Startup Funds

Uchiha Setsuna fell silent for a long while. His thin fingers unconsciously rubbed the rim of his teacup, the calluses on his fingertips rough enough to scrape up wood shavings.

Outside the stone house, wind rustled through the pine forest, mingling with faint shouts in the distance.

It was the signal of the Konoha Military Police Force on patrol. Now, it had become a shackle binding the Uchiha.

He slammed his teacup onto the stone table. Tea splashed out, wetting his sleeve, and a resolve as fierce as any young man's flashed in his eyes.

"You're right. We've endured this for too long."

"Ever since that old dog Tobirama established the Military Police Force, we've been treated as Konoha's 'outsiders.' Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō play off each other, treating us like fish on a chopping board."

"Our clansmen are either numb and resigned, or blinded by rage, but no one dares take that step. I fought alongside Lord Madara when I was young and guarded our home alongside Lord Izuna, but in the end, we Uchiha were still left with everyone calling for our heads."

Setsuna's voice carried years of suppressed anger, along with the desolation of old age.

"Shaoyu, you're a courageous young man. More rare still, you see things more clearly than anyone. You have my support."

He went to the wall and pressed a hidden mechanism. The wall slid open, revealing a secret room behind it.

He took out a scroll bearing the clan's Gunbai crest and handed it to Shaoyu.

"Inside are things you might find useful, including copies of some of the clan's secret techniques, information on certain hidden Shinobi World outposts, and... enough funds to get you started. There's only so much I can do. Too many people in the clan are watching me."

Then he walked into the courtyard and let out a low whistle like a night owl.

Moments later, ten figures landed without a sound and knelt on one knee before Setsuna.

They were all young. The oldest was barely in his twenties, and the youngest looked only eleven or twelve. Yet every one of them had sharp eyes and a formidable presence, with the Uchiha's characteristic pride and a hint of restlessness long held in check.

Their leader was a long-haired Uchiha with a resolute face and eyes that blazed like burning coals.

He was Uchiha Setsuna's grandson, Uchiha Renhuo.

"Grandfather," he said gravely, his eyes swiftly sweeping over Shaoyu in scrutiny.

"Renhuo," Setsuna said, his voice leaving no room for argument.

"This is Shaoyu. You should know him. His word is my word. From this moment on, the ten of you will leave the Konoha Uchiha and follow Shaoyu out of here."

Renhuo trembled slightly, and his eyes blazed with astonishing light—a mixture of shock, elation, and resolve.

He naturally knew Uchiha Shaoyu, the prodigy of the Uchiha Clan and one of the Hawk Faction's leaders. Renhuo was a prodigy in his own right, but he couldn't help feeling inferior in Shaoyu's presence.

The nine behind him also caught their breath. Two men who looked like Jonin clenched their fists, while the seven Chunin—including two beautiful young women with resolute expressions—felt flames kindle in their eyes.

"Grandfather, we..."

"There's no need to say more!"

Setsuna cut him off, his gaze sweeping over the ten young faces.

"Konoha's rotten leaders and cowardly rulers have already driven the Uchiha to the brink. Stay, and you'll either be assimilated or die. The Uchiha's future doesn't lie in Konoha's stagnant waters. Follow Shaoyu out into the world, and use your Sharingan to carve out a place for yourselves! Make the Shinobi World remember that Uchiha blood has never run cold!"

A faint stir rose inside the stone house. Surprise flashed in some eyes, hesitation showed on others, but most of all there was long-suppressed excitement and resolve.

Renhuo pondered for a moment, then spoke first.

"If Grandfather has made his decision, Renhuo has no objections. Staying in Konoha is just a slow death. We might as well risk everything."

"We're willing too!" The other nine chimed in. They had long since had enough of Konoha's oppression; they had just been waiting for someone to take the lead.

Shaoyu's gaze swept over them, and he saw defiance and resolve burning in every pair of eyes.

Besides Renhuo, who was a Jonin, there were two more Jonin. Their steady presence spoke of veterans who had seen battle many times.

The remaining seven were Chunin. Though younger, they showed not the slightest fear. Their Sharingan were already active, Tomoe spinning rapidly in their pupils.

"These are the Hawk Faction's core strength, and the young people in the clan with the most fire in their hearts."

Uchiha Setsuna came to Shaoyu's side and patted his shoulder with a thin hand. The pressure was surprisingly heavy.

