Showing off skills before an expert

After Fugaku finished speaking, he saw his mother bring out dinner with a worried expression; clearly, she knew the clan relocation discussions at the meeting had not gone smoothly.

Especially regarding her husband's decision to place such immense pressure on their six-year-old son, she did not know if it was right or wrong.

After dinner, under Mikoto's anxious gaze, Fugaku took Yu and Itachi and headed toward the meeting place.

The three of them were very silent. The meeting hall was still some distance from their current residential area, built on a hilltop by the Naka Riverbank. When Yu arrived there with Fugaku, a large number of clansmen had already gathered beneath the meeting hall's plaque.

As Fugaku approached with Yu and Itachi, the clansmen parted to make a path, watching Fugaku with confusion, not understanding why he had brought two young children along.

However, seeing that Fugaku offered no explanation, the many clansmen did not ask.

Reaching the entrance, Fugaku looked at Itachi. "Itachi! You stay at the door and greet the clansmen as they enter the Meeting Hall!"

"Yes, Father." Itachi clenched his small fists, feeling slightly unwilling. He knew he was not as outstanding as his older brother, but he wanted to stay by his brother's side!

Fugaku patted Itachi on the shoulder. "Itachi, don't be impatient; you are also a fine son of mine."

"Yes! Father, I understand!" Itachi nodded his head.

As they neared the Meeting Hall, Yu gave the somewhat dejected Itachi a look of encouragement before hurrying to follow Fugaku.

Today was not just about attending a gathering; this was a massive crop of "leeks" waiting to be harvested.

When Fugaku entered the hall, the clansmen followed, filing into the room according to their ninja strength.

Fugaku sat high on the dais. Sitting opposite each other directly below him were Uchiha Kudai, who had assisted two generations of Clan Heads, and Uchiha Liehuo, the current leader of the hardline faction. Behind them were the senile elders, followed by the rest of the clansmen, arranged by their ninja prowess.

Uchiha Yashiro glanced at Yu, who stood before Fugaku, with surprise. He did not understand what the Clan Head meant by bringing his eldest son, but since the meeting was about to begin, he did not ask.

Soon, the clansmen arrived one after another. As the heavy doors of the meeting room closed, the clan meeting officially began.

"Clan Head, after discussing with the elders at noon, we have decided to oppose the relocation. Although the village claims they will be responsible for everything regarding the new site, can the Naka Riverbank compare to the center of Konoha? Not to mention anything else, it takes half an hour just to go buy groceries. How are you supposed to answer to the clansmen? Our Uchiha ancestral lands have been here for generations; the village just decides to rezone us whenever they please!"

The first to speak was, as expected, the radical Elder Liehuo, who sat at the head of the table. The old man was like a cat with its fur standing on end, his expression filled with fury.

"That's right, we absolutely disagree!" The clansmen below echoed him one after another. Seeing this, Fugaku helplessly turned his gaze toward the elders of the moderate faction.

However, at this moment, even Fugaku's confidants—including Uchiha Yashiro, who had once strongly supported his rise to power—chose to remain silent. They only advocated for peaceful coexistence with the village; it did not mean they were selfless individuals willing to sacrifice for it.

Fugaku closed his eyes in resignation, then slowly opened them to look at the restless clansmen below.

"Quiet, all of you! This is a clan meeting, not a vegetable market. Does the person who shouts the loudest have the right to speak?"

The clansmen slowly ceased their agitation, looking at Fugaku in silence, waiting for his decision.

Fugaku scanned the room, finally letting his gaze rest on Yu, who still appeared completely relaxed.

"Yu, what do you think?" Yu paused. What did he think? He thought with his eyes! But remembering why his father had brought him today, he straightened his posture, prepared to voice his opinion.

However, before Yu could speak, the old man Liehuo, sitting below, could no longer hold back. "Clan Head, have you forgotten the rules of the clan meeting? A child who isn't even a Genin has no right to speak here."

Yu's face darkened, but he did not rush to retort, waiting for his father to explain.

Fugaku revealed his Three Tomoe Sharingan and looked at Uchiha Liehuo. "Elder, I am naturally aware of the clan rules. Yu, my eldest son, already possesses strength approaching that of a Jonin." Fugaku was not speaking nonsense; this was based on the results of their last spar. Although he hadn't used his full strength, the attack with those five swords was something an average Jonin could not easily block. Seeing that his son had been quite exhausted at the time, he had conservatively estimated his strength as approaching a Jonin.

