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"Did they say why they came to our Uchiha compound?"
Fugaku couldn't make sense of it no matter how he thought about it, so he asked.
"Uh… they said they want you, Clan Head, to give them justice. And they mentioned Young Master Akira too. Said something about making him 'pay the price.'"
Fugaku's mouth twitched. No need to think hard about this—nine times out of ten, it was trouble caused by that fake Akira again.
Thinking of how brutal that impostor could be, and the fact that the Hyūga clan head had come personally, Fugaku couldn't help but imagine the worst. Maybe that fake Akira had beaten several Hyūga clan members so badly they were crippled.
Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
Impersonating his son was bad enough. Now he was stirring up trouble outside, and Fugaku still had to clean up after him.
It was downright miserable.
At that moment, the wooden sliding door behind them was pushed open, and Akira stepped out.
"Looking for me? Why would the Hyūga want me? I didn't mess with them."
He looked completely innocent as he said it.
Fugaku turned around and gave him a look that clearly said, Do you really think I believe that?
Akira raised an eyebrow and thought back for a moment. Then it hit him.
During afternoon training, he'd taught a couple of Hyūga brats a lesson.
"Oh! Right, I remember now. This afternoon I just gave two little Hyūga kids a tiny bit of discipline."
"And for something like that, the whole Hyūga clan comes knocking? That's seriously petty."
"Uh… are you sure you mean 'a tiny bit' and not 'a whole lot'?"
Fugaku was skeptical. He still vividly remembered what Akira called "a little lesson" back at the clan meeting—electrocuting someone until they were half-dead.
Uchiha Tajima was still lying in a hospital bed receiving treatment.
"It really was just a little. They were kids. No need to make a big deal out of it."
Akira looked utterly exasperated. Did he really seem like someone who'd seriously hold a grudge against children?
He'd already forgotten about using genjutsu on Hyūga Ko. To him, they were just two insignificant nobodies, not worth remembering.
"Alright, then. Go deal with it yourself. Otherwise, what's the point of you being clan head?"
Akira waved his hand dismissively and turned to go back inside.
Fugaku froze.
Right in front of his subordinates, this kid wasn't giving him any face at all?
The Uchiha messenger ninja standing below wore an odd expression. For some reason, it felt like Akira was the dad here.
Of course, he only dared think that to himself. He'd never say it out loud.
Keeping a respectful look on his face, he reminded Fugaku, "Clan Head, you should hurry over. If you're late, our people might actually start fighting them."
"Cough, cough."
Fugaku cleared his throat, easing the awkwardness before putting on a serious expression.
"Fine. Take me there at once."
After thinking it over, and wanting to preserve his authoritative image in front of his subordinate, he added, "That child Akira has only been at the ninja academy for a few days and he's already getting rebellious. I'll have to give him a proper scolding later."
The messenger ninja immediately chimed in, "Exactly, exactly! My brat's the same. Ever since he started ninja school, he's been getting full of himself. He even dares talk back to his old man!"
"Mm."
Fugaku nodded solemnly.
"Kids that age are all a bit rebellious. As parents, we have to discipline them properly. Next time I see my son, I'll make sure he feels the weight of my iron fist!"
"Yes, yes, Clan Head, you're absolutely right!"
Hearing that, Fugaku felt quite satisfied. This subordinate really knew how to play along.
His mood improved considerably.
But before the two of them had gone far, the wooden sliding door behind them opened again.
Akira walked out with his hands in his pockets. Glancing at Fugaku, he spoke casually, "Never mind. I'll come with you. Mostly because I'm worried you won't be able to handle it."
He took a few steps, noticed Fugaku hadn't moved, raised an eyebrow, and urged him on. "Well? What are you standing around for? Your legs cramping up or something?"
"Let's go. With me there to back you up, you can relax completely. If those Hyūga guys dare act tough, I'll make sure they regret it."
Akira swung his hand boldly, radiating the aura of a boss.
"Ah… this…"
The messenger ninja was completely stunned. This wasn't just rebellion—this was practically defying the heavens.
Unable to watch any longer, he decided to speak up for the clan head.
"Hey! Young Master Akira, how can you talk to your father like that?! Careful, or your father might discipline you with his iron fist later! Hurry up and apologize to the Clan Head, or else—"
"Enough. Shut up. Move."
The interruption came from Fugaku himself.
His face was dark as he strode forward, his previously improved mood plunging straight into the abyss.
He'd just finished boasting in front of his subordinate, and in the next instant he got slapped in the face. Whatever authority he had as clan head was basically gone in this man's eyes.
The messenger ninja, meanwhile, was utterly confused.
Clan Head, I was helping you teach your kid! Why are you snapping at me?
And didn't you just say yourself you'd discipline him with your fists? Why aren't you doing anything now?!
But seeing Fugaku's face so dark it looked like ink might drip from it, he swallowed all his questions and didn't dare say another word.
As for why Akira insisted on coming along—it was because of a system mission.
That's right. The system that had been playing dead for so long finally made a move.
[Ding… Slap Hyūga Hiashi across the face once. Reward: 2 sign-in opportunities!]
The reward was small, just two sign-ins, but the mission itself was easy.
Slapping the Hyūga clan head was, in Akira's eyes, a trivial task.
All he had to do was provoke Hyūga Hiashi into attacking him, then return the favor with a slap.
Perfect.
At the entrance to the Uchiha compound—
A large group of Uchiha clan members had gathered there, blocking the way, each one wearing an unfriendly glare.
The mere fact that the Hyūga clan dared come to the Uchiha to cause trouble was practically asking for death.
Opposite them, the Hyūga members led by Hyūga Hiashi were equally furious, staring at the Uchiha as if they were adulterers who'd just stolen their spouse.
The tension between the two sides was razor-sharp, as though a single wrong word would ignite a full-blown fight.
"They're here! They're here! Clan Head Fugaku is finally here!"
"Clan Head, just give the order and we'll teach those white-eyed bastards why flowers are so red!"
"That's right! We have to show them some color. Anyone who dares cause trouble in Uchiha territory has to pay the price!"
"..."
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