Bonus Chapter
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But Uchiha Haru had never heard of such things.
For a long time now, he had been immersed in chakra control and ninjutsu training.
Even the Anbu hidden in the shadows, constantly monitoring him, couldn't help but marvel.
They hadn't expected that besides Might Guy, there would be another ninja in Konoha so fiercely dedicated to his training.
No wonder he had achieved so much at such a young age.
Haru had thought this quiet routine would continue uninterrupted until his fourth simulation.
But unexpectedly, it was broken.
That evening, there was a knock at his door.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Haru, are you in there?"
A voice called out from beyond the door.
Haru recognized it instantly. It belonged to one of the Uchiha clan's core members — the same man who, after Haru had agreed to join the rebellion, had enthusiastically invited him to dinner, which Haru had politely declined.
"I'm here," Haru replied as he rose and opened the door.
Outside stood two figures.
In addition to the man who had spoken, the other was none other than the head of the Uchiha clan — Uchiha Fugaku.
"Patriarch," Haru said respectfully, bowing slightly.
Fugaku gave a short nod. His expression was as calm and unreadable as ever.
But in the next instant, his eyes narrowed, and his aura flared sharply. His gaze snapped toward a corner cloaked in darkness.
That was where the Anbu were hiding.
Immediately, several Anbu agents stiffened.
"Retreat!" one of them barked.
Without a second thought, they used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished from the scene.
They had been exposed, and there was no point in staying any longer.
More importantly, the one who had spotted them was Fugaku — leader of the Uchiha, a man whose pride and power were no small matters. That he had not attacked them outright was a gesture of restraint — a favor, even. Staying any longer would have been suicidal.
A strange glint flickered in Haru's eyes.
Such sharp perception…
Even though the Anbu had quietly retreated to a "safe" distance after realizing Fugaku's arrival, they were still discovered the moment Fugaku stepped onto the scene.
With such heightened awareness, Fugaku's true strength was clearly not to be underestimated.
The core member standing beside Fugaku sneered and spat in disgust. "Damn those Konoha bastards!"
Fugaku, however, remained composed.
The Anbu had been monitoring the Uchiha clan for years.
How could they possibly escape the watchful eye of his Mangekyō Sharingan?
And he wasn't surprised that Haru had noticed them either. In fact, he seemed to accept it as natural.
Turning to face Haru, he said calmly, "Haru, there's something you need to know."
"Oh?" Haru's eyes narrowed slightly as he gestured for them to come inside, already having a suspicion about the reason for their visit.
This had to be related to yesterday's events.
He moved aside, allowing Fugaku and his companion to enter. After pouring them each a cup of tea, they settled into seats.
Before Haru could say anything, the Uchiha clansman seated beside Fugaku slammed a fist on the table and began shouting, recounting the events in Konoha from the previous day.
"Let me tell you something, Haru," the man growled. "You don't know how shameless the people in this village are."
"When it came time to take credit, they praised the Leaf's own shinobi like Asuma and Might Guy, but your name? Not even mentioned!"
"Then, once rumors started spreading that the Hidden Cloud might retaliate and use this as an excuse for war, guess what they did?"
"They dragged your name right back out and put all the blame on you!"
"Even the Hyuga clan stayed silent. Not a word of gratitude. Nothing."
"Is the Uchiha clan only good for being scapegoats? We never get the credit, but when shit hits the fan, we're the first to take the fall?"
"Now the villagers are shouting about handing you over to calm the Hidden Cloud's wrath!"
"Ungrateful bastards — all of them!"
His face had turned red with fury, fists clenched tightly on the table. It was clear that, while his words were spoken on Haru's behalf, the outrage came from the deeper, long-standing injustice suffered by the Uchiha as a whole.
"What?" Haru feigned a look of alarm and confusion.
In truth, he had already seen through the situation.
He had sensed the change in the villagers' attitudes the previous day when he'd walked the streets of Konoha with Kurenai and Yugao. The rift between Konoha and the Uchiha clan had deepened to the point where they were now practically two opposing factions within the same village.
Under such conditions, the people of Konoha would feel no guilt about sacrificing one Uchiha for "peace."
But what interested Haru more than anything else was Fugaku's reaction.
Fugaku was the head of the Uchiha.
A man of shadow-level power with Mangekyō Sharingan.
On the night of the massacre, he could have resisted — maybe even changed the outcome — yet he chose to die by the hand of his own son.
And now, his people were on the verge of being offered up as sacrifices once again.
How would he respond this time?
Seeing the tension in Haru's face, the Uchiha clansman patted his chest and reassured him loudly.
"Haru, don't worry. This isn't just your problem. It's the Uchiha's problem."
"The clan leader and all of us — we'll never agree to hand you over!"
"If worst comes to worst, we'll fight!"
"What, are we Uchiha supposed to bow to these scumbags?"
His voice boomed through the small house.
Haru, playing his part, nodded and murmured his thanks.
Throughout all this, Fugaku said nothing.
He simply turned his tea cup in his hand, sipping quietly now and then, his eyes unreadable.
After a pause, he finally looked directly at Haru.
"Haru… what do you want to do about this?"
Haru's eyes flickered.
Fugaku's question was telling.
He hadn't said, "Don't worry, the clan has your back."
He had asked Haru — what do you want to do?
Still, Haru didn't hesitate.
"Patriarch, I will follow your lead."
Fugaku gave a small nod and took another sip of tea. Then he waved a hand, signaling the other man to step outside.
Once they were alone, Fugaku's voice turned softer, yet more penetrating.
"Haru, what do you think of war?"
Haru answered plainly, "I don't like war."
Fugaku hummed in understanding.
"I remember… your parents died during the Third Great Ninja War. You were also a victim of that bloodshed."
His voice turned distant, eyes clouded with memory.
Then, after a pause, he asked again, "If one day you had the power to prevent a war, what would you choose to do?"
This time, he looked straight at Haru, eyes sharp with meaning.
He knew Haru was no fool. He would understand the implication behind the question.
Haru returned his gaze calmly.
Ah, so this is what it's come to, Fugaku…
He haven't changed at all.
Facing Danzo's slow strangulation, he gave in one step at a time.
He watched his clan walk toward annihilation, and in the end, he had his son become the blade to finish the job.
He would never make an enemy of Konoha — not even for the sake of one of his own.
Not even for me.
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This Week Bonus Chapter - 200 Power stones
2nd Bonus Chapter - 400 Power Stones
3rd Bonus Chapter - 600 Power Stones
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📢 Support the Novel & Read Ahead!
Love the story and can't wait to see what happens next?
Join my Patreon and get access to 50+ early chapters before anyone else! 🔥
https://www.patreon.com/UK21
Thank you for reading, and I truly appreciate your support! 💖
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