Main World.
Autumn, Konoha Year 30.
Meeting Hall, Uchiha Clan Compound.
More than half the leaves outside the window had already fallen. The few remaining clung to the branches, their edges yellowing, lifting and settling in the wind as though still hesitating over whether to release their final hold. Darkness came much earlier than it had last month. The lamps in the Meeting Hall were lit before the sun sank completely behind Hokage Rock. Candlelight filtered through the paper shades, yellow and subdued, washing the open intelligence reports on the table a little pale, like old cloth faded from sitting too long.
Uchiha Fushan sat at the head of the table, his back resting against his chair, though not fully-the posture was more that of someone ready to rise at any moment, or lean forward at any moment, except that nothing yet warranted either movement. Three intelligence reports lay before him, all delivered to his desk that afternoon through Root's intelligence network after passing through three intermediaries. He had read the first from beginning to end three times and the second twice. He had set the third aside after merely scanning its opening, its folds still retaining the sharp edges they had when first unsealed.
His fingers rested on the edge of the first report. He neither turned the page nor moved them away, as though waiting for the printed words to rearrange themselves into an order he could more readily accept. But words would not move. The report stated it plainly: over the past three months, the Toyotomi Clan had successively completed guided implantation of the Wood Release bloodline ability in twelve children of suitable age within the clan, with a success rate exceeding ninety percent. The guiding technique was reportedly refined by the current Toyotomi clan leader himself,