Chapter 76: Broken Pride
Uchiha Kazuo struggled against the serpentine bonds, his face a mask of pure fury as he watched his clansmen being brutalized. "Lord Orochimaru! Even as their captain, this is too far! This isn't discipline, it's outright assault!"
Orochimaru's voice was a chilling whisper from behind him, devoid of any sympathy. "Where do you think you are? This is the Land of Hot Springs. This is a battlefield. For subordinates who flagrantly disobey a direct order from their commanding officer, no one could fault Kagenori if he executed them on the spot."
He leaned closer, his breath cold on Kazuo's ear. "Uchiha Kazuo, this is my final warning. Do your job. The affairs of another unit are none of your concern. Cross this line again, and your choices are to return to Konoha in disgrace… or face my personal judgment."
Kazuo trembled, not just from the physical restraint, but from the sheer, unyielding force of Orochimaru's will. In Konoha, the Uchiha name commanded respect, even from the Hokage. Here, it was worthless. Orochimaru saw them not as a prestigious clan, but as tools—and disobedient tools were to be broken.
He felt a desperate urge to gather his men and leave, but he couldn't. Clan Head Uchiha Masaki's orders had been absolute: the war was a crucible for the Uchiha's revival, and no one was to shirk their duty. Kazuo didn't fully understand; the Uchiha were at their peak, so why did they need "reviving"? But he was bound by his loyalty.
Kagenori looked down at the five wounded Uchiha, his expression one of bored contempt. "I'll give you one last chance. Get up and follow me. Otherwise, don't bother getting up at all."
The surrounding shinobi watched with wide, uneasy eyes. This had gone far beyond establishing authority; it was a public dismantling of the Uchiha's pride.
Jiraiya moved to Orochimaru's side, his voice a low rumble. "Orochimaru, don't you think that's enough? The point has been made. This is getting out of hand."
Orochimaru didn't even glance at him, his gaze fixed on the scene with clinical interest. "This is Kagenori's affair. The authority was given to him, and he is using it. The question is not how Kagenori will manage, but how the Uchiha will extricate themselves from the situation they created."
Jiraiya sighed, shaking his head. He had expected a clash, but not this level of cold-blooded cruelty.
The Uchiha on the ground remained stubbornly silent, their pride a final, fragile shield.
Kagenori shifted his weight, lifting his foot from Uchiha Jinno's head only to bring it down hard on the man's knee with a sickening crunch.
"AGHHH!" Jinno's scream tore through the air, a raw sound of agony. His wrist was already broken; now his leg was shattered.
A collective flinch went through the crowd. The ninja from the other clans stared in shock. But the survivors of Kagenori's original unit simply watched, their faces grim. This was their commander. Ruthless, predictable, and terrifyingly effective.
Kagenori moved to the next man, Uchiha Yorito.
Yorito, fueled by pain and blinding anger, spat a threat. "Kagenori! The Uchiha clan will make you pay for this!"
Kagenori's laugh was a short, derisive bark. "The Uchiha clan? What a grand threat. Konoha does not belong to the Uchiha. I am merely disciplining insubordinate soldiers. Are you saying the Uchiha clan plans to rebel? To bypass the Hokage's authority and enact vengeance on a loyal Konoha shinobi? If that's the case..."
Yorito's eyes widened in panic, realizing the political trap. "No! Don't twist my words! I didn't mean that!"
Kagenori didn't bother with a reply. His foot swung down again, and another crack echoed, followed by another scream of pain. Uchiha Kazuo watched, his face pale with impotent rage.
As Kagenori turned towards Uchiha Kyosuke and raised his leg, the man finally broke.
"Wait! Stop!" Kyosuke croaked, his voice ragged from the injury to his throat. He struggled to push himself up onto his elbows. "I... I will go with you! I will follow your orders!"
A cold, satisfied smile touched Kagenori's lips. "It would have been easier if you had been this sensible from the start."
The dam of pride had broken. Uchiha Keiichi, seeing Kyosuke submit, hastily scrambled to his feet as well, muttering his agreement. Soon, only Uchiha Ryuhei remained on the ground. Before Kagenori could even take a step toward him, Ryuhei nodded weakly, his spirit broken.
Uchiha Kazuo felt a wave of nausea. The integrity of the Uchiha, shattered in front of the entire camp. The three who could still walk shuffled shamefully to stand behind Kagenori, unable to meet Kazuo's betrayed gaze.
Kagenori then looked at the two remaining on the ground, Yorito and Jinno, clutching their broken legs. He addressed Orochimaru. "Orochimaru-sensei, these two have refused to obey their captain. They are unfit for duty. Send them back to Konoha. I have no use for soldiers who cannot follow orders, especially arrogant trash who forget this is a war zone and not their clan compound."
Orochimaru gave a slow, deliberate nod. "A logical assessment. So be it."
The words acted like a shock of lightning on the two wounded men. Being sent back like this… the disgrace would be unimaginable. The clan's punishment would be severe, and they would be pariahs forever.
"Wait! Lord Orochimaru, we take it back!" Uchiha Yorito cried out, his voice desperate. "We are willing! We accept Kagenori as our captain!"
Uchiha Jinno nodded frantically, his face slick with sweat and tears of pain.
Orochimaru glanced at Kagenori, deferring the decision to him.
Kagenori pretended to consider it, tapping a finger on his chin. "I see. A change of heart? Very well, I can be merciful." He paused, letting a sliver of hope bloom in their eyes before snuffing it out. "Uchiha Jinno can stay. Uchiha Yorito… you can go."
Yorito's face contorted in confusion and panic. "Why?! Why him and not me?"
Kagenori's gaze was pitiless. "Because you threatened me with your clan's name. That displeases me. Is that reason not sufficient for you?"
It was a simple, brutal, and utterly personal verdict. There was no appeal to logic or fairness. It was the law of the strong, laid bare for all to see. Uchiha Yorito could only stare, his future crumbling to dust, as the reality of his new commander's absolute and mercurial authority settled over the entire camp.