Uchiha Ling didn't answer. He simply stood there, silently displaying the eyes that symbolized the Uchiha Clan's supreme power.
The cold, overwhelming ocular power pressed down on Uchiha Setsuna's nerves as if it were tangible, leaving him with no doubt that those eyes were real.
In an instant, all of Uchiha Setsuna's earlier arrogance, skepticism, and perfunctory attitude vanished.
Faced with absolute power—especially the legendary power most revered by the Uchiha Clan—all schemes and positions seemed pale and powerless.
He seemed to see the Uchiha Clan, led by those eyes, advancing toward unprecedented glory!
"Ling... Lord Ling!" Uchiha Setsuna's attitude changed completely. His voice was more respectful than ever, with even a hint of fervor.
"This old man... I didn't know you had received our ancestors' favor and awakened the divine eyes! With the Mangekyō Sharingan, how could the Uchiha fail to prosper? You're the only one suited to lead the clan into the future!"
He declared his allegiance without the slightest hesitation. "From this day on, I, Uchiha Setsuna, will follow Lord Ling's lead! I'll carry out any order, even if it costs me my life!"
As a member of the Uchiha Clan who had survived since the Warring States era, Setsuna had witnessed the power of the previous Uchiha Clan Head, Madara Uchiha, and his Mangekyō Sharingan.
The hundred-meter-tall blue giant was beyond anything an ordinary ninja could imagine.
What Uchiha Setsuna didn't know was that the hundred-meter-tall blue Susanoo he had seen was the form Madara Uchiha took after awakening the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Uchiha Ling slowly reined in his ocular power, and his eyes returned to normal.
That was exactly the effect he wanted!
He steadied Elder Setsuna, who was so excited he was nearly dropping to his knees, and said gravely, "There's no need for such formalities, Elder Setsuna. For now, the existence of these eyes must remain secret.
"The clan's situation is complicated, and it would be unwise to reveal them too soon. I hope you can quietly contact other trustworthy clan members and let them know that the Uchiha have a new hope and direction. But be cautious, and don't let the secret slip."
"Understood! I understand!" Uchiha Setsuna nodded repeatedly, as if he had received a sacred mission.
"Lord Ling, you've thought this through so thoroughly! Don't worry, this old man knows what to do! I'll secretly gather strength for you!"
After leaving Elder Setsuna's residence, Uchiha Ling repeated the same approach over the following days, relying on the sheer intimidation of his Mangekyō Sharingan to "visit" several influential jōnin in the clan.
The process was almost identical each time: first, he discussed the clan's future and sparked disagreements. Then, when the other party questioned his ability and qualifications, he suddenly revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Each time, it left them utterly shaken and won their support.
After witnessing the legendary eyes with their own eyes, these clan stalwarts were all overcome with excitement, as if they had glimpsed the dawn of the clan's rise.
In their eyes, Uchiha Ling instantly surpassed every peer, including Uchiha Fugaku, and even came close to the standing of Clan Head Uchiha Chishin.
Uchiha Ling also reminded them to keep the secret and make preparations in private.
Yet beyond this new force quietly gathering in the shadows, a different scene was unfolding inside Clan Head Uchiha Chishin's residence.
Uchiha Chishin stood by the window of his study, gazing out into the deep darkness of the night.
He was about fifty, with a refined, scholarly face, but his brow bore a persistent weariness and deep worry.
As clan head, he wasn't entirely unaware of the undercurrents within the clan.
He had sensed Uchiha Ling's recent behavior, as well as the subtle changes in the attitudes of certain elders and jōnin.
More importantly, he possessed a secret no one knew: he had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan himself.
But his Mangekyō ability wasn't suited for combat. It was extremely unusual and vague: "Fate's Glimpse."
At certain moments, he could occasionally catch fragmented glimpses and general trends concerning the future. He couldn't discern specific events or people with any precision; it was more like a hazy perception of the current of fate.
Not long ago, during a deep meditation, he had triggered this ability once more.
The visions he saw were hazy and chaotic: the Uchiha Clan's crest did not fade in the flames. Instead, it burned more fiercely than ever, emblazoned across a vast territory unlike any before. Konoha grew more prosperous, filled with an indescribable vitality.
Yet amid this prosperous vision, he couldn't clearly see his son, Uchiha Fugaku. Instead, a blurred young figure, seen from behind with an Uchiha Gunbai, stood at the pinnacle of power, leading it all.
That silhouette bore a faint resemblance to Uchiha Ling.
This vision left Uchiha Chishin deeply conflicted.
Considering the clan's fate and future, Uchiha Ling seemed to be the "right" person to lead the Uchiha toward greater strength and prosperity.
Perhaps his abilities and methods really could break the Uchiha Clan's long-standing impasse.
But as a father, he still harbored a selfish wish deep down.
Uchiha Fugaku was his son, the heir in whom he had placed his hopes since childhood.
Fugaku was steady, strong, and traditional. Perhaps he lacked Uchiha Ling's boldness and unfathomable cunning, but Chishin didn't necessarily consider those flaws.
How dearly he wished the one leading the clan into the future could be his own son.
"Fugaku..." Uchiha Chishin sighed softly, his eyes filled with conflict and indecision.
Uchiha Chishin knew that an invisible storm was brewing within the clan.
Should he follow the vague sense of the "greater trend," or let his selfish wish as a father guide him and fully support his son?
This difficult choice weighed on his heart like a heavy shackle.
Yet his Mangekyō Sharingan, which could only glimpse an indistinct future, couldn't give him a clear answer.
Before you continue