I, Uchiha, will not be whitewashed!

In the dead of night, the entire Hidden Leaf Village was fast asleep. Uchiha Kagami had already left, leaving only Sakugo in the room.

He sat by the window, the silvery moonlight streaming in and falling on his knees, a scene of serene loneliness.

He understood his uncle Uchiha Kagami's thoughts better than anyone else.

Kagami dedicated his entire life to helping the Uchiha clan fully integrate into Konoha, overcome their clan barriers, practice the Will of Fire, and become one with the village. This was his lifelong belief and the goal he always strived for.

But Shuoge knew better than anyone that this path was doomed from the start.

The Uchiha and Senju clans joined forces to establish Konoha, but the First Hokage was Hashirama Senju, and the Second Hokage was Tobirama Senju. From the very beginning of Konoha's establishment, the core of power was firmly held by the Senju lineage, and the position of Hokage was never within the reach of the Uchiha clan.

The Hokage represents more than just power; he represents the recognition and support of the entire village.

—It's not that you get recognized by becoming Hokage, but that you are recognized by everyone to be qualified to become Hokage.

Madara Uchiha failed to gain the villagers' approval back then, which is why he lost to Hashirama; even now, despite the abundance of talented individuals within the Uchiha clan, they are still marginalized from the core power structure.

The village gave the Uchiha guard a position, which sounded prestigious and meant they were in charge of village security. In reality, it was a thankless job, dealing with neighborhood disputes and catching petty thieves and criminals. They had no real influence over the village's decision-making level.

The Hokage's office stands atop a mountain in the center of the village, overlooking the entire village; while the Uchiha Police Force headquarters is located in a corner on the edge of the village. This differential treatment was not equal cooperation from the beginning, but rather a deliberate arrangement and alienation.

There are no Uchiha members on the elders' council, and the Uchiha have no say in the village's core decisions. The Third Hokage was a disciple of Tobirama Senju, and the future Fourth Hokage will inevitably be a disciple of the Senju lineage. This power line is clear, and from beginning to end, there is no place for the Uchiha.

Uncle Kagami was the second generation's direct disciple and the third generation's teammate. He loyally practiced the Will of Fire, and it was because of this that the Uchiha were able to live peacefully under his protection.

This stability, however, was entirely maintained by Jing's loyalty and forbearance, making it extremely fragile.

Shuoge knew better than anyone else where the future was headed.

Uncle Kagami died in the Third Shinobi World War. Afterwards, Fugaku Uchiha succeeded as clan leader. The conflict between the clan and the village would gradually intensify. The Uchiha would be completely marginalized, and their territory would be driven to a more remote part of the village. Suspicion, exclusion, and suppression would follow one after another. In the end, the night of the massacre would come, and the entire clan would be slaughtered without exception.

Even if he did nothing, he would still die in that catastrophe.

Therefore, he cannot follow Jing's path, nor will he agree with it.

It wasn't that my uncle wasn't hardworking enough; it was just that this path was a dead end from the very beginning.

The rules of the ninja world have never been "if you are loyal enough, you will be accepted", but rather the most primitive and cruel law of the jungle - strength is supreme.

The First Hokage, Hashirama, was able to unify the ninja world and command the submission of all nations not because of the greatness of his peace theories, but because he was the God of Shinobi, possessing the power to suppress the entire ninja world single-handedly. Everyone feared him, so his words were the truth, and no one dared to disobey the rules he set.

But after his death, peace shattered instantly, and the First and Second Shinobi World Wars broke out one after another. The so-called Will of Fire and the so-called village bonds were nothing more than beautiful words used by the strong to embellish their image, and were the appeasement of the lower class by those standing on high.

When you're stuck in the mud, if you want to survive and protect the people you want to protect, the only thing you can rely on is your own strength.

Shuoge looked down at his hands, which were still very immature and weak. They were far from enough to fight Danzo, let alone stand firm in this chaotic world.

But he never stopped getting stronger.

Day after day, he wielded his sword by the river, silently refining his chakra, honing his fundamentals, and studying ninjutsu in the dead of night. He was accumulating power every minute and every second, never slacking off.

His uncle hoped he would become a genius of the Uchiha clan, a pawn in the Uchiha's integration into Konoha, but he never wanted to be a pawn to be manipulated; he wanted to be the one who controlled the game.

What Hashirama could do, he could do too. He would become the strongest ninja in the world, possess enough power to intimidate everyone, rewrite the fate of the Uchiha clan, protect those around him, and crush all his enemies under his feet.

He stood up, walked slowly to the wall, and his gaze fell on the long sword his father had left behind, which hung on the wall. The moonlight shone on the blade, making it gleam with a cold, icy light.

The ninja world doesn't need empty rhetoric; it only needs the power to command respect. Without power, there is no voice, no dignity, and even survival becomes a luxury.

"Not enough..."

He gently gripped the hilt of the knife, then slowly released it, his eyes resolute. "Not strong enough."

