c23: Conjecture
Konoha, Police Department, Deputy Chief's Office on the third floor.
Knock knock knock.
Uchiha Gen raised his hand and knocked three times on the door, his expression composed and reserved.
"Come in."
Gen pushed open the door, stepped in silently, closed it behind him, and walked a few paces forward before bowing slightly.
"Young Patriarch."
"Xuan, you're here. No need to be so formal. Try to relax more in the future. Go ahead and sit."
Uchiha Gen gave a faint smile but didn't respond. He sat down across from Uchiha Fugaku, posture upright and back straight.
When a superior tells you to "be casual," taking it literally is often foolish.
Although the Uchiha clan operated more democratically compared to the rigid traditions of the Hyūga clan, they were still one of the most elite and dignified clans in the shinobi world. Protocol mattered. Respect was expected.
Taking "casual" too seriously was just asking for trouble.
"Young Patriarch, did you call me here for something?"
"I followed the suggestion you offered and negotiated with Jōnin Minato. He's given his answer."
"Minato-senpai didn't choose me, did he?"
"You already knew?" Fugaku asked, raising a brow in mild surprise.
"Just a guess."
"What made you guess that?"
"If he had chosen me, the Young Patriarch would've congratulated me the moment I entered. Your smile wouldn't be this strained."
Fugaku's gaze sharpened for a moment, then relaxed into an approving nod.
"Your observational skills are impressive. Just like a true shinobi."
…
In truth, Uchiha Gen had only made a show of deduction. The real reason was deeper. He knew Uchiha Fugaku.
Fugaku had his strengths, but also his flaws one of which was a tendency to avoid direct responsibility in politically risky situations.
Even though the conversation with Namikaze Minato might have been framed as a diplomatic outreach perhaps offering the Uchiha clan's Sharingan as leverage it still carried the undercurrent of veiled pressure.
And if Minato refused to trade favors, refused to concede anything, refused to "respect" the Uchiha position conflict would be inevitable. Whether minor or major, tension would rise.
But if things went badly, and Minato was offended especially given his status as a frontrunner for the next Hokage would Fugaku take the fall?
Highly unlikely.
From the clan's perspective, or even his own, Fugaku would never admit to such a misstep. He wouldn't say, "It was my idea." Instead, he would point toward Gen, subtlety or directly, and paint it as Gen's individual initiative.
"It was Gen's plan. Not mine. Not the clan's."
Uchiha Gen had seen this tendency before. He remembered a time when Fugaku vaguely referenced the Iwagakure front, using it as a pretext to distance himself from a failed decision. This was the same move.rerunning an old pattern, but under a new context, cloaked in supposed concern for the clan.
Even if Minato didn't bear any grudge, he would likely lean toward choosing Uchiha Shisui a shinobi known for his broad perspective, moderate ideals, and diplomatic mind.
On top of that, Fugaku had long placed his hopes on his eldest son, Itachi. If there was ever a perfect chance to lobby for Itachi to become Namikaze Minato's disciple, this was it.
After all, no matter how close Fugaku was to Gen or Shisui, none of them could compare to the value of elevating his own bloodline. Who could a clan leader trust more than his own son?
From every angle political, personal, and strategic it was predictable that Gen wouldn't be selected.
In fact, it was the only logical outcome.
But it didn't matter Uchiha Gen had deliberately proposed this idea because, for him, Orochimaru was ultimately more suitable than Namikaze Minato.
What he stood to gain from Orochimaru might far outweigh anything he could obtain from Namikaze Minato.
Given Gen's calm and calculating personality, it would be extraordinarily difficult for his two-tomoe Sharingan to evolve through the typical method: intense emotional trauma or life-and-death experiences. While the possession of the Soul-Soul Fruit (an original element in this universe) allowed him to preserve and maintain his Sharingan's current form, becoming truly powerful still required further evolution. But how many would see or recognize that latent strength?
The ordinary method of evolving the Sharingan emotional upheaval, loss, and psychological rupture was not only hard to trigger artificially, but also undesirable to Gen. He had no intention of relying on randomness or pain.
In his free time, he had contemplated a bold alternative: could he use the Soul-Soul Fruit to directly induce the evolution of the Sharingan?
After all, the Sharingan evolves through spiritual stimulus that activates certain regions of the brain, which in turn generate a unique chakra this is the essence of dōjutsu pupil power. This "chakra of the mind," so to speak, arises in moments of extreme emotion, leading to changes in ocular capability.
