I Will Not Keep This Glory to Myself

When the clan members realized they had a chance to fight on the front lines, they revealed a side rarely seen in most ninja.

The thrill of battle, the thirst for blood, and the determination to restore the clan's glory.

The only thing Uchiha Kyu did not see was cowardly fear of the battlefield.

The Uchiha Clan did not lack courage. They only lacked a way to unleash it.

"Very good. I cannot see even a trace of fear toward the battlefield in your eyes."

"All I can say is that you truly are members of the Uchiha Clan."

Uchiha Kyu's rare praise made the clan members instinctively lift their heads and straighten their backs, naturally enjoying the compliment.

They had endured humiliation for so many years. Now that they finally had an opportunity, they cherished it all the more.

Uchiha Kyu had already made arrangements for the list of clan members heading to the front lines before taking action.

Nearly every clan member whose name Uchiha Kyu called had either failed to awaken the Three-Tomoe Sharingan or had not awakened the Sharingan at all.

Clan members with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan had essentially reached the pinnacle that ordinary Uchiha could attain.

Awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan was not something that could be achieved through life-and-death realizations alone. It also required talent—a talent for loving to the utmost extreme.

Uchiha Obito was the clearest example.

When the purest emotions were born, when one found enlightenment amid gain and loss and rebuilt one's worldview, such intense emotional stimulation would produce Yin Release chakra, which would surge into the eyes and ultimately give birth to the Sharingan.

Uchiha Kyu did not actually approve of this method of awakening, because it could easily drive clan members to extremes.

Whether it was Uchiha Obito or Uchiha Itachi, both had ultimately gone to extremes, and the two of them had personally joined hands to destroy the Uchiha Clan.

Uchiha Shisui might not have seemed extreme, but he was actually the most extreme of them all.

Otherwise, he would not have awakened the strongest genjutsu, Kotoamatsukami, which could alter a person's lifelong beliefs with just one glance.

Kotoamatsukami was a bug-like ocular technique. If the original author had not forcibly written Uchiha Shisui to death, the later plot probably could not have continued.

This was also why Uchiha Kyu had always been wary of Uchiha Shisui and would never turn hostile toward him unless it was the final moment.

Once every clan member on the list had been called, Uchiha Kyu looked toward Uchiha Itachi, who was obediently seated beside Uchiha Mikoto.

As for Uchiha Itachi's future, Uchiha Kyu would not continue allowing Fugaku Uchiha to ruin this fairly talented cousin-nephew of his.

"From today onward, Uchiha Itachi, you will stay by my side."

"Clan Head, are you planning to take Itachi as your disciple?"

Fugaku Uchiha stood up with an excited expression. He did not want to miss this opportunity.

If his son could grow up by Uchiha Kyu's side, then his future would undoubtedly be limitless.

"That will depend on how he performs in the future."

Uchiha Kyu neither refused nor agreed, giving only a vague answer.

"Don't just stand there stupidly. Go on."

Seeing her son standing blankly in place, Uchiha Mikoto anxiously gave him a push.

Reminded by his mother, Uchiha Itachi quickly came back to his senses and walked over.

"From now on, stay obediently by my side. Watch carefully and learn carefully, and you will naturally find the answer in your heart."

Uchiha Kyu did not yet harbor such great hostility toward Uchiha Itachi. After all, he had not yet committed monstrous crimes, nor had he been completely brainwashed by Hiruzen Sarutobi.

If he could be saved, he could become one of Uchiha Kyu's people and be used by him.

"Yes." Uchiha Itachi obediently agreed.

Every clan member present looked at Uchiha Itachi with envy. They also hoped that their own younger generations would be favored by the Clan Head.

Unfortunately, their descendants were simply disappointing. Not one of them possessed greater talent than Uchiha Itachi.

Uchiha Kyu pulled Uchiha Itachi to his side and continued.

"The clan still has many problems, and they cannot be completely resolved in a short time."

"We must proceed step by step. In the near future, Konoha will surely submit beneath the feet of the Uchiha."

"I will not keep this glory to myself. Let us strive together, gentlemen."

Uchiha Kyu's words seemed to have been carved into the minds of the clan members present, and the entire crowd erupted.

Huo Uchiha, seated in the first row, reacted even faster than Uchiha Okamoto.

Huo Uchiha dropped to one knee, clenched one fist against his chest, and shouted loudly with tears of excitement in his eyes.

"This subordinate swears to serve the Clan Head unto death and devote his life to fighting for the clan's glory."

Moved by Huo Uchiha's impassioned declaration, everyone else dropped to their knees and swore their oaths in unison.

They all sincerely accepted this young Clan Head and were willing to pledge their loyalty to him.

No one had ever said such words before. From beginning to end, glory had always been enjoyed by one person alone.

The only person who dared to say such things before everyone was the current Clan Head.

With those words alone, even if they died in battle someday, the Clan Head would surely not mistreat their families.

This clan gathering came to a successful conclusion.

For the Uchiha Clan, from the instant the meeting dispersed and they stepped out of the gathering place, a visible future awaited them.

Fugaku Uchiha watched his cousin Uchiha Kyu leave Naka Shrine with a complicated expression.

"Fugaku." Uchiha Mikoto looked at Fugaku Uchiha worriedly, afraid that her husband would be unable to accept this reality.

"It's fine. He is stronger than I am."

Fugaku Uchiha revealed a relieved smile, taking Mikoto's hand in one hand and Itachi's in the other as they headed home.

"Let's go. We're going home."

At that moment, Fugaku Uchiha felt an unprecedented sense of ease and happiness.

However, the Uchiha's large-scale gathering during such a sensitive time made Konoha's highly strung upper ranks exceptionally nervous.

"Sarutobi, at this stage, we should hurry and root out the mole. There are very few people who can access the Sealing Scroll, aren't there?"

Danzo did not know whether it was Orochimaru, but that did not stop him from steering the matter in that direction.

Orochimaru knew too many of his secrets. If he wanted to become Hokage, he had to weaken Sarutobi's power.

Once the millstone had done its work, the donkey had to be slaughtered. He would get rid of Orochimaru first.

"Danzo, I will give you an explanation for this matter."

Hiruzen Sarutobi had actually noticed Orochimaru long ago. More importantly, the Anbu's recent investigation had discovered that Orochimaru had dealings with Danzo behind his back.

That was what angered Hiruzen Sarutobi the most. As for secretly researching the First Hokage's cells, that was not even worth mentioning.

However, this matter could not be exposed publicly. Once it was revealed, even Hiruzen Sarutobi himself would be unable to protect Orochimaru.

"Sarutobi, you had best remember your words."

Danzo left the Hokage Office with a gloomy expression.

Thick smoke concealed Hiruzen Sarutobi's sorrowful, aged face, and he could not help but feel disappointed in Orochimaru.

"Minato, continue arranging people to monitor the Uchiha from farther away. At present, we cannot afford the slightest carelessness."

"Furthermore, reports from the front lines say that several ninja villages are becoming restless along the borders."

"At the slightest misstep, a war we do not wish to see could erupt in an instant."

"I understand, Third Hokage."

Minato Namikaze understood the severity of the matter and promptly arranged for the Anbu to monitor the Uchiha Compound from a distance.

At this stage, Uchiha Kyu was no longer someone they could kill whenever they wished.

Once they failed, Uchiha Kyu's Flying Thunder God Technique would become a great disaster for Konoha.