Chapter 7: If Plan A doesn’t work, then let’s use Plan B
[Note: Read up to Chapter - 57 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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The funeral of Uchiha Douma was attended not only by members of the Uchiha clan but also by representatives from other major Konoha clans—and even the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, made an appearance.
After the ceremony, Hiruzen approached Fugaku and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry. Your father and I were old friends. If you ever run into trouble, feel free to come to me."
Of course, the part about being old friends was neither a truth nor a lie.
While they were acquaintances, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Uchiha Douma had never been on good terms, especially after the death of Uchiha Kagami.
So, his words were nothing more than polite formality.
That said, if the rivalry between Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Kanzou escalated—and Fugaku happened to be on the losing end—Hiruzen wouldn't mind stepping in to support him.
Not out of loyalty, but out of political motivations.
Despite Fugaku being older and more experienced, Hiruzen didn't see him as a true rival to Kanzou.
His faith in Fugaku's potential was limited.
Don't take it the wrong way. Uchiha Fugaku is indeed a genius… and without a doubt the second strongest within the Uchiha Clan. But, he is the second strongest… not the strongest.
The strongest is Uchiha Kanzou… and he is also the more talented one, which makes Hiruzen more vigilant against Kanzou.
"Thank you, Sandaime-sama," Fugaku replied coolly.
He wasn't fooled.
He knew exactly how strained the relationship between his father and Sarutobi Hiruzen had been.
Though many in attendance appeared solemn and grief-stricken, more than a few were secretly celebrating Douma's death.
Kanzou included.
In fact, he was in an excellent mood.
Uchiha Douma, that old man, had been a major obstacle for Kanzou in the past.
"Back then, I focused only on improving my strength. I never paid that much attention to beautiful women more than I needed to... but some of them really are something else."
His gaze lingered on a gentle, elegant figure dressed in a black kimono again.
Uchiha Mikoto.
The future mother of Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke in the original timeline—a classic Yamato Nadeshiko type. Soft-spoken, graceful, understanding, and deeply loyal. The perfect wife material by every standard.
She currently belongs to Uchiha Fugaku, though the two haven't yet married as she is only his fiancée.
The Uchiha clan was known for its striking features—handsome men and beautiful women—and Mikoto was no exception. Heck, she was one of the most beautiful women in the Clan with a beautiful face, hourglass figure, and well-developed proportions.
Making her the woman of many men's dreams.
It's a pity that she was engaged to Uchiha Fugaku at a very young age, which made things awkward for many and cut off many people's hopes.
After all, Fugaku was the son of the Patriarch, for a woman to be engaged to him directly meant that she was off the dating pool, and no one would have a chance with her.
It was expected of all men and women to treat her as the future wife of the Patriarch, which meant respect and reverence, and everyone treated her that way.
Of course, Kanzou wasn't of that sort… and gazed at the very woman without any reservations.
Sensing someone's eyes on her, Mikoto turned to meet the gaze, only to notice that it was none other than Uchiha Kanzou.
And for some reason… this gaze was different from the gazes she was used to…
She frowned slightly.
The way Kanzou stared at her made her uncomfortable, like his eyes were piercing right through her clothes.
But she was a well-taught woman, so she quickly curbed her discomfort, not letting it show on her face, and gave a polite bow so as not to be disrespectful, before looking away.
Apart from following the basic courtesy as a fellow Uchiha, she had no further desire to interact with Kanzou.
She was well aware of the conflict between him and her fiancé and knew that in the future, they were bound to become enemies.
Of course, just because she didn't have any intentions didn't mean Kanzou thought the same.
"Captain, were you interested in Mikoto-san?"
Shin couldn't help but ask, noticing Kanzou's lingering gaze.
Satou chimed in from the side, "Mikoto-san is undoubtedly the most beautiful woman of marriageable age within our clan. No… perhaps not just marriageable women, but all women. She's definitely worthy of you, Captain. An ugly guy like Uchiha Fugaku? It'd be a pity to let him have her."
Shin asked, "Want me to go grab her for you?"
Kanzou responded with a calm, indifferent tone.
"You think I need your help to make her mine?"
