The Uchiha's Warning

Danzo's moves had long been anticipated by Orochimaru.

The only exception was Uchiha Ao, the Uchiha clan member who had suddenly shown up at his door.

He hadn't expected this twelve-year-old to be even more determined than Anko to leave with him.

In fact,

when Orochimaru had been plotting to leave the village, he had already hinted at his intentions to Anko.

But Anko hadn't realized what he was thinking and had made a different choice.

Seeing that, Orochimaru gave up on taking Anko with him.

After all, she was a student produced by the Ninja Academy, and her mind had long since been steeped in the Will of Fire.

She clung stubbornly to Konoha's rigid rules. In the end, they were destined to follow different paths.

Defection.

For students poisoned by the Will of Fire, it was no different from the collapse of their faith.

Anko didn't want to leave Konoha.

So Orochimaru abandoned her outright.

Orochimaru had only been Anko's teacher for a little over a year.

They hadn't formed much of a bond.

Uchiha Ao suspected that the reason Anko still harbored such deep resentment toward Orochimaru more than ten years later was probably the Cursed Seal that had just been placed on her.

The fragments of Orochimaru's soul within the seal influenced her, subtly drawing her habits and will closer to his.

"Meet me at the Valley of the End at dawn, ten days from now."

After leaving those words, Orochimaru sent Uchiha Ao on his way.

A month later,

when Ao returned to the Uchiha Clan,

the atmosphere throughout the clan had grown even more oppressive. The clansmen wore gloomy expressions, and even their conversations were full of anger.

Ao kept a low profile. Even after several rounds of questioning, he only said that he had been training with Orochimaru.

He didn't reveal his true intentions.

He had only just arrived at his doorstep when he encountered someone unexpected.

"Ao, you're back? I heard... you were assigned to Lord Orochimaru's team? If I remember correctly, Lord Orochimaru hasn't taken on any new disciples in two years."

Uchiha Fugaku stood in his way, questioning him with a scrutinizing gaze.

Two Uchiha officers with fierce expressions stood behind him.

Ao recognized them vaguely. One was named Inabi, and the other Yakumi.

Both were elite members of the clan.

"Clan Head, I was just lucky. Teacher Orochimaru took a liking to me."

Ao spoke respectfully, his eyes full of reverence for the clan head. He acted just like any ordinary Uchiha clan member.

Uchiha Fugaku chuckled. "It wasn't luck. Others might not know, but I know how proud Orochimaru is. Ordinary people don't catch his eye. Ao! Whatever you did to earn Orochimaru's favor, I hope you remember who you are—you're an Uchiha."

"A blood tie that can't be changed, even in death."

"Don't do anything to betray the clan!"

After Uchiha Fugaku finished speaking, his words thick with menace, Uchiha Yakumi behind him suddenly revealed a pair of Two-Tomoe Sharingan, fixing Uchiha Ao with a murderous stare.

It was an outright threat!

"I understand, Clan Head..."

"The Uchiha's honor comes above all else!"

Ao lowered his head as he replied, concealing the cold look in his eyes.

Seeing how respectful he was, Uchiha Fugaku nodded in satisfaction and casually instructed him, "If Orochimaru makes any unusual moves, report them to me at once..."

Just then,

"Father!"

A voice called out from farther away.

A little boy, still small enough to look like a radish, was walking toward them.

Fugaku patted Ao on the shoulder, passed him, and headed toward the boy.

Ao followed Fugaku's gaze.

Itachi?

He had only just started at the Ninja Academy!

"Behave yourself, Ao... Many in the clan don't get the chance you've had to meet the clan head in person!"

Uchiha Inabi said coldly. His long, horse-like face carried an air of lofty arrogance, and his narrow eyes held a clear warning.

As soon as he finished speaking, he followed Fugaku away.

Ao watched them leave, his gaze fixed on the boy surrounded by them in the distance. A trace of scorn curled his lips.

Itachi... If I killed you now, would the Uchiha still be destroyed?

The thought flashed through Ao's mind.

The moment a massive killing intent surfaced, he sensed several guards accompanying Itachi...

Fugaku was certainly careful with his son. No wonder even Danzo, who had already fallen out with the Uchiha, couldn't find a chance to go after Itachi.

He left at once.

Better not to invite trouble.

Once he grew stronger, he'd come back and deal with Itachi, that nuisance...

"Brother... are you okay? Did the clan head and the others give you a hard time?"

His younger brother Uchiha Lan's voice brought Ao's attention back.

He turned to look at his concerned brother, gently shook his head, and said, "I'm fine... Lan! Apply for early graduation next year."

"Why? Brother, haven't you always said—wait until sixth grade before taking the graduation exam?"

Lan asked in surprise.

His older brother had always told them to stay at the Ninja Academy as long as possible, building up their strength and experience and putting off becoming ninjas.

If they weren't only allowed to stay until they were twelve, he thought their brother would have wanted them to remain at school for several more years.

He had no desire at all to become a full-fledged ninja.

At first, he hadn't understood his brother's reasoning. But after attending a memorial ceremony following the end of the war, he finally understood his brother's concern.

At that memorial, the Fourth Hokage had listed the ninjas who had died in the Third Shinobi World War.

The war had lasted for more than a decade and claimed the lives of tens of thousands of ninjas, nearly wiping out at least two generations of Konoha's ninja forces.

Now, the village had fewer than two thousand ninjas in their twenties.

Many of them were geniuses who had become Genin at just a few years old.

And among all those geniuses, only one—Kakashi—had survived.

Almost everyone else had fallen on the battlefield.

"The village probably won't face another large-scale war anytime soon. Graduating early will help you adapt to the new system for training ninjas as soon as possible."

"The clan has been undergoing upheaval lately, and life will only get harder. You'll be able to protect yourself only if you become independent sooner."

Ao reminded him.

He thought it over, but in the end, he still didn't tell Lan that he planned to leave.

When he got home, Ao handed his mother the full million ryo he had taken from Orochimaru's laboratory.

"What's this?"

"You're leaving?"

Holding a thick stack of money worth nearly a million ryo, his mother's expression shifted as she asked.

She had noticed her son's unusual behavior some time ago. Lately, he seemed like a different person, but she knew how much pressure he was under.

She hadn't said anything.

She had assumed that becoming a ninja had made him more mature.

It was just like when his father had first gone to war. After returning from the battlefield, his personality had changed completely.

Ao was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected his mother to be the first to realize what he was planning.

He fell silent for a while.

His family would find out sooner or later.

He would make sure to give his younger brother and sister some good advice over the next few days. There was no real harm in telling his mother now.

With that in mind, he nodded gently.

"Where will you go?"

His mother asked.

She didn't try to stop him or use the Uchiha's supposed greater good to keep him tied to the clan.

She simply asked where he was going out of concern.

Ao shook his head.

"I'm leaving with my teacher."

He answered.

"Lord Orochimaru is an outstanding ninja. Following him... gives you a better future than staying with the Uchiha."

His mother agreed. Though she wasn't a ninja, just a housewife, she had noticed the state of the clan lately.

By comparison, Orochimaru was someone well worth following.

"Don't tell your younger brother and sister. We don't want word to get out."

His mother warned him.

She said no more. She went inside to hide the money, then went to the kitchen and cooked a bowl of noodles.

"Eat, then leave. Don't come back. Things are chaotic in the clan right now. If you leave, they won't have time to keep tabs on you."

His mother set the noodles in front of Ao.

In the bowl were a grilled sausage, two eggs, and three slices of greens.