Hashirama Cells!?
Was that something an Uchiha like him could even touch?
Even after returning home, Uchiha Kin still couldn't believe it.
If Sarutobi Hiruzen found out, would he just execute him on the spot?
But he hadn't volunteered for this!
Not that they'd listen.
Well, whatever.
Still, the things he'd seen on the fourth floor, along with the documents on Hashirama's cells and the jutsu he'd selected now sitting in his backpack, left him in disbelief—and with a hint of unease.
Whether it was a pleasant surprise or a terrifying shock, it had all landed squarely on his head.
"If I awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan and combine it with Hashirama's cells, I'd at least be Kage-level."
Unfortunately, the biggest hurdle for Kin was the Mangekyō Sharingan itself.
He hadn't even unlocked the regular Sharingan yet.
As Kin stepped through his front door, he froze. Sitting calmly at the tea table in his living room was the last person he wanted to see.
What a mood-killer.
"The young clan heir has so much free time that he's bothering a nobody like me?" Kin immediately mocked the unexpected visitor.
Who else could enter his home undetected but Uchiha Fugaku?
"Next time, don't break into my house. People might mistake you for a thief."
As if his door was just for decoration.
Fugaku remained expressionless, unmoved by Kin's taunts. He waited until the younger Uchiha finished his tirade before speaking.
"I heard you've been taken as a disciple by Lord Jiraiya?"
Kin sneered.
"You already know. My status now isn't much lower than yours, young heir."
On the surface, being Jiraiya's disciple granted no special privileges, but the real benefits lay in the shadows.
Being a direct student of a Sannin wasn't just for show—it was a tacit endorsement for the Hokage position.
Too bad his last name was Uchiha.
"You… actually became Lord Jiraiya's disciple." Fugaku's voice trembled slightly, as if he still couldn't believe it.
How many years had it been?
Since the death of Uchiha Kagami, no Uchiha had been able to enter the Hokage's inner circle.
This had pushed the clan further to the margins of Konoha's leadership, leaving them vulnerable to discrimination.
The Uchiha often produced geniuses, so Fugaku wouldn't have been surprised if one of them had been chosen.
But why this disgrace to the clan?
Fugaku's gaze was complicated as he studied Kin.
He could have accepted anyone else—just not Kin's sudden rise.
To him, Uchiha Kin was a stain on the Uchiha crest.
If even he couldn't stomach it, how would the rest of the clan react?
He could already imagine the uproar this would cause.
"The facts speak for themselves."
Kin sat down at the opposite end of the table, propping his chin on his hand as he stared at Fugaku.
"What? Does me being Jiraiya's disciple interfere with your plans? If you've got a problem, take it up with Konoha. Don't come whining to me."
Fugaku looked down on him, and the feeling was mutual.
Why bother stirring up trouble?
"Young heir," Kin added with extra sarcasm.
Fugaku fell silent. If it meant bringing the clan back into Konoha's center of power, he could endure a few insults.
But the fact that the key figure was Uchiha Kin made everything far more complicated.
Neither spoke, the two Uchiha locked in a silent staring contest.
Who would break first?
In the end, it was Fugaku.
"The elders want to see you."
"When?"
"Now."
Kin frowned. He'd never interacted with the Uchiha elders before, so he had no opinion of them.
But if they'd let Fugaku smoothly become clan heir, they probably weren't the sharpest tools in the shed.
He hadn't expected the title of "Hokage's disciple" to trigger such a strong reaction from the Uchiha.
And this was before the clan had been pushed to the brink like in the future.
"Lead the way, then."
Kin stood up.
He'd have to face these elders sooner or later.
He just hoped they weren't as stupid as he imagined.
Naka Shrine.
Flames roared in the braziers, casting flickering light on the shadowed figures seated in a row.
The firelight obscured their faces, but their crimson eyes gleamed unmistakably—three tomoe spinning slowly in each.
The Sharingan of the Uchiha.
Kin stood in the center, pinned under their collective gaze.
The pressure from their sharp stares surpassed even Orochimaru's, though the lack of killing intent meant it didn't paralyze him.
The elder at the center spoke first.
"Uchiha Kin. Twelve years old, and still no Sharingan?"
Kin shrugged under the weight of their scrutiny.
"It's not exactly easy to awaken."
The Sharingan typically manifested between the ages of twelve and sixteen.
Past sixteen, the chances dwindled to nothing.
Earlier awakening meant greater talent.
If a Uchiha unlocked it before twelve, they were hailed as a genius.
But for the Uchiha, no other talent mattered compared to the Sharingan.
"Outrageous!" Another elder slammed his hand down.
How dare he dismiss their sacred bloodline so casually?
Kin ignored the outburst, keeping his eyes on the central figure.
