"Wait a minute!"
The sudden voice made the Root ANBU members who were about to forcibly take Shigure Uchiha stop in their tracks.
Because the one who had spoken... wasn't just anyone.
Wearing a loose-fitting blue kimono with the Uchiha clan's red and white fan crest on the back, the man had a sharp, chiseled face—but his eyes were downright fierce.
That was "Grim-Eyed" Fugaku Uchiha, the Uchiha clan's young patriarch.
And the Uchiha weren't just any clan. They were one of the great noble families of the ninja world, their influence vast and intimidating.
So when a figure like him spoke, even the Root operatives had to give him face.
"Fugaku Uchiha!" Danzo stepped forward coldly. "Your clan is becoming far too reckless. How dare you attack a fellow villager like that!"
If you're wondering what it means to flip the script and play the victim—well, this is exactly that.
Danzo had always operated by one rule: "It doesn't matter what actually happened. It only matters how I spin it."
Sure, he was the one who ordered Kakashi to strike first. But since Kakashi nearly died instead? Obviously, it had to be the Uchiha's fault.
And if the tables were turned and Kakashi had won easily? Danzo would be singing a completely different tune.
True double standards.
Of course, Fugaku had seen everything that happened just now.
But some truths aren't meant to be said aloud.
Even if he knew Danzo was targeting the Uchiha with underhanded tactics, he couldn't just come out and say it.
"It was just an accident. Kakashi's fine."
Fugaku stood his ground, not giving an inch.
Because if he allowed a fellow Uchiha to be dragged away right in front of him, it would deal a serious blow to his authority as the clan head.
"We'll see if it was really an accident. That's for the ANBU to investigate," Danzo replied flatly.
"Matters like this fall under the Uchiha Police Force's jurisdiction. No need to trouble Elder Danzo," Fugaku said, his tone cold and firm.
Just as Danzo was about to forcefully give the order to take Shigure...
"Stand down, Danzo. It was just a simple accident."
Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived, having sent someone to escort Kakashi away. He was here to smooth things over.
As the Hokage, there was no way he could allow Danzo and the Uchiha to come to blows in public.
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen." Danzo's eyes burned with fury as he turned to leave.
But before walking off, he gave Shigure—still standing there obediently, looking like he'd been startled by the incident—a long, hard look.
Danzo hadn't expected this kid to be hiding so much.
Even if he hadn't truly gone all out...
Just using a C-rank Summoning Technique was already something well beyond a normal academy student—especially one considered dead last in class.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage." Fugaku bowed respectfully toward the Third Hokage.
If Hiruzen hadn't intervened, Danzo definitely wouldn't have let the opportunity slip so easily.
"The Uchiha are part of this village. There's no need to thank me," Hiruzen replied with a warm smile. Then he turned his gaze to Shigure. "Well done. To defeat Kakashi in this assessment means you've been working hard in school…"
Any other kid would've been absolutely over the moon to be praised by the village's highest authority—ready to spill their heart and soul just for the recognition. (Somewhere out there, a certain over-loyal shinobi was giving a thumbs-up of approval.)
And right then, Shigure finally understood why so many Uchiha in the future ended up rebelling.
When you had to deal with a manipulator like the Third Hokage, who weaponized the Will of Fire like some grand-level PUA tactic… who wouldn't be tired of it all?
But Fugaku, clearly oblivious, was nodding along enthusiastically—emotionally moved even.
He's a goner.
Seeing his clan head in such a state, Shigure felt a sinking feeling. Fugaku was already molded into the Hokage's image.
He'd probably been indoctrinated with the "Will of Fire" since he was a kid.
And judging by the course of history, it was under his leadership that the Uchiha would eventually get "gifted" the clan extermination package—without putting up any resistance, like lambs to the slaughter.
"Lord Hokage, I was only able to learn the Summoning Technique thanks to the inspiration of the Will of Fire! Where the leaves dance, the fire will never die…" Shigure declared with flushed cheeks, looking like a diehard fan meeting his idol.
10/10 performance.
Listening to Shigure's heartfelt "understanding" of the Will of Fire, Hiruzen visibly relaxed.
Anyone who embraces the Will of Fire can't be a bad person, right?
"Well done. I'm going to check on Kakashi. Don't worry about what happened today."
With a pleased expression, the Third Hokage left.
