After leaving the Hokage Building, Uchiha You did not return to the clan compound right away.
Instead, he turned into a secluded alley.
Uchiha Chuan followed behind him and asked in a lowered voice,
"You, was the Hokage Building really just sending you out to investigate?"
Uchiha You leaned against the wall, his expression calm.
"On the surface, yes."
Uchiha Chuan's expression changed.
"What about in reality?"
Uchiha You glanced at him.
"In reality, they want me to die out there."
Uchiha Chuan sucked in a sharp breath.
"What?"
Uchiha You said blandly,
"Danzo will not allow someone who dared to trample the Shimura Clan's dignity today to keep living."
"And the Third Hokage will not turn against Danzo for my sake."
"So this mission looks like an official assignment, but in truth, it is murder by proxy."
A chill ran through Uchiha Chuan's heart as he listened.
"Then why did you agree?"
Uchiha You smiled.
"Because I needed to leave anyway."
Uchiha Chuan froze.
"Leave?"
Uchiha You raised his eyes toward the distant Hokage Building, his gaze deep.
"Konoha's waters are too muddy."
"I need to leave first if I am to find someone who can truly flip the table."
Uchiha Chuan did not understand.
But he vaguely felt that after Uchiha You had walked out of the Hokage Building today, he seemed to have changed.
He had become colder.
And more dangerous.
"Those three ANBU..."
The corner of Uchiha You's lips lifted slightly.
"ANBU?"
"Heh."
"If I'm not mistaken, those three should all be from Root."
Uchiha Chuan's face turned even paler.
"Root? Isn't that Danzo's..."
"Yes."
Uchiha You's tone remained calm.
"So now you understand?"
"This mission is not sending me to investigate the Land of Water."
"It is sending me to die."
"They just picked the wrong person."
Uchiha Chuan swallowed and asked softly,
"Then... should we tell the clan head?"
Uchiha You shook his head.
"There's no need."
"Even if the clan head knew, he could not change anything."
"If he had the courage to tear things apart with the higher-ups, the Uchiha Clan would not have been suppressed to this extent."
Uchiha Chuan fell silent.
Deep down, he knew that while those words were harsh, they were the truth.
Uchiha You patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry."
"I won't die."
"On the contrary, this trip out of the village may be far more interesting than staying in Konoha."
Uchiha Chuan looked at him, wanting to speak but holding back.
Uchiha You had already turned and left.
"Go back and prepare."
"I leave first thing tomorrow morning."
Uchiha Chuan hurriedly asked,
"You're not going back to the clan compound?"
Uchiha You paused and glanced back, a faint, elusive smile at the corner of his mouth.
"I am."
"Of course I am."
"But before I go back, there is someone else I need to see."
By the Naka River.
The evening wind blew across the river, carrying a touch of chill.
Uchiha You stood on the riverbank, watching the slowly setting sun in the distance, his expression thoughtful.
Just then, a figure emerged from behind a tree.
Black hair, a short sword, and the Uchiha Clan crest.
Shisui Uchiha.
"You."
Shisui looked at him, his brows slightly furrowed.
"I heard about what happened on the shopping street today."
Uchiha You did not turn around and merely said blandly,
"Word travels fast."
Shisui fell silent for a moment.
"You went too far today."
Uchiha You gave a light laugh.
"Are you here to tell me to endure it too?"
Shisui shook his head.
"I just think you should not have beaten the Shimura Clan member into that state."
"Even if he was in the wrong, he should have been handed over to Lord Hokage."
Uchiha You finally turned around.
Looking at Shisui, he suddenly found it rather laughable.
This guy was clearly already standing at the edge of a cliff, yet he was still thinking about setting the table straight.
Uchiha You asked,
"Shisui, do you think Lord Hokage will speak up for the Uchiha Clan?"
Shisui frowned.
"Lord Hokage has always valued the village's balance."
Uchiha You asked again,
"What about Danzo?"
Shisui's expression stiffened.
"Lord Danzo's methods may be extreme, but he acts for Konoha's sake."
Uchiha You laughed.
"That line again."
He slowly approached Shisui, his calm tone terrifying.
"Then let me ask you."
"Why did Shimura Takuma dare to publicly insult the Police Force today?"
"Why did all the villagers fall silent the moment they heard the name Shimura Clan?"
"Why did Uchiha law enforcement end up looking like the ones in the wrong?"
Shisui fell silent.
Uchiha You continued,
"Because in their eyes, the Uchiha Clan is no longer part of Konoha."
"We are something they can suppress, hammer down, and sacrifice whenever they please."
Shisui's brows drew tightly together.
"It won't come to that."
Uchiha You looked at him, his gaze calm yet sharp.
"Do you really think so?"
Shisui did not answer.
Uchiha You did not press him, merely saying blandly,
"Shisui."
"I am leaving the village tomorrow for a mission in the Land of Water."
Shisui froze.
"So soon?"
"Who assigned you the mission?"
"The Hokage Building."
Shisui's expression changed slightly.
"Why is the Hokage Building suddenly sending you out of the village?"
Uchiha You looked at him and gave a meaningful smile.
"What do you think?"
Shisui fell silent.
As one of the Uchiha Clan's most perceptive geniuses, he was not stupid.