He looked out at the pitch-black night and knew in his heart that Danzo would never let this go.

Today, Danzo suffered a complete loss of face at the Uchiha camp, and his nephew was seriously injured and lost an arm. Given Danzo's ruthless and vengeful nature, he will definitely hold a grudge and seek revenge when the opportunity arises.

With the Third Hokage suppressing him openly, Danzo dared not make a big show of it. However, Root has always been good at assassinations, creating accidents and eliminating targets silently, which is Root's forte.

But he wasn't afraid.

"I'm only six years old, I have plenty of time."

Shuoge muttered to himself, a faint smile curving his lips. "Revenge should not be delayed. This time I have the upper hand. From now on, I will focus on accumulating strength and waiting for that venomous snake to show its weakness."

He turned around, closed the window, locked the door, sat cross-legged on the tatami mat, slowly closed his eyes, and began to calmly refine his chakra.

Outside the window, the crescent moon sank in the west, the night deepened, and the entire Konoha was asleep.

Inside this small house, a six-year-old boy silently gathers his strength in the darkness, striving to survive, to protect, and to stand at the pinnacle of the ninja world, step by step, steadfastly.

……

……

……

The main hall next to a secret room in the Shimura family mansion.

Bang-!

A plain white porcelain cup slammed against the solid wood wall, shattering instantly into dust. The porcelain shards scattered across the ground, and the piercing sound broke the deathly silence of the mansion.

Clang, clang, clang—!

The long table was suddenly overturned by brute force, and the ninja scrolls and purple clay teaware stacked on the table were scattered all over the ground with a clatter. The scrolls were unfolded and wrinkled, and the teaware was broken into pieces, leaving a mess everywhere.

Bang Bang Bang!

The wooden screen adorned with the Shimura clan crest was smashed through by a single punch. The thick wooden planks cracked, sending wood chips flying everywhere, mingling with a faint smell of blood that permeated the entire hall.

A series of cracking sounds emanated from the main hall, each one louder than the last. The servants in the corridor knelt in a row, their foreheads pressed tightly against the cold bluestone floor, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

No one dared to look up, no one dared to make a sound, and they even deliberately suppressed their breathing to the lowest level, for fear of disturbing the furious master inside and bringing about their own destruction.

The main hall was in complete disarray.

Danzo stood frozen amidst the shards, his chest heaving violently, his right hand still in the position of smashing through the screen.

The broken wooden splinter pierced deep into his knuckles, and bright red blood dripped slowly from his fingertips, splashing onto the ground and spreading into tiny blood spots. But he was completely unaware of it; not a trace of pain reached his mind, which was filled with rage.

It's not that it doesn't hurt, it's that I've become numb from extreme anger.

"Uchiha..."

He repeatedly crushed and chewed over those three words in his heart, then ruthlessly ground them into dust, his heart filled with humiliation and boundless hatred. The scene at the Uchiha base replayed wildly in his mind again and again, each scene scorching his reason.

He charged forward to kill the brat, but Jing stepped in front of him without hesitation, taking the fatal blow head-on. He confronted her sharply, but Jing casually remarked, "You want to attack a child?" leaving him speechless and utterly humiliated.

child?

Danzo's facial muscles contorted violently, his eyes surging with extreme mockery and murderous intent.

That Uchiha brat, when he secretly severed someone's arm with an explosive tag, looked like an innocent child.

He smiled and stepped forward to shake hands, then silently affixed the talisman, like an ignorant child.

There is no such thing as a child in the ninja world.

The elderly, the weak, women, and children can all be killed.

Those who wield kunai are all ninjas.

Watching Takuya's arm severed and screaming, blood splattering, watching him rage and attack, yet remaining completely calm like a stagnant pool, does he deserve to be called a child?

Uchiha Kagami deliberately used the word "child" to block him, clearly indicating his intention to protect him and also demonstrating his power.

On Uchiha clan territory, protecting his clansmen and stopping his deadly attack was simply a way of telling him that it was Uchiha territory and that he, Uchiha Kagami, was in charge.

Danzo slowly withdrew his hand, wood chips falling from between his fingers, mingling with congealed blood, sticky and glaring.

He closed his eyes, forcibly suppressing his surging anger. His breathing gradually became steady, but his hands, hanging by his sides, had nails that had dug deep into his palms, leaving deep bloody marks. The murderous intent in his heart had not diminished at all; on the contrary, it had become even stronger.

"Lord Danzo."

The voice of a Root member came from outside the door, low, hoarse, cold, and devoid of any emotion, breaking the deathly silence in the hall.

"Lord Takuya's injuries have been treated. His right arm cannot be saved, but his life is not in danger."

Danzo stood with his back to the door, motionless, his voice as cold as ice in the dead of winter, devoid of any warmth: "Get out."

"Yes."

The steady footsteps quickly faded into the distance, and the hall returned to deathly silence.

