I Swear by Lord Madara of My Ancestors

Early the next morning, Uchiha Kenichi, pale-faced after a night of vomiting, walked into the secret alchemy chamber with a look of smug triumph.

Listening to the continuous series of explosions, Uchiha Kenichi shook his head in disdain and sauntered over to Uchiha Aoki's side.

Uchiha Aoki had just turned twenty this year, had already awakened his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and had become an elite jonin. Along with Uchiha Kenichi and Uchiha Mahiro, he was considered one of the leaders of the Uchiha's younger generation.

Compared to Uchiha Kenichi's arrogant personality, Uchiha Aoki was introverted, steady, and meticulous in his work; he had already reached a 20% success rate in refining Healing Liquid.

Unfortunately, this particular bottle of Healing Liquid failed, exploding with a loud "bang."

"Aoki, you're just not cutting it."

Uchiha Kenichi stood nearby, his face full of mockery. Although he and Aoki were good friends, that didn't stop him from taking a jab at him.

Uchiha Aoki had long been accustomed to this friend's caustic personality and couldn't be bothered to respond. He rubbed his tired eyes and prepared to continue refining.

"Aoki, take a break. The Clan Head said that constant refining puts a heavy burden on the spirit."

Uchiha Mahiro, standing nearby, frowned with concern.

Uchiha Mahiro was the youngest of them, yet he was cold on the outside but kind on the inside, often finding himself looking after Uchiha Kenichi and Uchiha Aoki, who were both older than him.

"Right, move aside. Let me, Kenichi, show you what real alchemy is."

Having suffered through a month of hell in the illusion, Uchiha Kenichi had been itching to show off. He shoved Uchiha Aoki aside and began to refine the medicine with practiced ease.

In the illusion, there were instructional videos left behind by Obito. Uchiha Kenichi had practiced until he felt like vomiting; he couldn't stop, and he certainly couldn't afford to mess around, not with a massive thundercloud hovering right over his head.

With a fluid set of movements, Uchiha Kenichi first purified the various herbs to remove impurities, then used his spiritual energy to balance the medicinal properties between them. Within the time it took for a few incense sticks to burn, a bottle of glowing green Healing Liquid was finished.

Just then, Obito, who had spent the night contemplating various cultivation techniques, walked in with a slightly floaty gait. He patted Uchiha Kenichi on the shoulder in surprise and encouraged him: "Kenichi, I really didn't misjudge you!"

"I owe it all to the Clan Head's cultivation."

Having endured a month of misery, Uchiha Kenichi didn't dare to act up; he looked at this great demon king—whom he had cursed ten thousand times in his heart—with a fawning expression.

"Hmm."

Obito nodded in satisfaction and smiled at Uchiha Fugaku, who was sitting at a table handling clan affairs: "Senior Fugaku, Kenichi has been trained up. From now on, Shisui and Kenichi can watch over this place, and you can head back."

"Good."

Uchiha Fugaku took a deep breath, his face showing a look of relief.

Uchiha Fugaku was a good man who cared for his family, but because of this whole ordeal, he hadn't been home in days. Now that he was finally free, he felt both joy and a bit of panic—could he even still enter his own home?

Uchiha Shisui looked at Obito with resentment. Although he had a good temper, one shouldn't bully an honest man to this extent; he had been stuck here for many days too!

Especially these idiots—oh, no, I shouldn't say that. I, Uchiha Shisui, am a polite person. It's just that these seniors' comprehension skills are truly lacking; things I learned in a few tries, I've taught them hundreds of times and they still don't get it.

Obito sighed, looked at Uchiha Shisui sincerely, and said earnestly: "Shisui, it is precisely because this is a difficult task that I have entrusted it to you."

"Think about it. If our Uchiha clan can master the production of these potions, not only will it give the Hidden Leaf Village ninjas an advantage in the upcoming war, but it will also raise the status of our Uchiha clan and ease our relationship with the village's top brass."

"Isn't this what you have always dreamed of?"

"For the sake of your dream, working a few extra days—what does that even matter!"

Uchiha Shisui nodded blankly, feeling that something was wrong, yet believing that what Obito said made perfect sense.

He had always been pained by the tense relationship between the Uchiha clan and the village. If he could ease that tension through this method and even help the clan and the village, what did working a few extra days matter?

Uchiha Shisui felt ashamed of his own sluggish attitude. If he only had this level of capacity, what right did he have to call himself an heir to the Will of Fire?

Just as Uchiha Shisui was feeling ashamed, he saw Obito preparing to sneak away again. He suddenly snapped to his senses, stepped forward, grabbed Obito, and asked suspiciously: "Where are you going?"

Obito reined in his guilty expression. By the time he turned around, his face was full of righteousness. He patted Uchiha Shisui on the shoulder and said solemnly: "As the Clan Head of the Uchiha, I naturally have to go handle the most arduous task."

"Really?"

Uchiha Shisui had been tricked by this expression of Obito's too many times to count. He didn't believe it at all and continued to stare at him suspiciously.

"You still don't trust me?"

Obito looked at Uchiha Shisui with a heartbroken expression, patted his chest, and promised: "I swear by my most respected ancestor, Madara, that if I am lying to you, may Madara die without a burial place and never be reincarnated."

Although Uchiha Shisui felt the oath was a bit strange, he thought of how Obito usually held Madara in such high regard, so he nodded and loosened his grip on Obito's hand.

Obito breathed a sigh of relief, grabbed Uchiha Kenichi—who was still showing off among the many clansmen—and said with a smile: "Kenichi, how do you feel about the help I gave you last time?"

Uchiha Kenichi blinked in confusion, looked at Obito cautiously, and said submissively: "I, Kenichi, will keep the Clan Head's cultivation in my heart. From now on, if the Clan Head tells me to go east, I, Kenichi, will never dare to go west."

"Very good."

Obito nodded and looked at Uchiha Kenichi with a gentle gaze: "I can continue to cultivate you."

"No need."

"No need."

Uchiha Kenichi's face was full of terror. Seeing Obito frown in displeasure, he said righteously: "I, Kenichi, am not the kind of petty person who only cares about himself. The Clan Head's cultivation is so precious; it should be shared so that other clansmen can enjoy it too."

Obito patted Uchiha Kenichi's shoulder in satisfaction, looked at the Uchiha clansmen in the distance who were glaring at Kenichi with murderous eyes, and smiled: "Good awareness. You stay here and watch. Besides correcting the mistakes of the clansmen, write down the names of the three who perform the worst, and I will be sure to 'help' them properly."

Seeing Uchiha Kenichi's eyes light up as he glared back at the crowd with the arrogance of a petty man in power, Obito continued with a smile: "Of course, if I find that you aren't doing your job well and these clansmen aren't improving, I will be sure to 'help' you properly as well."

Uchiha Kenichi shivered and nodded hurriedly: "Rest assured, Clan Head, I, Kenichi, will definitely get this done right."

"That's good."

Obito waved at the re-energized Uchiha Shisui, swept a glance with his Mangekyo Sharingan at the many Uchiha clansmen who were peeking over, and strolled slowly toward the exit.