Uchiha! Uchiha!

Night fell.

The bright, clear moon was obscured by thick, dark clouds, leaving the flickering firelight as the only source of illumination in the night. The dancing flames cast mottled shadows across the room, where figures were packed so tightly they filled every corner of the hall.

Generally speaking, a large crowd implies a lively atmosphere, yet this cramped room felt remarkably cold and desolate.

Everyone sat in silence, motionless, and this chill was only broken by the arrival of a group of elders.

"I recall that today is not the scheduled day for a clan meeting."

"Furthermore, I recall that only the elders and the clan head have the authority to convene such a meeting. Am I right, Uchiha Yuji?" An elderly Uchiha elder stared fixedly at the youth seated in the position of honor.

"Even if you are the genius recognized by our Uchiha clan as being on par with that man, that is no justification for acting so recklessly."

"Normally, that would be the case, but there are always exceptions to every rule."

The voice was slightly youthful, and the boy's appearance matched the tone of his voice; he sat upright with his eyes tightly closed.

His dismissive attitude undoubtedly caused the blood pressure of several elders to skyrocket.

"Although we have high expectations for you, the time has not yet come for you to act so wantonly." Uchiha Setsuna was also quite dissatisfied with being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night.

He did not belong to the same faction as those pacifist elders, and he still identified with the words of that "young man."

"If a genius does not transform that talent into ability, then that day will never arrive. Or are you saying you have already completed the transition from genius to powerhouse?"

Uchiha Setsuna stared at the boy with a hint of expectation.

At the boy's age, in his understanding, there was only one possibility for transforming such talent into true ability, and Uchiha Yuji's talent had the potential to reach that realm.

"I believe the time point you speak of has already arrived."

Uchiha Yuji slowly opened his eyes.

Within his pupils, blood-red three-tomoe patterns spun frantically, rapidly merging into a single mass. The eerie, pinwheel-like pattern made the already silent space feel even more stifling, and an invisible pressure swept across the room.

Feeling the pressure emanating from the front, the Uchiha seated in the room simultaneously activated their own Kekkei Genkai.

Countless scarlet eyes, burning with a touch of fanaticism, stared directly at Uchiha Yuji.

The chakra, which was even colder and more sinister than that of any other three-tomoe Sharingan user, left no doubt that his eyes were the genuine article.

In this era, the Mangekyō Sharingan had not yet become a mere legend.

"Mangekyō Sharingan."

Even the three-tomoe in his own eyes could not hide Uchiha Setsuna's shock. He confirmed the authenticity of those eyes once more. "I never imagined I would be able to see such eyes again."

At his age, he was already considered to have lived a long life among ninjas, having witnessed countless Kekkei Genkai and secret techniques, yet only two stood above all other abilities.

Wood Release and the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Possessing this ability meant one already possessed true power.

"So, what do you intend to do with these eyes?"

"The Uchiha as it stands now will not suffice."

"Even the power of a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan is not enough."

The voice was very calm, as flat as if he were merely discussing whether he had eaten breakfast.

Yet, the summer night remained stiflingly hot, especially after being awakened in the dead of night.

"What? Uchiha Yuji, do you know what you are saying?" The pampered elders began their nagging once more.

One had to understand that in the recorded archives, the Mangekyō Sharingan was always labeled as: The Power of God.

The wielders of the Mangekyō Sharingan were generally people who could not be understood by ordinary men. Uchiha Setsuna had understood this point back when he followed Uchiha Madara, and the boy before him, who calmly stated that the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan was not enough, belonged to that same category of [extraordinary people].

They were all men destined to lead their era.

Uchiha Setsuna ignored the noisy, bothersome elders and got straight to the point. "What must we do? Or rather, what should the Uchiha clan do?"

"Let me lead the Uchiha!"

"Very well."

The dialogue between the two did not even have a moment's hesitation.

"Do you know what you are saying?"

"Elder Setsuna, even you do not have the authority to represent the Uchiha entirely!"

"We elders will not agree to this."

A terrifying, icy ocular power suddenly erupted. The heavy pressure did not just act upon their skin; it felt as if their hearts were being gripped by an invisible hand.

"Let the old men's nonsense end here."

The boy slowly stood up, his young and slender frame appearing incredibly imposing at this moment.

"I did not call the elders here tonight to seek your opinions, but to notify you. No matter what choice you make, it will not change my mind."

"One last piece of advice—elders: the times have changed."

"The remnants of the old era would do well to step down from the crest of the tide while they still can."

He did not speak the words that followed, but everyone understood exactly what he had left unsaid.

The Uchiha clan is proud, which also means that few among them have good tempers, even those doves who yearn to integrate into Konoha.

"Then let me witness the power of the new generation." He stared at the youthful cheeks of Uchiha Yuji, a faint, disdainful smirk playing on his lips.

So what if he possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan? At that age, is his chakra even sufficient? What if he were to defeat the Mangekyō Sharingan himself?

The blood in his aged body suddenly began to warm, but just as the old man prepared to rise, he felt a sharp, icy sensation at his throat.

Even in his old age, and even though his physical functions had declined significantly, the experience gained from lingering on the edge of life and death countless times allowed him to understand instantly what was pressed against his throat.

A kunai.

A kunai coming from behind him.

And sitting behind him was his own son, the child he was most proud of.

The blood that had just begun to heat up in the old man cooled faster than he could have imagined.

"So that's how it is. You and the others have already made your choice, Toshihiko."

"Yes, Father." Uchiha Toshihiko answered calmly.

"Then the Clan Head also..." The old man stared intently at those eyes filled with an evil charm, the Mangekyō, and understood everything in his heart.

"The reason wolves are strong is not because of the individual, but because they hunt in packs."

Uchiha Yuji looked around at the elders; though he sat composed, he did not display the posture of a "wolf."

Instead, he was like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment.

"To not even understand such a simple truth—the elders are truly too old, so old that you have become muddled."

"Toshihiko, let the elders go back and rest well."

The firelight in the room flickered, and one could vaguely see several shadows, almost stacked together, slowly retreating until only a row of neatly arranged silhouettes remained.