The Future of the Entire Uchiha Clan Rests on My Shoulders!

Deathly silence!

Utter silence!

The entire shrine was deathly silent!

The muscles on Uchiha Fugaku's face twitched slightly from extreme anger.

If the first two proposals had merely dissatisfied him, then the last one had completely touched his bottom line!

A brief phrase surfaced in his mind.

Forcing the ruler to abdicate!

Uchiha Fugaku shouted harshly.

"Uchiha Mirai, are you trying to seize power?"

One by one, the clan members in the shrine held their breath. The air seemed heavy enough to condense into water.

"Hahaha, I never expected Mirai to have such nerve."

Uchiha Setsuna studied the furious Fugaku with interest, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

He was too old; his prime had long since passed.

Though he disliked Fugaku, it was impossible for him to become the next clan head.

Seeing his old rival suffer such a setback put him in an exceptionally good mood.

Still, he did not think highly of Uchiha Mirai.

Nerve was one thing, but becoming clan head took far more than nerve.

Strength, foundation, and prestige—not one could be lacking.

What foundation did Uchiha Mirai have?

He had remained silent for three whole years. Though he had once been a peerless genius within the clan, how many people would still be willing to follow him now?

Uchiha Fugaku suppressed the anger in his heart and said as calmly as he could, "Mirai, I acknowledge your talent. In the future, you will surely become a pillar of the Uchiha Clan, but right now, you are still too young! You simply do not have the foundation to become clan head!"

"As long as you take back what you just said, I can pretend that nothing happened today. You may still attend future clan meetings as usual."

Uchiha Mirai met his gaze and said flatly, "Clan Head, let's begin the vote. Let the clan members make their choice."

Uchiha Fugaku's expression stiffened. He had already given Mirai plenty of room to back down, yet he had not expected him to be so unyielding.

"Since you've chosen this path, so be it. I'll let you see clearly the gap between us."

Uchiha Mirai turned around and swept his gaze over the seated clan members. His eyes seemed filled with boundless passion and boldness.

"Everyone! The Uchiha may have yielded before, compromised before, and suffered pain before... but today, reclaim Uchiha's pride!"

"The times have changed!"

"You hold the tickets to a new era in your hands. Stand up! Stand behind me!"

"Go seize an even greater future!"

The Uchiha members' breathing quickened, their eyes blazing with fervor, as though they had awaited this moment for a long time.

The first to stand was a young clansman, his gaze resolute.

Then came the second, without the slightest hesitation.

The third!

The fourth!

The fifth...

Uchiha Fugaku's expression shifted from absolute confidence to shock, then terror, and finally numb disbelief...

Until he saw a familiar figure step behind Uchiha Mirai.

Uchiha Itachi—the son he had always regarded as his pride.

"Itachi... why?"

A tremor entered his voice.

"Brother Mirai is right."

Uchiha Itachi looked at him calmly.

"Father, you are old. You can no longer see through the village's schemes. But Brother Mirai is different. Only under his leadership can the clan move toward a better future."

Uchiha Shisui, who had still been hesitating, saw Itachi standing firmly behind Mirai. He sighed and rose to his feet as well.

More and more clan members exchanged glances and chose to stand.

Without exception, every member of the younger generation in the shrine stood behind Uchiha Mirai!

Uchiha Setsuna's pupils trembled slightly. Behind Uchiha Mirai, he saw a familiar figure.

"Yan, why..."

Uchiha Yan, the grandson he had regarded as his pride.

Just moments ago, he had mocked Fugaku for being betrayed by his own son. He had never expected it to be his turn the very next second.

"Grandfather, Brother Mirai is right. No one in the clan can compare to his vision. Only under his leadership can the Uchiha Clan return to glory."

The young Uchiha Yan stared unwaveringly at Uchiha Setsuna.

This was the first time he had openly defied the elder grandfather he respected most.

Uchiha Setsuna's already wrinkled face now appeared even older, and even his back had bent considerably.

Had he truly grown old?

Uchiha Fugaku's pupils trembled slightly.

These clansmen, these clansmen who had stepped forward, were all the finest of the Uchiha Clan's younger generation.

Given time, they would shoulder the future of the entire Uchiha Clan's revival!

And now, without exception, every one of them stood behind Uchiha Mirai!

"Clan Head, step down!"

Uchiha Mirai fixed his gaze on Fugaku, his voice bold and forceful.

"Clan Head, step down!!!"

Behind him, more than a dozen young Uchiha shouted in furious determination at the same time!

Their voices merged like thunder, exploding above Naka Shrine!

Uchiha Fugaku staggered back trembling, as if all the strength had been drained from his body in an instant.

He could not understand!

The Uchiha Clan's younger generation—even his eldest son, whom he had regarded as his pride—had all chosen Uchiha Mirai!

"Did you really think I had done nothing these past three years?"

Uchiha Mirai stood at the forefront of the younger generation, calmly watching Uchiha Fugaku as he fell apart.

Uchiha Fugaku's pupils quivered.

Could it be...

A terrifying phrase surfaced in his mind.

Biding his time!?

But how had Uchiha Mirai evaded his informants and brought the entire younger generation of the Uchiha Clan under his command?

Wait!

As if recalling something, he immediately looked toward Itachi behind Uchiha Mirai.

Uchiha Itachi, his eldest son, had maintained close contact with Uchiha Mirai throughout the past three years.

More than once, he had ordered Itachi to submit intelligence on Uchiha Mirai, using him as the informant he had planted at Mirai's side.

Could it be that from the very beginning...

Itachi had already...

"Ha ha ha..."

Uchiha Fugaku suddenly laughed.

His eldest son, whom he had regarded as his pride, had betrayed him. His clansmen had betrayed him. Had he, the clan head, been a joke from the very beginning...?

Uchiha Mirai watched him calmly.

"Clan Head Fugaku, you asked what foundation I had to stand here. Now I'll tell you—behind me..."

"Stands the future of the Uchiha Clan!"

Within the shrine, Uchiha Setsuna and the remaining clansmen all felt incomparably heavy-hearted.

They all understood clearly.

The Uchiha Clan was about to change...

Having accepted reality, Uchiha Fugaku's eyes seemed to freeze with boundless coldness.

"Mirai, if you had waited a few more years, I might have entrusted the Uchiha Clan to you without hesitation."

"But now, you are too young! You simply cannot see through the darkness of this world. In your hands, the Uchiha Clan can only march toward destruction."

Scarlet blood-red flooded his eyes as three black tomoe spun rapidly within the crimson.

"Fight! The victor shall bear the name of Uchiha Clan Head. The loser..."

"Get out of the Uchiha Clan!"