It Felt Like His Son Was the Father

"Something's wrong, Clan Head!"

The sudden voice shattered the tense, murderous atmosphere between the two.

"Hmph! I hope it's as you said, and that I'll get an answer then. Otherwise, I'll make you pay!"

Fugaku snorted coldly, rose to his feet, and walked toward the door, not forgetting to leave behind a threat before he left.

Phew!

After stepping out of the room, Fugaku let out a long breath. Without realizing it, his back had broken out in a cold sweat.

That had been far too close!

A wave of lingering fear rose in his heart.

The pressure Sasuke had released just now had been too overwhelming. Even he, a top-tier ninja, had felt frightened.

He had truly acted too impulsively just now!

Fugaku secretly reflected on his earlier behavior, while also feeling somewhat fortunate. Luckily, he had not made a move. Otherwise, things would have gone terribly wrong.

To clarify, this absolutely was not because he was afraid of the other party!

This was his own home, after all. If they fought here, Mikoto would definitely be caught up in it.

So it definitely was not because he had chickened out that he had not attacked.

"Hm? Honey, why is your face covered in sweat? Did something happen?"

At that moment, Mikoto, who was clearing the dining table, noticed Fugaku and asked in confusion.

"N-No! Something happened in the clan. I need to deal with it, so I won't explain right now!"

Fugaku wiped the sweat from his face and hurried outside.

Outside the courtyard, an ordinary-looking Uchiha clan member was kneeling on one knee.

"Tell me, what exactly happened that made you rush over to inform me?"

Fugaku asked with a poker face.

"Reporting to the Clan Head, it's the Hyuga clan. Members of the Hyuga clan came to our territory looking for trouble, and there are quite a few of them!

"Most of them are Hyuga clan jonin. Even their clan head, Hiashi Hyuga, came personally. They clearly mean trouble!"

"Hm? The Hyuga clan came here to cause trouble at a time like this?"

Fugaku frowned in confusion upon hearing this.

The Uchiha clan and the Hyuga clan had never thought highly of each other. Though members of both clans had their conflicts in private, they would not bring those disputes into the open.

Especially with Hiashi Hyuga, the clan head himself, coming here personally. That made things highly unusual.

Could the Third Hokage have ordered this?

No matter how hard Fugaku thought, he could not figure it out. He asked, "Did they say why they came to our Uchiha clan?"

"Uh... they only said they wanted you, Clan Head, to give them justice. They also mentioned Young Master Sasuke and said Young Master Sasuke had to pay the price or something!"

The corner of Clan Head Fugaku's mouth twitched. There was no need to think about it. This was almost certainly trouble caused by that fake Sasuke.

Thinking of fake Sasuke's brutal side, along with the Hyuga clan head coming to their door in person—

Fugaku could not help but imagine the worst possibility: perhaps that fake Sasuke had crippled several Hyuga clan members.

Fugaku only felt a headache coming on. It was bad enough that the guy had impersonated his son; he had even gone out and caused trouble for him.

And he had no choice but to clean up after this fake.

Just thinking about it was miserable!

At that moment, the wooden sliding door behind him was pushed open, and Sasuke walked out.

"They're looking for me? Why are the Hyuga people looking for me? I didn't provoke them!"

Sasuke said with an innocent expression.

Fugaku turned around and gave him a look that clearly said, "Do you think I believe that?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and thought carefully. He suddenly remembered that while training that afternoon, he seemed to have taught two little Hyuga brats a lesson.

"Oh! I remember now. This afternoon, I just gave two little Hyuga kids a tiny lesson."

"For something like that, the Hyuga clan actually came here as a group to pick a fight? Aren't they being too petty?"

"Uh... are you sure you mean a tiny bit, not an enormous bit?"

Fugaku was skeptical. He still clearly remembered what this guy called a tiny lesson when he caused trouble at the clan meeting—it was electrocuting someone until they were half dead.

Uchiha Zongren was still lying in a hospital ward receiving treatment!

"It was just a tiny bit. They were only little kids, so there was no need for me to make a huge fuss!"

Sasuke was utterly speechless. Did he look like the kind of person who nitpicked with little kids?

At that moment, he had already forgotten that he had used genjutsu on Hyuga Taiju.

They were only two tiny pieces of trash. He simply could not be bothered to remember them too much.

"Alright! Handle this little matter yourself. Otherwise, what do we need you as clan head for?"

Sasuke waved his hand and turned to head back inside.

Fugaku's expression stiffened. Even in front of his subordinate, this guy would not give him any face?

The Uchiha messenger below wore a strange expression. Why did it feel like Sasuke was the father instead?

Of course, he only thought it. He did not dare say it aloud.

Keeping a respectful expression, he reminded him:

"Clan Head, you should hurry over there. Otherwise, our clansmen might start fighting them!"

"Ahem!"

After coughing twice to ease the awkwardness, Fugaku said seriously:

"Alright! Take me there at once!"

After thinking for a moment, he added another sentence to maintain the image of a dignified clan head before his subordinate.

"Sasuke has become a little rebellious after only a few days at the Ninja Academy. When I get back, I'll have to teach him a proper lesson."

The messenger ninja hurriedly agreed:

"That's right, that's right! My brat is the same. Ever since he started at the Ninja Academy, he's been getting cocky. He even dares to talk back to his old man!"

"Mhm!" Fugaku nodded deeply in agreement. "Children at this age are more or less rebellious. As parents, we must educate them properly! The next time I see that son of mine, I'll make the brat taste the weight of my iron fist!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Clan Head, you're absolutely right!"

Fugaku was quite satisfied. His subordinate really knew how to play along.

His mood immediately improved quite a bit.

But before the two had gone very far, the wooden sliding door behind them opened again.

Sasuke emerged with both hands in his pockets. Seeing Fugaku looking at him, he casually explained:

"Forget it, I'll come along after all. Mainly because I'm worried you won't be able to handle it."

After taking a few steps, Sasuke noticed that Fugaku was still standing where he was. He raised an eyebrow and urged:

"Come on! What are you standing there for!? Your legs aren't cramping up, are they!?"

"Let's go! With me there to back you up, you can relax completely! If those Hyuga clan guys dare act arrogant, I'll make sure they can't walk away clean!"

Sasuke gave a heroic wave of his hand, naturally exuding the air of a big brother.

"Uh..."

The messenger ninja beside them was dumbfounded. How was this rebellious? This was practically reaching for the heavens!

Unable to watch any longer, he decided to speak up for the clan head.

"Hey! Young Master Sasuke, how can you speak to your father like that!? Be careful, or your father will teach you a lesson with his iron fists later! Hurry and apologize to Clan Head Fugaku, or else—"

"Shut up! Move!"

Before he could finish, he was interrupted. The one who spoke was Fugaku.

At that moment, Fugaku walked ahead with a dark expression. His mood, which had just improved, had instantly sunk to the bottom.

He had just boasted in front of his subordinate, only to be slapped in the face the very next moment. Any dignity he had as clan head was completely gone in front of this subordinate.

Meanwhile, the Uchiha messenger wore a bewildered expression, his head full of questions.

Clan Head, I was helping you educate your child! Why are you yelling at me?

Besides, you were the one who just said you would teach your son a lesson with your fists. Why weren't you doing it now!?

But after seeing Fugaku's face, dark enough to drip ink, he ultimately did not dare voice the doubts in his stomach!