The sun hung high above Konoha, casting a warm glow on the village gates.
Through that entrance, an Uchiha squad finally arrived.
At the front, Fugaku Uchiha led them, his stride steady but his eyes keen.
As they crossed into the village, the bustling streets unfolded before them—vendors calling out, children darting between stalls, laughter drifting in the air.
The difference was almost tangible.
For days, they had been on high alert, ready for battle at any moment.
But here, in this familiar place, that weight began to slip from their shoulders. They could finally breathe without expecting a fight.
Fugaku paused, letting his gaze wander across the scene. He inhaled deeply and exhaled, a rare, soft sigh escaping.
"This," he said, turning to his squad with a small smile, "is what the village means."
"…Feels different, doesn't it?"
The squad members glanced at each other, some visibly relaxing, others still absorbing the contrast.
"We've seen the worst in mist," Fugaku continued, his voice lowering,
"...We've faced all kinds of life-threatening situations. It's made us always ready for battle," Fugaku said, his voice turning sombre, tugging at the hearts of his team.
"But think—without the village, would we ever live like this? Carefree, with our families? The battlefield is nothing like this. We understand it, but our families and others can't feel it—even we ourselves want them to see that kind of world."
The three squad members exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from reflection to a quiet understanding.
One nodded, a weight seeming to lift from his shoulders.
Another exhaled slowly, as if finally letting go of a tension he hadn't realised was there.
The third one's eyes softened as he murmured, "We have to protect this peace, so they never have to know the struggle of war."
Fugaku heard the words.
For a brief moment, he said nothing.
Then—
A faint smile touched his lips.
It wasn't light.
There was something heavier beneath it.
Understanding.
Agreement.
And something unspoken that only someone who had seen the same battlefield could carry.
He didn't respond.
He didn't need to.
His hand moved instead.
A few quiet signs—smooth, practised.
"Transformation Jutsu."
A soft puff of smoke rose around him, brief and controlled. When it cleared, the Uchiha clan head was gone.
In his place stood an ordinary villager.
Fugaku adjusted his sleeve slightly, as if testing the disguise, then looked toward his squad.
"…Let's see what's changed."
The three behind him met his gaze.
They understood immediately.
This wasn't just a return.
It was an observation.
Without another word, they raised their hands as well.
"Transformation Jutsu."
Three soft bursts followed—one after another.
The smoke faded quickly.
Where Uchiha shinobi had stood moments ago, now remained only a group of common villagers.
Fugaku's eyes moved across them once, sharp even in disguise.
Satisfied—
He turned.
"Let's go."
His voice was calm, low enough to disappear into the noise of the street.
And with that—
They stepped forward, blending into the village.
At this time, outside the Hokage office—
Jiraiya stepped out of the Hokage office, his expression heavier than before.
The report lingered in his mind.
Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Moving toward Konoha's supply routes.
It wasn't just pressure.
It was intent.
Something about it didn't sit right.
"…What are they planning?"
He didn't say it aloud.
Footsteps followed behind him.
Tsunade.
"You walked out before the report even finished."
Her voice carried irritation, but not without concern.
Jiraiya didn't turn immediately.
"I heard enough."
Tsunade stopped beside him, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"That's exactly the problem."
Her hand struck his shoulder—not hard, but enough to pull him fully back.
Jiraiya exhaled, rubbing the spot lightly.
"I'm thinking."
That alone made her pause.
He wasn't joking.
"…This isn't normal," Jiraiya continued, his voice quieter now. "The Mist doesn't need to make a move like this without a reason."
Tsunade watched him carefully.
"You think they're trying to escalate?"
Jiraiya nodded slightly.
"Maybe."
A pause.
"…Or trying to distract us."
That made her expression shift.
"Then we go together."
Simple. Direct.
Jiraiya finally looked at her.
For a moment, he didn't answer.
Then he shook his head.
"I'll handle it."
Tsunade's gaze hardened.
"Don't start that."
Jiraiya raised a hand slightly, already anticipating her reaction.
"I'm not saying you can't fight."
A faint, almost careless smile appeared.
"I'm saying those piles of documents inside need someone more terrifying than me."
Tsunade stared at him.
Unamused.
"…You're unbelievable."
But she didn't push further.
Instead, she exhaled.
"Then at least take Orochimaru with you."
Jiraiya's expression shifted slightly at the name.
"…Haven't seen him in a while."
A brief silence followed.
"Not sure what he's doing these days."
"And I don't need that snake's help," Jiraiya added, a faint smirk pulling at his lips.
Tsunade didn't look at him.
"Do whatever you want," she said, her voice flat. "Just don't come back half-dead."
She turned and walked off without waiting for a reply.
Jiraiya watched her go.
For a moment, the smirk lingered—
then faded.
"…That's not how you motivate someone," he muttered under his breath.
There was no real anger in it.
Just habit.
He exhaled quietly, then turned in the opposite direction.
The weight from earlier returned.
Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
Supply routes.
Too direct.
Too obvious.
"…Or maybe that's the point."
His steps slowed slightly.
If it was a distraction—
Then something else was already in motion.
But what?
Jiraiya frowned, the thought refusing to settle.
"…I'll see it myself."
His voice was low, almost lost to the wind as he moved forward.
And just like that—
He was gone.
After Jiraiya and Tsunade left, the corridor fell quiet.
A moment later, Hiruzen stepped out, Homura beside him.
Both of them watched the direction they had gone.
Homura was the first to speak.
"…Should we send Orochimaru as well?"
Hiruzen shook his head.
"No."
A brief pause.
"I've already sent someone ahead."
Homura glanced at him, a hint of surprise crossing his face.
"…Someone else?"
