"Damn it, this Uchiha brat is ridiculously strong!"
The Cloud ninja quickly realized that this Uchiha, barely two years out of the Academy, was already more than a match for him. None of the diplomatic mission's truly powerful, high-profile shinobi were present. Though he was a solid Chunin, against Uchiha Gen equipped with the Young Madara character card he could only manage a desperate defense.
With their target, Kushina, rescued by Minato Namikaze and his two teammates already dead in the ambush, victory was impossible.
Escape!
The Cloud ninja decided on the spot to abandon the mission and retreat.
"Under the gaze of the Sharingan, do you really think you can run?"
This time, instead of giving chase, Gen smiled mockingly at his rapidly retreating foe. The reinforcements he had been waiting for had arrived.
In the pitch-black forest, pairs of blood-red Sharingan appeared all around, encircling the area like wolves hunting in the night.
"Shinobi of the Hidden Cloud, you are bold indeed using peace talks as a cover to abduct someone from within Konoha. Do you take the Uchiha so lightly?"
A man in his forties stepped out of the darkness first; his three-tomoe Sharingan spun, releasing an overwhelming pressure. Gen recognized him: the clan's Second Elder, Uchiha Hane, ranked just below the Patriarch and the Great Elder. He was a prime elite Jonin whose name sat high on Konoha's list of powerhouses.
Behind him, Uchiha after Uchiha emerged from the trees. Their tomoe counts varied, but their savage auras converged on the lone Cloud ninja. The man's sword hand trembled; he swallowed hard, then raised his blade with visible effort.
"Take him alive."
Two cold words from Hane were all it took. In the next instant, countless Sharingan Genjutsu hypnotized the target simultaneously.
In a way, the man made history: he was the first ninja since the founding of the Five Great Villages to be hypnotized by so many Sharingan at once. The sheer spectacle even shattered the tender atmosphere between Minato and Kushina nearby.
"Gen, are you hurt?"
A lanky Uchiha deactivated his Sharingan and clapped Gen's shoulder.
"Rest easy, Uncle Shinobu with these eyes, he never had the strength to touch me."
Gen knew exactly what his clansmen loved to hear and delivered a line dripping with quintessential Uchiha pride. It immediately shortened the distance between them. Shinobu nodded in approval, though a trace of loss flickered within him. He had watched the fight from afar through his own three-tomoe Sharingan.
Back at the Academy, his son Inabi had once kept pace with Gen; now, Gen had left him far behind. A prodigy like that, given resources and a master, would surge like a fish into the open sea. That was exactly what was happening. Still, Shinobu felt only mild regret no bitterness. After all, Gen and Inabi were classmates; maintaining that bond might one day earn his son a powerful ally.
"Well said. If you hadn't acted, the Police Force would have taken a serious hit for letting an enemy slip through. You kept the clan's honor intact."
A calm, youthful voice cut in. A twenty-year-old Uchiha strode over, his chin held high.
"Cousin Fugaku."
Gen gave a slight nod. Though barely twenty, Uchiha Fugaku already looked middle-aged; deep lines added years to his face.
"The Great Elder speaks of you often to my father and me. His eye for talent remains as sharp as ever."
"You flatter me, cousin. The Great Elder says you will be pivotal to the clan's rise or fall."
Gen returned the compliment truthfully. Fugaku would indeed decide the Uchiha's fate. Who could guess that this vibrant, top-tier clan would, in twenty short years, be driven to ruin by him and his fool of a firstborn, leaving only Sasuke?
Unaware of Gen's thoughts, Fugaku smiled with reserved pride.
"Visit the Patriarch's residence when you can. Father enjoys speaking with the clan's young talents. We should also meet more often come to me if ever you need help."
Fugaku, son of the current head Uchiha Hisaku, was being groomed as the successor. Already handling much of the Police Force's affairs and courting influential Jonin, he aimed to secure an Elder seat this year. A boy genius like Gen was a perfect recruit.
Gen, however, had no intention of following Fugaku's lead.
Him leading the Uchiha? He can't he's not capable. No chance.
After a few polite words with Fugaku and some other clansmen, Gen walked away. Minato and Kushina were currently piecing together the full story with the others.
Uchiha Hane's face darkened as he grasped the full scope of what had happened. The Senju ancestral estate was considered Senju turf; Uchiha patrols usually kept their distance, and the Anbu guarding Uzumaki Mito made it seem safe until tonight.