Uchiha Kai's tone grew heavy.
Though Uchiha Setsuna hadn't caused trouble during last night's operation, Kai still couldn't rest easy around him. He could see it—Setsuna's eyes on him were brimming with venom and killing intent.
The only reason he hadn't acted out was because last night's affair had been too important, tied to the very survival of the clan. But if ever the external threat vanished, Setsuna would absolutely seize the chance to stir chaos.
Fugaku nodded. He hadn't thought as deeply as Kai, but he knew well enough: as leader of the hardliners, Setsuna would never accept losing power.
"Kai, don't worry," Fugaku said gravely.
"The Uchiha's road to this point has been too hard-won. I won't let anyone sabotage it."
"To me, nothing matters more than my clan—except my family. I don't care much about power. If we truly stabilize, I wouldn't mind stepping down as clan head someday."
"But not now."
"At such a critical juncture, if anyone dares make trouble, I'll kill them."
His expression was firm.
Having awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, Fugaku feared no one in the Uchiha besides Kai himself. And as he said—without Kai, the clan would never have made it this far.
So in this moment, whoever dared to rise against them—he would strike down.
Half an hour later, seeing that nothing was amiss, Fugaku took his leave.
Soon after, Itachi arrived. Kai gave him a few casual instructions for study, then dragged out his favorite reclining chair, sat down, and basked in the sun.
Last night drained me. Now that things are stable, I deserve a proper rest.
But of course—fate wouldn't let him nap.
Before he could drift off, Hiruzen Sarutobi himself walked in.
Uchiha Kai: "…"
He froze. What the hell is he doing here?
Still, though he cursed inwardly, he hurried to his feet.
"Lord Hokage!" Kai greeted me warmly.
"What a rare honor—please, come in and sit. Itachi, brew some tea!"
Yawning, Kai forced a smile.
Itachi, not daring to slack, immediately halted his training and went to prepare tea.
Meanwhile, Kai and Hiruzen sat at the low table.
"You look tired, Kai. Didn't sleep well last night?" Hiruzen asked with a kindly smile.
And indeed—Kai had to admit, the man had a disarming presence. At first glance, people wanted to believe in him.
But hearing the question, Kai couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes inwardly.
Didn't sleep well? You don't say! I spent the whole damn night perched on your compound wall, keeping watch. How could I sleep?
But since open conflict wasn't an option yet, he kept his face straight.
"Ah, you know how it is." Kai sighed heavily.
"The Uchiha are rotten to the core. The Police Force is a mess. Since I took over, it's been endless work, a thousand problems without end."
"Still, I want to do something real for the village, to salvage our clan's battered reputation. Last night I was drafting new laws, so I stayed up all night."
"Please forgive my state, Lord Hokage."
Yes—when it came to shamelessness, Kai feared no one.
Hiruzen: "…"
A black line practically appeared on his forehead as his lips twitched.
What kind of nonsense is this? Do you even believe in yourself? You wrote me a personal letter last night—and now you're claiming you were up revising laws? Your face is thicker than a city wall! What's next, should I give you a medal?
But he couldn't afford a confrontation either. With a weary sigh, he waved it aside.
"Ahem, I see. In any case, I came to discuss the frontlines—"
He cut himself off mid-sentence.
His nose twitched. This tea… this aroma was unmistakable. Where had he tasted it before?
Wait.
Wasn't this his tea?!
Hiruzen's mind reeled. He remembered perfectly: this was the rare tea he had purchased at exorbitant cost while visiting the Daimyō.
Throughout the entire Land of Fire, there was only one ancient tea tree capable of producing it. Each year, it yielded a mere three to five catties of fresh leaves, reserved exclusively for the Daimyō. Even the nobility couldn't touch it.
He had spent twenty million ryō for just two catties!
So how on earth did Uchiha Kai have it?!
Then his eyes fell on Itachi, carefully brewing the tea. The leaves were indeed his. And that teapot… those cups…
Mother of—
That was his whole set!
No wonder, this morning when he woke, he couldn't find his treasured tea leaves and utensils. He had searched his entire house.
And now here they were—at Kai's place.
His lips twitched violently, his body trembling, his face ashen. He tried reminding himself not to lose his temper, to keep the bigger picture in mind.
But no—he couldn't hold it back.
Even the tea on his tongue suddenly tasted like ash.
After a long, painful silence, he finally spoke in a low, strained voice.
"Kai… my boy…"
"This tea—is it not Yutokoro? If I recall, the entire Land of Fire has only one such tree."
"You truly have refined taste. I myself only manage to secure a pound or two each year."
"But how strange. When I rose this morning, I discovered my tea leaves, along with my whole tea set, had gone missing."
"And now… seeing your teapot, your cups, and this tea—they seem awfully familiar."
"Would you care to explain how you came by them?"
Uchiha Kai's brain went blank.
Oh, crap.
He had completely forgotten! And who could have guessed Hiruzen would show up uninvited?
How had he gotten them? What kind of question was that? He'd "borrowed" them while staking out Hiruzen's place, of course.
Guarding your damn house all night, no pay, and I can't take a little something for my trouble?
But he couldn't possibly say that aloud. Who knew if Hiruzen, enraged, might cut him down on the spot?
After a long pause, Kai coughed lightly, then spoke with feigned calm.
"Ah, that… funny story, really."
"This morning, when I stepped outside, I just found this whole set lying there. I figured some rich fool must've tossed it out without caring."
"So, in the spirit of not letting good things go to waste, I brought it home and put it to use."
"…"
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