The new system rollout left many Uchiha clan members overwhelmed—the material seriously challenged their worldviews. Since everyone still had day jobs, most had to study after hours. Some even took the clan's push for more children to heart, working overtime to expand the family—leaving everyone extra exhausted.
Surprisingly, younger kids like Sasuke handled it better. They had study tasks too, but knowing it was the clan head's orders made them eager and motivated.
Especially after Sasuke heard from his father that the curriculum was created with Yuhara's input—and that Yuhara would be using it to assess him—his enthusiasm skyrocketed. Even if most of the material went over his head, he still tried hard.
Uchiha Sō and Takechi's lessons were deep and complex, using examples from across the ninja world. Adults loved it—felt like their eyes were finally opened. But for kids, it was tough. Thankfully, Sasuke had his dad tutoring him—something even the clan exile never had.
Through this, Sasuke began to understand more—and the more he understood, the more he resented that guy.
"That clueless idiot, short-sighted enough to want to destroy the clan. I hope you're still alive, so I can make you pay," Sasuke muttered to himself, diving back into study with the rest of the clan.
But the most miserable ones? The Police Department members.
They had to study both clan content and department rules—daily life was pure suffering.
"Looks like everyone's pretty fired up, huh?" Yuhara said with a smile after hearing how hard the clan was working.
"Of course they are. You gave the orders—who'd dare slack off?" Shisui chuckled. "Besides, the lessons are really useful. I attend every class, and I've learned a ton."
Even with Yuhara's early guidance, Shisui felt he had much more to learn. So he sat in every session like everyone else. His example reassured the clan—if even the Mangekyō-wielding deputy clan head showed up, who were they to skip?
"Do your best, yeah? We're classmates and the clan head and deputy now—if you embarrass yourself, I go down too," Yuhara teased, quickly changing the topic before Shisui could get too serious.
"Anyway, how's Naruto doing? He's been visiting a lot. Any issues with the ANBU tailing him?"
"Same as usual. He comes to play with Sasuke. Fugaku and his wife seem to like him—always treat him really well."
Shisui paused, then continued, "As for the ANBU, they rotate shifts. It used to be Kakashi, but now it's others. I know them, but not well. They always report in, and we don't give them trouble, but someone from the clan always shadows them."
ANBU roaming the clan grounds was technically forbidden—the Hokage interfering in clan affairs was an unwritten taboo. Danzo's downfall came in part from crossing that line. No one believed Danzo acted without the Hokage's tacit approval.
"At least they're playing by the rules now. Ever since we dealt with Danzo, they've been behaving," Yuhara said with a grin. In the past, ANBU wouldn't have been so polite, and the Uchiha wouldn't have been allowed near Naruto.
He still remembered how the Uchiha compound had once been littered with surveillance devices. They were gone now—but Yuhara hadn't forgotten.
With the ANBU behaving, his thoughts turned to Kakashi—what was he doing now?
While the Uchiha and Police Department were quietly transforming, Kakashi sat alone at home, deep in thought. Today was his day off. Normally he'd skip rest, but after that genjutsu from Yuhara, he finally wanted to relax.
Not for laziness, but to think clearly.
He couldn't shake what he'd seen in Yuhara's genjutsu—or the memory of the slander his father endured. He couldn't forget that moonlit night, his teacher battling the Nine-Tails. Or Naruto's lonely figure.
Worse, he couldn't forget how his own silhouette mirrored Naruto's—both haunted by vicious whispers.
Every image, every word echoed in his mind—especially Yuhara's final questions:
"Have you ever considered why your father was slandered so harshly?"
"Did you ever think, in Naruto's world, even a small kindness would be unforgettable?"
"Can you really face your father and your teacher?"
Kakashi clutched his head—it was splitting. Those images, those words—they tormented him.
"Can I really face them?"
His voice was barely a whisper. His eyes unfocused, full of confusion and helplessness.
He had joined the ANBU on his teacher's advice—to ease his grief. Maybe even to prepare him to lead someday—but Kakashi never thought of that.
Instead, he used the ANBU's brutal missions to numb himself—contrary to what Minato intended.
But Minato was gone, lost on that terrible night.
And Kakashi, left behind, drifted aimlessly. He sensed the ideals of his teacher and friends—but had no clue how to act on them.
With no clear goal or path, he stuck to the one thing he knew: missions.
But Yuhara's words planted seeds of doubt. Even if they were meant to provoke, Kakashi couldn't refute them.
"Why did the Uchiha end up like this? Why did my father suffer? Why did Naruto?"
He leaned forward, hands on his head, mumbling again and again—then fell silent.
Time ticked by, but inside, Kakashi was at war with himself.
Then suddenly—Yuhara's voice again, in his head:
"A lot of it ties to Danzo. I saw evidence of his human experiments. The Third Hokage paid us off to keep quiet.
Why do you think he did that?
For your father. For your teacher."
For his father. For his teacher.
In that moment, Kakashi's eyes cleared. The fog and doubt vanished.
He remembered once digging into the archives to investigate someone named Tenzo—only to be caught by Hiruzen and handed complete files.
And he remembered Hiruzen admitting Danzo had done human experiments—using the First Hokage's cells.
Hiruzen claimed he had shut it all down.
But Danzo had kept going—with Orochimaru.
Even if Hiruzen didn't name the exact experiments, Kakashi could guess.
"The First Hokage's cells—definitely that."
His gaze hardened. That kind of experimentation was taboo—no wonder Hiruzen never made it public.
"And no matter if it's my father, the Uchiha, or Naruto—there's always been this invisible force pushing the village to reject them."
He clenched his fists.
It was the same pattern every time—too similar to ignore.
Someone had to be behind it.
They covered up Danzo's crimes—then turned around and blamed him. That contradiction... made Kakashi deeply suspicious.
"What's really going on here? I think it's time I found out.
Time to investigate Danzo—and uncover what the Hokage buried."
(End of Chapter)
_______________
P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to 30+ at patreon.com/Emik01.