Whose Narrow-Mindedness Was It?

Fugaku Uchiha could not believe that he had actually cried.

He instinctively raised a hand to wipe his eyes, and the dampness made him realize that he really had shed tears.

He could not help but lose himself in a daze.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had calculated so much merely by having the Uchiha Clan return to their clan land.

Then how many of Sarutobi Hiruzen's traps had he fallen into while serving as clan head?

He did not dare imagine it.

All along...

He had believed that his Mangekyo ability was inferior, and that Uchiha Shisui was more suited to be the Uchiha Clan's head;

he had believed that the conflict between the Uchiha and the village was not his fault;

he had believed that he was a qualified head of the Uchiha Clan.

But now, it felt as if his soul had frozen solid, and even his organs were chilled by desolation.

This had never been a problem with the Mangekyo!

It was awareness!

It was mindset!

It was the bigger picture!

He was completely unfit to be the Uchiha Clan's head!

The gap was far too great!

He had seen only a small patch of sky through a well's mouth and thought it was the whole world.

Yet the other side could see countless frogs at the bottom of wells and stand above them, doing as they pleased.

Only now did he finally understand where that feeling of helplessness had come from when he was the Uchiha Clan head.

He clenched his fists, filled with unwillingness.

Damn it!

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!!

"Why couldn't I see through it!!!" He was filled with sorrow and utterly powerless.

He had brought the Uchiha Clan to that point;

he had nearly caused the Uchiha Clan to be exterminated;

he had caused the clan members to be slandered by others;

he had ruined the Uchiha's reputation;

he...

he...

"I am a sinner of the Uchiha Clan!!!"

Beside Fugaku Uchiha, Uchiha Itachi's face was likewise full of sorrow and self-blame.

He had originally been quite happy.

Happy about Sarutobi Hiruzen's concession;

happy about the clan members' acceptance;

happy about the bright future the Uchiha and the village could share.

But now, after Uchiha Shisui revealed the calculations behind it all, he realized that this so-called capacity was nothing more than a weapon used by others.

Then what had the "capacity" he had always spoken of been?

He called others narrow-minded, but wasn't he the same?

He had seen only the small patch of land before him, yet failed to see the conspiracies lurking behind the scenes.

His heart hurt terribly, as though knives were stabbing into it, one after another.

He could understand why Uchiha Shisui blamed himself so deeply.

Because they were the ones who had handed the Uchiha Clan's information to Sarutobi Hiruzen.

That was how Sarutobi Hiruzen gained control of the situation.

If Sarutobi Hiruzen had truly not wanted the Uchiha Clan to stage a coup, then he...

Uchiha Itachi did not know what Sarutobi Hiruzen could have done, but he was surely capable of finding a way, just like Jinghuo Uchiha.

It was only because of the pros and cons that he had been unwilling to make that choice, choosing instead the path of exterminating the Uchiha Clan.

So in the end, despite being devoted to the village, he had merely aided evil.

And with such capacity, he had looked down on the clan members and the Hyuga Clan all day long...

"Nii-san, what's wrong?" Second Pillar could not understand why his usually stern father had become like this, nor why even his cool nii-san was the same.

Uchiha Itachi shed painful tears, filled with unwillingness and helplessness.

He finally understood what Jinghuo Uchiha had meant when she said, "Your ability is lacking. You cannot see hope, nor can you see the choices. I do not blame you."

Only after seeing things clearly now did he realize that he had always stood against the Uchiha, aiding evil.

Who would not hate someone like him?

Especially...

When he thought of how he had once resolved to exterminate the clan, then looked at the parents, younger brother, best friend, girl he cared about, and clan members before him...

That future he had chosen, those hands stained with blood, that world with only himself left...

He was grateful for Jinghuo's intervention;

he regretted his former arrogance;

he hated his own stupidity;

he despised Sarutobi Hiruzen's character!

That night, the Uchiha Clan Land was brightly lit, standing out particularly against the dark Konoha.

Sarutobi Hiruzen saw it and narrowed his eyes.

"Looks like the Uchiha Clan is celebrating."

A smile appeared on his face.

He could feel that everything which had slipped from his control was about to return to his hands.

Thus, he happily urged the storage and organization of the old Uchiha Clan Land, displaying his painstaking concern for the Uchiha Clan while concealing the impatience in his heart.

Only...

After the old Uchiha Clan Land had been organized, not a single Uchiha moved in.

For the first three days, he could not bring himself to press them.

But on the fourth day, he could no longer hold back and wanted to ask Uchiha Shisui about it.

However, Uchiha Shisui was extremely wary of the village, so he first summoned Uchiha Itachi.

Although Uchiha Itachi's attitude was somewhat neutral, his starting point was for the village's sake, so he could be considered half an ally.

Yet this time, his invitations, which had always worked without fail, encountered an unexpected problem.

Uchiha Itachi refused due to being busy.

Busy?

With the Root pinned down by him, how could he still be busy?

That appearance of avoiding him and not wanting contact made Sarutobi Hiruzen feel uneasy.

There were no Anbu monitoring the Uchiha Clan now, and his ignorance of the changing situation made him even more uneasy.

After thinking it over and over, he truly had no choice but to summon Uchiha Shisui directly.

Uchiha Shisui came.

His expression was normal, though he seemed more relaxed and casual than last time.

Sarutobi Hiruzen truly could not make sense of it.

So, with a kindly expression, he questioned him in a mildly reproachful tone, "Shisui, I personally kept watch over the manpower and hurried to organize the Uchiha Clan Land in the Village Center for you ahead of time. As the clan head, why have you not led the Uchiha Clan to move there? Are you afraid I hid something unpleasant there?"

Uchiha Shisui's expression remained unchanged. He shook his head slightly and said, "I don't know much about this matter. Do you need me to return to the clan land and ask what the clan members think?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouth fell slightly open, as though making a puzzled "Huh?" sound.

I asked why you had not taken the lead in moving, and you said you did not know?

And why did Uchiha Shisui suddenly seem so cooperative?

Did he trust me again?

"Then go ask?" Sarutobi Hiruzen tried.

"Alright." Uchiha Shisui left.

Sarutobi Hiruzen thought Uchiha Shisui would return quickly.

He waited eagerly all morning, but he did not come;

then he waited eagerly all afternoon, but he still did not come;

on the second day, he still did not come.

By the seventh day, he had grown impatient from waiting and summoned Uchiha Shisui.

"Is something the matter?" Uchiha Shisui asked him in confusion.

That made Sarutobi Hiruzen somewhat angry.

"Shisui! Have you forgotten what you promised me!"

"Oh." Uchiha Shisui seemed to suddenly remember, saying blandly, "The investigation into why the clan members have not moved to the clan land will probably take another month."

Sarutobi Hiruzen was stunned, his anger still frozen on his face.

He did not understand.

Couldn't he just gather the clan members and ask them all at once?

"Why would it take so long?"

At the request of our many readers, we are now introducing an ad-free feature for VIP members.

Click to view