"Itachi, don't misunderstand."
"I didn't send them to fight."
"Those old guys aren't qualified to be their 'first battle' opponents."
Gen'yō slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed on the dome of the Divine Grace Hall, on the vast starry river simulated by the " Amaterasu " main brain, which was being slowly "eaten away" by an invisible force.
"I just wanted them to go and see it for themselves."
"Let them get used to the smell of war in advance."
"After all—" Gen'yō's voice, carrying a hint of excitement and anticipation for the upcoming hunt, slowly echoed in the empty hall.
"After we've dealt with these tedious 'household chores' on the ground—"
"Our next 'family meeting' will probably have to go to the stars and the sea."
A slight ripple finally appeared in Itachi's usually calm, black eyes. He bowed slightly, the hem of his black robe with red clouds brushing against the smooth, mirror-like ground without making a sound.
"Yes, my lord. I understand."
He understood Gen'yō's intentions. This was not a war, but a lesson. A first lesson about "power" and "rule" that belonged only to the Uchiha, taught with blood and death.
After Itachi's figure disappeared into the shadows like a drop of ink, Gen'yō's gaze returned from the Milky Way to the three queens below, each with a different expression, but all deeply shaken by the conversation.
"Alright, that boring interlude is over."
He sat back on his throne, his posture languid, as if he hadn't just decided the course of a storm that would sweep the world.
" Tsunade, Kurotsuchi, I have noted your achievements. According to the laws of the Divine Kingdom, I will have Kakuzu allocate appropriate rewards and resources to your departments from the national treasury."
"Thank you, my lord," Tsunade and Kurotsuchi replied in unison, their shock lingering for a long time.
"As for Konan," Gen'yō's gaze shifted to the woman who had maintained absolute composure throughout, "Draft a proposal for the first 'Five-Year Plan' for the development of the Divine Kingdom. I want to see it in three days."
"Yes, my lord." Konan nodded slightly.
Finally, Gen'yō's gaze fell on the stunning beauty who had just made a "great contribution".
Mei Terumi.
"Your subordinate is here." Mei Terumi stepped forward again, her black cheongsam outlining a breathtaking silhouette, but her eyes were colder than the Siberia wind.
"I'm very satisfied with your ' Divine Punishment '." A playful smile appeared on Gen'yō's lips. "This net must continue to be woven. It will not only cover the entire Shinobi World, but in the future, it will cover the entire cosmos."
"I need my eyes to see every corner of the universe, and my ears to hear whether anyone on every planet is chanting my name."
Mei Terumi's breathing suddenly quickened, and an unparalleled fervor and ambition erupted in her beautiful emerald green eyes.
"Your will is the sole reason for the existence of ' Divine Punishment '!"
"Very good." Gen'yō nodded in satisfaction. "As a reward, the budget for ' Divine Punishment ' will be tripled. At the same time, I allow you to select one hundred members from the ' Void God Unit ' to serve as your direct ' Divine Punishment Executors.'"
"Thank you for your grace, my lord!" Mei Terumi's voice trembled slightly with excitement.
She knew that from this moment on, she and her " Divine Punishment " had truly become the sharpest and most secretive blade of judgment in the heart of this vast empire!
"All of you, step back." Gen'yō waved his hand. "Remember, the show has only just begun."
at the same time.
Moon Palace, Divine Kingdom Hope Academy.
This futuristic city, suspended inside the moon and constructed from cutting-edge technology and the power of Yin-Yang Release, received its first "divine oracle" since its establishment.
Buzz--!!
A piercing yet somehow sacred and majestic alarm sounded throughout every corner of the academy.
Whether it's a child sweating it out in a virtual training arena, simulating a battle with Tailed Beast, a schoolchild in a library learning the knowledge of a lifetime of an ordinary ninja in a second through a neural connection device, or a newborn who has just "graduated" from a nutrient tank in a gene breeding room.
The moment they heard the alarm, all the Uchiha children stopped what they were doing.
The next second, three scarlet Tomoe appeared and spun simultaneously in their dark pupils, like the awakened eyes of demons!
"Divine Decree, First Order! ' Heavenly Army ' Assembly Order!"
"All combat trainees with a potential rating of A or higher, who have awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and who have passed the ' Jonin ' level combat assessment, assemble immediately at the central plaza!"
