Uchiha Setsuna

He explained the subsequent training methods, along with some techniques and experience for cultivating Fire Style Chakra, giving Meikyō a general understanding of the Uchiha Fire Style system and showing him the direction for his future Fire Style training.

If he did not truly think highly of this talented younger member of the clan, Uchiha Yu would not have taught him so much.

The old man even invited Meikyō to his home for dinner in the end.

"Grandpa Yu, I've troubled you far too much. Let me wash these dishes!"

Uchiha Meikyō had already changed how he addressed the old man before him.

Uchiha Yu sat at the dining table with a smile, watching Meikyō, whose face still carried a touch of youthful innocence.

One meal had greatly brought the two closer together.

"Enough. My wife died early, and that worthless one of mine died on the battlefield twenty years ago. It's just this Old Man living here alone. There's no such thing as troubling me. With you here, I actually find the place livelier."

Meikyō was startled and immediately rose to his feet.

"I'm sorry, Grandpa Yu. I didn't mean to..."

Uchiha Yu waved his hand, cutting Meikyō off.

"I brought it up, so there's no need for you to apologize. When your father graduated from the Ninja Academy, the First Hokage had only just passed away, and the Shinobi World War had yet to break out. Back then, it was my son who brought him into the Police Force. When my son had just graduated, his Jonin Instructor happened to be your Great-Uncle. Speaking of which, our two families can be considered old family friends. It's only fitting for you to call me Grandpa."

Uchiha Yu looked at Meikyō before him.

If he had a grandson, he should have been at least this old by now, right? He surely would have been as polite and well-behaved as this kid, with outstanding talent too, capable of becoming a future pillar of the Uchiha.

"My... Great-Uncle?"

Meikyō asked curiously.

It seemed that the original owner had heard his parents mention long ago that his Great-Uncle had been a very powerful Uchiha, but he had died not long after Meikyō was born.

"Ah, come to think of it, his name was quite similar to yours. He was called Kagami Uchiha. Like the current Hokage, he was Tobirama Senju's disciple. Back then, he was also the strongest Uchiha in the clan. If not for the fact that he was Tobirama Senju's disciple, and Tobirama Senju was the one who killed Elder Izuna, causing some clan members to oppose him, he might have become the Uchiha clan head."

"I remember his son was named Uchiha Tatsu. He didn't have much talent as a ninja, but last month, his family had a baby boy and named him Shisui."

At that point, Uchiha Yu sank into his memories again.

He was more than half a generation older than Kagami Uchiha. When he became a Jonin, Kagami Uchiha had only just graduated. By the time Kagami Uchiha became a Jonin, he was at the height of his strength. Yet after Kagami Uchiha reached his own peak, he suddenly vanished.

Kagami Uchiha?

And Uchiha Shisui?

They're actually fairly close relatives of mine? And the famous Body Flicker Shisui was only born this year?

"Alright, old people just like reminiscing. It's about time. Today happens to be the day of the clan meeting, so come with me. As for those dishes, it won't be too late to deal with them after we return."

Uchiha Yu rose from his stool, patted his belly, clasped his hands behind his back, and strolled toward the door.

Behind him followed Uchiha Meikyō, who looked as though he could only be his grandson's age.

Night fell.

Naka Shrine.

The Uchiha clan meeting was about to begin. As a veteran Jonin with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, Uchiha Yu sat in the first row. The rest of the first and second rows were mostly clan elders or powerful Jonin with Three Tomoe Sharingan.

A newcomer like Meikyō could only obediently sit in the last row. If he had not awakened the Sharingan, he would not even have been qualified to attend the clan meeting.

Uchiha Fugaku stood at the head of the gathering, with an imitation Flame Fan and Uchiha Kama strapped to his back.

The genuine originals had been taken away thirty years ago when Madara left Konoha, though few people knew about it. These two weapons had been secretly commissioned by the previous clan head at great expense from masters of the Artisan Ninja Village, recreated according to the forging methods recorded in the clan. However, they possessed less than a tenth of the originals' power and were merely for show.

Based on what he had discussed with Uchiha Yu over dinner, these monthly clan meetings were usually dull. The Uchiha could not possibly have major events every month. It was nothing more than how much the clan had spent that month, how much the businesses under the Uchiha name had earned, which family's child had awakened the Sharingan, or which family's ninja had successfully advanced to Chunin or Jonin.

They were all the same old topics, enough to put anyone to sleep.

But this time was clearly different.

The first half of the clan meeting was indeed as boring as Uchiha Yu had said.

That was until Uchiha Fugaku began listing the clan members who had died on the battlefield recently.

Among them were Senji and Rinna.

"These clan members were undoubtedly heroes of both the village and the Uchiha. With their lives, they proved the courage and glory of the Uchiha!"

Every Uchiha present straightened their backs at that moment.

For the Uchiha, anything involving the Uchiha name, Uchiha glory, or Uchiha strength could easily stir their emotions. Every person who had received a proper Uchiha education would naturally develop a sense of mission and responsibility after learning of their clan's thousand-year glorious history.

Just as some people, upon learning of their nation's five-thousand-year history, would feel an indescribable sense of belonging and pride.

"But... some people insist on tarnishing the honor our ancestors built through a thousand years of hardship and toil for their own selfish desires!"

Many Uchiha below immediately looked at one another, and the hall erupted into commotion.

"Clan head, what exactly happened?!"

"Who is tarnishing the honor of the Uchiha?!"

Fugaku was very satisfied with the reaction of these clan members.

The greater their reaction, the more beneficial it would be to his plan.

"Fugaku, don't speak carelessly. Everyone seated here is an elite of the Uchiha. I believe no one would do anything to shame the Uchiha bloodline."

An Uchiha elder around fifty years old seemed to sense something and spoke up.

His name was Uchiha Setsuna. After the previous Uchiha clan head died, he had seized the opportunity, using the new clan head's lack of experience and seniority as an excuse to gather several veteran elders and take control of a considerable portion of the clan's power.