Morning broke over the Uchiha compound.
A thin mist lingered in the air as Uchiha Kagami walked slowly along the quiet paths, his steps aimless. His eyes were bloodshot, his mind in disarray.
After leaving the Senju compound, he had wandered the streets of Konoha all night.
Only now, at dawn, had he returned.
At first, he had been determined to find the one within the Uchiha who leaked the news of Tobirama Senju's death.
But after calming down—
He realized something.
Even if he found that person… what then?
Without the backing of the Uchiha clan, it would have been impossible for a single individual to spread such information across Konoha in just one afternoon.
And what if—
The one behind it all was Uchiha Raizen, the clan head?
The thought made his mind spin.
If anyone had the authority to mobilize the clan so quickly…
It would be him.
Was Kagami supposed to turn against his own clan leader—for the sake of Sarutobi Hiruzen?
The very thought made his head throb.
And yet—
If he did nothing—
He would be forced to carry the blame.
Unjustly.
With nowhere to vent his anger.
No way to face Hiruzen.
"Hey, Kagami—you're back."
Several Uchiha clan members greeted him as he passed. But their eyes lingered on him strangely, their expressions… off.
They had all heard the rumors.
That Kagami and the others had abandoned the Hokage and fled back to Konoha.
To think—
A prodigy of the Uchiha…
Would do something like that?
"Hey, is it true what Captain Ren said? That you abandoned the Hokage and ran?"
"Yeah, you're supposed to be a genius. You wouldn't do something like that, right?"
"And he said Sarutobi Hiruzen is going to become the Third Hokage?"
"No way, right?"
Voices surrounded him.
Questions piled on top of questions.
All of them—
Trying to confirm whether Uchiha Ren's claims were true.
Kagami froze.
"…Who did you say?"
"Uchiha Ren?"
His expression twisted in disbelief.
Uchiha Ren?
The one who leaked the information—
Was him?
Impossible.
Of all people—
Ren was the one he trusted most within the clan.
A man personally acknowledged by Tobirama.
An Uchiha who had transcended the clan's narrow-mindedness.
A true inheritor of the Will of Fire.
How could he do something like this?
If that were true—
How was he any different from the radical Uchiha?
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible!
Kagami felt a chill run down his spine.
This had to be an illusion.
Or worse—
A genjutsu meant to trap him.
"Release!"
He formed hand seals rapidly, attempting to dispel the illusion.
Nothing changed.
The voices around him continued.
Relentless.
"…Enough!"
Kagami roared, cutting through the noise.
He couldn't stay here.
He had to find Ren.
He had to hear the truth—
From his own mouth.
There had to be a reason.
There had to be.
Maybe the clan head had forced him.
Yes—
That had to be it.
Sixteen years.
Sixteen years of reputation.
Sixteen years of trust.
There was no way someone could fake that.
No one could pretend to be good for sixteen years—
And fool even Tobirama.
If that were true—
It would be terrifying.
Kagami's anxiety surged. He activated the Body Flicker Technique, his figure vanishing in an instant.
Within minutes—
He arrived at Ren's residence.
"Uchiha Ren!"
He burst in, breathing unevenly, eyes wild.
"You don't have to be afraid. Was it the clan head who forced you? Did he make you leak the news of Lord Tobirama's death?"
"…?"
Uchiha Ren was in the middle of his usual morning routine—going through a set of rhythmic exercises.
He paused.
Looking at Kagami's bloodshot eyes and unstable expression, he frowned slightly.
What was this nonsense?
The clan head?
Uchiha Raizen?
Force him?
Ren almost laughed.
That man had the ability to force him?
If only.
When Tobirama was alive, Ren had to maintain his persona—hide his true intentions.
But now—
Tobirama was dead.
And he was already considering how to remove Uchiha Raizen and take his place as clan head.
The position of Third Hokage—
He would take it.
No matter what.
And if Raizen dared to stand in his way—
Then he would be dealt with.
"Uchiha Kagami," Ren said casually, a smile curling at his lips.
"The news of Tobirama's death was spread across Konoha by the Military Police… under my orders."
"Uchiha Raizen doesn't know a thing."
"He doesn't have that kind of intelligence."
"Kehehehe—"
A low, unrestrained laugh escaped him.
There was no respect in his tone.
No honorifics.
No restraint.
Why bother?
Sooner or later, he would tear everything open anyway.
Why keep pretending?
For sixteen years—
He had worn that mask long enough.
Now—
He would climb.
Step by step.
To the very top.
Become the head of the Uchiha.
Become the Hokage of Konoha.
"Uchiha Ren… what happened to you?"
Kagami's voice trembled.
The man before him felt like a stranger.
That laugh—
It grated against his ears.
This—
This was no different from the hawkish faction within the clan.
Had it all been an act?
Sixteen years of pretending?
"Lord Tobirama placed great expectations on you," Kagami said, his voice shaking. "He believed you had inherited the Will of Fire."
"Was all of that… fake?"
"Fake?"
Ren let out a scoff.
Fake?
He didn't need to fake anything.
He simply had basic decency.
Respect elders.
Care for others.
Simple things.
But within the Uchiha—
Such behavior was abnormal.
Greeting villagers warmly.
Helping the elderly cross the street.
Speaking politely to merchants.
Basic habits.
Yet among the arrogant Uchiha—
That alone made him an outlier.
Later, he realized—
That image was useful.
Very useful.
Even the essays he wrote at the Academy about the Will of Fire had convinced Tobirama that he was a true believer.
"If that's what you want to believe," Ren said lazily, "then go ahead."
He didn't bother explaining further.
There was no need.
"Is that why you came all the way here this early?" he added. "Just to ask me that?"
Kagami stood frozen.
Cold.
From head to toe.
The man before him—
Had truly worn a mask.
For sixteen years.
And only now—
After Tobirama's death—
Had he revealed his true face.
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