Ascendancy

In Uchiha Ao's own estimation, his speech was not particularly good.

Shisui had told him before that these same points had been raised at previous clan meetings.

It was just that, hindered by their own mediocre strength, those speakers had never managed to capture the clan's attention.

But he was different; he had Sister Izumi's Mangekyo as a deterrent.

If anyone dared not to listen, he would simply unleash Sister Izumi. A single Mangekyo genjutsu would be enough to ensure they became perfectly obedient.

"Our current situation is like that of a beast trapped in a cage!" Uchiha Ao continued.

His goal was to become the clan head, not just another clansman giving a speech.

Uchiha Ao continued, intentionally letting his voice carry a hint of hoarse trembling, "But if a beast only knows how to roar, it will eventually rot away inside its cage!"

He suddenly kicked over the wooden table beside him, sending wood splinters flying across the floor. "I refuse to be a trapped beast! I will be the one to open the cage door!"

Before the words had even faded, a scoff came from the crowd: "Big talk. What gives you the right to open the cage door? Relying on your sister's Mangekyo?"

They admitted that everything Uchiha Ao said was entirely correct.

But a nine-year-old child wanting to be the head of the Uchiha Clan?

How could that be possible!

Listening to the harsh scoff, Uchiha Ao's lips curled into a playful arc.

There were many standards for judging a ninja's strength.

Mastery of ninjutsu, the intensity of taijutsu, the subtlety of genjutsu...

Yet, the amount of chakra was a point often overlooked.

Because in the ninja world, aside from a very small minority, most people possessed chakra levels within the same tier.

They had not reached the level of "tons" of chakra.

The gap between ordinary chakra levels and "tons" of chakra was immense.

Take Wood Release, for example.

What Yamato could release was only enough to summon a small tree, while Hashirama Senju could create an entire forest with a casual tap of his hand.

A powerful surge of chakra suddenly erupted from Uchiha Ao's body, and the previously noisy crowd instantly fell silent.

What were they seeing?

How could a nine-year-old child have so much chakra?

Is he really from our Uchiha Clan and not someone from the Uzumaki Clan who snuck in?

Ignoring the astonishment of the crowd, Uchiha Ao flashed forward, appearing in front of the burly Uchiha who had scoffed, and delivered a kick.

Though the Uchiha was startled by the boy's sudden burst of chakra, he relied on his seniority and rich experience. Seeing Uchiha Ao close in, he instinctively crossed his arms to block.

However, the strength of an ordinary child did not come as expected. Instead, an overwhelming, crushing force struck his face through his shins. He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, smashing through the wooden screen at the back of the shrine before rolling several times on the dirt floor and finally coming to a halt.

The entire scene fell into a deathly silence.

"Do you all still think I am only relying on my sister's Mangekyo to act like a fox borrowing a tiger's might?"

The clansmen looked at each other, each hoping someone else would step up to teach the brat a lesson.

But deep down, they all knew very well.

The clansman who had just been sent flying was already among the stronger ones in their group.

"Hmph, brat, let me deal with you." A muffled grunt came from the back of the crowd, and a burly man pushed through the others and stepped out.

"Brat, let your Uncle Tekka teach you a lesson." Three-Tomoe Sharingan rapidly emerged in the man's eyes.

"The Uchiha Clan relies on the Sharingan!" Uchiha Tekka did not intend to use taijutsu or ninjutsu, opting instead to use the Sharingan's genjutsu directly.

He didn't believe there could be another Mangekyo!

Uchiha Tekka's Three-Tomoe spun rapidly, and he suddenly formed hand seals and shouted, "Kasegui no Jutsu!"

The world in Uchiha Ao's eyes shifted rapidly.

"Brat, you can't move now, can you?"

Uchiha Ao's lips curled into a cold sneer.

He looked at the confident Uchiha Tekka: "Is it possible that my Sharingan's ocular power is above yours?"

The next moment, the pitch-black chains that had been binding Ao suddenly emitted a piercing, metallic screech.

In the blink of an eye, those black chains unexpectedly reversed direction and shot back toward Uchiha Tekka with lightning speed.

Tekka's smile froze on his face instantly. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun frantically, but he could only watch helplessly as the genjutsu he had cast was reflected back at him.

"This... how is this possible..." The bound Tekka looked at the boy in disbelief.

In the real world, Uchiha Ao crossed his arms and walked slowly toward Uchiha Tekka, who was trapped in the backlash of his own genjutsu and unable to move.

Reaching him, Uchiha Ao suddenly raised his right leg and kicked Tekka hard in the abdomen.

The immense impact sent Tekka flying upward, slamming him against a stone pillar.

Yet, he managed to break free from the genjutsu because of it.

Uchiha Tekka collapsed amidst the rubble, his chest heaving violently as blood continuously spilled from the corners of his mouth.

He struggled to lift his head, gazing at Uchiha Ao, who stood before him radiating an oppressive chakra. The unwillingness and shock in his eyes were gradually replaced by resignation.

Perhaps letting him be the clan head wouldn't be so bad.

It was certainly better than that coward, Fugaku.

Tekka pressed his blood-stained palms against the ground, oblivious to the sharp stones digging into his skin. He stared at the red cloud pattern on the boy's fluttering hem and suddenly let out a laugh mixed with coughs: "That guy Fugaku always thinks about swallowing his pride, but you..."

He struggled to prop up his upper body, his eyes flickering with madness and anticipation, "You possess the ruthlessness of our Uchiha clan!"

Uchiha Ao lowered his gaze to watch him, the glow of his Sharingan slowly fading.

Tekka struggled to untie the forehead protector at his waist, the symbol of his status as a jonin, and tremblingly held it out: "From today on, I, Uchiha Tekka, acknowledge you as... cough..."

Blood dripped from his lips, blooming into a glaring red stain over the "Fire" character on the forehead protector, "Acknowledge you as the one who can lead our clansmen to tear through this cage!"

Gasps erupted one after another from the surrounding crowd.

Several young clansmen clenched their fists; the Uncle Tekka they remembered, a man who had slaughtered without mercy on the battlefield, was now bowing his head to a child.

Fugaku stood on the high platform, the phantom of his Susanoo dissipating in silence.

"Ao." Fugaku's voice suddenly rang out, causing the crowd to hold their breath.

He looked at Uchiha Ao, his black robes snapping in the wind behind him, "Do you know that the position of clan head carries more than just glory?"

"I understand."

Uchiha Fugaku silently stepped back, his meaning self-evident.

"What are you all standing there for?" Tekka turned his head abruptly and roared at the terrified clansmen, the strain causing his wounds to seep blood once more, "Can't you see the future clan head standing right here?!"

His shout broke the deathly silence. At first, scattered applause rose from the crowd, which then swelled into thunderous cheers.

After the clan meeting, Uchiha Fugaku stood outside Naka Shrine, watching the backs of the clansmen as they departed.

The Mangekyo in his eyes slowly rotated.

"Perhaps, I am truly not suited to be the clan head."

In the future he saw, the Uchiha clan would meet a miserable end under his leadership.

However, he could no longer see what the future of the Uchiha clan would become.

But, that is a good thing, isn't it?