Wings on a Tiger, or a Greenbottle Fly?

Yongye's motive had been to get revenge on Danzo, Fugaku, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, but his actions had genuinely created an opportunity for the Uchiha Clan.

He had handed them such favorable conditions, even backed Uchiha Fugaku into a corner, and yet the lot of them had all gone soft together.

Each sounded more self-righteous than the last, each more full of excuses.

They claimed they couldn't back down now, that enemies surrounded them, that they should quit while they were ahead. In the end, they were afraid. They didn't want to fight. They liked their comfortable lives and didn't want to risk changing them.

Leaders like that could be found everywhere, in every age.

The people below fumed, while those at the top let themselves be spat on and simply waited for it to dry.

Uchiha Fugaku made up his mind and turned to Yongye. His tone grew grave and formal, carrying the unquestionable authority of an elder lecturing a junior.

"The Uchiha have decided not to get involved in this conflict."

He paused, perhaps choosing his words, perhaps delivering a silent warning.

"So, Yongye, keep your head down for a while. Don't cause trouble!"

"Konoha is a powder keg right now. One spark could set off a war!

The night before last, you attacked Danzo, killed members of Root, and humiliated the Third Hokage. The Uchiha covered for you.

But if you cause another major incident, the Uchiha won't help you again. Danzo and the Third Hokage won't keep giving ground, either!"

Yongye looked at Uchiha Fugaku, one corner of his mouth twitching into a half smile. He was already working out how to deal this coward a crushing blow.

He had no interest in following Shisui Uchiha's example and earnestly reasoning with Fugaku.

Nor would he imitate the elders, dressing up excuses in lofty words to save face.

And he certainly wouldn't act like Uchiha Itachi, who had something to hide and was a traitor, yet wore the most solemn expression of them all.

Seeing Yongye smile with such ill intent while refusing to give an answer, Great Elder Uchiha Kuteng finally lost patience.

He rose with the help of his cane, his bony fingers gripping its handle so tightly that his knuckles stood out.

On his deeply wrinkled face, impatience surged up as though years of pent-up resentment had finally found an outlet.

"Uchiha Yongye, did you hear him?"

His shrill voice echoed through the chamber. He slammed his cane against the floor with a dull thud.

"Remember, don't bring trouble down on the Uchiha!"

Yongye's gaze fell on the Great Elder for only an instant before moving away.

He looked at him not as a respected elder of the clan, but as a rat that had just crawled out of a sewer...

Disgust!

Contempt!

And an unmistakable annoyance that seemed to say, Why aren't you dead yet?

Then he complained irritably:

"If you weren't so filthy and foul-smelling..."

"If killing you wouldn't dirty my hands... I'd cut you down right now!"

The Great Elder went rigid.

Filthy? How was he filthy? He bathed and changed his clothes every day. His robes were made of the finest silk, his cane of premium red sandalwood, and he even scented himself with a delicate sandalwood fragrance.

At most, he smelled a little like an old man. That came with age! It was the mark of years lived, proof of his venerable standing!

How did that make him filthy? So filthy that killing him would dirty someone's hands?!

A junior dared insult him like this? It was an utter inversion of all propriety!

The Great Elder's lips trembled violently. He wanted to curse and scold Yongye, but the words lodged in his throat. He could not force out a single one.

Because he had seen Yongye's eyes!

Those scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan were fixed coldly on Uchiha Fugaku.

There was no reverence for the clan leader in them, no respect for an elder, not even the faintest trace of wariness.

Only undisguised mockery and malice!

This was the clan leader... a man who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!

How did Yongye dare?

He had some nerve!

The Great Elder suddenly realized that Uchiha Yongye truly would kill him.

Just as Yongye had kicked Danzo to the ground in public and killed a dozen or more Root ninja the night before last, killing an elder would be no different to him from crushing an ant.

The Great Elder's face turned from livid to ashen. His mouth hung open, but he no longer dared say a word.

Yongye ignored the old man. His target was Uchiha Fugaku, and he intended to get both revenge and something to show for it!

"When a tiger grows wings, it becomes even more formidable."

"When a maggot grows wings, it becomes a greenbottle fly."

"Clan Leader Fugaku, which one are you?"

With that, Yongye turned and left. His steps were unhurried, his bearing composed, exactly as they had been yesterday when he had stormed out of the Hokage Office and slammed the door.

The chamber door slowly closed behind him. Its muffled thud sounded especially heavy in the silence.

No one in the chamber spoke.

Uchiha Fugaku's face turned from ashen to a deep purple-red, and he trembled with rage.

That "greenbottle fly" remark had gotten under his skin!

His Susanoo had wings!

Those purple Chakra wings were among the most distinctive features of his Perfect Susanoo.

Clearly, Uchiha Yongye felt neither respect nor admiration for Fugaku's awakening of the Mangekyō Sharingan. He despised him for it!

To Yongye, when Fugaku summoned his Susanoo...

He wasn't a tiger with wings. He was a greenbottle fly!

Not a mighty tiger taking flight, but a stinking bug lifting off!

Second Elder Uchiha Tetsusai slammed the table and sprang to his feet, his beard quivering with anger.

"This is outrageous! A junior, a brat barely out of diapers, dares insult the Great Elder to his face and mock the clan leader with thinly veiled jabs! Does he have no respect for the rules?"

Third Elder Uchiha Zhihuo's face was cold. His thin voice came from deep in his throat.

"Disgraceful. Keep someone like him in the Uchiha, and he'll become a menace sooner or later!"

Fourth Elder Uchiha Kiyoshi shook his head, looking deeply pained.

"Lawless, and with no upbringing at all! As his elders, we should guide him, but with that attitude, he has no regard for us whatsoever."

Uchiha Itachi remained in his seat without speaking.

His hands rested one over the other on his knees, his cool face expressionless. But deep in his dark eyes, a fierce, icy killing intent churned!

Shisui sat opposite Itachi and saw it.

He frowned slightly and sighed without a sound, then stood and hurried after Yongye.

In the corridor, Yongye was walking out at an easy pace.

The guards scattered at the sight of him, like mice spotting a cat.

"Yongye!"

Shisui caught up.

He moved quickly, reaching Yongye from behind in just a few strides.

A rueful smile hung on his gentle face. His brows were faintly drawn, and his eyes were full of helplessness and earnest concern.

He reached out to grasp Yongye's shoulder, then withdrew his hand halfway there.

Yongye's words last time—"What the hell does that have to do with you, Sarutobi Shisui?"—had left too deep a mark on him. He did not dare act too familiar.