After parting ways with Himeji Hyuga, Uchiha Hayashi returned home alone.
For him, comforting her had only been a small favor. What results it might bring in the future was beyond his control. Perhaps she truly could become Hokage one day and change the Hyuga clan's fate.
Walking the same road back, Hayashi found he no longer had the mood for strolling. The heaviness that had lifted earlier pressed down on him again.
Time ruled over everything, weaving the stories of life and death. It silenced the most spirited voices, dulled the longest waits, and numbed even the sharpest hearts. Against it, no one had power to resist.
Hayashi kept walking toward his home.
"Who's there?" His eyes narrowed, his body tensing as he sensed a faint but deliberate aura locking onto him.
A moment later—whoosh—a figure appeared before him.
"So fast…" Hayashi muttered.
Standing before him was a man around thirty, dressed in the Uchiha clan's traditional windbreaker. His expression was stern, his presence commanding.
Hayashi instantly realized—the aura had been released on purpose.
"Captain of the Security Force, do you need something from me?" Hayashi asked, his tone respectful yet guarded.
The man was none other than Uchiha Han, Vice-Captain of the Security Force, a trusted aide of the clan head.
Han studied him with unreadable eyes. "Where have you been this late at night?"
"I just went for a walk," Hayashi answered with a faint, flustered smile, scratching his hair as though nervous before such an important figure.
Han's sternness softened into a smile. "No need to be nervous. Training is tiring—it's good to clear your head with a walk. Still, the clan head has summoned you. Come with me."
Hayashi's thoughts turned sharp.
What's going on tonight? First Himeji, now the clan head. When did I become so important?
Still, he followed without protest. A man like Han, no matter how gentle his manner, was someone with countless lives on his hands. Resistance would be foolish.
Han slowed his pace slightly, making sure Hayashi could keep up.
Their path wound through the Uchiha compound. Hayashi's home was on the outskirts, far from the central estate where the clan head resided. This was his first time stepping into the heart of the clan. He could feel the weight of its legacy in every corner.
So this is the life of the powerful, he thought.
Crossing a spacious courtyard, Hayashi caught sight of a teenage boy training against a jōnin. The boy's sharp features, intense gaze, and black hair tied neatly behind him were unmistakable.
Uchiha Fugaku.
Hayashi lingered a moment, watching. Fugaku's potential was undeniable—after all, he would one day awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan. He was destined to become the father of Itachi and Sasuke.
Whether those children would truly be born in this altered future, Hayashi couldn't say. But Fugaku's presence was real enough.
Han led him further, finally arriving at a large room lined with scrolls. Behind a low desk sat a man in his forties, immersed in paperwork. His aura was sharp, heavy like a drawn blade.
This was Uchiha Yama, the clan head. A veteran of the late Warring States and the First Great Ninja War, his very presence carried the weight of survival through blood and steel.
With a wave of his hand, Yama dismissed Han.
"Clan Head-sama," Hayashi greeted, bowing his head. He had no choice. As he himself often reminded others—weakness was the original sin. Despite his talent, he was still only an Academy student.
"You've come," Yama said, putting down his brush. His eyes studied Hayashi intently, a pressure that almost stole his breath. Then, just as quickly, Yama withdrew it and smiled warmly.
"Sit down, child. Good, good… As expected of the genius who's brought honor to the Uchiha clan. I've heard much about you lately."
His smile deepened. "Back then, your father, Uchiha Kagami, and I were close—teacher and friend both. I never imagined he would die so young."
Hayashi's lips curved into a surprised expression, but inside he scoffed. Liar.
If Kagami had truly been close to this conservative clan head, Hayashi wouldn't have been ostracized all his life. Still, Yama's act was impeccable. He even let his voice crack with grief, eyes moist with sorrow. A true master of performance.
"You knew my father?" Hayashi asked, feigning shock.
"Of course. Kagami was the clan's finest at the time. But…" Yama let his voice trail off, his face darkening.
"But what, Clan Head-sama?"
"Your father was betrayed."
"Impossible! The Hokage-sama said he died in battle on a mission!"
Yama shook his head, anguish etched across his face. "That's what I thought at first. But later, I realized something was wrong. For years, I investigated in secret. And finally, I found the truth.
"When Kagami went on his mission, his information was deliberately leaked. He was ambushed… and killed."
"By who?" Hayashi asked at the perfect moment.
"It was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, together with Danzo Shimura of Root."
Yama's eyes burned with hatred as he rose to his feet. "After the Second Hokage fell, Hiruzen was too young to hold power. Kagami stood beside him, supporting him, stabilizing his rule. But Sarutobi feared your father's strength and loyalty to the clan.
"He feared he'd become nothing but Kagami's puppet. So he and Danzo plotted, leaking your father's mission details and sending him to his death!"
His voice thundered, then softened again. "Forgive me, I lost my composure… But tell me, child, do you think I would lie to you?
"Our clan founded Konoha alongside the Senju. Two Senju have already sat as Hokage. Yet not one Uchiha has been chosen. Does that not burn your heart? Don't you want to inherit your father's will and one day become Hokage yourself?"
Inside, Hayashi almost laughed bitterly. First I told Himeji she should aim for Hokage. Now someone is telling me the same thing? What irony.
But Yama pressed on, his voice persuasive and heavy. "Child, if you seek revenge, your current strength is not enough. You will need the clan's support."
Hayashi lowered his head respectfully. "Then, Clan Head-sama, what would you have me do?"
Yama's eyes gleamed. "At today's trials, you placed in the top three. You'll soon be allowed to choose one of three jōnin instructors. I want you to choose Orochimaru."
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