Since the spirit and soul are deeply interconnected, and the Soul-Soul Fruit allowed direct manipulation of the soul, perhaps he could reverse-engineer the process. If he could influence the soul, then perhaps the soul could affect the spirit, which could then stimulate the brain to produce the necessary special chakra. This was the crux of his hypothesis.
But to test such a delicate and high-risk theory, self-experimentation was too dangerous. The neurological and spiritual pathways involved were too subtle and too easily damaged.
If he couldn't test it on himself, then he needed a subject and a partner in scientific research.
And when it came to experimental ninjutsu, no one in the shinobi world surpassed Orochimaru. The future "greatest scientist" among ninja had a mastery of research methods, ethics be damned, that made even Senju Tobirama's scientific genius seem narrowly focused. While Tobirama excelled in developing high-level jutsu like Edo Tensei and the Shadow Clone Technique, Orochimaru delved deeper into biology, soul science, and chakra physiology.
Gen needed more than jutsu he needed the scientific method: hypothesis, modeling, trials, observation, refinement. He wanted to learn from Orochimaru's mindset and methodology. He could even disassemble his own research proposal into modules to ask Orochimaru about each part without exposing the core idea.
As long as the direction was correct, Gen believed that, with his own intelligence and Orochimaru's expertise, he could open a new evolutionary path for the Sharingan.
Whether that path was only usable by himself was irrelevant. It didn't matter if others couldn't use it he was developing it for himself alone.
And if the method ever proved useful to others? He wouldn't publicize it. After all, if too many Uchiha awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, the rarity and prestige would vanish. Power diluted was power devalued.
It was worth noting: Uchiha Fugaku never canonically awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. His possession of the Mangekyō appeared only in the anime-original material, particularly in "Naruto Shippuden" and the spinoff "Itachi Shinden," but it was absent in the manga, the Itachi novels, and official databooks.
Therefore, in this story, Uchiha Fugaku did not awaken the Mangekyō. The canon majority rules.
…
"But Gen, there's no need to be too disappointed. There's still Lord Orochimaru," Fugaku said to console him. "It's still uncertain who will become Hokage…"
Yet from how Fugaku had introduced his eldest son Itachi to Minato, it was clear he favored Minato as Hokage.
It wasn't that Fugaku looked down on Orochimaru. In fact, they had interacted before. But Orochimaru's temperament dark, secretive, and morally ambiguous was in stark contrast to Minato's bright, warm, and upright personality.
Minato Namikaze was undoubtedly the more likable of the two and, more importantly, the one the Uchiha Clan could trust to treat them fairly.
"Young Patriarch is right."
"It's fine. We're all working for the good of the Uchiha clan, after all."
"By the way, have you spoken with Lord Orochimaru yet?"
Fugaku nodded faintly, seemingly pleased by Gen's attitude. "Not yet. Lord Orochimaru just returned to the village. I'll pay my respects in a few days."
"In that case," Gen said thoughtfully, "maybe I should approach him first, on behalf of the clan."
"Why you?" Fugaku raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't that be too informal?"
"It's covert. My goals are much smaller than yours, Young Patriarch."
"And such matters can't be handled openly. They must be approached indirectly."
"If you reveal everything publicly, how will others interpret it?"
Fugaku pondered this, nodding slowly.
It made sense: if the clan was seen as backing both Hokage candidates, their reputation would suffer. One camp could perceive betrayal, or both could feel manipulated. Worse yet, political enemies might seize the opportunity to fan the flames.
"If Minato-senpai is our public alliance, then Orochimaru-sama must remain our secret one."
"Support from the shadows, Young Patriarch what do you think?"
Fugaku thought back on the two candidates' opposing personalities and modus operandi. For Orochimaru, a secret alliance made perfect sense.
"Alright," Fugaku finally said. "Let's go with your plan."
"Oh, and be generous with our support don't be stingy. Don't let others think the Uchiha are petty."
"We're a wealthy clan."
Hearing Fugaku's proud tone, Gen couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the aura of affluence no, the aura of a rich man was practically radiating off him.
Good thing he didn't have some cheat system like a gacha-based pay-to-win gold-farming power.otherwise, he might've started robbing people just for fun.
"Please rest assured, Young Patriarch. I'll make sure the Uchiha's name shines."
After all… who said someone named Uchiha Gen couldn't also be a rich man?
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