"Danten, you met him during the Ninja Sword Tournament, didn't you?" asked Uchiha Honō.
The entire squad had noticed that Danten's mood was unusually low. After what had just happened, it was clear he wasn't feeling well.
"Yeah," Danten replied. "He lost to me back then. Since then, he's been coming to challenge me from time to time. A man who truly loves the way of the sword."
"We should probably get used to this kind of feeling," said Uchiha Gorou, trying to comfort him. "We're Uchiha — they're commoners. We'll never really get along. It's not about class, it's about stance."
"Civilian shinobi have their own hardships," added Uchiha Retsu. "For the most part, they still value old bonds, but when their lives are at stake, those bonds… well, I'm sure you understand by now."
"I know," said Uchiha Danten quietly. "I'm older than all of you. I've been thinking about how our clan and the village could coexist since long ago. For years, I've tried to find ways to blend in with Konoha — but no matter what I did, it never worked.
Until that time… when we went to seize the Tailed Beast. That's when I finally understood.
We Uchiha and Konoha… are just like the Tailed Beast and the village. When needed, the beast — or the Uchiha — are sent out to fight and die. When not needed, we're locked away, buried under endless scorn, slander, and rejection.
They don't see us as people at all. What are we to them — livestock they raise to slaughter when convenient? Damn those elders. They deserve to be cut down on the spot."
His voice trembled with rage, each word gritted through his teeth.
They had never seen Uchiha Danten — usually so calm and refined — like this before. His hatred for those hypocritical leaders ran deep.
"Brother," said Uchiha Kairen gently, "don't be too radical. Armed rebellion is the very last resort. War is always just an extension of politics — and right now, there's still room to maneuver, still a chance to turn things around.
Of course, taking down the current leadership is necessary — but we need to do it the right way. One thing you said is right, though — your dream is right. There's nothing wrong with wanting to integrate with Konoha.
What we want to blend into is the village, not the approval of its leaders. If we're dissatisfied with this generation of elders, then we'll just replace them — or become the new leadership ourselves. There's never only one path, and the Uchiha have never been a clan with only one road to walk.
Things haven't reached the point of no return yet. So don't lose heart. Let all this chaos — all this hatred — end with our generation. Let the next one live under the sunlight. The so-called 'Will of Fire' — I think it's a fine thing. We built Konoha together with the Senju. The wood symbolizes the Senju — but the fire? That belongs to us, the Uchiha."
Uchiha Danten smiled faintly. "You're right, little brother. Let all this madness end with us."
The group laughed — bold and unrestrained, their fighting spirit soaring.
Watching them, Uchiha Kirito, the dual-bladed warrior, couldn't help thinking: Yasuyuki, you idiot — how did you raise such a fine son?
The Uchiha would rise again in this generation. To slaughter those bastards — how glorious that would be!
---
On their march toward Takigakure, the journey was a stop-and-go blur of skirmishes and fatigue.
At the front, Uchiha Danten suddenly halted, raising his hand in a silent signal. Ahead, several Konoha ANBU operatives appeared. The two sides immediately spotted each other. Under normal circumstances, there might have been a clash — but out here, on foreign soil, internal conflicts were to be settled internally.
"We came from the direction of the Land of Grass," reported Uchiha Danten. "We eliminated all non-Konoha shinobi we encountered along the way. We've been clearing the outer perimeter, so we've found no significant intelligence yet."
"We came directly from the Konoha border," an ANBU operative replied. "Encountered two ambushes en route. Latest orders: anyone not affiliated with Konoha — kill on sight. We're moving west to continue the sweep and relay the directive to other units. Good luck out there."
With that, the ANBU gave a hand signal and vanished toward the west.
"Heh, the Hokage-sama's acting quite out of character," Uchiha Retsu chuckled.
"Indeed," said Uchiha Honō thoughtfully. "For someone who's always favored compromise to issue such an order… someone must have brought back some useful intelligence."
"Most likely," said Danten, "the village has already learned of the Tailed Beast rampage — though the exact situation in Takigakure remains unclear. If they did know the details, they wouldn't have sent that ANBU squad just now."
"Then let's keep moving," said Retsu. "Once we reach Takigakure, there's bound to be a major battle. Everyone's been busy lately, after all."
---
Along the way, they were ambushed twice by Kumo-nin, three times by Iwa-nin, and crossed paths with two squads from the Amegakure. Even the Kusa-nin had sent people — and the Suna-nin were probably still on the road.
What is this, the Ninja Olympics? Every nation's got a representative here…
Finally, Uchiha Kairen and his comrades reached Takigakure. They could already see the village gates ahead — built into a steep cliffside, nearly impregnable. Without the secret passage they knew of, an assault would have been nearly impossible.
All around, the various shinobi forces from different nations were locked in tense standoffs. Everyone wanted to go in — but no one dared make the first move, lest they become the target of all others.
The Uchiha squad naturally moved toward Konoha's encampment.
"What's the situation?" Kairen asked. "Have our people gone in?"
An ANBU operative replied, "We arrived fairly early. Some of our scouts already entered, but just as they began their investigation, other nations arrived, and now everyone's at a stalemate. We've reported our initial findings to the Hokage-sama — the next orders should come soon."
"Oh, so the Hokage already knows? That's good." said Honō. "So right now, we're the only ones who know the general situation, while the others are still guessing. The longer we drag this out, the more it benefits us — right?"
"Not necessarily," said Retsu. "With all the secret techniques in the ninja world, who knows if some of them have already snuck inside and relayed intel back? I think we should secure the entrance first. No matter what orders the Hokage gives later, holding the gate would still count as a major achievement."
The suggestion drew nods from several other Konoha squads. But one ANBU interjected, "Until Hokage-sama's orders arrive, we shouldn't act rashly. This isn't about earning credit."
"Relax," Retsu said with a sly smile. "This is our perfect chance to earn that credit. If something really is going on inside Takigakure, and Konoha is in a position to claim it all for ourselves — do you realize what that means? This is Takigakure we're talking about. What do you think lies hidden inside?
If Konoha gains another Tailed Beast… that would be an achievement defying heaven itself."
The ANBU fell silent — because even the simplest mind could calculate the benefits. Another Tailed Beast under Konoha's control would shift the entire balance of power. Who wouldn't want that glory? And besides, did anyone really believe the other villages hadn't already reached the same conclusion?
"Then it's decided," said Uchiha Kairen firmly. "We Uchiha will take point. When the fighting breaks out, two reconnaissance teams will infiltrate and scout quickly. The rest of us will hold the gate — no matter what.
If we hold it and make it back to Konoha alive… we'll return as heroes."