The Fourth Hokage's Former Subordinates Reach Their Breaking Point

She had been terrified.

She huddled in on herself, clutching her sleeves, too afraid to speak.

The others drew closer. One of them reached for her hair.

The boy leading them shoved her shoulder. Hinata stumbled and fell into the snow, scraping her knee until it bled. Tears welled in her eyes, but she did not dare protest. She only lowered her head and trembled.

"What are you doing?"

A voice came from nearby.

The older students turned and saw a boy wearing the Uchiha Clan's clothing.

He stood with his hands in his pockets, watching them calmly.

"Someone from the Uchiha Clan?"

"Tch. Mind your own business!"

One of the older students walked toward him and reached out to shove him.

Then—

Bang!

The student flew backward, struck the wall, and slid to the ground.

The others froze.

The boy dusted off his hands and looked at those who remained.

"Anyone else want to try?"

They exchanged glances, then scattered.

The boy turned toward her, still huddled in the corner.

"Are you all right?"

She looked up and met a pair of dark eyes.

They were clear, and they regarded her calmly.

"I-I'm fine..."

She spoke softly and lowered her head.

The boy nodded. "Good. I'll walk you home."

After seeing her to her door, the boy turned and left before she could ask his name.

Ever since then, she had tried to find out who he was.

But she had never found him.

Only today had she finally learned that his name was Uchiha En—and that he was the head of the Uchiha Clan.

Hinata leaned against a pillar, gently twisting the edge of her sleeve between her fingers.

He's amazing...

He became head of the Uchiha Clan when he's still so young.

And he even remembered me...

At the thought, her face reddened again.

But something serious seemed to have happened to the Uchiha Clan the night before last. She did not know whether it had affected him, and worry crept back into her heart.

In the reception hall.

Hyuga Hiashi and Uchiha En talked late into the night.

They settled every detail of their cooperation: sharing intelligence, pooling resources, coordinating their approach at high-level meetings... They went through it all, point by point.

Only when the night watchman's clapper sounded outside did they realize how late it had grown.

Hyuga Hiashi rose and personally escorted Uchiha En to the entrance of the compound.

"Uchiha Clan Head, thank you for your efforts tonight."

Uchiha En shook his head. "You're too kind, Clan Head Hiashi."

"I hope our two families... can remain allies like this."

Hyuga Hiashi nodded. "We will."

They bowed to each other, and Uchiha En turned and vanished into the night.

Hyuga Hiashi stood at the entrance until the other man's figure disappeared into the distance. Only then did he turn back into the compound.

He crossed the corridor, intending to return to his room and rest.

Then he spotted someone.

Hinata sat on a wooden bench beside the corridor, her chin propped in her hands as she stared blankly at the night sky.

She was so lost in thought that she did not notice him approach.

Hyuga Hiashi paused.

Why is she still awake this late?

He opened his mouth to call to her.

But seeing his daughter so far away in her thoughts, he swallowed the words.

He had never seen her like this before.

Still, he did not press her.

He merely shook his head and returned to his room.

Some things can wait until later.

Several hours earlier.

Inside the Uchiha Clan Compound.

Uchiha Takuma and Uchiha Tsuyoshi had changed into plain clothes for moving at night and were preparing to leave.

Before they departed, Uchiha Yashiro warned them repeatedly.

"Remember, don't alert anyone."

"Approach the Fourth Hokage's retired subordinates first. Leave those still on active duty alone."

"Once you've told them the truth, take them to see the child."

Uchiha Tsuyoshi nodded. "Don't worry, Elder Yashiro. We know what we're doing."

Uchiha Takuma added, "We've already mapped out the Anbu patrol routes."

"There's a way around them when they change shifts after midnight."

Only then did Uchiha Yashiro relax.

"All right. Go."

The two nodded, sprang away, and vanished into the night.

On the north side of Konoha lay an aging residential district.

Most of its houses had been built decades ago. Their walls were mottled, and tiles were missing from the roofs.

Uchiha Takuma and Uchiha Tsuyoshi stopped on the roof of a run-down apartment building.

On the street below, two Anbu Ninja crouched in a large tree, watching a house nearby.

Uchiha Takuma lay flat against the roof and whispered, "The Anbu are still there."

Uchiha Tsuyoshi nodded. "Stick to the plan."

Following the route they had planned, the two skirted the Anbu's lookout post.

Uchiha Takuma slipped soundlessly into a nearby alley.

He approached a small apartment building and tapped lightly on a second-floor window.

The window soon opened, revealing a middle-aged man's face.

"Who's there?!"

He eyed Uchiha Takuma warily.

Uchiha Takuma got straight to the point. "I'm from the Uchiha Clan."

"I've come to tell you the truth about something."

The man's expression changed, and he was about to turn him away.

But Uchiha Takuma's next words froze him in place.

"Naruto Uzumaki... is the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki."

Led by Uchiha Takuma, several of the Fourth Hokage's former subordinates moved through the alleys under cover of darkness to the most secluded corner of the village.

They hid behind a pile of junk across from a dilapidated apartment building and peered through the gaps at a room lit by a faint glow.

Inside, a blond boy sat at a table.

A carton of milk stood in front of him.

The date printed on the carton showed that it had expired three days ago.

The boy had no idea. He gulped down the milk.

Then he wiped his mouth and bent over a bowl of instant noodles that had already gone cold.

At the sight, the eyes of the Fourth Hokage's former subordinates reddened instantly.

A retired Jonin clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked.

"Damn it..."

His voice shook.

"Lord Fourth... gave his life for the village..."

"And his son... lives in a place like this..."

"Drinking expired milk..."

"Eating instant noodles..."

Another man beside him had tears in his eyes.

"And the villagers... what do they call him all the time?"

"Demon fox..."

"Monster..."

"They've forgotten... Lord Fourth sealed the Nine-Tails at the cost of his life..."

"And this is how they treat the hero's son..."

Uchiha Takuma stood behind them without a word.

He knew some things needed no explanation.

Seeing it with their own eyes was enough.

The night grew deeper.

Konoha was like a pot of water about to boil, its surface still calm.

But beneath it, currents had begun to churn.