Naruto: The Flame That Reshapes Fate

"What else?"

Uchiha Fugaku stared at Rēn. "The repeated leadership failures you mentioned—besides the Nine-Tails incident, what other decisions are you referring to?"

He didn't respond to whether the decision on the night of the Nine-Tails attack was right or wrong. Instead, he avoided the issue with a counter-question.

"Trying to change the subject? Very well…" Rēn shook his head slightly and continued, "When the village proposed relocating our compound, many within the clan voiced strong objections. Yet you chose compliance. You called it pragmatism. I call it surrender. That decision didn't just move our homes. It pushed the Uchiha to the margins—geographically, politically, and socially. And from that distance, we've been treated like outsiders ever since."

At this point, Uchiha Fugaku also shook his head.

"Rēn, the relocation wasn't our decision. The upper ranks used the excuse of rebuilding the area damaged by the Nine-Tails to reorganize the territories of the major clans. I understand this was a form of suppression, but we had no choice. Either we resisted and tore the village apart in open conflict, or we obeyed and relocated. But with our strength at the time… we couldn't possibly win that fight."

"So you chose to swallow the humiliation and wait for the right time?"

Rēn pressed him.

"That's right. The rift between the village and the clan is long-standing. It requires careful planning over time…"

"So, what plans have come from this careful thinking?"

"Well…"

Fugaku's expression stiffened.

Wasn't it obvious? If they'd come up with anything useful, would the Uchiha be in the state they were now?

"Looks like after all this time, you haven't come up with anything… fine. New question. Clan head, you're likely aware that many within the clan are planning a coup—to overthrow the Third Hokage and place the Uchiha in control of the village… What's your opinion on that?"

Rēn didn't press further on the relocation issue.

The relocation had only been a consequence of the Nine-Tails incident. Bringing it up again was meant to remind the clan of how Fugaku had forced everyone to accept that humiliation for the sake of the village.

"To put it plainly, clan head, do you support the coup or oppose it?"

That question was as blunt as it could get.

All the gathered clansmen turned their eyes to Uchiha Fugaku.

Even if not every jōnin was directly involved, the plan for a coup had already spread widely within the upper ranks. Supporters, opponents, and those undecided—regardless of stance, everyone now focused their attention on their clan head.

When it came to a coup, in the end, the clan head had to take a stand.

"Rēn, are those the only leadership failures you wanted to bring up? Just those two?" Fugaku tried once again to steer away from the sensitive question, hoping to redirect things by returning to Rēn's earlier line of critique.

"The question I just asked was the third."

Rēn answered directly.

Fugaku's face twitched. He almost laughed in disbelief. So this kid had already decided he'd make the wrong call?

"Clan head, please answer. Do you support the coup or not?"

Rēn pressed in further.

Fugaku stared at him for a few seconds, then looked around at the others in the secret meeting room. In the eyes of most, he saw glimmers of expectation. His mind couldn't help but recall the intelligence his covert squad had gathered: two-thirds of the clan favored the coup.

"Of course I support it."

After a brief pause, Fugaku declared his decision without hesitation.

In the next moment, behind the elders, Shisui's eyes revealed clear disappointment.

However—

"Heh. At least he's decisive this time,"

Elder Homaru remarked with mild praise.

Many of the jōnin in the room also showed signs of satisfaction.

Their leaning toward the coup was now very clear.

But—

"If I were clan head, I would oppose the coup."

Rēn said this aloud for everyone to hear. He turned to face the group, ignoring their shocked expressions.

"Don't get me wrong, it is not because the village deserves mercy, but because a coup is a dead end. Even if we succeed in seizing power for a moment, we'd be crushed from the outside. The other great nations wouldn't hesitate to strike a weakened Konoha. And if we fail, the clan would be wiped out. Either way, we lose. Real change isn't won through reckless bloodshed. It's won by seizing control from within and forcing the village to deal with us on equal terms."

"Alright. Choose your side. If you support removing Fugaku as clan head and want me to take his place, stand to my right. If you oppose removing Fugaku, stand to my left."

The clan members were stunned.

To be honest, most of them had assumed Rēn would support the coup. After all, he was young and had the fierce nickname "Flame Demon." In their eyes, Rēn should've been one of the most radical voices.

No one expected him to oppose the coup.

Was he joking?

As everyone hesitated, Shisui was the first to step out from the crowd and walk to Rēn's right. He clearly showed his support. He loved the clan and the village. A coup was something Shisui could never accept.

Fugaku's stance had crushed the last shred of hope he had.

"Grandpa, let's go too!"

Uchiha Chihaya furrowed her brows in displeasure after being beaten to it by Shisui. She grabbed Elder Ryūji and moved over to the right side, standing beside Shisui.

Uchiha Genshi, Rēn's grandfather, followed a step behind. He was in no rush. With his hands behind his back and a leisurely pace, he walked across the ruined hall and came to stand beside Elder Ryūji, shoulder to shoulder with his old friend.

Then came Uchiha Ranzan, Uchiha Akitarō, Uchiha Futaba, Uchiha Jun, Uchiha Hokuto…

Rēn's close friends stepped forward from the crowd and joined them, bringing the number of people on Rēn's side to nine.

Elder Jun quietly walked to stand beside Shisui. He was much calmer now than when they had met earlier at the torii gate.

As Uchiha Kagami's cousin and Shisui's mentor, it wasn't hard to guess where his beliefs lay. His loyalty to the clan was real, but he couldn't accept a coup.

Still, even with that, the number of people who had taken a stance was only ten—a quarter of the more than forty jōnin present.

"Rēn, what the hell are you doing?"

Elder Homaru glared and shouted. He was clearly confused. Rēn was against the coup?

"Elder Homaru, a coup is a forbidden move that should only be used as a last resort. Unless we've truly run out of options, I'll never agree to such a reckless act. You think overthrowing the Third and Danzō is all it takes to call it a success?"

Rēn looked around at everyone.

"Why do you think clans like the Hyūga, Aburame, and the Ino-Shika-Chō trio would submit to Uchiha rule? Once a coup starts, our enemies won't just be the Third and Danzō. Every other shinobi clan in the village and the countless civilian ninja will all become our enemies. And why?"

"It's simple. Because we'll be the ones breaking the existing order. Those families and civilians are the beneficiaries of the current system. Think. Do you really think they want us to succeed?"

"Don't get all fired up and shout about launching a coup. Use your heads! We're divided. We're not strong enough. What are we going to use to fight this coup? Are you trying to hand Danzō and the Third the perfect excuse to wipe us out?"

Rēn's voice rose with each sentence. By the end, he was shouting.

The outburst stunned not only the clansmen but even the elders.

"Uchiha Madara is dead. Without him, do you still think this clan is the same Uchiha that once rivaled the Senju in battle? Stop lying to yourselves. Even if we could defeat the Hyūga, Aburame, and the Ino-Shika-Chō, how would we face the Mist, the Stone, the Cloud, and the Sand?"

"I'm done talking. Everyone keep choosing sides. One more thing—listen closely. Anyone who refuses to support me be advised—those who resist may find the choice made for them. Painfully, if necessary.

So, think carefully before you make your choice."

At the end, Rēn calmed his tone and added that final warning with a flat voice.