The Hyūga Clan…
Shingetsu understood the structure of the Hyūga Clan.
What he had casually said to Mikoto was not a joke.
As far as he knew, during the Third Shinobi World War, a “Byakugan Killer” named Ao would appear from Kirigakure and obtain a Byakugan on the battlefield.
Because of the Caged Bird Curse Seal, the Byakugan of the Hyūga branch family could not be removed.
Judging by the timing, the one who died was very likely that kid from earlier.
This was not like the chaotic monster battles later on, where eyes could be plugged in and swapped out whenever someone felt like it.
If your most important organ was taken on the battlefield, surviving would be the real miracle.
That would explain why Hiashi was able to avoid placing the Caged Bird Curse Seal on Hanabi.
He had simply gotten lucky and caught the elder branch line at the point of extinction.
If it really came down to it, he could even have Hinata adopted into the other branch…
Forget it.
He could barely manage his own household.
Where would he find the time to worry about the Hyūga Clan’s mess?
…
Standing on the Academy playground, Shingetsu looked at the Third Hokage on the podium.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, now in his thirties, was at the peak of his career as a ninja.
He had no weaknesses in ninjutsu, taijutsu, or genjutsu, and during the process of consolidating Konoha, he had shown more than enough resolve and skill.
The title “God of Shinobi” had already begun to spread.
After its victory in the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha would enter its golden age under this man’s leadership.
Konoha’s White Fang was renowned throughout the Ninja World.
Danzō Shimura, the “Shadow of the Ninja World,” inspired fear.
The Sannin were beginning to make their names…
On top of that, Konoha had the two strongest Dōjutsu clans in the Ninja World, along with many clans that possessed secret techniques.
Among the Five Great Shinobi Villages, it was unquestionably the strongest!
But prosperity at its peak is followed by decline.
Konoha’s decline began with the death of the Fourth Hokage and the departure of the Sannin, then reached its lowest point with the Uchiha clan’s annihilation.
From Shingetsu’s standpoint, Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to be the greatest enemy he would have to face.
Yet as he watched Hiruzen Sarutobi speak eloquently from the podium about the Will of Fire, there was not the slightest trace of malice in Shingetsu’s eyes.
He knew very well that although the Uchiha Massacre had many contributing factors, this hidden danger had been buried from the moment the village was founded.
The outcome had been inevitable.
The reason was simple.
Their perspectives were different.
To the other ninja clans, the Uchiha were just another clan that had been defeated by the Senju and joined Konoha.
They were no different from anyone else, so why should they receive special privileges?
But to the Uchiha, they had founded Konohagakure together with the Senju, yet not a single one of them had ever managed to become Hokage.
Wasn’t that just bullying them?
So after Hashirama Senju died, some of the Uchiha hawks became deeply dissatisfied with Tobirama Senju’s policies and wanted to seize authority from the Senju Clan.
The exact details were unclear.
In any case, Tobirama Senju dealt with the hawks, then took Kagami Uchiha into the Shadow Guard.
With the stick in one hand and the carrot in the other, he kept them obedient.
But that was only temporary.
The core conflict had never been resolved.
The Uchiha wanted power, but the village could not give the Uchiha too much power.
No one wanted to entrust their lives and fortunes to a group of people who might go mad at any moment.
Madara Uchiha had seen that future, which was why he wanted to lead the Uchiha away from Konoha…
Unfortunately, no one followed him that day.
Of course no one did!
You were the one who said everyone should let go of hatred and live peacefully with the Senju Clan.
You smashed the heads of all the radicals who refused to accept it.
We listened to you, settled down, and our children had not even been born for a full month yet.
Then you suddenly said we were going to war again?
That is not how this works, Boss!
…
Shingetsu was nine years old this year, much taller than children his age.
His gaze swept over those youthful faces and landed on a certain little blond-haired kid.
The ninja village system was the right one, and the Ninja Academy model had a far higher chance of discovering talent than the clan model.
If he wanted to change the future of the Uchiha Clan’s annihilation, leading the clan away from Konoha was not a viable option.
This was no longer the Warring States Period.
The strength of a single clan could not stand against an entire ninja village.
