Uchiha Gen's brow twitched faintly at the words.
The other party was clearly questioning him.
A slight smile curved his lips as chakra surged violently from his body, bursting forth like a raging inferno. The air around him shimmered as dense, blazing chakra wrapped itself around his form.
In an instant, a majestic pressure—vast as the sun and immovable as a mountain—descended upon the entire warehouse.
The surrounding air grew thick and oppressive. Breathing became difficult, as though everyone present had been dragged beneath deep water.
Uchiha Chuan and the other two froze in shock.
When Uchiha Gen had appeared earlier, they had not sensed even the slightest fluctuation of chakra from him. Yet now, an overwhelming and terrifying presence erupted without warning.
This—this—was the power they desired.
Excitement and exhilaration immediately replaced the shock on their faces.
At that moment, Uchiha Gen's calm voice echoed through the warehouse.
"You seek power, and I can grant it to you," he said evenly. "But power is never free."
"You must offer me one thing in return—your absolute loyalty."
His gaze swept over the three of them, his eyes dark and unfathomable.
"Tell me," he continued, "can I have your one hundred percent loyalty?"
As Uchiha Gen met their gazes, a deep, dim light flickered within his eyes.
To Uchiha Chuan and the others, it felt as though they were staring into endless whirlpools. Their consciousness wavered, their thoughts sinking involuntarily.
This was not ordinary intimidation.
Uchiha Gen had activated a subtle Sharingan-based genjutsu, using ocular hypnosis to probe their intentions and emotions. Any hidden hostility, deceit, or external manipulation would be exposed instantly.
If necessary, he could erase fragments of memory without leaving a trace.
After several suffocating seconds—
"We will be completely loyal to you, Leader."
Uchiha Chuan and the other two dropped to one knee, heads bowed deeply. Their voices were firm, devoid of hesitation.
It was a complete declaration of submission.
The dim light in Uchiha Gen's eyes faded, and the oppressive pressure vanished as abruptly as it had appeared.
He turned to the boy standing beside him.
"You will guide them," Uchiha Gen said calmly.
"Yes, Big Brother," Uchiha Daishi replied without hesitation.
Uchiha Chuan and the others remained unaware that their minds had just been examined—and lightly altered.
After a brief pause, one of them gathered his courage and asked, "Leader… What is the name of our organization?"
At once, all eyes turned to Uchiha Gen.
He fell into brief contemplation. Until now, he had never bothered naming the group.
After a moment, he spoke.
"The Illuminati," he said.
"Our purpose is to dispel darkness and bring light to the shinobi world."
"As its leader, my codename will be Bright King."
After all, if the leader of Akatsuki dared to call himself a god, then lacking presence was not an option.
With that thought, Uchiha Gen turned back to Uchiha Daishi.
"Daishi, from this day onward, you will serve as Captain of the First Squad of the Illuminati's Guard."
"Yes, Big Brother!" Daishi answered, unable to suppress his excitement.
Uchiha Gen then appointed another boy, Uchiha Takuno, as captain of the Second Squad. With their current numbers, only two squads could be formed.
The Standing Post Method practiced by Uchiha Gen had three stages:
The first tempered the skin and muscles.
The second strengthened the internal organs.
The third refined bones and blood.
At present, only Uchiha Daishi and Uchiha Takuno had reached the second stage.
Before departing, Uchiha Gen gave Uchiha Chuan and the others one last glance. His figure flickered—and vanished from the warehouse.
---
Within every shinobi clan, there existed members whose talent was insufficient to awaken their bloodline abilities. This was the result of gradual bloodline dilution over generations.
In extreme cases, some clan members possessed chakra so weak that they were little different from ordinary civilians.
Uchiha Daishi and the others came from such families—merchants, craftsmen, or laborers who merely carried the Uchiha name.
Uchiha Chuan and his companions were different. They came from true shinobi families within the clan.
They were two grades below Uchiha Gen at the Ninja Academy, their strength mediocre at best. As a result, they were often bullied by students from other clans—and even ostracized by their fellow Uchiha.
Only after a long period of observation did Uchiha Daishi approach them with an invitation.
This had always been Uchiha Gen's plan: quietly identify, evaluate, and recruit individuals while expanding his influence in the shadows.
Moreover, recruiting shinobi-born clan members would allow him access to internal Uchiha affairs in the future.
---
Ninja Academy
Uchiha Gen leaned lazily against the window, gazing outside as Instructor Sarutobi Retsu lectured from the podium on reconnaissance techniques and intelligence analysis.
Recently, lessons had focused heavily on battlefield theory.
For Uchiha Gen, this knowledge was already second nature. Under the guidance of Hatake Sakumo, he had long since mastered concepts far deeper than those taught at the Academy.
At present, the only class that still held his interest was practical combat training.
---
After class, Uchiha Gen stood with Hatake Seiku, the two quietly discussing refinements in Hatake kenjutsu.
Suddenly, a figure stopped before them.
Uchiha Gen paused and looked up.
"Hyūga Kagami," he said calmly. "Do you need something?"
"I want you to be my opponent in this afternoon's combat class," Hyūga Kagami said, meeting his gaze directly.
His expression was solemn—far removed from his former arrogance.
As their eyes met, Uchiha Gen sensed a deep resentment within Kagami. It wasn't directed at him, but at something far heavier.
Uchiha Gen's gaze unconsciously drifted to Kagami's forehead, partially concealed beneath a white bandage.
"I look forward to experiencing the Hyūga Clan's Gentle Fist," Uchiha Gen replied, nodding.
Not long ago, Hyūga Kagami had vanished from the Academy for nearly a week. When he returned three days earlier, his body still carried a lingering weakness, as though he had barely recovered from severe strain.
More importantly, his demeanor had changed completely.
Uchiha Gen knew the truth.
Beneath that bandage lay the Caged Bird Seal—the curse mark placed upon members of the Hyūga Branch Family, granting the Main Family absolute control over their lives.
When Kagami noticed Gen's gaze, his expression hardened. Without another word, he turned and left.
Hatake Seiku frowned slightly.
"Gen-kun… Kagami's been acting strange lately."
Uchiha Gen let out a quiet sigh.
"He's simply met the fate all Branch Family members must face."
"What fate?" Seiku asked.
Uchiha Gen looked toward Kagami's retreating figure.
"His pride is gone. The light in his eyes has dimmed."
"He's accepted his role as a Branch Family member."
"The Hyūga Branch Family are slaves to the Main Family."
Hatake Seiku fell silent.
After a moment, Uchiha Gen spoke again, his tone calm—but cold.
"The Hyūga Clan enforces such cruel and inhumane rules."
"Yet the Will of Fire that the Third Hokage so often speaks of… never seems to reach those bound by the Caged Bird."
---
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