That Day, Everyone Believed Uchiha Fugaku Would Become the Next Uchiha Madara

Uchiha Qi's persuasion of the two 18-year-olds was a resounding success.

Even though they were much more mature than their peers, especially Minato Namikaze, who had already become the top young talent, Uchiha Qi still had them completely under his thumb.

This was because both of them were classic "family-first" types, willing to give everything for their loved ones; their families were their soft spot.

Uchiha Qi directly outlined the concerns they would have after starting their own families in the future. He also mentioned that all the major clans in Konoha did the same, to reduce their resistance. Through a multi-pronged approach, he made them feel completely justified in accepting his offer to start a business with him.

In fact, Uchiha Qi wasn't lying. Minato Namikaze's home was indeed small; it was suitable for two people, but would feel a bit cramped with a third, and extremely small with a fourth.

At that point, he would inevitably go down the path of Uchiha Sakura's future mortgage—honestly, it's ridiculous that a medical ninja of the new Sannin tier would still need a mortgage for many years to buy a house. Is Konoha's housing market really okay?

It can only be said that in Konoha, where there are many Ninja Clans and over 95% of resources are controlled by these large clans, the living conditions for common ninjas are truly difficult.

Of course, this is the result of viewing the problem from Uchiha Qi's perspective. To locals, many things have been this way since ancient times. Moreover, Konoha is already as good as it gets; one could even say life in Konoha is very happy, a true era of peace and prosperity, with good governance and harmony.

At the very least, commoners in Konoha don't have to worry about being inexplicably killed by suddenly appearing rogue ninjas or bandits, nor do they have to worry about taxes being collected 100 years in advance, or a local tyrant suddenly appearing to randomly select an innocent commoner and persecute them until their family is ruined.

One can only say that in a world where things are comparatively bad, don't have too high expectations for so-called peace and prosperity. If you say it's not good, others might just call you crazy.

Of course, it's more likely you'd be reported, with people thinking you might be a spy sent by another country.

Uchiha Qi didn't have the grand ideals or ability to change all of this, so he chose to join them if he couldn't beat them.

Of course, if a "small" change happened to occur during this process, Uchiha Qi couldn't be blamed.

After all, what bad intentions could Uchiha Qi possibly have? He just wanted to promote the game and better complete his system missions.

When night fell, Uchiha Qi and Minato Namikaze escorted the Uzumaki sisters home.

It was also a small apartment, and not far away at all—practically a heaven-sent home for Konoha's orphans.

Although Kikyo Uzumaki didn't live under the same roof as Kushina Uzumaki, Konoha had arranged her house right next to Kushina Uzumaki's. So, there was nothing wrong with saying these sisters of the Uzumaki Clan lived together.

While Uchiha Qi and Minato Namikaze were escorting the Uzumaki sisters home, a clan meeting for the Uchiha Clan's high-ranking members began in the Uchiha Clan Compound, located in Konoha's central area.

The current head of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Masanobu, who was nearly fifty years old, sat in the main seat. A face that bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Uchiha Fugaku displayed a stern and serious expression.

Although the subtle weakness and pallor hinted at between his brows seemed to foretell that this dignified clan head had only a few years left to live, as long as he was alive, he was undeniably the controller of the Uchiha Clan.

To Uchiha Masanobu's right, Uchiha Fugaku sat properly, back straight, with a cold and serious expression, as if he were a temperamental copy-paste of his father.

Across from the father and son, a group of Uchiha elders and powerful figures holding the Three-Tomoe Sharingan sat in rows according to their status.

However, these individuals, who should have also been serious, now wore expressions of shock, mixed with disbelief.

After all, the information just relayed by Uchiha Fugaku was simply too astonishing.

Then, Uchiha Setsuna, the white-haired, wrinkled, 70-plus-year-old Grand Elder, a hawk representative of the Uchiha Clan and truly long-lived in the Ninja World, asked in his old, hoarse voice.

"Fugaku, is what you're saying true? Is that Genjutsu Game really that miraculous?"

Facing this Grand Elder, even as the young clan head, Uchiha Fugaku had to use a sufficiently respectful tone to reply: "Yes, this is the conclusion I reached after experiencing it firsthand this afternoon. In fact, within the Genjutsu Game, I even felt my Sharingan undergo a change."

"However, perhaps because I understood that the Genjutsu Game was an illusion, no matter how much stimulation I received, I was unable to cross that critical threshold."

