Year 19
Twilight bled across the sky like spilled ink as the crimson sun hovered west of Konoha, casting its final rays before slipping beneath the horizon. On the easternmost outskirts of the village, where a jagged mountain range arc around Konoha's northern edge, stood a monumental shrine vast enough to house over a thousand people. This was the Naka Shrine, the ancestral heart of the Uchiha clan, etched into history since the clan's founding.
As the sun dipped lower, its crimson light bathed the shrine in a haunting glow, staining the marble floors with hues of violet and blood-red, an eerie beauty befitting the legacy of the Uchiha.
At this time, the Uchiha clan had not yet established a formal compound. Unlike the Hyuga, who had already fortified their traditions and Kekkei Genkai within a secluded estate, the Uchiha lived freely among the villagers. Yet, when it came to matters of importance, they gathered at Naka Shrine.
Tonight, the elders convened once more on the shrine's first floor – a space traditionally used for clan-wide announcements, ceremonies, and celebration. But beneath the shrine lay a hidden chamber, once reserved for the clan head and the First Elder. Since Uchiha Madara's defection, however, this clandestine space had become the meeting ground for the clan's elite, where sensitive matters were discussed away from prying eyes.
Cries echoed through the chamber.
"Elders!"
"Please guide us!"
"What should we do?"
"What are the plans?"
It had been four years since Madara's departure. The clan, once proud and formidable, now wrestled with internal strife and external pressure. Shame, frustration, betrayal, and regret weighted heavily on their shoulders. Though still unmatched in power, wealth, and history compared to other clans, the Uchiha no longer stood as Konoha's dominant force. Their rivalry with the Senju had turned bitter, and most medium and small clans had aligned with the Senju. Only a handful remained loyal to the Uchiha.
Among the elders, a common sentiment prevailed: the clan must use this era of peace to recover and rebuild. Their greatest deficit was in high-tier combatants – those of Jonin, elite Jonin, and especially Kage-level strength. The devastating Uchiha-Senju war decades ago had claimed most of their elite Shinobis. Survivors were either gravely wounded, retired, or nearing death.
Though nineteen years had passed since the war, and the clan had physically recovered, their strength paled in comparison to the Senju. The Uchiha had everything, but the Senju had double, even tripl. And most critically, the Uchiha lacked a Kage-level ninja. Their last one had defected.
The First Elder, once a Kage-level warrior during the war, had grown old and inactive. His strength had waned with time and peace.
In past generations, the Uchiha produced three to five Kage-level shinobi and countless Jonin-level shinobis. This was true even three or four decades ago. But history had a cruel rhythm.
During the Warring State period, the Uchiha often dominated, sometimes even surpassing the Senju. Yet, the Senju always had one extraordinary ninja who tipped the scales, forcing the Uchiha into retreat. This pattern repeated every two to three generations, like clockwork.
Strangely, the Uchiha also birthed prodigies, powerful enough to rival the legends, but never one who could truly surpass the Senju's finest. Just as Madara could not overcome Hashirama, so too did the Uchiha remain in the shadow of that one Senju.
"For now, we continue to recuperate. Look after the young! Guide them with everything we have! Pour all the resources we can muster to their growth," one elder declared, his voice firm yet weary.
"but the clan treasury…" another murmured. "The village extorted 25% of it after our clan head's defection."
"Hashirama sama returned some of it," someone countered.
"RIGHT~! A whole 10%!" scoffed an older clansman, his single tomoe sharingan glinting with disdain. "And what did they say? [Sorry, we already used it for village expansion. You Uchiha as a founding clan are very generous and righteous]!!!!!!"
"They speak as if we didn't already contribute 75% of our inheritance – our treasure safe guarded for generations – to build Konoha!!!" another elder snapped.
"To be honest," one elder admitted quietly, "we did it because we believed that Madara sama will become the village leader. Hashirama himself said so…"
Everyone knew this. It was the promise Madara had used to persuade the elders to fund the village's founding and the relocation of the Senju. Not to mention, the land Konoha now stood on was once sacred Uchiha territory – home to the Naka River and Naka Shrine.
From the back of the room, a middle-aged clansman spoke softly, almost to himself, "But Hashirama-sama did contribute the most to founding Konoha… and we all agreed he was the better candidate for Hokage…"
Though whispered, his words echoed through the chamber like a thunderclap. Heads lowered in shame. Silence gripped the room for a second.
"YOU–!" an elder began, his voice trembling with rage and embarrassment. But he stopped himself, slumping back into his seat with a heavy sigh.
Sighhhhhhhh…
This meeting had always been a performance – a desperate attempt to rally morale and unify the clan. The elders hoped to inspire a shared goal: to one day produce a Hokage from among the Uchiha.
It was Ironic. They revered Madara, yet when the time came to vote, many chose Hashirama. Now, with Madara gone, they lamented the vote itself, insisting he should have been Hokage as promised. Deep down, they knew their complaints were rotted in regret. They believed Madara might have stayed had he been chosen. But that was a delusion. If the title alone had been the issue, Madara would have left long before.
Over the past four years, this regret had festered, transforming into an obsession with the Hokage title.
Despite the clan's low morale, the elders agreed: this was a time to lay low, to nurture the younger generation. The Uchiha never lacked talent. What they needed was time.
In the early days of Konoha, the Uchiha still held their pride. They had their pillar, Madara, the Ninja Shura. No one expected him to abandon the village. This departure left the clan exposed.
The elders, seasoned warriors and stewards of a proud legacy, understood Madara's reasons. To some extent, they even agreed. But they feared a fate like the Hagoromo clan, once equal in stature to the Hyuga and Uchiha, now lost to history.
Abandoning Konoha now... they could only see the fate of annihilation. Madara can certainly escape alive and stop Hashirama momentarily. But rest of Uchiha won't survive the village's onslaught.
