Uchiha Fugaku's Rage

Early the next morning, the Ninja Academy plaza was packed with a dense crowd of people.

"Did you hear? Someone is applying for early graduation?"

"Of course, look, even the Hokage is here."

"But didn't this year's students just enroll the day before yesterday?"

"Well, you can't argue with a genius. For all we know, they already had the strength of a genin before they even started school!"

"Hiss, that's terrifying!"

Whispers rippled through the crowd below. Sarutobi Hiruzen wore his Hokage hat, a pipe dangling from his mouth.

Since Uchiha Itachi graduated early four years ago, this was the only time in four years that someone had applied for early graduation.

Once the news broke yesterday, the entire village had been in an uproar.

At the crack of dawn, hundreds of people had dropped their work to rush over and join the spectacle.

"Lord Hokage, the time has come."

Iruka walked up to Sarutobi Hiruzen, looking awkward.

"So, Uchiha Kei is late?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed helplessly.

Obito used to love being late, and now it was Uchiha Kei's turn.

Could the Uchiha Clan not afford a clock?

"Yes..."

Iruka's face was filled with embarrassment, and he couldn't help but curse Uchiha Kei in his heart.

You were the one who applied for early graduation, the Hokage himself came to proctor the exam, and yet you didn't show up...

What kind of situation is this?

"If he isn't here in ten minutes, cancel the early graduation exam."

"Yes!"

Time ticked by, second by second. Just as the crowd was growing impatient, two figures sauntered in.

"Yo, there are so many people today."

Naruto looked at the sea of people surrounding them, feeling somewhat surprised.

"Yeah, why are there so many people?"

Uchiha Kei was equally confused.

It had rained last night, and his small shack had turned into a water curtain cave. He had been busy until dawn and only managed to sleep for a little while, completely forgetting about the early graduation.

"Is something big happening? Kei, let's go take a look."

Naruto wore an expression of gossip, pulling Uchiha Kei into the crowd.

"Why hasn't anyone come out yet? Didn't they say there was an early graduation exam?"

"Yeah, I don't know who it is, but they're wasting everyone's time. I skipped work just to come watch the show."

"Exactly, exactly!"

Whispers continued to drift through the crowd.

Naruto heard them clearly, but Uchiha Kei beside him had already drifted off to sleep.

"Kei! Kei!"

Naruto shook Uchiha Kei excitedly.

"Stop it, let me sleep a bit more."

Uchiha Kei was dazed, irritably pushing Naruto away.

"Stop sleeping, stop sleeping, there's a show to watch!"

Uchiha Kei opened his eyes in annoyance, "What show?"

"Do you know why there are so many people? Because someone is applying for an early graduation exam today!"

Naruto spoke with excitement, his eyes darting around, trying to see who was so impressive.

Graduation exam?

Early?

Uchiha Kei froze, his face turning pale the next moment.

"I wonder who it is, being so confident. Enrolled the day before yesterday, graduating today—that's amazing. And they even dared to be late."

Naruto clicked his tongue in admiration, failing to notice Uchiha Kei's increasingly pale face.

"Kei..."

Naruto turned back, only to find Uchiha Kei walking stiffly toward the center of the field.

"Huh? Kei, where are you going?"

Uchiha Kei could no longer hear Naruto's voice; his mind was entirely filled with Iruka's scolding...

"Kei!"

Sure enough, the moment he spotted Uchiha Kei, Iruka's booming voice erupted.

"Thump!"

"Ow!"

Uchiha Kei winced, rubbing the fresh, throbbing bump on his head as Iruka dragged him over to Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Lord Hokage, Uchiha Kei has arrived."

Iruka pressed down on Kei's head, bowing repeatedly in apology.

"Ah, he's here. Then let the examination begin."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze was indifferent.

"Yes!"

Iruka pulled Uchiha Kei to the center of the stage.

"Everyone, today Uchiha Kei of the Uchiha Clan has applied for an early graduation exam. Because it is an early graduation request, the assessment consists of three parts..."

While Iruka rattled on, the people below were stunned.

Uchiha Kei?

The one who hangs out with the fox demon every day?

The "waste" that the Uchiha Clan hasn't seen in a hundred years?

You've got to be kidding...

In the middle of the crowd, there was an isolated clearing where only a dozen or so people stood, with the surrounding crowd subconsciously keeping their distance.

These dozen people had cold, stern expressions, and each of their garments was embroidered with a fan crest.

The Uchiha Clan!

"Clan Leader, it's one of our own."

The man addressed as the Clan Leader frowned, staring at Uchiha Kei on the stage.

"Which family's child is he?"

"It seems to be Uchiha Tenshi's child."

The person asked watched for a moment before speaking uncertainly.

"Uchiha Tenshi? The Chunin who sacrificed himself during the Third Great Ninja War?"

Uchiha Fugaku thought for a moment, and a vague figure surfaced in his mind.

"Yes, that's him."

Uchiha Fugaku's brow furrowed even tighter.

If he remembered correctly, Uchiha Tenshi's child...

Was the one known as the Uchiha Clan's once-in-a-century waste...

"Absurd!" Uchiha Fugaku growled. "Who is raising him now? Get him down here immediately! He is bringing shame upon our entire Uchiha Clan!"

"Uh..."

The person asked hesitated, looking at Uchiha Fugaku with a troubled expression.

"What is it?"

"Clan Leader, ever since Uchiha Tenshi sacrificed himself, his wife also passed away from a severe illness. This child... has been living on his own."

Uchiha Fugaku turned around abruptly, his gaze icy. "The child of a hero who died on the battlefield, left with no one to raise him after his mother passed away?"

"Y-yes..."

The man didn't dare lift his head, his face flushed bright red.

Uchiha Fugaku swept his gaze across those around him, and wherever his eyes landed, they lowered their heads.

"Good, very good!" Uchiha Fugaku sneered. "It seems you all knew, yet I, the Clan Leader, was the only one kept in the dark."

"Clan Leader..."

"Shut up!"

Uchiha Fugaku's aura erupted violently, and those around him quickly knelt to the ground.

"A hero sacrifices himself on the battlefield, and after his death, his child is left uncared for—is this the fine work you've done?"

"A once-in-a-century waste? It's a miracle this child even survived, let alone practiced!"

Uchiha Fugaku caught his breath, a flush of anger coloring his stern face.

"You spend all day dreaming of becoming the leader of Konoha, yet you can't even take care of your own clansmen. What kind of leaders are you!"

Uchiha Fugaku kept his voice extremely low as he spoke, as if the words were being squeezed out from the depths of his throat.

"The fallen clansmen have monthly pensions delivered to those who raise their children, so where did this pension money go?"

The people around him trembled, not daring to answer.

"Once we return, investigate this matter thoroughly! Deal with it severely!"

"The Uchiha Clan will not tolerate parasites!"

"Yes!"

The surrounding men hurriedly agreed.

Uchiha Fugaku turned around, his gaze becoming complex as he looked at Uchiha Kei.

A child who had lost both parents at a young age...

A child who had been called a once-in-a-century failure...

All these years...

He had suffered so much...

At this thought, Uchiha Fugaku's eyes grew slightly red.