Uchiha Norito grew increasingly anxious upon hearing that Sora had decided to spare Uchiha Jinno but not him.
Desperately, Norito defended himself. "Sora! I was just too impatient and spoke out of turn. If you give me another chance, I promise to follow your orders!"
Sora glanced at Uchiha Norito with a mocking smile. "I've given you many chances, over and over again. Sparing these four is already an act of immense mercy on my part.
But let's be clear—I'm not a magnanimous person. In fact, I'm quite narrow-minded, and I'm deeply wary of Uchiha's vengeance. So tell me, why should I let you go?
Someone must face the consequences of all this, and unfortunately for you, Norito, that someone is you."
The others around them rolled their eyes when they heard Sora claim he feared the Uchiha clan. If not for the pitiful state of the five Uchiha shinobi before them, they might have even believed him.
Despite everything, Uchiha Norito continued to plead his case. But Sora had already turned his back and walked away, ignoring him entirely.
Uchiha Kyosuke, Uchiha Keiichi, and Uchiha Ryuhei silently bowed their heads and followed Sora without a word. Even Uchiha Jinno, with one leg and one arm crippled, did his best to limp after Sora, terrified that any delay might prompt him to abandon them and send them back to Konoha as well.
As Soradisappeared in the distance, Uchiha Norito turned desperately to Orochimaru for help.
Orochimaru didn't even spare him a glance. "Gather your things and return to Konoha," he said coldly before walking away.
Despairing, Norito turned to Uchiha Kazuo for support.
But Kazuo had stayed silent for a reason—if he could have done anything, he wouldn't have stood by without intervening.
Kazuo let out a heavy sigh and finally spoke. "Norito, once your leg is treated, go back to Konoha and report everything to the clan leader. He won't be too harsh on you."
Norito stood there, utterly stunned, his broken leg throbbing though he barely felt the pain.
It wasn't the punishment he feared—it was the shame. How could he ever face the clan again, knowing his leg had been broken by Sora and that he'd been sent back to Konoha in disgrace?
For the first time in his life, Uchiha Norito felt completely lost.
How he eventually received medical treatment was a blur.
Meanwhile, Sora led the four remaining Uchiha deeper into the woods, ensuring they were far from prying eyes.
Once there, Sora turned to face them, his eyes cold and unforgiving. "I know you despise me. You probably wish you could kill me. The truth is, I feel the same way about you.
However," he continued his tone like steel, "I am your captain, and you are my subordinates. That means you will follow my orders—no exceptions. If you disobey me, the consequences will not be limited to broken limbs."
Sora's eyes narrowed. "If you defy my orders in battle, I will kill you on the spot without hesitation.
Don't mistake my hatred for the Uchiha as a sign of weakness or reluctance. If you think I won't act against you, you're sorely mistaken."
The four shinobi stood in silence, the weight of his words heavy in the air.
"But while you still have the chance, you can leave and return to Konoha," Sora said. "You no longer have to follow my orders. So, what will you choose?"
Uchiha Kyosuke and the other three remained in place, silently signalling their willingness to stay and obey Sora's orders.
Sora nodded. "It seems you've made your decision. Then, let's begin. Tell me your names."
The four shinobi introduced themselves one by one.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Sora continued, "Good. I'm sure you all already know my name so that I won't waste time on pointless introductions.
Before anything else, let me warn you—be mentally prepared. The missions I'll be taking on in the future will be extremely dangerous, with a high likelihood of death.
At the same time, however, these missions will yield considerable military merit. I expect none of you to hold me back. Rest assured, I will not take credit for your achievements—but I will not tolerate incompetence.
You're dismissed for now. Tend to your injuries and rest. I'll contact you when the next mission arises. Disband."
With those final words, Sora disappeared without a trace.
Once he was gone, Uchiha Kyosuke and the others exhaled deeply, relief washing over them.
"He's completely unreasonable," one of them muttered.
"If you disagree with him, he'll act without hesitation—and he's merciless," said another.
The youngest among them, Uchiha Keiichi, was already 19 years old, yet even he felt crushed under the weight of a 13-year-old like Sora. His authority and presence were overwhelming.
The war had yet to begin truly, but it was clear to all of them that their futures under Sora's command would be fraught with uncertainty and danger.
Sora's disdain for them was obvious. There was no doubt that he would make things difficult for them in the future.
The four exchanged uneasy glances, their eyes reflecting their confusion and apprehension about what lay ahead.
Back in Konoha, they had been treated as superiors—respected figures. Now, here on the battlefield, they had been reduced to subordinates under someone far younger than themselves.
With a collective sigh, they turned to help Uchiha Jinno limp toward the medical ninjas for treatment.
When they arrived at the medical area, they came across Uchiha Norito, who was also receiving treatment.
Norito sat silently, his expression vacant and unfocused. The group called his name several times before he snapped out of his daze.
He forced a bitter smile, one that looked far more like a grimace. "I'll be returning to Konoha soon…"
Uchiha Kyosuke and the others wanted to offer him words of comfort but found themselves at a loss.
If Uchiha Norito hadn't threatened Sora, he might have been allowed to stay. But there's no room for "what ifs" in this world.
Norito turned to the group, his voice filled with frustration. "Sora's going to make things unbearable for you. Are you seriously planning to follow him?"
Uchiha Ryuhei sighed. "What else can we do? You saw it yourself, Norito. Sora doesn't listen to reason, and Orochimaru-sama is backing him completely."
Norito's dissatisfaction only grew. "If he doesn't want us here, then let's just leave! All of us!"
His suggestion shocked the group, and they stared at him in disbelief.
Norito didn't want to return to Konoha alone. Facing the shame of going back by himself was unbearable. If the others returned with him, sharing the same fate, he would feel far less isolated.
But Uchiha Kyosuke and the others weren't fools. They had already pledged loyalty to Sora, however reluctantly. Returning to Konoha now would make them deserters.
If they did that, they wouldn't just face the Uchiha clan's punishment—they'd likely face Konoha's judgment as well.
Realizing the danger in Norito's suggestion, the four quickly made excuses to avoid further discussion.
In their eyes, Norito's proposal was nothing short of dragging them into disaster.
Seeing that none of his comrades supported him, Norito's frustration boiled over. His Sharingan flared to life, a single tomoe spinning violently in each pupil.
Fueled by his emotional turmoil, Norito's Sharingan began to evolve, the single tomoe transforming into a Two Tomoe Sharingan.
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