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Chapter 37 - 37. Fanatical Uchiha

Minato left.

The hem of his ceremonial robe swayed in the wind.

His back remained straight and tall.

But Shin knew that the Hokage's spine had broken.

And he had personally mended it, shaping it into the form he desired.

Konoha.

The Land of Fire's sharpest blade.

From today onwards, both the hilt and the blade were firmly in his grasp.

Only, some blades still needed a bit of sharpening.

Shin leaned back against the armrest, tapping lightly.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Contentment.

Satisfaction.

To see the protagonist of an era, the hero of a world, kneel before him in heartfelt submission... this feeling was a hundred times more wonderful than crushing him with the power of Six Paths.

Power was the confidence to overturn the table.

And authority was the tool for enjoying the good things in this world.

Konoha village.

Uchiha clan territory.

The sharp whistling of shuriken in the training grounds and the dull thud of clan members sparring had all disappeared.

In their place was the melodious sound of a zither and the soft singing of women.

Three Uchiha clan maidens, dressed in simple kimonos, knelt on cushions.

They kept their heads bowed, their expressions serious.

Uchiha Mikoto sat at the head of the group.

Her face was gentle, but her eyes were as cold as iron.

She personally explained the way of tea and flower arrangement to these girls.

A flicker of an eye.

A turn of the wrist.

Any slight mistake would be met with her merciless scolding.

This was no longer a selection of concubines.

This was a rigorous screening for the Uchiha... no!

This was for the future national mother of the Land of Fire.

"Kasumi."

Mikoto's voice was soft, yet it made one of the maidens in the room tremble.

That maiden bore a strong resemblance to her, her features more youthful, and a hint of innocent charm and naiveté still lingered in her eyes.

She was Mikoto's younger sister, Uchiha Kasumi.

"Nee-san."

Kasumi stood up, nervously twisting the corner of her clothes, her head bowed even lower.

"Your heart is not calm."

Mikoto picked up the tea Kasumi had just brewed but did not taste it, only smelled it.

"The tea's fragrance floats on the surface. It will surely be bitter upon tasting."

Kasumi's cheeks flushed slightly, and she murmured in defense. "I... I'm just a little nervous, nee-san..."

"Nervous?"

Mikoto set down the teacup with gentle movements, but her expression was incredibly cold.

"In the future, in front of the daimyo, will you also say you're nervous?"

"One mistake will not ruin just you, but the entire Uchiha clan!"

"Can your life compensate for this responsibility?!"

The last sentence was a sharp rebuke.

Kasumi's lips trembled, her face deathly pale, unable to utter a single word.

The surrounding maidens even softened their breathing.

Seeing her sister's distressed look, a flicker of reluctance crossed Mikoto's heart, but it was quickly replaced by resolve.

She walked up to Kasumi and straightened her slightly messy collar.

"Kasumi, you must remember."

"From the moment you stepped in here, your name ceased to be important."

"You are the future of the Uchiha clan."

Her hand gently touched her sister's face, so similar to her own, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Go and meditate under the waterfall in the backyard."

"When your heart is colder than the water in a frigid pond, then come see me again."

"Yes, sister."

Kasumi, with tears in her eyes, bowed and retreated, her slender back seeming as if it could collapse at any moment.

Watching her sister's retreating figure, Mikoto's eyes were somewhat dazed.

How could she not know how cruel this was for a sixteen-year-old maiden?

But she had no choice.

Compared to the future glory of the Uchiha clan, a girl's tears were insignificant.

Just then, clan head Uchiha Fugaku walked in from outside the door.

He glanced at the scene in the room, a look of satisfaction on his face, and nodded to Mikoto.

"You've worked hard."

"For the family..."

Mikoto merely responded indifferently.

Fugaku walked to her side and lowered his voice. "There's still no movement from the Hyuga clan."

"As expected." Mikoto's tone was calm. "The arrogance of the Hyuga clan is ingrained in their bones."

"Hmph, foolish arrogance!" Fugaku snorted. "Does he think it's still the past? In the daimyo's eyes, his Hyuga clan is no different from a stray dog on the roadside!"

He paused, a ruthless glint in his eyes.

"However, it's perfect."

"The more stubborn the Hyuga clan is, the more it highlights our Uchiha clan's loyalty."

"I've already sent someone to deliver the ledgers of all the Hyuga clan's tax evasion and illegal activities in the capital to the daimyo manor."

This was the pledge of allegiance offered by his Uchiha clan.

A flicker of unusual emotion crossed Mikoto's eyes.

"What about the Ino-Shika-Cho three families?"

"They're very cunning." Fugaku's tone was full of disdain. "They said they would wait for the daimyo's orders!"

"They'll regret it."

Mikoto raised her head, gazing toward the direction of the Land of Fire's capital.

"When a child of the daimyo, flowing with Uchiha bloodline, is born, our Uchiha clan will become a truly prominent family!"

Upon hearing this, Fugaku's eyes erupted with scorching brilliance.

Yes.

That day would not be far.

Compared to the busy activity of the Uchiha clan, the main residence of the Hyuga main family was eerily silent.

Smash!

A valuable celadon teacup was violently thrown to the ground, shattering into pieces.

Hyuga Hiashi's chest heaved violently, his face pale, and the veins at the corners of his eyes bulged with rage.

Just now, the tax official from the daimyo manor had just left.

They didn't say much, only leaving a message for them to make a decision quickly.

Otherwise, they would have to pay back all the evaded taxes from the past ten years, plus a threefold fine.

That astronomical figure was enough to destroy the Hyuga clan's centuries of accumulation in an instant!

This was not an audit.

This was extortion!

"Too much! Too much!"

Hiashi roared.

In front of him, several main family elders were silent, not even daring to breathe loudly.

"Clan head, what... what should we do?" an elder stammered.

"Do you also want me to send the Hyuga family's daughters into that place?!"

Hiashi suddenly turned around, his pure white eyes bloodshot, staring intently at the elder.

"I'm telling you!"

"Even if my Hyuga clan fights to the last person, sheds its last drop of blood, we will never endure such a great humiliation!"

The roar echoed in the empty room.

Only, this roar sounded more like a lament.

The registration point for the concubine selection set up by the daimyo manor in Konoha, however, presented a different scene.

It was already overflowing with people.

The enthusiasm of the common people was simple and direct.

For them, this was a true path to heaven that could change their destiny.

And on the outskirts of the crowd, several figures stood out.

The representative of the Inuzuka clan sat beside a ninja dog, his gaze sweeping through the crowd.

The representative of the Aburame clan was wrapped entirely in a coat, with only a few parasitic insects fluttering restlessly.

And there was the representative of the Kurama clan... beside each of them was a beautiful young maiden of excellent appearance.

These minor shinobi families did not seek to win the position of concubine. Even a temporary favor from the daimyo would be a great benefit for their entire family.

This excitement swept through the entire Konoha.

Even some highly respected jonin could not remain aloof.

And Yuhi Shinku was among them.

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