Uchiha Kei stood before the only mirror in his room.

The surface of the mirror was covered in a web of fine cracks, and the reflection of his face appeared somewhat fragmented—a symbol of his life at this moment.

He quietly examined himself in the mirror; within those black pupils, a strange and complex Mangekyō Sharingan pattern flashed briefly, its powerful ocular prowess causing the reflection to distort for an instant.

Subsequently, the Mangekyō Sharingan pattern reverted to the ordinary Three-Tomoe form before finally fading away completely, returning to a deep black.

He could now switch his power on and off at will, completing the transition with just a thought.

This absolute control over his power allowed him to completely calm down from the thrilling transformation and display of authority he had just experienced.

Personal strength was only the first step; the truly difficult part was how to convert this power into leverage to change the fate of the entire clan.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he stopped thinking about improving his Taijutsu and refocused all his attention on the system panel in his mind.

He needed a deeper, more quantified understanding of the desperate situation the Uchiha clan was currently facing.

This was no longer the bystander perspective from reading manga in his past life, but a reality concerning the survival of himself and over two thousand clansmen.

His gaze swept over the five core indicators one by one; every number and every line of notes felt like a heavy hammer striking his heart.

【Clan Population: 2,357.】

This number made Kei's heart sink.

A prestigious clan that once stood atop the Shinobi World alongside the Senju and co-founded Konoha had, after decades of so-called "peaceful" development, dwindled to just this many people.

This was even worse than he had imagined.

The attrition of war and the Uchiha's harsh internal competitive elimination mechanism were causing the clan's bloodline to wither away.

【Territory and Wealth: Grade C (Dependent on Konoha).】

This line was full of irony.

As the controllers of the Konoha Police Force, the Uchiha clan was responsible for maintaining the village's security, appearing glorious and powerful.

In reality, they were more like high-level employees, without any independent sources of income or land they could freely manage.

All funding required approval from the village's high-ranking officials. If they ever fell out with Konoha, they would immediately be plunged into the predicament of an economic blockade, where even the daily supplies of the clansmen would become an issue.

His gaze finally rested on the last two items, those two shocking negative values that looked like scars.

【Clan Cohesion: 35/100 (Numerous factions, hearts and minds divided, severe internal strife).】

【World Prestige: -500 (Deep hatred and suspicion).】

These two lines of data became two long nails sealing the clan's coffin, bringing a suffocating heaviness.

Internally, the entire clan was torn into several factions due to differing attitudes toward the village.

The Moderate Faction, led by Patriarch Uchiha Fugaku, hoped to gain more power through political means; the Radical Faction, led by the Council of Elders, advocated using force to reclaim their glory; and there was a large number of Fence-sitters in the middle.

The factions plotted against each other, causing severe internal friction; the scene at the training ground today was merely the tip of the iceberg.

Externally, due to the deliberate guidance of the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama and the systematic smearing and isolation by the Konoha higher-ups for decades, the Uchiha had been labeled "evil" and "untrustworthy" throughout the Shinobi World.

After the Nine-Tails Incident, this hostility reached its peak.

Internal strife and external threats—it was exactly like this.

This clan had already reached the edge of the abyss.

Just as Uchiha Kei was feeling the weight of the clan's bleak future, a polite yet firm knock at the door broke the silence of the room.

Knock, knock, knock.

He looked up, his eyebrows twitching slightly.

At this hour, who could it be?

He lived in the Orphan Dormitory Area, which was usually deserted and had no visitors at all.

He stood up and opened the door to find two solemn-looking members of the Military Police Force standing outside.

They wore deep blue uniforms with the striking fan crest printed on their backs, Standard-issue long swords at their waists, and exuded an air of capability.

The moment they saw Uchiha Kei, the expressions of these two police officers changed noticeably.

It was no longer the indifference and apathy they once showed toward a war orphan, but was now filled with awe, curiosity, and an ill-concealed complexity of emotions.

Their gaze involuntarily drifted toward Kei's eyes, trying to see if that terrifying Mangekyō Sharingan was hidden beneath those black pupils.

Mangekyō Sharingan.

These words held supreme weight within the Uchiha clan.

It represented the pinnacle of the bloodline and power that transcended everyone else.

The leading Ninja bowed ninety degrees, his posture respectful to the point of humility, with every word carrying deliberate reverence.

"Uchiha Kei-sama, Patriarch Fugaku requests your presence at the Naka Shrine for a meeting."

Naka Shrine.

The center of power for the Uchiha clan, a secret meeting place where only the Patriarch, Elders, and recognized elites were qualified to enter.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Kei's mouth.

His rise had finally alerted the sleeping lion that was Uchiha Fugaku.

It came even faster than expected.

"Lead the way."

He nodded calmly, without any unnecessary words.

Closing the door, he followed the two police officers toward the depths of the Clan Compound, to the place that symbolized the core of Uchiha power and glory.