Yin and Yang as One

Meanwhile, deep in the Uchiha District, inside the newly built Temple's inner hall.

The banquet outside was still in full swing, but the doors to the inner hall were shut tight.

Tekka Uchiha, Nanami Uchiha, and the other thirteen Temple captains,

the first elder and the clan's other senior leaders,

and Fugaku Uchiha and Uchiha Shisui, who had just distinguished themselves at the banquet, surrounded Ren.

Dozens of eyes fixed on Ren. Chests rose and fell.

"Ren... Clan Leader!"

The first elder stepped forward, leaning on his cane. His hands shook, and his voice was strained.

"What you said at the banquet, in front of the Konoha Leadership and the great clans... Is the Uchiha Clan truly descended from the legendary Sage of Six Paths?"

"Was that... was that just something you said to intimidate them, or is it true?!"

The first elder was not alone. Fugaku Uchiha clenched his fists beside him.

He had once been clan leader and had even awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, yet he had never heard of this ancient secret.

"Clan Leader, this is far too important to take lightly!"

Uchiha Yashiro swallowed, his mouth dry.

Ren stood with his hands behind his back.

"Something I said? Why would I need lies to intimidate those fools?"

Ren's voice echoed through the inner hall.

"The stone tablet beneath Naka Shrine is proof!"

At the mention of the Naka Shrine tablet, Fugaku and Shisui froze.

Only those who had awakened the Sharingan could read it, and the stronger their visual prowess, the more they could see.

Ren looked around at the clan's leaders and began to explain their origins.

"According to the tablet, the Sage of Six Paths founded Ninshū, and the source of his power was Yin–Yang Release!"

Ren held out both hands, closing them around empty air.

"The Sage divided that power into yin and yang. The Sharingan passed down through our Uchiha Clan represents the 'yang' of those two forces!"

"As for the Senju clan, who could once stand against us, their Wood Release and vitality represent 'yin'!"

Ren brought his palms together with a sharp clap.

"When the two forces become one, when yin and yang converge, they become Six Paths Power—the manifestation of our divine bloodline!"

Ren looked at the others.

"And it isn't just the tablet. If you examine the surviving fragments of our clan's oldest genealogies, you'll find records of Indra Ōtsutsuki."

"He was the ancestor of the Uchiha and the eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths!"

The inner hall fell silent. Then came a chorus of sharp intakes of breath.

"Hiss—!"

"Yang Power... The Sharingan is an inheritance of the Sage of Six Paths' Yang Power!"

The first elder's cane clattered to the floor.

The old man's knees buckled, and he knelt.

"So that's it... That's it!"

The first elder tilted his face toward the ceiling.

"No wonder the Senju clan kept pace with the Uchiha throughout the Warring States Era."

"No wonder Hashirama's Wood Release could stand against Lord Madara Uchiha's Susanoo. This was the reason! They were 'yin,' and we are 'yang'!"

The Three Tomoe spun in Tekka Uchiha's eyes. He slammed a fist into the stone pillar beside him, cracking it.

"Hahahaha! The Senju clan? What are they now?"

Tekka laughed at the top of his lungs.

"The Senju clan, the bearers of 'yin,' have withered away for the sake of that ridiculous Will of Fire. They can't even produce a descendant capable of using Wood Release."

"But we Uchiha, the bearers of 'yang,' have reached new heights under our Clan Leader!"

"Exactly!"

Nanami Uchiha gripped the short sword at her waist.

"The Senju are gone, and yin and yang are out of balance."

"In this vast Shinobi World, who can stand in the way of us descendants of the Sage of Six Paths? The Uchiha have no rivals left!"

The inner hall erupted in excited chatter.

Fugaku Uchiha, however, frowned.

"Ren..."

Fugaku stepped forward, cutting through the celebration.

"Revealing that we're descendants of the Sage of Six Paths may intimidate the Konoha Leadership, but have you considered the consequences?"

Fugaku looked at Ren.

"Beyond Konoha lie Kumogakure, Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure. Those four great shinobi villages are ravenous wolves."

"Once news of our 'Six Paths lineage' and 'divine bloodline' spreads across the Shinobi World, the Uchiha will become a target for everyone!"

"They'll come for our eyes and our bloodline."

"Endless assassinations, spies—even a war in which the four great villages join forces against Konoha! The Uchiha will never know peace again!"

Fugaku's words silenced the inner hall. Several elders stopped talking as well.

Ren did not give an inch in the face of Fugaku's concerns.

He stood where he was, his black Divine Robe stirring though there was no wind.

"Hum—!"

Ren's eyes transformed into Mangekyō Sharingan, their pattern of three blades joined end to end spinning.

A wave of force drove everyone around him back.

Ren looked down at Fugaku and roared.

"The four great villages? A target for the entire Shinobi World?"

Ren took a step forward, swept his gaze over every Uchiha leader present, and demanded, "Are you afraid?!"

The question rang through the inner hall.

"No!!!"

Tekka Uchiha, Nanami Uchiha, and the other thirteen Temple captains drew their short swords and thrust them toward the sky, roaring as one.

"No!!!"

The first elder and the other leaders straightened their backs and roared toward the heavens.

"No!!!"

Even Uchiha Shisui joined the clan's roar, light flaring in his Mangekyō Sharingan!

Their voices thundered through the Temple.

Looking at his clansmen, Ren burst out laughing.

"Good! That's the spirit the Uchiha Clan should have!"

Ren's smile faded. He spread his arms and addressed the entire clan.

"Fugaku, listen closely."

"I announced our bloodline in public, first, to show the whole Shinobi World—and every self-important insect in it—who the Uchiha are! I want them to understand that they face gods!"

"Second, I want to give the entire clan a goal!"

Ren raised his voice.

"Restore our glory from the Warring States Era? That's thinking far too small!"

"My goal is for the Uchiha Clan to stand like gods at the very pinnacle of the Shinobi World!"

"I want the four great villages to tremble at the sound of our name. I want everyone in the Shinobi World to kneel at our feet and worship us."

"If anyone reaches for us, I'll cut off their hand; if anyone bares their teeth, I'll wipe out their entire clan!"

As Ren's declaration ended, the whole clan shouted.

"Stand like gods over the Shinobi World!"

"Be worshipped by all!"

"Long live the Clan Leader! Long live the Uchiha!"

Their cheers echoed through the inner hall.