The Uchiha's Frenzy

Minato Namikaze had left.

The hem of his ceremonial robe swayed in the wind.

His retreating figure remained as upright as ever.

But Chiba Ran knew that the flagpole that once belonged to the Hokage had been broken.

And he had personally mended it, shaping it into what he desired.

Konoha.

The sharpest blade of the Land of Fire.

From this day forward, both the hilt and the blade were in his hands.

It was just that some blades still needed a bit of polishing.

Chiba Ran leaned against the armrest, tapping it lightly.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Content.

Satisfied.

The protagonist of an era, the hero of a world, watching him kneel in submission…

This feeling was a hundred times more wonderful than crushing him with the Six Paths Power.

Power was the confidence to overturn tables.

And authority was the cutlery with which to enjoy the world's delights.

Konohagakure.

Uchiha Clan Compound.

The sharp whistling of shuriken through the air and the dull thuds of sparring matches that once filled the training grounds were gone.

In their place were the melodious strains of a zither and a woman's gentle singing.

Three young Uchiha girls, dressed in simple kimonos, knelt on cushions.

They lowered their heads, their expressions solemn.

Mikoto Uchiha sat in the head seat.

Her face was gentle, but her eyes were as cold as iron.

She was personally instructing these girls in the tea ceremony and flower arrangement.

A glance.

A turn of the wrist.

The slightest mistake would be met with her merciless reprimand.

This was no longer a selection of consorts.

This was for the Uchiha…

This was a rigorous screening for the future mother of the Land of Fire.

"Mirin."

Mikoto Uchiha's voice was soft, yet it made one of the girls in the room tremble.

That girl bore a seven or eight-tenths resemblance to her, her features more youthful, and a hint of charming innocence still lingered in her eyes.

She was Mikoto Uchiha's younger sister, Mirin Uchiha.

"Sister."

Mirin stood up, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, her head bowed even lower.

"Your heart is not calm."

Mikoto picked up the tea Mirin had just prepared. She didn't taste it, only smelled it.

"The tea's fragrance floats on the surface; it will surely be bitter when you drink it."

A faint blush crept onto Mirin's cheeks as she whispered in defense, "I… I'm just a little nervous, Sister…"

"Nervous?"

Mikoto set down the teacup, her movements gentle, but her expression was incredibly cold.

"In the future, before the Daimyo, will you also say you are nervous?"

"One mistake could cost not just you, but the entire Uchiha!"

"Can your life afford to pay for such a responsibility?!"

The last sentence was a sharp reprimand.

Mirin's lips trembled, her face turned deathly pale, and she couldn't utter a single word.

The girls around them even lightened their breathing.

Seeing her sister's distressed expression, a flicker of pity crossed Mikoto's mind, but it was quickly replaced by resolve.

She walked up to Mirin, tidying her slightly disheveled collar.

"Mirin, you must remember."

"From the moment you stepped in here, your name no longer matters."

"You are the future of the Uchiha."

Her hand gently caressed her sister's face, which bore a striking resemblance to her own, her gaze complex.

"Go meditate under the waterfall in the backyard."

"When your heart becomes colder than the water in a deep, still pool, then come back to me."

"Yes, sister."

Mirin, tears welling up, bowed and retreated. Her frail figure seemed on the verge of collapsing at any moment.

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Watching her sister's receding figure, Mikoto's eyes were somewhat distant.

She knew how cruel this was for a girl of only sixteen.

But she had no choice.

Compared to the future glory of the Uchiha clan, a girl's tears were insignificant.

Just then, the clan head, Fugaku Uchiha, entered from outside.

He glanced at the scene, a look of satisfaction on his face, and nodded at Mikoto.

"You've worked hard."

"For the clan..."

Mikoto replied faintly.

Fugaku walked to her side and lowered his voice, "There's still no movement from the Hyuga side."

"As expected," Mikoto's tone was calm and unruffled. "The arrogance of the Hyuga clan is etched into their very bones."

"Hmph, foolish arrogance!" Fugaku snorted coldly. "Does he think it's still like before? In the eyes of the Lord Daimyo, his Hyuga clan is no different from stray dogs by the roadside!"

He paused, a fierce glint in his eyes.

"However, it's perfect."

"The more stubborn the Hyuga are, the more it highlights our Uchiha's loyalty."

"I've already sent someone to deliver the ledgers of all the Hyuga clan's businesses in the Land of Fire Capital, detailing tax evasion, to the Daimyo Manor."

This was the pledge of allegiance the Uchiha were offering.

A flicker of surprise crossed Mikoto's eyes.

"What about the Ino-Shika-Cho clans?"

"They're being slippery," Fugaku's tone was full of disdain. "They say they'll wait for the Daimyo's command!"

"They will regret it."

Mikoto raised her head, gazing in the direction of the Land of Fire's capital.

"When a descendant of the Daimyo, carrying Uchiha blood, is born, our Uchiha clan will become a true noble family!"

Fugaku's eyes blazed with fiery brilliance at her words.

Yes.

That day would not be far off.

Compared to the Uchiha's fervent activity, the Hyuga main family compound was deathly silent.

"CRASH!"

A precious celadon teacup was smashed violently onto the ground, shattering into pieces.

Hiashi Hyuga's chest heaved violently, his face ashen, veins bulging at the corners of his eyes with rage.

Just moments ago, tax officials from the Daimyo Manor had left.

They hadn't said much, only leaving them with a choice to be made quickly.

Otherwise, they would have to pay back all the taxes evaded over the past ten years, plus a threefold penalty.

That astronomical sum was enough to destroy the Hyuga clan's century of accumulation!

This wasn't an audit.

This was bleeding them dry!

"This is too much! Too much!"

Hiashi Hyuga let out a low growl.

Before him, several elders of the main family were struck dumb with fear, not daring to even take a deep breath.

"Patriarch, Lord, what... what should we do?" one elder stammered.

"Are you also suggesting I send a daughter of the Hyuga clan to that place!"

Hiashi spun around abruptly, his pure white eyes bloodshot as he glared fiercely at the elder.

"I'm telling you all!"

"Even if the Hyuga clan fights to the last man, bleeding our final drop of blood, we will never endure such a humiliating disgrace!"

His roar echoed through the spacious room.

Yet, the roar sounded more like a lament.

Meanwhile, at the registration office for the selection of consorts set up by the Daimyo Manor in Konoha, the scene was entirely different.

It was already swarming with people.

The enthusiasm of the common folk was simple and direct.

For them, this was a true, heaven-sent path to change their destiny.

And on the outskirts of the crowd, several figures stood out as incongruous.

A representative of the Inuzuka clan sat beside a ninken, his gaze sweeping through the crowd.

A representative of the Aburame clan, entirely wrapped in a trench coat, with only a few parasitic insects restlessly fluttering about.

And a representative of the Kurama clan...

Beside each of them was a beautiful young maiden.

These minor ninja clans didn't seek to contend for the position of consort; merely gaining the Daimyo's favor for a time would greatly benefit their entire family.

This fervor swept through all of Konoha.

Even some highly respected Jonin could not remain aloof.

And Shinku Yūhi was among them.