The Great Elder Summons!

After playing with Kushina for a while, Li walked her home. It was late at night, and Li's work was nearly finished. Despite not doing much, he felt exhausted after a long day. Walking home alone, the surroundings were deathly quiet. Everything from the Military Police Force headquarters outward was under the jurisdiction of the Uchiha Clan, and outsiders dared not set foot here.

"Come out. Aren't you tired of following me for so long?"

Li frowned slightly and looked toward the nearby wall. Ever since he left the Military Police Force, he had felt someone tailing him. If he hadn't sensed a lack of killing intent, Li would have struck first.

Whoosh!

As soon as Li finished speaking, a masked ninja appeared before him and said indifferently, "Mirai Uchiha, the Great Elder summons you. Come with me!"

Hearing the masked ninja, Li narrowed his eyes. Mentioning the Great Elder reminded him of the talk about Uchiha Lin earlier that day. If he wasn't mistaken, the Great Elder likely wanted to recruit him. With that thought, Li had an idea.

"Lead the way," Li said calmly to the masked ninja.

Li's readiness caught the masked ninja off guard; he had expected to put in some effort. However, the ninja didn't dwell on it. He was just a messenger. Having received his answer, the masked ninja turned and leaped onto the wall to the left. Seeing this, Li followed without hesitation.

The Uchiha Clan territory was divided into two main sections. One was the area where lower-ranking clansmen lived, closer to the perimeter, while the other was the residence of the clan's elite, located deeper inside. Uchiha Hao, as the clan leader, lived in the very center. Li had never met the so-called Great Elder. After running for a few minutes behind the masked ninja, they arrived at a courtyard. As soon as he pushed the gate open, he saw an old man sitting by a small pond, leisurely sipping tea. The old man wore a loose black kimono, and in front of him sat a small black cedar table with an exquisite tea set.

"Great Elder, the person has been brought," the masked ninja bowed slightly, then stepped to the Great Elder's side and whispered a few words.

"Mm, I see. You may withdraw," the Great Elder nodded slightly, took a sip of tea as if nothing had happened, and placed the cup back on the table.

Following the Great Elder's command, the masked ninja vanished instantly, leaving no trace behind.

Li narrowed his eyes. He hadn't sensed a shred of presence when the masked ninja left, which made him secretly wary. He realized the man must have let himself be discovered earlier on purpose; he had foolishly thought the man lacked skill.

"Heh, you must be Mirai Uchiha! Come, sit," the Great Elder chuckled, pointing to a white cushion opposite him.

"Mm." Li didn't stand on ceremony and sat directly across from the Great Elder.

Li's performance made the Great Elder's eyes light up. Logically, a simple "mm" was quite rude, but to the Great Elder, this behavior was only natural. Following one's heart was the duty a person should uphold; twisting one's behavior for the sake of empty etiquette was, in the Great Elder's mind, the most undesirable trait.

"You really look just like Madara Uchiha," the Great Elder observed Li, noting the shadow of Madara Uchiha's youth in his cold features and the unruly black hair swept back.

Li's hairstyle was modeled after Madara Uchiha's—simple and easy to maintain. He just brushed it back every morning, saving time and effort.

"Care for a drink?" The Great Elder looked away, took out another cup, filled it with tea, and slid it toward Li.

"Great Elder, it's late. Just tell me what you want," Li waved his hand and said indifferently. He wasn't in the mood for tea, nor did he have a hobby of tasting it. Drinking tea was just to quench thirst; why bother with the pretense?

Of course, Li was so blunt primarily because he found the Great Elder agreeable. When the Great Elder told him to sit, Li had intentionally responded simply and sat down without hesitation to test the man's attitude. The Great Elder hadn't been angered; instead, he had shown appreciation. Thus, Li now had a better understanding of the Great Elder's character, or rather, a better guess as to which faction he belonged to.

"Heh!" The Great Elder didn't mind Li's bluntness; it only reminded him of Madara Uchiha back in the day. This was exactly the aura he wanted—the mindset of someone who looked down on everyone. After a soft laugh, the Great Elder stopped smiling, pondered for a moment, and said, "Li, what do you think of the current state of the Uchiha Clan and Konoha?"

Hearing this, Li nodded slightly. It was as he had thought. The faction led by the Great Elder was likely dissatisfied with being subservient to Konoha. When the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan joined forces to found Konoha, Madara Uchiha's temperament changed after deciphering the Uchiha Clan stone tablet. He wanted to lead the clan into war again, but most clansmen refused. Only a small minority agreed. Madara Uchiha, disheartened, left those few behind in anger. That small group was likely the Great Elder and his followers.

"When the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan joined forces to found Konoha, the intention was to bring peace to the world. But ever since the First Hokage died, the village has continuously suppressed our Uchiha Clan. Konoha was founded by both our clans; if the first Hokage was from the Senju, then by rule, the second should have been from the Uchiha. But after Madara disappeared following his battle with Hashirama Senju at the Valley of the End, the Senju lost their fear of him and began to suppress us. The second Hokage was snatched by the Senju again. Now, under the leadership of our clan head, our people have grown accustomed to being pushed around. We've lost the dignity we once held as the number one clan in the ninja world. Even a small Hyuga Clan dares to compare their Byakugan to our Sharingan, and even common ninja dare to question the Uchiha in the name of the Konoha Hokage. It is truly intolerable!" As Li spoke, he slammed his hand on the table, splashing tea everywhere. This stirred the Great Elder, who hadn't expected a six-year-old to have such insight.