Danzo remained standing there, silent for a long time. His rage gradually faded, leaving only a chilling malice.

Takuya?

He's nothing but a complete waste of space.

He couldn't even handle a six-year-old kid, and he didn't even notice when someone stuck an explosive tag on his face. Not only did he fail to accomplish anything, but he also made Danzo Shimura lose face in front of the Uchiha clan, making the Shimura clan a laughing stock.

But what he truly cared about was never this useless nephew, but Uchiha Sakugo.

He recalled the child's eyes, devoid of any emotion, warmth, or ripples from beginning to end. There was no sincerity in his smile as he approached, no hesitation in his handshake, and no emotion when the explosive tag detonated. Takuya screamed, blood splattered, everyone was shocked, but he stood there, eerily calm.

Danzo suddenly felt an itch on the wound on his palm. He looked down at his hand and saw that the blood from the cut made by the wooden stick had already congealed and scabbed over.

Uchiha Sakugo.

He silently repeated the name to himself, his eyes filled with a frighteningly sinister look.

At only six years old, he is proficient in Shadow Clone Technique, masters Wind Release, is meticulous, ruthless, and possesses a pair of eyes that see through people's hearts and are frighteningly calm.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the windowpane, looking out at the pitch-black night, which was in the direction of the Uchiha base.

Jing, do you think you've won today?

A sinister smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, but the smile didn't reach his eyes; instead, it was filled with ruthlessness.

No.

Today's events have only made him realize that the Uchiha clan is a hidden danger to Konoha and cannot be allowed to live.

As for that brat named Shuoge, his talent and ruthlessness far surpass those of ordinary people, and he will surely become a major threat in the future, so he must not be allowed to live.

He turned and strode into the shadows of the hall, his figure gradually disappearing into the thick darkness. His heavy footsteps echoed slowly in the empty corridor, one after another, like a countdown to death, or the signal of a lurking viper.

The servants under the eaves remained kneeling on the ground, not daring to breathe, and none of them dared to move an inch.

The night wind blew through the courtyard, rustling the leaves with a soft, eerie sound, much like the slithering of a venomous snake in the deep grass, concealing its deadly intent and waiting for its chance.

……

……

……

Hokage Building.

When the news reached the third generation, he was standing by the window, quietly watching the lights gradually come on in the village, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the windowsill, his whole body wrapped in an unconcealable layer of weariness.

An ANBU member knelt on one knee behind him, his posture as upright as a pine tree. His voice was deep and calm as he reported the changes that had occurred in the Uchiha clan's territory in detail, word by word, without adding or omitting anything.

The spacious office fell into a long and oppressive silence, as if the air itself had frozen.

"...Did that boy named Shuoge really do such a thing?"

The third generation slowly opened his mouth, his voice slightly hoarse and filled with disbelief and bewilderment, as if he did not want to believe this cruel fact.

The ANBU member kept his head down, his tone resolute and without the slightest hesitation: "Yes. The explosive tag was secretly affixed to Shimura Takuya's hand, and his entire arm was blown to pieces on the spot. Shimura Danzo was furious and wanted to retaliate, but was forcibly stopped by Uchiha Kagami. Subsequently, the Jonin of the Uchiha clan and members of Root arrived one after another, and no further conflict occurred."

The third generation didn't reply. He slowly turned around, walked back to his desk, sat down, and reached for the pipe on the desk. His usually steady hand was trembling slightly at this moment.

He struggled to light the fire, took a deep breath, and the pale white smoke slowly dissipated in front of him, blurring the complex emotions in his eyes.

A six-year-old child.

He stepped forward with a smile, shook hands with a smile, and then silently affixed the deadly explosive tag to the other person's body with a smile.

Then, amidst the violent explosion, he stood quietly in place, watching blood splatter and severed limbs fly everywhere, without even blinking an eye, his calmness almost eerie.

He slowly closed his eyes, his heart churning with disbelief and bitterness.

Is this really a child that Jing raised single-handedly?

What exactly is Kagami, the Second Hokage's personal disciple, a staunch supporter of the Will of Fire, who has dedicated his life to integrating the Uchiha clan into Konoha and uniting them with the village?

Or……

He gently placed the pipe on the edge of the table, and a wisp of smoke rose and lingered.

Was Jing pretending all along?

On the surface, he is a loyal subject who cares about the village and supports the Will of Fire, but in secret he is cultivating such a ruthless and vicious successor.

He dared not think any further, but the thought was like a tiny poisonous thorn, deeply embedded in his mind, impossible to remove or shake off, causing a dull ache.

"Mirror...have you really changed?"

"Or was all your gentleness and sincerity just an act for me from the very beginning?"

The Third Hokage slowly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the report submitted by the Anbu on the table. He tapped the tabletop lightly with his fingertips and remained silent for a long, long time.

Finally, he picked up his pen and slowly wrote two words at the end of the report, his pen heavy and filled with utter helplessness.

—Archived.