Chapter 159: The Zeal of the Converted
The conversation between Uchiha Fugaku and Minato Namikaze wasn't lengthy, but its significance was undeniable.
From this meeting, Fugaku had made a firm decision and outlined his strategy: he and Uchiha Kei would swiftly and decisively suppress the most vocal and radical hardliners within the Uchiha clan.
As for what ultimately became of these individuals, Fugaku couldn't guarantee. But there was one thing he was absolutely sure of—their eventual "disappearance" would be blamed on Orochimaru.
This approach would both eliminate internal threats to the clan and aid Minato in weakening his political rival.
To be honest, Minato wasn't entirely comfortable with Fugaku's plan. The idea of turning against fellow villagers and clan members—and framing someone else for it—was something he struggled to accept.
However, Uchiha Kei had already mentioned this possibility to him beforehand, giving him time to mentally prepare. So while Minato remained cautious, he didn't outright object.
Now that the plan was practically finalized, Minato found himself in a strange emotional state—one that even he couldn't fully describe.
Fugaku, seemingly anticipating this, handed over a document. Though Minato still hesitated, this report helped ease his moral concerns.
The document detailed the results of an investigation Fugaku had ordered while Kei was on assignment. Surprisingly, they had uncovered a discarded laboratory containing evidence of human experimentation—grim, undeniable signs of unethical research.
While it wasn't enough to conclusively prove Orochimaru's involvement, the findings were compelling.
Fugaku had compiled this report under the pretense of investigating Uchiha Yuu's disappearance and had already submitted it to the Third Hokage. Unfortunately, the Hokage's office had yet to respond.
Kei hadn't seen the report, and Fugaku never discussed it in detail with him. But Kei didn't mind—he had expected some level of secrecy between them. In this political climate, everyone had secrets.
Aside from submitting the report, Fugaku also promised further support for Minato's campaign—be it through votes or public opinion.
"We'll do whatever is necessary," Fugaku had said firmly. "And we won't leave any traces."
For the Uchiha, stirring public distrust against Orochimaru was easy. They simply needed to keep submitting "evidence" to the Hokage's office and periodically leak information to the public. Over time, Orochimaru's reputation would crumble—both among the villagers and with the Hokage himself.
As Orochimaru's popularity fell, Minato's would naturally rise.
With Fugaku's commitment secured, Minato made one of his own: if their plan succeeded and he became Hokage, he would help the Uchiha rise from their predicament—provided they were willing to change themselves first.
The meeting ended on a high note, with Kei himself feeling satisfied by how it unfolded.
Even his last-minute request—to have Kakashi reassigned to the ANBU so he could start healing emotionally—was readily approved by Minato.
When the meeting concluded, Kei couldn't help but laugh quietly at the sight of Fugaku visibly exhaling, as if a great burden had finally been lifted from his shoulders.
Kei understood that pressure well. But unlike Fugaku, he also knew this was only the beginning. Their real challenge still lay ahead—Uchiha Obito and the coming disaster: the Nine-Tails' attack.
To prevent the Uchiha clan from being annihilated in the future, and to ensure Kei himself could live in Konoha without constantly fearing betrayal, they had to be ready when the Nine-Tails struck.
Their goal wasn't just survival—it was to turn that crisis into an opportunity.
"It's all up to Fugaku's next moves now," Kei thought to himself.
Kakashi's situation was under control. Both Minato and Fugaku had made promises. The broader investigations were in capable hands. Kei only needed to oversee the police force's restructuring and select suitable new candidates.
But one matter remained—Uchiha Yuu.
He'd been imprisoned for some time now, but various delays had kept Kei from dealing with him. With other responsibilities settling down—the reform of the police force underway and internal clan tensions simmering—now was the perfect time.
Kei knew he'd eventually have to share the results with Fugaku, but what he truly wanted from Yuu wasn't something anyone else could guess.
After resting for a full day, Kei slipped quietly into the underground cell where Yuu was being held.
From the outside, the place looked unchanged. But in reality, it had been heavily modified—by none other than Fugaku himself.
Not only had the number of traps increased, but the surrounding trees had also grown denser, and most crucially, the number of hidden guards in the area had gone up as well.
