The regional directors arrived quickly enough that Uchiha Gen did not have to wait long. By the following afternoon, everyone had assembled. However, as he sat in the conference hall, his expression was far from pleasant, even frosty.
Uchiha Gen leaned back in his chair, his eyes half-closed as he waited for each second to pass. Kuro, nestled in his arms, began snoring away without a care in the world.
Meanwhile, the regional directors around the table were suffering as well. Some were surprised by how Uchiha Gen had suddenly become younger, while others felt uneasy because the scene felt far too familiar.
As the minutes dragged on like years, only Kuro's snores echoed through the hall. At last, Uchiha Gen began to speak.
"Looks like all of you have been doing quite well for yourselves, huh?"
"You're all past fifty, aren't you?"
He swept his gaze around. Not one person was under forty, and nearly all of them belonged to the same generation as Uchiha Gen. Anyone who had risen this far was hardly stupid.
"Yes, yes..."
"Lord Yuan, you look quite well yourself."
"..."
Uchiha Gen's mouth twitched at their polite pleasantries. He rose to his feet and began pacing around the long table.
"You should all know my way of doing things. I was too busy before and neglected the details, which allowed some people's conduct to become twisted. Now, I'll ask questions and you'll answer. You'd better not lie."
At that moment, the entirety of the Land of Fire lay within his perception. No secret could escape him. He knew perfectly well how many sins these higher-ups bore on their backs, but... they were family, after all...
Upon hearing Uchiha Gen's words, quite a few people began sweating profusely. Images of mountains of corpses and seas