Happiness Is Turning the World Upside Down

"Ha ha ha, that felt amazing!" Fugaku Uchiha left the Ninja Academy, immediately found an empty corner, and burst into uncontrollable laughter. His laughter carried a hint of unrestrained delight and pride, as though years of pent-up frustration had finally been released.

In the past, despite being the Uchiha Clan's head, whenever he went to the Ninja Academy on business and encountered school administrators from the Sarutobi Clan, he was never treated kindly. Those people always acted superior, brushing him off with "We'll have to consult the Hokage," and sometimes they would not even spare him a proper glance.

But what about now? The tables had turned! Now it was his turn to scold them like grandchildren, while they had no choice but to smile apologetically and explain themselves in humble tones. The contrast felt so satisfying it seeped into his bones.

"No wonder the clan rallied behind Uchiha Chuan after just one day," Fugaku Uchiha murmured, his voice filled with emotion. "Having Uchiha Chuan come up with the ideas feels incredible!"

He recalled Uchiha Chuan's eloquent speech at the clan meeting—his calm composure and meticulous calculations at every step. It made even him, the clan head, feel ashamed of his own inadequacy. Every word Uchiha Chuan spoke struck straight at the heart of the issue, leaving even the Hokage and Danzo helpless.

It's truly wonderful that Uchiha Chuan was born into the Uchiha Clan. Fugaku Uchiha secretly rejoiced. It's even better that we discovered him so early and never let him grow estranged from us.

Thinking of that, Fugaku Uchiha could not help looking up at the sky, his heart swelling with sincere gratitude. Bless us, ancestors! The Uchiha Clan has finally welcomed hope for its rise!

He took a deep breath to calm his excitement, then straightened his robes and resumed the dignified bearing expected of a clan head. He knew there was still much to do, and Uchiha Chuan's withdrawal from school was merely the first step of their plan.

Hokage, Danzo, didn't you want to suppress the Uchiha? Then let's see who the real player is. Fugaku Uchiha thought, a faint smile curling at his lips.

"Teacher Ikkaku, why are you here too?" The assistant had just reached the entrance to the Hokage's office when he saw Umino Ikkaku emerge from inside, shaking his head with a helpless expression. He could not help asking in confusion.

"I just ran into Clan Head Fugaku Uchiha. He came to process Uchiha Chuan's withdrawal from school, so I came to report it to the Hokage," Umino Ikkaku explained with a bitter smile, his voice carrying a trace of exhaustion.

"You came to report Uchiha Chuan's withdrawal too?" The assistant's eyes widened in surprise. He clearly had not expected Umino Ikkaku to be here for the same matter.

"You too?" Umino Ikkaku looked equally surprised, then let out a bitter laugh. "It seems Uchiha Chuan's withdrawal really has caused quite a stir."

"Yes. What did the Hokage say?" the assistant asked impatiently, his tone urgent.

"The Hokage said that if the Uchiha want to withdraw, then let them withdraw." Umino Ikkaku shook his head helplessly, disappointment evident in his voice.

"Is that so? Then I won't go in. I'll head back and report directly to Director Sarutobi." The assistant nodded, and a trace of arrogance suddenly appeared on his face, as though he found the Hokage's decision entirely natural. He turned and left without even entering the Hokage's office.

Watching the assistant leave, Umino Ikkaku could not help sighing inwardly. He knew Uchiha Chuan's withdrawal was not merely the departure of a student—it was another escalation in the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the village.

"...Sigh." Umino Ikkaku let out a long sigh, his heart filled with helplessness and anxiety.

Uchiha Chuan's public accusation in class yesterday that the Hokage was "unfit to be Hokage" had already spread wildly in private. Everyone who should have known did know; after all, last night's commotion had been far too great. Uchiha Chuan's Broadcasting Technique had covered all of Konoha, and even farmers in the fields had heard every word clearly.

That was why quite a few ninja had rushed over last night, Umino Ikkaku among them. He had personally witnessed how Uchiha Chuan used a single sentence to leave the Hokage and Danzo speechless, and he had also witnessed the Uchiha Clan hold their heads high in that moment.

Precisely because of that, when Umino Ikkaku had been chosen as Uchiha Chuan's homeroom teacher, he had still held onto a sliver of hope. He had hoped that through his own efforts, he could change Uchiha Chuan's view of the village and ease the tension between the Uchiha Clan and the village.

But what happened? Uchiha Chuan had turned around and withdrawn from school immediately. To Umino Ikkaku, this was undoubtedly an extreme sign that the conflict between the village and the Uchiha had become irreparable.

"Is there really no way left?" Umino Ikkaku murmured, his voice tinged with confusion.

In the past, Umino Ikkaku would certainly have joined the other ninja in cursing the Uchiha Clan for their "wolfish ambitions," believing they were deliberately provoking the village's authority. But ever since the phrase "setting the facts aside" had spread through the village, Umino Ikkaku had given it some thought and realized that some matters really could not be blamed solely on the Uchiha Clan.

"But can I say that? No, I can't..." Umino Ikkaku shook his head with a bitter smile, his heart full of helplessness.

As a jonin raised by the Ninja Academy, Umino Ikkaku felt a deep sense of belonging to Konoha. He loved this village and was willing to give everything for its future. Yet now, he could only watch helplessly as the conflict between the village and the Uchiha Clan grew deeper and deeper, even reaching the point where reconciliation seemed impossible.

"Is the village really heading toward division?" Umino Ikkaku was filled with anxiety. For the first time, he experienced the feeling of powerlessness—the despair of wanting to change something yet realizing there was nothing he could do.

"I used to think passion and the Will of Fire could solve every problem. But now I see that in the face of naked interests, those things are even more exposed, even bloodier, than the emperor's new clothes..." Umino Ikkaku murmured, his voice carrying a trace of self-mockery.

He knew he was only an ordinary jonin, insignificant and without influence, utterly incapable of changing the village's current state. Even so, he still could not put down the worries in his heart.

Perhaps I should go talk to Uchiha Chuan? Such a thought suddenly surfaced in Umino Ikkaku's mind. He knew that Uchiha Chuan was a central figure in the Uchiha Clan. If he could persuade him, perhaps there was still a sliver of hope.

"But would he really listen to me?" Umino Ikkaku shook his head with a bitter smile, his heart full of uncertainty.