As Uchiha Kei slowly approached, a ninja with crimson eyes suddenly appeared before him.
After scrutinizing Kei with his Sharingan, the ninja slowly knelt down on one knee.
"Lord Kei."
"So cautious, huh?" Kei glanced at the man and asked casually, "What's your name?"
"My name is Uchiha Sō," the man replied calmly. "I was assigned here by the clan leader to guard and secure the area. From now on, we'll follow your orders completely, Lord Kei."
Kei nodded slightly, though inwardly he scoffed at Sō's words.
'Follow my orders completely'? Maybe so—but only within the limits set by Uchiha Fugaku. Their loyalty ultimately lies with him. And they'll probably report every move I make straight back to him.
Even though Fugaku had already given Kei the heads-up, hearing such words still struck Kei as ironic.
Still, Kei had already started taking action. He needed a team of capable shinobi to carry out his plans. He had no intention of personally handling every little task in the future. Spending some time cultivating useful subordinates was a necessary investment.
"Tell me about the situation here—and Uchiha Yuu's current condition."
Kei spoke the question aloud while mentally noting that the name "Uchiha Sō" felt oddly unfamiliar or suspicious.
"Yes, Lord Kei." Sō remained kneeling, head lowered in a respectful and disciplined posture.
"We have four rotating squads assigned to protect this place. I'm the captain of Squad Three. Each squad handles a six-hour shift of surveillance.
"As for Uchiha Yuu… he's not doing well physically, though his mental state is stable. The clan leader severed the tendons in all four of his limbs. He's no longer capable of being a ninja."
No longer capable of being a ninja?
Kei's expression turned strange. So Fugaku can be even more ruthless than I am when he wants to be.
Is this what they call a convert's fanaticism?
Abandoning one belief system and joining a new one can sometimes lead to an extreme, almost religious zealotry—and Fugaku was clearly exhibiting exactly that. Since being guided and inspired by Kei, he had walked a path completely different from the one he once followed.
Kei suspected that Fugaku's ruthless severing of all ties to his past within the clan—figuratively and literally—was a performance of his absolute determination and will.
Come to think of it, wasn't Itachi a prime example of such convert's zeal as well?
Guided by Uchiha Shisui, under Hiruzen Sarutobi's influence, Itachi had transferred his deep love for his family onto the entire village. That shift led him to commit the "protect-the-village-by-slaughtering-the-clan" tragedy.
The fanaticism of such "converts"—that intense disavowal and hatred of one's past—was capable of terrifying destruction.
Of course, all of that was still in the future. Right now, Itachi was just a child. It would be a while before he matured.
But Uchiha Shisui—he was someone Kei definitely needed to keep an eye on.
Kei didn't know Shisui's exact status or position yet, but it might be time to meet him in person.
If the guy had already accepted the Third Hokage's ideology, Kei would drop him altogether. But if Shisui hadn't… then Kei had other plans.
Once Shisui awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, Kei would find a way to get his hands on that Kotoamatsukami eye.
And if not—well, Kei could always interfere early and shape things from the source.
Maybe, just maybe, he could use Shisui and Itachi to run some experiments—like messing with the Third Hokage and his faction of interest-hungry elites. And maybe even use them to deal with the Akatsuki in the future.
Kei shook his head. All that's still far down the road.
Until he resolved the issues right in front of him, those ideas were just fantasy.
Refocusing himself, Kei turned his attention back to Uchiha Sō.
"Does he know about your presence here?"
"No, Lord Kei," Sō replied calmly. "We drug him unconscious before each entry to ensure he doesn't discover anything he shouldn't."
"Good. Then start preparing the props." Kei nodded. "The clan leader should've told you about the death-row inmates, right?"
"Yes, Lord Kei." Sō nodded. "What would you like done?"
"Uchiha Yuu has a fiancée. Unfortunately, the clan leader doesn't want me to deal with her directly. So find a female death-row inmate—one with a similar build. Alter her face and hair to match the fiancée's. Can you do that? And also… his family, including his older brother. Can those be arranged too?"
"It can all be done within the hour, Lord Kei."