The uneasiness inside Uchiha Souji's heart was something no one else noticed. On the outside, he walked calmly, but inside, waves of irritation rolled uncontrollably. Yet far away in the Hokage Building, someone was watching him closely.
In his office, Sarutobi Hiruzen rubbed his chin while staring into the crystal ball floating on his desk. The image projected inside showed Souji walking through the Uchiha district.
"My precious subordinate is entering dangerous territory," Hiruzen muttered dramatically. "As Hokage, it is my duty to keep an eye on him. Definitely not surveillance… definitely not spying on the Uchiha… it's just care! For the Will of Fire!"
He stroked his goatee proudly, then sighed.
Souji's courage earlier had stunned even him.
To show that kind of fearlessness at such a young age… it wasn't normal. Hiruzen had thought Uchiha Itachi was the greatest genius of this generation, but now Souji's courage, willpower, and potential made even Itachi look ordinary by comparison.
"In the end, strength decides everything," Hiruzen whispered. "Rank, status, fame… all meaningless when you die. Whether you're buried as a hero or rot in a river, you still become dirt in the end."
As he sank deeper into his thoughts—
A cold voice suddenly echoed through the room.
"Hiruzen. Give this child—Uchiha Souji—to me. The ninja academy will slow him down. I will forge him into Konoha's sharpest blade."
Hiruzen froze. His brows twitched as he slowly turned to face the speaker.
Shimura Danzō.
A man wrapped in old bandages, his face covered in shadows, as if the darkness itself clung to him.
Yes, Danzō could forge a blade…
But that blade never stabbed enemies.
That blade always stabbed Konoha's own people.
"He's an Uchiha," Hiruzen said sharply. "By tradition, he cannot join—"
"For the Will of Fire," Danzō interrupted smoothly. "The Will of Fire came from the Uchiha, didn't it? And what about Shisui? He's already in your Anbu, and soon he'll transfer to my Root division. Isn't that your intention as well?"
Hiruzen's expression twisted.
Was Danzō seriously lecturing him on tolerance now?
For a flicker of a moment, it felt like the past had reversed. Hiruzen used to be the one telling Danzō not to be extreme…
Now Danzō was the one telling Hiruzen not to be prejudiced.
Time changes people in strange ways.
Hiruzen stared at Danzō's bandaged face and tried to connect it to the younger, ambitious shinobi he once knew. He couldn't even remember that face anymore.
He sighed, picked up his pipe, and took a slow puff.
"Danzō," he said quietly, "remember… I am Hokage."
The words slammed into Danzō like a punch. He ground his teeth together, his face twisting as if he'd swallowed a bucket of flies.
Every time—every single time—this line shut him up.
He wanted to become Hokage.
He had tried before.
He had failed every time.
His past failures clung to him like chains.
"Hmph. You'll regret this," he spat before storming out, cloak snapping behind him.
He needed to hit something. Hard.
Maybe a few spies. Maybe a guard who annoyed him.
If he didn't let his anger out, he would explode.
---
The Next Day – Uchiha District
Uchiha Souji walked through the busy marketplace of the clan, and something felt… wrong.
Everywhere he walked, people looked at him strangely.
Not with suspicion.
Not with anger.
With… warm smiles.
"Good morning, Souji-sama!"
Souji nearly tripped over his own feet.
"S-Sama?" he muttered under his breath.
His brain froze.
His polite habits from his past life kicked in automatically, and he forced a small smile and nodded in reply.
But inside?
HE PANICKED.
"Wait—WHAT? This is the Uchiha clan, right? The cold, proud, emotionless Uchiha? Why are they smiling? Why are they greeting me?"
He spun slightly and stared at the man who had greeted him. The large Uchiha crest on his chest made the situation even more confusing.
Then it happened.
The man who greeted him turned to his friends and proudly declared:
"See? I told you Souji-sama is friendly! His smile is so warm!"
"Yes! Truly different from other powerful clan members! He's so kind and approachable. We're blessed to have such a strong warrior in our clan!"
WHAT.
Souji felt like someone had stabbed his soul.
He was a war orphan.
He was supposed to be ignored.
He was supposed to be invisible.
So WHY were these people praising him like he was some rising Uchiha star?!
More whispers followed from the crowd:
"That's Souji-kun, right? He's so handsome!"
"Even if three elite samurai from the Iron Country came here, they would bow before Souji-sama's presence!"
"Maybe our Uchiha clan will produce an Admiral someday! Souji-sama should challenge the Iron Country for the Admiral position!"
Souji stopped walking.
Oh no.
Oh no, no, no.
Someone had spread the story.
Someone had revealed everything that happened yesterday.
And there were only two people who could've done it:
Uchiha Itachi or Uchiha Fugaku.
Itachi barely talked to anyone, so he was ruled out.
That meant—
It was that old man Fugaku.
"That old fox…" Souji's expression darkened.
"I was planning to send him a nice letter on the night before the Uchiha Massacre. But now?"
His eyes grew cold—icy cold.
No one in the Uchiha will live now.
Absolutely no one.
The crowd around him continued to whisper admiringly, unaware of the death sentence he mentally handed down to all of them.
He stared at their faces, but in his mind, they already looked like corpses.
Then Souji exhaled slowly and forced his expression to return to normal. He couldn't let his emotions slip, not here, not now.
He originally intended to train at the clan's practice field, but with everyone staring at him like a celebrity…
No.
That would only make things worse.
He adjusted his cloak, turned away from the crowd, and walked toward the forest.
"I'll train somewhere else today. This clan is getting dangerous."
Another day of being betrayed by his own people.
__________________________________
Extra chapters available in patreon
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31❤️🔥