Cold, emotionless synthesized electronic voices echoed on the college's public channel.
"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"
One after another, youthful yet incredibly fast figures emerged from all directions of the academy, transforming into afterimages as they surged toward the enormous central square, large enough to hold 100,000 people.
They were incredibly fast.
Their movements were perfectly synchronized, as if they were all cut from the same mold.
Their faces showed no childlike innocence or curiosity, only absolute obedience and a deep-seated indifference.
In just three minutes.
Exactly one thousand Uchiha children, dressed in black, tight-fitting combat suits, with an average age of no more than five, yet exuding a killing intent that would make any Kage Level powerhouse tremble, had formed a perfect square formation in the plaza.
They stood there silently, like the coldest sculptures.
A thousand people, yet so quiet it was as if only one person was breathing.
A thousand pairs of Three-Tomoe Sharingan reflected a chilling, bloodthirsty red light under the simulated Greater Yang light source above the plaza!
At the very front of the formation stood two particularly distinctive figures.
One of them was the boy with the topknot and an innate arrogance on his face— Uchiha Shō. He crossed his arms, a slight smile playing on his lips, and the three Tomoe in his Sharingan slowly rotated, as if anticipating something.
Standing next to him was a much quieter-looking girl. She had long, smooth, jet-black hair and skin as white as porcelain. She simply stood there quietly, but the air around her seemed to become fresher because of her presence.
Uchiha Yōko.
Unlike the others, she didn't use her Sharingan to warily scan her surroundings; instead, she looked down at her palm. A barely perceptible wisp of vibrant green Chakra bloomed quietly at her fingertips, then vanished in an instant.
Just then, the space directly in front of the square slightly distorted.
Uchiha Itachi appeared silently on the high platform.
His Mangekyou Mangekyō Sharingan, like two blood-red Uzumaki, coldly swept over the youthful faces below, faces filled with fanaticism and obedience.
"By order of our lord."
The eagle's voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
"The First Legion of the Divine Kingdom Heavenly Army, the 'Hope Legion,' is established today."
"You are the first members of the Legion."
Your first task--
Itachi's gaze seemed to pierce through the endless starry sky, looking towards that azure planet that was slowly rotating.
"Follow me to the surface."
"To witness a funeral dedicated to the old era."
The moment he finished speaking, the space behind him suddenly opened up!
One after another, jet-black starships, each bearing a giant Uchiha Gunbai emblem on its bow, emerged slowly from the portal like colossal beasts awakening from the abyss, obscuring the entire sky above the plaza!
Seeing this breathtaking scene, the thousand Uchiha children below showed no fear whatsoever; instead, their eyes blazed with an even more fervent light!
Uchiha Shō, in particular, could no longer contain his excitement. He took a step forward and raised his arms in a shout!
"For our lord! For the Uchiha!"
"For our lord! For the Uchiha!"
A roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami erupted from the mouths of these thousand children, converging into a terrifying will powerful enough to shake the stars!
Amidst this frenzied atmosphere, Uchiha Yōko, who had been keeping her head down, slowly raised it. Her eyes, also burning with the Mitsudomoe, looked beyond the menacing warships and gazed into the deep, boundless dark universe in the distance.
For the first time, a mixture of curiosity and a hint of confusion appeared on her little face.
"Instructor Itachi." A clear, melodious voice, like that of a nightingale, resonated directly in Itachi's mind through Chakra resonance. "The 'family affairs' you mentioned, Master, are you referring to those rebels on the ground?"
A barely perceptible hint of surprise flashed in Itachi's eyes. He hadn't expected that this girl, who was receiving special attention from the lord for her " Wood Release " talent, would ask such a question.
Instead of answering directly, he asked in return, "What do you think?"
Yōko remained silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought.
"I don't know." She shook her head slightly. "I just feel that if it's just dealing with some 'bugs,' it doesn't seem like we all need to go out in force."
"Moreover, I can sense that the lord's gaze is not on the ground."
"His mood didn't seem to be excited because of those rebels."
"It's a kind of—" Yōko seemed to be searching for the right word, her small eyebrows furrowing slightly.
"Is that the kind of anticipation a chess player feels when they finally find an opponent worthy of their serious attention?"