Uchiha Hachida remained silent, his mood sinking as if into an iceberg, cold to the core, unable to even feel the pain in his body temporarily.
It's a very strange sensation.
This apparent comparison of strength, before Aomi's questioning today, Uchiha Hachida hadn't realized the gap was so obvious, so laughably clear...
The current Uchiha Clan, although there are still some with three Tomoe, due to the Second Hokage's Guard Department policy, most clan members lack practical combat training, leaving a question mark on their battle strength.
In the Uchiha Clan's thousand-year history, a period with not even a single pair of Mangekyo Sharingan seems to be just now.
To put it bluntly, they're a bit embarrassing... Three Tomoe, no matter how powerful the ocular prowess, is still just three Tomoe...
Even if the person standing in front of Uchiha Hachida is Aomi.
Uchiha Hachida recalled all the three Tomoe he knew: Tekka, Inabi, Setsuna, Fugaku...
Can these Uchiha stronger than him really easily take down Aomi?
And if they can't even take down Aomi, what does the Uchiha Clan's hawkish faction have to stand against Konoha? Just hot-bloodedness?
Tears slowly flowed down Uchiha Hachida's face, not knowing whether they were for himself or for the Uchiha Clan.
Aomi, who had been somewhat angry, couldn't help but laugh at this somewhat ridiculous scene: "Uchiha Hachida, you're not a child, why are you crying..."
"The Uchiha Clan is finished. I, I am ashamed before my grandfather, ashamed before my ancestors..."
Uchiha Hachida's tears flowed out like a breached dam, along with today's humiliation from being beaten by Aomi, mixed with a deep-rooted worry for the clan, crying freely like a wronged thirty-year-old child.
"Foolish." Aomi shook his head slowly: "Even Sarutobi Hiruzen, can he beat those few combined? You still don't understand the basic principles of Konoha's operation..."
"To change the Uchiha Clan's position is simple, either you possess unrivaled power like Uchiha Madara, sweeping away all the strong in the Ninja World to stand at the pinnacle."
"Or, you follow Konoha's rules of the game, becoming one of them."
Uchiha Hachida lay sprawled on the ground, as if giving up, muttering: "How could I not understand? I do... Want to become Hokage, then you must become part of their system of master and apprentice, that's Konoha's unwritten rule."
"Even the renowned Hatake Sakumo, no clear-headed person would think he could become Hokage, that's Konoha for you, so what can our Uchiha Clan do?"
"Not to mention Hokage, even positions like Hokage Assistant, Advisor would be good, doesn't our Uchiha Clan deserve a high-level position in Konoha? We are, after all, part of the founding core of the village!"
In his last words, Uchiha Hachida spoke his true thoughts, and also voiced the sentiment of most of the Uchiha Clan.
They aren't unaware that Uchiha basically can't become Hokage, but a high-level position, are they not worthy? But the problem is, becoming an advisor's requirement is almost the same as becoming Hokage, you have to be in the Hokage master and apprentice system...
This is the so-called core power circle, and the Uchiha Clan is obviously not part of this system.
This sense of hopelessness causes many Uchiha clan members to lose hope, gradually ignoring the power gap, disguising their fearful hearts with the so-called tough hawks.
Uchiha Hachida is a typical example of this.
Aomi looked down at the tear-stained Uchiha Hachida, shaking his head: "You see it so clearly, so why do such foolish things..."
"Precisely because I see it clearly, I am compelled to act this way." Uchiha Hachida answered through his tears, his voice sobbing.
"You still don't see it clearly. Your despair comes from the Uchiha Clan not having members in the Hokage master and apprentice system. If it were before I appeared, your thoughts would have some reason..."
"But with my appearance, do you think I will get this opportunity?"
Uchiha Hachida's crying stopped abruptly: "Eh..."
An Uchiha who waves the banner of the Will of Fire, openly criticizes the Sharingan, is gentle to civilian ninjas, and received attention from the Third Hokage back in Ninja School...
Most importantly, Aomi is Uchiha Kagami's descendant, a direct grandson!
If you put it forcefully, Aomi is born into the Hokage's lineage, the most reliable blood relation.
Uchiha Hachida stared blankly at Aomi, past actions of Aomi flashed in his mind like electricity, every move now seemed imbued with profound meaning.
He couldn't see through Aomi at all, just like he couldn't recognize if the illusionary Aomi was really Uchiha Izuna or Senju Tobirama...
"I don't wish to abandon the Uchiha Clan, but you can't hold me back, Hachida." Aomi crouched halfway beside him, slowly saying:
"In terms of talent, strength, background, or intelligence, only I can save Uchiha."
"I'm telling you all this because I don't want the clan to lose a three Tomoe. You're not like Uchiha Setsuna, who tied his selfish desires with the clan's future, you're still worth saving."
"But now I'm telling you, I'm disappointed, I'm a bit tired." Aomi sighed heavily, his eyes full of sadness.
Uchiha Hachida was immediately anxious, despite the tearing pain of his injuries, he scrambled up, half-kneeling eagerly, looking at Aomi: "No, no... Lord Aomi, Aomi, you can't..."
"This is the clan's problem, no, this is my problem! It's that bastard Uchiha Setsuna's problem, you can't lose hope in the clan, I'm begging you, don't lose hope in the clan!"
Uchiha Hachida looked at Aomi's tired expression, an overwhelming guilt and regret consumed his heart, he desperately wanted to do something...
He had a premonition, if Aomi really became disheartened with the Uchiha Clan, he feared he would become a notorious sinner in the clan's history!
At that moment, Uchiha Hachida saw Muramasa's blade, gritting his teeth, his heart steeled, he shouted: "Aomi-kun, let me apologize with my life, just please forgive the Uchiha Clan!"
As he tried to throw himself onto Muramasa's blade, Aomi kicked him to the ground, and said calmly: "I don't need clan members to apologize to me with their lives..."
"If you agree with what I said, then turn over."
Uchiha Hachida was taken aback, turn over for what? But he quickly turned over, lying honestly on the ground, not daring to move.
The green glow flickered on his back, as Aomi used the Mystical Palm Jutsu to heal him, murmuring helplessly: "I'm still too soft-hearted, Hachida..."
Feeling the warmth from his back, Uchiha Hachida's fingers dug into the ground, tears mixed with blood on his face, a regretful expression exploded across his features.
At this moment, he felt like he was the biggest fool of the Uchiha Clan!