Uchiha's Secret Gathering

The night was deep, and Konohagakure was enveloped in tranquility.

Deep within the Uchiha Clan's territory, nestled against verdant mountains and facing the clear Naka River, stood the Naka Shrine. Its architecture was ancient and solemn, with the Uchiha crest carved onto the eaves. The vermilion torii gate reflected a cold, clear glow under the moonlight. Thick moss covered the shrine's roof, the passage of time evident on every wooden plank. A gentle breeze rustled through, causing the wind chimes in front of the shrine to ring out crisply. The shimenawa rope at the entrance swayed softly in the night wind, and a faint scent of sandalwood permeated the air.

"Thump, thump, thump..."

Moonlight, like water, spilled onto the shrine's stone steps. A tall figure, leading a child by the hand, approached with crisp footsteps. The stone lanterns lining the steps cast a faint glow, illuminating their shadows as they slowly moved towards the shrine amidst falling cherry blossoms.

"Do you know what this means, Qing Xuan?"

"I know, of course."

"Once you decide, there's no turning back."

"This is my future path!"

"..."

"Can you stop clinging to my sleeve?"

"Damn it! Don't let go! This spooky place is terrifying! Why are we traveling at night in the middle of nowhere? Couldn't the gathering be held within the clan grounds? Why so remote..."

"Shut up!"

Inside the shrine, in the assembly hall, the Uchiha clan members had gradually arrived.

They wore dark clan robes, their expressions solemn and dignified. The unique red glow of the Sharingan flickered in each of their eyes, as if silently proclaiming their identity and power.

The clan members spoke in low voices, their tones laced with suppressed tension and anticipation. An atmosphere of deadly seriousness permeated the air, as if even the wind had ceased to flow.

A young man hurried in and, without hesitation, quietly sat down in a corner at the back.

His black hair was slightly disheveled, with a few stray strands falling onto his forehead. The tips of his hair curled slightly, like raven feathers ruffled by the wind. The metallic sheen of a forehead protector was faintly visible among his hair, the Konoha symbol glinting in the firelight. His face was refined, with a youthful heroism in his features, yet it held a composure unusual for his age. His pitch-black eyes were as deep as the night, occasionally flashing with a sharp glint that seemed capable of piercing the human heart.

It was Shisui Uchiha, who had just finished talking with Itachi and rushed to attend the gathering.

He concealed himself in the shadows of the corner, silently listening to the others' discussions.

"Lord Liuyun's son?"

A female ninja diagonally in front of him suddenly exclaimed, instinctively tightening her grip on her shuriken holster, the metal rings clinking in the darkness.

Three clan members nearby turned their heads simultaneously, their Sharingan flickering in the shadows. However, she seemed oblivious, sighing to herself.

"Lord Liuyun still has descendants alive? That's wonderful!"

"I heard he's already six years old, just like Lord Liuyun was as a child..."

A clan member sitting beside her said in a low voice, his words trembling with barely suppressed excitement.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort suddenly rang out.

"I heard that child was found on the border of the Land of Wind, and elite ninja from Sunagakure appeared at the same time."

A ninja with a full beard deliberately raised his voice, his finger tracing his left eye. "Guess whose eyes that young master Qing Xuan has, the Uchiha's Sharingan, or Sunagakure's Puppet Curse Mark?"

"That child was taken to the Hokage by Nawaki Senju as soon as he arrived in the village," Fugaku Uchiha's aged voice suddenly came from the front row.

He was one of the few elders from Madara Uchiha's era who had survived, and now he was the leader of the conservative faction. By rights, he shouldn't have interfered in the disputes of the younger generation, but now he spoke.

"How many foreign spies who entered the Hokage's office do you think have ever come out alive? Let alone this being an Uchiha."

"That's right," another aged voice came from the right side of the altar.

"Liuyun's blade should not be tarnished," Setsuna Uchiha, who was sitting cross-legged and polishing the Qinglu on the altar, said. The firelight reflected on the blade danced across his face. "This sword has drunk the blood of hundreds of Sunagakure and Iwagakure ninja!"

Water dripped from the cracks in the stone, creating a delicate rhythm. This radical elder, who had once faced the Third Hokage directly, put down the silk cloth in his hand and picked up a kunai, continuously scratching it against Qinglu's scabbard. The tapping sound startled the swallows nesting on the beams.

The tip of the kunai was inscribed with crooked characters—In such and such year! Such and such month! I, leading the Uchiha, carried out a great revolution!

Shisui quietly adjusted his posture, allowing the shadows to envelop him better. He noticed a specific area on the scabbard—where the Konoha symbol should have been carved, its indentation had been deliberately smoothed away. The relic of a Three Wars hero, after all, could not escape being re-marked by the radical faction of his clan.

"Hmph!"

Fugaku Uchiha naturally understood the meaning behind the old man's words. He snorted and said, "Since that child was able to escape unscathed from Sunagakure's pursuit, his talent must be no less than Liuyun's."

Candlelight shattered into stars on the chains at Setsuna Uchiha's waist. The steel cables that had once bound the Third Hokage's summoned beast emitted a cold, hissing sound. "Talent? Lord Madara could control Chunin with his Sharingan at the age of six. Now, this child's eyes..."

He carefully sheathed the Qinglu, then placed the sword gently on the altar with both hands. The three tomoe in his right eye slowly bloomed. "Have they ever reflected the Uchiha's Gunbai?"

Damn it! I hate this guy trying to act cultured when he's uneducated! Fugaku Uchiha's eyes also shimmered with three tomoe.

"Whether his eyes have opened is yet unknown, but it's said that child's strength has already reached the Chunin level!"

He stared at Setsuna Uchiha, meeting his gaze without backing down. "And it's said the Third Hokage intends to take him as a disciple."

"The Hokage wants to take an Uchiha as a disciple?" Yashiro Uchiha, who had remained silent, exclaimed, his hands trembling slightly. "Since the Second Hokage established the Konoha Military Police Force, this is the first time in decades that an Uchiha has established such a connection with the Hokage faction!"

At these words, the breathing of dozens of clan members in the room suddenly became heavy.

The chains at Setsuna Uchiha's waist suddenly hissed like a viper flicking its tongue. The old man snorted and said, "What use is that?"

As he spoke, his gaze suddenly turned towards the corner, the three tomoe in his eyes filled with malice. "Shisui, do you think the Uchiha bloodline is more important, or the opportunity bestowed by the Hokage?"

Sweat beaded on Shisui's back. He recognized this chakra fluctuation—three months ago, during a border patrol mission, it was with this frequency of ocular power fluctuation that Senior Setsuna had made two arguing clan members suddenly draw their swords against each other. Now, the same fluctuation appeared on the young ninja beside him, like chakra threads manipulating a puppet.

Just then, the door to the secret room was suddenly pulled open, and the outside air flowed in, creating a slight breeze. Under the breeze, the Qinglu vibrated slightly and emitted a clear ringing sound.

"Sorry, I'm late."

Fugaku Uchiha strode in from outside, pulling a six-year-old boy. His gaze was fierce, his expression grim. Wherever his eyes swept, no clan member dared to meet his gaze.