Just as Uchiha Eiji and the others excitedly gathered around Uchiha Gen, two familiar figures appeared nearby—Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi.
"Gen, I need to speak with you."
Shisui stepped forward, his expression uncharacteristically serious.
Gen met his gaze and gave a slight nod. Without another word, the three of them moved toward a quiet stretch of forest not far away.
"Itachi, you're entering the Ninja Academy this year too, right?"
Gen smiled faintly as he spoke.
"Yes," Itachi replied calmly.
"Then Sasuke will definitely cry and make a fuss," Gen teased. "His beloved big brother won't be around anymore."
A trace of warmth appeared on Itachi's usually impassive face.
"Sasuke is very sensible," he said softly. "He'll understand."
Before the conversation could continue, Shisui cut in.
"Gen," he said, his tone solemn and tinged with displeasure, "I'm very disappointed in you. How could you openly defy a senior and treat your guiding jōnin that way?"
His gaze sharpened.
"Your actions don't just damage your own reputation. They increase the Village's dissatisfaction with the clan—and deepen the prejudice others already hold against the Uchiha."
"Enough, Shisui."
Gen's voice was low but firm. His eyes met Shisui's without retreat.
"Tell me—did I do something wrong?"
He clenched his fists slightly.
"Yoshiwara Yūto is a despicable scoundrel. I refuse to accept someone like him as my guiding jōnin."
Shisui frowned deeply.
"How is Jōnin Yoshiwara despicable?" he demanded. "I know you admire Hatake Sakumo—but Yoshiwara criticized him for the sake of the Village. And Sakumo committed suicide to atone for his mistakes. Why use him as an excuse to stir trouble? You have no connection to Lord White Fang at all."
Who said I don't?
White Fang is my teacher now.
Gen swallowed those words. After a long sigh, he said quietly, "Shisui… I'm disappointed in you as well. Your naïveté and blind faith will only bring you harm someday."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Shisui and Itachi were both stunned.
Especially Shisui. As a prodigy praised by everyone since childhood, he had never been called foolish before.
After taking several steps, Gen suddenly stopped. He turned back and looked at them.
"Maybe, in your hearts, the Village is always right," he said calmly. "But I don't believe that's necessarily true. I don't regret what I did today. On the contrary—if I had remained silent in the face of someone like Yoshiwara Yūto, I would have despised myself."
"But Gen," Itachi finally spoke, his voice steady, "the result of your actions is that the Village will grow even more dissatisfied with the clan."
Gen's lips curved into an indifferent smile.
"We are Uchiha," he replied. "So what if the Village is dissatisfied?"
He didn't voice the rest of his thoughts.
Even if the Uchiha obeyed the Village completely, Konoha's high-ranking officials would never truly trust them.
If acceptance was impossible no matter what they did, why should they humble themselves to please others?
Watching Gen walk away and rejoin Eiji and the others, Shisui's brows remained tightly knit.
After a long silence, he said helplessly, "Itachi… there are too many clansmen like Gen. They vent their emotions without restraint, never considering the consequences. If this continues, the Village's dissatisfaction with the Uchiha will only deepen."
Itachi watched Gen laughing and talking with the others.
"As long as we work hard," he said quietly, "we can change the clan's future."
Shisui's solemn expression slowly eased into a bright smile.
"Yes," he agreed. "As long as we work hard."
In Shisui's heart, as long as Itachi—the clan chief's son—continued to grow, he would one day become the bridge between the Uchiha and the Village.
---
When Gen returned home, he found his younger sister, Izumi, sitting cross-legged on the floor, practicing chakra refinement.
The moment she heard the door close, she sprang to her feet and rushed straight into his arms.
"Brother! I'm going to the Ninja Academy!"
Gen laughed and patted her head.
"Our Izumi will definitely become an excellent ninja."
After some playful teasing, the siblings sat down at the dining table when their mother called them.
Uchiha Rei gently placed a piece of grilled meat into Gen's bowl.
"Gen," she said softly, "I heard you'll be sent to the border shortly after graduating from the Academy."
"Yes, Mom."
Worry filled her eyes, moisture glistening at the corners.
"The war is still raging… and you'll be heading to the battlefield soon. How can I not worry?"
Gen smiled reassuringly.
"Don't worry. I'll be careful—and I'm strong enough to protect myself."
"That's right," Izumi chimed in proudly. "Big Brother is the strongest!"
"I even defeated a special jōnin today," Gen added lightly.
"Really?" Rei looked at him in surprise, then smiled with relief.
"Our Gen truly is amazing."
---
Not long after dinner, members of the Uchiha Police Force arrived at the house.
Clan Chief Uchiha Fugaku had summoned him.
Gen followed them to a grand mansion at the heart of the clan's territory.
Inside the spacious hall, a dignified figure sat cross-legged in silence.
Uchiha Fugaku studied Gen for a few moments before motioning for him to sit.
"Gen," he said calmly, "I didn't expect you to hold Lord White Fang in such high regard—to the point of remembering Yoshiwara Yūto's betrayal all these years later."
Gen's eyebrow twitched slightly.
"Does the Clan Chief also respect Lord White Fang?"
"Yes," Fugaku replied. "I carried out missions alongside him more than once."
His gaze grew distant.
"When Sakumo died, I felt both sorrow and regret. Had he lived, he might very well have become the Fourth Hokage."
"I believe so too," Gen said.
Fugaku nodded.
"I won't criticize your actions today. To be honest, I've long wanted to kill Yoshiwara Yūto myself."
He paused, his expression turning grave.
"I summoned you to warn you. You've already displeased the Village. Even if they didn't punish you openly, the missions assigned to you on the front lines may be… questionable. You must be extremely cautious."
"You mean the Village might try to eliminate me through missions?" Gen asked quietly.
"There is a department that operates in the shadows," Fugaku said. "Root. It is led by Shimura Danzō, a disciple of the Second Hokage."
Coldness flashed through his eyes.
"Like Senju Tobirama, Danzō harbors deep suspicion and hostility toward the Uchiha. In fact, several clansmen are suspected to have been eliminated through such 'missions.'"
Gen fell silent.
So my name has already reached Danzō…
Is it finally time, Shimura Danzō?
"Clan Chief, rest assured," he said. "I'll be careful."
"I also heard you have a teammate from the Senju clan," Fugaku added. "Will that cause any friction?"
"No," Gen replied. "We get along well."
Fugaku nodded.
"The Senju are few in number now. The Village will likely protect your teammate. If they truly intend to deal with you, separating you is the most probable method."
"I understand."
Gen's voice grew serious.
"I hope your concerns never come to pass. I truly don't wish to see such darkness and filth within the Village."
---
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