The Uchiha Clan

Sunny Day looked awful. His captain had humiliated himself so badly that he felt ashamed by association.

Unlike him, everyone else was more shocked by Kakashi's strength.

"I didn't even notice when he cast the genjutsu. Is this Hatake Kakashi?"

"As expected of ANBU's strongest. He's terrifying!"

"He's not qualified to be called ANBU's strongest. Shisui Uchiha is the real number one... though Kakashi isn't bad either."

"The younger generation surpasses the old. Young people these days are incredible. I'm getting old..."

As he listened to the praise around him, Itachi alone stood there with a strange expression, recalling what Kakashi had whispered in his ear earlier.

"When Sunny Day isn't paying attention, cast a genjutsu on him. His attention will be entirely on me, so he definitely won't guard against anyone nearby."

"Don't worry. None of these people are skilled in genjutsu. You can vent some Ki too."

Itachi Uchiha carefully recalled Kakashi's actions and realized that he was nothing like the person he had heard about.

Kakashi looked at Sunny Day, still immersed in the genjutsu, a cold glint flashing through his eyes.

He raised his leg and stomped down hard on Sunny Day's knee. Sunny Day's leg immediately bent backward at an unnatural angle.

"Ah!"

Sunny Day let out a miserable scream as bone-deep pain dragged him from that pleasant illusion back into cruel reality.

Before Sunny Day could react, Kakashi kicked the knee of his other leg. Sunny Day had no ability to defend himself at all.

Sunny Day collapsed onto the ground. Looking at Kakashi before him and his broken legs, how could he not realize that he had fallen under a genjutsu?

"Bastard, you played dirty!" Sunny Day gritted out through Kiba.

"Or what?" Kakashi kicked the sprawled Sunny Day off the arena. "We're ANBU ninja. If we don't play dirty, are we supposed to fight fair?"

"You!" A vicious gleam flashed through Sunny Day's eyes. "You attacked me so brutally. Aren't you afraid the Third Hokage will hold you accountable?"

Sunny Day seemed to have completely forgotten that, inside the genjutsu, he had beaten Kakashi far worse than he was now.

It was only a genjutsu. You have no way to prove it!

Kakashi, I'll make you pay!

"Please~, Senior, are you really so old that you've gone senile?"

Kakashi gave Sunny Day a surprised look. "Before we got on the arena, we already said that everyone would bear the consequences themselves. So many people can testify."

"Besides, at your age and with injuries like these, can you even return to ANBU? Do you still have any value to the village?"

"Would the Third Hokage kick me out of ANBU because of you? At most, he'll give me a meaningless scolding. What outcome were you expecting?"

"You!" Sunny Day was so furious that he spat out a mouthful of blood, then actually fainted on the arena.

Seeing how miserable he looked, Kakashi no longer felt like tormenting him. Sunny Day had already paid the price he deserved.

Kakashi jumped down from the arena and walked straight toward Itachi Uchiha.

Every ANBU member along the way respectfully lowered their heads slightly and consciously stepped back, making room for Kakashi.

"Itachi Uchiha, let's go," Kakashi said.

Itachi Uchiha hesitated for a moment, then nodded and followed Kakashi out.

The two wandered aimlessly for a long time before Itachi finally could not help asking, "Senior Kakashi, why did you help me today? I know our clan is generally unwelcome in ANBU."

"Well!" Kakashi pointed at the forehead protector over his left eye. "Probably because of that guy. I have a favorable impression of your clan."

Itachi tilted his head. "Don't you think we're a cursed clan? The Sharingan is a power that can only be gained after being cursed. As long as we lose someone close to us, we become stronger."

Kakashi shook his head. "On the contrary, I think the Uchiha Clan has love in their hearts. Pure love."

"Hm?" Itachi Uchiha stopped walking. This was the first time he had heard such an assessment from someone outside the clan.

Kakashi stopped as well, staring earnestly into Itachi Uchiha's eyes. "It is precisely because they fear loss that they yearn even more for strength, so that they will never lose again. Isn't that proof of love in their hearts?"

Itachi Uchiha nodded and said nothing more, quietly savoring Kakashi's words.

That afternoon, Kakashi was summoned to the Hokage's Office.

As expected, the Third Hokage gave Kakashi a harsh scolding. But once he heard the full story, even the Third Hokage was somewhat speechless.

Sunny Day had really poked where it hurt, bringing up Rin and Obito in front of Kakashi. The fact that Kakashi had not killed him already showed consideration for their status as fellow comrades...

"Young people have too much Ki. Don't act so impulsively in the future..." the Third Hokage lectured him, neither too harshly nor too gently.

"Yes, you're right!"

Kakashi's attitude in admitting his mistake was extremely sincere, so the Third Hokage could not say much else.

"By the way, what do you think of that child, Itachi Uchiha?" the Third Hokage asked.

Kakashi thought for a moment. "I haven't known him for long, but I feel that he has many thoughts of his own. He seems to often be contemplating the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the village."

"Oh? Is that so... I understand." The Third Hokage narrowed his eyes slightly. "Keep a close watch on him lately. Report to me promptly if anything happens."

"Yes, Lord Third!"

After returning home, Kakashi took out Make-Out Paradise, though his mind was occupied with thoughts about the Uchiha Clan.

"With Itachi Uchiha joining ANBU, the day the Uchiha Clan attempts a coup can't be far off..."

Come to think of it, Kakashi could understand the Uchiha Clan. After all, every Hokage who took office had connections.

The Second Hokage was the First's younger brother, the Third Hokage was the Second's disciple, and the Fourth Hokage was the Third's disciple's disciple...

If I were part of the Uchiha Clan, I wouldn't be able to stand it either!

Jokes aside, the Uchiha Clan had attempted a coup because several major clans had driven them out of the core of power. At the same time, they had always borne the blame for controlling the Nine-Tails, while the work of the Police Force was looked down upon as well...

As the saying went, deep-seated problems were hard to resolve. The conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the village was almost irreconcilable. A peaceful resolution without bloodshed was simply impossible.

After all, Naruto was still young and had yet to develop the SSS-rank ninja technique known as Talk no Jutsu.

How to deal with the Uchiha Clan was the main issue Kakashi was considering now.

Whether to let Itachi Uchiha purge the Uchiha Clan, or rely on his memories to make suitable changes to the course of events, both required careful consideration.

One wrong move, and Kakashi might be swept into this terrifying vortex.