Family Reformation, the Temple Thirteen Squads!

Lu Ming stood atop the platform of the Great Arena, looking down at the clan members as he summoned the God-Level Family System interface.

A light screen unfolded before his eyes.

[Host: Uchiha Lu Ming]

[Family Level: Level 1]

[Family Fortune Value: 100/1000]

[Ways to Obtain Fortune: Increase the family's overall strength, expand the family's economic territory, and raise the family's political status in the Shinobi World.]

[System Prompt: The family can level up once its Fortune Value reaches the maximum. With each level-up, the host and the family will receive extremely generous law-level rewards!]

Lu Ming looked at the panel.

Wasn't the Konoha Leadership doing everything it could to weaken the Uchiha? Didn't Danzo dream of wiping out the Uchiha?

Then he would do the exact opposite!

Not only would he make the Uchiha stronger, but he would also make them flourish economically, politically, and militarily, turning the Uchiha into a colossal force in the Shinobi World!

Lu Ming dismissed the system panel and looked down over all the clan members.

"Everyone, heed my orders!"

Lu Ming's voice spread throughout Naka Shrine.

The entire crowd fell silent, and hundreds of Sharingan eyes focused on the new clan head.

"The Uchiha of the past were a scattered mess, manipulated at will by the Leadership. But starting tonight, that history will come to an absolute end!"

Lu Ming spread his arms.

"I announce that the comprehensive reformation of the clan officially begins! The first step is to establish the Uchiha Shrine!"

"The Temple?"

Gasps rose from the crowd.

The Grand Elder and several other elders exchanged glances, unfamiliar with the term.

"That's right!"

Lu Ming raised his voice.

"The Temple will be independent of the Konoha Military Police Force and become the Uchiha Clan's core military institution."

"It will gather the young elites within the clan and unite our scattered strength!"

Lu Ming looked at the conservative elders.

"Establishing the Temple doesn't mean we'll take the initiative to charge into the Hokage Building and throw our lives away. Nor does it mean we'll start a civil war!"

Lu Ming pointed out the key issue.

"Dignity exists only at the edge of a sword. We'll use our strength to exchange for peace."

"As long as the Temple's blade is sharp enough, the Third Hokage and Danzo won't dare harbor any further designs on us!"

"Strength for peace!"

"Well said!"

Uchiha Yashiro shouted.

"Strength for peace! Make them wary! Make them fear us!"

"Establish the Temple! Establish the Temple!"

The entire clan cried out loudly.

Looking at the clan members, Lu Ming nodded.

"Tekka Uchiha! Nanami Uchiha!"

Lu Ming called out sternly.

Thirteen Elite Jonin led by Tekka and Nanami leaped out from the crowd and knelt on one knee before Lu Ming. Thirteen pairs of Three-Tomoe Sharingan revolved in the night.

"We're here!"

The thirteen men shouted in unison.

Lu Ming drew his short blade and pointed its edge toward the sky.

"By the authority of the clan head, I officially appoint the thirteen of you as the captains of the Uchiha Shrine's Thirteen Squads!"

"You have only one mission: select the elite from throughout the clan, break with convention, and conduct practical combat training."

"I want you to forge an invincible fighting force for the family in the shortest possible time!"

"Yes! We swear to serve the clan head until death!"

The thirteen captains bowed deeply.

Lu Ming looked toward the young man in the corner of the crowd.

"Itachi Uchiha, step forward!"

Everyone looked at the eleven-year-old Itachi.

Itachi stepped forward and knelt on one knee before Lu Ming. "Clan head."

"Itachi, you possess extraordinary talent and a meticulous mind."

Lu Ming announced, "I appoint you captain of the Temple's Zero Squad! The Zero Squad will not participate in conventional combat. It will serve as my personal guard and take orders directly from me!"

An uproar--

Whispers spread through the crowd.

Itachi raised his head. He had thought that publicly opposing his father earlier would cause the clan to ostracize him, but Lu Ming had instead entrusted him with an important position.

"Yes! I will not disgrace my mission!"

Itachi lowered his head.

Beside the ruins not far away, Fugaku Uchiha watched this scene.

"The second reformation!"

Lu Ming did not pause and continued announcing his decision.

"From today onward, every member of the Uchiha Clan serving in the Konoha Anbu will submit their resignation and withdraw from the Anbu entirely!"

The entire Great Arena fell silent.

"Clan head, this..."

The Grand Elder spoke up.

"There's nothing to worry about!"

Lu Ming cut him off.

"The Anbu is nothing more than a tool the Leadership uses to monitor and divide us."

