"Your Mangekyō Sharingan… You didn't awaken it by killing Shisui, did you?" Uchiha Tekka asked sharply, his own three-tomoe Sharingan activated, staring directly at Itachi.
"No, you're mistaken," a calm voice replied — and it came from Shisui himself, who stepped forward and removed his mask. "Itachi awakened the Mangekyō on his own. My death was orchestrated entirely by Danzo Shimura."
"Shisui?!"
"Wasn't he supposed to be dead?!"
"How is he alive?!"
The Uchiha clan members were stunned. Even Uchiha Obito, hidden in the shadows, froze in disbelief.
"This is the Impure World Reincarnation — an S-rank forbidden jutsu developed by the Second Hokage. It allows the dead to return to the living world," Itachi explained seriously. "Now that Shisui's matter is settled, I assume no one has objections anymore?"
He swept his scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan across the crowd.
"Itachi, I have no issue with you leading the clan meeting," said Uchiha Hachidai. "But I do have a question."
"Go ahead," Itachi replied, his tone softening.
Hachidai was a respected member of the Konoha Military Police — an analytical thinker with the leadership qualities to command others. Both Fugaku and Itachi held him in high regard. That's why Fugaku had responded to his earlier questions.
"Do those brought back by Impure World Reincarnation retain their original strength?"
Everyone turned toward Itachi. They were curious, too. If the dead could retain their strength, then the Uchiha Clan would gain an army out of thin air.
With that kind of force… not just Konoha — they could conquer the entire ninja world.
"Sorry, but no. The resurrected are a fraction of their former power. This jutsu was originally meant to be used alongside the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags technique. Besides, what I'm using now isn't even the complete version — it's a limited form," Itachi replied, fabricating the explanation.
"A limited version?" The clan looked visibly disappointed.
"Can it be perfected?" someone asked.
"Possibly. I suspect the Hokage lineage might have the complete version," Itachi mused.
"The Hokage side has the full version?!" The clan members' expressions shifted instantly, their faces darkening with concern.
If the Hokage faction truly had that jutsu in full… they could revive the First Hokage, Second Hokage, even White Fang. How would they ever stand a chance? The only option would be surrender.
Watching them panic made Itachi smirk inwardly.
Madara, on the other hand, looked deeply serious. He knew of the Impure World Reincarnation and how to counter it — but he hadn't expected that Konoha had developed a complete version while he was gone.
Looks like even the best plans can't keep up with sudden change. Obito, Zetsu, Nagato… don't screw this up. We've got three layers of backup. That has to be enough… right? Madara was starting to have doubts.
"Itachi," Hachidai said, "you're leading the meeting tonight. What do you want to say?"
"First," Itachi said clearly, "from this day forward, I am the new head of the Uchiha Clan."
"Second — we end the coup plans. From now on, we follow my lead."
As soon as those words left his mouth, the hall exploded with outrage. The clan ground erupted into an uproar. Faces flushed with anger, voices roared, the noise nearly shook the shrine.
Outside, even the ANBU and Root agents monitoring the shrine jumped, fearing the Uchiha were finally starting a revolt. But after a while, the noise died down, and the agents sighed in relief. They were still curious what had caused such chaos — but the barrier around the shrine kept them out.
"End the coup? Says who?" Uchiha Inaho stood up, the first to object. "Itachi Uchiha, don't tell me you've already pledged loyalty to the Hokage's side!"
"Yeah, why should we stop now?"
"We're one of the founding clans of the village! We fought, we bled for Konoha. And what did we get in return? After the Nine-Tails' attack, they exiled us to this remote compound! Why should we take that lying down?"
"They trampled on the Uchiha's pride — we won't accept this!"
"Itachi Uchiha, is this your idea, or your father's? What exactly are you planning?" The clan members were shouting furiously.
"Yeah, whose side are you really on — Uchiha or Konoha? Keep talking like that and don't expect us to treat you as kin!" some of the more radical members barked.
"Say something, Clan Head!" someone turned to Fugaku for a response.
