The shrine's main hall blazed with light.
The deep, dusky glow of day had been replaced by flickering candlelight, clearly illuminating the solemn anticipation on every Uchiha's face.
The Old Clan Head stood before the fan crest, his frame aged, his gaze sweeping over the hall like a hawk's.
The hall was silent enough to hear a pin drop.
"After reaching a final agreement with the Hokage..."
The Old Clan Head's voice was strong and resonant.
"Our Uchiha Clan will form an independent shinobi army and soon march to the eastern coast of the Land of Fire to face Kirigakure!"
His words stirred no commotion. Instead, an even tauter silence settled over the hall.
Every eye focused on him, waiting for the details.
"This battle concerns our clan's honor and disgrace, as well as its future."
With his hands clasped behind his back, the Old Clan Head's voice rose sharply, carrying a fervor that seemed to awaken memories buried deep in their blood.
"Therefore, I have resolved to follow the example of our ancestors in the Warring States era and restore the Uchiha's edge—the Uchiha Red Guard!"
At the words "Red Guard," the eyes of many older Uchiha in the hall blazed with light. It was the glory and memory they had heard from their parents as children, impossible to forget.
"Based on the number of clan members, the Red Guard Unit will initially have a strength of two hundred!"
The Old Clan Head surveyed the crowd and announced each word deliberately. "It will be composed entirely of the clan's elite. Every member must be at least a Chunin and a warrior whose Sharingan has awakened!"
He paused, then turned his gaze toward the young leaders standing below, finally fixing it on Uchiha Ren.
"After a vote by the clan