UCHIHA KING OF THE SOULS

Konoha Military Police Force Headquarters, Third Floor—Deputy Chief's Office.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Uchiha Gen raised his hand and knocked firmly three times, his expression calm and composed.

"Come in."

Gen pushed the door open, closed it behind him, stepped forward, and offered a slight bow. "Young Patriarch."

"Gen, you're here. No need to be so formal—relax a little. Have a seat."

Uchiha Gen smiled faintly but remained reserved, taking his seat opposite Uchiha Fugaku, his posture straight as a blade.

When a superior tells you to be casual, taking it at face value would be naive.

The Uchiha clan, while less rigid than the Hyuga, still upheld strict hierarchical traditions as one of the most powerful shinobi clans in history. Disrespecting those customs—even slightly—could bring unnecessary trouble.

"You had something to discuss with me, Young Patriarch?"

"I followed through with the strategy you suggested regarding Minato-senpai, and today he gave his answer."

"Minato-senpai didn't choose me, did he?"

"You already knew?" Fugaku raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised.

"Just a guess."

"And what led you to that conclusion?"

"If he had chosen me, you would have congratulated me the moment I walked in. Your smile wouldn't be this forced, either."

"Sharp observation, Gen. You truly have the makings of an exceptional shinobi."

In truth, Gen was simply stating the obvious. He had already anticipated Fugaku's decision based on the man's character.

Fugaku, for all his leadership, had a notable flaw—he avoided direct responsibility whenever possible.

Even if the approach to Namikaze Minato was framed as a negotiation, leveraging the Sharingan as a bargaining chip carried a subtle but unmistakable hint of coercion.

If Minato refused to compromise or refused to acknowledge the Uchiha's influence, tensions would inevitably rise. Whether the conflict was minor or severe, it was unavoidable.

If Minato stood his ground, rejecting the Uchiha outright, Fugaku would be in a difficult position. Supporting Gen's nomination would mean taking responsibility for the fallout, and that wasn't Fugaku's style. He would distance himself from the decision, framing it as Gen's personal initiative rather than an official move from the clan.

Gen had once mentioned the Iwagakure front in passing, and now, history was repeating itself. Fugaku wouldn't gamble the clan's reputation on this. Instead, he would push for his eldest son, Uchiha Itachi, to become Minato's disciple.

After all, no matter how capable Gen or Shisui might be, they were still just clan members. When it came to the future of the Uchiha, no one was more reliable than direct blood relatives.

With all this in mind, Gen knew his exclusion was a logical outcome.

But it didn't matter. His real target was never Minato Namikaze. Orochimaru was the better choice for him.

What he could gain from Orochimaru was far more valuable than what Minato could offer.

With his current state—his two-tomoe Sharingan—traditional evolution methods weren't ideal for him. Even though his unique ability, the Soul-Soul Fruit, allowed him to preserve and refine his Sharingan over time, there was no such thing as "too strong."

The conventional method of evolution was slow, and he had no intention of waiting.

He had long theorized that the evolution of the Sharingan stemmed from intense emotional stimulation, which triggered the brain to generate a unique form of chakra—what the Uchiha called "pupil power."

The mind was deeply connected to the soul. If the Soul-Soul Fruit could manipulate the soul, could it, in turn, influence the mind and induce the necessary chakra transformation artificially?

This was a question he could never test on himself. The intricacies of the brain's chakra network were too delicate and dangerous to tamper with directly.

If he couldn't experiment on himself, he needed test subjects.

And when it came to human experimentation, who in the shinobi world was more knowledgeable than Orochimaru?

Even the great Senju Tobirama, though brilliant in jutsu development, had never delved into scientific research the way Orochimaru had. Ninjutsu study was just one aspect of science—but Orochimaru's research extended far beyond that.

Gen needed to learn scientific methodology and experimental techniques from Orochimaru. If necessary, he could break his research into fragments, seeking Orochimaru's advice piece by piece.

As long as his hypothesis was correct, with his determination and Orochimaru's expertise, he could forge an alternative path to unlocking the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Whether this method was viable for others didn't concern him. He was doing this for himself.

Even if it could work for others, he would never share it. A rare power was only valuable as long as it remained rare. If too many Uchiha unlocked the Mangekyō, it would no longer be special.

It was worth noting that Uchiha Fugaku had not awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.

The claim that Fugaku possessed the Mangekyō originated from the anime filler and was included in "Itachi Shinden," but the original manga and official databooks never confirmed this.

Since canon takes precedence, in this reality, Fugaku had never awakened the Mangekyō.

---

"But Gen, don't be discouraged. There's still Lord Orochimaru."

"The Hokage seat isn't decided yet…"

Fugaku's words of comfort were telling. By introducing his son to Minato, Fugaku had already made his choice.

It wasn't that he disliked Orochimaru—but Fugaku, like many in Konoha, preferred Minato's temperament, diplomacy, and charisma. Orochimaru's methods, though undeniably effective, were far too unconventional.

Minato was simply more trustworthy.

"You're right, Young Patriarch."

"It doesn't matter. At the end of the day, we're all Uchiha. Everything is for the clan's prosperity."

"By the way, have you spoken to Lord Orochimaru yet?"

Fugaku seemed satisfied with Gen's response and chuckled. "Not yet. Orochimaru just returned to the village. I plan to meet with him in a few days."

"I believe I should be the one to approach him on behalf of the clan."

"Why is that?"

"Wouldn't that be too informal?"

"No. It's about discretion. My ambitions are much smaller than yours, Young Patriarch."

"And we can't be too open about supporting both sides—it needs to be a silent agreement."

"If we handle it openly, how will others perceive it?"

Fugaku pondered the logic for a moment before nodding. "That… makes sense."

First, openly courting both candidates would damage the Uchiha's reputation.

Second, it could irritate Minato and Orochimaru, neither of whom would appreciate being treated as mere options.

Third, other factions in the village might seek to sabotage them if they saw the Uchiha playing both sides.

"If we're publicly backing Minato, then our alliance with Orochimaru should be kept in the shadows," Gen concluded.

"Secret support, Young Patriarch—what do you think?"

Fugaku, recalling the stark differences between Minato and Orochimaru's personalities, saw the merit in the approach.

"Very well. Let's proceed as you suggest."

"And don't be stingy with the offer—be generous. The Uchiha clan does not grovel."

"We are the wealthiest clan in Konoha, after all."

At that moment, Gen couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of privilege.

With the resources of the Uchiha behind him, he could afford to dream bigger.

If only he had a system that let him spend money to gain power—then he'd be unstoppable.

"Rest assured, Young Patriarch," he said with a smirk. "The Uchiha will not be outclassed in wealth or power."