Even Madara was stunned. With all the clan's ancestors present, now should have been the perfect time to launch the coup. Why stop now? Was Itachi planning to sacrifice some of his own in exchange for some fragile peace?
Madara realized — he no longer understood Itachi.
Fugaku, too, was surprised. But confusion or not, Itachi was his son — and he would support him.
Fugaku activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and swept his gaze over the crowd. "No matter what happens, I trust Itachi. He is my son."
"That's it? Just because he's your son, he gets to sell out the clan? You still think you're fit to lead?!" Inaho shouted hysterically.
"You dare question the clan head and speak such treasonous words? Are you looking to die?" Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan flared, and behind him, Susano'o began to materialize.
A towering, red-flamed giant glared down at the clan members. Its flaming blade hovered inches from Inaho's skull, the heat so intense it curled his hair.
"Whether I'm fit or not isn't up to you — it's up to us, and my power. Not your opinion," Itachi said coldly.
Inaho collapsed, too terrified to speak. He was soaked in sweat — if that blade had swung down, he'd be dead.
The clan fell silent in shock. Itachi… he was actually willing to kill his own clan members? Was he insane?
"Now," Itachi said, his eyes like blades of ice, "can I finish speaking?"
"…Go ahead."
"Speak. We're listening."
The clan's voices were meek now.
Itachi scoffed. This is why we study — so we can reason peacefully. But power? Power makes fools shut up and listen. The ancients didn't lie — fists are the ultimate truth.
"As for why we stop the coup… it's simple: we're not strong enough."
"Not strong enough? You have the Mangekyō. So does the clan head. That's two Kage-level fighters. How is that not enough?" Inaho argued. "All we need is to capture the Jinchūriki, use the Mangekyō to unseal the Nine-Tails, and then make it rampage against the village. The elders will die, and we'll take over!"
"Exactly! Kill the Third Hokage and Danzo — who can stop us?"
"…Idiots," Itachi said bluntly.
"You—!" Inaho started to yell, but the Mangekyō glare froze him in place.
"I'm not stronger than Shisui. And even Shisui was killed in a one-on-one against Danzo. What do you think I can do?" Itachi asked calmly.
"What? Danzo is that strong?"
"He beat Shisui in a one-on-one?!"
The clan was stunned.
Shisui: "…."
The nerve. That damn Danzo only beat me by using Izanagi to escape my genjutsu, then poisoned me and ganged up on me. If it had been a real duel, I'd have killed him ten times over!
Still, Shisui understood what Itachi was doing, so he played along. "Yes, I lost. After all, Danzo was comrade to the 'Strongest Hokage' — Hiruzen Sarutobi, master of all jutsu. I never stood a chance."
Itachi: "…."Why does that sound so sarcastic?
Obito: "…."Was the Third really that strong?
Madara blinked. If Hiruzen was so powerful, why did the Nine-Tails make such a mess of Konoha?
"What about Fugaku? What about the Nine-Tails?" Inaho challenged again.
"The night of the Nine-Tails' attack, Root didn't lift a finger. Danzo didn't either. Most of the village's forces were used to spy on our clan. That's why the Nine-Tails went wild. If we go against the Hokage's side, we'll be wiped out," Itachi warned.
"Wiped out? I don't buy it!" Inaho scoffed.
"Yeah, how are we not strong enough? We're the Uchiha! Back in the Warring States Era, only the Senju could match us. Now, with the Senju and Uzumaki clans gone, the only real opposition is the Hyuga."
"And even they're in decline. Hiashi's twin brother is dead. Who's left to threaten us?"
"If you and the clan head strike first, we could take out the Third and Danzo in one go!"
The clan grew increasingly worked up, arrogance boiling over.
Itachi snorted. "Decline? Count how many enemies we'd face in a real coup: the Aburame, Inuzuka, Akimichi, Nara, Yamanaka, Sarutobi, Shimura, Hyuga clans… not to mention the entire Konoha military. Over twenty thousand ninja."
"We've got what? A hundred?"
"You think one person can take on a hundred?" Itachi stared coldly at Inaho.
"This…"