"Renhuo is a Jonin with plenty of experience. He can take a lot off your shoulders. The other two Jonin are high-ranking fighters in the clan, skilled in both offense and defense."

"The remaining Chunin are all elites, too, and exceptionally capable. I'm old and can't make the journey with you, but I'm entrusting these young people to you."

Uchiha Renhuo stepped forward and spoke gravely.

"Shaoyu, we know the road of a defector is dangerous, but as long as you lead the way, we'll follow you through fire and sword."

One of the women, a Chunin dressed in a fitted purple outfit, spoke as well.

"Shaoyu, my name is Uchiha Rei. I'm skilled in genjutsu and Medical Ninjutsu. If anyone gets hurt along the way, I can handle it."

Uchiha Shaoyu gave her another look. Most members of the Uchiha Clan had Yin Release Chakra, and those with Yang Release Chakra were few and far between. Medical Ninjutsu required Yang Release Chakra, so it was no easy feat for a girl from the Uchiha Clan to use it.

The other woman, a petite Chunin, added, "My name is Uchiha Mei. I'm good at tracking and reconnaissance, so I can help everyone evade Konoha's pursuers."

Shaoyu looked at the ten before him, then at Elder Setsuna, his hair graying at the temples. Warmth welled up inside him.

He knew that the elderly man had not only bought him time to gather people but had also entrusted the Hawk Faction's future to him. With their help, their escape would be that much safer.

He drew a deep breath and slowly raised a hand, revealing his Sharingan.

Unlike an ordinary Three Tomoe Sharingan, his eyes, bolstered by the Six Eyes, held a faintly shifting light in their pupils, making them seem all the deeper.

"Everyone," Shaoyu declared, his voice ringing out firmly.

"From today on, we're no longer Konoha's ninja, nor are we lambs waiting to be slaughtered. We'll live for ourselves and fight for the Uchiha's future. The road ahead may be full of thorns, but as long as we stand together, we'll carve out a way to survive."

Uchiha Setsuna's gaze was instantly drawn to those unusual eyes. His cloudy pupils contracted sharply. His thin frame leaned forward of its own accord, and his breathing quickened.

He stared fixedly at Shaoyu's left eye, the Tomoe in his Sharingan spinning frantically, as if he wanted to etch every detail of it into his memory. His voice trembled with disbelief.

"This... This is... the Mangekyō Sharingan?!"

Shaoyu nodded slowly and withdrew some of his power. The light in his eyes gradually dimmed, but their unique shape remained.

"More or less, Elder. It's a form of the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"The Mangekyō... It really is the Mangekyō!"

Uchiha Setsuna shot to his feet, nearly overturning the stone table in his haste. His withered hand smacked down hard enough to make the teacup jump several inches.

All hesitation vanished from his eyes, replaced by irrepressible excitement and joy. Tears even welled in his cloudy eyes.

"I thought the Uchiha's Mangekyō had become a legend after Lord Madara. I never imagined it would reappear in your generation, and in such a unique form! Heaven has bestowed hope upon the Uchiha!"

He stumbled over to Shaoyu and clutched his shoulders with both hands. His knuckles went white with the force of his grip, and although his voice was choked with tears, his words were full of conviction.

"Shaoyu! You're the future of the Uchiha Clan! With those eyes, how could we fail to restore the clan's glory? So what if those old fools suppress us? So what if Konoha ostracizes us? With the Mangekyō Sharingan, you can lead the clan through the slaughter and build a true home for the Uchiha!"

The young Uchiha around them didn't understand why Setsuna was so excited, but they knew enough to grasp the significance of the Mangekyō Sharingan. One by one, they gazed at Uchiha Shaoyu with admiration.

This was Lord Uchiha Shaoyu, their future leader.

"We'll follow you, Shaoyu, and defect from Konoha. Until death, we won't turn back!"

The ten shouted in unison, their voices making the stone house tremble. The place was well soundproofed, so there was no need to worry about the sound getting out. The Sharingan in their eyes all lit up at once, their scarlet glow interweaving in the dim stone house and illuminating their resolute faces.

Uchiha Setsuna watched them, a note of relief in his cloudy eyes as the wrinkles at their corners relaxed. He took a scroll wrapped in burlap from inside his robe and handed it to Shaoyu with trembling hands.

"This is a map of the tunnels on the outskirts of the clan compound. I helped build them when I was young. They can get you past Konoha's patrols and Root's hidden sentries. Take this route. But have you decided where you'll go?"

Shaoyu nodded and said, "Kumogakure."