Will You Support Me, Then?

Amid the wreckage, Uchiha Nan kicked aside charred branches while wiping the blood from his hands with a rag.

The blood belonged to Kagami Uchiha, and the rag had been torn from Kagami Uchiha's clothes.

This blood was a little hard to wipe off.

Just as Uchiha Nan was about to complain, he saw a row of Uchiha clansmen standing not far away. They had clearly been drawn over by the sounds of the fight.

Uchiha Nan had no intention of hiding anything. He walked straight toward them, a smile on his face as he warmly greeted them.

The rising dawn cast down a ray of sunlight, which happened to fall across Uchiha Nan's face. His delicate features still looked somewhat youthful, and Uchiha Nan was confident that his smile looked excellent right now.

Unfortunately, Uchiha Nan had only focused on wiping the blood from his hands and forgotten to wipe the blood from his face.

That sunny smile, speckled with blood, looked especially bizarre, leaving the Uchiha present at a loss over how to respond to Uchiha Nan's enthusiasm.

What decent person smiled like that?!

"Just now, Kagami Uchiha was bewitched by Hiruzen Sarutobi and actually came to ambush me. Fortunately, I discovered him in time, and he has already been subdued!"

Uchiha Nan casually made up an excuse and tossed another accusation onto Kagami Uchiha. Kagami Uchiha had carried so many already that he would get used to one more.

"What, you don't believe me?"

Uchiha Nan grinned, resting a hand on his still-dripping ninja blade. Seeing that the Uchiha before him had no reaction, he even thoughtfully asked.

"We believe you!"

"Of course we do. How could we not believe what the captain says?"

"Kagami Uchiha is nothing but an ungrateful traitor!!"

"..."

The Uchiha hurriedly nodded and repeatedly declared their belief. Some even began cursing Kagami Uchiha.

"Inohi, Tekka, you're here too. Inohi, carry Kagami Uchiha to the clan's Medical Ninja. Don't let him die at my front door."

"That would be pretty unlucky."

Uchiha Nan noticed that the brothers Uchiha Inohi and Uchiha Tekka had come to watch the spectacle as well, so he simply had Inohi take Kagami Uchiha for treatment first.

Uchiha Nan's Medical Ninjutsu was only average. If this dragged on too long, he was afraid Kagami Uchiha would really die.

"R-Right, got it."

Upon hearing Uchiha Nan's order, Uchiha Inohi hurried over to Kagami Uchiha, who lay not far away.

When he saw Kagami Uchiha's injuries, Uchiha Inohi could not help drawing in a sharp breath. A huge wound was clearly visible across Kagami Uchiha's abdomen. The long gash had been crudely stitched together with black thread, and the workmanship was truly awful. His intestines could vaguely be seen, though thankfully the bleeding had temporarily stopped.

Kagami Uchiha was barely breathing. If he was not treated soon, he would truly die here.

Uchiha Inohi swallowed unconsciously, recalling Uchiha Nan's earlier smile. It had felt so unfamiliar, as though he were meeting Uchiha Nan for the first time.

It seemed he would have to keep quieter around the captain from now on. If he carelessly said something again... Uchiha Inohi shuddered, not daring to think further.

Uchiha Inohi gently lifted Kagami Uchiha with both hands, not daring to use too much strength for fear that Kagami Uchiha's blood would spray out. He then hurried toward the home of the clan's Medical Ninja.

The remaining Uchiha looked at Kagami Uchiha's half-dead state, then turned back to Uchiha Nan. That familiar smile still hung on Uchiha Nan's face.

Fear!

Awe!

All sorts of emotions intertwined in the Uchiha's eyes. They desperately wanted to leave, but without a word from Uchiha Nan, they did not dare take even a single step.

"Tekka, send someone to inform the Clan Head and the clan elders. I want to convene a Clan Meeting. Every Uchiha ninja must attend."

"Now that Konoha's Hokage is dead, the Uchiha are about to welcome a new opportunity. Perhaps this time, the Uchiha can produce a Hokage.

"I think this Clan Head has a bit of trouble seizing this opportunity. Better to replace him with someone who can.

"I will lead the Uchiha into a new era. A Konoha that belongs to the Uchiha era will be created."

The moment Uchiha Nan finished speaking, the Uchiha's expressions changed drastically. They could understand exactly what he meant without even thinking.

Uchiha Nan wanted to overthrow Uchiha Tomita and become the Uchiha's new Clan Head!

Unfamiliar. Too unfamiliar!

The Uchiha Nan before them was practically a different person from the one in their memories. His tone was domineering, his ambitions vast—a textbook Hawk Faction style.

"Lord Uchiha Nan, I support you!"

An Uchiha shouted with a feverish expression. Uchiha Nan recognized him; he had gone to the battlefield in the same batch as Uchiha Nan. His name seemed to be Uchiha Yota.

They had not been assigned to the same squad, but they had fought side by side.

Uchiha Yota cheered as memories of the battlefield surfaced in his mind. Back then, Uchiha Nan had charged alone into a crowd, and wherever his ninja blade passed, blue light and blood intertwined. Flesh and blood flew in his wake, while genin and chunin were slaughtered before Uchiha Nan as easily as chopping melons and vegetables.

From that moment, Uchiha Yota had worshipped Uchiha Nan. A true Uchiha should be as powerful as Uchiha Nan.

Unfortunately, Uchiha Nan had not shown much ambition at the time. He had only looked as though he were willing to go through fire and water for Konoha, which Uchiha Yota found deeply regrettable.

Uchiha Yota was now overjoyed. His idol was finally going to raise the banner. To hell with Uchiha Tomita—he simply did not have the guts to become Konoha's Hokage.

Uchiha Tomita, who usually maintained the balance between the Uchiha and the Hokage, seemed utterly spineless to Uchiha Yota.

A prime Hawk Faction prospect!

As Uchiha Nan watched Uchiha Yota, he praised him inwardly. This young man had potential.

When Tobirama Senju had been around, they had to keep their heads down when necessary. Now that he was dead, they had to become ruthless. They had to join the Hawk Faction!

"Captain! I support you too!"

Uchiha Tekka hurriedly followed suit. He was one of Uchiha Nan's staunchest supporters. Uchiha Nan had saved his younger brother's life, and even just to repay that debt, Uchiha Tekka had to support him.

Uchiha Tekka's mind raced as he recalled Uchiha Nan's actions yesterday.

He had received news of Tobirama Senju's death before everyone else in Konoha and reacted so quickly, directly bypassing the Tomita Clan Head to give orders. It was hard not to read more into that.

The captain he once knew was becoming more and more unfamiliar.

Could it be that the captain's former appearance had all been an act?

Had the captain been a Hawk Faction member since childhood?

Uchiha Tekka could not help drawing in a sharp breath. Could someone wear a mask from childhood all the way until now?

Was that even human?

Uchiha Tekka felt that his guess was far too absurd, but his instincts told him that the current Uchiha Nan was the real one.

"Captain, I support you too!!"

Another Uchiha stepped forward, also one who had gone to the battlefield with Uchiha Nan.

With two or three Uchiha taking the lead, the rest could only follow and shout as well. People were like that, and the Uchiha were no exception. Besides, making Uchiha Nan the Clan Head was not something they found impossible to accept.

Powerful strength, outstanding achievements, and a handsome face—he had it all!