Tsunade frowned, a subtle irritation crossing her usually composed face. She had always trusted the judgment of her predecessors, but now… something felt off.
"What exactly did Uchiha Gen say during his time at the Ninja Academy?" she asked, her tone carrying both curiosity and restrained frustration.
Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled slowly, the weight of decades pressing on his shoulders. He reached for a scroll sealed long ago, the wax creaking faintly as it broke. Unfurling it, he revealed a neatly stacked collection of essays, preserved meticulously despite the passing years.
"See for yourself," Hiruzen said, his voice soft, tinged with helplessness.
Tsunade leaned closer, her sharp eyes scanning the pages. The first essay she read was titled: "Uchiha, Too, Has Great Love." The words seemed simple, almost naive at first glance, yet carried a weight that made her heart tighten.
"What a strange title…" she murmured.
But as she read on, carefully examining each line, the depth of the young Uchiha's insight became undeniable. Although the handwriting was unrefined, the logic and empathy within the words were far beyond that of an ordinary child.
Uchiha Gen had written about the growing misunderstandings and estrangement between the Uchiha Clan and the village. He spoke with a gentle, reasoned tone, advocating for communication, understanding, and guidance rather than punishment or mistrust.
If the village's higher-ups had listened, he wrote, the conflicts that now seemed inevitable could have been mitigated. Peace was possible. Coexistence was achievable. Harmony was not a distant dream.
Tsunade let out a low, incredulous sigh. "Such ideas… they are not extreme. They are reasonable, even wise. Why… why was a child with such foresight ignored?"
Hiruzen's expression darkened. "At that time, Uchiha Gen was an ordinary, inconspicuous child within the Uchiha Clan. He had not even awakened his Sharingan. To be honest… I did not give his words much attention. Perhaps I… even dismissed them intentionally."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Intentionally?"
Hiruzen nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on some distant memory. "Yes. Later, as he continued to write more essays, I sent Shisui to investigate him."
Tsunade's frown deepened. "Investigate? For a child's writings?"
Hiruzen exhaled deeply. "At that time, the tension between the Uchiha Clan and the village was already dangerously high. Gen's writings, though rational and gentle, could have been misinterpreted by unstable clan members. Misunderstandings could escalate into conflict."
Tsunade's jaw tightened. "So you thought silencing a child would prevent a potential conflict?"
"Yes," Hiruzen admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "But… even I can see now how flawed that judgment was."
She shook her head slowly, the frustration and sorrow in her heart growing. "And what happened next?"
"Shisui confronted Gen," Hiruzen continued. "They argued fiercely. Shisui believed Gen's actions violated village rules and warned him accordingly."
Tsunade's voice carried a quiet reproach. "Warned a defenseless child? Did you ever consider how such threats would affect him emotionally? Did you ever consider the trust this child had placed in the village?"
Hiruzen lowered his gaze. "I did not. I acted instinctively to stabilize the situation, never fully considering the impact on Gen himself. Shisui… he thought the child was being manipulated. He feared that Gen's insights, however well-intentioned, could cause misunderstanding among the clan. And so he suggested investigation and even arrest to prevent further 'trouble.'"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed, a spark of righteous indignation flaring. "Arrest? Investigation? These were the writings of a concerned child, not a rebellious insurgent! Every sentence here speaks of care for the village, yet he was treated like a criminal. Why?"
Hiruzen shook his head slowly, his face etched with decades of regret. "Shisui had his own judgment. Perhaps he feared the consequences more than he understood the intent. I disagreed with the request for investigation, but I… I still assigned failing grades, preventing Gen from graduating that year. In doing so, I… indirectly barred him from further formal schooling. And from that moment, he never returned voluntarily."
Tsunade felt the weight of the injustice like a punch to her chest. "So… by your own decisions, a child who wished to serve the village was effectively silenced. Hidden, punished, and left without guidance. Old man… that is not different from direct arrest and investigation. For a child, this is worse. Much worse."
Hiruzen remained silent, head bowed. The room was heavy with the ghosts of past mistakes, each essay a reminder of opportunities lost.
Tsunade turned the pages slowly, reading the subsequent writings with mounting grief. Each essay carried not just intellect but a profound empathy, a desire for understanding, a love for the village despite its failings. Each plea was ignored, each warning disregarded. And with every ignored voice, the frustration and helplessness of Uchiha Gen grew more visible, his innocence slowly twisted into resignation and despair.
She could feel the weight of it all—the consequences of indifference, the cascade of misunderstanding, and the tragedies that followed.
"How could anyone look at this and call it dangerous?" Tsunade whispered, her voice thick with sorrow. "This child… this boy tried to prevent disaster, and yet the very people he trusted betrayed him. Shisui's judgment… your silence… it pushed him to the brink."
Hiruzen's lips pressed into a thin line. "Perhaps… if we had listened, if we had valued his foresight, the history of the Uchiha could have been very different. Peace could have been maintained. The clan's trust could have been preserved."
Tsunade exhaled slowly, her expression a mixture of sadness and anger. "And now, the consequences are unfolding before us. Sasuke's disappearance, Orochimaru's ambitions… all of it could have been avoided, if only we had seen the child's wisdom for what it was."
Hiruzen remained silent, a heavy, guilty silence, punctuated only by the faint rustling of the scroll as Tsunade turned the pages. Each line reflected not the recklessness of youth, but the thoughtful, caring mind of someone deeply committed to the village and its people.
She closed the scroll gently, her eyes lingering on the final words. A heavy weight settled over her heart. "Third Generation Hokage… this is not right. A child who could have changed everything… treated with such neglect and harshness. I cannot let history repeat itself."
Hiruzen lifted his gaze, the years of regret evident in his weary eyes. "I know. I only hope… that others, those who still have time and power, can correct what we failed to see."
Tsunade nodded slowly, her resolve hardening. She could feel the gravity of responsibility pressing upon her shoulders, yet beneath it, a flicker of determination ignited. The lessons of the past could not be undone, but the future was still in motion. And she, as the Third Hokage's successor in influence, would ensure that no other child—or ninja—suffered from such oversight again.
In the stillness of the Hokage Office, the essays of Uchiha Gen lay like a testament—an unheeded warning, a plea for understanding, and a silent prophecy of what could have been.
Tsunade's gaze lingered, firm and unwavering, as she made a silent vow: the errors of the past would not dictate the future. Every action, every decision, would honor the truth she had just rediscovered in those carefully preserved words.
The weight of history was heavy, but her resolve was heavier still. And as she rose from her chair, the determination in her eyes mirrored the fire that had once burned in Uchiha Gen himself—the fire of wisdom, foresight, and the desire to protect the village he had loved so dearly.
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