"Heh... fair enough."
Both Shin and Satou chuckled.
But at the same time, they also understood that their Captain was soon going to make a move on her.
After all, Kanzou hadn't denied the prospect of making Uchiha Mikoto his—clearly, he was interested in the woman.
And that, in Shin and Satou's mind, was perfect.
Not only would Kanzou take the position of clan patriarch, but he might also steal Fugaku's fiancée while he was at it.
They shot a pitying glance at Fugaku standing in the distance.
Just then, a green leaf drifted down and landed on Fugaku's head—an oddly fitting image of his current misfortune.
'Quite strange, green color really suits his ugly mug…'
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The day after the funeral, Uchiha Fugaku began pushing for the clan's leadership succession.
In truth, he had already wanted to claim the title of patriarch on the day of the funeral.
But unfortunately for him, many within the clan had opposed it.
Of the three elders of the Uchiha clan, only the First Elder – Uchiha Tadayoshi - supported Fugaku. The other two withheld their support—not out of loyalty or principle, but because they were waiting for the highest bidder.
If Fugaku offered them enough incentives, they would back him without hesitation. But if Kanzou made a better offer, they'd switch sides just as quickly. In the end, their loyalty lay with their own interests.
So, Fugaku's attempt to claim the position of clan head at yesterday's funeral fell flat.
Today, he was preparing to visit the Second and Third Elders.
Winning their support would make his path to becoming patriarch much easier.
While Fugaku busied himself with political manoeuvring, Kanzou had made his way to Uchiha Mikoto's residence.
Mikoto, whose parents had both passed away, lived with her grandfather, the First Elder.
But the elder wasn't home today. He was out assisting Fugaku in his efforts.
'Perfect for me…'
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Knock! Knock!
Hearing the knock on the door, clueless Mikoto opened the door, but noticing the visitor, her expression stiffened, "Kanzou-sama?"
Recalling the way Kanzou had looked at her yesterday, an uneasy feeling crept over her.
"Are you here to see Sofu-sama?" questioned Mikoto, gently and respectfully, curbing the unease, but also with a vigilant edge in her tone.
"No," Kanzou replied with a smirk. "Why would I waste my time on that old fossil? I came to see you, Mikoto-san."
As he spoke, he reached out and lifted her chin with his fingers.
"What… what do you think you are doing?" Mikoto questioned sharply, her eyes widening and her face hardening.
Although she usually carried herself with grace and gentleness, giving the image of someone who was easy to bully, in truth, Mikoto was not one to yield easily when provoked.
Of course, Kanzou didn't care, and caressed her cheek with a smile, "What am I doing? Of course, admiring the beautiful woman before me…"
She slapped his hand away without hesitation and scolded him, "You're the Captain of the Police Force, aren't you? Does this kind of conduct suit someone in your position and status?"
"I pity your innocence, Mikoto-san… don't you know that the most corrupt and biggest abusers are always people in power?" chuckled Kanzou as he thought to himself, 'Such was the case in my past life, and it's no different here…'
At the same time, without warning, he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him. "I for one am one such bastard… who has no qualms about abusing my power for the sake of furthering my goals… and you know what… my goal, at the moment, is you…"
"Let… let go of me," Mikoto struggled to break free. But found it difficult considering the difference in their physical strength.
"Now… now… calm down, Mikoto-san… I won't force myself upon you since I am not interested in that. Just listen to a few things that I have to say, if you don't like it, I'll leave without so much as harming your hair," said Kanzou, whispering into Mikoto's ears, making her freeze and look at him with a frown.
Paying her no mind, he continued, "You should know I'm the biggest obstacle standing in the way of Fugaku becoming the patriarch. But if you agree to one condition of mine, I might just step aside and let him have it."
"What condition?" Mikoto asked warily while thinking of a way to break free.
"Come on," Kanzou said with a sly smile as he traced his hand over her face, tugging her hair behind her ears. "I believe you are smart enough to figure it out. I don't think you need me to spell it out for you."
He gave her a look filled with implication.
