This Land Was Sick

Silence.

No answer.

Denying the prejudice against the Uchiha?

No one was a fool. It was only after the Fourth Hokage took office that the Uchiha's days got a little better.

Only a little.

Did other clans have Root shinobi watching them in large numbers, guarding against them like thieves?

Did other clans have to consider joining the Anbu a favor?

And there was no need to mention the Military Police Force.

Was it really a good thing to make one clan shoulder all the work that looked powerful but only made enemies?

It would only make the other clans and civilians fear the Uchiha even more, leaving them isolated from the people.

The Uchiha silently drew closer to Sora, recalling what they themselves had been through.

Just as Uchiha Sora had said, the treatment he received wasn't an isolated case.

In the end, it was Sarutobi Shinnosuke who broke the silence.

Swish!!

He drew his sword. Sarutobi Hiruzen had just started to stop him when Shinnosuke had already turned the blade toward his own heart.

"I know..."

"The village has indeed done wrong. I'm not asking you to forgive us."

"Third... Father! I'm asking you not to hold the Uchiha responsible, and to promise that you won't target them again."

Drip...

Blood fell to the ground, one drop at a time. Sarutobi Shinnosuke looked at Uchiha Sora, his eyes full of entreaty.

"I'll repay you for your mother's life. Please, stop."

"There's still time. Before an even greater rift opens, there's still a chance to mend it!"

"Shinnosuke!!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen clutched the blade, his voice choked with emotion.

He had already lost his wife that night. He simply couldn't bear the grief of losing his son as well.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke smiled faintly. "Father, things have come to this because of the mistakes we made in the past."

"If my death can bring peace to the village, then it's well worth it."

Uchiha Sora looked at him intently.

The resolve to die in his eyes was no pretense.

He truly wanted to die.

"Shinnosuke, you inherited the original Will of Fire."

Uchiha Sora shook his head and said solemnly, "You want to be the First Hokage, but I'm not Madara Uchiha."

"I won't walk the same wrong path again!"

Swish—

Rayquaza, who had been silent all this time, suddenly moved. With Dragon Claw, he gripped Shimura Danzō's head and lifted him high into the air.

Uchiha Sora spoke coldly. "I'll return Shimura Danzō to you. In exchange, as I said earlier, let the entire Uchiha Clan leave Konoha."

"If you refuse, then we'll fight right here!"

"Even if I die in battle, I'll never run away alone!!"

Your resolve to die isn't a sham.

I'm just as ready to die!

I'll risk everything. If I fail, I die!

--

Beneath the blood moon, pair after pair of Sharingan opened, their eerie red glow flashing in the night.

Crack—

Sarutobi Hiruzen crushed Shinnosuke's Ninja Blade, blood seeping between his fingers.

His eyes were bloodshot, and every syllable seemed to be forced with difficulty from deep in his throat.

"Not enough..."

"The Mangekyō can suppress the Nine-Tails. I want Fugaku to help seal it. You can leave first, and we'll keep Shimura Danzō here. Then we can exchange hostages."

Having accepted reality, Sarutobi Hiruzen no longer spoke to the Uchiha Clan as fellow members of the village. This was now an official negotiation.

Heh...

At first, he'd been wary of the Uchiha. Now he remembered that the Sharingan could suppress the Nine-Tails.

Uchiha Sora looked at Fugaku, who nodded slightly.

Setting everything else aside, Fugaku genuinely wanted to help Minato.

He had attacked Shimura Danzō not only because Uchiha Sora had forced his hand, but also because Danzō had stopped him from going to Minato's aid.

"Then that's settled. Clan Head Fugaku will stay. Shisui, Tekka, go tell the clan members at the shelter."

"Yes!"

In the crowd, several Uchiha led by Tekka responded as if they were subordinates taking orders.

Uchiha Sora's power play wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. Over the past two years, he had secretly contacted some young hardliners and formed the "Whole Clan Evacuation Planning Group," with himself at its head.

He had considered a great many things. He had even taken advantage of the village's preoccupation with the Jinchūriki's delivery in recent days to sneak into the cemetery and dig up the bodies of Uchiha clan members.

Whether dead or alive, they would all be taken away.

At the same time, he had reached an agreement with Granny Cat of Cat Village, who would help the Uchiha Clan evacuate.

She was a wise old woman who had long since seen the Uchiha's difficult position in Konoha.

Defecting as an entire clan might not make things better, but it wouldn't make them much worse, either.

The Uchiha and Cat Village together were at least stronger than some small countries.

Seeing this, Shisui nodded reluctantly, but still looked at Shimura Danzō and said, "I won't kill him, but he must give me back that eye!"

Uchiha Sora nodded and turned to look at Shimura Danzō's severed arm.

"Shimura Danzō will give it back to you. He won't be taking the Sharingan with him."

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed deeply, looking utterly defeated.

"I understand... Go."

--

Roar...

Rayquaza let out a cry and carried Uchiha Sora toward the shelter. Everyone followed, leaving only Fugaku behind.

Utatane Koharu spoke furiously. "Fugaku... that brat built up so much power right under your nose, and you didn't even notice?"

She had already realized that Uchiha Sora was behind all of this.

Fugaku gave her a glance, then threw caution to the wind. "Isn't that all thanks to Advisor Utatane? Otherwise, how would he have gathered so many followers and even dragged me into acting with him?"

"You!"

"Enough... What's the point of saying that now?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen wrapped a piece of cloth around his wound. He seemed to have aged years in an instant. "Fugaku, come... The Fourth Hokage needs us."

"Yes... Third."

Fugaku's admiration for the Third had been sincere. He had lived his whole life during Hiruzen's time in office, and had witnessed Konoha reach its peak under his leadership.

But...

Fugaku couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing from the Sarutobi Hiruzen of today.

Ten years earlier... Fugaku would never have dared to join Uchiha Sora in defying the village.

--

--

The shelter in the clan compound.

When Shisui told them the entire clan was evacuating, many clan members refused.

Not everyone had a terrible life. Leaving the land where they had been born and raised so suddenly was no easy thing.

Tap...

Uchiha Sora walked to the front of the crowd.

The ordinary Uchiha clan members were more familiar with Sora. They rushed up to him and asked questions.

"Sora, what's happening out there? That was a huge commotion!"

"Did another village invade? Are you all right?"

These people had entered the shelter before the Nine-Tails broke free and knew nothing about what was happening outside.

A little girl slipped through the adults' legs and hugged Uchiha Sora's leg.

"Big Brother Sora, why are they holding swords? It's scary!"

"What happened to your hand? Does it hurt?"

Uchiha Sora crouched down and gently brushed the girl's hair with his good hand.

Her name was Uchiha Cho. She was the daughter of the owner of the dango shop on the commercial street, and the first person Shisui had seen killed without mercy by the shadow in his vision.

Unlike when he faced the village leaders, Uchiha Sora looked kind now, his smile sincere.

"It doesn't hurt. Nothing happened, so don't be afraid."

He picked Cho up and faced the clan members, speaking earnestly.

"This land is sick. We need to leave for a while."

"I promise we'll come back. I'll cure it."

"Trust me."

He bowed deeply, his arrogance gone.