"Thank you all for your understanding. I believe the top priority now is to hold a funeral for Lord Clan Head and the others, so they can rest in peace."
"The enemy's movements are secretive and elusive. Revenge must wait for the right opportunity."
"Have the bodies of Lord Clan Head and the others been returned yet?"
Uchiha Gen finished speaking and turned his gaze to Uchiha Setsuna. The Mangekyo Sharingan in his eyes slowly faded away.
Setsuna replied a little awkwardly, "Not yet."
The real reason was caution. With shinobi speed, the corpses could have been retrieved long ago, and the funeral held immediately. But leaving the village required justification, especially for the Police Force.
To avoid alerting the enemy or drawing suspicion, Setsuna and the elders had decided to wait.
Gen, feigning ignorance, frowned slightly. "Four days have already passed. Even if the weather in Whirlpool Country is cold, the remains should have been collected by now by professional handlers. We must at least preserve Lord Clan Head and the others' dignity."
Setsuna nodded. "You're right. We'll dispatch people tomorrow morning."
He began arranging the personnel for the retrieval and funeral. Once decisions were made, the gathering finally dispersed.
As Gen left, he turned to Mikoto with a respectful bow. "Mikoto-nee, please accept my condolences."
Mikoto forced a faint smile. "So many days have passed. I've already accepted reality. Don't worry, I was once a shinobi too."
Gen gave a small nod, said no more, greeted Setsuna and the others politely, and left the shrine. Shisui followed him, the two speaking casually as they walked.
Behind them, the dispersing Uchiha clansmen whispered among themselves in small groups, voices buzzing about the night's events.
The Clan Head's death.
Gen's dramatic self-defense.
The revelation of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Each of these alone would have shaken the clan. But the appearance of the Mangekyo overshadowed even Fugaku's death and Gen's vindication.
Word would spread through the compound by morning, every household would know.
Tonight, the Uchiha grounds would not sleep. For the families of the seven dead ninja, however, grief swallowed all words. They sat in silence, sleepless, numb.
Instead of returning home, Setsuna went to his daughter's residence. He wanted to help her with the children and more importantly, he had something to discuss.
After confirming Itachi and Sasuke were asleep, he called Mikoto into the tea room. A lamp spilled warm light across the tatami.
Father and daughter sat across from each other, plain water set between them, tea was avoided so late, lest it disturb their sleep.
Mikoto, dressed simply in black without jewelry, sat upright on the cushion, expression calm, voice soft. "Father, what do you want to talk about?"
Setsuna's tone carried weight. "What are your thoughts on the next Clan Head?"
"With the Mangekyo Sharingan revealed," Mikoto answered steadily, "Gen has the highest chance of succeeding. If the Second Elder or Third Elder tried to take the position, their hold would be unstable. With a supreme elder above them, their standing would always be awkward."
Setsuna's eyes gleamed with approval. "As expected of my daughter. Even as a housewife, you've kept a shinobi's clarity of judgment."
He leaned forward slightly. "Within the clan, only five people are truly qualified to contend; myself, the Second Elder, the Third Elder, Gen, and Shisui. My status is high, yes, and my influence not small. But I've only recently been released from prison. Among the Police Force and the clan, I can't yet command many. Fugaku's death also struck at your influence, reducing our weight even further."
He drummed his fingers on the table. "At best, I can form a three-way balance with the other two elders. If they unite to strike us down first, our chances of winning are slim."
He gave a bitter smile. "And there's my other weakness... age. The clan won't want a leader too far into his years."
Mikoto hesitated, then asked, "Can we not count on Shisui?"
"Shisui is close to us, but also close to the other elders. With his temperament, he'd never want to see the clan torn apart. If conflict erupted, he'd try to mediate, not take sides. If mediation failed, he'd probably withdraw altogether."
Setsuna's eyes narrowed. "But remember this; Shisui has always been particularly close to Gen. He admires him deeply. Now, with the Mangekyo, he will almost certainly support him."
Indeed, earlier that very night, on the walk back from the shrine, Gen had mentioned the matter directly, and Shisui had agreed without hesitation.
"The Uchiha Twin Stars united will draw countless supporters. Conservatively, over half the clan will follow them. And if that's the case…" Setsuna's lips curved. "Then we must add fuel to the fire. Support Gen, solidify his claim completely. Him taking the position is far better than letting the elders grab it."
He tapped the table. "The Uchiha need a leader with vision, one who can advance. If I or the elders take power, all we can do is preserve the status quo. But if we want to see the Uchiha rise to Hokage's level then Gen has the best chance."
Mikoto lowered her eyes briefly, then nodded. "Father, I understand."
Setsuna's gaze grew distant, his voice low. "Mikoto… do you know how powerful Lord Madara was?"
Mikoto shook her head. "I don't."
"I've never seen it myself, but the elders who lived then described it. A Susanoo, blue as the heavens, taller than mountains. With one slash, it split a mountain. With another, it cut through a river. Divine power."
Setsuna's eyes gleamed with fanatic light.
Mikoto's lips parted in disbelief. "That's impossible…"
"It's true. More than one witness spoke of it. And beyond that Susanoo stood an even greater figure; the Thousand-Armed Buddha of Wood Release. Madara and the First Hokage's battle was not one of mortals. It was gods clashing."
He leaned in, voice tightening. "The black ribs and arm you saw emerge from Gen tonight, that was Susanoo, its earliest stage. He's only sixteen. He may yet awaken the Eternal Mangekyo."
His voice grew intense. "If he truly masters that power… Hokage will be within reach. There is no Hashirama in this era to stop him."
Setsuna did not know the conditions for evolving the Mangekyo, only that it was possible. For Gen, an orphan without siblings, it should have been near-impossible. But fate had given him something different.
Setsuna, unknowingly, had guessed right.
Mikoto digested his words slowly, then looked at him, uncertain. "Father… besides urging us to support Gen, you seem to have another reason for telling me this?"
Setsuna's stern face softened with approval. "As expected of my daughter. You see through me. Yes… I do have another reason."
His next words fell like stones into still water.
"How about you follow Gen from now on?"
"Huh?" Mikoto froze, eyes wide in disbelief.