At last, Uchiha Ran took a deep breath and said, "Mother, Father hesitated over whether to unite with Minato Namikaze and launch the coup. In the end… we argued."
He said no more, but Uchiha Mikoto immediately understood.
She smiled gently. "Ran, I know you have your reasons. But in the future, I hope you won't speak so bluntly."
"After all, Fugaku is your father. You should at least leave him some dignity. Your father is politically sensitive and good at planning, but his biggest flaw is indecisiveness."
"He wants to support neither side fully, choosing instead not to offend anyone. But in reality, that choice ends up offending everyone."
"I've advised him many times, but he always shook his head and said he needed more time to think."
At this point, Mikoto sighed and looked at Ran. "Your father has too many worries. And as clan head, the burden on his shoulders is immense."
Ran lowered his head.
He knew his mother was right—but these were extraordinary times that demanded extraordinary measures.
This was the greatest turning point the Uchiha clan had faced in a century. Seize it, and they would rise. Miss it, and they would sink into an endless abyss.
Ran knew very well that Hiruzen Sarutobi still had five years left to live. Five years later, during the Konoha Crush, if not for Orochimaru using the Impure World Reincarnation, that old man might still be alive.
For Konoha.
For the Uchiha.
For his mother.
For Uchiha Sasuke.
He had no choice.
"Mother."
Ran stood up and bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry. This period is critical, so I can't accept your request. But please believe in me—once everything is settled, I will personally come to apologize."
With that, Ran turned and walked toward his bed.
Mikoto smiled softly. "Good. I believe my son will accomplish what he wants to do."
Ran waved his hand. "Good night, Mom."
He didn't close the door or set up any defenses. After all, this was his only mother in this life.
"Love you, Mom," Ran murmured. "See you tomorrow."
---
The next day.
Ran woke up early. The moment he opened the door, he saw a group of Uchiha ninja holding newspapers, chatting excitedly.
When they noticed him, they immediately straightened up, eyes shining.
"Good morning, Clan Head!"
"You're up early, Clan Head!"
"We're about to head out!"
Ran checked the time—about ten minutes remained before departure.
"Why are you all gathered at my door?" he asked.
"Well…" one ninja scratched his head nervously. "We just felt more at ease being here. After all, what we're about to do today is pretty exciting."
Ran laughed. "You've got some guts. But today is only the beginning. Tomorrow, the day after, and for the entire coming week—we'll keep distributing them."
"Clan Head," a young ninja asked hesitantly, "what if the Hokage causes trouble? I heard Root is extremely cruel."
Ran sneered. "From now on, the Uchiha will accept orders—but we will not respond to summons. As long as Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura remain in power, we won't attend any meetings."
"With four Mangekyō in the clan, we're already giving them too much face. If I didn't want to minimize casualties, I could start a war at any time."
The young ninja's face flushed with excitement.
Accept orders but ignore summons.
That was how a real man lived.
After chatting a bit more, the Uchiha ninja rushed off along the routes Ran had planned.
Ran watched them go, the corners of his lips lifting.
Konoha's sky is about to change.
Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi appeared quietly.
Ran said, "One of you take the east side, the other the west. If any ANBU or Root interfere—kill them without exception."
"Yes!" Shisui and Itachi answered together, vanishing instantly.
Ran flashed away as well, appearing atop the Hokage Rock.
Arms crossed, he looked down at Konoha. The place where he stood was precisely the eyes of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
"You were truly blind to choose Hiruzen Sarutobi as your successor," Ran said coldly.
"If you knew Konoha had been ruined like this by him, would you be so furious that you'd crawl out of the Pure Land?"
---
Inside Konoha Village.
Uchiha clan members spread throughout the streets, shouting loudly:
"Come take a look!"
"The first issue of Konoha Daily is out!"
"Village secrets, short stories, and even recipes!"
"Only one ryo—the price of a piece of candy! You won't lose anything!"
"Freshly printed newspapers! Increase your knowledge and broaden your horizons!"
"Big brother, here—free reading for ten minutes!"
All of these sales pitches had been taught by Ran himself.
By chance, Kakashi Hatake passed by and was stopped by an Uchiha ninja offering a free trial.
Bored, Kakashi accepted—and the first thing he saw was an article about the death of the White Fang.
His pupils shrank violently.
His breathing quickened.
He activated his Sharingan, reading the article from start to finish.
His expression twisted beneath the mask, and in that instant—
His Sharingan evolved.
From three tomoe… into a Mangekyō Sharingan.
The Uchiha ninja's pupils contracted in shock.
Mangekyō… Kakashi has awakened the Mangekyō!
He immediately handed his task to a nearby colleague.
"I'll be right back!"
With that, he vanished, leaving the other ninja behind cursing him for slacking off on the very first day.
Still, the remaining ninja continued selling newspapers diligently.
Ten minutes later, he said politely, "Kakashi-senpai, the free reading time is over. If you'd like to continue—"
Kakashi looked up.
He had already deactivated his Mangekyō.
"Who allowed you to sell such baseless speculation?" he asked coldly.
At that moment, Uchiha Itachi appeared, blocking Kakashi's path.
"Kakashi-senpai, whether it's true or false… don't you already know?"
"Have you really never doubted the Hokage or Danzo even once?"
"Many ninja fail missions, yet no rumors spread."
"So why did the saying 'a ninja who fails a mission is trash' spread so quickly after Sakumo Hatake?"
Itachi's words were sharp, precise—leaving Kakashi no room to respond.
Kakashi's face turned pale.
He had doubted before. But because his father had chosen death and abandoned him, that doubt had twisted into anger.
He had begun to hate Sakumo Hatake.
Why did you leave me? Why did you make me live alone?
"Enough, Uchiha Itachi!" Kakashi snapped.
"If you still recognize me as your captain, tell your subordinates to stop selling these papers!"
"Do you realize that once this spreads, Hokage-sama—"
"Lose face?" Itachi interrupted coldly.
"He did these things himself. Why can't people talk about them?"
"It's not like we forced him."
"Indulging Danzo. Harming villagers. Sacrificing comrades to avoid war. Sending corpses to the Hidden Cloud Village as appeasement."
"Kakashi-senpai—don't tell me you didn't know any of this."
Kakashi staggered back, swallowing hard.
He knew.
And it was precisely because he knew that his conscience told him—
he could no longer keep participating.
------
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