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"Fugaku-sama!!" Shinkurou exclaimed.
Of course, the figure was Fugaku. Who else would it be?
"Uchiha Shinkurou…" Fugaku called out the name of the man who was loyal to him before his exile… now though… Fugaku isn't certain about that loyalty.
After all, Shinkurou was his loyal subordinate and heavily opposed Kanzou… how could he be alive and free like this when Kanzou is in power? Fugaku was a little suspicious.
Shinkurou noticed Fugaku's suspicions and understood it quite well. It was only natural for Fugaku to be suspicious, but there was nothing he could do about it except prove his loyalty. "Fugaku-sama… I am relieved to see that you are alright…"
As soon as Fugaku heard that, his face threatened to twist into a raging one.
First of all, he wasn't alright. He had been suffering constantly ever since he was exiled… having to live in hiding, getting beaten up, getting cuckolded, having humiliated remarks carved onto his flesh… How does experiencing any of that make him alright? So, Shinkurou saying that Fugaku is 'alright' was infuriating to him.
Still, he tried to calm his emotions and didn't roar at Shinkurou in the face for fear that it would attract attention that he didn't want at the moment at all.
And simply questioned, staring Shinkurou directly in the eyes, "Are you really… relieved?"
Shinkurou immediately genuflected before Fugaku and lowered his head. "Yes."
"…" Fugaku stared at Shinkurou for a while before questioning him. "…then how come you didn't try to find me?" He had been exiled… but none of the Uchihas tried to find him or anything, not even his most loyal subordinates, like Shinkurou, seemed to have tried looking for him. It had made him angrier… at the same time distrustful.
Could they have really surrendered to Kanzou?
"If I had known where you were… I would have immediately come to find you," Shinkurou replied, and hurriedly added… "…Besides, we are constantly being watched by Kanzou's subordinates… It's difficult to do anything."
"…not a single one came looking for me… all of you… just settled with that bastard Kanzou as the Patriarch…" Fugaku said darkly.
That was not an excuse for them to do nothing for him! If not for the Hokage protecting him, he'd be like a dog at the moment...!
"…It was better to remain low-key and preserve our number and strength, waiting for your return, than to go out and search. Kanzou would have killed us all…" Shinkurou explained, before continuing, "…But… I am aware that is not an excuse for the disappointment we have caused you… so if anything… take my head… if that calms your anger… I am willing to commit Seppuku."
"…" Fugaku silently stared at Shinkurou, surprised by his proposal.
Without even waiting for Fugaku to reply, Shinkurou drew his Tantō while starting to remove his vest.
Before long, Shinkurou was without his mesh armor, with the blade of his Tantō pressed against his heart.
"…All I ask… is that you do not blame the others when you become the Patriarch… I had stopped them all from doing anything, so let the blame be mine too…" and with that, he began to push the blade through his flesh.
Noting that Shinkurou was really going through with it, Fugaku no longer needed to doubt Shinkurou's loyalty and just ordered him, "Stop…"
His order made the blade, which was already inside Shinkurou's flesh, pause… by then, the tip of the blade was already touching the beating heart inside Shinkurou's chest. If Fugaku had been a moment late, Shinkurou really would have gone…
Surprised that Fugaku ordered him to stop, Shinkurou raised his head. "Fugaku-sama?"
"…If you die, then who is going to help me manage the Clan…?" questioned Fugaku.
"There are others—" Shinkurou suggested.
"—However, your importance is higher…" Fugaku interrupted Shinkurou. Before Shinkurou could argue any further, Fugaku waved his hand. "…There's no time and point for this tomfoolery anymore… Put the blade away. I need you to do something for me…"
Shinkurou was surprised; however, he obeyed. While putting away the blade and putting back his vest, he asked, "…is it to bring down Kanzou?"
Fugaku didn't explain much. He just took out a small scroll and handed it over to Shinkurou. "Make sure this letter is delivered to Uchiha Tadayoshi…"
"…That traitor? Fugaku-sama, he can't be—" Shinkurou tried to explain to Fugaku.
