Trust!

Why was this pinned on me?

How did this get pinned on me?!

Kagami Uchiha felt the sharp gazes on him. His former teammates' eyes were filled with disappointment. Just moments ago, the six of them had been huddling together for warmth, resisting the immense pressure Mito Uzumaki had brought upon them. Now, they had fallen apart.

Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Torifu Akimichi seemed to share an unspoken understanding as they moved away from Kagami Uchiha. Only Hiruzen Sarutobi remained where he was, looking at Kagami Uchiha with a complicated expression.

Mito Uzumaki's hair began to drift faintly in the air. Those familiar with her knew that she was on the verge of flying into a rage.

The vast Chakra within Mito surged out, visible clouds of Chakra gathering around her. Fine cracks appeared in the hard floor beneath her feet. If Mito Uzumaki exerted even a little more force, it would shatter into pieces.

Say something!

I have to say something!!!

Kagami Uchiha endured Mito Uzumaki's pressure alone, feeling like a tiny boat adrift on a boundless sea.

At that moment, dark clouds filled the sky above the sea, lightning flashed and thunder roared. Waves dozens of meters high surged toward him, and a profound sense of helplessness engulfed Kagami Uchiha.

Killing intent mixed with all kinds of negative Chakra blanketed Kagami Uchiha's entire body, yet he could not muster any strength.

So weak!!

Never before had Kagami Uchiha felt so weak. In his memories, the old woman before him had always been kind and gentle, a smile forever lingering on her lips.

Even so, Kagami Uchiha had never underestimated her. Her identity was no secret to the Uchiha Clan, and the clan elders had always spoken highly of her strength.

"Mito, that old hag, isn't someone easy to deal with. Even I could only fight her to a draw," an old Uchiha from the Warring States period had once said of Mito Uzumaki.

Now Kagami Uchiha understood that the old geezers in his clan had spouted far more nonsense than he had imagined. He had considered Mito Uzumaki's strength and believed that, even if he was no match for her, he should at least have the strength to fight her.

Now, it seemed he had been thinking too highly of himself.

"It wasn't me. I would never leak intelligence, much less casually swear an oath in the Uchiha Clan's name!"

Kagami Uchiha invoked the Uchiha Clan. He had not fallen so low as to casually make a poisonous oath that would condemn the entire Uchiha Clan to death.

However, Kagami Uchiha's defense seemed pale and powerless. The six of them had rushed straight to the Senju Clan Compound to report Teacher Tobirama's death as soon as they returned to the village. They had not met anyone else along the way, and after arriving at the Senju Clan Compound, they had not left.

Yet in just one afternoon, news of Tobirama Senju's death had spread throughout Konoha.

The source of that news was the Uchiha Clan. Including Mito Uzumaki, only seven people knew that Tobirama Senju had died, and Kagami Uchiha just happened to be an Uchiha.

It was not as if the Uchiha Clan had no secret means of passing information. Did messages have to be delivered face-to-face?

Kagami Uchiha's explanation clearly could not convince Mito Uzumaki. The deed had been done, and someone had to step forward and pay the price for it all.

Whether Kagami Uchiha had done it no longer mattered to Mito Uzumaki. Since the news had come from the Uchiha Clan, Kagami Uchiha had become an accomplice. After all, he was an Uchiha.

Mito Uzumaki rose to her feet, killing intent overflowing from her eyes. She could not kill this little Uchiha brat before her, but she could still beat him badly enough to keep him bedridden for half a year.

"Mito-sama!"

"I believe Kagami Uchiha!!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted, stepping in front of Kagami Uchiha and staring directly at Mito Uzumaki.

Everyone present was astonished. Even at a time like this, Hiruzen Sarutobi still dared to step forward and firmly defend Kagami Uchiha.

A look of surprise flashed across Mito Uzumaki's face, but it vanished in an instant. She stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi's resolute expression for several seconds before her voice rumbled from her throat.

"You little monkey, do you know what you're saying?

"You think you can play the hero here and put on a show?

"That little trick won't move me."

The oppressive aura Mito Uzumaki had directed at Kagami Uchiha shifted onto Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Kagami Uchiha looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with gratitude, then began gasping for air. The sensation of floating on the sea, as though he could drown at any moment, had finally disappeared.

Cold sweat had soaked through his underclothes, making them cling tightly to Kagami Uchiha's skin. The sticky feeling was deeply uncomfortable, but he had no time to care about that now.

"Hiruzen, don't force yourself. Kagami Uchiha is still an Uchiha, no matter what!"

Shimura Danzō watched his best friend bear the pressure alone while protecting an Uchiha who had leaked the news.

In Shimura Danzō's eyes, the one who had leaked the news among the six of them had to be an Uchiha.

Teacher Tobirama had always been wary of the Uchiha Clan. Kagami Uchiha was, after all, a member of the Uchiha Clan. Leaking the news to them was not something impossible to accept.

"Shut up!!"

"Did I allow you to speak?"

Mito Uzumaki looked at Shimura Danzō, clearly displeased by his interruption.

Feeling Mito Uzumaki's murderous gaze, Shimura Danzō immediately shut his mouth and stood there meekly like a quail.

"Mito-sama, I have no intention of playing tricks."

"I believe Kagami Uchiha is not that kind of person."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke with bright eyes, his tone utterly fearless.

"Tell me your reasons."

Mito Uzumaki pressed.

"Kagami Uchiha is different. He does not have the Uchiha Clan's arrogance or their disdain for everyone else. He is gentle and kind."

"He is always gentle with the companions around him. On the battlefield, he is a dependable comrade. I can trust him with my back."

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke slowly, recounting everything he knew about Kagami Uchiha, from the little details of daily life to the times they had lived and died together on the battlefield.

In Hiruzen Sarutobi's memories, members of the Uchiha Clan had always been arrogant, especially those Uchiha who had awakened the Sharingan. They were even more wildly conceited.

Hiruzen Sarutobi recalled the Uchiha of his generation. Two exceptions had emerged within the clan: one was Kagami Uchiha, whom he knew well, and the other was Uchiha Nan.

They were powerful yet humble. Even ordinary ninja could joke around with the two of them.

Even when someone occasionally offended them, neither truly became angry. They simply thought the other person had misspoken, smiled, and let it pass.

That was why Tobirama Senju had tried to take Kagami Uchiha and Uchiha Nan as disciples.

Kagami Uchiha had accepted, while Uchiha Nan had refused.

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke in great detail, moving everyone present. Even Shimura Danzō, who had been certain Kagami Uchiha was the leak just moments ago, began to wonder whether he had wrongly accused him.