And yet, there were still many who held deep respect for him.

That much was undeniable.

Compared to Madara, today's Uchiha—those who had lost their ambitions for greatness—no longer embodied the clan's true traditions.

Put another way: Were they still worthy of being called Uchiha?

Conflict, doubt, and resentment brewed beneath the surface.

No one believed the Uchiha could stand alone. This family... it was deeply troubled.

Konoha had been at peace for some time, yet the position of Hokage remained vacant.

And among those unwilling to fade into silence, ambition stirred.

They weren't here only to witness the inauguration of a new clan head.

There was another goal today.

Inside the shrine, the elderly patriarch—Fugaku's father—finally let out a sigh of relief after the ceremony concluded.

He had announced before that his son would inherit the title, but now, it was official. This should have been a moment of pride.

His son, the new clan head. No opposition from anyone. A good thing, truly.

Yet looking into Fugaku's eyes—filled with frustration and complexity—he couldn't help but feel a trace of helplessness.

The truth was, things had been difficult for the Uchiha recently.

Madara's disruptions outside the village were constant, and internally, the clan had grown divided.

It was exhausting.

Best to leave it all to the next generation.

Even Madara had done the same in his own way—shaking up the clan that was once secure, leaving behind restlessness and doubt.

Now, even the outsiders looked at the Uchiha differently.

After all, Madara bore the Uchiha name. That name inevitably drew connections. To him. To Uchiha Madara.

And the longer this dragged on, the more likely it was that the clan would still gravitate back toward Madara.

"Clan Head!"

A deep voice suddenly echoed from the crowd.

"I have a suggestion that I hope you'll consider."

It was the son of one of the five elders.

Fugaku glanced at him, already feeling a headache coming on.

He knew this kid well—an extremist from a young age.

He could guess what he was about to say before the words even left his mouth.

But Fugaku had only just assumed the mantle of leadership. He wasn't about to take orders from a subordinate.

Still, after granting permission to speak, the young man took a step forward, addressing Fugaku and the other clansmen:

"Clan Head, please pursue the title of Fourth Hokage. Do it for the benefit of our clan!"

As expected.

The old patriarch sighed beside him.

The desire for an Uchiha Hokage wasn't new.

They had long wished to place one of their own in power—to control Konoha from the top.

And truthfully, the old man himself felt a twinge of bitterness.

Yes.

Konoha had been founded by both the Senju and Uchiha.

The First and Second Hokage had both been from the Senju.

Even the Third—useless as he was—had been the Second Hokage's disciple. And although that student betrayed his teacher by attempting to wipe out his clan, it was still, in theory, Senju-affiliated.

So why had no Uchiha ever worn the Hokage's hat?

It wasn't a new question. But one they'd been forced to silence.

Back when the First took power, there had been no worthy challengers among the Uchiha. And when the Second assumed command, the Uchiha had been even more hesitant to play political games.

Before the Third could be contested, they'd already been pushed out of influence entirely.

But now, they saw an opportunity again.

A chance to claim the Hokage's seat.

That is—until Senju Yukika unexpectedly returned.

Nearly all of Konoha's clan heads had gone to the Hokage Tower to greet him. The Uchiha were no exception.

To be honest...

The villagers looked upon Yukika with admiration. But the Uchiha? They weren't pleased.

Why had they never enjoyed such praise?

Why was it the Senju who received all the glory?

Even though Yukika had fought alongside them during the Second Shinobi War and had a strength that earned their respect, when it came to power struggles, respect wasn't enough.

They weren't opposed to Yukika specifically. Everyone knew the Senju had already withdrawn from Konoha's affairs.

"Clan Head, please raise the issue of becoming the Fourth Hokage at the next council meeting."

Fugaku remained silent.

His subordinate prompted him again.

"We've never formally discussed this before."

Fugaku sighed. He clearly wanted to avoid the topic.

But he was right—when the Third resigned, the Senju had already publicly distanced themselves from Konoha.

The Uchiha had considered this strategy before. The idea had floated through clan meetings, only to be tabled.

Konoha had since stabilized, even without a Hokage like Naruto.

Everyone had grown used to the current system.

And they all understood that the Senju—despite withdrawing—still held real power.

If the Uchiha wanted more, they'd have to confront Senju Yukika.

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