The others were just background noise. The real authority here was the man in front of him.
Uchiha Hokaku.
A relic from the Warring States era, a survivor of the Uchiha's failed coup who had maneuvered his way to the clan's highest seat of power.
At least, that's what Kin had heard from other Uchiha.
The current clan had no official leader. The previous head had died under mysterious circumstances, and Fugaku had been groomed as heir since birth.
Typical. Konoha wasn't the only place with nepotism.
"Enough." Hokaku silenced the third elder's protests.
His Sharingan remained fixed on Kin, calm and calculating.
"Uchiha Kin. For the sake of the clan, we expect you to monitor the Hokage's faction."
Uchiha Kagami's death had been suspicious, and Hokaku trusted Konoha's leadership about as far as he could throw them.
Unless—
Unless an Uchiha became Hokage.
As for Uchiha Kin, the clan's shame?
He wasn't worthy.
"I refuse." Kin didn't hesitate.
This was a lose-lose situation. Even if the Uchiha gained intel on the Hokage's faction, he'd lose their trust.
Why should he?
"What?!"
Hokaku's face darkened. Even through the firelight, Kin could tell the old man was furious.
"Do not forget the blood of the Uchiha that flows in your veins."
"My apologies, but I'm a selfish person. I don't do 'selfless sacrifice for the clan.'"
Kin's icy tone cut through the room.
It was like tossing a spark into dry tinder.
"Bastard! How dare you disregard the Uchiha's glory!"
"Strike this waste from the clan registry!"
"You selfish brat don't deserve the Uchiha name!"
Kin tuned out their roars.
He'd never felt an ounce of warmth from these so-called clansmen.
If he'd been a prodigy, the elders would have been all smiles and praise.
But alas—
He was a 'failure.'
And in the Uchiha clan, even the dogs looked down on failures.
A cold smirk played on Kin's lips.
Hokaku studied him silently, then asked, "Do you resent the Uchiha?"
Kin rubbed his temples, choosing his words carefully.
"Old man, you're getting senile. Resentment? You think you're worth my resentment?"
"You're just a bunch of washed-up has-beens."
His words were merciless. Kin wasn't the type to kiss up to anyone.
He was cautious, sure—but that didn't mean he'd swallow insults when his life wasn't on the line.
Even if Sarutobi Hiruzen stood before him, he'd curse the man out as long as it didn't get him killed.
These Uchiha elders?
They didn't deserve an ounce of respect.
His words were a direct challenge to the entire clan.
And he didn't care.
They couldn't touch him. Being the Hokage's disciple wasn't just a title.
If anything happened to him in Uchiha territory, Shimura Danzō would be the first to storm the compound for revenge.
Kin knew it.
And so did the elders.
For the first time in decades, Hokaku's composure shattered.
"You—!"**
He pointed a shaking finger at Kin, but no words came.
"If that's all, I'll take my leave."
Kin's lips curled in disdain, as if the elders weren't even worth his attention.
If they'd had half a brain, he might have humored them. But did they really think he was some naive fool who'd obey blindly?
They were dead wrong.
"Uchiha Kin!"**
Hokaku's voice lashed out like a whip.
Kin paused, half-turning to glance back. The firelight illuminated only half his face as he waited.
Hokaku took a deep breath, forcing his rage down.
"Do not forget—everything you have, the Uchiha gave you. Your abilities, your… survival, even your position as Jiraiya's disciple—all because you bear the Uchiha name!"
He'd almost said 'talent,' but in his eyes, Kin had none.
Kin actually laughed.
"My abilities are my own. My survival was my parents' doing. You didn't lift a finger, yet you act like you're my benefactors? And Jiraiya taking me as a student has nothing to do with the Uchiha."
"Oh, and one more thing—"
He met Hokaku's gaze head-on.
"The Uchiha are the Uchiha. You don't represent them. You're just a bunch of failures hiding behind the clan's name."
CRACK.
Hokaku's grip shattered the armrest of his chair, his Sharingan's tomoe spinning wildly.
"If there's nothing else, I'll go. Don't call for me again—I wouldn't want my teacher, Jiraiya, to misunderstand."
CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.
One by one, the elders' chairs suffered the same fate.
Kin left.
Behind him, the Uchiha elders seethed in impotent fury.
"Outrageous!"** The third elder roared.
No Uchiha had ever dared insult the elders like this—except Uchiha Madara.
"Don't worry," Hokaku said coldly. "Jiraiya only took him because he's an Uchiha. Once he realizes Kin's true 'talent,' he'll abandon him."
"Then, we'll see how high and mighty he acts when he's just a worthless failure again."
They'd wait.
And when that day came—
Uchiha Kin would have no more leverage.
(End of Chapter)