Patriarch Hayato slowly lifted his gaze from the Sixth Elder, who remained prostrate on the cold floor, and turned to look at the Second Elder standing beside him. His expression was one of overt bewilderment mixed with a deep, gnawing anxiety. At that exact moment, the Patriarch felt a primal, instinctive certainty that something grave and monumental had transpired within the Kingdom of the Blue Dragon—something his men had not yet fully disclosed. A foul and ominous premonition crept over him, whispering of an approaching storm, a looming threat, and a peril that could not be ignored. It was the instinct of a seasoned commander, a sixth sense sharpened by decades of bloody experience, and it rarely played him false.
He spoke finally, his voice calm but laden with immense gravity. "Can you explain exactly what happened to you there, Second Elder? Give me every detail; omit nothing. I wish to know everything."
The Second Elder let out a long, weary sigh, as if gathering the last remnants of his strength just to speak. He began to recount their journey with meticulous precision, detailing everything from the moment they crossed into the borders of the Blue Dragon. He described the opulent royal palace, the vast and imposing halls, the disciplined ranks of guards, and the two young men with that strangely striking blue hair.
He spoke of the reception official who demanded they kneel, their expected refusal, and how Hiroshi's rash threat had escalated the tension to a breaking point. Then, he delved into a more terrifying description of Minister Sato—the gargantuan pressure he suddenly unleashed upon them and the chilling sensation of certain, inescapable death that had gripped their hearts. He mentioned the other youth who had suddenly intervened, the one who seemed entertained by Hiroshi's defiance.
The entire assembly in the Great Hall listened in absolute, pin-drop silence, their focus razor-sharp. They struggled to digest the information; some faces twisted in rage, while others paled with rising concern. After the Second Elder concluded his long and harrowing report, Patriarch Hayato remained utterly silent for a protracted period. He stroked his chin in deep contemplation, his eyes narrowed as he processed the data, analyzed the situation, and evaluated the risk.
Finally, he spoke, his tone laced with visible worry. "Is the situation truly as dire as you describe? Or are you perhaps exaggerating slightly due to the shock of the encounter?"
The Second Elder responded immediately, his voice firm and unwavering. "In truth, I have never in my entire life felt a sensation as dangerous and terrifying as what I experienced there. Never." He paused for breath, then continued with even greater intensity. "Even in my most perilous encounters during our long wars with the Senju, even in the bloodiest and most desperate battles, I have never felt such a level of lethal danger." He lowered his voice, the tremor of remembered fear audible. "All I can say with total honesty is that we stood absolutely no chance of survival had we taken a single hostile step. Beyond any shadow of a doubt, we would have been slaughtered in an instant, without the slightest opportunity for resistance or flight."
The Patriarch absorbed these heavy words in silence. He then turned his gaze toward his son, Hiroshi, who stood silently behind the Second Elder. Though the physical toll was evident—the bloodshot eyes, the pale face, the slumped shoulders—the boy's eyes were not broken or terrified like those of the elders. On the contrary, they burned with a different fire, something akin to fierce challenge and resolve. It was a powerful look, undefeated and brimming with renewed determination. A faint, proud smile touched the Patriarch's lips; his son, at least, had not been broken.
Suddenly, one of the High Elders from the extremist Hawk faction erupted in a furious roar, directing his venom at the Sixth Elder who was still kneeling on the ground. "Have you no shame in this humiliating display, you cowering failure?! How dare you insult yourself and this clan in such a manner?!"
Other angry voices from the Hawk faction—a group the Sixth Elder himself had once led with radical fervor—joined the assault:
"A true coward! A disgrace to our bloodline!"
"Do you wish to bring shame and infamy upon the Great and Ancient Uchiha Clan?!"
"How have you fallen to such a level of weakness?!"
"We have no room for cowards in our ranks!"
The cruel and insulting comments grew louder, filling the Great Hall with indignation and scorn. Suddenly, the Sixth Elder slowly lifted his head from the floor and looked at the assembly. He spoke in a steady, composed voice despite his obvious fatigue, his words devoid of any tremor. "You may describe me with whatever insulting labels you desire. In all likelihood, I truly deserve every harsh word you have uttered." He paused, his tone sharpening with sudden power. "But no one among you—no one at all—should or can ever doubt my total loyalty and deep love for the Great Uchiha Clan!"
The hall fell silent at this powerful declaration. Some still looked on with rage, while others felt a pang of frustration and sadness seeing the proud Sixth Elder in such a state. He continued more quietly, focusing his words directly on the Patriarch. "Honorable Patriarch, I will not deny the truth before you or anyone else. Yes, I felt extreme terror there. Cowardice truly seized me for the first time in my life. That is a fact." He gathered his breath deeply. "But that is not the true reason I am pleading with you now."
The silence stretched as everyone waited. What then was the reason?
He spoke with deep, sincere conviction. "The real reason is my profound concern for our great clan. If we were to enter into a direct military confrontation and a real war with the Kingdom of the Blue Dragon, then with absolute and total certainty... we would be crushed in a humiliating and overwhelming defeat!" He let the words sink in before adding darkly, "And it would not end with mere defeat. Our clan might be completely destroyed and erased from existence!"
Uproar exploded instantly.
"How dare you speak such blasphemy?!"
"You treacherous wretch, do you even know what you're saying?!"
"This is an insult to our entire history!"
"How dare you demean the Uchiha like this?!"
The Patriarch raised his hand again, silencing the chaos with a decisive gesture. The Sixth Elder continued, looking Hayato in the eye. "If you want me to accurately describe the level of power we are dealing with..." He took a deep breath, preparing to deliver the final shock. "At the very least, First Minister Sato, whom we met there... his power must be on a level comparable to our legendary Uchiha Ancestor himself!"
The hall transformed into a sea of incandescent rage at this bold and shocking comparison. To compare a stranger to their legendary ancestor was considered a supreme heresy and an unforgivable insult. How could he?! Before they could roar their disapproval, the Patriarch signaled for them to remain silent.
The Sixth Elder continued, his voice now carrying a palpable sense of dread. "And unfortunately, it does not end there." He lowered his voice. "There was another figure, a wild and powerful youth who bore a striking resemblance to Minister Sato. From their interaction, he must be the elder brother. And he... he must be at an even higher level of power than Sato, or at the very very least, his equal in that gargantuan strength!"
Patriarch Hayato took a sharp, deep breath upon hearing this staggering information. He turned to the Second Elder to verify the claim and found him nodding slowly in total agreement. He then looked at his son, Hiroshi, who remained grave and silent, denying nothing. It was a triple confirmation. All three were in agreement on this terrifying assessment.
Suddenly, the Sixth Elder spoke in a calm, decisive tone, breaking the heavy silence. "From this day forward, I officially renounce my position as an Elder of this great clan." The assembly was stunned into silence. He continued, "I shall withdraw as a simple, ordinary person without rank or authority, and I will serve the clan with all my devotion for whatever remains of my short life." He added sadly, "I have failed you all with my obvious cowardice and humiliating fear. I am no longer worthy of this honorable position."
The hall remained utterly still as he slowly rose from his knees and walked toward the grand exit. His head was bowed, his shoulders slumped, and his steps were slow and heavy. All they saw before them was a middle-aged man who was once powerful, radical, and proud—but his soul had been completely shattered by what he had faced. All that remained was an empty husk, a shadow of the man he once was. it was a tragic, painful sight that carried a clear warning. This is what true terror does to even the strongest warriors; it shatters them from the within.
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