Clan Gathering

Inside the secret chamber.

A stone tablet covered in mysterious characters stood quietly. The Tengu mural on the back wall seemed to hold some profound meaning as well.

Crackle.

Two braziers burned, one on the left and one on the right, illuminating the inscriptions on the tablet and the mural, as well as the faces of everyone in the secret chamber.

In front of the stone tablet, the Uchiha clan members sat on the ground. A rough count showed over fifty people.

Some were talking loudly, others whispering softly.

Some had gentle expressions, while others looked excited.

These Uchiha were all uniformly dressed in dark blue, high-collared long robes, with the clan's fan emblem – red face, white handle – embroidered on their backs.

They looked neat and orderly at a glance.

It had to be said.

This uniform design was modern and avant-garde, and it also accentuated their figures, best showcasing the Uchiha's handsomeness and demeanor.

At this moment.

The arrival of Dan and Itachi attracted quite a few gazes.

Swish, swish, swish.

Clan members turned their heads one after another, their eyes scrutinizing them. Upon seeing Dan, they couldn't help but show surprise.

Dan's nearly two-meter height and his robust, almost inhuman physique ensured that he would be the most eye-catching presence wherever he went.

He was not wearing the Uchiha uniform but a loose black Taoist robe. In terms of appearance and temperament, he didn't look like an Uchiha at all.

Someone asked in a low voice:

"Isn't that the Clan Head's son, Itachi? Who is that big guy next to him? He looks like he's not to be trifled with."

"I know, he's Itachi's Uncle, Uchiha Dan. He was invited by the Clan Head to attend the clan meeting," someone with insider information said.

"So this is the Clan Head's brother-in-law. I heard his taijutsu is very powerful. He killed several spies on the street not long ago. He's certainly strong, but has he awakened the Sharingan?"

Someone raised a question.

After all.

According to the clan rules, only clan members who had awakened the Sharingan were qualified to participate in the Uchiha clan meetings.

Dan ignored the clan members' discussions.

His gaze was as calm as water as he swept across the crowd. He didn't recognize most of the faces, but he did spot a few familiar ones.

It was Yashiro, Tekka, and Inohi, along with Elder Uchiha Setsuna.

Upon seeing Dan, the faces of this group of radicals changed.

They understood Dan's power and madness better than other clan members, especially Dan's proposed "Shattered Jade Plan," which even frightened the radicals.

Under Dan's stare, several of them turned their heads away unnaturally, avoiding eye contact.

Huh?

After Dan's gaze passed over Yashiro and the others, he suddenly saw a woman with long black hair smiling and waving at him.

It was his older sister, Uchiha Mikoto.

Although Mikoto was now a full-time housewife, focusing on her husband and children at home, she was also a genuine Konoha Jonin and a former elite of the Police Force's First Squad.

She didn't usually attend clan meetings anymore, but this time she had clearly come specifically for her younger brother.

Dan flashed a smile and walked straight ahead.

"Make way."

He extended a pair of large hands, sweeping through the crowd like fans. Some who didn't want to yield were pushed over, stumbling and falling.

Soon.

Amidst the angry gazes of the clan members behind him, Dan reached the front row of the crowd.

He plopped down next to Mikoto, like a small mountain, enveloping his sister in his protection.

"Dan, this is your first time attending a clan meeting, so there are some things you need to be aware of beforehand..."

Mikoto linked her arm with Dan's, kindly explaining the rules of the clan meeting to her younger brother.

"Mhm, mhm."

Dan listened to his sister's chatter, nodding occasionally, but it went in one ear and out the other.

After Itachi brought Dan into the secret room, he didn't stick with his uncle anymore.

He scanned his surroundings and, not finding Shisui in the crowd, couldn't help but worry.

Suddenly.

"Itachi!"

A clear and surprised female voice came from the side. Itachi looked over and saw Uchiha Izumi.

After becoming a genin, it was Izumi's first time attending a clan meeting. She was currently standing alone in a corner, looking a bit lost.

Until she saw Itachi.

Itachi was happy inside, but he didn't show it on his face. He just walked over and said to Izumi:

"Don't be nervous. Many of the clan members here are actually not as good as you."

He was telling the truth.

Izumi had awakened her Sharingan at the age of 5, the earliest Itachi knew of among the Uchiha. By 11, she had evolved it to Three-Tomoe, which showed how astonishing her talent was.

After all, many clan members were in their twenties and their Sharingan were still only at One-Tomoe or Two-Tomoe.

If they were to put it in their words, Izumi's "capacity" far surpassed that of an ordinary Uchiha.

Compared to a genius like Itachi, what Izumi currently lacked were combat techniques and experience, as well as the strong mindset forged in the crucible of life and death.

However, as long as she didn't die prematurely, she would have all of these in the future.

Hearing Itachi's encouragement.

Izumi finally relaxed, revealing a sweet smile, and became full of anticipation for the clan meeting.

Seeing her excited expression, Itachi sighed inwardly.

Izumi didn't know the current situation of the Uchiha clan, nor how intensified the internal conflicts were. If they started arguing later, or even escalated to a physical fight, she would probably be terrified.

Thinking of this.

Itachi looked at Izumi with a serious expression and cautioned her:

"No matter what happens at the clan meeting later, just listen. Don't speak carelessly, and definitely don't take sides or make any statements, understand?"

He was worried Izumi would get caught up in this vortex and be affected.

"Oh... I understand."

Izumi nodded, half-understanding, and from Itachi's words, she realized that this clan meeting might not be what she had imagined.

As the two were chatting.

"Itachi."

A familiar voice came from behind. Itachi turned around and saw that Shisui had finally arrived.

"I'm going over there."

He said to Izumi before walking towards Shisui and soon began conversing with him.

"Is that person your uncle?"

Shisui glanced at the front of the crowd. Dan's mountain-like back was too conspicuous, making Shisui curious.

Dan was indeed very different from other Uchiha.

"That's right, it's him."

Itachi's face was solemn, and he once again pleaded with Shisui, "I'll leave it to you."

"Don't worry, I'm well-prepared."

Shisui smiled, then crossed his arms and sat down on the spot.

Seeing this, Itachi also sat down, joining Shisui in the last row of the crowd, coldly observing the various states of the clan members.

In the front.

"Dan, do you have any other questions?" Mikoto asked after explaining the rules of the clan meeting.

Dan thought for a moment and suddenly started a census with Mikoto:

"Sister, how many clan members does the Uchiha have now? How many have awakened the Sharingan? And how many of them are Jonin?"

Mikoto was a little surprised. Her brother had never cared about these matters within the clan before.

Now that Dan finally cared about the family, Mikoto naturally told him everything she knew.

From her, Dan learned that.

Currently, the Uchiha clan has a population of nearly eight hundred people. This is a considerable decline from its peak of over a thousand, but it is still considered a large clan in Konoha.

Among them, clan members who have awakened the Sharingan account for one-tenth of the total, which is about eighty people.

Thanks to YELLOW Liang for the reward of 500 Qidian coins!