After kicking Uchiha Shin away, Fuma didn't follow up with an attack. Instead, he stood still, casually watching Setsuna's side.
Seeing Fuma's relaxed stance, a strange smile appeared on Setsuna's face. He seemed to understand Fuma's intention.
"Are you trying to establish absolute authority right from the start of your leadership? Arrogant, but it does remind me of Clan Leader Madara from back in the day."
Setsuna's mind drifted back to his childhood memories.
Setsuna's childhood was at the end of the Warring States period, the bloodiest time. As a result, the Uchiha clan was full of powerful individuals, and factions were rampant.
When the clan leader Uchiha Tajima passed away, his eldest son, Uchiha Madara, succeeded him. He asserted his authority by overwhelming everyone at the clan meeting with his unparalleled eye power, thus taking control of the Uchiha clan.
[Young Fuma, since you have such ambitions, let this old man help you one more time!]
Setsuna's eyes swirled with an eerie pattern, rapidly spinning.
The entire arena was suddenly enveloped by a chilling eye power, and a pale white skeleton formed around Setsuna, closely guarding him.
"So this is the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan? What a spectacle!"
"As expected of Clan Leader Setsuna, to possess such power!"
The audience below gasped in unison.
The Mangekyō Sharingan, the Uchiha clan's highest ocular technique, was something most in the clan had only heard of but never witnessed firsthand.
Those gathered around Setsuna, including Fugaku, were visibly shaken. They understood the terrifying power of the Mangekyō far better than others, as they had only mastered the three-tomoe Sharingan.
This was a difference as vast as an Elephant and a Mouse!
As he watched Setsuna activate Susanoo once again, Fuma couldn't help but feel a hint of sentiment:
"Are you paving the way for me, old man Setsuna?"
Having fought Fuma before, Setsuna must have known the outcome of this battle. Even with the Mangekyō, the final result wouldn't change.
Without using the Mangekyō, some stubborn clansmen might have believed Setsuna was holding back, thus saving him a bit of face.
But Fuma's goal was to fully demonstrate his strength before the clan, establishing himself as the absolute authority through his overwhelming power.
Setsuna's actions were undoubtedly making himself a stepping stone for Fuma, but all of this depended on whether Fuma could display enough strength.
The white skeleton continued to thicken, with tendons attaching like tiny worms to the bones. Half of Susanoo's form had already been constructed.
The white Susanoo raised its long sword, standing tall and proud on the earth.
Fuma smiled slightly and looked at Setsuna, saying:
"Old man Setsuna, if you're using this move again, you'd better watch your eyes, right?"
Setsuna snorted and replied proudly:
"Once one has possessed the key to divine power, it cannot be lost. There's no need to worry!"
Inwardly, Setsuna sighed. His Mangekyō Sharingan hadn't been used properly in over a decade. If he didn't use it now, his eye power might go with him to the grave.
With a stern expression, Setsuna shouted:
"Fugaku, take the front. Tetsuka, hold the center. Begin the slaughter formation!"
"Whoosh!"
Under Setsuna's command, more than a dozen Uchiha with three-tomoe Sharingan quickly formed a tight encirclement.
This was a formation passed down from the Warring States period, designed to face powerful enemies.
Several massive Fuma shuriken gleamed with a chilling light as they shot toward Fuma with sharp, cutting sounds at high speed.
Fuma moved with an eerie step, not particularly fast, but narrowly dodging the shuriken at dangerous angles.
With a wave of his left hand, Fugaku signaled the group. A dozen Uchihas simultaneously shot out sturdy steel wires and pulled them hard.
The shuriken, which Fuma had dodged, were pulled back by the wires and launched toward him again.
Fuma no longer held back his speed. Since the attack covered such a large area, dodging was meaningless.
With a burst of power, he instantly moved out of the range of the shurikens, clapping his hands in admiration:
"Uchiha's throwing technique is a gem passed down through generations. It's an excellent tactic for testing the enemy's strength and conserving one's own energy.
"But remember, throwing weapons ultimately rely on speed and power."
Fuma casually pulled out a kunai from his pouch, his forearm bulging like a hill as he threw it toward Fugaku.
The kunai, boosted by Fuma's immense strength, tore through the air with a sharp crack, instantly appearing before Fugaku.
