In recent days, the Uchiha clan has been immersed in a joyous atmosphere. Every clan member's face is lit up with cheerful smiles.
The reason is simple—there was an official statement from the Hokage's office regarding Fuma:
[Uchiha Fuma is an exemplary Konoha ninja who upholds the Will of Fire. To date, he has completed 277 S-rank missions, 137 A-rank missions, and 2 B-rank missions for Konoha]
[During the war, he voluntarily stood against the invasion of Shukaku, leading the hunting unit to slay a thousand enemy ninjas from rival villages, making an indelible contribution to the victory of the war. He is a hero who has shed blood and sweat for Konoha]
[As for the recent unfavorable rumors about Jonin Fuma, the Anbu investigation has revealed that they were fabrications by spies from rival villages attempting to sow discord in Konoha]
[All those responsible have been apprehended. We urge the villagers to stay vigilant and not be misled by enemy villages, which would cause our heroes to lose heart]
With this statement, the Third Hokage cleared away the rumors about Fuma and even crowned him with the title of "hero."
However, the statement also subtly absolved the Third Hokage from blame in this scandal.
"Since Jonin Fuma was slandered, of course, the Third Hokage was also wrongfully implicated!"
This is what most ordinary villagers and lower to mid-level ninjas thought, as they had been the main force spreading the rumors.
The Uchiha clan, however, wasn't concerned with these details—they were simply overjoyed.
Why?
Because this kind of victory in public opinion was something the Uchiha had never experienced!
From the Warring States period to the present, the Uchiha's reputation had always been terrible.
Back in the day, Uchiha Madara could terrify a little girl just by picking her up in the street, earning the reputation of someone who could "make children cry at night."
After taking on the role of the Konoha Police Force, due to their personality and already unpopular role, the Uchiha's reputation only worsened.
But thanks to Fuma's efforts, the Uchiha's name has undergone a significant turnaround.
As the saying goes, when a good person makes one mistake, it's called "showing their true colors," but when a bad person does one good deed, it's called "Laying down the sword."
This logic was reflected vividly in Konoha. Villagers were no longer afraid of Uchiha from the police force, and some even came over to chat and offer warm greetings.
However, unlike most of the Uchiha, Setsuna hadn't been having the best of days recently.
He kept feeling like the way his fellow clansmen looked at him had become increasingly strange. Some even shook their heads lightly when they saw him.
If eyes could speak, his clansmen would probably be saying three things:
The radical ones, like Fugaku: "I want to see Fuma rise to power within three days, old man, do you understand?!"
The moderate ones, like the Eighth Elder: "Setsuna, you've been the clan head for a long time now. Maybe it's time for a break?"
The children, like Obito: "In my heart, there's only one sun, and that's Fuma! Who is Uchiha Setsuna?"
Though Setsuna was delighted that the Uchiha clan had finally produced a figure like Tobirama, there was a slight melancholy as well.
He had thought that by unlocking the Mangekyo Sharingan and lying low for decades, he would one day rise and fulfill the will of the old clan leader, Madara, becoming the revitalizer of the Uchiha.
But seeing his clansmen holding up the Third Hokage's announcement and loudly discussing Fuma's great achievements, Setsuna couldn't help but feel a little lost.
Fuma, after all, wasn't like Madara; instead, he was using schemes and strategies, much like Tobirama, and winning over the people's hearts?
Although Setsuna had long decided to pass the clan leadership to Fuma, he still felt slightly depressed seeing how little attachment the clansmen seemed to have to him.
"Damn that evil Tobirama," Setsuna muttered in his heart, without any real reason.
..............
Konoha, Death Forest Arena~
The Death Forest Arena was the latest and largest arena established by Konoha.
Fuma originally wanted to rent the arena from the Third Hokage, but to his surprise, the Third offered it free of charge, saying he wanted Fuma to test the quality of the construction.
This arena was where Naruto would take the Chunin Exam in another timeline.
It could accommodate over ten thousand spectators and was primarily used for testing Jonin and Chunin promotions.
Yes, from now on, Konoha's ninjas would face a formalized ninja exam system.
To prevent another case of fraudulent promotions, the Third Hokage decided that all future ninja rank promotions would require a public ability test to ensure that Konoha's ninjas possessed a minimum level of combat competence.
Fuma stood on the high platform, a smile on his face as he looked down at the gathered clansmen, feeling a wave of emotion sweep through him.
In the span of two or three years, through a war, he had gone from being a regular Jonin rewarded by Setsuna to becoming the soon-to-be beloved Uchiha clan leader.
A few days ago, Setsuna had sought out Fuma, sincerely asking him to take over the role of clan leader as soon as possible.
Fuma, of course, had no reason to refuse, but he wanted to hold a unique inauguration ceremony for his ascension to clan leader.
Although Fuma had won the hearts of many Uchiha, he understood that most of them still revered strength above all. Strategy was merely the icing on the cake.
If the clan leader didn't display enough strength and authority, the Uchiha would fall apart, and some might even defect to the Will of Fire like certain notorious figures.
To prevent this, Fuma planned to make sure that from the moment he took office, the Uchiha would feel his love and care under the weight of his overwhelming power, establishing his absolute leadership.
Unlike previous Uchiha clan meetings, which only included those who had awakened their Sharingan, Fuma's gathering was open to anyone with the Uchiha name.
From the elite Uchiha like Setsuna and Fugaku, to newly graduated ninjas, to children like Obito and Konan, even Uchiha Handashi, who sold pancakes, was present. Every single Uchiha was there.
Fuma looked at his clansmen and spoke in a gentle tone:
"Thank you all for coming today. This gathering is meant to be an internal exchange meeting for the clan."
"Since Clan Leader Setsuna appointed me as the clan's Taijutsu instructor, the war has delayed things, and I haven't had much time to train and interact with everyone. I haven't fulfilled my duties properly."
"Today, I hope that those of you who are capable will step forward and demonstrate your strength to the entire Uchiha clan. This will also help me, as the future clan leader, better understand each of you."
As soon as Fuma finished speaking, the clan members began whispering among themselves. This kind of event was unprecedented for the Uchiha.
Obito, sitting below, tugged on Konan's sleeve and asked in a mock-serious tone:
"Konan-nee, I've been practicing the Great Fireball Technique you taught me recently. Should I go up and show it to Fuma?"
Konan patted Obito on the head, signaling him to stay calm, and replied with a smile:
"No rush, Obito. When you're as old as Fuma, you'll be just as strong. By then, it'll be your turn to protect the Uchiha!"
Obito chuckled and pulled out some snacks from his pocket, sharing them with Konan.
Having been through the trials of war, Konan's maturity and kindness had deeply captivated Obito.
Not to mention, she was four or five years older than him, making her a natural "big sister" figure that he adored.
About a dozen Uchiha with Three-Tomoe Sharingan stepped into the arena, their eyes gleaming with fighting spirit.
This kind of opportunity to showcase their strength in front of the entire clan was irresistibly appealing to the Uchiha.
However, they had misunderstood Fuma's intentions.
Fuma wasn't planning to stand on the sidelines and critique their battles.
He intended to personally fight every single one of them, so they could truly feel his deep care and love as their future clan leader.
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