Naruto: Uchiha's Resolve

Free Trial Available In Patreon.

In the aftermath of the chaos, Uchiha Hirito kicked away the branches charred by flames and wiped the blood from his hands with a rag. The blood belonged to Uchiha Kagami, and the rag had been torn from Kagami's own clothing. No matter how hard he scrubbed, some of the blood just wouldn't come off.

Hirito was about to grumble about it when he noticed a small gathering of Uchiha clan members watching from a short distance, evidently drawn by the noise of his fight. Realizing he'd attracted an audience, Hirito decided there was no point in hiding anything. He approached them with a broad smile on his face, trying to appear friendly.

As dawn's first light peeked over the horizon, a warm ray of sunlight illuminated Hirito's face, highlighting his youthful features. Confident that his smile was perfect, he failed to notice that his face was still splattered with blood. The cheerful expression combined with the bloodstains made him look unsettling, leaving the watching Uchihas uneasy in the face of Hirito's sudden warmth.

"Just now, Uchiha Kagami was bewitched by Sarutobi Hiruzen and attacked me," Hirito announced, using an excuse he'd often relied on. "But I noticed in time and managed to subdue him!"

With that, he deftly shifted the blame onto Kagami. Hirito's history of blaming others for incidents made the claim believable.

"Why? Don't you believe me?" Hirito's smile grew sharp as he placed a hand on his bloodstained ninja sword. He glanced at the onlookers, who seemed frozen, unsure of how to respond.

"We believe you!" one of the Uchiha clan members quickly replied. The others joined in, nodding hastily, afraid to contradict Hirito.

"Kagami is a traitor!" another added, further fanning the crowd's resentment toward Kagami.

Spotting familiar faces, Hirito's expression softened. "Inabi, Tetsuka, you're here too. Inabi, take Kagami to the clan's medical team. I don't want him dying in front of my house. That'd bring bad luck."

Uchiha Inabi and Uchiha Tetsuka were both known for their loyalty to Hirito. Without question, Inabi hurried over to Kagami's motionless body. He grimaced as he examined Kagami's injuries—a deep gash ran down his abdomen, hastily stitched with dark thread. The poor stitching made Kagami's intestines almost visible, though the bleeding had at least slowed. Kagami was in a dire state, exhaling more than inhaling, and Inabi knew he had to hurry if there was any hope of saving him.

Inabi glanced nervously back at Hirito, remembering the captain's earlier smile and how strange he'd seemed. He resolved to keep his behavior more subdued around Hirito from now on. After gently picking up Kagami, Inabi carried him to the clan's medical ninja, careful not to jostle the wounds.

The remaining Uchihas shifted uneasily, their eyes darting between Kagami's broken body and Hirito's familiar yet unsettling smile. Fear and admiration mingled in their expressions, a combination Hirito noticed with satisfaction.

"Tetsuka," Hirito commanded, "send word to the clan head and elders. I'm calling a clan meeting, and every Uchiha ninja must attend."

Hirito looked each of them in the eye, then continued, "With the death of Konoha's Second Hokage, we have a new opportunity. Perhaps this time the Uchiha can finally claim leadership. I doubt the clan leader will act on it, so it might be time for a change."

The crowd reacted with shock. Hirito's words implied a direct challenge to the clan leader, Uchiha Tomita, with whom the Uchiha had always sought a precarious balance between their loyalty to Konoha and their clan's interests. Hirito was openly hinting at replacing Tomita to pursue a new, more aggressive path for the Uchiha.

"Master Hirito, I support you!" came an enthusiastic shout from the crowd. The voice belonged to Uchiha Youta, a ninja who had served on the battlefield alongside Hirito.

Youta's admiration for Hirito was no secret. During the war, he'd seen Hirito charge through enemy ranks, sword flashing with deadly precision as he cut down opponents effortlessly. Youta had long believed Hirito embodied the true spirit of the Uchiha, but until now, he had thought Hirito was simply loyal to Konoha, without any real ambition. Now that Hirito was finally stepping up, Youta couldn't help but feel elated.

The shout of support set off a chain reaction. "Captain! I support you too!" Tetsuka chimed in. Hirito had once saved Tetsuka's brother, and for Tetsuka, that loyalty ran deep.

Tetsuka recalled Hirito's actions the previous day, when he'd learned of Senju Tobirama's death before anyone else in Konoha, and reacted swiftly, disregarding clan leader Tomita's orders. The captain he'd followed all this time suddenly seemed like an entirely different person—more assertive, almost ruthless. Tetsuka couldn't shake the feeling that this was the real Hirito, no longer concealing his true self.

As the enthusiasm spread, more Uchihas began to voice their support. The contagious energy soon caught everyone. To them, the idea of Hirito becoming clan leader was appealing; he had strength, experience, and, as some noted, he looked the part.

Hirito scanned the gathered faces, feeling their growing resolve. "For too long, we've held back because of Tobirama Senju. But he's gone now. We don't have to be cautious any longer. It's time to be bold, to reclaim our place and make a new era for Konoha—one led by the Uchiha."

His words sent a wave of excitement through the crowd, sparking a newfound sense of ambition among the clan members. As Hirito observed the crowd's reaction, he felt a sense of satisfaction, knowing he'd ignited a spark in them.

End of the Chapter.

Patreon:-

patreon.com/Novelmaker