"If you don't mind, Miwa, I'd like to have a word with Renjiro. Alone."
Miwa's eyes widened for a brief moment, as if searching for any hidden intent in Daichi's demeanor. But whatever she was looking for, she didn't find it. With a slow exhale, she forced herself to relax and nodded.
"Of course," she said, her voice calm but tinged with a trace of reluctance. She turned to Renjiro, her gaze lingering on him for a moment longer than necessary. "Don't take too long."
Renjiro offered her a reassuring smile, his own curiosity carefully masked. "I'll catch up with you in a bit."
Daichi watched her leave in silence before turning to Renjiro. His posture was relaxed, but there was an unmistakable authority in his bearing. "Walk with me, Renjiro," he said, his tone calm yet firm, leaving no room for refusal.
Renjiro inclined his head respectfully. "Of course, Daichi-sama."
The two began walking along the stone pathways of the Uchiha training grounds, their steps slow and measured.
The compound was alive with activity despite the late hour. Groups of shinobi, from genin to chunin, were scattered across the training grounds, their movements sharp and deliberate. Some practised alone, perfecting jutsu or refining their taijutsu, while others engaged in intense sparring sessions, the clinks of kunai and the thuds of strikes echoing through the air. The faint hum of chakra occasionally pulsed, hinting at more advanced jutsus being practised in secluded corners.
Renjiro's eyes flickered to the training grounds, briefly taking in the familiar sight of his clan honing their skills. Yet his mind was far from the scene before him. Daichi's sudden appearance and request for a private conversation weighed on him. He couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't a casual stroll or a simple exchange of pleasantries.
The two walked in silence for a while, the rhythmic sound of their footsteps blending with the ambient noises of the compound. Daichi finally broke the quiet, his tone casual but laced with intent. "How are you doing, Renjiro?"
Renjiro, ever respectful in his interactions with Daichi, inclined his head slightly before replying. "I am well, Daichi-sama. The sparring session earlier was a good way to stay sharp."
Daichi nodded, his expression unreadable. "That's good. Keeping your skills honed is essential, especially given your role."
Renjiro remained polite but couldn't shake the sense that this wasn't just a casual check-in. Why had the clan head sought him out personally? A flicker of unease passed through his mind as a possibility dawned on him—it could be about his recent ANBU mission in Kumogakure. Had word of the incident reached Daichi already? If so, what exactly had he heard?
The two eventually came to a quiet park within the Uchiha compound. The soft grass and neatly trimmed hedges created a tranquil atmosphere, contrasting with the intense energy of the training grounds.
In the distance, a group of children played, their laughter ringing through the air as they chased one another around the trees. Daichi gestured toward a wooden bench beneath a sprawling oak tree, and they sat down.
For a moment, they simply watched the children.
Daichi's gaze seemed distant, his thoughts far from the idyllic scene before them. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and reflective. "You know, when I was young, I idolized my grandfather, Madara."
Renjiro blinked, caught off guard by the admission. Daichi rarely spoke of personal matters, let alone something as significant as Madara Uchiha.
"To me," Daichi continued, "he was the epitome of strength and conviction. But as I grew older, I began to see the flaws in him—how his ambitions, no matter how grand, ultimately served himself more than the clan. When he left the village, he abandoned us. It wasn't about protecting the Uchiha; it was about proving himself right."
The bitterness in Daichi's tone was unmistakable, and Renjiro listened intently, sensing that there was more to come.
"After he returned and fought the First Hokage eventually losing, the fallout was immense," Daichi said, his expression darkening. "My father and I bore the brunt of the village's resentment when we assumed leadership of the clan. The Uchiha were ostracized, blamed for Madara's actions, and viewed with suspicion. Building trust with the village—or what little we managed—took decades. Even now, our relationships with the other clans are tenuous at best."
Renjiro remained silent, the weight of Daichi's words settling over him like a heavy cloak.
Daichi's gaze shifted to the children playing in the distance, his eyes softening slightly. "Things aren't perfect now. The clan is still isolated in many ways. But it's better than it was. That progress didn't come easily—it was the result of relentless effort by both my father and myself. We worked to ensure that the clan could survive and thrive within the village, despite the shadows of the past."
Turning to Renjiro, Daichi's voice grew colder, his words sharper. "So, you can imagine how I felt when I heard that one of our own—a shinobi I took into the clan despite tenuous connections—might have jeopardized all of that hard work by sparking a potential war with Kumogakure."
Renjiro stiffened at the pointed comment, his mind racing. Though Daichi hadn't explicitly mentioned the details, the implication was clear. Renjiro's recent mission had drawn the ire of the Uchiha clan head.
The subtle jab about "tenuous connections" stung. Renjiro's blood boiled at the hypocrisy—Daichi had no qualms about leveraging Renjiro's insights from his ANBU work, yet now he framed Renjiro as an outsider, someone the clan had taken in out of pity. But Renjiro forced himself to remain calm, unwilling to let his emotions betray him.
"With all due respect, Daichi-sama," Renjiro said carefully, "the situation left me with no choice. It was fight or die. I acted to ensure my survival and the success of the mission."
Daichi studied him for a long moment, his expression inscrutable. The silence stretched between them, broken only by the distant laughter of the children. Finally, Daichi nodded, though his face betrayed little emotion.
"If that was the situation," he said evenly, "then I don't blame you."
Renjiro exhaled quietly, relieved that Daichi hadn't pressed further. But his relief was short-lived as Daichi's next question caught him off guard.
"Have you awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan?" Daichi asked, his tone neutral but his gaze piercing.
Renjiro hesitated, the question striking a nerve. He forced himself to meet Daichi's gaze, his voice steady as he replied. "No, I have not."
Daichi sighed, his disappointment evident. "I won't ask again."
The words carried a weight that made Renjiro uneasy. He barely had time to process them before Daichi's gaze hardened, and his Sharingan activated, the tomoe spinning in sharp clarity.
"Do you have a Mangekyo Sharingan?" Daichi asked again, this time with a quiet intensity that sent a shiver down Renjiro's spine.
=====
Bless me with your powerful Power Stones.
Your Reviews and Comments about my work are welcomed
If you can, then please support me on Patreon.
Link - www.patreon.com/SideCharacter
You Can read more chapters ahead on Patreon.