Ichiro—known as the strongest Uchiha alive—had long been at odds with Uchiha Fugaku, the son of the clan head. This was a situation the Konoha leadership was more than happy to see.
After all, the last thing the village elders wanted was a unified Uchiha Clan. Certain shadowy old men even fanned the flames behind the scenes, doing everything they could to turn Ichiro and Fugaku into bitter rivals.
"Captain Ichiro isn't late. Some people just showed up way too early," said Ken with a cold sneer, shooting a pointed look at Fugaku.
Fugaku's face darkened further at the sight of Ken stepping up to defend Ichiro. He already looked miserable, but now he looked downright grim.
Like Goro, Ken was one of Ichiro's loyal supporters and among the most powerful shinobi in the Uchiha clan—his strength nearly matched Fugaku's.
"I'm speaking to Ichiro," Fugaku said, his voice sharp with disdain. "Who the hell are you to interrupt? Know your place."
"You've got a death wish," Ken snarled, reaching into his pouch and drawing a kunai.
"Don't waste your breath on garbage," Ichiro finally said, his tone casual but commanding.
"He's nothing but a failure. There's no point acknowledging someone like him."
Ichiro's eyes glanced at Fugaku with utter contempt—he didn't even try to hide his disdain.
After all, in the future, it would be under Fugaku's leadership that the Uchiha Clan would be wiped out. Regardless of the circumstances, a clan head who led his people to destruction was, without a doubt, a failure. Calling him garbage wasn't an exaggeration—it was a fact.
"Ichiro!" Fugaku roared, drawing the sword strapped to his back and slashing it straight toward him.
The blade hit Ichiro dead-on—
Poof!
A puff of smoke erupted as the "Ichiro" that had been struck turned into a wooden log.
"Attacking a fellow Konoha shinobi is a crime, Fugaku. What are you trying to be—an enemy of the village?"
Ichiro's voice came from behind, moments before he kicked Fugaku clean off his feet, sending him flying through the air.
Fugaku was a skilled elite jōnin, but compared to Ichiro—who was already half a step into Kage-level territory—the gap was enormous.
Rolling across the ground, Fugaku scrambled to his feet and immediately formed hand signs.
"Hmph. You're overestimating yourself," Ichiro scoffed, forming hand seals of his own.
A massive fireball, over ten meters in diameter, clashed with a blazing fire dragon in mid-air. In just an instant, the fireball overwhelmed the dragon and surged toward Fugaku.
"Impossible!" Fugaku yelled as he vanished with the Body Flicker Technique, barely escaping. The ground where he'd stood moments before was engulfed in flames, leaving behind a scorched crater.
Fugaku's face twisted in disbelief. He had used Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Jutsu—a powerful B-rank technique.
Ichiro, on the other hand, had countered with Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu—a basic C-rank Uchiha technique, often taught to genin.
And yet… Ichiro's fireball had completely overpowered his.
"Lord Ichiro's power is truly beyond compare. Fugaku never stood a chance. Only Ichiro deserves to be clan head!" Ken declared with reverence.
His admiration wasn't just based on loyalty—it was grounded in fearsome respect. Ichiro was the only one in the clan with a real chance at breaking into Kage-level.
Ever since Uchiha Madara left the clan, the Uchiha had steadily declined. Not a single Kage-level shinobi had emerged since. The current clan head was only a quasi-Kage-level at best, and severely injured from the Second Great Ninja War—he likely didn't have long left to live.
Ichiro vanished again with the Body Flicker Technique and reappeared directly in front of Fugaku, his fist crashing toward Fugaku's gut.
Fugaku activated his three-tomoe Sharingan in the nick of time, locking eyes with Ichiro.
But the moment their eyes met, Fugaku's body froze.
Ichiro had activated his three-tomoe Sharingan as well. Though they both had the same tomoe level, not all Sharingan were equal. Ichiro had awakened his earlier, trained it longer, and refined it to a higher level.
The genjutsu only held Fugaku for a fraction of a second—but that was more than enough.
Ichiro's punch connected.
Boom! Fugaku was sent flying over ten meters, crashing through a nearby police building.
He coughed up blood, nearly passing out, and tried to stagger to his feet. But before he could rise—
A foot slammed down in front of his eyes and stomped on his head.
Crash!
Fugaku's face was driven into the dirt.
"Attacking me? Are you out of your damn mind?" Ichiro muttered coldly, grinding his foot into Fugaku's skull. His face twisted under the pressure.
"Captain Ichiro, you're incredible!" Ken beamed with pride.
Until now, Ichiro had shown no real interest in becoming clan head. But this ruthless beatdown… Was this his declaration? Was he finally making a move for the position?
Ken was already mentally spreading the news.
The entire clan needs to hear this. Fugaku was crushed by Lord Ichiro—he has no right to be clan head.
"Let Fugaku go!" shouted several shinobi who had backed Fugaku.
But Ichiro ignored them completely. Cowards who didn't even have the guts to act weren't worth his time.
"Uchiha Fugaku assaulted a fellow Konoha shinobi. Arrest him," Ichiro ordered flatly.
"Yes, Captain."
Ken and a few others stepped forward. Once Ichiro removed his foot, they restrained Fugaku without resistance.
As for the shinobi who had sided with Fugaku—they exchanged awkward glances but didn't dare interfere. They could only protest with words.
None of them had the guts to actually fight Ichiro.
"What now?"
"Report to the clan head—he'll know what to do."
They couldn't stop Ichiro. They didn't even dare provoke him. All they could do was inform the clan patriarch.
"What did you just say?! Fugaku was captured by Ichiro?!"
The current clan head, a man in his fifties who looked closer to seventy from illness and age, erupted with fury.
"What the hell is Ichiro thinking?!"
He suspected Ichiro had finally made his move for the clan leadership by taking out his son.
Right now, the only person in the Uchiha Clan with the power and status to challenge Fugaku for the title of clan head… was Ichiro.
And there was no way Ichiro didn't want the position—he just hadn't shown it until now.
"You just watched Fugaku get captured?!"
The patriarch glared at the messengers.
They lowered their heads in silence. If it were anyone else, they might've acted.
But this was Ichiro.
He had defeated Fugaku with ease—what could they do?
Besides, they were afraid. Ichiro's reputation for cruelty was no rumor.