"Wait!"
The sudden shout made the Root operatives, who had been ready to drag Uchiha Shien away by force, freeze in place. Because the speaker was no ordinary man.
He wore a loose blue kimono, a red-and-white clan crest on his back the size of a ping-pong ball. His features were stern, his gaze sharp and menacing.
It was the "Fierce-Eyed" Uchiha Fugaku — the young clan head of the Uchiha.
And the Uchiha, of course, were one of the most powerful families in the entire shinobi world. His words carried weight — enough to make even Root operatives hesitate.
"Uchiha Fugaku!"
"Uchiha Fugaku!" Danzo strode forward, his tone cold.
"You Uchiha are getting far too arrogant — how dare you use such brutal methods on one of your own comrades!"
Talk about turning the tables. That was Danzo to a T.
His motto had always been: "It's not about what you think, it's about what I think." Even though he was the one who had ordered Kakashi to strike first, the fact that he himself had almost been killed made it Uchiha's fault. Had the situation gone the other way, he'd be singing a completely different tune. Classic double standards.
Fugaku, of course, had seen everything that had happened just now. But there are some things one can see clearly yet dare not speak aloud. Even if he knew Danzo was scheming against the Uchiha, he couldn't just come out and accuse him directly.
"It was just an accident. Kakashi's fine," Fugaku said firmly, showing no sign of yielding.
If he allowed a member of the Uchiha to be dragged off before his very eyes, his prestige as young clan head would take a heavy blow.
"Whether it was an accident or not will be determined after Root conducts its own investigation," Danzo replied coldly.
"Investigating such matters falls under the jurisdiction of our Police Force," Fugaku countered, his tone like steel.
"There's no need to trouble Elder Danzo."
Danzo's face darkened — he was just about to order his men to seize Uchiha Shien anyway when—
"Danzo, stand down. It was nothing more than an accident."
Sarutobi Hiruzen arrived, having sent Kakashi off for treatment, to smooth things over. As Hokage, he couldn't possibly allow Danzo and the Uchiha to start tearing each other apart right here.
"Hiruzen, you'll regret this." Danzo's eyes flashed with hatred as he turned away. Before leaving, he shot a long, piercing look at the
"obedient," seemingly frightened Uchiha Shien, who was still standing quietly at the scene.
He hadn't expected this kid to be hiding such depth. Even without striking a single real blow, the mere fact that he could use a C-rank Summoning Jutsu was astonishing. No ordinary academy dead-last could pull that off.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage." Fugaku inclined his head toward Hiruzen. Without the Hokage stepping in, Danzo would never have given up this easily.
"The Uchiha are part of the village too. No need for thanks." Hiruzen's tone was warm as his gaze fell on Uchiha Shien.
"Not bad. To defeat Kakashi in this assessment means you've been working hard at the Academy—"
Had it been any other kid, being personally praised by the supreme leader of the village, they'd have floated to the heavens already — baring their heart and soul to the man (as one particular filial son with a "Hokage mindset" would definitely approve).
It was in this moment that Uchiha Shien finally understood why so many future Uchiha turned rebellious.
Facing the ultimate emotional manipulator — the PUA Hokage himself — who wouldn't break?
Fugaku, oblivious to this, even grew emotional and agreed wholeheartedly with Hiruzen's words.
He's doomed, Uchiha Shien thought to himself, glancing at the man from the corner of his eye. Completely brainwashed by the "Will of Fire," through and through.
Considering what he knew from history — that it would be this very man leading the Uchiha into the "Massacre Combo Meal," dying like lambs to the slaughter — it all made perfect sense.
"Lord Hokage, the reason I could learn the Summoning Jutsu," Uchiha Shien said loudly, face flushed with conviction,
"was all thanks to the Will of Fire! Wherever the leaves dance, the fire will never die!"
Perfect delivery. Listening to Uchiha Shien's impassioned "understanding" of the Will of Fire, Hiruzen's suspicion slowly eased.
Anyone who truly comprehends the Will of Fire can't be a bad person.
"Excellent. I'll go check on Kakashi. Don't dwell on today's incident," the Hokage said with a smile, leaving in high spirits.
