Glory Hall, Three Mangekyō!

Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressed the shock in his heart,

"Clan Head Lu Ming."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a step forward,

"The power of this Temple Formation secret technique is astonishing. But you and I both know that the Shinobi World is turbulent and unstable right now, while Kumogakure and Iwagakure have always been eyeing our Konoha covetously."

He stared at Lu Ming as he made his demand,

"For Konoha's overall strength, and for the safety of every civilian and shinobi in the village, I hope you can hand this secret technique over to the village for unified safekeeping and have it fully disseminated among the Major Clans and ANBU."

"Only then can Konoha remain invincible in the wars to come!"

As soon as he said this, the clan heads present exchanged glances.

The Third Hokage was using the banner of righteousness to forcibly seize the Uchiha Clan's original trump card!

Faced with Hiruzen Sarutobi's demand, Lu Ming did not reply.

Standing in the seat of honor, he let out a cold laugh.

His black pupils turned scarlet. Three black blades joined at their ends spun and intertwined within his eyes!

Mangekyō Sharingan, activate!

As the Mangekyō awakened, Conqueror's Haki erupted from Lu Ming's body.

Substantial black-and-red chakra whipped wildly through the banquet hall, making the surrounding air viscous.

"Ugh!"

Several elite ANBU closest to him rolled their eyes back, foamed at the mouth, and collapsed to the floor.

The enormous ninja dog beside Tsume Inuzuka tucked its tail between its legs in terror.

A large number of Kikaichū beneath Shibi Aburame's wide coat died and pattered onto the ground.

Hyuga Hiashi, Shikaku Nara, and the other clan heads felt an immense pressure.

Their legs trembled, and they bent forward uncontrollably, lowering their heads.

At the very center of the pressure, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's aged face flushed crimson.

He channeled the enormous chakra within his body and barely managed to stay on his feet beneath the impact.

"Hand over the secret technique? Increase Konoha's overall strength?"

Lu Ming looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was struggling to hold on, and berated him,

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, stop trying to use the village's greater good to pressure me!"

"You're relying on the overall situation to demand the Uchiha Clan's original secret technique. How are your actions any different from those of a bandit blocking the road to rob people?"

"You keep saying that you're doing this for Konoha, but what kind of foolish political schemes are filling that head of yours?"

Lu Ming pressed forward step by step, each word striking at the heart,

"If this Temple Formation secret technique is disseminated throughout the village, it won't be long before the mechanism of this formation, which requires the cooperation of multiple people, is stolen by spies infiltrating from the other major shinobi villages."

"By then, Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure will all possess this power!"

"When that happens, what advantage will Konoha have left?"

"You're handing the entire Shinobi World a strategic trump card capable of changing the course of war!"

Lu Ming pointed at Hiruzen Sarutobi's nose and questioned him in front of all the village's powerful clans,

"You don't even possess the most basic knowledge of secrecy or strategic vision. Hiruzen Sarutobi, tell me—how are you qualified to be this Hokage?!"

Cold sweat broke out on the foreheads of all the clan heads with their heads lowered.

Lu Ming had actually pointed at the Third Hokage's nose and cursed him for being unfit to serve as Hokage in front of the entire Konoha Leadership and all the powerful clans!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face flushed with humiliation.

Every word Lu Ming said was reasonable.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi coveted this power too much. It concerned the Hokage faction's control over the village.

"Lu Ming, don't change the subject!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi clenched his teeth and, forcing himself to maintain the Hokage's dignity, offered a condition,

"As long as you're willing to hand over the secret technique, I, as Hokage, can make the decision to exchange the 'Wood Release Ninjutsu Scroll' belonging to Lord First Hokage, recorded in the Scroll of Seals, along with the research materials on First Hokage Cells!"

"Exchanging the secret technique for Wood Release—that's enough to demonstrate the village's sincerity, isn't it?"

At the words "Wood Release," Shikaku Nara, Hyuga Hiashi, and the others froze.

That was the invincible power that had pacified the chaotic era.

It was the foundation on which Konoha had been established, as well as the symbol of the Hokage's legitimacy.

