Fierce Battle with Fugaku

Uchiha Gento raised his eyes to see the three elders of the clan already seated at the head of the hall.

In the center sat the First Elder, Uchiha Zonyan. His brow was stern, and he wore a dark gray haori over a plain-colored kimono.

His spirits had clearly improved significantly in recent days.

The reason was simple: Uchiha Gento had led the Uchiha to a crushing victory over Sunagakure, ending the war and allowing the clansmen—who had long carried the label of a "problematic clan"—to finally hold their heads high in the village.

Seated to the left was the Second Elder, Uchiha Shingen.

He was in his early fifties, with a short mustache on his lip and a pair of narrow, shrewd eyes.

He had been in charge of the clan's finances for over forty years.

Every expenditure and every property in the clan had been verified by his hand.

Standing behind Shingen was Uchiha Fugaku.

Fugaku stood straight with a somber expression. Seeing Uchiha Gento enter, his gaze met his for a brief moment before calmly shifting away.

To the right sat the only female among the three elders, Uchiha Chie.

At seventy-three years of age, her face was kind, with laugh lines at the corners of her eyes like chrysanthemum petals.

She wore the traditional white kosode and red hakama of a shrine maiden, with a Three Tomoe pendant hanging from her neck—the token of office for the keepers of the shrine through the generations.

Elder Uchiha Chie was responsible for the clan's sacrificial rites and the affairs of the Naka Shrine; all prayers, funerals, and clan meeting benedictions were presided over by her personally.

Uchiha Gento stepped forward and bowed to the three elders, neither servile nor overbearing.

Elder Uchiha Zonyan raised his hand with a smile, his eyes filled with unconcealable gratification.

"Uchiha Gento, I truly did not misjudge you!"

"You did an excellent job in this war!"

Elder Shingen, off to the side, gave a light cough.

"Uchiha Zonyan, let us save the reminiscing for later. The clansmen have all arrived; it is time to begin the business at hand."

Uchiha Zonyan nodded and turned his gaze toward Elder Uchiha Chie.

"Uchiha Chie, if you would."

Elder Uchiha Chie rose slowly.

She walked to the statue of the Sage of Six Paths in the center of the shrine and took a primitive Sakaki Wand from her sleeve.

It was a ritual implement made of verdant sakaki branches and white paper streamers.

She waved the Sakaki Wand three times to the left and three times to the right in front of her. Her movements were slow and solemn, filling the room with a heavy silence.

"Amaterasu Omikami, Izanagi-no-Mikoto, Izanami-no-Mikoto..."

The old woman's voice echoed softly.

"The Sage of Six Paths leaves his traces here; the kaleidoscope turns, and the Sharingan inherits the light. Today, the descendants of the Uchiha clan are gathered before the shrine to appoint a new head, to carry on the crest of the fan, and to guard the legacy of our kin. I pray for the gods to bear witness and for our ancestors to hear."

She returned the Sakaki Wand to the altar and turned to face the gathered clansmen.

"The clan council begins."

Elder Uchiha Zonyan stood up, took the hands of Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Gento, and led them to the center of the hall.

"Today, the choice of the clan head shall be decided between these two."

"I, along with Shingen and Uchiha Chie, shall each cast one vote. Whoever receives two votes shall be the new clan head."

He paused, then raised his voice:

"Uchiha Gento is young and promising, possessing both courage and strategy. In this war, he led our clansmen against Sunagakure and achieved a great victory with zero casualties, raising the prestige of our clan and protecting our kin. Therefore, I cast my vote for Uchiha Gento!"

Elder Shingen gave a light cough and spoke slowly:

"I hold a different view."

His gaze swept over Uchiha Gento and landed on Uchiha Fugaku:

"Uchiha Gento certainly has military merit, but he has only been a jonin for a short time. Has he ever participated in clan administration? Has he ever mediated disputes between ninja clans? Has he ever held command in the Police Force?"

He paused, his tone firm:

"The position of clan head is not merely about slaughter on the battlefield; it requires one to sit firmly and manage clearly. Uchiha Fugaku is ten years his senior and has served in key positions within the Police Force. The former clan head even entrusted him with the succession on his deathbed. This stability and experience cannot be matched by a young newcomer."

"Therefore, I cast my vote for Uchiha Fugaku!"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes fell upon Elder Uchiha Chie.

Two of the three votes had been cast; Elder Uchiha Chie's pivotal vote would decide the future leader of the clan!

Elder Uchiha Chie remained silent for a moment, her aged voice slowly rising:

"The former clan head died on the battlefield, sacrificing himself for the clan. I believe that the successor needs not only management ability but also formidable personal combat strength."

"Therefore, I have decided that Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Gento shall engage in a duel. The winner shall receive my vote."

