Where Leaves Dance, Fire Burns Unceasingly...

"Uh..."

Uchiha Itachi's expression froze. He had absolutely no idea what Uchiha Jin was playing at, but as a ninja with top-tier discipline, he could only follow the other's lead. He furrowed his cute little brow and replied with feigned calm.

"I'll be eleven in two months!"

"Very well!"

Uchiha Jin gave Itachi a deep look, then glanced toward the podium with a provocative air before turning back to address Uchiha Itachi indifferently.

"You aren't qualified to compete. Go play in the mud somewhere else!"

"This guy, hmph!"

A fierce light erupted in Uchiha Fugaku's eyes as he sat on the podium. The murderous aura radiating from his body felt almost tangible, spilling out in every direction. Such imposing pressure made the Uchiha present realize that his moniker, "Fierce Eye," was truly well-deserved.

To be so deliberately difficult with his son in front of so many clansmen—Uchiha Fugaku could only think of one reason: the conflict that had occurred in the council chamber not long ago.

Damn it!

He had already been the bigger man for the sake of the Uchiha's future, even swallowing his pride after that despicable kick to the groin, yet this Uchiha Jin was still pushing his luck, bullying his son in public.

"Uchiha Jin, what exactly do you mean by this!"

Uchiha Fugaku rose slowly, his tone flat yet carrying an unprovoked, domineering authority.

"Oh!"

Uchiha Jin waved his hands with an innocent expression, looking toward the podium with a hint of confusion.

"Does the Clan Head have an objection?"

"Itachi is the number one genius of our Uchiha Clan. Why can he not compete!"

Uchiha Fugaku's tone was icy, his presence crashing down upon Uchiha Jin like the weight of Mount Tai.

"Father!"

Uchiha Itachi's body trembled slightly at these words. A warmth welled up in his heart, but this flicker of warmth lasted only a moment before dissipating as he looked at the increasingly formidable Uchiha Clan members around him.

If Uchiha Jin hadn't gathered most of the clan's elites for this tournament today, Itachi truly wouldn't have believed that the clan's overall strength had reached such a level.

If...

The clan... is becoming more and more dangerous...

Every move Itachi made naturally fell into Uchiha Jin's eyes, and the killing intent rising in his heart grew ever more intense. That such a white-eyed wolf could survive until now only proved that the Uchiha Clan was indeed plagued by misfortune.

But fortunately... now they have me!

Uh...

A sense of heroism had just surged in Uchiha Jin's heart, but then he remembered his "Great Filial Son" system...

Sigh...

The Uchiha Clan really is plagued by misfortune!

However, Uchiha Jin was not one to wallow in sentimentality. He brushed the dust from his mind in an instant. Ignoring Uchiha Fugaku, he turned and spread his arms toward the many Uchiha waiting expectantly below the stage.

"Where the leaves dance, the fire burns."

"The light of the fire will continue to illuminate the village... the clan, and allow new leaves to sprout."

Uchiha Itachi: (⊙ˍ⊙)!

Uchiha Shisui: (⊙ˍ⊙)!!

Uchiha Fugaku: (⊙ˍ⊙)!!!

The Uchiha crowd: ∑(っ°Д°;)っ!!!!

Good heavens...

Uchiha Jin has been possessed by Sarutobi Hiruzen!

No!

Could it be that Uchiha Jin was brainwashed by Root? Or controlled by some special genjutsu?

There's killing intent!

Uchiha Jin had been prepared to spout tens of thousands of words, but a chill suddenly rose in his heart. Looking closely, he realized this killing intent didn't just come from the podium; it was steaming up from the Uchiha all around him.

Eh...

Shisui and Itachi, what kind of looks are you two giving me?

Interrupted by the relief and horror in Shisui and Itachi's eyes, Uchiha Jin quickly snapped back to reality, though he had no intention of explaining that he wasn't under a genjutsu.

"Itachi awakened his Sharingan at eight, became a Chunin at ten, and joined the Anbu at eleven. All these achievements are enough to call him a genius."

Hmm... it's just that his personality is a bit of an orphan's.

He was dragged to the battlefield at four by an unreliable father, and his young heart suffered the mental trauma of battlefield life.

Hmm... Uchiha Fugaku really did manage to kill himself with his own actions!

"But!"

Amidst the increasingly puzzled gazes of the Uchiha crowd, Uchiha Jin's voice suddenly rose several octaves, his loud and crisp words echoing throughout the venue once again.

"What is the Will of Fire!"

"The Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan pacified the chaos of the Warring States period to establish the Hidden Leaf Village. The 'Leaf' in the name originates from the fan-shaped leaf of our Uchiha Clan's crest, while the 'Wood' represents the unique Wood Release bloodline limit of the Senju Clan's leader!"

"The reason the Hidden Leaf exists in the Ninja World is to ensure that the village and our clans never return to the days of the Warring States period—those days when we couldn't even reveal our surnames to survive, and where even young children were forced to risk their lives on the battlefield!"

"To dare to discard such a 'Will of Fire' inherited by our Uchiha Clan, to send children who have yet to grow up to the battlefield while cowering in the village like cowards—do people like that even have the right to speak of our Uchiha Will of Fire?"

Ptooey!

"Apologies, my throat wasn't feeling very comfortable."

Having said this, Uchiha Jin's eyes brimmed with the fury of a lion as he roared at the Uchiha gathered before him.

"And while this tournament is not a battlefield, you are all well aware of the dangers involved!"

"I hereby announce! A new rule has been added to the competition. To reflect the fine Uchiha virtue of respecting the elderly and cherishing the young, the age requirement for this World's Number One Ninja Tournament is now set from twelve to thirty-five years old!"

"Who objects!"

As Uchiha Jin roared in anger, he scanned the many Uchiha in the arena, his sharp eyes sweeping over them inch by inch.

They are all such prime leeks...

You see!

The natural lifespan of a ninja is short to begin with. Generally speaking, the period before sixteen is one of development, where one cannot fully tap into their potential. Only after sixteen do they enter a rapid growth phase, reaching a peak by thirty, and after thirty-five, they gradually decline as the body ages.

Hmm!

If not for the successive Ninja World Wars, most thirty-five-year-old ninjas who hadn't secured a position in the Elder Council would likely be unemployed and sitting at home by now.

It's just unclear if the ninja profession offers a pension, though it's unlikely they would have such benefits...

Silence...

The scene of the World's Number One Ninja Tournament fell into a deathly hush, and Uchiha Fugaku on the podium no longer possessed the imposing aura he had held moments ago.

Although the rule Uchiha Jin had just added was clearly still aimed at Uchiha Itachi, the Uchiha Clan Head—who had never been particularly eloquent—could not think of any reason to object.

"Very good!"

Uchiha Jin nodded in satisfaction. A strange sense of déjà vu flashed through his mind, and feeling pleased, he puffed out his chest and roared at the crowd once more.

"For the Will of Fire! For the Uchiha!"

The many Uchiha present, hearing this, immediately became fervent, echoing Uchiha Jin's shouts from the stage.

"For the Will of Fire!"

"For the Uchiha!"