Fugaku Pays a Visit, Taking Control of the Uchiha

The news that every member of Root had been wiped out could not be kept hidden in the end.

Although Danzo desperately tried to seal off the news, dozens of Root elites had vanished into thin air without sending back a single message. Word quickly reached Konoha's upper ranks.

Inside the Hokage's office, the atmosphere was oppressive to the extreme.

The Third Hokage gripped his pipe, his brows tightly furrowed and his expression grim.

"Danzo was too rash. Of all people, he had to provoke Lin Chen."

"Now look what has happened. He has lost a large number of Root personnel and thoroughly enraged Lin Chen. If Lin Chen takes his anger out on Konoha, the entire village will suffer."

Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane stood to the side, pale-faced and full of fear.

"That Lin Chen is far too terrifying. Dozens of Root members and even a jonin were crushed to death by him in an instant. No one in all of Konoha is his match!"

"What do we do now? Danzo still wants to act personally. If those two start fighting, Konoha will surely be devastated!"

The Third Hokage let out a long sigh, filled with helplessness.

He wanted to stop it, but he had no confidence at all.

Before a powerhouse on Lin Chen's level, any persuasion or intervention would be utterly powerless.

"Send someone to stop Danzo immediately. He is strictly forbidden from acting on his own. I will personally meet with Lin Chen and do everything possible to resolve this conflict."

The Third Hokage gave the order at once. He could not simply watch Konoha descend into war.

Meanwhile, the Uchiha Clan compound had already erupted into chaos.

The news of Lin Chen slaughtering the Root ninja had spread throughout the clan. The clansmen were deeply unsettled, caught between awe and fear.

"Too terrifying. He actually dared to kill Danzo's men, and he wiped them all out without showing the slightest mercy!"

"Root is Danzo's personal force. By doing this, he has completely torn all ties with Danzo!"

"Who exactly is he? He is so powerful that even the upper ranks do not dare provoke him lightly."

In the meeting hall, Uchiha Fugaku could neither sit nor stand at ease. His fingers gripped his teacup so tightly that his knuckles had turned white.

The clan elders sat gathered around, each with a grave expression as they discussed the matter without end.

"Clan Head, this cannot go on. Lin Chen is one of us Uchiha. He killed Root members, so Danzo will surely hold it against our entire clan!"

"That's right, Clan Head. The upper ranks already suspect the Uchiha. Now that we have offended Danzo as well, life in Konoha will only become harder for us!"

"How about we take the initiative to draw a clear line between ourselves and Lin Chen, so we do not get dragged down by him?"

The moment one elder voiced that suggestion, everyone else rolled their eyes at him.

Draw a clear line?

Who would dare draw a clear line with such a heaven-defying powerhouse? Wouldn't that be courting death?

Fugaku slowly raised his head, his gaze complicated.

He knew very well that the clansmen were speaking the truth. The Uchiha's current situation was already precarious.

Lin Chen's appearance was both a crisis and an opportunity.

If they could win Lin Chen over and have him stand guard over the Uchiha, then forget Danzo—even Konoha's upper ranks would no longer dare suppress the clan at will.

But if they became enemies with Lin Chen, then with his strength, the Uchiha Clan might be wiped out in an instant.

After pondering for a long time, Fugaku finally made up his mind.

"I will personally meet Lin Chen."

The moment he spoke, all the clan elders were stunned.

"Clan Head, you must not! His temperament is unpredictable, and he kills without hesitation. It is far too dangerous for you to go personally!"

"That's right, Clan Head. Just send someone to deliver a message. You absolutely must not put yourself in danger!"

Fugaku shook his head, his tone firm. "This concerns the survival of the entire Uchiha Clan. I must go in person. Only if I appear personally can we show our sincerity."

He brought no attendants. Alone, he left the Uchiha compound and headed for the remote cottage where Lin Chen lived.

Along the way, Fugaku's heart was incomparably heavy.

As the Uchiha Clan Head, he possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan and had always stood above all others within the clan.

Yet before Lin Chen, he could not summon even the slightest arrogance. All that remained was reverence.

Before long, Fugaku arrived outside the cottage.

He took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and spoke toward the interior in a deep voice.

"Uchiha Clan Head Fugaku has come to pay respects to Lord Lin Chen. I ask that you grant me an audience."

Inside, Lin Chen was sitting quietly in meditation. Sensing Fugaku's presence, the corners of his lips lifted slightly.

What was bound to come had come after all.

"Come in."

A detached voice came from within the cottage.

Fugaku pushed open the door and entered. The cottage was simply furnished, without any unnecessary decorations. Lin Chen sat upright in a chair, his expression calm, yet an invisible pressure naturally emanated from him.

Simply sitting there was enough to make Fugaku feel stifled all over. He did not dare show the slightest disrespect.

"Fugaku greets Lord Lin Chen."

Fugaku took the initiative to bow, setting aside all the bearing of a clan head and lowering himself as much as possible.

Lin Chen raised his eyes and gave him a faint glance. He neither stood nor exchanged any extra pleasantries.

