Early morning
A thin mist hung over the Uchiha Clan Compound. Kagami Uchiha walked slowly, wandering aimlessly, his eyes bloodshot.
After leaving the Senju Clan Land, he had wandered the streets of Konoha until dawn began to break before returning to the clan. His mind was a complete mess.
At first, he had desperately wanted to find the person among the Uchiha who had leaked the news of Lord Tobirama's death.
But after calming down, Kagami Uchiha felt that even if he caught that person, what could he do? Without the Uchiha Clan's help, it was impossible for one person alone to spread the news of Lord Tobirama's death throughout Konoha in a single afternoon.
What if the mastermind behind the rumor was Uchiha Tomita? He was the Uchiha Clan Head, and from the looks of things, he was the most suspicious. Only a handful of people in the entire Uchiha Clan could mobilize the clan's forces so quickly.
Was he supposed to turn against the Clan Head for Hiruzen Sarutobi?
Kagami Uchiha felt dizzy. He could not believe such a treasonous thought had even crossed his mind.
But if he simply let the matter go, he would inexplicably end up bearing the blame. He had nowhere to vent his anger, and he had no way to face Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Hey, Kagami, you're back."
Several passing Uchiha saw Kagami Uchiha return and greeted him from the side. Their eyes drifted over him, and their expressions were extremely strange.
They had heard that Kagami Uchiha and the others had abandoned the Hokage and fled back to Konoha. They had never expected the Uchiha genius, Kagami Uchiha, to do something like that.
"Is what Uchiha Nan said about you abandoning the Hokage and fleeing straight back to Konoha true?"
"Yeah. You're an Uchiha genius. You wouldn't really do something like that, would you?"
"Squad Captain Nan also said that Hiruzen Sarutobi is going to become Konoha's Third?"
"That can't be true, can it?"
"..."
It was as if quite a few Uchiha had suddenly gathered around Kagami Uchiha. They began bombarding him with questions, trying to verify whether Uchiha Nan's information was true.
"Who did you say?"
"Uchiha Nan?"
Kagami Uchiha's expression was filled with disbelief. The person who had leaked the news of Lord Tobirama's death was Uchiha Nan?
How was that possible?
The Uchiha he got along with best in the clan was Uchiha Nan. Uchiha Nan was an Uchiha recognized by Teacher Tobirama, an Uchiha who had escaped lowly tastes and inherited Konoha's Will of Fire.
If he could do something like this, how was he any different from the hawkish Uchiha in the clan?
Impossible. Absolutely impossible!
Kagami Uchiha felt that he was simply too exhausted and had begun hearing things. Otherwise, this had to be a genjutsu. Someone was trying to ambush him!
Release!
Release!!
Kagami Uchiha formed the hand seal specifically used to dispel genjutsu, but discovered that it was completely useless. The Uchiha around him were still chattering incessantly about Uchiha Nan.
"Enough!!"
Kagami Uchiha shouted. He did not want to waste any more time here. He had to personally find Uchiha Nan and demand an explanation. Why had he done this?
Maybe he had his reasons. The Clan Head must have forced him to do it!
Sixteen years. Uchiha Nan's image as a good person in Konoha for sixteen years made it impossible for Kagami Uchiha to accept this reality.
What kind of Uchiha could pretend to be a good person for sixteen years and even deceive Teacher Tobirama? That was terrifying!
Kagami Uchiha was so anxious that he even used the Body Flicker Technique. In two or three minutes, he arrived at Uchiha Nan's home.
"Uchiha Nan, you don't have to be afraid. Did the Clan Head force you? Did he deliberately make you go first and leak the news of Lord Tobirama's death?"
"..."
Uchiha Nan had been exercising as usual, performing a routine called "The Era Is Calling," when he saw Kagami Uchiha standing there with bloodshot eyes and a somewhat crazed expression.
What Kagami Uchiha said left Uchiha Nan utterly baffled.
What Clan Head?
Did that fellow Uchiha Tomita have the ability to force him?
What a great opportunity!
While Senju Tobirama was alive, he had still needed to maintain his persona and conceal his true intentions. Now that Tobirama was dead, he was already plotting how to push Uchiha Tomita aside and become the Uchiha Clan Head.
Uchiha Nan was determined to obtain the position of Third. He only hoped that Uchiha Tomita, the Clan Head, would not compete with him. Otherwise, he would have no choice but to eliminate him first.
Once Uchiha Nan became Hokage, Uchiha Tomita could not possibly remain the Uchiha Clan Head.
Since they would eventually fall out completely, what was the point of continuing to pretend? He had grown tired of pretending while Senju Tobirama was alive.
Uchiha Nan would climb step by step to the very top, become the Uchiha Clan Head, and become Konoha's Hokage!!
"Uchiha Nan, how did you become like this? You weren't like this before!"
Kagami Uchiha's voice trembled. The Uchiha Nan before him was so unfamiliar, and that unrestrained laughter was so grating. Uchiha Nan was now exactly like the hawkish faction within the clan.
Had Uchiha Nan's former appearance all been an act? That was terrifying. Could someone really pretend to be an inheritor of the Will of Fire for sixteen years?
"Lord Tobirama always placed great hopes in you. He believed that you had inherited Konoha's Will of Fire. Was the way you acted before all just an act?"
"An act?"
Uchiha Nan let out a derisive laugh. Did he even need to pretend?
He was not some ignorant fool. Caring for his comrades and respecting the old and young were basic principles he had learned.
It was just that the Uchiha were too extreme, each one unbearably arrogant. Actions that Uchiha Nan had once considered perfectly ordinary had already made him an oddity among the Uchiha.
For example, warmly greeting the villagers of Konoha, helping elderly women cross the street, and saying "please" to merchants. They were merely the basic manners of a college student.
But to the proud Uchiha, how could anyone do such things?
Later, Uchiha Nan discovered that this approach really was useful. The little essays he had written about the Will of Fire at the Ninja Academy had even made Senju Tobirama believe that Uchiha Nan was an Uchiha who had inherited the Will of Fire.
"If that's what you think, then sure."
Uchiha Nan could not be bothered to explain so much to Kagami Uchiha. Why bother explaining when you don't have the ears to listen?
"Why did you come running over so early in the morning? Was it just to tell me all this?"
Seeing Uchiha Nan's appearance as he tore off his disguise, Kagami Uchiha felt ice-cold all over. The Uchiha Nan before him was far more terrifying than he had imagined.
Uchiha Nan had truly pretended to be an inheritor of the Will of Fire, keeping up the act until Teacher Tobirama died before revealing his true face!
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