Winds and Clouds Stir in the Dark

Uchiha Ling did not answer, merely displaying those eyes that symbolized the supreme power of the Uchiha Clan in silence.

That cold and formidable ocular power pressed against Uchiha Setsuna's nerves like a physical weight, leaving him with no doubt as to the authenticity of those eyes.

In an instant, all of Uchiha Setsuna's arrogance, skepticism, and perfunctory attitude vanished into thin air.

Before absolute power—especially the legendary power most worshipped by the Uchiha Clan—all calculations and stances appeared pale and powerless.

He felt as if he could see the Uchiha Clan, under the guidance of these eyes, marching toward unprecedented glory!

"Ling... Lord Ling!" Uchiha Setsuna's attitude underwent a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn, his tone filled with unprecedented reverence, and even a hint of fanaticism.

"This old man... this old man did not know you had received the ancestors' favor and awakened the divine eyes! With the Mangekyo Sharingan present, how could our Uchiha not flourish? You are the only one capable of leading the clan toward the future!"

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately declared his stance: "From this day forward, I, Uchiha Setsuna, shall follow Lord Ling's lead! Should you have any commands, I will not refuse even at the cost of my life!"

As a member of the Uchiha Clan who had survived since the Warring States period, Setsuna had witnessed the immense power of the previous clan head, Madara Uchiha, and his Mangekyo Sharingan.

A blue giant over a hundred meters tall was simply beyond the imagination of ordinary ninja.

However, what Uchiha Setsuna did not know was that the hundred-meter blue giant he had seen was the form Madara Uchiha achieved after awakening the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

Uchiha Ling slowly retracted his ocular power, his eyes returning to normal.

This was exactly the effect he wanted!

He steadied the elder, who was so agitated he was on the verge of kneeling, and said in a deep voice: "Elder Setsuna, there is no need for such formalities. The existence of these eyes must remain a secret for now."

"The situation within the clan is complex; it is not yet time to expose them. I hope you can secretly contact other trustworthy clansmen and let them know that the Uchiha has found new hope and direction, but you must be cautious—do not let word leak out."

"Understood! This old man understands!" Uchiha Setsuna nodded repeatedly, as if he had received a sacred mission.

"Lord Ling is truly far-sighted! Rest assured, I know what must be done! I will certainly accumulate strength in the shadows for you, my Lord!"

After leaving Elder Setsuna's residence, Uchiha Ling repeated the same process over the next few days, relying on the absolute deterrence of the Mangekyo Sharingan to "visit" several other jonin who held significant influence within the clan.

The process was almost identical: first discussing the future of the clan to provoke disagreement, and then, when the other party questioned his ability and qualifications, suddenly revealing the Mangekyo Sharingan.

Each time, it brought immense shock and support.

These backbone members of the clan, having witnessed the legendary eyes with their own, were all incredibly stirred, as if they had seen the dawn of the clan's rise.

Uchiha Ling's status in their hearts instantly surpassed all his peers, including Uchiha Fugaku, and even began to rival that of the clan head, Uchiha Chishin.

Uchiha Ling likewise instructed them to keep the secret strictly and prepare in the shadows.

However, outside of this new force quietly gathering in the dark, the residence of the clan head, Uchiha Chishin, presented a different scene.

Uchiha Chishin stood before the window of his study, gazing at the heavy night outside.

He was about fifty years old, with a scholarly and refined appearance, yet his brow carried a trace of inescapable exhaustion and deep anxiety.

As the clan head, he was not entirely unaware of the undercurrents within the clan.

He had vaguely sensed Uchiha Ling's recent performance, as well as the subtle changes in the attitudes of certain elders and jonin.

More importantly, he possessed a secret no one else knew—he, too, had once awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan.

However, his Mangekyo ability was not used for combat; it was extremely unique and vague—"Fate's Glimpse."

At certain moments, he could occasionally catch glimpses of fragmented, disjointed scenes and general trends regarding the future. It could not be narrowed down to specific events or people; it was more like a vague perception of the flow of the river of fate.

Just a short while ago, during a deep meditation, he had triggered this ability once more.

The fragments he saw were blurry and chaotic: the Uchiha Clan's crest, rather than being extinguished in the flames, burned even more fiercely, planted upon a territory of unprecedented scale; Konoha became even more prosperous, filled with an indescribable vitality.

Yet, in this scene of prosperity, he did not clearly see the figure of his own son, Uchiha Fugaku. Instead, a blurry young figure carrying the Uchiha Gunbai stood at the pinnacle of power, leading it all.

That back, he realized, vaguely overlapped with the Uchiha Ling he knew.

This perception left Uchiha Chishin's heart filled with immense complexity.

From the perspective of the clan's fate and future, Uchiha Ling seemed to be the "correct" candidate capable of leading the Uchiha toward a stronger, more prosperous future.

His abilities and methods might truly be able to break the deadlock the Uchiha Clan had faced for years.

But as a father, he still harbored a selfish desire deep in his heart.

Uchiha Fugaku was his son, the heir in whom he had placed high hopes since childhood.

Fugaku was steady, powerful, and followed tradition. He might lack the sharp edge and unfathomable depth of Uchiha Ling, but in his eyes, that was not necessarily a flaw.

How he wished that the figure leading the clan's future was his own son.

"Fugaku..." Uchiha Chishin sighed softly, his eyes filled with contradiction and struggle.

Uchiha Chishin knew that an invisible storm was brewing within the clan.

Should he follow the "great trend" of his vague perception, or rely on a father's bias to support his own son with all his might?

This difficult choice weighed upon his heart like a heavy shackle.

And his Mangekyo Sharingan, which could only catch glimpses of a blurry future, could not give him a clear answer.