Wen Lan stepped out of the water and wiped the droplets from his face, his mind still replaying the sensations from his earlier training.
After getting dressed, he headed toward the Uchiha clan head's courtyard.
He had to admit—the Uchiha were truly wealthy. The clan head's estate was several times larger than his own home.
Straightening his collar, Wen Lan walked along the gravel path.
Soon, he arrived before a classical wooden structure. Wind chimes hung beneath the eaves, tinkling softly as the breeze passed through, their clear notes seemingly washing away all restlessness.
This was a very traditional style of architecture.
The reception area was a large hall—open-air, without doors or windows.
The interior layout was simple yet dignified. Sunlight filtered in through the eaves, casting dappled shadows on the tatami mats, radiating quietness and antiquity.
Uchiha Fugaku sat kneeling at a low table, his expression calm, a teacup still half-full in his hand.
Uchiha Itachi knelt upright beside him, eyes lowered, seemingly lost in thought.
Uchiha Mikoto was to the side, carefully grinding tea leaves for Fugaku.
Wen Lan took a deep breath, stepped forward, and bowed slightly.
Fugaku raised his head. His gaze was sharp, yet carried a trace of warmth as he gestured for Wen Lan to sit.
Wen Lan plopped down onto the cushion opposite Fugaku—sitting cross-legged, not kneeling.
Fugaku's brows twitched slightly, but he said nothing.
Truthfully, Wen Lan really wasn't used to kneeling. Fugaku didn't comment openly, though in private he often asked Mikoto to teach Wen Lan more etiquette.
Wen Lan did everything else well—this sitting posture was the one thing he never changed.
Given that Wen Lan was the orphaned son of a close friend, Fugaku chose to overlook it.
"I heard you killed a jōnin on the battlefield," Fugaku said slowly.
Mikoto and Itachi both looked at Wen Lan in surprise—they hadn't known about this.
"Yes, Clan Head," Wen Lan nodded calmly, meeting Fugaku's gaze.
"Then you should have awakened your eyes."
Wen Lan had actually awakened his Sharingan long ago—but he'd never revealed it.
Without speaking, he activated it.
The Sharingan bloomed open—two tomoe rotating slowly within dark pupils, like stars shining in the night sky.
Fugaku's eyes narrowed slightly, as if confirming something. Then he nodded.
"Very good. Already double-tomoe. At your age… I didn't have this level of talent."
Wen Lan felt a faint stir in his heart, though his expression remained unchanged.
He knew his father hadn't awakened double-tomoe at this age—but his father had died of Kekkei Genkai illness.
In canon, the only confirmed case of such an illness was Kimimaro. Whether Itachi suffered from it was never officially stated—only speculation.
Still, the existence of Kekkei Genkai illness remained a mystery.
Seeing Wen Lan stay silent, Fugaku continued:
"Your father, Li, was the Third Elder. To this day, that position has remained vacant."
"If you can awaken the three-tomoe Sharingan within three years, the seat of Third Elder will be yours."
Wen Lan's eyes flickered slightly.
An elder's position was extremely important—it carried major voting power in clan councils.
After a moment's thought, he spoke steadily,
"Thank you for your trust, Clan Head. I will do my utmost."
The words were simple, but the resolve behind them was unmistakable.
Fugaku studied him deeply, as if trying to read something beneath the surface.
After a pause, he said softly,
"Do not disappoint us."
The air seemed to grow heavier.
Wen Lan lowered his gaze, concealing the turbulence in his eyes.
He understood the weight behind Fugaku's words—it wasn't just expectation, but a test of the path he would choose in the future.
"All right, let's eat," Mikoto said quickly, sensing the tension.
The meal was soon served. Wen Lan didn't hold back—this wasn't his first time eating here, after all.
After dinner, Wen Lan returned to his residence.
The moment he stepped inside, he sensed something off.
He instantly became alert, quietly activating his Sharingan and scanning the room.
As expected—he saw two chakra silhouettes.
The two figures stopped hiding and stepped out from the shadows, wearing combat uniforms and animal masks.
Wen Lan knew Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't have the guts to openly plant ANBU inside the Uchiha district.
That meant only one thing—
Root.
The two Root operatives stood in the courtyard, their gazes cold and guarded.
One of them spoke, his voice low and absolute:
"Uchiha Wen Lan. Your recent performance has drawn the attention of that lord. He is very interested in you. Come with us."
Wen Lan sneered, casually glancing toward the house—his sword was inside.
"And which 'lord' would that be?" Wen Lan feigned ignorance.
"ANBU answer directly to the Hokage. What, did ANBU get traitors too?"
"Hmph. You'll know once you go. Don't make this difficult for us," the man said coldly, a hint of threat in his tone.
"Difficult?"
Wen Lan's lips curled upward, killing intent flashing in his eyes.
"Then fuck it—don't do it at all!"
His hands flew into seals. He inhaled sharply and exhaled with force:
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
The other Root member—who had remained silent—formed seals at lightning speed.
Despite starting later, their Technique completed at the exact same time.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
A wall of earth rose instantly, blocking the incoming fireball.
Wen Lan immediately dashed toward the house.
His ninjutsu was half-baked at best. For years, he'd focused on one-handed seals, never really pushing seal speed to its limits.
What he prioritized was Breathing Techniques.
And today, having gone to the clan head's house for dinner, he hadn't brought his blade—putting him at a disadvantage.
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"
The ground beneath Wen Lan suddenly softened, turning into a muddy mire that began dragging him downward.
His heart jolted. He shifted his balance and leapt backward at once, barely escaping the pull of the swamp.
"Lightning Release: Ground Flow!"
White lightning surged across the ground, racing straight toward Wen Lan!
"Damn it—do you really think I'm easy prey?"
Wen Lan's eyes went cold.
Chakra surged through his body. Before the lightning could reach him, he used the momentum of his backward leap to vault into the air, evading the attack.
Midair—his hand seals completed.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Dozens of fireballs burst from his mouth, raining down like a blazing storm!
Flames illuminated the courtyard, scorching heat flooding the air.
The two Root operatives immediately split apart to evade.
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