Hiruzen's expression didn't change.
"He should be able to buy Jiraiya some time."
That only deepened Homura's curiosity.
Against the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—
Buying time wasn't something just anyone could do.
"…Who?" he asked.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly.
"Someone the White Fang spoke highly of."
That made Homura pause.
Images flickered through his mind—names, faces, abilities.
"…He should be able to stand against elite jōnin," Hiruzen continued, his voice steady. "And if he gives everything…"
A brief silence followed.
"…he can push even further."
Homura's eyes narrowed slightly.
He had an idea now about the person.
"…Are you certain he will?" he asked. "Give everything?"
For the first time, Hiruzen looked directly at him.
There was no hesitation in his gaze.
"I'm not the only one whose son is out there."
The meaning was settled between them.
Unspoken.
Homura looked at Hiruzen, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes—
gone just as quickly.
Hiruzen noticed.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"Sometimes," he said quietly, "things don't go the way we expect."
A brief pause.
"So we choose a different path."
That was all.
He turned and walked away, his steps unhurried, his back steady as ever.
Homura remained where he stood, watching him leave.
For a moment, he said nothing.
"…There are times," he murmured under his breath, "when I still can't understand you, Hiruzen."
The corridor felt quieter now.
He exhaled slowly.
"…But you're right."
His gaze lingered for a second longer before shifting away.
"Things rarely go as planned."
A faint sigh escaped him.
And for just a moment—
His thoughts drifted back to their sensei.
As he watched Hiruzen heading back to the Hokage office, he sighed.
"Is this the reason you chose Hiruzen as Hokage, Sensei?"
Homura thought to himself, reflecting on Hiruzen's approach to leadership, which stirred a slight fear within him.
"I just pray that situations like this don't arise for our clans, Koharu. We can't handle that," Homura mused as he also began his return.
Not long after—
Fugaku and his men sat inside an Akimichi restaurant, blending easily with the rest of the crowd.
The place was warm. Loud in a quiet way.
Conversations overlapped. Bowls clinked softly. No one paid them any attention.
That was the point.
Fugaku didn't speak.
He listened.
"…You really think that Hatake kid will be allowed to keep it?"
The voice came from a thin man, hunched slightly over his bowl of ramen.
His friend scoffed without even looking at him.
"Are you stupid? Since when does the Uchiha let something like that go?"
A faint pause.
"By the time that kid steps back into the village, he'll be standing right in front of them."
The thin man frowned slightly, chopsticks slowing.
"…But what about Minato? Or the Third? You think they'll just let that happen?"
There was hesitation in his voice now.
The name carried weight.
Around them, the noise dipped just slightly.
Not silence—
But attention.
Fugaku's gaze shifted, just enough.
One of his men leaned slightly closer, voice low.
"…Our Sharingan… in Minato's student?"
Fugaku didn't look at him.
"When Obito died," he said quietly, "he gave it to Kakashi."
A brief pause.
"That's all."
The man frowned, clearly not satisfied—
But he understood the tone.
This wasn't the place.
Fugaku added, a fraction firmer,
"We'll speak about it inside the clan."
Silence followed from their side.
But the conversation nearby continued.
"…So what do you think this becomes?" another voice cut in—heavier, slower.
A broad man now, leaning back in his seat.
"The Uchiha offending the Hokage… or the Hokage offending the Uchiha?"
A few low chuckles followed.
Then he added, almost lazily,
"They haven't even stopped that security fee nonsense yet."
A small laugh escaped him.
"You think they'll step in for something like this?"
This time—
No one laughed.
Not really.
The words lingered longer than they should have.
Fugaku remained still.
But the air—
had shifted.
Fugaku's gaze shifted slightly as the conversation spread.
Not everyone reacted the same.
Some faces lowered.
Others remained neutral—
as if this had already become normal.
A man let out a tired sigh.
"Don't act like the security fee is some kind of burden."
He leaned back slightly, wiping his hands on his apron—a shop owner.
"You people don't even know what it's like outside Konoha."
His voice carried a hint of irritation now.
"In the Fire Capital, in other places… what we pay in the name of 'protection' is far worse."
A brief pause.
"What the Uchiha take isn't even a tenth of that."
That drew attention.
Several people turned toward him, expressions shifting.
"But that's not the point."
Another man spoke up, sharper this time.
"This is Konoha."
His brows were furrowed.
"The Hokage should be the one giving orders—not some clan."
A few murmurs followed.
"Why should we follow rules made by the Uchiha?"
The shop owner looked at him for a moment.
Then—
"So you want the guard force to work for free?"
His tone wasn't loud.
Just… steady.
"Do you think things would stay this calm if they didn't get paid?"
He gestured lightly toward the street outside.
"We keep our shops open without worry because someone is watching."
A pause.
"If that stops… do you think you'll run your business the same way?"
The man hesitated.
"…It's still their duty," he said after a moment, less certain now. "They should take it from the village. Not from us."
This time—
The shop owner didn't answer immediately.
He just looked at him.
So did the thin man beside him.
"…You really don't know?" one of them said quietly.
"About the situation between the Uchiha… and the village?"
The words settled heavily.
The man stiffened slightly.
Realisation came a second too late about his idiotic question.
"…I see."
No one pushed further.
The conversation didn't end—
But it changed.
Fugaku remained still.
Silent.
Listening.
His thoughts moved more slowly now.
"…It's the guard force's duty."
The words barely left his lips.
But even to him—
They no longer sounded as simple as before.
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Author note:
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Right now, Patreon chapters are available up to Chapter 107, and those chapters are already unlocked for Tier 1.
P@treon - Hear_tteeth [18 +]
Thank you for the support and patience. A new fanfic has been given today.