"Whoa!"

The Uchiha clansmen below began to whisper among themselves.

"Haha!" Suddenly, Elder Liehuo burst into laughter. "Clan Head, are you joking? You claim a mere child who hasn't even awakened a single-tomoe Sharingan has strength approaching a Jonin? You must have gone mad wanting a genius son!"

"You old fool, is your capacity for judgment limited only to that pair of eyes? Without those eyes, do you even have the strength of a Jonin yourself?" Before Fugaku could get angry, Yu looked at the rough-featured old man with indifference.

"What! You ignorant brat, don't think that just because you are the Clan Head's son, you are the next leader of the Uchiha. Since you lack respect for your elders, I will teach you a lesson on your father's behalf today."

With that, Liehuo quickly formed several hand seals. "Fire Style: Fire Dragon Jutsu!"

In an instant, a massive fire dragon swirled through the entire meeting hall, baring its fangs and claws as it lunged toward Yu. Clearly, the old man Liehuo was striking with lethal intent. He had vehemently opposed Fugaku's rise to power, and naturally, he would not leave the Clan Head any face.

"Heh, a mere parlor trick, and you dare to show it off in front of me!" Yu slapped the table and, amidst the tense gazes of the clansmen, extended his small, delicate hand.

Just as the fire dragon was about to touch Yu's hand, a cluster of orange-red flames suddenly ignited on his palm.

With a flick of Yu's small hand, the rushing flames instantly halted one centimeter from his palm, as if he had caught the scorching fire dragon with his bare hand.

This shocking scene caused many Uchiha clansmen to gasp in unison.

"How is this possible? That's the scorching Fire Dragon Jutsu! How did he do that with a mortal body?"

A look of disbelief and incomprehension flashed in the eyes of the many clansmen.

At the same time, the notifications for Gratitude Points and Malice Points kept ringing in Yu's mind.

Malice Points +1000, +10, +100, +1000...

Gratitude Points +10, +100, +1000...

Yu felt a rush of satisfaction!

"Old man, watch your tongue next time. As for your attack..." Yu stroked the head of the fire dragon with his small hand, then showed a look of disdain. "It's quite ugly! It has neither the form of a dragon nor a snake. Go back and study for a few more years before you come out to embarrass yourself again."

With a wave of his hand, the fire dragon turned in the air and surged toward Elder Liehuo with even greater speed.

Elder Liehuo's eyes turned cold, and his hands moved in a rapid seal. "Earth Style: Earth Wall!"

A semicircular wall of earth rose up, shielding Liehuo entirely.

Seeing this, Yu gave a scornful laugh, "Hah!"

With a flick of his hand, the orange flames swirling around his fingers flew toward the diving fire dragon. In an instant, the originally yellow dragon was dyed a deep orange-red, its vague form sharpening into something vivid and lifelike, as if it were a living dragon carved from ruby crystal.

The intense heat, like a descending sun, forced the Uchiha clansmen to retreat, unable to withstand the temperature.

As the red dragon approached the Earth Style: Earth Wall summoned by Liehuo, the wall could be seen glowing red-hot to the naked eye.

Hiding inside, Liehuo caught the scent of burning flesh, followed by a shrill, agonizing scream that echoed throughout the meeting hall.

"Ah!"

Liehuo quickly dispelled the Earth Style: Earth Wall, desperate to use the Body Flicker Technique to escape the area of attack.

However, it was too late; the fire dragon did not collide with the wall, but instead coiled around it, forming a ring.

This was the reason for Yu's earlier chuckle. If the old man had dodged from the start, Yu wouldn't have taken him down so easily, but he had insisted on tanking the hit.

In that case, Yu had no choice but to let him experience the sensation of being roasted.

Still, Yu did not want to take things too far, so he constricted the flames of the dragon to a specific range.

Otherwise, with Yu's current mastery of Fire Style, the old man would have already been roasted to a crisp.

Seeing that the old man's beard and hair had been singed away, Yu dispersed the fire dragon. He glanced at the old man, who was sweating profusely, covered in soot, and clutching one hand while glaring at him with intense hatred.

"Do I have the right to speak now?" Yu spread his hands, looking at the many Uchiha clansmen with a calm expression.