The space created by the True Illusion, Uchiha Fugaku was training in the Eight Gates Released Formation.
"Seventh Gate—Gate of Shock, Open!"
The chakra gate fourth from the bottom, directly beneath the Gate of Life, burst open. Blue steam erupted from Fugaku's body—formed by the rapid evaporation of sweat under the extreme exertion.
An immense, oppressive aura radiated from him, enveloping the air around.
But this power came at a price—his body was continuously suffering damage.
His muscles and meridians tore relentlessly with every passing moment.
His skin was flushed a strange crimson, and his veins bulged grotesquely, twisting like vines across his body.
"Daytime Tiger!"
With a straight punch at incredible speed, Fugaku unleashed a compressed shockwave of air—like an air cannon launched from his fist.
A massive white tiger, visible to the naked eye, emerged roaring and pounced forward.
BOOM!
The secret chamber, constructed of solid rock, was shattered by the tiger's impact.
The ceiling was completely obliterated, revealing the open sky above.
"Eighth Gate—Gate of Death, Open!"
Standing amidst the rubble, Uchiha Fugaku opened the eighth and final gate of the Eight Gates Formation.
The blue steam vanished—replaced by steam tinged with blood.
It was the vapor of his own blood boiling off his body.
His hair stood on end, both it and his eyebrows turning red. His skin cracked like a spiderweb under the overwhelming pressure.
His already monstrous chakra surged to an even more terrifying level.
It was a presence so fearsome that even Kage-level shinobi would feel their scalps go numb and turn to flee.
Inside his body, his muscles were snapping, bones fracturing—his very life force burned like fireworks.
Brilliant… but fleeting.
The Eighth Gate demanded death as its price—to ignite a moment of glory as dazzling as fireworks.
"Evening Elephant!"
With another punch, Fugaku sent an overwhelming wave forward. The air compressed so intensely that it visibly distorted, spreading out in a straight line from his fist.
A massive rift appeared in the air—visible evidence of the sheer force.
The destructive energy extended beyond the chamber, gouging a colossal trench into the earth as if it had been sliced through with a giant blade.
"Night Guy!"
Fugaku's life force fully ignited, the blood-red steam around him forming the shape of a dragon—his final burst of power.
He kicked down with all his remaining might.
BOOM!
A devastating shockwave spread out from the center of the chamber like a spiderweb.
Everything in its path crumbled—the entire estate reduced to ruins.
At the very center of the destruction, a deep crater remained.
Uchiha Fugaku lay at the bottom—lifeless, his body spent and burned out.
If one could see through his skin, they'd find every bone and muscle in his body shattered.
Buzz—
And then, all of Fugaku's injuries vanished. Even his clothing was restored, pristine as before.
Within the True Illusion, he could revive infinitely.
The guaranteed death that followed opening the Eighth Gate was meaningless to him here.
"What incredible destructive power..."
Standing once more in the ruins, Fugaku gazed around at the devastation he had caused after unlocking all Eight Gates.
Even he couldn't help but feel a chill at the overwhelming force.
"The Eight Gates are mastered."
Exiting the illusion, Uchiha Fugaku let out a long breath.
The fact that he could now open the Eighth Gate at will meant he had truly mastered the Eight Gates Formation. His training in this art was complete.
"In the short term, it's impossible to increase the power of the Eight Gates further. From now on, any improvement will depend on long-term physical conditioning… but that will be a long and arduous process."
In good spirits, Fugaku stepped out of the training chamber and into the courtyard, letting the warm sunlight wash over him.
In the yard, Uchiha Sasuke was diligently practicing ninjutsu, his small face focused and serious.
Seeing Sasuke's dedication, Fugaku couldn't help but smile.
Under his guidance, Sasuke was clearly more hardworking than his peers, and his strength was progressing at a noticeably faster rate.
"Father."
Noticing Fugaku, Sasuke paused his training and ran toward him.
"Not bad. You've made progress."
Fugaku praised him.
Receiving praise from his father made Sasuke light up with joy like a child given candy. After a short rest, he eagerly resumed his training.
Fugaku felt even more satisfied.
Children really do need encouragement.
The previous version of me—his way of teaching was clearly flawed.
"After awakening the Rinnegan, Sasuke manifested a space-time dojutsu. This means he has high spatial aptitude... perfect for learning the Flying Thunder God Technique."
Watching Sasuke resume training, Fugaku pondered silently.
His own aptitude for space-time techniques was low, making him ill-suited for mastering the Flying Thunder God.
But Sasuke had great potential in this area—he should be able to learn it.
Although the Rinnegan would eventually give Sasuke access to spatial techniques, that would come much later.
In the meantime, learning the Flying Thunder God Technique would serve as an excellent transitional skill.
Fugaku was confident: once Sasuke mastered Flying Thunder God, his strength would surpass that of his peers—possibly rivaling or even exceeding Uchiha Itachi at the same age.
"But Flying Thunder God can't be revealed publicly. Even if Sasuke learns it, he won't be able to use it openly."
That thought made Fugaku frown.
Learning a technique only to be restricted in its use would undoubtedly limit Sasuke's full potential.
But soon, his frown faded.
"There will come a day when he can use it openly."
Between the Uchiha clan and the Konoha leadership headed by the Third Hokage, one side would inevitably fall.
If the Uchiha clan lost—then everything would be over.
But if the leadership fell, and the Uchiha took power Fugaku would become the new Hokage.
The Uchiha and Senju clans had co-founded Konoha. Two Hokage had come from the Senju, and even their successors had deep ties to that lineage.
Yet no Uchiha had ever held the title.
It was time for an Uchiha to ascend to the position.
As for whether other clans would support them?
Once the current leadership fell, support would follow naturally.
After all, wasn't that exactly how Danzo became acting Hokage?
Once Fugaku became Hokage, Sasuke would be able to use the Flying Thunder God Technique openly and without restriction.
"Clan Leader."
A clansman approached from the corridor, walked up to Fugaku, and leaned in to whisper something in his ear.
As Fugaku heard the words, the smile on his face faded his eyes gleamed with a flash of killing intent.