Naruto: Uchiha's Resolve

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"Are you here to mess with me?"

Uchiha Kagami's thoughts churned as he felt the stinging gazes of his former teammates. Moments ago, the six of them had been a united front, huddling together under the intense pressure Uzumaki Mito exerted upon them. But now, in the heat of her fury, they were falling apart.

Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utane, Mito Kado, and Akimichi Torifu all shifted away from Kagami as if they'd been given a signal. Only Sarutobi Hiruzen remained rooted in place, his gaze troubled but fixed on Kagami.

Uzumaki Mito's hair floated around her like an otherworldly shroud. People who knew her well understood this was the warning sign that she was on the edge of unleashing a storm. Her chakra built steadily, forming a dense, visible aura around her body. Tiny cracks started to form on the floor beneath her, responding to the sheer weight of her power.

Say something! You have to say something! Kagami told himself, feeling like a small boat caught in a raging sea.

The image that filled his mind was one of endless ocean, its once-calm surface whipped into towering waves, as dark clouds gathered overhead, split by flashes of thunder. A crushing feeling of helplessness settled over him. Uzumaki Mito's chakra pressed on him from every angle, mingled with murderous intent and negativity so thick it was hard to breathe. For the first time, Kagami felt truly weak.

In his memories, Uzumaki Mito was a kind, gentle elder with a soft smile. He'd heard about her immense power from the clan elders, of course, but it had always been an abstract thing—something he could imagine, but never truly grasp. Now, that power was a storm bearing down on him, and he realized how foolish he'd been to think he could withstand it.

"It wasn't me," he said, forcing the words out. "I would never betray the mission, and I would never swear lightly on the Uchiha name!"

He spoke with conviction, but to Mito, it probably sounded like little more than empty defiance. As soon as they had returned to the village, the six of them had gone straight to the Senju compound to report Tobirama's death. No one else had been involved, and none of them had left the grounds since. Yet, somehow, news of Tobirama's death had swept through Konoha in just one afternoon. Worse still, it seemed to have started from Uchiha-owned businesses.

If anything, this only deepened the suspicion. It wasn't that the Uchiha lacked methods for covert communication. Why should they trust that the message wasn't sent through other means? Kagami's words could not convince Mito, who stood resolute and unmoved. As far as she was concerned, the news had come from the Uchiha clan, which made him an accomplice by association, regardless of whether he'd actually been involved.

Kagami swallowed as Mito's eyes sharpened. She wouldn't kill him—she couldn't—but she could easily leave him incapacitated for months, just to make her point clear.

"Madam!" Hiruzen's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "I believe in Uchiha Kagami!"

He stepped in front of Kagami, meeting Mito's deadly gaze with determination. Everyone present looked at him in shock. Even in this tense moment, Hiruzen was risking himself to defend Kagami.

A look of surprise flickered across Mito's face, but it quickly vanished. She locked eyes with Hiruzen, her voice sharp with disbelief. "Monkey boy, do you even know what you're saying? Trying to be a hero now?"

"This little display won't impress me." Her powerful aura shifted, releasing its grip on Kagami and centering on Hiruzen.

Kagami felt the intense pressure lift, and he inhaled deeply, the fear of drowning finally receding. His body was drenched in cold sweat, his clothes clinging uncomfortably to his skin, but that hardly mattered now. All that mattered was Hiruzen standing in his defense.

"Stop being so stubborn, Hiruzen," Danzo muttered, his voice laced with irritation. "After all, Kagami is still an Uchiha!"

Hiruzen bore the brunt of Mito's anger alone, unflinching, while Danzo's words rang out with unmistakable distrust. For Danzo, Tobirama's wariness of the Uchiha clan had been justified all along. As long as Kagami bore the Uchiha name, he would always be a suspect in Danzo's eyes.

"Shut up!" Mito snapped, her gaze turning to Danzo, who quickly silenced himself, his earlier confidence shrinking under her scrutiny.

"Mito-sama," Hiruzen said firmly, "I'm not here to play games. I believe Uchiha Kagami is innocent. I trust him with my life."

Mito's expression remained rigid, her voice clipped as she asked, "And what are your reasons?"

Hiruzen met her gaze, unwavering. "Because Kagami isn't like the others," he said, his voice steady and calm. "He doesn't have the arrogance you often find in the Uchiha. He's gentle, loyal, and committed to his comrades."

As he spoke, Hiruzen's mind filled with memories of the bond he shared with Kagami. He recalled countless missions and battles fought side by side, each one reinforcing the loyalty they had for one another. "On the battlefield, I could trust him with my life. He has risked himself for this village more times than I can count. Kagami isn't someone who would betray his comrades or his duty."

Hiruzen's words were raw, his sincerity undeniable, and for a moment, Mito's hardened expression softened.

Even Danzo, who had been so quick to accuse, glanced at Kagami with a flicker of doubt. The weight of Hiruzen's loyalty, the countless nights and bloody battles they had faced together, could not be denied.

Mito studied Hiruzen closely, and the room held its breath. At last, she allowed her chakra to dissipate, her anger finally easing. Her voice, though still stern, carried a hint of something gentler. "Perhaps I let my anger cloud my judgment tonight," she admitted, a rare concession. "Trust is not something I give lightly, and Hiruzen, you have chosen to trust Kagami. I will respect that."

Kagami exhaled, his heart filled with relief and gratitude. He bowed his head to Mito, silently promising to prove himself worthy of this trust.

Mito straightened, addressing the room with a warning that resonated through every person present. "Let me be clear: the price of betrayal in Konoha is steep. Trust is rare and precious. If broken, it is seldom repaired."

End of the Chapter.

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