Fugaku’s words echoed within the spacious Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes widened as he stared at Uchiha Fugaku standing before his desk, holding his breath.
Standing to the side, the two Hokage Advisors, Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado, stood frozen in place.
“Fugaku, do you have any idea what you’re saying?”
Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned forward, his hands bracing against the desk as his voice rose.
“The succession of a Clan Leader is no laughing matter! You are in your prime; how could you abdicate to a mere youth?”
“The Uchiha Clan has always prioritized strength above all else.”
Fugaku looked directly at the old man who had ruled Konoha for decades.
“Lu Ming’s strength, vision, and resolve have already earned the recognition of the entire clan.”
“From tonight onward, he is the representative of the Uchiha Clan’s supreme will.”
Hearing this confirmation, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s mind went blank.
This sudden development caught the Sandaime completely off guard, and he realized the gravity of the situation.
“This is bad!”
Cold sweat broke out on Hiruzen Sarutobi’s brow, his legs went weak, and he slumped back into the Hokage’s chair.
Since Lu Ming had succeeded as the Uchiha Clan Leader, he was no longer a mere Jonin, but one of Konoha’s legitimate high-ranking officials.
For Danzo Shimura to send Root to forcibly detain the current leader of a founding clan was a severe abuse of power.
It was equivalent to tearing off the face of the Konoha High Command and trampling it underfoot, an open provocation against the entire Uchiha Clan!
Root had absolutely no authority to detain a clan leader at will!
“Fugaku!”
Homura Mitokado suppressed his shock and stepped forward, questioning him sharply.
“Even if Lu Ming is the new leader, what about the intelligence the Anbu just reported?”
“A large group of Uchiha elites with awakened Sharingan have left the clan grounds and are heading straight for Root.”
“What is the status of the Ninjas you’ve deployed? Hasn’t the Police Force been issued a ban against mobilizing large-scale forces at will?”
Utatane Koharu followed suit with her own interrogation.
“The Uchiha are ignoring the Village’s discipline by mobilizing a large armed force within the Village without authorization. Do you really intend to rebel?!”
Facing the harsh questioning from the two Hokage Advisors, Fugaku did not panic; instead, he straightened his back.
“The two of you misunderstand.”
Fugaku’s voice was steady and powerful.
“Those deployed tonight are not members of the Police Force.”
“Not the Police Force?”
Homura Mitokado frowned.
“Then who are they?”
“That is the Uchiha Temple—the supreme military institution newly established after Lu Ming succeeded as Clan Leader.”
Fugaku spoke with a tone of pride.
“The Temple members are all comprised of the clan’s top young geniuses.”
“They do not belong to the Police Force, nor are they under the command of Konoha’s regular Anbu. They are the clan’s Exclusive Guard, and they answer only to Lu Ming!”
The Uchiha Temple!
An Exclusive Guard!
These words caused the three Konoha high-ranking officials to turn pale with shock.
Utatane Koharu sneered, her expression full of disdain.
“Hmph, what ‘Temple’? It’s just a bunch of arrogant youngsters who don’t know their place!” This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Relying on her status as a Hokage Advisor, Utatane Koharu mocked.
“Fugaku, the Uchiha have been too reckless this time. Lu Ming has been taken alone into the heart of Root’s headquarters!”
“That place is filled with traps and barriers, and Danzo has countless death soldiers skilled in assassination under his command!”
Utatane Koharu crossed her arms, her tone arrogant.
“So what if he has a group of subordinates rushing to his rescue?”
“By the time those so-called ‘Temple’ members break the barriers and charge in, Lu Ming will have already suffered greatly at Root’s headquarters.”
“You know Danzo’s methods; Lu Ming won’t be able to escape even if he had wings!”
In Utatane Koharu’s view, no matter how much of a genius Lu Ming was, entering the dragon’s den alone to face the entire Root’s suppression would only lead to him being crushed.
Hearing Utatane Koharu’s mockery, Fugaku wasn’t worried in the slightest; instead, he let out a cold laugh.
“Suffer?”
Fugaku looked at the haughty Utatane Koharu.
“With just Danzo and those rats lurking in the shadows under him, do they even deserve to make Lu Ming suffer?”
“What do you mean by that!”
Utatane Koharu was infuriated by Fugaku’s attitude.
Fugaku didn’t waste words; he closed his eyes.
“Boom—!!!”
Violent Chakra erupted from Fugaku’s body!
Fugaku opened his eyes.
In his originally black eyes, three tomoe spun rapidly and intertwined, finally transforming into a complex, eerie windmill pattern!
Mangekyo Sharingan, Activate!
When those divine eyes, representing the Uchiha’s highest faith, were revealed before everyone, the entire Hokage Office plunged into terror.
“The… Mangekyo Sharingan?!”
Hiruzen Sarutobi cried out, gripping the armrests of his chair, his aged eyes filled with fear.
Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado’s legs went weak under the god-like pressure.
With two thuds, these two usually high-and-mighty Hokage Advisors collapsed directly to the floor, their faces devoid of color.
“Protect Hokage-sama!”
Four Anbu elites hidden in the shadows rushed out, drawing their ninjatō and standing before Hiruzen Sarutobi.
But their hands trembled as they held their blades, not daring to look Fugaku in the eye.
Fugaku looked at the terrified Konoha high-ranking officials and stated frankly,
“I have hidden these eyes for years, believing I possessed the power to suppress everything. But in tonight’s duel for the Clan Leadership, I lost to Lu Ming.”
Fugaku’s words caused everyone to turn pale with shock.
“Lu Ming’s strength is far beyond mine, even with the Mangekyo!”
Fugaku praised,
“You think he was captured by Root? Wrong! He walked in of his own accord!”
“In the face of overwhelming power, the Root you are so proud of is nothing more than ants he can crush at will!”
The entire room was silent.
Only the heavy breathing of everyone present could be heard within the Hokage Office.
The Sandaime and the others were utterly horrified!
They were terrified not only because Fugaku had hidden the Mangekyo Sharingan, but also because of the despairing fact revealed in his words!
Fugaku possessed the Mangekyo yet suffered a crushing defeat to Lu Ming!
Lu Ming’s strength was far beyond Fugaku’s!
This meant that Lu Ming must also possess the Mangekyo Sharingan, and his control over its power likely far surpassed Fugaku’s!
Cold sweat poured from Hiruzen Sarutobi, soaking through his heavy combat gear.
His mind raced, and the more he thought, the more his scalp tingled, his blood freezing in his veins.
The Uchiha Clan now actually possessed three Mangekyo powerhouses: Shisui, Fugaku, and Lu Ming!
Three Mangekyo!
What a terrifying concept!
During the Nine-Tails Rebellion, a single masked man suspected of having the Mangekyo nearly brought the entire Konoha Village to ruin.
And now, the Uchiha Clan simultaneously possessed three top-tier combatants comparable to gods and demons!
This level of strength far exceeded any period in Uchiha history since the Village’s founding; it was even enough to challenge the entire Konoha alone!
Hiruzen Sarutobi’s heart twitched violently.
He knew well that Uchiha Shisui had always favored the Village, even willing to sacrifice his own interests for its peace.
But Shisui was extremely loyal and righteous at his core, deeply loving his clan’s brethren.
If Lu Ming was truly pushed to a dead end by Danzo in Root, or if something happened to him, Shisui’s bottom line would be completely shattered!
At that time…
Shisui would very likely side completely with the Uchiha, joining forces with Lu Ming and Fugaku.
Once three Mangekyo powerhouses joined forces to strike, the war between Konoha and the Uchiha would be triggered instantly.
What made Hiruzen Sarutobi feel most despairing was that this conflict was unreasonably provoked by that fool, Danzo Shimura.
By forcibly detaining a clan leader, Konoha was completely in the wrong, both legally and morally.
Once war broke out, the Ino–Shika–Chō, Hyūga, and other major Ninja clans would not risk their lives against three Mangekyo users for Danzo’s stupidity; the Konoha High Command would be left completely isolated and without help!
“That fool Danzo, who’s good for nothing but failing everything!!!”
Hiruzen Sarutobi was so enraged that his eyes nearly burst; no longer caring for his Hokage dignity, he began to curse loudly.
In his urgency, the Sandaime grabbed the Adamantine Staff from the desk and stood up.
“Assemble all Anbu elites!”
Hiruzen Sarutobi roared frantically at the surrounding Anbu, his voice cracking from the strain.
“Follow me to Root! Quickly! Move!”
He had to leave immediately, determined to stop the situation from escalating at any cost.
Even if it meant a complete fallout with Danzo, he could not allow Konoha to be dragged into this unwinnable war!
Hiruzen Sarutobi led a large group of Anbu and rushed out of the office in a panic, his retreating figure filled with alarm.
Fugaku stood in place, witnessing it all.
He looked at Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado, who were slumped on the floor trembling.
Looking at the door Hiruzen Sarutobi had burst through, his heart was filled with a myriad of emotions.
Once upon a time…
He had stood here as the Uchiha Clan Leader.
Always bowing and scraping, always trying to use concessions and explanations to trade for the mercy of these high-ranking officials.
But what did that get him?
Endless suppression and ever-increasing bullying.
But tonight, Lu Ming had merely displayed powerful strength.
Without needing any explanation, he had scared these high-and-mighty figures out of their wits and made the Third Hokage personally rush to settle the matter.
Fugaku finally understood the truth Lu Ming had spoken—peace is never obtained through begging.
Only by displaying sufficiently powerful strength could the Konoha High Command be truly intimidated and take the initiative to resolve conflicts.
This also made him completely accept Lu Ming’s leadership.