"Whoosh—"

The hall erupted in an instant uproar.

"Who do you think will win?"

"Need you ask? Lord Fugaku, of course! He is so much older than Xuandou, and he hasn't spent all those years in the Police Force for nothing—his experience speaks for itself!"

"Experience is one thing, but strength is another! Lord Xuandou is the one who led the team that wiped out the main force of Sunagakure!"

"I'm betting on Lord Fugaku regardless."

"Then I'm backing Lord Xuandou!"

Elder Chie gave a light cough, and the hall gradually fell silent.

She looked toward Fugaku and Xuandou:

"Do either of you have any objections?"

The two men exchanged glances, then both shook their heads.

Elder Chie nodded:

"In that case, please move outside."

Outside the shrine lay an open expanse of gravel, surrounded by ancient, towering trees. The night wind whistled through the treetops, setting the bronze bells on the eaves to chiming.

The clansmen spontaneously stepped back, forming a human wall around the clearing.

Elder Chie stood before the steps:

"This duel is solely to determine the level of combat prowess. Both of you are elite talents of our clan; remember, do not use lethal force. Violators will be stripped of their candidacy for clan head!"

Seeing them both nod, Chie immediately raised her hand:

"Begin!"

The words had barely left her lips when the two men began weaving hand seals at high speed.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Two scorching fireballs collided with a roar in the center of the clearing, flames exploding outward before both were extinguished.

Without a moment's pause, the two continued their seals.

Fugaku's hand seals were so fast they were nearly a blur.

Ultimately, it was the more experienced Fugaku who completed his seals first.

"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

A massive sea of fire surged from his mouth, overwhelming the area like Dotō. Wherever the flames passed, the gravel turned charred and black.

Xuandou's seals were not yet complete.

He had no choice but to dodge while continuing to weave his seals.

Fortunately, Xuandou's Three-Tomoe Sharingan had already quietly activated.

Through the rapid analysis of his dynamic vision, he finally managed a narrow, desperate roll to evade the flames just before they could consume him.

Xuandou's seals did not stop.

Fugaku knew the clan's ninjutsu like the back of his hand, yet the seals Xuandou was weaving were unlike any he had ever seen in the clan!

What kind of ninjutsu was this?

Off the field, the Uchiha clansmen were stunned by such an intense opening.

Seeing Fugaku gain the upper hand, his supporters began to cheer.

Those supporting Xuandou broke into a cold sweat.

Even the elders on the sidelines wore expressions of confusion:

Why were Xuandou's seals so unfamiliar?

Zong Yan's brows furrowed slightly.

Shingen narrowed his eyes, remaining silent.

Chie watched the field quietly.

Just then, Xuandou finally completed his seals.

"Yin Release: Heart-Diverging Door!"

The unknown ninjutsu finally made Fugaku feel the pressure.

His own Three-Tomoe Sharingan activated instantly, locking onto Xuandou in an attempt to capture a flaw in the technique.

However, the moment his gaze met Xuandou's, Fugaku's pupils constricted.

Not good! It's a genjutsu!

He could never have imagined that Xuandou would actually use a genjutsu against him!

How could anyone be foolish enough to use genjutsu against an Uchiha?

Fugaku was alarmed, but not panicked.

His Sharingan spun instantly, attempting to repel the genjutsu.

However, that frigid chakra clung like marrow-eating maggots, piercing straight through the Sharingan's defenses to invade his consciousness directly.

It had no effect!

This is impossible!

What kind of genjutsu is this?!

Cold sweat broke out on Fugaku instantly.

A violent wave of dizziness washed over him.

Fugaku bit the tip of his tongue, the pain barely keeping him tethered to a sliver of clarity.

Yet at that very moment, Xuandou was already charging forward, kunai in hand.

In Fugaku's field of vision, Xuandou's face suddenly shifted.

It was not Xuandou.

It was Itachi.

It was his four-year-old eldest son, walking toward him with those quiet, precociously wise black eyes.

Fugaku knew perfectly well that this was a genjutsu.

He knew it was Xuandou, not Itachi.

Yet, eerily, no matter how hard he tried, he could not lift his fingers to weave the hand signs.

What a formidable genjutsu...

Fugaku realized this was because the opponent's genjutsu had reached an incredibly sophisticated level.

Even though he had already used his Sharingan to repel it, negating the majority of the genjutsu's effects, it had still managed to deceive his subconscious.

It seems I have no choice but to use that technique!

Outside the arena, cries of alarm erupted.

"Why isn't Lord Fugaku moving!"

"It's a genjutsu! Lord Xuandou's genjutsu has paralyzed Lord Fugaku!"

"Even the Sharingan couldn't repel it? That's impossible!"

Watching as Xuandou arrived right before Fugaku, raising his kunai to strike.