Already feeling uncomfortable, hearing his words, Mikoto snapped as her eyes flared with anger, "It seems I was really mistaken about you… You... you're shameless."
Of course, she understood what he was insinuating. "I never imagined you'd stoop so low. I won't agree to anything like that. Now that you have said your piece, let go of me…"
She had never considered Kanzou a bad person before; in fact, she secretly admired him a great deal, for his talent, strength, and of course, his appearance.
After all, admiration for beauty was natural; people were born to like beautiful things, and Kanzou was undeniably handsome—even among the Uchiha Clan, known for their striking looks, he stood out, earning the admiration of everyone, including Mikoto's.
So, even though it was only from a distance, she did admire him.
Not to mention, he was undoubtedly the strongest among the Uchiha, graduating from the academy at an early age due to his unmatched talent, and he performed incredibly in the Second Great Shinobi War, earning fame and glory.
Uchiha respect strength… as a Uchiha… Mikoto was no different and admired him for his strength as well.
At times, she had even noticed him training until very late and starting early morning, working through his bones…
This handsomeness, strength, and dedication are obviously very revering traits in a person; Mikoto has revered these qualities of Kanzou.
It's a pity that she was already engaged to Fugaku when she was very young, so she could only revere Kanzou and admire him from a distance… but that didn't stop her from always respecting him and admiring him to the point of always addressing him with utmost respect, despite him being younger than her.
But today, the image she had of him had shattered completely…
"Why won't you agree? Compared to Fugaku, am I not better in every way?" Kanzou didn't sound angry—on the contrary, he looked at Mikoto's flushed and uncomfortable face with curiosity.
Mikoto said nothing, "…"
She just wanted him to leave as quickly as possible.
She admitted to herself that Kanzou was indeed more powerful and more handsome than Fugaku.
But from the moment the ten-year-old her and the fifteen-year-old Fugaku were engaged, Mikoto had slowly come to accept that it was her fate to be his wife.
Even though they weren't yet married and had no real intimacy, Mikoto—raised in traditional values—already saw Fugaku as her future husband.
She had been mentally prepared to take on that role since before she graduated from the Konoha Ninja Academy.
Therefore, it was unthinkable for her to do anything with any other man, even if she admired that person in her heart.
Moreover, even if Kanzou was stronger than Fugaku, that didn't mean Fugaku was already guaranteed to lose the battle for succession…
His father had been the previous clan head—that alone gave him an edge.
Knowing this, she didn't pay much attention to Kanzou's offer, and simply shook her head, "I have nothing to say to you… Kanzou-sama. Now… could you please let go of me? I don't want to be seen by anyone… it would cause a misunderstanding for me and Sofu-sama… Just release me… I won't pursue this matter either… and we can go back to being acquaintances…"
Kanzou shrugged, not paying attention to Mikoto's words. Instead, mumbled to himself, "Hmm… It seems you aren't willing to cooperate for Fugaku's sake, are you?" and then added with a grin, "Well, I suppose that makes sense since you don't really have any affection for him at this point… hmm… if that's the case, then that only leaves me with plan B."
"Plan B?" Mikoto frowned. She didn't expect that Kanzou would come here with multiple plans in mind.
"Yup… option B… If the temptation isn't going to work, then I have to change my tactics to Plan B, which involves threatening and coercion…" said Kanzou, chuckling lightly.
Mikoto's eyes narrowed. "Threat? What do you mean?"
She had a bad feeling.
"You won't give in for Fugaku's sake, but what about Tadayoshi-sama? Don't you care about his safety?"
Kanzou's voice was calm, but his words were laced with menace.
Mikoto drew a sharp breath and, in an instant, activated her Three Tomoe Sharingan, fixing a fierce glare on Kanzou.
"What are you planning to do to Sofu-sama?" she demanded.
Kanzou raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised. "As expected of the woman I have long since fancied… You indeed have awakened the Three Tomoe Sharingan."
For her to possess it meant she was as strong as an Elite Jōnin.
In fact, many Uchiha Jōnin hadn't reached this level—Three Tomoe Sharingan was the pinnacle that most members of the clan could ever achieve.
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Note: Read up to Chapter - 57 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]