Even though Susanoo had not yet reached its complete form, only its fourth stage, it was still enough to leave anyone awestruck.
Uchiha Gen had grown familiar with the power of his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, but since awakening it not long ago, he had yet to fully master its potential. His chakra, too, was still growing, evolving with every passing day. Until it stabilized, the full-body Susanoo would remain beyond reach.
After all, even Madara and Sasuke hadn't been able to summon their complete forms immediately after awakening the Eternal Mangekyō.
Kakashi had done it, true—but that had been a temporary miracle, a one-time burst of borrowed power.
Gen's Susanoo wielded a double-edged sword for close-range combat and a mirror for ranged attacks. Whether by coincidence or the influence of his Soul-Soul Fruit, both weapons carried dual destructive power; inflicting damage to both body and soul.
That meant techniques like Edo Tensei, which relied on immortality, would crumble before Uchiha Gen's Susanoo.
Inside the dark, crystal-like core set within the giant's forehead, Gen stood tall. With a single thought, the black mountain of chakra surged forward.
BOOM!
When Susanoo landed, the earth quaked and a hurricane-like shockwave burst outward, scattering debris and tossing Hiruzen Sarutobi and his shadow clones through the air like leaves.
Each clone hit the ground one after another—bang, bang, bang—and vanished in puffs of white smoke.
On a nearby mountain ridge, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane had to shield their faces, their expressions tight as the violent wind whipped around them.
And then... silence.
After giving a brief demonstration of power, Uchiha Gen dispelled Susanoo.
He wasn't like Madara; there was no need to split mountains just to intimidate people. Destroying nature for vanity wasn't his style. More importantly, he didn't want to leave clear evidence that might draw White Zetsu's attention and through him, Obito and Black Zetsu.
Gen's approach was simple: act only when he could finish the enemy in one decisive strike. Anything less was courting disaster. Letting the tiger return to the mountain was asking to be mauled later.
"Impossible… utterly impossible. That wasn't the power of a mere Mangekyō Sharingan…"
Hiruzen sprang to his feet with a sharp movement, staring at Uchiha Gen with open disbelief.
Gen didn't answer right away. He knelt and pressed his palm to the earth, channeling chakra to smooth over the massive footprints left behind by Susanoo's colossal feet. No sense leaving unnecessary clues behind. Even if White Zetsu investigated later, they wouldn't learn the true secret of his eyes.
Straightening up, Gen brushed the dust from his hands and smiled lightly.
"Hokage-sama, the food's probably cooled by now. How about we head back and talk while we eat? It's noon, and I'm starving."
Homura and Koharu arrived moments later, landing beside Hiruzen.
"Hiruzen!" they called, their voices edged with alarm.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly. The shock was still in his eyes, but decades of battle-hardened experience steadied his voice.
"…As you say."
Gen nodded and gestured casually. In the blink of an eye, they were back within the Uchiha Clan's compound, inside the dining hall.
The three elders couldn't help but glance around in silent awe... the Flying Thunder God Technique truly was extraordinary.
"Please, sit," Gen said, motioning toward the table.
Suppressing their turmoil, Hiruzen and his two advisors took their seats. Though the table was filled with dishes, none of them had the appetite to eat.
Gen, however, seemed completely at ease. He sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and began eating as though nothing unusual had happened. The food was still warm which was perfect.
After a moment of heavy silence, Hiruzen finally spoke.
"According to every secret record I've studied, what you displayed just now… isn't something the Mangekyō Sharingan is capable of."
Gen's eyes flicked toward him, calm and steady.
"I never said it was. These eyes have already evolved to the pinnacle of the Sharingan."
"The same realm as Madara Uchiha, then," Hiruzen muttered, his brow furrowed. "Except… Konoha no longer has the First Hokage to counter that power."
Gen gave a small, knowing smile.
"Even if the First were still alive, I wouldn't fear him. With the power of Sage Mode, even Hashirama Senju might not stand against me."
Hiruzen's fingers twitched slightly.
"As for how I achieved it," Gen continued, "don't ask. Even if you do, I won't tell you and honestly, there's no need." He set his cup down softly. "What matters isn't how I did it. You already know the question that truly matters, don't you?"
Hiruzen's expression shifted—tension, frustration, resignation—before settling into a grim calm.
"You're right," he admitted. "The method doesn't matter anymore. What's important… is our stance."
"Exactly," Gen said, dabbing his mouth with a napkin before his gaze sharpened. "Your attitude."
"Hokage-sama, Elders," he began evenly, "this time, I came to you with respect and courtesy before force. I approached with the intention of doing what's best for Konoha."
"If I truly wanted to seize power by strength alone, not one of you could stop me, not if I struck without warning."
He let his words hang in the air, eyes narrowing slightly.
"In fact, even if I faced you, Hokage-sama, along with Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Kushina-nee, all at once… I still wouldn't hesitate."
"As for the rest of Konoha's ninja? Heh."
A faint smile touched his lips. "It would just mean swinging my sword a few more times, flashing my mirror a few more times… and stomping a few more times."
The color drained from the three elders' faces. Hiruzen's jaw clenched; Homura and Koharu looked pale and tight-lipped, like scolded children who dared not speak.
"To be frank," Gen went on, his tone almost casual, "the feedback from my Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan hasn't even settled yet. My power is still growing."
"What you saw earlier?" He smirked faintly. "That wasn't the ultimate form of Susanoo."
"The true Susanoo is far greater, towering, divine. Its strength could shatter the world with a single blow."
His eyes glimmered like molten crimson. "This… is the divine might of the Uchiha clan."
"By my estimate, I'll be able to summon that final form within six months."
He leaned forward slightly, his tone now sharp as a blade.
"So here's how it is: if the three of you refuse to cooperate, then after the internal strife settles, I will personally settle accounts with you—and with the families that stand behind you."
"At that time, your kin, your clans, your followers—none of them will be spared."
The air turned heavy, suffocating. Hiruzen and his advisors sat rigid, their faces drained of color, yet none dared speak.
"I'm not saying this out of cruelty," Gen continued softly, "but out of pragmatism. While your individual power can't threaten me, the influence of your clans can still cause chaos, and chaos is irritating."
"I won't show mercy. When the time comes, I'll cut the weeds and burn the roots."
"Even if Konoha loses a portion of its strength, or even half, it won't matter. With me at the helm, it will thrive again. The Hidden Sand Village is already a loyal ally, and if any other village dares to move against us…" His eyes narrowed to slits. "…I'll simply deal with them along the way."
He straightened, voice cool but absolute.
"If you follow my direction, not only will you preserve your dignity, but your clans will survive with theirs intact."
"Of course," he added, "you'll have to surrender most of the benefits you currently hold. Only by giving up what you shouldn't cling to can you stand equal before me. Refuse that…"
His gaze sharpened, like a blade pressing against their throats.
"…and I'll erase you completely."
The silence stretched, heavy and electric.
Finally, he set his chopsticks down, meeting their eyes one by one.
"Now," he said evenly,
"make your choice."
"Will you follow my lead…"
"Or shall we draw the battlefield lines and fight a real war?"
As his final words faded, the air itself seemed to hum—each syllable slicing through the room like cold steel.
Uchiha Gen's gaze swept over them, sharp and weighty enough to make all three feel as though a sword were already pressed to their throats.