Uchiha Ascendant: Rewriting the Ninja World

Uchiha Nanga Shrine.

Within a dimly lit secret chamber, Elder Setsuna, ever since his release from confinement, had taken permanent residence here.

"Cough… So, you're the brat Mikoto keeps talking about. Not bad."

The elderly voice echoed in the room. Uchiha Yo, seated in a formal kneeling posture, responded with a respectful nod.

"Uchiha Yo greets Elder Setsuna."

Having awakened his Sharingan, Uchiha Yo naturally sought progress. Through Mikoto, he arranged to meet this legendary elder.

Despite being under house arrest in the Uchiha compound for attempting a coup and inheriting Madara's ideology, Elder Setsuna still commanded immense respect. After all, this was the Uchiha Clan.

The elder before him, frail and sallow-faced, examined the intelligence scroll Mikoto had delivered. He nodded with faint approval.

"Impressive. A dual kekkei genkai. However, such power will also limit you. Human energy is finite, and the flaws in your kekkei genkai are significant."

Dual kekkei genkai were rare, but to a man like Setsuna, who had witnessed countless prodigies rise and fall, rarity meant little if it didn't ensure survival.

"Elder," Uchiha Yo replied respectfully while secretly scrutinizing the old man. As expected, Setsuna's pallor and frail state suggested he only had a few years left.

No wonder he was so eager to groom Mikoto—clearly, he was preparing for his eventual demise.

"Cough, cough. Come in."

At that moment, Setsuna coughed lightly and glanced toward the door. Uchiha Yo, startled, turned to see three figures enter the chamber: the current Uchiha clan head, Uchiha Fugaku, and Uchiha Mikoto.

"Clan Head, Elder!"

Fugaku and Mikoto bowed respectfully to the two senior Uchiha figures. Mikoto knelt beside Setsuna, her expression calm and composed.

Uchiha Yo narrowed his eyes at the scene. Why was Setsuna, a man with only a few years left, rushing things so urgently? Was he truly preparing for the end?

While Uchiha Yo speculated, the clan head scrutinized him with a discerning gaze before nodding lightly.

"Elder, this young Uchiha prodigy is indeed qualified for the task."

Elder Setsuna smiled faintly and nodded, leaving Uchiha Yo inwardly alarmed. The supposed divide between the clan head and the elder appeared to be a façade—they were far more aligned than outsiders believed.

Old foxes, the both of them.

"Fugaku, you are to shoulder the future of the Uchiha Clan. And Mikoto…"

Setsuna's gaze softened as he looked at his granddaughter.

"You are all aware of the clan's precarious position in the village. The three of you must bear the clan's burdens in the years to come."

Such empty rhetoric, Uchiha Yo thought, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes.

Fugaku was the clan head's son and the most gifted among the younger generation. His eventual succession was guaranteed. Mikoto, as Setsuna's granddaughter, would naturally inherit her grandfather's influence.

But what about him? What role did they see for him?

Elder Setsuna and the clan head exchanged a glance before the elder retrieved a scroll and handed it to Uchiha Yo.

Fugaku, who clearly recognized the contents of the scroll, looked slightly awkward. Mikoto, on the other hand, smiled encouragingly at Uchiha Yo, as if urging him on.

Uchiha Yo hesitated before accepting the scroll. Upon reading its contents, his eyes widened in shock.

Seeing his reaction, Setsuna coughed again, his expression turning solemn.

"Yo-kun, the Uchiha Clan is strong but mistrusted. This mission is a tremendous challenge, but it is for the clan's sake."

Uchiha Yo stared at the information in the scroll, his mind racing. His gaze shifted toward Fugaku, whose awkward demeanor spoke volumes.

"Clan Head, Elder," Uchiha Yo said cautiously, "in terms of talent and strength, Fugaku-senpai has already awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan. He's a jonin and only a few years older than me."

Fugaku's discomfort grew, but before he could respond, Setsuna sighed.

"Yo, your talent is undeniable. Fugaku's ability is merely limited to training, but you are different."

Limited? Uchiha Yo resisted the urge to laugh. Setsuna's words were ridiculous, yet Fugaku nodded earnestly, eager to avoid any misunderstandings.

This left Uchiha Yo speechless. What was he supposed to do now? He glanced toward Mikoto, silently asking for help.

The mission seemed daunting, and Uchiha Yo wasn't foolish. Better to secure what was certain than chase uncertain gains.

He had no interest in being a pawn, especially when Mikoto's support provided a stable path forward. Yet here he was, being handed an impossible task.

"Yo-kun."

Mikoto's kind and understanding smile reassured him. Her nod seemed to say, I won't hold it against you.

Uchiha Yo felt his scalp tingle. Mikoto clearly knew about the mission, and yet she seemed supportive.

Elder Setsuna sighed heavily, clearly frustrated. Even Fugaku kept his head down, unwilling to volunteer. After all, prideful Uchihas rarely embraced dangerous tasks without guarantees of success.

"This mission is crucial," Setsuna declared, his tone resolute. "Yo-kun, you've read the dossier on Uzumaki Kushina. She is likely to become the next Nine-Tails jinchuriki, given her residence with the Senju Clan."

"The Uchiha Clan's precarious standing in the village could change if we forge ties with the Nine-Tails jinchuriki. This is our best chance to earn the village's trust."

Setsuna's rare smile turned almost conspiratorial.

"Yo-kun, isn't your dream to become Hokage? To restore the Uchiha Clan's glory? With Kushina as an ally and Mikoto's family backing you, the Hokage's seat is not out of reach!"

Uchiha Yo's face turned green. Setsuna was truly audacious, but his logic wasn't entirely flawed.

The First Hokage's wife was the original Nine-Tails jinchuriki. The Fourth Hokage's wife was also a jinchuriki. Even the Seventh Hokage himself was a jinchuriki!

The elder's argument had some weight. But Uchihas associating with a jinchuriki? That would only increase the village's suspicion of them.

The clan head, noticing Yo's hesitation, nodded solemnly.

"Indeed. Building rapport with the Nine-Tails jinchuriki won't guarantee the Hokage position, but it will secure the Uchiha a place in the village's leadership."

These old foxes are delusional! Uchiha Yo thought, though he remained composed.

Uzumaki Kushina. The Senju Clan. It all fits!

Yo's mind pieced together a clearer picture. The five great shinobi villages all had systems in place for cultivating jinchuriki. The Uzumaki Clan, with their unique traits, were prime candidates for such roles.

But in Konoha, the Uzumaki were connected to the Senju, and Kushina's status was tied to that legacy.

Still, Yo saw the cracks in the plan. The Senju Clan's influence had waned since the Second Shinobi War. With Tsunade estranged from the village, the Senju were practically extinct.

Once Kushina became the jinchuriki, she would lose the status afforded by the Senju connection. Instead, she would be reduced to a tool under the Third Hokage's control.

"Clan Head, Elder!"

Uchiha Yo's expression feigned difficulty, but inwardly, his resolve was firm. It wasn't that these old foxes lacked foresight—they simply couldn't predict the future.

Who would have thought the once-powerful Senju Clan would vanish, leaving the Nine-Tails jinchuriki as a mere weapon for the village?

At that moment,

Mikoto's gentle smile encouraged him.

For the sake of the clan, Uchiha Yo decided—he would carry the Uchiha banner forward!