"—just have it delivered…" Fugaku interrupted Shinkurou.
"…I understand," nodded Shinkurou.
With the scroll passed on, Fugaku once again looked at Shinkurou before weaving a hand sign.
Poof!
Instantly, Fugaku's body exploded into white smoke.
"Shadow Clone?!" Shinkurou murmured; however, he didn't find it too odd. It was indeed safer for Fugaku to use a Shadow Clone to meet him. What if he wasn't loyal? That could have been dangerous!
But putting that aside… now that Fugaku was gone, Shinkurou also quickly stored the small scroll in his pocket and left the alley.
...
Sometime later, the Uchiha compound—
Uchiha Shinkurou was pacing around in his house.
It was not because he was waiting for someone to come and meet him at his home, but because he was contemplating how to deliver the small scroll Fugaku had passed to him to Tadayoshi.
"Should I just deliver it to him at his home?" he wondered for a moment, but immediately shook his head. "No, that would be too risky!"
He knows that Uchiha Tadayoshi's house has Uchiha Suzume as the elder's caretaker.
Ever since Uchiha Mikoto moved out of her maiden home and started living with Kanzou, Uchiha Suzume had been appointed as the caretaker of the elder.
This is common knowledge within the Clan, so of course, Shinkurou is also aware of this piece of information.
But that's not important… what's important is that this Uchiha Suzume… Shinkurou suspects that it is very likely that she is Kanzou's agent who not only takes care of the elder's daily life, but also monitors him.
It is only a suspicion, and there is no confirmation, but that suspicion is enough for him not to take the risk.
If he were to deliver the small scroll to Tadayoshi at his house, there is a good chance that Suzume might come across that information.
Although Shinkurou himself doesn't know what the information in the small scroll is, as he hadn't checked it personally… It's still quite obvious that it must not be something that should get to Kanzou, since it would be related to Kanzou's downfall.
If Uchiha Suzume were to learn of that information… or even of the fact that he came into contact with the Elder… it would definitely reach Kanzou's ears. That could thwart whatever Fugaku was planning.
"It can't be his home... I'll have to figure out another method to get the information to him," he murmured and left the house.
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Uchiha Compound, Elder Tadayoshi's house—
"Tadayoshi-sama… have a pleasant evening walk…" Suzume cheered from behind as the elder stepped out of the house.
The elder ignored her, not in the mood to talk with Kanzou's subordinate, whose job is obviously to keep an eye on him, and left the home for his regular evening walk.
"Tadayoshi-sama really seems to hate me now…" murmured Suzume with a sigh.
Earlier, things were better. Even though the elder knew that he was being watched by her, he'd started to grow accustomed to it and would often talk with her. He would even play Shogi with her to relieve boredom. But ever since Mikoto's visit a few days ago, as well as what had happened back then in the elder's study, things had soured.
"Oh well… it doesn't matter…" she murmured, shaking her head. What the elder thinks of her isn't her concern. Her only concern is to take care of the elder's daily life while continuing to monitor him, which she is doing.
With that in mind, she closed the door of the house and went back to preparing the dinner that the elder would be eating after returning from his walk.
...
Having walked for a while, Tadayoshi sat on one of the benches in the park, quietly watching the children of the Clan play…
"Obito, you idiot, just pass the ball already… alone you won't be able to score, and—
"Haha... I am the man who is going to be the Hokage... you think I can't score a goa—huh? Where'd the ball go?
"Tch, I knew it… Look, Shisui took the ball…"
"Someone tackle Shisui… can't let him score…"
"Mira-san… everyone is coming onto me, take the ball…!!!"
"Tackle that tomboy… don't let her score…!!"
"Shisui-chan… you are free… put the ball into the post…!"
"Haiiii!!!"
"GOAL!!!!"