Upon hearing this, the Uchiha members trembled once, twice, thrice, then continued to vibrate intensely, their astonishment and excitement completely unrestrainable.

Although Uchiha Fugaku hadn't directly stated how his eyes had changed, his eyes were already top-tier Three-Tomoe. How else could they change? Which critical threshold could he cross?

Everyone present was a high-ranking Uchiha official aware of the Uchiha Clan's secrets. While the existence of the Mangekyo Sharingan was a secret to ordinary Uchiha, it was not to them.

The legend of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Madara, had only left about forty years ago, and Uchiha Setsuna was an ancient relic from the Warring States period. Some things, they truly understood instantly.

In an instant, all the high-ranking Uchiha present widened their eyes, revealing pairs of Three-Tomoe Sharingan. Under their excited emotions, the Tomoe in their eyes began to slowly rotate—honestly, the fact that these Tomoe could rotate was quite bizarre, making it difficult to understand the principle. On Earth, countless ophthalmologists and scientists would surely want to thoroughly study it.

Having endured over forty years of trials and tribulations in Konoha, having followed Uchiha Madara, witnessed his glory, and then experienced the Uchiha Clan being subtly suppressed by two generations of Hokage, Grand Elder Uchiha Setsuna exuded a powerful aura that should not belong to someone at his advanced age.

"Fugaku, can you confirm that what you say is true?"

His powerful Three-Tomoe Sharingan stared intently at Uchiha Fugaku, putting immense pressure on Fugaku.

However, years of cultivating composure were not in vain. Even if he was panicking internally, he remained outwardly as steady as a mountain, making people feel he was a born hardliner.

Then, the outwardly composed Uchiha Fugaku spoke in a deep voice, "Elder Setsuna, do you think I would lie about something like this?"

A rhetorical question, coupled with his own Three-Tomoe Sharingan, met the gaze of the truly unyielding Grand Elder. Sparks seemed to fly in the air, revealing a suppressed atmosphere.

The surrounding Uchiha observed this, all extremely satisfied with Uchiha Fugaku's performance, exclaiming that he was indeed worthy of being the young clan head. Even when facing the Grand Elder, he was so assertive—truly a born leader of our Uchiha!

When they further considered the possibility of Uchiha Fugaku activating the Mangekyo Sharingan, they became even more excited, with many of them trembling.

This was because these Uchiha thought of the previous Uchiha legend who possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan—Uchiha Madara!

Both were young geniuses, both had served as young clan head, and both were destined to become clan head. Both also possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.

Could it be that our Uchiha Clan is about to welcome another individual, after Ancestor Madara, who will transform into a veritable Asura of the Ninja World?

At this thought, their minds felt like they were racing.

At this moment, the current Uchiha Clan head, Uchiha Masanobu, smiled, radiating a sense of paternal pride, his eyes filled with adoration.

In a different script, he would be shouting, "My son, Fugaku, possesses the potential of a great emperor!"

Then, Uchiha Setsuna closed his Sharingan, revealing a look of pleased relief, and smiled with emotion. "How wonderful! Our Uchiha Clan finally has another excellent controller. Masanobu, you have a good son."

Although Uchiha Masanobu was the clan head, his status and prestige within the clan were incomparable to the Grand Elder before him. Hearing this, he quickly bowed and said, "You flatter me, Grand Elder. My son is still young and needs to grow."

Of course, these were just humble words; no one present took them seriously. There was only praise for Uchiha Fugaku, and some younger Uchiha—like Uchiha Yashiro—looked at Uchiha Fugaku with fervent eyes, feeling immensely excited, and began to envision a beautiful future of following Uchiha Fugaku and making the Uchiha great again.

At this very moment, Uchiha Fugaku's prestige as the young clan head was fully established among the high-ranking Uchiha. Especially since, even now, Uchiha Fugaku remained calm and unfazed by honor or disgrace, which made him even more highly regarded. They felt his character was simply perfect, and combined with his potential to activate the Mangekyo, his future prospects were limitless. Everyone believed he could lead the Uchiha to greatness once more.

Only Uchiha Fugaku himself, facing the fervent and awestruck gazes of the high-ranking Uchiha, appeared utterly calm on the surface, but was in fact panicking internally—he had nearly crumbled under the aura exuded by Grand Elder Uchiha Setsuna just moments ago, and he was still experiencing lingering trepidation.