Konoha's High-Level Meeting? The Death Knell for a Bunch of Old Fools!

Daimaru's near-fanboy worship of Uchiha Xuan quickly became a major curiosity in Team 7, and even among the ninja of their entire class.

Combined with Xuan's natural-disaster-like Majestic Destroyer Flame during their previous mission, the name Uchiha Xuan was finally no longer confined to the Uchiha clan alone.

His reputation seemed to grow wings and spread without a word, beginning to circulate among Konoha's major noble clans.

A twelve-year-old Uchiha boy.

First, he had publicly defied the Second Hokage, making him storm off in anger.

Then, with a single move, he had wiped out an elite Iwagakure chunin squad.

And now, even Orochimaru, hailed as a genius unseen in decades, was utterly devoted to him and revered him like a god.

One event after another shrouded him in an air of mystery and danger.

Some said he was the hope of the Uchiha clan's revival.

Others said he was a second Madara Uchiha, a grave threat to the village.

No matter how the outside world talked, Uchiha Xuan himself did not care in the slightest.

He continued training and cultivating methodically every day, enjoying the thrill of his rapidly increasing strength.

Until this day.

An order personally issued by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, was delivered to the Uchiha Clan Grounds, specifically summoning him to Konoha's highest-level emergency meeting.

"A high-level meeting? They want a genin like me to attend?"

Xuan looked at the order scroll in his hand, a cold smile curling across his lips.

He knew that what was coming had finally arrived.

This was no meeting at all. It was a trap.

It was Konoha's ruling powers collectively reviewing and warning him, an "unstable factor."

"Xuan, you... you must be careful!" His father, Uchiha Tuo, warned with a worried expression. "Those important people... none of them are easy to deal with."

"Don't worry, Father." Xuan put away the scroll, his gaze calm. "They're just a bunch of worthless rabble. I don't regard them as a threat."

With that, under his father's stunned gaze, he headed alone toward the building that represented Konoha's highest authority—the Hokage Building.

He pushed open the heavy doors to the conference room.

Buzz!

In an instant, at least a dozen gazes filled with scrutiny, wariness, vigilance, and even undisguised hostility stabbed into him like sharp swords.

Uchiha Xuan's eyes calmly swept across the room.

Seated around the oval conference table were Konoha's true power holders.

At the head of the table sat the naturally expressionless and cold-eyed Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.

To his left was Shimura Danzō, his face wrapped in bandages with only one eye exposed, his gaze as sinister as a venomous snake.

To his right sat his two old teammates: Mitokado Homura, wearing reading glasses and looking thoroughly respectable, and Utatane Koharu, whose harsh face seemed to hide schemes within every wrinkle.

Further down sat the heads of the Ino–Shika–Chō clans, the head of the Hyuga clan's main family, and... the Sarutobi clan's representative, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Well, well. So many familiar, ugly faces.

This lineup was practically Konoha's all-star team of "power games."

Xuan's arrival was like a stone thrown into a seemingly still, stagnant pool.

"Xuan, you're here." As his instructor, Hiruzen Sarutobi was the first to speak, trying to ease the tension. "Have a seat."

Xuan ignored him and simply walked straight to the conference table, taking an empty seat.

"Alright, everyone is here. Let the meeting begin."

Senju Tobirama spoke coldly, announcing the agenda for the day's meeting.

The topic was Kumogakure.

Recently, Kumogakure had been making frequent moves along its border with the Land of Fire, continuously provoking militarily. Several Konoha patrol squads had even vanished without a trace.

"The Raikage brute has no small ambitions," Shimura Danzō said darkly. "Lord Hokage, I suggest we respond forcefully! Send ANBU to sever their claws and let them know that Konoha's dignity cannot be challenged!"

"I object!" Utatane Koharu immediately countered. "The village has only just experienced war and is still recovering. It is not suitable to start another conflict. I believe we should first issue warnings and negotiate through diplomatic channels."

"Negotiate? What is there to negotiate with a pack of muscleheads? They only understand fists!"

"War costs lives! It costs money! You make it sound so easy!"

Very quickly, the entire conference room descended into chaos over whether they should fight or seek peace.

The hawks led by Shimura Danzō and the doves led by Utatane Koharu argued fiercely, spittle flying everywhere.

Uchiha Xuan watched it all with cold eyes.

He watched these so-called "Konoha higher-ups" attack one another, argue endlessly, and shirk responsibility over their respective clans' interests and political positions.

Yet not a single one of them truly considered how to resolve this crisis at the lowest possible cost.

They treated the village's safety and the lives of ninja on the front lines as chips in their own power struggle.

An indescribable wave of disgust rose from Xuan's heart.

It was these people—these rotten, selfish, shortsighted old fools—who would, in the future, drag Konoha, the strongest ninja village, step by step into the abyss of decline.

He had originally intended to play along with them for a while.

But now, he felt there was no need.

Just as the two factions' dispute reached a critical point and everyone turned their eyes toward Senju Tobirama at the head of the table, waiting for his final decision—

The previously silent Uchiha Xuan decided to throw a bomb powerful enough to overturn everything into this revolting stagnant pool.

A bunch of idiots. Senju Tobirama cursed inwardly as he watched the arguing crowd, preparing to speak.

"Lord Hokage." Uchiha Xuan suddenly spoke, interrupting him. "Regarding this matter, I have a small suggestion. I wonder if I should say it?"