Chapter 36: The Clan's Regret
When Kagenori returned to the underground base, Orochimaru was absent. After showering, he retired to his room and slept.
Regarding the Uchiha Yūto and Kazuma incident, he'd initially felt genuine anger—did they truly consider him an easily bullied weakling? But his anger soon faded; such fools weren't worth it.
He actually found them somewhat laughable. Having lost the fight, they resorted to threatening him with the Uchiha clan's influence. Under Orochimaru's protection now, what had he to fear?
Lying in bed, he quickly fell asleep.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Yūto and Kazuma weren't faring well—they were receiving treatment at Konoha's hospital.
Soon, the current Uchiha clan head, Uchiha Masaki, arrived accompanied by a boy Kagenori's age: the next clan head, Uchiha Fugaku.
Seeing the two with plaster-casted arms, Masaki frowned. "What happened?!"
Nervously, Kazuma remained silent. Gritting his teeth, Yūto admitted, "Lord Masaki... it was that Kagenori!"
Masaki's frown deepened. "Didn't I forbid causing him trouble?!"
He knew Kagenori had contributed an A-rank ninjutsu system—several Uchiha had learned it. Anyone could see Sarutobi's intention to cultivate him from the Hokage's attitude. Though not widely known, Masaki had ways of learning Orochimaru had taken Kagenori as a student. As the Hokage's student and one of Konoha's Sannin, Orochimaru's acceptance elevated Kagenori's status rapidly—clearly placing him in the Hokage faction.
Actually, once Kagenori contributed the A-rank system and Sarutobi's attitude shifted, Masaki had ordered the clan not to harass him—explaining why Uchiha had avoided Kagenori recently. After Kagenori became Orochimaru's student, Masaki reiterated the prohibition.
"Did you provoke him first?" Masaki demanded低沉ly.
Yūto hesitated, ultimately silent. Though arrogant Uchiha who typically acted domineeringly, their clan pride and belonging made them disdain lying.
Masaki's face darkened. "After recovery, handle them according to clan rules! I repeat—no trouble with him!"
He felt profoundly disappointed in his clansmen—arrogant and situationally unaware. He understood the Uchiha's precarious position in Konoha. To him, the clan resembled a dying elder's final vitality surge. Villagers feared and despised them; clansmen remained arrogant. Without the unstable shinobi world requiring Uchiha strength, Konoha might have already purged them.
If asked who in Konoha most desired war besides the shadowy Danzō, it was Uchiha Masaki. He believed only battlefield demonstration could restore Uchiha vitality—proving Konoha needed them. But how to demonstrate value? Only through war.
He'd repeatedly urged clansmen toward low profiles, but habitual arrogance made change difficult. Nearly depressed, he felt this leadership would shorten his lifespan.
Glancing at Fugaku, he felt some consolation—at least his son wasn't warped like others, not infected by their arrogance. He believed Fugaku would become a qualified future leader.
Observing the hospitalized pair, he ultimately said nothing—too disappointed. Anything more would enter one ear and exit the other.
As he turned to leave, Yūto finally spoke after internal struggle. "Lord Masaki... that Kagenori... awakened the Sharingan!"
Masaki halted abruptly. "What?!"
"He awakened the Sharingan!"
Masaki's expression shifted rapidly. "His age? Thirteen? Fourteen?"
Fugaku answered, "Father, he's two years my junior—probably twelve."
"Awakened at twelve? Not necessarily twelve, but... this boy... a genius?!" Masaki exclaimed.
His son Fugaku was recognized clan-wide as a genius, yet the fourteen-year-old still hadn't awakened. Even Uchiha Madara—former clan head and strongest Uchiha—only awakened at fifteen.
Masaki recalled when Konoha ANBU brought Kagenori to the Uchiha clan. Because he carried Senju blood—the Uchiha's mortal enemies—not only clansmen but even he himself had looked down on Kagenori. Thus he'd flatly refused acknowledging Kagenori as Uchiha.
Had he known Kagenori's talent, he'd have kept him despite opposition! But regrets were useless now.
Masaki contemplated deeply, Fugaku likewise. As clan head's son, everyone praised him as a genius destined to become the Uchiha's strongest future pillar. Fugaku believed it too—that he'd grow immensely powerful, becoming the clan's backbone.
Yet Kagenori—with only half Uchiha blood—had awakened the Sharingan. Fugaku felt shocked and somewhat unwilling. Kagenori might have awakened at twelve, while he—constantly called genius—showed no awakening signs whatsoever.