Land of Rain, Amegakure.
Rain fell in a steady drizzle. Even though it was daytime, there wasn't a sliver of light, as if the sun were just a hair's breadth away from setting completely, casting a dim, ambiguous glow.
In its center stood a towering spire. An orange-haired man stood there, wearing a black cloak with red clouds. Black pins pierced his nose and ears, and his eyes contained purple circles. He looked down at the pedestrians below, his expression devoid of joy or sorrow.
At that moment, from the ground by his feet, a green pitcher plant emerged, growing out of a person wearing a black cloak with red clouds. Inside that green pitcher plant was a head clearly divided between black and white.
"Kakuzu is dead." The black side said in a low, suppressed voice.
"He was incinerated instantly, it's so scary." The white side's voice was also somewhat suppressed, but it couldn't hide its underlying cheerfulness.
"Who killed him?" The orange-haired man said calmly.
"Are you going to take action?" The black side asked in return.
"A seven-year-old Uchiha brat, really fierce. He even said that the next time he goes to the Land of Earth, he'll destroy Iwagakure, hehehe." The white side said.
"Hiromi..." The orange-haired man's expression shifted slightly before returning to calm. "His existence is chaos, he can make the world feel pain. Let him live for now, perhaps he is qualified to become a new member of the Akatsuki."
The black side gave a few low, somber chuckles, his meaning unclear.
The white side, on the other hand, felt a bit regretful because there wouldn't be a good show to watch.
The pitcher plant sank into the ground and disappeared again, as if it had never appeared at all.
—
Seeing the golden light in the high sky, the Uchiha Clan Members knew instantly that it was Hiromi.
They hurriedly chased in the direction where the golden light was falling. Soon, they caught up with the Uchiha Root Member carrying Baki and the other three.
"You're here, take them back..."
Before he finished his sentence, two Uchiha Root Members brushed past him with a "whoosh," without a moment's hesitation, leaving him completely off guard.
He froze for a moment and wanted to curse them out. But remembering he was part of Root—darker than even the Anbu—he held it in.
Only the red glow in his eyes flickered, plotting how to get back at them.
...
"Hiromi! Are you alright?"
"Hiromi!"
The two Uchiha Root Members ran over in a hurry, nervously checking Hiromi's entire body, having an urge to strip his clothes off to check thoroughly.
However, after orange flames emerged expressionlessly from Hiromi's body, they immediately withdrew their groping hands, retreated in haste, and raised their hands with awkward smiles, signaling they meant no harm and pleading for Hiromi not to be impulsive.
At this time, the Uchiha Root Member carrying Baki and the others finally caught up. Sweat soaked his hair, sticking to his forehead and neck. Even behind the mask, he looked somewhat disheveled, his breathing heavy.
He ignored the two companions who came over to help him unload the people, instead looking at Hiromi. "Hiromi, they violated your orders."
A question mark couldn't help but pop up in the two's minds.
Violated? Did we?
In the next second, they recalled Hiromi's order for them to take Baki and the other three back.
!!!
"Yes, I saw." Hiromi's expression was calm.
The two Uchiha Clan Members were delighted. Looking at the situation, Hiromi wasn't angry.
But that Uchiha Root Member still wouldn't let it go. "I suggest shaving their hair and eyebrows to serve as a warning to others."
The two Uchiha Root Members stared at him, their gazes becoming dangerous.
He actually dared to say that!
But in the next second, they panicked.
"Mm." Hiromi nodded in agreement.
"Hiromi..." They pleaded.
Hiromi had never punished any Uchiha. Even with Itachi, it was only a warning. Therefore, they didn't want to be the first people punished by Hiromi, they would be infamous for eternity.
As for why they would be infamous, it was because they believed the Uchiha clan would definitely start the Uchiha Hokage path under Hiromi's leadership.
They had already thought of the name for this period of history—"The Struggle for the Hokage: The Righteous Uchiha and the Evil Sarutobi Clique."
But Hiromi's next sentence left them stunned. "If there's a next time, I'll hang you in the Clan Grounds to dry for three days."
Recently, the clan members had been getting ahead of themselves. At critical moments, they would ignore his will and do what they thought was right. Although it was for his sake and seemed touching, such thoughts were a burden to him.
At the same time, he was very annoyed by people with such thoughts. It was as if they were whispering in his ear all the time: "Hiromi, don't let our expectations down," "Hiromi, I've given my life to you, you must lead the Uchiha to glory," "Hiromi, everything is for the Uchiha clan."
It was an unpleasant feeling of being morally blackmailed.
Occasionally, a thought would flash through his mind lately—maybe he should just wipe out the Uchiha clan and be done with it.
Hiromi's words made the two Uchihas instantly realize that his calm expression wasn't because he wasn't angry, but because he had already decided how to punish them. However, because of their companion's tattling, it had changed to shaving their heads and eyebrows.
Suddenly, the way they looked at their companion was full of shame and gratitude.
Even though they treated him like that, their companion still didn't abandon them.
Until...
"Hiromi, I think hanging them in the Clan Grounds to dry for three days is quite good."
"Shut up!"
"You bastard!"
The three Uchiha Root Members began a fierce two-on-one shouting match, but they were all very restrained, not daring to make a move in front of Hiromi.
Hiromi glanced over, his gaze cold. "Are you not carrying out the mission yet?"
The three: "..."
"Yes!"
They immediately hoisted Baki and the other three, hurriedly heading towards the Land of Fire, fearing they would anger Hiromi again.