After they left, Fugaku turned to Uchiha Shien and said only one thing: "Mei's back."
Then he walked away.
Though he was curious about that summoned beast called Taiyi, their awkward relationship made it difficult to ask.
Once Fugaku was gone, Uchiha Shien felt a prickling heat on his back. Turning around, he saw two of his close friends staring holes into him — the rest of the students watching with a mix of curiosity and shock.
He couldn't blame them. Kakashi's fame was immense — the Academy's greatest prodigy, defeated by none other than the class dead-last. How could that not draw attention?
Great. I'm screwed.
As a crowd of overly curious classmates swarmed him with questions, Uchiha Shien realized surviving this day might be harder than fighting Kakashi.
Just as he feared, it took him ages to fend off all their interrogation. He finally brushed it off by claiming the summoning beast was a gift from his clan.
By the time he left the Academy and returned to the Uchiha compound, the sun was already dipping below the horizon.
Once he entered the district, the crowds thinned drastically. Anyone paying attention would notice — aside from the Uchiha themselves, no one else ever entered this area. Even though it sat right in the heart of the village.
No surprise there. The Uchiha kept to themselves — and in turn, the rest of the village kept its distance. That was part of why, when the clan was exterminated later, the village hardly stirred.
Uchiha Shien walked naturally toward a certain part of the compound. Normally, he'd never set foot there. But today was different — his golden thigh had returned.
He owed her a lot — even his admission into the Academy had been thanks to her help. Without her, a parentless, talentless orphan like him would never have been allowed to enroll.
Soon, he arrived before an independent courtyard tucked away in a corner of the Uchiha grounds.
Creak.
He slid open the wooden gate and stepped into a vast courtyard — easily several thousand square meters wide.
Anywhere else, such a space might not seem much. But this was Konoha! Owning a multi-thousand-square-meter estate here was like having a mansion in downtown Shanghai — it wasn't just a matter of money, but status.
In fact, the Uchiha's later "relocation" had far more to do with the land's value than with any so-called rebellion threat. That piece of real estate was simply too valuable.
Inside the courtyard stood two towering mulberry trees, their branches intertwined and spreading a vast canopy of shade. Beneath them lay a graceful arrangement of rock gardens, pavilions, flowerbeds, and a clear pond — serene yet refined.
The two-story wooden house occupying only a few hundred square meters in the middle seemed almost humble by comparison.
Frankly, this courtyard alone was a priceless gem — even Sarutobi Hiruzen, "the strongest Hokage," didn't live nearly this well.
No wonder the other clans resented the Uchiha. They had too much — and as history proved, the easiest way to become a "good clan" in Konoha was to die off and let everyone else divvy up your assets.
Just as Uchiha Shien was admiring the scenery, a tall, slender figure stepped out from the house.
Her jet-black hair fell to her waist like a waterfall. Her pale face was delicately beautiful — strikingly bright and cold at once. But what stood out most were her pale pink eyes, so icy they seemed capable of drawing in a person's very soul.
Uchiha Mei! (currently hornless stage)
Uchiha Shien's fiancée — and his golden thigh.
Though she was only a year older, thirteen to his twelve, she had already graduated four years ago. At the Academy, one could apply for early graduation — but the test was far harsher than the normal one.
Meaning, she had graduated in her third year — a certified genius. Only monsters like Kakashi, who graduated after a single year, could be called super-geniuses.
Had Uchiha Shien not shown up as an anomaly, Kakashi might have been unmatched among the younger generation — even a chunin might not have been his equal. But with great talent came great danger — Danzo had already set his sights on her long ago, trying every trick to pull her into the darkness.
"You're moving back in," Uchiha Mei said coolly as she approached.
"Alright." Uchiha Shien nodded without protest.
If today hadn't happened, he wouldn't have dared to. But now that Danzo — that old schemer — had his eye on him, staying outside the clan's protection was suicide. Sure, it was more convenient for his secret research… but "convenient" wouldn't mean much if he ended up disappeared.
Thankfully, he could read the intent behind her "domineering president" tone — beneath the command was concern. His pre-rebirth self, but would probably have taken offense instead of gratitude.
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