Chapter 875 Despair and Hope
In the mansion of the Uchiha clan, Itachi stood silently in the sprawling yard, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. The atmosphere around him was tense and filled with an air of despair.
Ever since his father's defeat in the Hokage election, the Uchiha clan had descended into a frenzy of emotions, resembling a volatile barrel of oil ready to ignite at any moment. Even without actively listening, Itachi could hear the faint echoes of curses and bitter remarks drifting through the streets surrounding the mansion.
The voices belonged to his fellow clansmen, their anger and disgust directed towards the village resonating painfully in his ears. Itachi couldn't shake off the weight of those curses, which sounded harsh, heart-wrenching, and impossible to ignore.
"The situation has escalated to this point… Our future looks bleak," Itachi murmured, his face clouded with a deep sense of gloom.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor of the yard. Without turning around, Itachi could discern from the softness of the footfalls that it was his beloved younger brother, Sasuke, rushing towards him.
As expected, Sasuke arrived by Itachi's side in a flurry, tears streaming down his face, and asked with a bewildered expression, "Nii-san… Nii-san, why did Tou-san lose the election?"
Itachi let out a sigh and gently flicked Sasuke's forehead, "Sasuke, you're already training to be a ninja. Ninjas shouldn't shed tears so easily; Don't cry so readily in the future."
Sasuke paid little attention to Itachi's remark and persisted with his questioning, his voice filled with confusion, "But Tou-san awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, and our clan has served the village faithfully for decades. We were also the founders of Konohagakure. Shouldn't they have voted for him?"
Though young, Sasuke had picked up on the constant stream of curses and resentful remarks from their clansmen towards the other villagers of Konoha. It had made him realize that the Uchiha clan had been deceived and that a significant conspiracy was at play during the Vote of Confidence.
Itachi spoke softly, trying to convey the complexity of the situation. "It's a very complex matter, Sasuke. You'll understand when you grow older."Sasuke pouted, unconvinced. "It's not complicated at all! The Hokage should be the strongest ninja in the village, right? That way, they can protect the village."
Itachi was momentarily taken aback by Sasuke's response. After a brief pause, a warm smile graced his lips as he ruffled Sasuke's hair affectionately. His gaze drifted into the distance, lost in his own thoughts as he murmured, "Yes, Sasuke, the Hokage should indeed be the most powerful ninja in the village. It's not complicated at all."
…
Somewhere in the Uchiha district, inside an izakaya, Shinichi found solace in passing his time there instead of the usual training grounds. ‘Haa… I am really bored.’ The recent prohibition imposed by Kuroto on the use of Sharingan for the next few days had disrupted his routine. ‘Well, can’t do anything about it…’ he thought, shaking his head as he raised his cup and took a sip of sake and sighed in relief, ‘Haa… This is some good stuff…’
However, his solace and peace were interrupted by the cursing of his clansmen.
"I want to eliminate those traitors who betrayed our Uchiha clan." One Uchiha voiced his frustration, the bitterness evident in his words.
"They are just pawns of the village. It is the village itself that orchestrated the betrayal against us Uchiha," another Uchiha said in a voice filled with resentment.
"You're right. With an incapable and cunning bastard like Sarutobi Hiruzen in power, our Uchiha ninjas won’t even have a chance at becoming Hokage," added another.
The disdain and resentment these Uchihas held for the village was palpable and obvious.
Perhaps due to the effects of sake, the Uchiha clansmen within the izakaya were more candid and sharp with their curses than what could be heard on the streets. The curses grew louder and carried their anger, frustration, and resentment.
‘Children…’ thought Shinichi, shaking his head, and he continued to enjoy his sake. He remained unfazed by the surrounding abuse and curses that filled his ears.
Suddenly, Uchiha Shin, visibly intoxicated, stumbled his way over to Shinichi, holding his cup. He slurred, "Shinichi-san, you're here drinking too."@@novelbin@@
Shinichi glanced at the drunken Shin, frowned, and responded, "Aren't you supposed to be on patrol right now? Why are you here drinking?"