The Konoha Leadership had always treated it as the highest-level secret. For the Third Hokage to bring even this out today showed how much he yearned for the Temple Formation.

"Wood Release?"

Lu Ming threw his head back and laughed.

"You think that bringing out a pile of dead men's research materials will make me grateful?"

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, put away that ridiculous act of yours! I have absolutely no interest in that so-called position of Hokage, nor in the Wood Release you revere as divine!"

Lu Ming's smile faded as he looked straight at the Konoha Leadership.

"You want to talk to me about sincerity? About friendship?"

"Just a few days ago, the area around our Uchiha Clan's territory was still densely packed with spies from your ANBU and Root lying in wait."

"You even recorded the comings and goings of the old people and children in our clan in detail."

"Every move we made was under your surveillance!"

Lu Ming's voice grew louder and louder.

"Now that you've seen we possess great power, you come running to talk about friendship and exchange? What exactly are your faces made of?!"

"If I hand over the secret technique today, who can guarantee that after your Konoha Leadership gains control of this power, you won't turn around and use it against our Uchiha?!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was rendered speechless. His old face shifted between green and white, and he stood there in extreme embarrassment, unable to find a single word with which to refute him.

Mitokado Homura, kneeling on the ground, saw that the situation was turning unfavorable and awkwardly tried to smooth things over,

"Clan Head Lu Ming, you've misunderstood!"

"ANBU surveillance is meant to protect the safety of the village's borders. It isn't aimed at the Uchiha."

"We all belong to Konoha. How could we use the secret technique against you?"

Utatane Koharu also forced herself to speak, attempting to salvage the Leadership's dignity,

"That's right. Hiruzen is simply eager to recruit capable people. Since you're unwilling to exchange, then let's drop the matter. There's no need to damage our relationship."

"Our relationship?"

Lu Ming retorted,

"Keep those filthy thoughts of yours and savor them slowly."

With that, Lu Ming could no longer be bothered to deal with these decaying members of the Leadership. He simply raised his hand and clapped it hard.

Clap!

As the crisp sound rang out, the eight young Uchiha maintaining the Temple Formation at the distant training ground severed their chakra connection.

The Kage Level aura dissipated with it. The eight men sheathed their short swords in perfect unison, then flashed away and vanished from everyone's sight.

Just as the Temple disciples withdrew,

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two figures leaped down from the second floor of the banquet hall and landed in the open space at the center of the hall.

Everyone's attention was drawn toward them.

They were Fugaku Uchiha and Uchiha Shisui!

Both men stood tall and straight, black cloaks draped over their shoulders.

Golden thread embroidered patterns along the edges of the cloaks, while the two words "Glory Hall" were stitched across their backs in gold!

Lu Ming looked at the two men in the hall and introduced them to all the powerful clans and the Konoha Leadership present.

"Everyone, what you saw just now was our Uchiha Temple."

"And now standing before you is the highest authority and military organization recently established by our Uchiha Clan—the Hall of Glory!"

Lu Ming's voice shook every person present.

"To enter the Hall of Glory, it doesn't matter if you're the clan head or have rendered outstanding meritorious service."

"The sole requirement for entering the Hall is awakening these Mangekyō Sharingan, which represent the Uchiha's ultimate power!"

Before his voice had even faded,

Fugaku Uchiha and Uchiha Shisui, standing in the center of the hall, simultaneously raised their heads.

"Vmmm—!!!"

Three tomoe spun within each of their eyes, connecting into their own unique Mangekyō patterns.

Two surges of violent chakra gushed from Fugaku and Shisui's bodies!

The floor of the entire banquet hall collapsed beneath the impact of their power. Wild winds howled, and waves of force rolled outward!

Under the gaze of everyone present,

Substantial chakra condensed around the two men.

Thick chakra ribs formed out of thin air one after another, followed by spines, arms, and skulls. The skeletons were reconstructed as flesh and meridians spread across them.

In the blink of an eye,

A dark-red half-bodied giant shielded Fugaku Uchiha within it.

On the other side, a half-bodied giant burning with emerald-green chakra flames enveloped Uchiha Shisui.

Susanoo!

Two enormous demonic half-avatars stood in the courtyard, stunning the entire hall.