The elder spat blood from his mouth, his face covered with wrinkles and extremely pale.
Being choked by Ruri and pressed against the ground, he still showed a smile, locking eyes with Ruri's Sharingan.
"Are you angry? Yes, killing me will be the end of it. Come on, if my life can make you awaken, that's the best, then you won't have to endure the pain of watching your loved ones die in front of you. Kill me if that satisfies you."
Cold sweat ran down Ruri's face; to be honest, facing such an elder, she felt a bit terrified.
"What, not going to do it? You must know, now among the Uchiha Race, most of the clan members are under my command. If I order it, they will execute without hesitation. Either you kill them all, kill me, or sever it yourself... otherwise, the assassination will endlessly revolve around your loved ones."
"Don't push me!"
Ruri's grip on his throat increasingly tightened.
The elder laughed and coughed.
"Haha... just like this, even for an old thing like me, you can't bear to kill. You're too attached and nostalgic about emotions, Ruri. With your talents, if you could be ruthless, you are the perfect material to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan!"
The elder saw through all Ruri's intentions, making cold sweat run down her back.
He was deliberately provoking her.
From the start, she was caught in his layout.
If she killed him, it was precisely what he expected.
Falling into darkness, turning into the next Uchiha Madara for power.
"You're truly insane."
"Because this is the only way to save the clan... now the Uchiha need a new pair of Mangekyo Sharingan, to seize the Hokage position of the village. Compared to Fugaku, you have more potential to open your eyes."
The elder didn't care about Ruri's assessment and laughed.
Ruri fell silent, forcing herself to calm down, not to be swayed by his words.
Releasing the elder's throat, Ruri stood up.
The elder didn't show happiness but rather anger.
Ruri took a breath of the clear underground air and walked towards the stairs, ascending.
"Are you decided? At times like this, if you don't kill me, then from now on, the assassination surrounding your family will continue endlessly until you awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan! You aren't the sort to leave threats for last! Come on, kill me! So you can protect them! Why won't you kill me?"
Ignoring the beast behind her in a mad rage, Ruri only felt a chill as she stepped up the stairs.
Walking out of the basement, she opened the door of the inner hall meeting room.
In the shrine plaza, a large number of Jonin Uchiha were gathered.
After Ruri came out of the inner hall meeting room, most people glared at her with cold and angry eyes.
Silently accusing her of her previous rudeness to the elder.
Without a sound, they passed by her, bringing a cold atmosphere, and surged into the meeting room.
Ruri walked forward feeling a bit lost.
Opposite to the path of the clan.
"Captain."
A few Uchiha Ninjas didn't enter but came over to care about Ruri, showing confusion, not knowing the conflict between Ruri and the elder.
"Don't ask, it's not good for you. I'm tired, I'll go back to rest, you should also go back to rest soon."
Whispering, Ruri said and stepped down the Nankai Shrine stairs.
Watching Ruri's ever-receding figure, the Uchiha Ninjas under her direct command looked at each other.
"What should we do?"
"Seeing the captain's lost expression, the shock must be enormous. I've never seen the captain show that look."
"After all, that was the elder, one who speaks unopposed within the clan."
A few Uchiha Ninjas deeply recognized, fearing the elder who led the radicals from the heart.
The terror of taming those radical ninjas by the elder was beyond their imagination.
◎
Returning, Hakushi saw Ruri sitting silently in the corridor, staring dazedly out into the night, feeling worried.
Though he didn't know what happened after Ruri went to see the elder, such a severely shocked state in Ruri, he had never seen.
Whether it was being set up by Root, surrounded heavily by Hidden Sand Ninja, or facing the anger and helplessness due to Hokage's favoritism and neglect, or even Sakumo's passing, never had she been so lost.
"Rest."
Finished dazing, Ruri suddenly turned and spoke.
Hakushi seemed a little stunned, then nodded.
When sleeping, Hakushi quietly held Ruri, and she closed her eyes in his arms, seemingly very exhausted.
What happened after meeting the elder?
Hakushi couldn't know.
But the plan to leave Konoha would be tomorrow, no matter what, he had to confide to Ruri tonight.
But seeing Ruri's tired expression at this moment, discussing leaving Konoha with her in such a mood seemed a bit untimely?
Knowing this, he should have stopped a bit earlier, not this entangled.
However, no matter what, delay cannot continue again.