"Clan Leader, the meeting is ready."
"Okay."
Uchiha Hisaku scanned the hall. Everyone was present except for Fugaku and Mikoto.
He frowned slightly. Normally, they would be seated by now.
"I'll go check."
Uchiha Hisaku pushed open the half-closed door and saw Mikoto bathed in moonlight, along with her eyes.
They were demonic and evil.
It felt like they were trying to absorb his soul.
How quiet it was.
Hisaku suddenly sighed.
His thoughts grew more and more drowsy.
"Father."
Fugaku's shout snapped him out of it.
"Fugaku, you..."
Hisaku scrutinized the two, particularly Mikoto's eyes.
He sensed a power similar to the Sharingan but far stronger and more shocking.
"Father, don't speak. Just watch."
Fugaku shook his head and stood next to Hisaku.
Mikoto walked into the shrine.
A chilling, low-pressure atmosphere filled the hall.
Everyone felt like a mountain pressing down on them.
"What's going on?!"
The people present, mostly Jonin-level, looked up in shock, feeling utterly defenseless like sheep.
Mikoto was a lion among them.
"Mikoto!"
The central elder stood up in surprise and anger. "What are you doing?"
"I came to send you off, elder."
Mikoto gazed at him coldly.
"You..."
The elder trembled, feeling like he was in an ice cave.
How was this possible?
Under intense pressure, his eyes revealed the three tomoe Sharingan.
But the next moment, he looked pained.
A chakra-formed iron hand grasped his neck, leaving him unable to resist.
His proud Sharingan seemed to shrink back.
Choking.
The elder couldn't breathe.
His bloodshot eyes stared at the unmoving Mikoto.
She did nothing.
The usually warm smile on her pretty face was now cold and emotionless.
She was like a rabbit turned into a beast.
"What are you doing?!"
"Let go of the elder!"
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
The elder, a representative of the radicals, had many supporters who quickly yelled and attacked.
A giant fireball appeared in front of Mikoto.
She did not move as the fireball passed through her.
The surrounding people were stunned, unable to believe it.
"Genjutsu?"
A ninja made seals again, sending multiple fireballs at Mikoto, but they all passed through her.
It was as if she were a ghost.
Mikoto snapped her fingers.
The elder, who had been tortured, had his neck completely broken.
As pain hit, he lost consciousness and life.
Blood sprayed onto the council table.
Everyone was dazed, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Why did Mikoto kill the elder?
Why was she so powerful?
"Kill her!"
An angry shout echoed in the shrine.
The Uchiha clan never feared death.
The radicals charged at Mikoto.
Flames filled the air like divine punishment, aimed at her.
But her figure did not waver.
Her eyes flashed with a terrifying light.
Shuriken appeared out of nowhere, passing through the flames and filling the hall.
Blood splattered.
At the door, Fugaku leaned against the wall, hands shaking.
It was a one-sided massacre.
His face was pale, experiencing the terrifying power of the Mangekyou Sharingan for the first time.
"What is this? What is this?"
Hisaku was frozen. He had fought many battles but never faced anything so bizarre and helpless.
He looked at his daughter-in-law, finding her completely unrecognizable.
Was this really Mikoto?
Her aura was terrifying.
She effortlessly wiped out the radicals.
But then he noticed the dead ninjas reviving.
Genjutsu?
…
Haruki looked at the peeking Kushina.
Her fingers covered curious eyes.
It reminded Haruki of watching horror movies in his past life—scared but wanting to see.
But he and Kushina were outside the genjutsu, unable to see the bloodbath inside.
In his senses, except for a few who had stopped breathing, the rest were motionless.
He didn't know what they were experiencing.
Another lesson, perhaps?
But studying wasn't effective for everyone, especially the Uchiha clan.
Many were extremely radical.
"Kushina, if you want to see, then watch."
Haruki couldn't bear to see Kushina's timid yet cute behavior.
"But Mikoto told me not to."
Despite her words, Kushina moved her hands away.
Her eyes scanned the surroundings, finding nothing.
She was silent for a moment, feeling foolish.
Haruki smiled and said, "You can enter the shrine."
Kushina hesitated but couldn't resist her curiosity and stepped onto the stone steps.
Haruki followed her.
Soon, they saw Hisaku and Fugaku.
They looked like they had just woken from a dream, disoriented and lost.
Haruki quickly glanced at them and looked into the shrine hall.
It was unexpectedly clean.
Only nine people had stopped breathing.
The rest were gasping, eyes still filled with fear.
Mikoto stood silently.
"Mikoto?"
Kushina's voice broke the silence.
"I'm fine."
Mikoto turned to Kushina and Haruki, her warm smile returning.
It was as if nothing had happened.
But the Uchiha present knew better.
If only it were an illusion.
But it was reality.
"Mikoto, what are you going to do?"
Haruki looked around at the Uchiha, their expressions mixed but mostly fearful.
"I want to implement the system you mentioned, teacher."
Mikoto said thoughtfully.
She ignored Hisaku and Fugaku approaching.
"The Hyuga clan leader selection system?"
"The other ninja system you mentioned."
Haruki was surprised.
He had mentioned two systems to Mikoto.
The one used by the Hyuga was an upgraded version of the Hokage selection, with some drawbacks.
The other was nearly perfect but risky, as it could draw attention from the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
After all, a sudden 180-degree turn from the proud Uchiha would definitely catch his eye.
Not to mention Danzo Shimura and his Root.