Uchiha Xiao looked at Uchiha Kiyoshi, seemingly trying to read something from his expression. But he found Uchiha Kiyoshi standing stiffly, his face completely blank.
Uchiha Xiao sighed. "Lead the way."
"Yes!" Uchiha Kiyoshi replied. He opened the gate to the Uchiha Clan Compound and led Uchiha Xiao inside. Although Uchiha Xiao had never toured the compound and was curious about it, the clan head had summoned him to negotiate, so he couldn't afford to lose face.
Uchiha Xiao kept his eyes forward, paying no heed to the gazes and murmurs of the people around him. Most of the Uchiha Clan members were interested in him. After all, they'd heard rumors that he was the one commanding the war in the Land of Rain.
But those were only rumors, unconfirmed hearsay. Otherwise, why hadn't the clan head or Lord Hokage said anything?
Uchiha Xiao sighed. He'd known these people would look at him like this. But he wasn't some pushover they could gawk at whenever they pleased!
He snorted, gathering chakra in his hands. Magnet Release: Great Unity Wind Curtain (an original technique, unranked) blocked the clan members' probing gazes.
A curtain of sand and wind gathered, blocking the Uchiha Clan members' view so they couldn't see Uchiha Xiao at all.
Everyone's expression changed. Magnet Release—it was the Kekkei Genkai Magnet Release! And with Uchiha Xiao's Sharingan, he was a genius with two Kekkei Genkai!
The Uchiha Clan members no longer looked curious. Their faces were filled with shock and delight!
They were a clan that respected strength, but they also valued their honor above all else. Now that their clan had produced a genius with two Kekkei Genkai, he would be the darling of the Uchiha Clan!
If the genius didn't want to be watched, then they'd just leave. They were all Uchiha, after all. That was all they needed to know! In an instant, all the shinobi dispersed.
The Uchiha Clan's shinobi treated geniuses and the strong with respect. Uchiha Xiao raised an eyebrow. This Uchiha Clan wasn't so bad after all!
With Uchiha Kiyoshi leading the way, Uchiha Xiao soon arrived at the residence of the clan head, Uchiha Hirotomo. He knocked, but Uchiha Hirotomo didn't answer.
Uchiha Xiao frowned and knocked again. Still no answer. He let out a cold laugh. Heh, trying to put me in my place? Fine. I'll just flip the table!
Uchiha Xiao said, "Kiyoshi, move aside!" Uchiha Kiyoshi stared at him, unsure what he intended to do. Uchiha Xiao brought his hands together, drew in a deep breath, and exhaled a stream of scorching flames.
"Fire Release: Majestic Destroyer Flame!" Uchiha Hirotomo could no longer stay calm. His eyes widened as he formed hand seals. "Water Release: Water Formation Wall! Water Release: Water Prison Technique!"
The Water Formation Wall held back the Majestic Destroyer Flame for two seconds. During that time, the Water Prison Technique enveloped the house. At last, the water prison collided with the flames, and both dissipated.
A figure slowly emerged from the cloud of white steam. His whole body was red. Don't ask why—the steam had scalded him!
Uchiha Kiyoshi's eyes widened, and the corner of his mouth twitched. He looked at Uchiha Xiao and thought, Holy crap, he just used a jutsu without a word!
Uchiha Hirotomo, his face dark with frustration, walked out. He'd only wanted to keep Uchiha Xiao waiting for a while. Going straight to a jutsu was a bit much!
Uchiha Xiao smiled faintly. "Greetings, Clan Head."
Uchiha Hirotomo's expression relaxed. "Xiao, you're here. Come on in." He gestured toward his house, but Uchiha Xiao didn't move. He just smiled at the building.
Uchiha Hirotomo scratched his head. Neither of them moved. At last, he gave Kiyoshi a look. Uchiha Kiyoshi understood at once, left the courtyard, closed the gate, and stood outside, keeping watch on the surroundings.
Uchiha Hirotomo and Uchiha Xiao sat facing each other at the stone table in the courtyard. Neither spoke. Uchiha Xiao knew they were testing to see who would speak first; whoever did would be at a disadvantage.
Looking at Uchiha Xiao's appearance and bearing, Uchiha Hirotomo couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath. His looks were somewhat like that lord's, while his bearing was a little like Uchiha Izuna's.
He was elegant and wise, as if everything had already been accounted for. Uchiha Hirotomo couldn't understand why Uchiha Xiao looked so much like that lord, yet had a personality so like Lord Izuna's.
He'd have to look through the clan records sometime. This kid was no ordinary person.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Xiao studied Uchiha Hirotomo's appearance and found that he looked a little like Uchiha Itachi. The tear troughs beneath his eyes were pronounced, and his hair hung smoothly on either side of his face.
Unlike Uchiha Itachi, though, there was light in his eyes. He also didn't look so young, with death in his eyes.
After a long silence, Uchiha Hirotomo finally sighed. "A hero emerges in youth. Xiao, I'd like to ask whether you'd be willing to become an elder of the clan."
Uchiha Xiao fell silent, not answering right away. He weighed the advantages and disadvantages.
Uchiha Hirotomo didn't rush him. He believed Uchiha Xiao would agree. The Uchiha Clan needed someone clever. His own days were numbered, and once he died, many people would set their sights on the Uchiha Clan.
Uchiha Xiao thought it over for a long time. Becoming an elder meant that the Uchiha Clan's fate would be closely tied to his own. That was a responsibility. But as an elder, he could command the clan's intelligence network. And what was intelligence?
Intelligence meant having the initiative. The sooner he learned of an enemy's plans, the sooner he could come up with a countermeasure. Besides, the Uchiha Clan was generous and straightforward. They might be arrogant, but they would never scheme against him.
He couldn't afford to let his guard down against the likes of Shimura Danzō and Sarutobi Hiruzen in the future. He couldn't deal with them alone; he needed the clan's strength. And he needed real power, too!
As for Fugaku? He was good at preserving what he had, but not at making progress. Among Konoha's clans, if you lacked ambition, you'd better be ready to be swallowed up and enslaved!
With that thought, Uchiha Xiao drew a deep breath. "I can agree, but I have one condition. If the clan head won't accept it, then I can only look out for myself."
Uchiha Hirotomo was delighted. His goal was to bind Uchiha Xiao to the Uchiha Clan. Offering him the position of elder had only been a test; if that didn't work, he could always sweeten the deal.
"Xiao, go ahead and ask. I'll agree to it." Uchiha Hirotomo smiled.
Uchiha Xiao nodded. "Put the Uchiha Clan's intelligence network under my control. If anything happens, inform me immediately!"
Uchiha Hirotomo nodded. "No problem. You're an elder now, so you have the right to access that information."
"Clan Head, I'm not asking for the right to access the intelligence. I want control of the network!" Uchiha Xiao smiled faintly.
Uchiha Hirotomo fell silent. He'd deliberately changed the subject just now because he knew how important this was. But seeing Uchiha Xiao's attitude, he knew he couldn't dodge the request.
"Fine." This time, Uchiha Hirotomo didn't try to change the subject again. He'd seen Uchiha Xiao's eyes turn into the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
Ding! (Three-Tomoe Sharingan) has been used.
To increase his bargaining power—in other words, his talent—Uchiha Xiao chose to force his way through the upgrade to the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
An eighteen-year-old with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, on top of the Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai—so long as he survived, he was certain to become a Kage Level powerhouse!
What could Uchiha Hirotomo do? Go along with it, of course!