"She's an Uchiha too, but that oppressive presence is even scarier than Itachi's. If she teaches me, she'll definitely make me stronger."
Sasuke Uchiha was a man of action. The moment the thought occurred to him, he acted on it, eagerly walking toward Uchiha Hikari.
When Qingwu and Hyuga Hoze, grandson and grandfather, saw Sasuke Uchiha move, they immediately understood his intentions. Rather than stopping him, they quietly concealed themselves and watched to see what would happen.
They, too, wanted to see this Uchiha orphan.
For the sake of power.
How far would he go?
Thud—
Sasuke's knees slammed into the ground. The gravel on the Training Ground dug painfully into his bones, but he did not even flinch. He pressed both hands into the cold dirt, his knuckles whitening with the force, almost digging into the hard ground.
A proud Uchiha would actually kneel?
Uchiha Hikari frowned, a trace of surprise flashing in her eyes. "What are you doing?"
"Whether you really are my ancestor or not..." Sasuke's voice trembled with suppressed emotion. His fringe fell over his eyes, hiding the stubbornness that always filled them. "You're much stronger than I am. Your Sharingan is countless times stronger than mine."
"And what of it?" Understanding flickered in Uchiha Hikari's eyes. As expected of someone raised by that cold, selfish clan that sought nothing but power. Did the worship of strength run in his very bones?
He was not kneeling to her status as his ancestor, but to her strength. That was somewhat interesting.
Wind swept through the courtyard, carrying the rustle of the distant woods, yet it could not dispel the heaviness in Sasuke's voice.
Thump.
Sasuke Uchiha drew a deep breath and, as though exhausting every last ounce of strength, pressed his forehead to the ground as well.