After the crowd dispersed, Fugaku left only a short message before departing himself:
"Mei's back."
He turned and walked off.
Even though he was incredibly curious about that Summoning Beast named Taiichi, the awkwardness between them made it hard to ask.
Once everyone was gone, Shigure felt a burning sensation on his back.
He turned around—
Only to see his two best friends staring at him like he'd grown a second head. The other students nearby were a mix of stunned and intrigued.
Can't blame them. Kakashi's reputation was sky-high.
He was the top genius of the village, and he'd just been beaten by someone who was ranked at the bottom of the class. That was bound to spark questions.
Just great.
Faced with all these classmates practically vibrating with curiosity, Shigure knew the rest of the day was going to be rough.
And he was right.
Just fending off all the questions took forever.
In the end, he had to fall back on a simple excuse: his summoning beast was a gift from the family.
By the time he left school and returned to the Uchiha compound, the sun was already starting to set.
Once he entered the district, foot traffic dropped sharply.
If you paid attention, you'd realize that no one outside the Uchiha clan set foot in this part of the village—even though it was located in the heart of Konoha.
That's just how it was.
The Uchiha operated as their own entity. Naturally, that bred resentment and isolation.
And honestly, it's no surprise that when they were eventually wiped out, the rest of the village barely blinked.
Shigure walked naturally toward a particular part of the compound.
Normally, he wouldn't come here.
But today was different.
His "golden connection" had returned.
She was the reason he'd even made it into the Academy in the first place.
Otherwise, as an orphan with no parents, no siblings, no home, and not much talent, there was no way he'd have been accepted.
Soon, he arrived at a secluded residence at the edge of the compound.
Creaaak.
He pushed open the wooden gate and stepped into a sprawling courtyard—easily several thousand square meters in size.
Anywhere else, a space like this would've been impressive but not shocking.
But this was Konoha, the village equivalent of a capital city. Owning a massive estate here wasn't just about money—it meant power and influence.
Later, when the Uchiha were forced to relocate, it wasn't just because of "rebel suspicions." No—this land was simply too valuable.
Prime real estate.
Inside the courtyard, the first thing that caught the eye were two towering mulberry trees, so massive their branches blotted out the sun. The trees entwined with each other like ancient guardians.
Beneath them was a carefully arranged garden with miniature mountains, a pavilion, flower beds, and a pond—a peaceful, elegant space.
In comparison, the modest two-story wooden house, taking up barely a few hundred square meters, looked almost humble.
But make no mistake: this courtyard alone was a priceless treasure.
Even Lord Third Hokage himself didn't live somewhere this luxurious.
No wonder other noble clans resented the Uchiha.
They had it too good. Of course the others wanted to tear them down and divide the spoils.
Just look at what happened to the Senju clan—their land and assets got gobbled up by everyone else. No wonder their reputation stayed squeaky clean.
A fallen noble is always seen as a saint.
Before Shigure could take a second look around, a tall, slender figure stepped out.
Her jet-black hair cascaded like a waterfall down to her waist. Her features were bright, flawless, and mesmerizing.
But it was her eyes—those cool, pale-pink irises—that truly stole attention. They seemed to draw in your very soul.
Mei Uchiha. (Currently hornless.)
She was Shigure's fiancée.
And more importantly, his golden connection.
Even though she was only a year older—13 to his 12—she'd already been a ninja for four years.
The Academy allowed students to apply for early graduation, but the exams were brutally hard.
So for her to graduate in her third year? That was genius-level stuff.
Kakashi, who graduated in his first year, was considered a super genius. No wonder all the higher-ups had their eyes on him.
Had it not been for Shigure's unexpected appearance, even Chunin might've struggled to beat Kakashi.
But Mei's immense talent also made her a target—especially for Danzo, who wanted to drag her into the shadows at any cost.
"You're moving back in."
Mei walked up and stated it flatly, her tone cold and commanding.
"Okay," Shigure nodded without hesitation.
If today hadn't happened, he definitely wouldn't be here.
But now that Danzo had his sights on him, living outside the compound alone was just asking to disappear one night.
Sure, that other place was more convenient for his research—but it also meant ending up as a statistic.
Luckily, he understood the true meaning behind her bossy tone. Behind the "CEO energy" was genuine concern.
If it were his pre-reincarnation self, he probably wouldn't have appreciated it. Might've even gotten offended.