The peaceful and serene atmosphere of Konoha Village in the early morning spread across the streets.
Children heading to ninja school chased each other playfully, their laughter echoing through the alleyways. This cheerful vibe unconsciously infected passersby and shop owners, bringing smiles to their faces. However, this lively calm was abruptly broken by the appearance of two distinctive individuals.
The black cloak, adorned with the prominent Uchiha fan symbol on the back, was impossible to ignore. It seemed like the image of a fearsome demon, possessing the uncanny power to strip others of their joy.
"We're really not welcome here at all, huh?"
With his hands tucked into his sleeves, Sougen shook his head as he noticed the wary glances from people on the street and the sudden busy activity of shop owners. Casually, he turned to Shisui. "Look at that! Our clan's reputation is so bad now—it's on par with a street-cleaning tiger."
"If you know that, why insist on walking through the streets? Couldn't we just use the rooftops?" Shisui sighed repeatedly.
Part of it was the clan's terrible reputation, and part of it was because of his leader's twisted sense of humor!
"Didn't you say, 'the earlier we go, the earlier we get back'?"
"I changed my mind. Is that a problem?"
Sougen stopped walking and waved at a small blond boy standing by a lamppost, shyly tracing circles in the dirt with his foot. "Hey, Naruto!"
"Brother Sougen!!" Naruto lit up, his face breaking into a wide smile as he ran toward Sougen.
At this time, Naruto and the Uchiha clan shared a similar fate—they were both disliked by the village. The difference was that while the Uchiha had a power that commanded fear, few dared to openly insult them. Naruto, on the other hand, was met with unmasked hatred wherever he went. Villagers didn't bother hiding their disdain.
"What are you doing standing here? Hurry up, or you'll be late for the academy, and your teacher will make you stand as punishment." Sougen ruffled Naruto's already messy hair. His hair was clean, but clearly, Naruto didn't care much for combing it.
"I'm waiting for Fujika."
"Yeah! We agreed yesterday after school to meet here in the morning."
"Oh, I see! Well, you might have to wait a bit—Fujika likes to sleep in. She probably won't be here for a while… But if you get tired of waiting, just head to the academy. No need for both of you to be late and punished."
"No worries! We made a promise, so I'll wait. Besides, I'm not scared of punishment!" Naruto replied with an unshakable look of determination.
Sougen studied him for a moment. It wasn't bravado—this kid truly wasn't afraid.
"Heh heh!" Naruto scratched his head, embarrassed.
Compared to the cold glares and hatred he'd gotten used to, a punishment like standing in the hallway seemed trivial. Actually, for someone who rarely received praise, compliments made him a bit shy.
The familiar sound of his little sister's voice rang out.
Sougen turned to see her sprinting toward him like a rocket.
"Fujika, how many times have I told you not to run on the street?" Sougen grabbed her head and gently stopped her momentum. "Why are you up so early? I thought you'd just woken up!"
"Grandpa woke me up!" Fujika pouted, pushing away her brother's hand. She straightened her messed-up bangs and puffed up her cheeks. "You're the one who promised to take me to school! You didn't come home all night. You're such a liar!"
"Sorry, sorry. Something urgent came up last night. How about this… I'll buy you cake after school?"
"I want strawberry cake!!!"
"Deal! You can even have strawberries without the cake if you want!"
Satisfied with the promise of treats, Fujika took off like the wind toward the academy, with Naruto hurrying after her. Neither of them remembered to say goodbye to Sougen.
Watching his sister disappear around the corner, Sougen sighed. "Alright, Shisui, let's get going."
With that, he leapt onto the rooftops, moving swiftly across the village. Shisui followed closely, his mind troubled.
Finally, unable to hold it in, Shisui asked, "Sougen, were you stalling earlier just to wait for Fujika?"
Sougen raised an eyebrow. "You didn't think I enjoyed being treated like a plague, did you? I hate it too. But I promised Fujika I'd walk her to school. Last night, we were too busy for me to go home, so I had to wait halfway to say something to her." Newest update provided by novel[f]ire.net
Shisui was left speechless.
"What's wrong, Shisui? You think I care too much about personal matters?"
"Good! Because to me, family is the most important thing. If you don't cherish your family, you're worse than a beast. When Fujika was born, she was so tiny. I had just come back from the battlefield, and I was too scared to even hold her, afraid I might hurt her with my rough hands."
"I've watched her grow up, learn to talk… Honestly, Shisui, I don't want to fight the village right now. I'm terrified that a battle could hurt Fujika, my parents… or that destroying Konoha would leave Fujika wandering aimlessly. I'm scared everything I've done will be for nothing..."
"But the more afraid I am, the more I know that this is the time when we can't back down. Only when we show we're willing to fight to the death, and make those who think they can control us realize our strength, will we avoid a fight to the death."
"Wait… Don't drag me down!" Sougen's soft words sent a chill down Shisui's spine.
He looked up into Sougen's Sharingan eyes, which burned with deadly seriousness.
"I understand, Clan Leader!"
Swallowing hard, Shisui felt his heart pound in his chest. He silently prayed that nothing would go wrong in the coming events.