Nara Hiroshi's face was full of excitement.
Yes.
He was truly a clever man—in the truest sense. Even though it was his first time encountering this kind of scheme, a single moment of thought was enough for him to grasp the essence.
If this plan could be pulled off, then the power it generated would be far beyond what the Hokage himself wielded.
In fact, it could be said—this was exactly what Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to do, except this version was far more subtle, far harder to detect, and seeped into the world without anyone realizing.
High—truly high!
After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen's current strategy was nothing more than pretending to step down while still controlling ANBU from the shadows, relying on Koharu, Homura, and Shimura Danzo's support to firmly grip Konoha's reins.
In the end, turning Namikaze Minato into nothing but a puppet Hokage.
But the problem was—
Hiruzen's trick could only fool the commoners.
The great clans weren't fools. They could easily see through his intentions.
And Uchiha Kai?
His approach was almost the same, operating entirely from behind the scenes.
The difference was—
Kai's silent, invisible methods were practically impossible to expose, let alone arouse suspicion.
What Nara Hiroshi didn't know, however, was that Kai wasn't the originator of this tactic.
In his previous life, this method had already been played to death.
Just like Forbes' rich lists—don't look at the names on the surface.
The real titans spent fortunes every year to erase their traces.
Ordinary people could never come close to them.
And precisely because of this, Nara Hiroshi felt both shocked and exhilarated. His first instinct was to worry about leaks—he was even willing to use the power of the cursed seal to suppress it.
The others, however, looked blank.
They too could sense that Uchiha Kai's approach was unusual and rather brilliant.
But exactly why it was brilliant—they couldn't say.
Still, since even the sharp-minded Nara clan approved of it, and Hiroshi himself looked ecstatic at the idea, they naturally assumed it must be worth following.
After all—
They were all grasshoppers tied to the same rope.
If the smart ones had no objections, then why not just go along with them? Surely those clever people wouldn't dig their own graves.
Only the Uchiha clan showed some reluctance.
Understandably so.
After all, the Uchiha had been struggling for the Hokage position for many years.
They had worked hard—truly hard—and sacrificed plenty.
Now, in an instant, their long-cherished dream was shattered.
Even if Kai's reasoning was sound, they couldn't swallow it so easily.
But—
Considering Kai had made no mistake, and everyone else was standing behind him, and even the brilliant Nara Hiroshi was overjoyed at the brilliance of the scheme…
They could only let it go.
With a sigh, Fugaku finally spoke:
"Uchiha… has no objections.
Although the clan will definitely have some emotions about this, I have the confidence to suppress them.
For the Uchiha to have reached where we are today, it is already more than enough."
His tone was heavy with resignation.
It was clear that Fugaku still couldn't bear to give up—but he was willing to trust Uchiha Kai.
Nara Hiroshi immediately added:
"Clan Leader Fugaku, you needn't worry. Simply act as if you don't know. For a matter of this scale, it's better not to let the lower ranks know. When the Fourth Hokage takes office, just tell them we're aiming for the Fifth. Keep dragging it along.
On the other hand, if Sarutobi Hiruzen were to discover our true intentions, that would cause far more trouble."
Uchiha Kai nodded.
Exactly.
This kind of matter was for the upper echelons alone.
The clansmen below only needed to execute orders.
Too much knowledge wasn't good for them anyway.
Hearing this, Fugaku nodded as well.
With both Nara Hiroshi and Uchiha Kai speaking, the gravity of the matter was evident.
He knew he wasn't the type to scheme, so he wouldn't overthink.
Listen to the clever ones, then carry out the orders—that was enough.
Soon after, with the matter decided, the atmosphere lightened.
Uchiha Kai smiled as he spoke:
"Everyone—
Rest assured about my safety this time. Nothing will go wrong.
I cannot refuse Namikaze Minato's request, of course.
But once I leave, there's no guarantee the village won't try underhanded tricks against us.
So, let's arrange things in advance.
For strategy and planning, everything will follow Hiroshi's direction.
If it truly comes to fighting, then Clan Leader Fugaku will take full command.
Since we are all one family now, there's something you should know.
Our Fugaku is also a Mangekyō Sharingan wielder—one of our faction's peak powerhouses.
So, don't worry about safety.
If even Fugaku cannot handle it, then we'll recall Shisui.
With two pairs of Mangekyō, we can suppress any opposition.
And if even that proves insufficient, then we'll simply go to Namikaze Minato's home and ask my girlfriend, Nohara Rin, for help.
Uchiha Obito is also a Mangekyō wielder!
As long as Rin speaks, and given Obito is Uchiha himself, he will not refuse.
With three pairs of Mangekyō, even if Hiruzen calls upon the Three Legendary Sannin, we will still be safe.
So do not worry.
Just wait for my return with peace of mind.
Since you've chosen to stand with us, the Uchiha will ensure your safety.
May your martial fortunes flourish!"
At that moment, Uchiha Kai's eyes grew incomparably solemn.
This was not only to set arrangements for when he left the village—it was, more importantly, to give everyone present a firm reassurance.
Yes.
He was no fool.
Even though the clans had pledged loyalty, everyone knew how much of it was genuine.
Each had their own calculations.
In truth—they were a loose pile of sand.
His earlier words couldn't change that fact.
So in this situation, what mattered most was strength.
The entire Uchiha clan—four pairs of Mangekyō.
Tell me—are you afraid or not?
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