Everyone's Shock

Senju Hashirama put away his portion of the scroll and stored it carefully.

Then he said to Uzumaki Ashina and Uzumaki Mito, "The alliance is settled. Clan Leader Ashina, Miss Mito, Hashirama will not impose any longer. Affairs in the clan are pressing, so I'll take my leave!"

"Take care on your way, Young Clan Leader Hashirama." Uzumaki Ashina rose to see him off.

Uzumaki Mito also said, "I'll see Young Clan Leader Hashirama out."

The group walked out of the great hall.

The Senju Four Polar Generals and the elite jonin quickly assembled up ahead.

Uzumaki Mito accompanied Hashirama alone, walking toward the clan grounds' main gate.

The afterglow of the setting sun stretched their shadows long.

Neither of them spoke along the way, and the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

When they reached the grand main gate of the clan grounds, Senju Hashirama stopped, ready to say goodbye.

Just as Hashirama turned to leave, Uzumaki Mito, as if possessed by some impulse, said, "Be careful in everything!"

Her voice was very soft, yet it carried clearly into Hashirama's ears.

Senju Hashirama's steps halted, and his body visibly stiffened.

Somewhat surprised, he turned back to look at Uzumaki Mito.

Under the setting sun, the young girl's red hair was like fire, and her fair cheeks seemed to be tinted with an almost imperceptible blush by the rosy light. Her eyes held a trace of concern that even she herself had not noticed.

Hashirama was stunned for an instant, then nodded hard. "I will!"

With that, he lingered no longer and walked toward where the Senju clansmen were waiting.

Uzumaki Mito stood quietly before the main gate, watching that figure recede until it completely vanished at the end of her sight.

"What are you looking at? He's already long gone." A voice tinged with teasing laughter sounded beside her.

At some point, Uzumaki Ashina had already come to her side.

"Ah? No... nothing!" Uzumaki Mito abruptly came back to her senses, only then realizing she had actually been lost in thought for so long.

Her fair cheeks instantly turned crimson, and like a startled fawn, she turned and fled back into the depths of the clan grounds, leaving only a flustered figure behind.

Uzumaki Ashina looked at his granddaughter's rarely seen flustered state, stroked his beard, and revealed a knowing, gratified smile, but he did not expose her any further.

That evening, in the Uchiha council hall.

The hall was brightly lit, and massive candlesticks stretched everyone's shadows long, casting them onto the walls painted with the Uchiha fan clan emblem.

Uchiha Clan Leader Tajima sat upright in the main seat, his face solemn, imposing without anger. On the left were Madara, Izuna, and Qin Mo, while on the right were the five highly respected elders.

Jin, Yan, Cang, and Shun stood respectfully toward the rear of the center of the hall.

Everyone's gaze was focused on Qin Mo.

When Qin Mo said that he needed Jin, Yan, Cang, and Shun to "defect" from the Uchiha Clan...

The entire council hall exploded like a clap of thunder!

Even the ever-calm Madara could hardly hide his shock at this moment. "Mo! Do... do you know what you're saying?"

Second Elder Yan Yue slammed the table and shouted sternly, "Absurd! Young Master Mo! Do you know what a grave crime it is to defect from the clan?"

Fourth Elder Feng Ren was even more murderous, his gaze scraping over the four men in the hall like a blade. "Jin! Yan! Cang! Shun! How dare you!"

Qin Mo's expression did not change, as if he had long expected everyone's reaction.

He explained calmly, "It will not be a true betrayal, but rather, under the identity of 'rogue ninja,' they will establish a force hidden in the dark for our Uchiha—a mercenary organization named 'Heaven.'

They will become our clan's eyes, ears, and hidden blades, accumulating resources, probing for intelligence, and carrying out certain missions that the Uchiha cannot openly take action on."

"The price is that they will forever bear the infamy of 'traitors,' give up the Uchiha surname and glory, and even, in the future, face... pursuit and killing from former clansmen and comrades."

The air in the great hall seemed to freeze.

Anger, confusion, and shock churned silently.

Just then, Jin, Yan, Cang, and Shun, who stood in the hall, all dropped to one knee!

"Clan Leader! Esteemed elders! Young masters!" Jin's voice was low and firm. "For the future of the Uchiha, for our clan to truly stand at the peak of the ninja world, what does this bit of infamy, this bit of sacrifice, count for?"

Yan raised his head and said in a deep voice, "We are all solitary men with no families. To be able to protect the clan in this way is our honor!

Clan Leader, elders, young masters, please grant us this!"

Cang and Shun also said in unison, "Our minds are made up! We are willing to bear this name for the clan!"

That loyalty and spirit of sacrifice, as if they were ready to face death, instantly dispersed the anger and doubt that had filled the air, replacing them with deep shock and emotion.

Uchiha Tajima slowly closed his eyes. A moment later, he opened them, and only resolve remained in his gaze. "Good! Good! Good! With loyal and brave men such as you in my Uchiha Clan, why should we worry that we will not rise!

Such sacrifice, I, Uchiha Tajima, on behalf of the entire clan, will remember in my heart!"

Grand Elder Lei Dou stood up and bowed deeply to the four of them. "Your righteousness, gentlemen, makes this old man... ashamed! Please accept this old man's bow!"

The other elders also bowed one after another, their faces carrying sincere respect.

Madara and Izuna looked at the four men kneeling on the ground, and their gazes also became incomparably complicated.

Madara said solemnly, "Your sacrifice, I, Uchiha Madara, will remember!"

Qin Mo then threw out a second bombshell. "Father, esteemed elders, eldest brother, second brother.

There is one more matter I must report.

Senior Jin and Senior Yan's Mangekyo Sharingan have, with my help, successfully advanced."

"Advanced?" Tajima was taken aback, then suddenly realized something. "Could it be... the legendary..."

"Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan." Qin Mo calmly picked up the words. "Their ocular power has undergone a qualitative change. From now on, no matter how many times they use their ocular techniques, they will no longer head toward blindness."

"Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan?"

"Impossible!"

"The one recorded in the ancient texts... actually exists?"

The faces of everyone present were filled with extreme shock and disbelief!

The Eternal Mangekyo was a realm that existed only in the Uchiha's ancient legends and forbidden scrolls!

It was the endpoint that every clansman who had awakened the Mangekyo yearned for in their dreams, yet could never reach!

It was the only hope of escaping the curse of blindness!

Qin Mo gestured. "Senior Jin, Senior Yan, if you would!"

Jin and Yan slowly stood up.

Under everyone's breathless, focused stares, the two closed their eyes at the same time, then suddenly opened them!

Boom—

Two utterly different yet equally terrifying and profound auras, as if containing endless ocular power, burst forth with a crash!

Jin's eyes held six massive, twisted, sharp fangs formed from boiling bloodflame, spreading outward ferociously.

The pattern in Yan's pupils was six massive pitch-black blade fragments, as if formed after a peerless murderous weapon had shattered, erupting from the fortress-like molten core deep within his pupils.

Just one glance made people feel a tremor and pressure deep in their souls!