After returning from the border, compiling his intelligence on the Fourth Raikage, and submitting his report, Shinji Uchiha's life seemed to settle back into the routine of patrols with the Konoha Military Police Force Troops.
But the undercurrents that report had stirred among the higher-ups, along with his deeper reflections on his own powers after fighting A, left him far less calm inside than he appeared.
He knew full well that personal strength mattered, but a lone boat could hardly navigate the turbulent seas of the shinobi world.
He needed an anchor, something to rely on, and his clan remained a factor he could neither avoid nor handle carelessly.
One evening, just as Shinji finished his day's patrol and prepared to return home, a clansman dressed in traditional Uchiha attire stopped him with a respectful expression.
"Lord Shinji." The clansman bowed slightly, his voice carrying unmistakable respect. "Clan Head Kagami requests your presence at Naka Shrine."
Here it comes. Shinji understood.
Word of his ruthless methods on the border mission, and the higher-ups' assessment of him as a hawk, had clearly reached the clan.
The significance of Clan Head Kagami Uchiha summoning him now needed no explanation.
"Lead the way." Shinji nodded calmly.
Following his guide, Shinji once again entered the heart of the Uchiha Clan Compound.
Unlike the bustle elsewhere in the village, the compound always lay beneath a faint veil of solemn silence, as though every flagstone and every eave bore the history and pride of this ancient clan.
The clansmen he encountered, whether their Sharingan were active or not, watched him with complicated expressions: the scrutiny of fellow Uchiha, awe at the name "Konoha's Evil Eye," and perhaps a trace of barely perceptible approval, a shared pride in his military achievements.
Arrogance was indeed etched into the