The Hyuga clan...
Kamizuki understood the Hyuga clan's structure. What he had casually said to Mikoto was no joke.
As far as he knew, during the Third Shinobi World War, Kirigakure would have a man known as Ao, the "Byakugan Killer," who obtained a Byakugan on the battlefield.
Because of the Caged Bird curse mark, the Byakugan of the Hyuga branch family could not be removed. Going by the timeline, the one who died was very likely that little brat from earlier.
This was not some later-era monster brawl where eyes could be plugged in and used whenever they pleased.
Having the most important organ stolen on the battlefield—there was no way he could have survived.
That explained why Hiashi could refrain from placing the Caged Bird curse mark on Hanabi.
He had been lucky enough to catch the elder branch dying out. If necessary, he could even adopt Hinata into another branch...
Forget it. He could barely manage his own family; where would he find the time to care about the Hyuga clan's birdshit?
Standing on the school grounds, Kamizuki looked at the Third on the podium.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, now in his thirties, was at the peak of his career as a shinobi. He had no weaknesses in ninjutsu, taijutsu, or genjutsu, and he had demonstrated ample decisiveness and skill while consolidating Konoha. The title "Shinobi Hero" had already begun to spread.
After winning the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha would enter its golden age under this man's leadership.
The White Fang of Konoha was renowned throughout the Shinobi World, Shimura Danzō, the Darkness of the Shinobi, inspired fear, and the Sannin were rapidly rising to fame...
Added to that, Konoha possessed the Shinobi World's two strongest great clans of ocular techniques, along with numerous shinobi clans with secret techniques. It was indisputably the strongest of the Five Great Shinobi Villages!
At the height of prosperity came decline.
Konoha's decline began with the Fourth Hokage's death and the Sannin's departure, reaching its nadir with the Uchiha massacre.
From Kamizuki's perspective, Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to be the greatest enemy he would have to face.
Yet as he watched Sarutobi Hiruzen eloquently speak of the Will of Fire from the podium, there was not a trace of malice in Kamizuki's eyes.
He knew very well that although the Uchiha massacre had been influenced by many factors, the seeds of disaster had been planted from the very founding of the village. The outcome had been inevitable.
The reason was simple: differing perceptions.
To the other shinobi clans, the Uchiha were simply defeated by the Senju and then joined Konoha. They were no different from everyone else, so why should they have privileges?
But from the Uchiha's perspective, we founded Konoha together with the Senju, yet we can't even get a Hokage position? This is outrageous!
Thus, after Hashirama Senju died, some Uchiha hawks became deeply dissatisfied with Tobirama Senju's policies and wanted to seize authority from the Senju clan.
The details were unclear, but in the end Tobirama Senju dealt with the hawks. He even took Kagami Uchiha into his guard unit, using both the stick and the carrot to keep them obedient.
But that was only temporary. The core conflict had not been resolved.
The Uchiha wanted power, but the village could not grant them too much power.
No one wanted to entrust their family's lives to a group of people who might go insane at any moment.
Madara Uchiha had seen such a future, which was why he wanted to take the Uchiha away from Konoha...
Unfortunately, no one followed him that day.
Of course no one did!
You were the one who said they should put aside their hatred and live peacefully with the Senju clan. You had already beaten the heads off every radical who disagreed.
We listened to you and settled down. Our children had not even reached their first month, and then you said it was time to fight again?
That wasn't how this worked, boss!
Kamizuki was nine this year, much taller than children his age. His gaze swept over those youthful faces and spotted a certain little blondie.
The shinobi village system was correct, and the Ninja Academy model had a far higher chance of discovering talent than the clan model.
If he wanted to change the future of the Uchiha massacre, leading the clan out of Konoha would not work.
This was no longer the Warring States Period. The strength of a single clan could not possibly contend with a shinobi village. Even if they joined another shinobi village, their outcome would not be better than it was in Konoha.
The Land of Water had the most Kekkei Genkai clans. How many were left afterward?
Kumogakure was a pack of barbarians who took whatever they wanted. Did they kidnap Kushina and Hinata because they planned to give them wonderful lives?
Speaking of Kushina, the Uzumaki Clan was exactly what happened to a powerful clan that did not join a shinobi village.
Among the short ones, Konoha was still the tallest. It truly was the most harmonious place.
That was why so many shinobi who had witnessed the cruelty of the Shinobi World would spare no cost to protect this ideal land in their hearts.
Hashirama Senju was like that. So was Itachi Uchiha.
In the end...
It was because you weren't strong enough, Madara Uchiha!
If you had been the one who won back then, the Uchiha would not be the ones with something to worry about!
Your so-called truth was nothing more than a loser's self-pity!!
--
--
Because this year's intake included many more transfer students from shinobi clans, Sarutobi Hiruzen arranged for his three disciples to oversee the class assignments.
They were the recently renowned trio of jōnin: Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru.
"Lady Tsunade! She's Konoha's youngest female jōnin! She's so beautiful!!"
"The one next to her is Lord Orochimaru, right? He's so cool! So handsome!!"
"I heard Lord Orochimaru is a genius seen only once in decades!"
"Wow!! Are they going to be teachers? I really want to be assigned to Lord Orochimaru's class!"
"I want Lady Tsunade!!"
A typical Ninja Academy scene: the commotion of precocious Konoha children.
However, they tacitly ignored a certain white-haired man.
"Hey! Don't forget about Lord Jiraiya! Can't you see me? I'm a jōnin too!!"
"My nickname is..."
"Big brother, which teacher do you want?"
Mikoto leaned closer, her large eyes sparkling. "I like Lady Tsunade the most! I want to become a powerful and gentle kunoichi like her too!"
Powerful, sure. Gentle?
Kamizuki pressed a hand against Mikoto's forehead and pushed her back slightly. "Forget it. You're an Uchiha. You won't pass the political review."
"Big brother, you're saying things I don't understand again. And you can't use 'one' to describe people!"
The gentle and reserved Mikoto had become half a snarky commentator over the years because of Kamizuki.
"You still haven't answered me!"
Kamizuki thought for a moment, a strange smile curling his lips. "If I had to say... Lord Orochimaru would be a very good choice."
As everyone knew, two of the Sannin took disciples, while the other took a father.
"You think so too, classmate!"
A very noisy voice rang out beside them.
He was a guy who looked downright sunny, grinning with two rows of gleaming white teeth exposed and rosy cheeks.
"Senior Orochimaru is the coolest! I want to be his student too!"
He came over familiarly and held out his hand. "My name is Nawaki. I just came to the Ninja Academy today. What's your name?"
Nawaki...
This one really was doomed to die young.
Kamizuki was not used to dealing with people this overly enthusiastic, so he did not take his hand. "Didn't anyone tell you what the symbols on our clothes represent?"
Nawaki glanced at the clan emblem on Kamizuki's shoulder and smiled without caring. "We're all companions from the same village. Our surnames aren't important."
"Let's get acquainted, Uchiha classmate!!"
Kamizuki remained unmoved. "Then I'll be direct. I dislike people who are overly enthusiastic like you."
"Huh?"
Nawaki looked like an eggplant struck by frost, his outstretched hand hanging helplessly in the air.
Mikoto was the one who could not bear to watch any longer. She shoved Kamizuki aside, stepped forward, and shook Nawaki's hand with an apologetic smile. "I'm Uchiha Mikoto, and this is my brother, Kamizuki."
"I'm terribly sorry. He's far too rude!"
"N-No... it's fine..."
Tsunade and the others were approaching around then. Seeing the commotion here, they quickened their pace.
That Uchiha brat wasn't bullying Nawaki, was he?
Before you continue