Night fell.
One by one, members of the Uchiha clan gathered before the open ground in front of the Naka River Shrine.
When Clan Head Fugaku Uchiha opened the concealed trapdoor hidden beneath the seventh tatami mat from the right inside the shrine's main hall, Uchiha shinobi began descending into the secret chamber beneath.
Though it was called a "full clan assembly," not every single clan member was present.
Attendance had expanded beyond the usual jōnin representatives to include special jōnin, elite chūnin, and standard chūnin.
These were the backbone of the Uchiha.
Those below that level remained outside, standing guard.
"Jin, are you sure we don't need to deploy jōnin to patrol the perimeter?" Fugaku asked quietly, pulling Uchiha Jin aside while people were still filing in.
"If we're all gathered here, we could be wiped out in one strike."
Originally, Fugaku had intended to send ten elite squads—mixed jōnin and chūnin—to secure the outer ancestral grounds.
Jin had vetoed it.
All jōnin and chūnin were to attend the meeting.
The decision had left Fugaku uneasy all day.
Jin's expression remained calm.
"You've seen Obito's methods," he said lightly. "His surveillance ability far surpasses ordinary shinobi. There's no need to worry."
Of course, he hadn't left things unguarded.
White Zetsu units had long since spread out. Every movement within Konoha's vicinity was within his sight.
That was why he dared to gather the clan's entire fighting force here.
Fugaku still frowned.
"But you've also said their direct combat ability isn't high. If something truly happens, they won't be able to hold the line."
He hesitated.
"What about sending Yashiro and the others out for a sweep? They're on our side regardless of tonight's outcome."
This concerned the survival of the entire clan. Caution was unavoidable.
Even forty elite shinobi, combined with the genin stationed outside, could hold off a small-scale assault long enough to buy time.
Jin sighed softly.
"Since you're this worried, I'll be honest."
He lowered his voice.
"Outside the ancestral grounds, besides Obito's watchers… there's also a Mangekyō. And a perfect jinchūriki."
"That should be enough to reassure you."
Fugaku froze.
"A Mangekyō? A jinchūriki? Where did those come from?"
He stared at Jin.
Within the Uchiha clan, Mangekyō Sharingan were exceedingly rare. As clan head, he knew exactly how rare.
All Uchiha shinobi were here.
So who possessed the Mangekyō outside?
"And the jinchūriki…" Fugaku's voice dropped further. "You don't mean Kushina Uzumaki, do you?"
There were only nine tailed beasts in existence.
One-Tail in Sunagakure. Two-Tail in Kumogakure. Four and Five in Iwagakure. Six in Kirigakure. Seven in Takigakure. Three-Tail had died in war and would require time to resurrect.
Konoha currently held only the Nine-Tails—and the Eight-Tails remained imprisoned elsewhere.
On a night like this, neither would possibly be Jin's hidden card.
So what perfect jinchūriki was he talking about?
Fugaku's pupils shrank.
"Jin… you haven't allied with another village, have you?"
Jin waved a hand dismissively.
"Don't overthink it. No external alliance."
"It's the Three-Tails."
"It never truly died during the war. I concealed it."
Silence.
Fugaku felt a chill run down his spine.
A tailed beast was a strategic weapon in any village.
Jin had quietly secured one for himself?
If this ever came to light, the entire shinobi world would erupt.
Wait.
Fugaku's mind snapped into clarity.
If everything Jin said was true…
Then the Uchiha currently possessed four Mangekyō-level combatants—and a perfect jinchūriki.
With that power—
Why should they fear Hiruzen Sarutobi?
For the first time, Fugaku truly understood where Jin's earlier "ninety percent confidence" had come from.
He inhaled slowly and said with solemn resolve:
"From tonight onward… the future of the Uchiha is in your hands."
Whatever lingering reluctance he had about stepping down as clan head evaporated completely.
Jin smiled faintly.
"You'll see it."
"You'll see the bright future of the Uchiha."
Fugaku stepped onto the raised platform at the end of the chamber and waited.
Soon, what had been an open space filled with more than four hundred shinobi.
Excluding those still in academy training, the Uchiha had 874 active-duty shinobi.
74 jōnin with fully matured three-tomoe Sharingan
317 special jōnin or elite chūnin with two-tomoe
29 chūnin without awakened Sharingan
The rest: one-tomoe users or genin
In most clans, if total shinobi numbered ten, the distribution would roughly be:
Seven genin.
Two and a half chūnin.
Half a jōnin.
After the crucible of war, the Uchiha ratio had become an astonishing:
Five genin.
Four chūnin.
One jōnin.
Their mid-to-high level combat force nearly equaled their lower ranks.
That was the terrifying uniqueness of the Uchiha.
When everyone had assembled, Fugaku cleared his throat.
The chamber fell silent.
Only the crackling of firewood in the torches echoed against stone walls.
He glanced toward the two elder figures seated at opposite ends—Elder Setsuna and the Second Elder.
He drew a deep breath.
"The clan assembly… begins."
In the dim underground chamber—
Pairs of crimson Sharingan flared open.
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