Even if they joined another village, the result would not be any better than staying in Konohagakure.
The Land of Water had the most Clans with Kekkei Genkai, but how many were left afterward?
As for Kumogakure, they were a bunch of thuggish barbarians.
When they captured Kushina and Hinata, did anyone really think they were planning to give those girls a wonderful life?
Speaking of Kushina, the Uzumaki Clan was exactly what happened to powerful clans that refused to join a ninja village.
Among bad options, Konoha really was the most harmonious one.
That was why so many ninjas who had witnessed the cruelty of the Ninja World were willing to protect this ideal homeland in their hearts at any cost.
Hashirama Senju had been like that, and so had Itachi Uchiha.
…
In the end…
It was still because you were not strong enough, Madara Uchiha!
If you had been the one to win back then, the Uchiha would not be the ones worrying now!
Your so-called truth was nothing more than a loser wallowing in self-pity!!
…
Since this year’s incoming class had quite a few transfer students from ninja clans, Hiruzen Sarutobi arranged for his three disciples to oversee the class assignments.
They were the trio of Jōnin who had recently gained considerable fame: Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru.
“Tsunade-sama!
She’s Konoha’s youngest female Jōnin!
She’s so beautiful!!”
“The one beside her must be Orochimaru-sama!
He’s so cool!
So handsome!!”
“I heard Orochimaru-sama is a genius who only appears once every few decades!”
“Wow!!
Are they going to be our senseis?
I really want to be assigned to Orochimaru-sama’s class!”
“I want Tsunade-sama!!”
…
A regular Ninja Academy scene: an uproar from Konoha’s precocious children.
However, they all silently ignored a certain white-haired man.
“Hey!
I’m here too, Jiraiya-sama!
Can’t you see me?
I’m also a Jōnin!!”
“My nickname is…”
…
“Onii-sama, which sensei do you want?”
Mikoto leaned closer, her big eyes sparkling.
“I like Tsunade-sama the most.
I want to become a strong and gentle female kunoichi like her!”
Strong, sure.
But gentle?
Shingetsu pressed a hand against Mikoto’s forehead and pushed her back a little.
“Forget it.
You’re an Uchiha.
You wouldn’t pass the political screening.”
“Brother, you’re talking nonsense again.
And people aren’t ‘a type’ of anything!”
The gentle and reserved Mikoto had, over the years, turned into half a straight man because of Shingetsu.
“You still haven’t answered me!”
Shingetsu thought for a moment, and a faint, unreadable smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“If I had to choose…
Orochimaru-sama would be a very good option.”
As everyone knew, two of the Sannin accepted disciples, while the remaining one accepted fathers.
“You think so too, classmate!”
A very noisy voice rang out beside them.
It belonged to a boy who looked bright and sunny, grinning so widely that two rows of white teeth showed, his cheeks flushed.
“Orochimaru-senpai is the coolest!
I want to be his student too!”
He came over as if they were already friends and held out his hand.
“My name is Nawaki.
I just came to the Ninja Academy today.
What’s yours?”
Nawaki…
This one really was doomed to die young.
Shingetsu was not used to dealing with people this overly enthusiastic, and he did not take his hand.
“Did no one tell you what the markings on our clothes mean?”
Nawaki glanced at the clan crest on Shingetsu’s shoulder and smiled without a care.
“We’re all comrades from the village.
Our surnames don’t matter.”
“Come on, let’s get to know each other, Uchiha classmate!!”
Shingetsu did not budge.
“Then I’ll be blunt.
I hate people like you who are way too enthusiastic.”
…
“Huh?”
Nawaki looked like a frostbitten eggplant, his hand still stretched out helplessly.
Mikoto could not stand watching anymore.
She pushed Shingetsu aside, stepped forward, shook Nawaki’s hand, and gave him an apologetic smile.
“I’m Mikoto Uchiha.
This is my brother, Shingetsu.”
“I’m really sorry.
He’s just too rude!”
“N-No…
It’s fine, really…”
…
Tsunade and the others had nearly reached them.
When they saw the commotion, they quickened their pace.
That Uchiha brat.
He wasn’t bullying Nawaki, was he?!