The wind stirred up by Uchiha Madara rippled the gunbai fans behind everyone, setting their restless hearts ablaze.
The noise in the room grew louder and louder. The din seemed ready to pierce the auditorium's vaulted ceiling and surge into the boundless sky.
Amid the excited crowd, a sigh that didn't fit in caught Rikusei's attention. He'd been slacking off, but now he turned to look toward the sound.
It was Uchiha Kaku. Beside him stood Setsuna, looking thoroughly excited. The two contrasting moods blended perfectly, without seeming out of place amid the lively crowd.
A faint smile played at Madara's lips. He was glad to see this. He let the noise swell around him, silently watching without interfering.
Though the Senju Clan had faded into the background within the village, as long as Senju Hashirama and Tobirama remained as its standard-bearers, the clan's unity wouldn't easily dissipate.
After the commotion died down, Uchiha Setsuna stepped forward and clapped his hands, signaling for everyone to sit. "Quiet down. If outsiders saw us like this, they'd think the Uchiha Clan always held meetings this way."
Back on his cushion, Rikusei looked helplessly at Setsuna, who calmly kept order. But there was no hiding the excitement in his eyes.
Setsuna's expression suddenly turned solemn. He turned toward the man seated cross-legged and called out, "Clan leader, please lead us in capturing the last Tailed Beast!"
His clear voice echoed through the hall. The crowd, which had just settled into silence, erupted into an uproar, everyone staring intently at their returned clan leader.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Kaku shot to his feet and scolded him. "Capturing Tailed Beasts is the village's business. The Uchiha Clan doesn't get to make that decision on its own."
Setsuna didn't back down under the reprimand. Instead, he met