"Fugaku… dead?!"
Hayashi looked at the secret letter from Orochimaru, disbelief etched across his face.
"This has to be a joke…"
He reread the letter twice.
Yes, it was Orochimaru's handwriting.
Hayashi could no longer keep calm. The ripple effect of this news was staggering.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?"
Mikoto, returning from pursuing enemies, still had traces of blood on her face. Her mesmerizing Three-Tomoe Sharingan rotated briefly before returning to normal.
Hayashi looked up. "The young clan head… he's dead."
"Oh…"
Mikoto's reaction was minimal. She quickly regained her composure. It wasn't coldness—just a matter of perspective. As a Ninja, she had seen countless lives lost over the years. Fugaku had been little more than an acquaintance. His death stirred no significant waves in her heart.
Hayashi, however, felt far more conflicted.
Uchiha Fugaku had been someone important.
Dead… without even a proper farewell.
He had left behind Itachi and Sasuke, leaving Hayashi to shoulder the weight of responsibility alone.
And then there was the Uchiha coup… with the future clan head gone, how could there even be a coup?
This news was overwhelming.
Hayashi sighed.
His feelings toward Fugaku were complicated. Initially, he had approached the young clan head casually, neither friend nor foe. But Fugaku had sought him out repeatedly, sharing drinks, engaging him before missions. If the timeline had allowed, Hayashi might have considered befriending him.
But it was too late. The man was gone.
Still, doubts lingered.
Was Fugaku really dead? Could it be like Obito?
There were too many unknowns. The Hidden Mist Village was involved. Perhaps Uchiha Madara had chosen Fugaku as his successor. But that seemed unlikely—Madara had not picked him in the original timeline.
"If he were to choose, he'd choose someone as capable as me," Hayashi muttered with a wry smirk. He felt oddly slighted at the thought of being overlooked.
People's minds were strange things—trivial yet complicated. Cheap, even.
Footsteps sounded nearby. Hayashi and Mikoto looked up to see Himeji returning, carrying several dripping heads.
"All the fleeing enemies have been taken care of?"
Himeji nodded, noticing the letter in Hayashi's hand. "Did something happen in the Village?"
"Fugaku is dead."
Himeji froze. The news hit harder than she expected. Fugaku wasn't a minor Ninja—he was the young head of Konoha's largest clan. His death could shift the political balance in the Village for decades.
"Are we returning to Konoha?" she asked, voice tight with concern.
Hayashi nodded. "Orochimaru wrote that Uchiha Yama's hair turned white overnight. He's no longer focused on the Military Police, hiding at home instead."
"I didn't realize his son's death affected him so deeply."
"After all… he was his only son," Hayashi sighed. "Orochimaru wants me to return and contend for the position of young clan head."
Himeji considered briefly. "The odds of success are high. Fugaku's decision to go on a mission had weakened his political standing. Now that he's gone, and with no other sons, the Uchiha lack a strong leader. You're Orochimaru's disciple, Hayashi. Hokage-sama will support you. You are the most suitable candidate from every angle."
Hayashi exhaled. "I know all that, Himeji, but I'm only fourteen. Even if I return, Uchiha Yama is still above me. He won't step down immediately. If I can't subtly influence him, the position of young clan head will be symbolic, and others will see me as greedy. Things can't be rushed. Perhaps that's why the Third Hokage hasn't called me back yet. Let the Kunai fly for now."
Himeji nodded. "I was too hasty. So, where to next?"
"First, we meet Senior Jikū, then head to the Temple of Fire for the night."
"Alright."
After sealing the heads from their mission, the three moved quickly through the forest.
"It's been ages since I last saw Kushina and the others. I wonder how they've changed," Mikoto said, sighing.
It had been nearly a year and a half. Previously, they could only exchange messages through Summoned Beasts—a primitive method.
"Kushina said she's almost reached the mission requirement for promotion to Jonin. Once that happens, she'll visit the Daimyo's Residence," Hayashi said.
"Jonin, huh… when will I become one?" Mikoto said, enviously.
Both Hayashi and Himeji were Jonin; Mikoto was still Chunin. Though she didn't say it outright, she cared.
Himeji smiled. "You'll be promoted automatically after serving as a Guardian Ninja. Didn't you know?"
Mikoto's eyes widened. "Really? They never told me!"
Hayashi shrugged. "I didn't know either. First time as a Guardian Ninja—how could I track every minor detail?"
Mikoto pouted. "This isn't minor. I wanted to become a Jonin and teach little Kakashi."
Yes, Kakashi was born in September.
Sakumo and Oda Ichi's wedding had been recent, forced by an unexpected pregnancy. Sakumo had gained both a wife and a son, despite hoping for a daughter.
Himeji laughed at Mikoto's pouting.
"How dare you laugh at me," Mikoto said, face flushing, before lunging playfully.
Himeji protested, "I won't dare again… please… Sister Mikoto, have mercy…"
It was harmless roughhousing. Hayashi cheered from the side.
But then he noticed Mikoto brushing against Himeji's chest, Himeji responding in kind, and his eyes widened.
Am I… going to be cuckolded?
And then… change my name to Hayashi?!
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