"We accept the villagers' hatred, curses, and abuse… but those young Uchiha are innocent. They have done nothing wrong. They are still so young, yet they must suffer such treatment."
"That is far too unfair to them."
"The mistakes adults made should not be borne by children. They are still only children."
"All of us will have children in the future."
"But I know this is difficult."
"The only solution I could think of was to ask Hokage-sama for help. Only Hokage-sama can restrain the villagers. Only you have that kind of authority."
"I hope Hokage-sama can give the Uchiha hope—give hope to the Uchiha's children."
Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent for a moment.
"Uchiha Gen, what do you want me to do?"
Rasa lifted his head.
"Hokage-sama, I hope you can do what the Second Hokage did back then. The Second Hokage took Uchiha Kagami as his disciple. I hope Hokage-sama can take Uchiha Shisui as his disciple."
"Uchiha Shisui's talent, ability, and character are all excellent, just like Uchiha Kagami back then."
"If Hokage-sama accepts Uchiha Shisui as a disciple, then the Uchiha will have hope again."
"And Uchiha Shisui will definitely not disappoint Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze flickered slightly.
Originally, Hiruzen Sarutobi had been very satisfied with "Uchiha Gen's" performance.
But the moment "Uchiha Gen" brought up Uchiha Kagami, a trace of discomfort rose in Hiruzen's heart. After all, not long ago, rumors about Uchiha Kagami had spread through Konoha.
Hiruzen Sarutobi did not hate Uchiha Kagami.
But he hated the people who had believed those rumors.
If "Uchiha Gen" had not appeared so sincere, Hiruzen Sarutobi might almost have suspected that "Uchiha Gen" had come to mock him, that everything said before this had merely been buildup and disguise.
And as for taking Uchiha Shisui as a disciple?
Hiruzen Sarutobi thought back over Uchiha Shisui's previous performances.
He knew Uchiha Shisui's talent was extremely high, no less impressive than Uchiha Kagami's had been.
Perhaps even better.
But first, Hiruzen Sarutobi was already old and had not taken on a disciple in a long time.
Second, the boy was still an Uchiha.
And similar to Uchiha Kagami.
Besides, one Uchiha was already Namikaze Minato's disciple, and Hiruzen Sarutobi thought very highly of Namikaze Minato as a future successor to the Hokage position.
"I will consider your suggestion, but I cannot make a decision right now."
"Uchiha Gen, you are very commendable. I also hope that the estrangement between the village and the Uchiha can disappear. I hope a tragedy like the one before will never happen in the village again."
"You may return now."
Rasa did not force Hiruzen Sarutobi to make a statement. He merely nodded.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Rasa turned and slowly walked back in the direction of the Uchiha compound.
Many people lined both sides of the street.
But most of them still looked at him with disgust, hatred, and contempt. Only a very, very small number of them now held a trace of complexity in their eyes.
Rasa smiled.
"Everyone, if beating and cursing me can help you vent your anger and resentment, then please, take it all out on me, Uchiha Gen."
"I accept everything."
"I only hope that once you've vented your hatred on me, you won't keep hating the other Uchiha."
Rasa spread his arms wide.
No one knew who started it first, but in the next moment, large amounts of trash, stones, eggs, and rotting vegetable leaves all flew toward where "Uchiha Gen" stood.
"Uchiha Gen" was like a condemned prisoner, receiving the judgment of the crowd.
He did not resist.
He did not argue.
With his own body, he seemed to want to bear all the "sins" of the Uchiha.
"Senior Gen!"
Uchiha Shisui's eyes turned red.
By the time "Uchiha Gen" returned to the Uchiha compound, he looked utterly miserable and disheveled.
His body was smeared with filth and trash, and a foul stench rolled off him.
Several parts of him were badly swollen and bruised, and blood was still flowing from a few wounds.
"Senior Gen…"
Uchiha Shisui immediately appeared before Uchiha Gen.
"Senior Gen, your sacrifice is too great…"
Rasa smiled and interrupted him.
"It doesn't matter. As long as a sacrifice like this has an effect, then it's enough."
"And compared to the people who died and were wounded that night, what I'm suffering now is nothing at all."
"Then, Senior Gen, tomorrow I'll go with you—"
Rasa interrupted Uchiha Shisui again.
"No."
Rasa's expression turned serious.
"Shisui, the reason I'm doing this is to save the Uchiha. You are the genius of our Uchiha. You are the hope of our Uchiha. Absolutely nothing can happen to you."
"Let the adults bear the responsibility."
"The future will depend on all of you."
Rasa patted Uchiha Shisui on the shoulder.
"I'm fine. Don't worry. The villagers may not understand the situation of us remaining Uchiha, but Hokage-sama certainly does. Not all Uchiha are rebels."
"As long as Hokage-sama accepts you, Shisui, as his disciple, then the Uchiha's situation in the village can truly change."
"Then everything I've done will have been worth it."
"I'm going back to wash up first. I really do smell awful."
Rasa laughed at himself lightly and turned to walk home.
Uchiha Shisui stood there, staring blankly at "Uchiha Gen's" back for a long time.
"Senior Gen… you're too great."
Night fell.
The effects of Uchiha Gen's actions during the day were continuing to spread.
The villagers discussed it heatedly.
"So the Uchiha really did produce someone remarkable. Even if he is an Uchiha, I still have to admit I feel some respect for him."
There were opposing opinions too.
"It's just a cheap stunt to attract attention. Does he think this alone will make everyone in the village forget the Uchiha's crimes? Impossible. If sincere apologies were enough no matter what the crime was, then what would laws even be for?"
"Is that fair to the dead, to their families, or to their friends?"
"And he even dared to ask Hokage-sama to accept Uchiha Shisui as a disciple, just like how the Second Hokage accepted Uchiha Kagami back then. Ridiculous. How could he even have the nerve to ask something like that? Is he trying to morally pressure Hokage-sama?"
"It's too much. It's only because Hokage-sama is kind."
"Is the current situation even the same as back then?"
One person fell silent for a moment before saying,
"It actually does seem somewhat similar. Back then, Uchiha Madara defected and gravely wounded the First Hokage-sama. Now the Uchiha rebels have caused tremendous damage to the village."
"I wonder what Hokage-sama is thinking."
Just then, a patrol ninja passed through the commercial street when suddenly a body dropped from a nearby rooftop.
The patrol ninja was startled.
"Who goes there?"
"Uchiha Gen?"
"He's dead?"
The patrol ninja's pupils contracted sharply.
Before long, the news of Uchiha Gen's death spread with astonishing speed.
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