Become My Partner and Break Through the Village's Darkness

They were still by the small river near the Hatake Clan Land, with several fish skewered beside the campfire, roasting.

On the nearby grass, Uchiha Yuan and Hatake Harukaze sat cross-legged facing each other.

They discussed their previous Taijutsu training. Uchiha Yuan did most of the talking, pointing out the openings and shortcomings in Hatake Harukaze's attacks.

Hatake Harukaze occasionally asked Uchiha Yuan questions, his face alternating between delight and frustration.

After a while.

Hatake Harukaze finished a grilled fish and casually tossed aside the bones. His gaze flickered as he looked at Uchiha Yuan, hesitation appearing on his face.

"Harukaze, do you have a question?"

Noticing Hatake Harukaze's expression, Uchiha Yuan set down the grilled fish in his hand and asked.

After hesitating for a while, Hatake Harukaze slowly said, "Yuan, it's actually about my uncle."

"About White Fang?"

Uchiha Yuan had not expected Hatake Harukaze to still be dwelling on White Fang's affairs. He could not help sighing. "Didn't I already tell you? If you can't figure it out, then stop thinking about it. White Fang's matter is already in the past."

"Yuan, I figured it out!"

Suddenly, Hatake Harukaze cried out excitedly.

Then his expression gradually calmed, and he said, "Yuan, I've been thinking about it these past few days. I also asked the elders of my clan about what happened to my uncle back then.

"And then I finally understood what happened to my uncle. I just never dared to believe it."

"The most likely reason my uncle met with disaster was that he was framed by the village!"

Hatake Harukaze pronounced that last sentence word by word, a trace of savagery even appearing on his face.

The questions Uchiha Yuan had raised about the White Fang incident had given Hatake Harukaze a direction for his thoughts. The more deeply he considered it, the more he felt there had been a conspiracy behind the White Fang incident.

"But there's one thing I can't understand. Why would the village frame my uncle?

"My uncle was a hero of the village. He always fought to protect it."

Uchiha Yuan looked at Hatake Harukaze and could see that his eyes were filled with anger and confusion.

He was furious that the village had framed his uncle, and confused because this village was unlike the one he had heard about and seen. For the first time, he had felt the village's darkness.

Uchiha Yuan first let out a derisive laugh, only stopping after Hatake Harukaze's expression began to change.

Then, with an incomparably serious expression, he said, "Harukaze, can I trust you?"

Hatake Harukaze froze for a moment before immediately saying, "Yuan, you can trust me."

Meeting Hatake Harukaze's gaze, Uchiha Yuan slowly said, "Harukaze, you can only keep what we say next in your heart. You absolutely cannot reveal it to a third person."

"I understand."

After Hatake Harukaze nodded with a resolute expression, Uchiha Yuan said, "You can't understand why the village framed White Fang, but the reason is actually simple."

After a pause, Uchiha Yuan stood and pointed toward Kage Rock in the distance. "Do you see what that is?"

"Kage Rock."

"That is why the village's upper ranks framed White Fang."

Seeing that Hatake Harukaze still looked confused, Uchiha Yuan continued, "Back then, after the Second Shinobi World War ended, voices of dissatisfaction with the Third Hokage steadily grew within the village."

"At the time, the Sannin had only recently become famous, and their prestige was not the greatest."

"Guess whose name was mentioned most often when people discussed who would succeed the Third Hokage."

Hatake Harukaze said hesitantly, "My uncle?"

"That's right."

Uchiha Yuan reached out and patted Hatake Harukaze's shoulder. "Harukaze, if nothing had gone wrong, White Fang would have become the village's Fourth Hokage. Unfortunately..."

"Hokage... Uncle..."

After his shock, Hatake Harukaze's face immediately flushed red. He was excited and proud. He truly had not expected his uncle, Hatake Sakumo, to be connected to becoming Hokage.

After a stretch of silence, Hatake Harukaze asked, "Is that why the village framed my uncle? Why? Was my uncle not qualified to succeed as Hokage?"

Uchiha Yuan said, "You may not know how terrifying the name 'Konoha White Fang' was to the entire shinobi world. White Fang was a powerhouse who dominated an era."

"His succession as Hokage would have been what everyone wanted. Even the Sannin would have accepted it wholeheartedly, with no objections."

Then Uchiha Yuan changed the subject. "But someone did not want White Fang to succeed as Hokage."

"Who was it?!" Hatake Harukaze shouted excitedly.

A mocking smile curled Uchiha Yuan's lips. "Naturally, it was those few among the village's upper ranks."

"Yuan, are you talking about Third Hokage-sama?" Hatake Harukaze asked after hesitating, unable to believe it.

Uchiha Yuan sneered. "Of course I mean those few among the village's upper ranks."

Seeing that Hatake Harukaze still looked unable to accept it, he could not help smiling. "What, you don't believe me?"

A bitter expression appeared on Hatake Harukaze's face. "Yuan, I believe what you said. I just... can't accept, all at once, that Third Hokage-sama would do something like this. His true face is actually so terrifying."

"The Third Hokage's true face?"

Hearing Hatake Harukaze's words, Uchiha Yuan laughed loudly. "Do you think the Third Hokage's usual kindness and benevolence were all an act?"

"Wasn't it?"

"That only shows how shallow your understanding is."

Uchiha Yuan said, "Human nature is complicated. Everyone has two sides. The Third Hokage may truly love the village.

"When you do not threaten his position as Hokage, he is a kind old man who cares about you.

"But once you have the potential to threaten his position as Hokage, he can become the mastermind behind a conspiracy."

Hatake Harukaze asked, "Yuan, why did the Third Hokage and the others treat my uncle that way?"

"Because, in their eyes, White Fang was not qualified."

"What? How could he not be qualified? Like you said, my uncle's prestige and abilities convinced everyone. How was he not qualified to succeed as Hokage?"

Uchiha Yuan revealed a smile full of mockery. "The qualification I mean is that White Fang was not part of their Hokage Lineage."

"The village's upper ranks, from the Hokage to the advisory elders, were all disciples of Second Senju Tobirama."

"You must understand that the Third Hokage became Hokage because the Second Hokage appointed him back then, not because the village chose him."

"The First Hokage was the Second Hokage's elder brother, and the Second Hokage was the Third Hokage's teacher. Obviously, the Fourth Hokage would also have to be a disciple or junior of the Third Hokage. No one else was qualified to succeed as Hokage."

"In our eyes, the village belongs to everyone. But clearly, in the eyes of the Second Hokage, the Third Hokage, and the others, the village belongs to them."

"They want to keep control of the village's power forever, while all we can do is obediently follow their commands."

"And in order to maintain their power, darkness was bound to breed. White Fang was one of its sacrifices.

"Take us Uchiha, for example. Why have we always suffered the village's suppression? Look at the Hyuga, also a Powerful Clan. Has the village ever targeted them?

"The only reason is that the Uchiha have the ability to challenge the authority of the Hokage Lineage."

After hearing Uchiha Yuan's words, Hatake Harukaze fell into a long silence. His heart had suffered an enormous impact.

This was the first time he had encountered the village's political struggles. He wanted to deny Uchiha Yuan's words, but reason told him that Uchiha Yuan's words were likely the truth.

At that moment, Hatake Harukaze heard Uchiha Yuan say, "Harukaze, are you willing to become my partner and break through the village's darkness with me?"

Hatake Harukaze met Uchiha Yuan's eyes. After a period of silence, resolve appeared on his face as he reached out and tightly clasped Uchiha Yuan's hand.

"Yuan, we have long since been partners."

With that, the two smiled at each other.