"What have you come here for?"

Lin Chen's voice was calm, betraying neither joy nor anger.

Fugaku steadied himself and spoke bluntly. "You are a member of my Uchiha Clan. This time, you rendered great service at Kannabi Bridge and also acted to resolve the Root threat. On behalf of the Uchiha Clan, I have come to express our gratitude."

"Furthermore, I heard that you call yourself an abandoned Uchiha. If the clan wronged you in any way in the past, then on behalf of the clan, I offer you my apology."

"I hope you will put aside past grievances and return to the clan. The clan is willing to devote all its resources to making amends. You may choose any high position within the clan that you desire!"

Fugaku could not have lowered his stance any further, and the terms he offered were exceedingly generous.

So long as Lin Chen was willing to return, the Uchiha Clan was willing to pay any price.

After hearing him out, Lin Chen gave a light laugh, his tone filled with indifference.

"Return to the clan?"

"When I was abandoned by the clan, barely surviving in some corner while suffering every kind of bullying from my fellow clansmen and nearly dying miserably, why did no one think of asking me to return?"

"Now that I have strength, you want me to return and enjoy the glory brought by the clan. Where in this world is there such a good deal?"

Every word Lin Chen spoke struck at Fugaku's heart. Fugaku's face instantly flushed red, and he was filled with guilt, unable to say a word.

He did not know what Lin Chen had experienced in his early years, but from the words "abandoned child" alone, he could guess that Lin Chen had suffered far more than anyone could imagine.

"My lord, what happened in the past was our fault. I sincerely apologize to you here. I only ask that you give the clan a chance to make amends."

Fugaku bowed deeply, his attitude utterly sincere.

Lin Chen looked at him, and his gaze gradually turned serious.

"There is no need for amends. Let me ask you this: do you know the future fate of the Uchiha Clan?"

Fugaku abruptly raised his head, his face full of confusion. "Our future fate? Although the Uchiha Clan is in a difficult position, as long as we remain united, we will surely overcome it. Why speak of fate?"

Lin Chen slowly spoke. His voice was cold and clear, yet it exploded beside Fugaku's ears like thunder.

"If it were not for me, within a few years, the Uchiha Clan would face the calamity of extermination."

"From the entire clan, only Itachi and Sasuke would survive. Blood would flow like a river."

"As clan head, you would die miserably at the hands of your own son. To protect the village and his younger brother, Itachi would bear the infamy of annihilating his clan, become a rogue ninja, and live his entire life in pain."

"Sasuke would lose every relative he had from childhood, be blinded by hatred, and embark on an irreversible path of revenge, his life filled with hardship."

Boom!

Fugaku's entire body shook as though struck by lightning. His face went deathly pale, and he staggered back a step, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"You... you are talking nonsense!"

"My Uchiha Clan is one of Konoha's founding clans. How could we possibly be exterminated?"

He roared, completely unable to accept such a tragic future.

Lin Chen's gaze remained indifferent, without the slightest ripple. "Whether I am talking nonsense, you know in your heart."

"Konoha's upper ranks have always feared the Uchiha, and Danzo has long wanted to eradicate our clan. Your clan is stubborn and radical, unable to adapt. You will only escalate the conflict step by step until you finally walk toward destruction."

"Your so-called unity is utterly vulnerable before the schemes of the upper ranks and Danzo's ambition."

Every sentence struck directly at the Uchiha's sore spots.

Fugaku collapsed weakly into a chair, his entire body cold as fear filled his heart.

He knew that everything Lin Chen said was true.

The Uchiha's current situation was already perilous. The threat of the clan's destruction was not an empty warning.

"Then... then what should we do?"

Fugaku was completely panicked. He no longer possessed the dignity of a clan head, and his gaze toward Lin Chen was filled with pleading.

In the entire Uchiha Clan, only Lin Chen had the ability to change all this.

Lin Chen looked at him and slowly spoke, his tone carrying unquestionable authority.

"If you want to preserve the Uchiha and avoid the calamity of extermination, it is very simple."

"From today onward, the Uchiha Clan will be under my control."

"All clan affairs will be decided by me. Whether elders or clansmen, everyone must obey my orders without the slightest defiance."

"Those who follow me will preserve the clan. Those who oppose me will be expelled from the Uchiha and left to fend for themselves."

With those words, Lin Chen's intentions were laid completely bare.

He wanted no compensation and no position. What he wanted was control over the entire Uchiha Clan!

Fugaku froze, staring blankly at Lin Chen.

Give up the position of clan head and place the entire Uchiha Clan in Lin Chen's hands?

If it had been anyone else, he would have flown into a rage and refused without hesitation.

But at this moment, he felt no anger at all. Instead, he felt that this was the only way out.

Only Lin Chen could protect the Uchiha. Only Lin Chen could change the clan's fate of destruction.

After a long silence, Fugaku slowly rose to his feet and bowed deeply to Lin Chen, his tone incomparably firm.

"I agree."

"From today onward, the Uchiha Clan will be under your control. I, Fugaku, and all...