"Patrol?" Shin hiccupped, his words slurred. "The assholes treats us Uchihas like monkeys and expects us to serve them? Well, they can kill my ass!!"
Shinichi shook his head, dismissing Shin's drunken ramblings, and continued to drink his sake in peace.
Undeterred, Shin continued, "I know you're unhappy too. Don't worry, the patriarch won't let those bastards get away with it!"
Shinichi replied casually, "He has already lost the election. What more can the patriarch do?"
"The patriarch, you, and Shisui. We Uchiha possess three pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan. So what if we lost the Vote of Confidence? With the three of you, we can seize control of the village directly!" Shin exclaimed, downing more alcohol with each word. ɽÁ𝐍Ο𝐁ĘṤ
Shinichi turned his head to look at the intoxicated Shin and asked, "Isn't it better to stay alive?"
Shin, not hearing clearly, swayed unsteadily and asked, "Huh? What did you just say?"
"It's nothing," Shinichi replied, regaining his composure, no longer paying attention to the inebriated Shin.
Coup d’état?
In Shinichi's eyes, the current Hokage, Hyuga Kuroto, is the most formidable shinobi alive. Not only is he the strongest, but he is also the leader of Amatsukami. An organization so formidable that even the Five Great Shinobi Villages have to rely on them to fight Akatsuki.
The idea of rebelling seemed like a certain suicide to Shinichi. In fact, he believed that choosing suicide would be an easier path, at least in death, he would have control over his fate.
‘Actually, the boss doesn't need to take action personally. With just Samsara alone, we Uchiha are done for. Not to mention Fujin, Tsukihi, Dojin, and Suijin… and on top of that, all the Konohagakure ninjas… You fools are rushing towards your own demise. Don't drag me into it!’ Shinichi expressed his disdain toward the idea.
…
Hyuga District
In stark contrast to the anger and bitterness within the Uchiha clan, joy permeated the atmosphere. Laughter echoed through the streets, and Neji, too, wore a face adorned with pride and happiness ever since the Sandaime announced Kuroto as the Godaime Hokage.
"Neji!" Hizashi sternly called out to his son, noticing his momentary distraction.
"Otou-sama!" Neji quickly snapped back to attention, straightening his posture and sitting upright on his knees.
Observing Neji's return to his meticulous sitting position, Hizashi nodded with satisfaction before speaking earnestly, "From this day forward, you are not just a member of the branch family of the Hyuga Clan. You are also the disciple of the Hokage! Your every word and action represent Hokage-sama, so you must exercise strict self-restraint. You mustn't bring unnecessary trouble upon Hokage-sama by following in the footsteps of others."
Neji lowered his head and replied, "Yes!"
Seeing Neji attentively listening, a smile appeared on Hizashi's serious face. He took great pride in his decision to have Neji become Kuroto's disciple, believing it to be the most correct choice he had made in his life.
He is well aware of the significance of being the Hokage's disciple. It is not just an honor but also an opportunity to change one's fate, a chance to fight against the confines of being a ‘caged bird.’
When his son, with exceptional talent, was branded with the mark of the ‘caged bird,’ Hizashi was consumed by despair. He even harbored dark thoughts, contemplating the unthinkable act of harming Hinata. At that moment, he recognized that Neji's fate had been sealed, destined to be controlled by members of the main family who were far less gifted and weaker than him.
However, with Kuroto assuming the position of Godaime Hokage, the fate of many people underwent a transformation. And the one who benefited the most was undoubtedly Neji, Kuroto's sole disciple.
In accordance with the village's traditions, the Hokage's disciples are the natural successors to the position of Hokage. In other words, Neji, who was previously distant from the possibility of becoming Hokage, now possessed the invaluable qualification of being a future Hokage candidate by virtue of being Kuroto's disciple.
Gazing at his son, who had matured and grown increasingly handsome, Hizashi looked ahead with anticipation, whispering, "Neji, I think, you may no longer be a bird confined to a cage. You may have a chance to spread your wings and soar high!"
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