Their priority became survival, training the youth, rebuilding strength, and waiting for the right moment to rise again. For now, they could not challenge the Senju, especially not Hashirama or Tobirama.
Moreover, Madara's absence created a power vacuum. Less than a year after his departure, factions began to form. Tobirama, ever watchful, seized the opportunity. He took Uchiha Kagami under his wing, unofficially mentoring him and subtly dividing the clan.
Without Madara, the Uchiha felt exposed, living under the scrutiny of Tobirama and the village. They finally understood Madara's warnings, even as they blamed him for the fallout. In the past, Tobirama's caution was focused solely on Madara. Now, it bore down on the entire clan.
Over the last four years, Uchiha households began to cluster around the elders' compounds. The once-integrated families now withdrew, forming a quiet enclave within the village.
With no clan head, leadership fell to the elders. No one dared to claim the title while Madara still lived. One faction even held out hope for his return.
"Keep calm and wait for the right time," said Uchiha Sosuke, breaking the silence.
Sosuke, a distant cousin of Madara, bore the clan's signature black hair cut short like Uchiha Tajima. At age of thirty five, he had been groomed to succeed the First Elder upon his retirement. But with Madara's sudden departure, Sosuke stepped into the role of deputy clan head. His strength was formidable with quasi-Kage level, enough to lead most clans with no qualm. But for the Uchiha, whose legacy was built on true Kage level titans, it was not enough.
As meeting drew to a close, Sosuke silently scanned the room. His gaze swept across the gathered clansmen, noting the absence of several younger members – including Madara's disciple Uchiha Fukashi.
His brow furrowed.
The clan was fractured. Most of those present were compliant, aligned with Hashirama and the ideals of Konoha. Others remained neutral, caught between loyalty and pragmatism. But those who had chosen not to attend, led by Fukashi, were the younger, stronger, and more volatile members. They idolized Madara, not just as a leader, but as a symbol of Uchiha pride and defiance.
Sosuke understood the danger in their absence. The clan's unity was paper-thin, and the divide between generations were growing.
The meeting concluded. Elders and clansmen dispersed into the twilight, carrying the news to those returning from missions and village duties. The shrine emptied, its marble floors still bathed in fading hues of crimson and violet.
Yet even in times of political turmoil, life finds a way to bloom.
In one quiet household, a new born cried out for the first time.
His name was Uchiha Shinichi.
***
Uchiha Fukashi's household
"Uwahh! Uwah! Uwahh! Uwahh!!"
The newborn's cries echoed through the room, raw and full of life.
A tall man, around 180 cm, with long, straight dark hair and high-collared dark blue shirt burst through the door.
"Minami!!!!!!"'
"Quiet! Fukashi!" snapped an elderly woman clad in white garbs, her hair as pale as snow. "Minami just gave birth! Don't startle her – or your son!"
Fukashi froze, then scratched his head sheepishly. "Ha… ha… I'm sorry, Baba."
Minami, pale but smiling, gave a soft laugh. "I'm fine, Fukashi… really."
Fukashi's eyes lit up as he stepped closer. "Ah! My Baby boy!"
The old woman sighed, slapped her forehead, and began gathering her things.
"Minami's condition has stabilized. She'll be fine as long as she eats properly. I shall take my leave now….. And you – UCHIHA FUKASHI! You're a father now! Try acting like one!"
"Ha… ha…. Okay, Baba. I will. I definitely will. Take care baba."
He hurriedly saw her off, then exhaled with relief. "Phew~"
Minami chuckled. "You haven't changed at all."
She gently cradled the baby in her arms, her smile radiant. "From now on, you are Shinichi. Uchiha Shinichi. My son."
Uchiha Fukashi was mesmerized by her smile, grinning so widely his teeth practically sparkled.
"Haha yes! Our son! Uchiha Shinichi… with shin 神:god and ichi 一:first. That is a good name, I like it!"
"Look, Minami! I think he likes it too."
ehhehehhe
Shinichi giggled, his tiny fingers wrapping around Fukashi's.
After enjoying a moment of glee, Fukashi's smile faded into a quiet sigh.
"Huuuuu….. if only sensei could be here for this moment...."
'Madara sensei, what are you doing now?'
***
AAAAAAAAAAAHHHhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Ouchi!
Kaishin!
Nawaki!
Everyone!
Yeon! Yeon!!!!!
I can't see anything! What is going on…. Am I still underwater?
Euk! The pain…. What is going on?!! The Presssure?!! It's unbearable!
Wait? A Light?
Yeon! Everyone! Is this the afterlife?!!!
"Uwahh! Uwah! Uwahh! Uwahh!!"
What is this!!! It's all too blurry…
No! I must stay…. Awa…ke....
Unbeknownst to anyone, the soul once known as Kuroiokami, Grandmaster of the Outer Knight Circle, had been reborn – now as Uchiha Shinichi.
The intense emotional struggle and helplessness he felt in that moment triggered a profound awakening. Deep within his cells, dormant Uchiha genes stirred. A unique stress response activated a region of his brain, releasing a surge of Yin chakra – the spiritual essence of the Uchiha bloodline. But the rapid influx of Yin chakra threw his infant body into imbalance. In response, another dormant gene awakened, releasing a trickles of Yang chakra, the physical counterpart. This rare genetic phenomenon, akin to atavism, where ancestral traits reemerge after generations, was catalyzed by Shinichi's malleable infant physiology and the trauma of rebirth.
Yin and Yang chakra began to flow through his tiny body, harmonizing in a delicate dance. The sensation soothed him, wrapping his consciousness in warmth and serenity.
And so, the newborn giggled.
A child of legacy.
A soul reborn.
A bloodline awakened.