"Whooahh… Shisui, you did it… the score is finally 3-2 now…"
"Ahaha… it was Mira-san's perfect coordination…"
"Anyway… Only 7 minutes more, we have to win this—"
Watching the children play in the distance, Tadayoshi's eyes dimmed.
Up until a few months ago, he would have wanted his own great-grandchild to be among them as well… he would have made sure to bring the great-grandchild here, and remained here before taking the great-grandchild back to the mother… but now—
He sighed, feeling both hopeless and helpless.
'What do I even do…?' he thought.
He doesn't have the strength or the means to protect Mikoto… and Mikoto herself doesn't want to be protected… at the same time, after what had happened the last time he saw her, he doesn't even know how she'd be…
At the very least, she'd be blaming herself… this made him feel more saddened.
How did things turn out like this?
As he was lamenting about everything that was happening, one of the kids in the park ran to him. "Oji-sama..." the boy called to him.
Breaking out of his thoughts, Tadayoshi looked at the young boy. "What is it?" he asked.
"Here…" the boy took something out of his pocket and held it out for him.
"This is… a scroll?" murmured Tadayoshi in surprise. He didn't expect the boy to suddenly give him a scroll. When he looked at the boy again, more closely, he noticed that the boy's eyes were dim; clearly, the boy was under Genjutsu.
Immediately, the Elder understood that it wasn't the boy who was giving him the scroll; it was someone else using the boy to pass it to him.
'But who?' he looked around, searching for any adults in the area who could have given him the scroll, but he couldn't be certain. There were no obvious signs.
However, he was certain of one thing: whoever gave him this scroll didn't want to be seen or known for giving it to him.
This also meant that whatever was in the scroll was also something serious.
Understanding that, Tadayoshi pressed his hand on the boy's shoulder and passed his chakra through him.
Instantly, the boy's eyes cleared, and he was confused. "Oji-sama?" he murmured, unsure of why and how he was in front of the Elder.
Tadayoshi caressed the boy's head to calm him before saying a few words to him and sending him away. "Thanks for checking on me. You should continue to play."
"Um, o-okay..." The boy was confused, but he didn't care too much and simply ran away.
Once the boy was gone, Tadayoshi looked at the small scroll in his hand and put it in his pocket. He didn't immediately read it; he'd read it later.
...
Finishing his walk, Tadayoshi soon returned home.
"Tadayoshi-sama… the dinner is ready," Suzume informed him.
"I'll have it after my bath," the elder responded lightly and went directly toward the bathing area.
Inside the bath—one of the few times he could be certain that Suzume wasn't monitoring him—he finally took out the small scroll. After making sure it wasn't rigged or trapped in any way, he unrolled it.
When his eyes read over the content written on it, Tadayoshi's Sharingan couldn't help but activate as rage flooded him.
'I knew it… Kanzou, that guy… he'd never be honest with Mikoto…' he thought, clenching his fist.
The scroll detailed Kanzou's secret affair with Fūma Misaki. Although this scroll wasn't a confirmation of whether what was written was really true or not, Tadayoshi felt it was probably true.
Based on how Mikoto had reacted to his questioning about Kanzou's affair, it was obvious that even she knew about his involvement with other women… and now this letter was only further confirmation.
But… what use is this information? It's not like knowing this would be any help.
Mikoto herself seems to be willing (probably with reluctance and not much say) to accept Kanzou's affairs with other women, so even if he knows about Kanzou's affair with Fūma Misaki, what was that going to do?
Elder Tadayoshi felt that whoever had reported this information to him… or whatever they were expecting by reporting this information to him would not come to pass.
It was even a waste of time… a fruitless endeavor because the situation itself is hopeless.
Just when he was about to sigh helplessly… Elder Tadayoshi stopped. 'No, I can't think so pessimistically… I have to save Mikoto…' he thought.
But this information in the scroll was not going to be useful in saving Mikoto.
'I have to figure out another way… to free Mikoto from Kanzou…' he thought, clenching his fist and making up his mind.
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A/N:
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