All Three Tomoe?!

Smoke and dust filled the dilapidated dome of Root Base.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, landed heavily with the Adamantine Staff in hand, surrounded by a host of elite ANBU.

The moment he steadied himself, his gaze swept across the entire scene.

When he saw the young figure standing in the center of the ruins, Hiruzen Sarutobi's breathing stopped.

Mangekyō Sharingan!

Within the eye socket, a pattern of three black blades joined end to end slowly rotated.

"So it really is the Mangekyō..."

The veins on the back of Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand bulged as he gripped the Adamantine Staff, and cold sweat seeped across his forehead.

Hearing Fugaku's report in the Hokage Office had been one thing. Witnessing it with his own eyes was another.

That sinister chakra was even more violent than the aura during the Nine-Tails' Attack!

However, this was far from the only thing that shocked Hiruzen Sarutobi.

His gaze passed over Lu Ming and landed on the young people behind him, all dressed in identical dark combat uniforms.

Forty-three people in total!

Within the underground space, forty-three pairs of scarlet eyes lit up. In every pair of eyes, three tomoe revolved!

"Gulp..."

Among the dozens of elite ANBU following the Third Hokage, the sounds of difficult swallowing rang out one after another.

"You've got to be kidding me... They're all Three Tomoe?!"

The eyes of an ANBU squad captain widened beneath his mask, and the hand gripping his ninja blade trembled.

"And they're all under twenty! This potential... It's terrifying!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt his scalp go numb, and dizziness clouded his mind.

As the Hokage who had ruled Konoha for decades, he knew the foundation of the Uchiha Clan all too well.

In the past, all the Three Tomoe elites in the entire Uchiha Clan had numbered no more than a dozen or two. That alone had been the prestige of Konoha's foremost clan.

But now, Lu Ming had brought only a so-called "Temple" guard, yet he had produced forty-three young Three Tomoe elites!

That number far exceeded the total of any previous era of the Uchiha!

Battle intent radiated from these young people. As long as Lu Ming gave the order, they would tear Root Base to pieces without hesitation!

Lu Ming's Mangekyō, combined with the Mangekyō of Fugaku and Shisui, and backed by this army of young Three Tomoe with astonishing strength and potential...

"This power is enough to overturn all of Konoha!" Cold sweat soaked Hiruzen Sarutobi's back.

Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind reeled from the shock,

Shimura Danzō, kneeling on the ground, saw the Third Hokage arrive with a large contingent of ANBU, and ecstatic delight erupted in his eye.

"Hiruzen! You came at just the right time!"

Forcing down the pain of his severed wrist, Danzō staggered to his feet with the support of a guard. He thought Hiruzen Sarutobi had come to back him up, and his confidence returned.

"Uchiha Lu Ming has no respect for his elders. He led a large number of armed personnel into Root Base without permission. Not only did he injure me, he also seriously wounded Fū Yamanaka."

"He is openly challenging the village's authority and intends to launch an armed rebellion!"

Danzō's single eye gleamed with venom as he pointed at Lu Ming and shouted,

"Hiruzen, order the ANBU and Root to join forces."

"Today, we must wipe out this group of inherently evil Uchiha remnants. We absolutely cannot let them leave here alive!"

Hearing Danzō's shouts, the surrounding Root shinobi tightened their grips on their weapons, preparing to cooperate with the ANBU in a siege.

However.

"Shut up!!!"

A furious roar rang out through the underground space.

The one who spoke was none other than the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi!

Danzō froze.

The surrounding Root shinobi and ANBU elites froze as well.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at Danzō with his eyes wide.

"Hiruzen, you..." Danzō was utterly baffled and had just begun to speak.

"I told you to shut up. Can't you understand me, Danzō?!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi cut him off, his tone severe.

"The Uchiha Clan is one of Konoha's founding clans. Lu Ming and the others are shinobi of Konoha and our important comrades."

"What nonsense are you spouting about an armed rebellion?!"

The entire scene erupted in an uproar.

The ANBU shinobi exchanged baffled looks, while the Root shinobi stood as if struck by lightning.

No one had expected that the Third Hokage, who had always maintained an unspoken understanding with Danzō on the Uchiha issue, would publicly reprimand him so harshly today. He had even taken the initiative to call the Uchiha "important comrades"!

His attitude had made a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn!

Danzō's single eye widened until it was nearly round, his face filled with astonishment.

"Hiruzen! Have you gone mad? They're—"

"Enough! You reckless fool!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi trembled with rage, wishing he could beat this useless old bastard to death with one strike of his staff.

Are you blind? Can't you see the Mangekyō in Lu Ming's eyes?

Can't you see those forty-three pairs of Three Tomoe? Why provoke them now? Do you want Konoha to be destroyed even faster?!

Hiruzen Sarutobi forcibly suppressed the rage in his heart.

He turned around to face everyone, and his voice, amplified by surging chakra, carried into every corner.

"Everyone, listen up!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked solemn as he announced loudly,

"One hour ago, Fugaku Uchiha voluntarily stepped down from his position."

"From this moment onward, Uchiha Lu Ming has officially assumed the position of clan head of the Uchiha Clan! At the same time, he will serve as the head of the Konoha Military Police Force!"

The announcement detonated among the crowd.

"What?!"

Danzō stood rigid as if struck by lightning, his old face turning as pale as paper.

"Clan head? Head of the Military Police Force?!"

Danzō's lips trembled violently, disbelief filling his single eye.

"That coward Fugaku actually stepped down at a time like this? How is that possible?!"

The Root shinobi were scared out of their wits, their legs going weak.

The person they had just surrounded and attacked was not an ordinary Uchiha genius, but the current clan head of the Uchiha Clan! The head of the Konoha Military Police Force, one of Konoha Leadership!

For Root to forcibly detain, or even kill, a clan head was a heinous crime capable of triggering a civil war within the village!

"It's over... What kind of existence did we provoke..."

The Root elites who had been shouting about capturing Lu Ming moments ago no longer even had the strength to hold their blades.

After announcing this bombshell, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around to face Lu Ming.

In the shock of the entire scene, this old man who had ruled Konoha for decades actually lowered his head slightly and assumed the most deferential posture possible.

"Clan Head Lu Ming."

Bitterness and helplessness seeped into Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice.

"What happened tonight was a complete misunderstanding."

"Danzō has spent years stationed in Root Base and was cut off from information. He didn't know that you had already taken over as clan head and head of the Military Police Force."

"He acted recklessly and offended you in many ways. On behalf of the village, I offer you my sincerest apologies."

The dignified Third Hokage had actually apologized publicly to a young man!

This shocking scene made everyone present suck in a cold breath.

Facing the Third Hokage's deferential apology, Lu Ming's expression remained completely unmoved.

The Mangekyō Sharingan in his eyes slowly faded, returning to black irises, and he stared coldly at Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō.

"A misunderstanding? You didn't know?"

Lu Ming let out a derisive laugh, his voice filled with mockery.

"Lord Third, even if I were merely an ordinary Uchiha clansman, would Root have the authority to intercept me on the road without any investigation and even attempt to kill me?"