"If our geniuses remain there, they'll only become Danzo's lackeys!"

Lu Ming spread his arms.

"We are one of Konoha's founding clans. We must stand atop Konoha with a transcendent status."

"After withdrawing from the Anbu, the Temple will establish our own intelligence and assassination network."

"We will turn around and monitor the Konoha Leadership, balance Danzo's Root, and if anyone dares lay a finger on us, we'll chop off his claws!"

"Withdraw! Withdraw first thing tomorrow morning!"

"No more putting up with those leaders! We'll only listen to the clan head!"

"The final measure!"

Lu Ming sheathed his short blade.

"I've decided to establish the highest-ranking 'Hall of Glory' within the Temple!"

"The Hall of Glory represents the Uchiha Clan's supreme combat power and unparalleled glory."

"It is stipulated that only those who have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan will qualify to enter."

"Members of the hall will hold a status second only to the clan head and enjoy the right to participate in and veto the family's highest-level decisions."

The entire arena fell silent.

Lu Ming turned his head and looked at Uchiha Shisui standing nearby and Fugaku Uchiha beside the ruins.

"Uchiha Shisui! Fugaku Uchiha!"

Lu Ming announced loudly.

"By the authority of the clan head, I officially grant the two of you membership in the Hall of Glory!"

Shisui stepped forward and knelt on one knee.

"Shisui accepts the order!"

Fugaku raised his head beside the ruins.

"Thank you... Clan head!"

Supported by two clan members, Fugaku bent down and bowed.

The cheers of the clan members echoed through the sky above the Great Arena.

At dusk, the afterglow of the setting sun spilled across Konoha's streets.

After handling the clan's transition affairs, Lu Ming returned to the estate.

As soon as he pushed open the courtyard gate, a small figure blocked his path.

"Big brother, you're a big liar!"

His seven-year-old younger sister, Uchiha Runa, put her hands on her hips.

"You clearly promised this morning that you'd pick me up from Ninja Academy! But I waited until sunset and didn't see you anywhere!"

Looking at his sister, the imposing aura Lu Ming had displayed at Naka Shrine vanished completely. He crouched down and coaxed her.

"Be good, Luna. Something major happened in the clan today, and I couldn't get away."

"Tomorrow. I promise I'll be the first one there to pick you up tomorrow, all right?"

"Hmph! I don't believe you!"

Luna turned her head away and pulled a little boy who had been hiding behind her out in front of her.

"If big brother won't pick me up, I'll just get myself a little brother!"

Luna patted her small chest proudly.

"He was bullied by the older kids at school today, and I helped chase them away!"

Following Luna's hand, Lu Ming looked over and saw the little boy clearly.

A spiky blond head, vivid blue eyes, and six whisker-like markings on his cheeks.

The little boy wore an old T-shirt. He clutched the hem and kept his head lowered.

Naruto!

Lu Ming looked at him.

"Oh, Lu Ming's back?"

The sliding kitchen door opened, and Lu Ming's mother came out carrying a plate of grilled fish.

When she saw Naruto standing in the courtyard, she stopped.

"Did Luna bring a classmate home as a guest?"

Mrs. Uchiha walked over and took Naruto's hand.

"Goodness, you must be starving. Go wash your hands quickly. Auntie made lots of delicious food today. Stay and have dinner with us."

Naruto froze in place and looked up, his eyes brimming with tears.

"I...I can really stay?"

Naruto asked.

"Of course! You're my little brother now!"

Luna grabbed Naruto's hand and hopped toward the washbasin with him.

A short while later, in the dining room of the estate.

Warm yellow lamplight spilled across the dining table as the family sat together.

"Auntie, this tempura is so delicious! I've never eaten anything this good!"

Naruto clutched a fried shrimp in his hand and stuffed it into his mouth, wolfing it down as tears plopped into his bowl.

"Slow down. Don't choke. There's plenty more in the pot."

Lu Ming's mother wiped the grease from the corner of Naruto's mouth with a handkerchief and placed more food in his bowl.

Luna waved her chopsticks beside them and told her family about what had happened to Naruto at school.

"Mom, those people went too far."

"They not only called Naruto a demon fox, but also threw his lunchbox on the ground and stomped on it."

"If I hadn't known a few taijutsu moves big brother taught me, Naruto would've been beaten up today!"

Lu Ming's mother gently stroked Naruto's blond hair.

Meanwhile, Lu Ming sat quietly at the head of the table.

He held a teacup and watched the blond boy across from him wolf down his food through streaming tears.