It's worth mentioning that Uchiha Shisui had never once revealed his identity as a double agent.
Even when he committed suicide at the Naka River, the Uchiha clan remained convinced that as long as it was for the clan, Shisui would always take the lead.
When Fugaku started contemplating a coup, he had even counted Shisui as their strongest combat force.
Because of all this, Kaze's open confrontation with the Konoha higher-ups—and his reveal of Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan—naturally puzzled Fugaku.
He wanted Kaze to give him an explanation.
Even if it was something like: "I just said that in the heat of the moment," Fugaku could accept it.
"Clan Head, don't tell me you really didn't notice—Shisui's been one of the higher-ups' people from the start."
Kaze used the electromagnetic pulses of the Thunder Fruit to sweep his surroundings.
Only after confirming there were no ANBU or Root operatives lurking around did he start spinning his tale to Fugaku.
"What did you say?" Fugaku instinctively stopped in his tracks, his pupils shrinking slightly.
Clearly, Kaze's words had startled him.
"You really didn't notice?" Kaze paused, then said, "The reason I said all that was to stir up some mistrust between Shisui and the higher-ups."
"If there's a rift between them, then he has a chance to side with us, doesn't he?"
Kaze seemed to be speaking from the heart, but in truth, everything he said was part of a plan.
Because the people who trusted Shisui weren't just the higher-ups—Fugaku was one of them too.
"Clan Head, you must be wondering. Usually, I act like some laid-back nobody."
"My talent? Just average. My track record? Nothing special."
"Why the sudden change?"
Hearing this, Fugaku frowned unconsciously.
Because this boy's words were exactly what he had been thinking.
He couldn't explain why, but he felt like the person in front of him had seen right through him.
"Winning a single battle is easy. But living under constant pressure, always preparing for the next fight... to me, that's just dumb."
"Fighting with others... it's all just a cycle of win or lose. What's the point?"
"Me, I'd rather live quietly. A peaceful life is what I'm after."
Kaze's tone was light, even a bit playful, but hidden within it was a trace of weariness.
"So I've been pretending all this time."
"Trying to stay out of all the Uchiha vs. Konoha political mess."
"But, well..."
He gave a crooked smile, a little helpless.
As Kaze shared his thoughts, Fugaku felt like his brain had just taken a hit. It made sense, though—who in the world suddenly gets strong overnight?
If Kaze had been faking weakness all along, that actually… explained a lot.
"You're saying this change in you… was because of Shisui?" Fugaku couldn't help but ask.
"Yep."Kaze didn't even hesitate. He reached into his clothes and pulled out a notebook. "He came to me that day and handed this over."
He casually passed the notebook to Fugaku like it was nothing more than a menu from a ramen shop.
Fugaku raised an eyebrow and flipped it open.
Right on the first page were scribbles detailing the Will of Fire—Shisui's supposed thoughts, beliefs, and commentary. It talked about transcending the narrow-mindedness of Uchiha nationalism, using the Will of Fire to elevate the clan, reshaping their perspective, and integrating them into the village completely.
…For the sake of Konoha.
Just a few lines in, Fugaku's expression had already turned a bit green.
Of course, the truth was: that notebook wasn't Shisui's at all. Kaze had just used his Sharingan to imitate Shisui's handwriting and wrote it himself, mimicking Shisui's style and tone like a pro.
"The most important part…" Kaze continued, like he was narrating a drama for fun, "was what Shisui told me about the clan meetings."
"Back during the Nine-Tails' attack, the higher-ups in Konoha pointed the finger at our Uchiha clan."
"They pushed us out to the village's edge. A lot of our people are pissed about it. That tension's been building up."
"And now… some of them are seriously thinking about a coup."
Everything Kaze said was half-true, half-made-up.
With less than a year left until the Night of the Massacre, Fugaku had already started considering rebellion. From his perspective, there was no way someone like Kaze—who didn't even attend clan meetings—could've known about it.
That alone made this conversation hard to ignore.
Fugaku might not have been the most cunning political schemer, but he wasn't a fool either. He wasn't just going to swallow everything whole.
Kaze knew that too.
This whole performance wasn't about persuading Fugaku right away. It was about planting a seed. Something that could grow later—if nurtured right.
"Plus, after how Konoha's top brass treated the Hyuga… and how they treat us Uchiha…"
"Maybe I was never meant to live a peaceful life."
He said it with a lazy sigh, retrieving the notebook with one hand like he'd just lent someone a pencil and wanted it back.
"Clan head… do you believe me?"
Kaze stopped walking. His smile was faint but genuine as he faced Fugaku directly. His tone was calm, relaxed—even a little teasing.
But his eyes? They were dead serious.
To be honest, Fugaku didn't really have much of a choice anymore.
He'd never truly believed in his own strength.
At first, he pinned all his hopes for the coup on Shisui.
Then later, he placed everything on his son—Uchiha Itachi.
And the moment he realized Itachi had sided with the Konoha higher-ups… he gave up.
He let Itachi slaughter the entire clan.
"You… what are you trying to say?"Fugaku sucked in a sharp breath.
"I can change the Uchiha clan's fate," Kaze said, voice calm but firm."Maybe even… give our clan a shot at the Hokage seat."
Fugaku's eyes narrowed, but Kaze leaned forward with a confident grin.
"Fugaku, I swear on the name of Uchiha—I'm the one person you can trust."
"As long as we work together…"
"With my abilities and your influence, if we unite the clan—"
"There's no reason we can't rise into the very heart of Konoha's power structure."
He said it with such unwavering conviction that, for a moment, Fugaku was caught off guard.
He didn't fully believe him—not yet. But the words? They hit something deep.
"What's your plan?" Fugaku asked after a brief pause.
He was still doubtful, still cautious. But he didn't outright reject Kaze either.
Even if everything Kaze said turned out to be a lie, he was still Uchiha.
If one rose, all rose. If one fell, all fell.
Might as well hear him out. Decide afterward whether to trust him or not.
After all…
Fugaku wasn't some naive fool.