Uchiha Fugaku ignored his companions' teasing, staring even more intently at the fireball before him.
Once upon a time, he thought that the Uchiha's flames were born to exist for combat.
The Great Fireball Technique was the pride and symbol of their Uchiha clan as ninja.
But now, he was here, using this flame that symbolized glory, to... bake cement.
In the beginning, he wasn't without resistance in his heart.
He, Uchiha Fugaku, the recognized genius of the clan, the hope for the future, actually had to do this kind of work fit for a craftsman?
But when he saw those "Chakra Concrete" blocks, hard as steel, which he had personally sintered, being transported one by one to the dam construction site to build that magnificent dam body.
When he heard those ordinary craftsmen talking about their "Uchiha Barbecue Team" with heartfelt admiration and gratitude.
A special sense of mission welled up from the bottom of his heart.
"Second Squad, take over! Those whose chakra is running low, go rest immediately! The Medical Squad ninja have prepared food and recovery potions!"
With Uchiha Tekka's order, the first batch of ninja withdrew.
Every one of them was pale, their chakra greatly depleted, but their eyes were unusually bright.
The Uchiha of the second squad walked to the rest area, took the water and lunch boxes handed by the medical ninja, and then sat down on the ground, looking at the magnificent dam growing inch by inch in the distance, proud smiles on their faces.
"Hey, do you think when this reservoir is finished, we can also have a separate line in the clan genealogy?"
A young clansman joked while panting.
"What are you thinking? That qualification is for heroes who sacrificed their lives."
The companion next to him rolled his eyes at him.
"But why do I feel that what we are doing now is much more meaningful than killing a few people on the battlefield?"
This sentence resonated with everyone.
They were all proud Uchiha; they craved glory, craved recognition.
In the past, they thought that glory only existed on the battlefield, in the wails of the enemy.
But now, Lord Danzo and Clan Head Kagami had pointed out another path for them.
A path to exchange construction for glory.
"Speaking of which, we really have to thank Lord Hokage."
Uchiha Fugaku took a sip of water, looked at the bustling construction site in the distance, and sighed sincerely.
"Yeah."
Another clansman nodded. "If not for Lord Hokage, our Uchiha might still be treated as outsiders and guarded against."
"It's so good now. Walking on the street, even those old-fashioned guys from the Hyuga family will actively nod and greet us when they see us."
"Heh, the Hyuga family's quality inspection team is working really hard. Not a single flaw can escape their Byakugan. The project quality is top-notch."
"Haha, then we can't lose to them!"
The young Uchiha chatted one after another.
Their topic was no longer what powerful ninjutsu they had learned or which opponent they had defeated.
Instead, it was about whose sintered concrete was the hardest, whose flame control was the most stable, and... whether they could get a discount at the Akimichi family's barbecue restaurant tonight with their "Barbecue Team" identity.
A brand-new, positive atmosphere was quietly spreading in this ancient clan.
Not far away, Uchiha Kagami stood under the shade of a tree, quietly watching all this.
A gratified smile appeared on his face.
The shackles that had plagued the Uchiha for decades were being broken bit by bit.
And the person who gave them this key was the Third Hokage, who looked gentle but actually possessed god-like wisdom.
"Clan Head."
Uchiha Tekka had come to his side at some point.
"Thank you for your hard work, Tekka," Kagami said gently.
"This is what I should do."
Tekka's face still wore that impartial expression, but there was a hint of imperceptible excitement in his tone. "Clan Head, I never thought that one day, our Uchiha would gain the village's recognition in this way."
"This is just the beginning."
Kagami patted his shoulder and looked into the distance. "Lord Hokage has a grander Konoha in his heart that none of us can imagine."
"And we will all be an indispensable part of this grand blueprint."
Uchiha Tekka followed his gaze, looking at the magnificent dam emitting a golden glow in the setting sun, and looking at those clansmen full of drive.
He nodded heavily.
"Yes!"
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