In the underground chamber of Konoha's Anbu, an old oil lamp flickered in the corner. Its dim yellow light was like a candle guttering in the wind, brightening and darkening as it illuminated Elder Setsuna's wrinkled face. Every wrinkle carried the vicissitudes of time and the rise and fall of the clan. His gaze remained fixed on Meihui's receding back, his eyes full of worry, as though that figure bore every unknown and danger awaiting the Uchiha clan's future.
"That child has suffered such a troubled fate..." Elder Setsuna murmured, his voice echoing through the cold underground chamber, filled with endless sorrow. He deeply regretted Shiranui Haotian's circumstances. With such powerful blood coursing through him, the boy should have shone beneath the sun, yet Danzo's ambitious gaze had fixed upon him, dragging him into an unknown vortex. "If Meihui ultimately loses to her illness..." Elder Setsuna did not dare think any further. At the thought of that possible outcome, his heart suddenly clenched, as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand.
Elder Setsuna clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening from the force. A chill rose from the depths of his heart and swiftly spread through his entire body. For the Uchiha clan's future, he had to prepare for the worst. The underground chamber was terrifyingly quiet, save for the occasional crackle of the oil lamp, as though it were sounding an alarm for the Uchiha clan's fate.
Meanwhile, throughout the streets and alleys of Konoha, the uproar over Haotian becoming Danzo's disciple gradually subsided. Yet an even tenser atmosphere hung in Konoha's air—the highly anticipated Chunin Exam was about to begin.
On the training grounds of the Konoha Ninja Academy, scorching sunlight poured onto the ground. Obito paced restlessly on the spot, muttering nonstop, "Ah! Another written exam! I hate