You'll Support Me, Right?

Amid the wreckage, Uchiha Nan kicked aside a branch scorched by the flames and wiped the blood from his hands with a rag.

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

This blood was a bit hard to wipe off.

Uchiha Nan had just been about to complain when he saw a line of Uchiha standing not far away. They had obviously been drawn over by the sounds of the fight.

Uchiha Nan didn't bother hiding anything. He walked straight toward them, a smile spreading across his face as he greeted them warmly.

The first light of dawn fell on his face. His handsome features still looked a little youthful, and Uchiha Nan was confident that he had a great smile.

Unfortunately, he had been so busy wiping the blood from his hands that he'd forgotten to clean the blood off his face.

His sunny smile was speckled with blood, making it look especially strange. The Uchiha present were at a loss over how to respond to Uchiha Nan's warm greeting.

What kind of decent person smiled like that?!

"Just now, Kagami Uchiha was deceived by Hiruzen Sarutobi and came here to ambush me. But I noticed in time, and he's been subdued!"

Uchiha Nan casually made up an excuse, then dumped another accusation on Kagami Uchiha. After shouldering so many accusations, Kagami was probably used to it by now.

"What, you don't believe me?"

Uchiha Nan grinned and rested a hand on the bloodied Ninja Blade. When the Uchiha in front of him didn't respond, he even took the trouble to ask them.

"We believe you!"

"Of course we do! How could we not believe what our captain says?"

"Kagami Uchiha is a traitor!"

"..."

The Uchiha hurriedly nodded and repeatedly said they believed him. Some even cursed Kagami Uchiha.

"Inabi, Tekka, you're here too. Inabi, take Kagami Uchiha to the clan's Medical Ninja. Don't let him die in front of my house."

"That'd be pretty unlucky."

Uchiha Nan spotted the brothers Inabi Uchiha and Uchiha Tekka among the onlookers, so he told Inabi to take Kagami Uchiha for treatment.

Uchiha Nan's Medical Ninjutsu wasn't very good. If they waited too long, he was afraid Kagami Uchiha might really die.

"Oh, oh, got it."

At Uchiha Nan's order, Inabi Uchiha hurried over to Kagami Uchiha.

Seeing Kagami Uchiha's injuries, Inabi Uchiha couldn't help drawing a sharp breath. A huge wound was clearly visible on Kagami's stomach, crudely stitched shut with thick black thread. The workmanship was truly appalling. His intestines were still faintly visible, though the bleeding had stopped for the moment.

Kagami Uchiha was now breathing out more than he was breathing in. If he wasn't treated soon, he really would die here.

Inabi Uchiha swallowed, recalling Uchiha Nan's smile just now. It had felt so unfamiliar, as if he were meeting Uchiha Nan for the first time.

He'd better keep quiet around the captain from now on. Inabi Uchiha shuddered at the thought of making another careless remark and didn't dare think any further.

Inabi Uchiha gently lifted Kagami Uchiha in both arms, afraid to use too much force in case Kagami started bleeding again. Then he hurried toward the home of the clan's Medical Ninja.

The remaining Uchiha watched Kagami Uchiha, half-dead, then turned to look at Uchiha Nan. That familiar smile was still on his face.

Fear!

Awe!

All kinds of emotions mingled in the Uchiha's eyes. They wanted to leave, but Uchiha Nan hadn't dismissed them, so they didn't dare move an inch.

"Tekka, send someone to inform the Clan Head and the clan elders. I'm calling a clan meeting. Every Uchiha ninja must attend."

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

"I think the Clan Head might not be able to seize this opportunity. We should replace him with someone who can."

"I'll lead the Uchiha into a new era. I'll create a Konoha that belongs to the Uchiha."

As soon as Uchiha Nan finished speaking, the Uchiha's expressions changed drastically. They didn't need to be geniuses to understand what he meant.

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

So unfamiliar. He seemed like a completely different person!

The Uchiha Nan before them was worlds apart from the one they remembered: domineering, ambitious, and every bit the hardliner.

"Lord Uchiha Nan, I support you!"

One Uchiha cried out fervently. Uchiha Nan recognized him; he'd gone to the battlefield at the same time as him. His name was probably Uchiha Yota.

They hadn't been in the same squad, but they'd fought side by side.

Uchiha Yota cheered. On the battlefield, Uchiha Nan had charged into the enemy ranks alone. Wherever his Ninja Blade passed, blue light and blood intertwined, and flesh flew. Chunin and Genin alike had been cut down before him as easily as vegetables.

Uchiha Yota had admired Uchiha Nan ever since. A true Uchiha ought to be as strong as Uchiha Nan.

Unfortunately, Uchiha Nan hadn't shown much ambition back then. He'd only acted like someone willing to go through fire and water for Konoha, which had left Uchiha Yota feeling deeply disappointed.

Now Uchiha Yota was overjoyed. His idol was finally ready to take up the banner. To hell with Uchiha Tomita—he didn't have the guts to become Konoha's Hokage.

To Uchiha Yota, Uchiha Tomita's usual efforts to maintain a balance between the Uchiha and the Hokage were nothing but cowardice.

A promising hardliner!

Watching Uchiha Yota, Uchiha Nan was full of admiration. This young man had potential.

When Tobirama Senju had been alive, they'd had to back down when necessary. Now that he was dead, it was time to get tough and become hardliners!

"Captain! I support you too!"

Uchiha Tekka quickly chimed in. He was one of Uchiha Nan's most loyal supporters. Uchiha Nan had saved his younger brother's life; even if only to repay that debt, Uchiha Tekka had to support him.

Uchiha Tekka's thoughts raced as he recalled what Uchiha Nan had done the day before.

He'd received word of Tobirama Senju's death before anyone else in Konoha, and he'd reacted so quickly, completely bypassing Clan Head Tomita and issuing orders himself. It was hard not to read something into that.

Their captain had grown more and more unfamiliar lately.

Could it be? Had the captain's old persona all been an act?

Had the captain been a hardliner from childhood?

Uchiha Tekka couldn't help drawing a sharp breath. Could someone really wear a mask from childhood and keep it on until now?

Would that even make him human?

Uchiha Tekka felt his guess was too far-fetched, but his instincts told him this was the real Uchiha Nan.

"Captain, I support you too!"

Another Uchiha stepped forward. He, too, had fought alongside Uchiha Nan on the battlefield.

With two or three Uchiha leading the way, the rest could only join in and shout their support. That was just how people were, and the Uchiha were no exception. Besides, making Uchiha Nan Clan Head wasn't something they couldn't accept.

He had overwhelming strength, outstanding achievements, and a handsome face. He had it all!