In an instant, he vaguely guessed something.
Uchiha You continued,
"If I don't come back, you needn't be too surprised."
Shisui's pupils contracted.
"You!"
Uchiha You interrupted him.
"Don't be so tense."
"I'm not going to my death."
"On the contrary, this may be my only chance to escape Konoha's surveillance."
Shisui stared at him blankly.
"What exactly do you want to do?"
Uchiha You raised his head toward the darkening sunset clouds, his gaze profound.
"Something Konoha does not dare let me do."
Shisui's heart skipped a beat.
"What?"
Uchiha You said softly,
"Let those people hiding in the darkness see the light first."
Shisui did not understand.
But he could sense that the suppressed chill around Uchiha You was gradually becoming sharper.
Like a blade being drawn from its sheath.
"Shisui."
Uchiha You suddenly spoke.
"If one day, Konoha made you choose between the village and your clan."
"What would you choose?"
Shisui froze.
This question was almost identical to the one asked at the Police Force today.
He opened his mouth, but still did not answer immediately.
Uchiha You chuckled softly at that.
"See?"
"You still can't answer."
Shisui clenched his fists.
"Because that question should never have existed in the first place."
Uchiha You looked at him, his tone calm.
"But it already exists."
"And soon, it'll be your turn."
Shisui's heart jolted.
He wanted to ask more, but Uchiha You had already turned and left.
Leaving behind only one final sentence, drifting in the wind.
"Help me watch over the clan grounds until tomorrow."
"Especially the children of the clan."
Shisui stood frozen where he was.
For some reason, Uchiha You's words sounded like he was making final arrangements.
Yet somehow, Shisui could not hear even the slightest hint of a death wish in his tone.
Instead, he sounded like a beast about to enter the hunting grounds.
Late at night.
When Uchiha You returned to the clan grounds, the clan had already quieted down.
Most people were still discussing what had happened during the day.
Some were worried.
Some were excited.
Others felt that Uchiha You had been too impulsive today, and that he would sooner or later bring trouble upon himself.
Uchiha You ignored those voices.
He walked straight into the courtyard and pushed open the door.
A meal had already been laid out on the table.
A familiar figure sat by the table, sorting the Kunai beside a child.
Uchiha Mikoto.
Seeing him return, Mikoto looked up and spoke softly.
"You're back?"
Uchiha You nodded.
"Mm."
Mikoto glanced at him, her gaze falling on his slightly weary face, concern coloring her voice.
"I heard about what happened today."
"You were too impulsive."
That again.
Uchiha You suddenly wanted to laugh.
It seemed that everyone in the Uchiha Clan, except for him, was still accustomed to facing everything with the words "just endure it."
He pulled out a chair, sat down, and picked up his chopsticks.
"If I hadn't been a little impulsive, the one sitting here right now might not have been me."
Mikoto froze slightly.
Uchiha You said nothing more and simply lowered his head to eat.
After a while, Mikoto asked softly.
"You're leaving the village tomorrow?"
Uchiha You paused.
"How did you know?"
Mikoto lowered her voice.
"Word has already spread through the clan."
"The Hokage Building is sending you to the Land of Water on a mission, with three ANBU assigned to accompany you."
Uchiha You raised his eyes.
"That news traveled fast."
Mikoto looked at him, a flicker of complexity passing through her eyes.
"You."
"Tell me honestly. Is there something wrong with this mission?"
Uchiha You did not answer. He only smiled.
"If I said there was, would you tell me not to go?"
Mikoto fell silent.
Uchiha You looked at her and understood the answer in his heart.
She would not.
Because Mikoto was also Uchiha.
She knew that the Uchiha Clan no longer had many choices left.
Even if there was a pit ahead, someone had to walk into it first and test it.
Uchiha You set down his chopsticks, his voice quiet yet exceptionally clear.
"Don't worry."
"I'll come back."
"And after I return, many people in Konoha probably won't be able to smile anymore."
Mikoto looked at him, and her heart suddenly trembled.
She did not know why, but Uchiha You today gave her a feeling of immense danger, yet also absolute reliability.
Like an approaching storm.
Oppressive.
Heavy.
But enough to tear apart certain old things.
Uchiha You rose to his feet and walked toward the door.
Just before leaving, he paused and looked back into the room.
"Oh, right."
"If Itachi comes back, tell him to find me."
Mikoto froze.
"What do you want with Itachi?"
The corners of Uchiha You's lips rose slightly.
"There are some things I need to discuss with him in advance."
With that, he pulled open the door and stepped into the night.
Inside the room, Mikoto stared blankly at his retreating back for a long time without coming back to herself.
For some reason, she had a premonition.
Starting tomorrow.
The Uchiha Clan would likely no longer be the same as it was today.
And all of Konoha would gradually stray from its original course because of this young Uchiha's departure.
The night wind swept over the Naka River.
Uchiha You stood outside the courtyard, looking up at the row of faces on Hokage Rock in the distance, his eyes cold and deep.
Danzo had already begun laying his net.
The Third Hokage had already given his tacit approval.
Then come.
Tomorrow.
I'll walk out of Konoha myself.
Then I'll show you what real trouble is.
Before you continue