Fugaku's Sharingan spun wildly as he struggled to track the kunai's path, raising his sword to block the attack head-on.
"Boom!!"
The white Susanoo's arm intercepted the blow, blocking the attack for Fugaku.
After the loud impact, the kunai fell to the ground, and a small crack appeared on Susanoo's arm.
Setsuna glanced helplessly at Fuma. If only he had such a body, perhaps he wouldn't have pursued the power of the Mangekyō.
Cold sweat covered Fugaku's forehead as he realized the folly of trying to block that attack with his sword. Only someone like Sakumo Hatake could rival that power with a slash.
Setsuna's hand signals changed again, and the Uchihas on the field shifted their positions, creating an octagonal formation around Fuma.
But Fuma watched them with interest, making no move to evade.
The Uchihas rapidly formed seals and shouted in unison:
"Uchiha Flame Formation!"
With Fugaku at the lead, fierce flames erupted from their hands, surrounding Fuma.
The ground beneath Fuma's feet turned a strange black and red as the deep fires hidden within the earth were ignited. The flames fused with the Uchiha's fire, creating a dark brown blaze that formed a large circle.
This was the same barrier jutsu used by Uchiha Obito in the original timeline to protect the Gedo Statue. Not even the Eight-Tails could break through its defense.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
"Fire Style: Flame Dragon Bullet!"
"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire !"
The Uchihas on the arena unleashed their strongest fire-style jutsus without holding back, flooding the Flame Formation with violent flames. Fuma's figure disappeared, swallowed by the fire.
"Fugaku, did we go too far?" Tetsuka worriedly asked, looking toward Fuma's last location. The pressure from that kunai throw had everyone on edge, forcing them to attack without mercy.
Before Fugaku could respond, Setsuna snorted, and the towering white Susanoo swung its sword toward the Flame Formation, sending several orbs of energy slashing through the flames.
"Yasaka Magatama!"
The massive orbs smashed into the formation, causing an explosion that sent shockwaves throughout the arena. The spectators clung tightly to the railing, afraid of being thrown into the air.
..............
"What's happening? Are they trying to murder Fuma?"
Obito barely opened his eyes, his goggles working strangely well in this situation.
"Hey, blondie! You're Fuma's disciple. Aren't you at all worried?"
Minato and Kushina remained calm. They had seen Fuma in action during the selection process, but their composure only deepened Obito's confusion.
"Wait for it, goggle boy. Maybe we'll see a new ability from Fuma today."
Obito shot Minato a puzzled glance, then looked over at Konan, who was also anxious. She gripped Obito's hand tightly.
Obito paused, then returned the grip as they both stared at the fiery arena with tension.
Tetsuka, Yashiro, and the others were stunned, feeling a mix of emotions. Fugaku even yelled:
"Clan Leader Setsuna, if you don't want to step down, just say so! You don't have to do this! You're making us all accomplices!"
Setsuna waved them off impatiently, his eyes fixed on the dissipating smoke, and said in a low voice:
"You young fools. Our future clan leader is not as weak as you think! Stay sharp and be ready!"
Meanwhile, Fuma wasn't in as bad a situation as they had imagined. The unique barrier of the Uchiha Flame Formation amplified the power of fire-style jutsus, creating a terrifying burn effect.
Coupled with Setsuna's Yasaka Magatama, this combination would have reduced an unprepared Kage-level shinobi to ashes.
Fuma looked at his disfigured arms and muttered softly:
"At last, I'm about to break the limits of humanity and take on this form?"
Since beginning his training journey, Fuma had realized a harsh truth about the world of shinobi: the human body has limits!
The muscles a human frame can carry are limited, and the pressure human bones can withstand also has an upper bound.
If Fuma wanted to further increase his strength and speed, his body would need to undergo fundamental changes.
However, breaking through the human body's limits was incredibly difficult. Even Fuma, with his formidable abilities, had been searching for the catalyst to overcome those boundaries.
Fortunately, the chakra he absorbed from Shukaku seemed to have triggered a qualitative change in Fuma, shattering the shackles that held his body back.
The powerful fire jutsus from the Uchiha Flame Formation had added the final push for Fuma to undergo a new transformation.
"Whoosh!"
As the smoke cleared, Fuma's figure emerged before everyone, his inhuman appearance plunging the entire audience into silence and terror.
