Chapter 20

Four or five Alabastas would roughly equal the land area of the Ninja World.

But all the land in the Pirate World combined would amount to well over a hundred Alabastas, never mind that boundless ocean.

"More or less."

Xunjing nodded. "The Ninja World wasn't always this small. It used to be bigger."

"At least, the places that supported life used to be much larger."

"It was mainly because of the God Tree."

"The God Tree? What's that?"

Mikoto looked puzzled.

"Nothing."

Xunjing stopped himself in time and shook his head. "You don't need to know about that yet. I'll tell you when the time is right."

Mikoto wasn't his mother. Knowing too much wouldn't do her any good, nor would it serve any purpose.

"All right."

Mikoto didn't press him. She simply tucked the name away in her mind, waiting for the day Xunjing would give her an answer.

"Come on, let's go inside. It's too cold out here. Don't catch a cold."

After standing there for a while, Xunjing took Mikoto back to the Training Room.

He taught her to continue practicing the Life-Nourishing Art.

He also began his own after-meal training.

Xunjing scheduled his daily Life-Nourishing Art practice after each of his three meals.

That was the most efficient way to train.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Mikoto followed Xunjing's advice and usually sent a Shadow Clone to school during the day to mark her attendance. Her real body went straight to the Pirate World to train with Xunjing.

Her strength and physical fitness improved visibly.

She threw herself into training every day.

As this continued, her affection for Xunjing skyrocketed too, easily passing ninety and still creeping toward a hundred.

In Konoha, in the Ninja World.

After finalizing the clan's reform plan with Xunjing, Uchiha Chisato immediately called a clan-wide meeting.

She organized everything she had discussed with Xunjing and presented it under her own name first.

Why?

Because Xunjing was still too young.

If she said outright that these were Xunjing's ideas, probably more than half the clan would refuse to accept them or agree.

That was just how people were.

After explaining all the reform arrangements, Uchiha Chisato swept her gaze over everyone present and asked coldly, "If anyone has objections, speak now. Don't wait until everything's settled to start causing trouble-when that happens, don't blame me for showing no mercy."

The moment she finished speaking-

Uchiha Chisato unleashed all the aura she had been holding back.

The Mangekyō Sharingan in her left eye activated too.

Boom!

Her terrifying aura, coupled with her astounding ocular power, crashed down on everyone like a mountain.

Everyone present instantly felt their bodies grow heavy. They couldn't even lift their heads, and breathing became difficult.

Their Sharingan were forced to deactivate on their own.

Sharp gasps rang out!

Everyone-especially the older elders-drew in a sharp breath, their gazes changing as they stared at Uchiha Chisato.

"Lady Jiri, has... has your body recovered? Has your ocular power returned to its peak too?"

The Third Elder looked utterly disbelieving, his voice trembling.

Everyone else was stunned as well, their minds reeling. Impossible!

They had never heard of the Mangekyō Sharingan's ocular power recovering.

Here, "ocular power" referred to its maximum capacity.

The claim that Mangekyō Sharingan ocular power couldn't recover also referred to that maximum capacity.

Every use of the Mangekyō Sharingan wore down the eyes, gradually lowering their maximum ocular power.

Put simply, it caused damage.

The eyeballs and the meridians around them simply couldn't withstand the strain of the Mangekyō Sharingan's ocular power. Every use inflicted nearly irreversible damage on both.

As a result, the eyes could hold less and less ocular power.

The meridians could channel less and less of it too.

That was why the Mangekyō Sharingan gradually went blind, until its ocular power finally dried up completely.

Uchiha Chisato nodded expressionlessly, sweeping her gaze over everyone present.

"I recently made a breakthrough in my research. Combined with Medical Ninjutsu, it allowed me to develop an Eye-Rejuvenating Potion that maintains the eyes and eye meridians."

"It can repair the damage caused by the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"It also nourishes and strengthens the eyes and meridians of all our clan members."

"From now on, it will be available in the reformed Merit Pavilion. You can exchange contributions for it."

"Anyone who has contributed to the clan can obtain it."

"Now, give me your answer-do you agree to the reform plan or not?"

Over the years, her health had deteriorated and her strength had declined severely. Her authority within the clan had long since weakened, especially among the younger generation.

Revealing that her body and ocular power had recovered was meant to intimidate everyone, silence opposition, and restore her authority.

Only by securing this first step could the subsequent reforms have any chance of succeeding.

At the same time, she was using this opportunity to make Hiruzen Sarutobi and his people see clearly-she, Uchiha Chisato, was back. They had better put away their little schemes and tricks now, or they couldn't blame her for showing no mercy.

"Well..."

The Uchiha ninja present exchanged looks.

The Second Elder spoke first. "I agree. I believe that with Lady Jiri leading us, these reforms will surely bring good results for the Uchiha."

In truth, he wasn't agreeing because of the individual provisions. He was agreeing because he trusted Uchiha Chisato.

Her ability was beyond question.

If not for her back then, the Uchiha might have destroyed themselves through infighting long ago.

At the time, clan members had gone mad, stealing other people's Sharingan to use as extra lives. It had been utterly deranged.

If Lady Jiri hadn't created Izanami and then brought the situation under control with her overwhelming strength, the Uchiha might really have wiped themselves out.

The Third Elder spoke next. "In principle, I support the Merit Pavilion reforms."

"But shouldn't we give the changes to the Police Force some more thought?"

"You want to select its elite members to form a separate Elite Police Force, give them centralized training, and assess them regularly. I have no objections to any of that."

"That structure is somewhat like the Anbu's, and it would indeed help strengthen the Uchiha."

"It would also free those elite members from miscellaneous police duties."

"But opening Police Force positions to the public and letting civilian ninja and ninja from other clans join-"

Uchiha Chisato swept a cold gaze over everyone, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.

"I'm even willing to give away the position of commander for this. Do you think I'm doing it for nothing?"

"Who told you the Police Force was Uchiha territory?"

"It's a trap!"

"When the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju dumped the Police Force on us, do you really think he was trying to appease us? He was planting land mines for us!"

"And those are exactly the mines I'm trying to dismantle."

"Do you think the Uchiha gain anything by getting involved in villagers' fights and domestic disputes?"

"Have you been blind to how the villagers have treated us all these years?"

"When the village was founded, we at least had a few allied clans."

"And now?"

"Search your consciences. Which clan is still willing to associate with us?"

"Don't give me that nonsense about how 'the Uchiha don't need allies'!"

"Don't you want someone from our clan to become Hokage?"

"Without the villagers' support or the approval of the other Ninja Clans, why would the position of Hokage ever go to us?"

"Even if you seized it by force, do you think you could hold on to it?"

"No matter how strong the Uchiha are, can we withstand the entire village?"

The Third Elder and the others flushed red, then turned pale, but couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.

Uchiha Chisato pressed her advantage and continued.

"The Police Force reforms are not negotiable."

"All those petty tasks that offend people will be handed over to civilian ninja and members of smaller clans."

"We'll give up the commander's position outright and let them handle those miscellaneous duties."

"From now on, we'll only act as arbiters and deal with matters that truly carry weight."

"Any more questions?"

Everyone below-including the Third Elder-shook their heads furiously.

It really was a good thing.

It achieved several goals at once.

The Third Elder finally fell into line and said no more.