Chapter 41: Clan Meeting

Inside the secret chamber, a stone tablet covered in mysterious symbols stood silently. The Tengu mural on the wall behind it seemed to hold some profound meaning.

Two fire basins burned on either side, illuminating the inscriptions on the tablet and the faces of the people in the chamber. In front of the stone tablet, over fifty members of the Uchiha clan sat on the floor. Some were engaged in loud conversations, while others whispered amongst themselves. Some wore gentle expressions, while others looked excited.

All of them wore dark blue high-collared robes, embroidered with the Uchiha clan's fan crest in red and white on the back. The uniform design was modern and stylish, accentuating the elegance and charm of the Uchihas.

The arrival of Shisui and Itachi attracted many glances. Shisui, with his nearly two-meter height and muscular physique, was bound to draw attention wherever he went. He wasn't wearing the Uchiha uniform, but a loose black robe, making him look nothing like an Uchiha.

"Isn't that the clan leader's son, Itachi? Who's that big guy next to him? He looks tough," someone whispered.

"I know him. He's Itachi's uncle, Uchiha Dan. The clan leader invited him to the meeting," another person replied, well-informed.

"So, he's the clan leader's brother-in-law. I heard he's a formidable physical fighter. He killed several spies in the street some time ago. He's quite muscular, but has he awakened the Sharingan?"

This was a valid question. According to clan rules, only those who had awakened the Sharingan were eligible to attend the Uchiha clan meetings.

Dan ignored the chatter. His gaze swept over the crowd, recognizing a few familiar faces: Hachidai, Tetsuhi, Inahi, and the elder Uchiha Shun.

These radicals changed their expressions upon seeing Shisui. They knew him better than the others, aware of his strength and madness, especially his proposed "Jade Shatter Plan," which had scared them.

Under Shisui's gaze, they all turned their heads away, avoiding eye contact. Suddenly, Shisui noticed a woman with long black hair waving at him. It was his sister, Uchiha Mikoto.

Mikoto, now a full-time housewife, was a bona fide Leaf Village Jonin and had once been an elite member of the Police Force. She usually didn't attend clan meetings, but she had made an exception this time for her brother.

Dan smiled and walked over to her. "Excuse me," he said, pushing through the crowd with his large hands. Anyone who didn't move was easily pushed aside by his strength.

In no time, under the angry gazes of the clan members, Dan reached the front of the crowd. He sat down next to Mikoto, his large frame shielding her like a small mountain.

"Dan, this is your first clan meeting. There are some things you need to know in advance..." Mikoto began to explain the rules of the clan meeting to her brother.

"Uh-huh," Dan responded, nodding occasionally but not really paying attention.

After bringing Dan into the chamber, Itachi didn't stick with his uncle. He looked around the room, not finding Shisui's presence and feeling a bit worried.

Suddenly, a clear and surprised female voice called out, "Itachi!" It was Uchiha Izumi. She had recently become a Genin and was attending her first clan meeting. She looked a bit lost until she saw Itachi

Itachi was glad to see her but didn't show it on his face. He walked over to her and said, "Don't be nervous. Many of the clan members here are not as good as you."

He was telling the truth. Izumi had awakened the Sharingan at the age of five, the earliest among the Uchihas that Itachi knew of. At eleven, she had evolved it to three tomoe, showing her astonishing talent.

Many clan members were in their twenties and still only had one or two tomoe in their Sharingan. In their words, Izumi's "capacity" far exceeded that of an average Uchiha.

Compared to a genius like Itachi, what Izumi currently lacked was combat skills and experience, as well as the mentality of a strong person honed in life-and-death situations. However, as long as she didn't die prematurely, she would acquire these in the future.

Hearing Itachi's encouragement, Izumi finally relaxed and looked forward to the clan meeting with a sweet smile. Itachi, seeing her excited expression, sighed inwardly.

Izumi didn't know the current situation of the Uchiha clan and how intense the internal conflicts were. If a fight broke out during the meeting, she would probably be scared.

Thinking of this, Itachi looked at Izumi seriously and warned her, "No matter what happens during the meeting, just listen. Don't speak out of turn, and don't take sides or make any statements, understand?" He was worried that Izumi would get involved in this whirlpool and be affected.

"Oh... I understand," Izumi nodded, somewhat understanding from Itachi's words that this clan meeting might not be as she imagined.

While they were talking, a familiar voice came from behind, "Itachi." Itachi turned around and saw Shisui had finally arrived.

"I'll be right back," he said to Izumi, then walked over to Shisui and started talking with him.

"Is that your uncle?" Shisui asked, looking at the mountain-like figure of Dan in the crowd. Dan was indeed different from the other Uchihas.

"Yes, that's him," Itachi replied seriously, then asked Shisui again, "Can I count on you?"

"Don't worry, I came prepared," Shisui replied with a smile, then crossed his arms and sat down. Itachi also sat down, and together they observed the various states of the clan members from the back row.

In the front, Mikoto asked after explaining the rules of the clan meeting, "Dan, is there anything else you don't understand?"

Dan thought for a moment, then asked Mikoto about the clan's population, "Sis, how many Uchihas are there now? How many have awakened the Sharingan, and how many of them are Jonin?"

Mikoto was surprised. Her brother had never cared about these things before. Now that Dan finally showed interest in the clan, Mikoto was more than willing to share.

From her, Dan learned that there were nearly eight hundred Uchihas, a decline from the peak of over a thousand but still a large clan in the Leaf Village. Among them, about one-tenth, or around eighty people, had awakened the Sharingan.