Fuma now stood over four meters tall, his bulging muscles twisted and pulsated before finally compressing to their limits, causing his skin to take on a dense black-gold hue.
Ferocious bloodlust swirled around him, no longer forming armor but instead etched into his skin like flowing lava, resembling intricate runes.
In this demonic form, Fuma had transcended anything remotely human!
Setsuna stood there, dumbfounded, staring at Fuma. He had always thought Fuma was hardly human, but now, seeing him like this was beyond anything he could have imagined.
"Clan Leader Setsuna, do you think Fuma is angry? I feel like something is terribly wrong."
Fuma's blood-red eyes exuded an overwhelming, icy killing intent, making all the Uchiha present feel as though death was creeping upon them.
The clansmen in the stands were equally horrified, watching Fuma in his demonic form. None could be certain if Fuma was still in his right mind.
But then, a rough and powerful voice rang out, stabilizing everyone's spirits.
"I have to give all of you a perfect score for that teamwork. Truly worthy of being the elites of our Uchiha clan. The clan's revival will depend on each of you in the future."
Everyone heaved a sigh of relief for no apparent reason. That calm, steady tone was a sign that Fuma was still in control of his senses.
"Now, I would like to learn a bit about your defensive techniques."
Fugaku blinked in confusion, murmuring to himself:
"Fuma still needs to learn defensive techniques from anyone?"
In the next instant, Fuma's massive figure vanished from the sight of every three-tomoe Sharingan present. Only Setsuna's Mangekyō could track his movements.
"Fugaku, above you!"
Setsuna shouted, as his white Susanoo rushed forward, its blade raised to shield Fugaku from above.
"Bang!!!"
Before Fugaku could even react, a terrifying impact occurred directly above him!
The cold white katana of Susanoo clashed violently with Fuma's black-red claws. Two immense forces collided, and Setsuna's eyes filled with blood as he struggled to maintain Susanoo.
"Truly worthy of the Mangekyō, Clan Leader Setsuna," Fuma remarked indifferently. The blood-red marks on his body emitted steamy heat as his strength continued to build.
"Crack!"
Susanoo's katana shattered with a resounding crack, and Setsuna staggered backward, panting heavily as Susanoo's form shifted from its warrior state back into a skeletal structure.
Fuma's massive arms clamped down on Susanoo's skull, his muscular spine bending at an unnatural angle as he gathered his strength.
His feet stomped down hard on the ground, shattering the arena's stone floor.
The skeletal Susanoo was slammed into the ground in a brutal back throw, sending a massive cloud of dust into the air. The earth trembled under the impact, and even the entire village of Konoha felt the shockwave.
In the distance, the Konoha shinobi squinted toward the arena, trying to make sense of the commotion.
Setsuna's white Susanoo shattered into fragments, and though he stood firm, barely managing to keep himself upright, the fighting spirit still glimmered in his eyes.
Fuma took a step back, his massive form bending slightly in a bow as he spoke sincerely:
"Clan Leader Setsuna, your strength is far greater than this, but for now, please rest. This is just a sparring session after all."
Setsuna froze for a moment, realizing Fuma was offering him an out. Even in such a situation, Fuma was still giving him face.
Seeing Fuma's honest gaze, Setsuna nodded slightly and stepped aside.
Meanwhile, Fugaku, Tetsuka, Yashiro, and the others were left in utter shock. The god-like power they had long dreamed of was so effortlessly crushed by Fuma.
What left them even more disheartened was the fact that no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't seem to train themselves into becoming anything like Fuma.
Fuma smiled warmly at the Uchiha gathered before him, but the once-proud young men took a collective step back, their faces tense and their forced smiles betraying their discomfort.
"Your fire-style jutsus earlier were impressively well-executed. Would you like me to give you some pointers?"
Cold sweat trickled down the faces of the young Uchiha. It was clear that Fuma hadn't even used his full strength yet.
And looking at those black-gold arms, none of them had any desire to continue sparring. While the Uchiha were proud, they weren't suicidal.
[If Fuma doesn't hold back, is there even a chance of survival?]
The group exchanged glances, and in unison, they all shouted:
"Thank you for your guidance, Clan Leader! We'll definitely spar again next time!!"
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