"Lord Gen'yō, are we really going to let Hiruzen Sarutobi go?"
On the way back to the Clan Holy Land, Uchiha Fugaku walked up beside Gen'yō, a trace of confusion and worry on his face. "Wouldn't letting him return like this be letting a tiger return to the mountains? Konoha still has its foundations. Once they recover..."
"Uncle Fugaku, do you think a tiger with its teeth pulled out and its spine broken still counts as a tiger?"
Without turning his head, Uchiha Gen'yō asked calmly, "Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart is already dead. He's more useful to us alive than dead. A mentally broken Hokage, a 'Shinobi Hero' whose prestige is in ruins-how much turmoil do you think he'll cause when he returns to the village? Will Danzo willingly let him stay in that position? What will the Land of Fire's daimyo think of him? And what will the village's other clans think?"
"Konoha is going to rot from within."
A cold smile curved Uchiha Gen'yō's lips. "I don't just want to defeat Konoha. I want it to fall apart and be struck from the ranks of the Five Great Shinobi Villages altogether!"
Hearing Gen'yō's cold yet farsighted analysis, Fugaku, Shisui, and the other Uchiha leaders around them were all deeply shaken. The way they looked at Gen'yō had changed completely from their earlier reverence to fanatical worship. Their new clan leader possessed not only godlike power, but also devilish cunning!
With a leader like this, how could their great undertaking possibly fail?!
"I understand!"
Fugaku nodded firmly, not a trace of doubt remaining in his eyes.
Soon, all the Uchiha clansmen returned to the secluded holy land of "New Uchiha." Unlike when they had left, the holy land now brimmed with an unprecedented joy of victory and soaring fighting spirit!
"Hahaha! That felt good! Today's slaughter felt so damn good!"
"Did you see? Those Konoha Anbu who always looked down their noses at everyone were like little chicks in front of me!"
"Lord Gen'yō knew best! Comrades, my ass! To hell with the Will of Fire! Might makes right!"
"From today on, if anyone dares call us Uchiha caged birds again, I'll be the first to twist his head off!"
The clansmen gathered in small groups, excitedly discussing the resounding victory they had just won. Their gazes held boundless fervor as they looked at the white-clad figure on the raised platform in the square.
After this battle, Uchiha Gen'yō's prestige within the clan had reached a peak unmatched by anyone before him and unlikely to be matched by anyone after him! He was the Uchiha Clan's one and only living god!
"All right, my brethren."
Uchiha Gen'yō raised a hand, and the noisy square instantly fell silent. "Our first clan-wide joint combat exercise has concluded successfully. I'm very pleased with your performance. With the enemy's blood and screams, you've proven your worth and washed away the humiliation our Uchiha Clan has suffered for a hundred years! But this is only the beginning!"
Gen'yō's voice abruptly rose with passion. "From the moment we stepped out of Konoha, we declared war on the entire Shinobi World! Next, we'll face more enemies and even harsher battles! Are you afraid?"
"No!"
"No!"
The thunderous roars erupted through the holy land like crashing waves!
"Very good!"
Gen'yō nodded in satisfaction. "Now, everyone, rest where you are, treat the wounded, and take stock of the spoils! In half a day, we'll leave the Land of Fire behind for good and embark on our new journey!"
"Yes!"
All the clansmen answered in unison, then swiftly got to work. The entire holy land was like an efficiently running war machine, full of order and vitality.
Uchiha Gen'yō stepped down from the platform and approached Ōnoki, who had long been waiting nearby. The Third Tsuchikage carried himself with extreme deference now, even a hint of humility.
"Lord Gen'yō, your bearing has truly opened this old man's eyes. That old fellow Sarutobi has suffered a complete defeat this time."
"There's no need for pleasantries."
Uchiha Gen'yō waved a hand and went straight to the point. "Lord Tsuchikage, it's time for you to take the first step in fulfilling our alliance agreement."
"Please give me your instructions!"
Ōnoki immediately straightened, his expression solemn.
"I want you to return to Iwagakure at once."
A gleam flashed in Gen'yō's eyes. "In your name, announce to all of Iwagakure's leadership that our Uchiha Clan and Iwagakure have formed a strategic alliance of the highest level. At the same time, announce that our clan will soon arrive at the Land of Earth's border and needs a plot of land for a temporary base."
"Well..."
A troubled look appeared on Ōnoki's face. "Lord Gen'yō, there's something you don't know. Aside from me, the village also has a Council of Elders made up of several senior figures. They're stubborn in their thinking and have always been prejudiced against the Uchiha. I'm afraid they won't accept our alliance so easily."
"That's exactly what I want."
Uchiha Gen'yō's answer left Ōnoki stunned on the spot.
"What?"
"Only by making them step forward can I learn who's a friend and who's a stumbling block."
Gen'yō patted Ōnoki on the shoulder, a meaningful smile appearing on his face. "You only need to take the news back. Leave the rest to me. I guarantee I'll hold a 'welcoming ceremony' your Iwagakure will never forget."
Seeing Gen'yō's confident expression, Ōnoki could only nod firmly in the end, though his heart was still full of doubts.
"I understand!"
With that, Ōnoki hesitated no longer. He activated his Dust Release technique, his body turning into a streak of light that swiftly vanished into the horizon.
Watching Ōnoki leave, Uchiha Gen'yō raised his head, his gaze seeming to pierce the holy land's barrier as he looked toward the Land of Earth.
"Iwagakure, huh? I hope you'll last a little longer than those useless fools in Konoha."
Half a day later.
Having finished resting, the Uchiha Clan, under Gen'yō's leadership, was taken into the Clan Holy Land once more. Gen'yō's real body then used Kamui to carry the entire holy land space across the remaining distance. When he appeared again, an entirely different stretch of land lay beneath his feet.
The sky here was an earthy yellow, and the air was filled with the scent of dry dust. The mountain ranges were no longer lush and green like those in the Land of Fire, but a weather-beaten, craggy brown.
The Land of Earth! They had arrived!
"Shinobi World, we Uchiha are back!"
Gen'yō spread his arms, taking in this unfamiliar land, his eyes blazing with unprecedented ambition and bold spirit!
Yet just as he was about to let the clansmen out to establish a temporary camp, a telepathic message from Ōnoki, tinged with anxiety and embarrassment, suddenly sounded in his mind.
"Lord Gen'yō! Something's happened! I just returned to the village, and those stubborn old fools on the Council of Elders immediately tried to put me in my place! They said that before acknowledging our alliance, they must first 'test' our new ally's strength!"
"A test?"
Gen'yō raised an eyebrow slightly, the curve of his lips growing ever more dangerous. "What kind of test?"