Read ahead of public release on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley
Check out Chapter illustrations on Pixiv at unhinged_uchiha
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A while later
"Mikoto-sama… a little closer, please. Place a hand on Kanzou-sama's shoulder… yes, just like that. Please hold that position. And Patriarch-sama… please tilt the Gunbai slightly to the left."
As was evident, a photo session was underway outside the Naka Shrine. After all, this was a momentous day, the day Kanzou had become Patriarch. Naturally, such an occasion had to be recorded, right? That was exactly what they were doing.
"Perfect… perfect. Please stay like that for a moment…"
The photographer finished positioning Kanzou and Mikoto, then ducked beneath the black cloth and snapped the picture.
Kacha.
"Is it done?" Hazuki asked.
"Ah, yes, indeed. Now, the next—" the photographer began.
He was cut off immediately.
"The next one is with me, Shin-kun, and Souta-kun," Hazuki declared. Without waiting for a response, she hurried to Kanzou's side, dragging Shin and Souta along with her.
"H-hey… we can walk on our own, you know," Shin protested, but Hazuki ignored him. She stopped in front of Kanzou and turned to Mikoto, her tone noticeably cool, "Mikoto-sama, please step back for a moment. As Kanzou-sama's students… It's our turn now."
Mikoto glanced at Kanzou. He gave her a brief nod and patted her waist, signaling that it was fine. With that, she stepped aside.
As she passed by Hazuki, Mikoto heard a quiet snort. It made her frown, 'Did I offend her somehow?'
Hazuki's earlier cold tone came back to her, but no matter how she replayed their interactions, Mikoto couldn't recall doing anything that might have warranted it. Try as she might, she couldn't arrive at any clear answer.
'Or am I just overthinking?' she wondered as she moved to stand beside her grandfather. He was conversing with several other clansmen, and Mikoto bowed politely in greeting, all the while occasionally glancing toward Kanzou.
Just then, two familiar figures approached.
"Tadayoshi-sama… Mikoto-sama…"
"Seiji-kun… Kasumi-san," Tadayoshi greeted them, turning to face the pair.
Mikoto did the same, returning their greeting before lightly asking Kasumi, "Where is Shisui-chan?"
"Playing with the other kids," Kasumi replied.
Meanwhile, Tadayoshi turned his attention to Seiji. "Seiji-kun, if I remember correctly, you were out on a mission. When did you return?"
"Just last night," Seiji answered. He then added with a wry smile, "You can imagine my surprise. I returned from a month-long mission only to hear from Kasumi that so much had happened within that short time, and that Uchiha Kanzou was becoming Patriarch. I had to attend the ceremony."
He paused briefly before continuing, his tone measured. "I must admit… the ceremony was not quite what I expected."
The atmosphere grew tense and awkward. Both Tadayoshi and Mikoto understood what Seiji meant when he said the ceremony was not what he expected; he was clearly referring to Kanzou's speech.
"Tadayoshi-sama," Seiji continued, unable to hold back, "I can't help but wonder… do you truly agree with what our new Patriarch said?"
The elder fell silent.
Did he agree with Kanzou's words? Even he wasn't certain.
He couldn't deny that the Uchiha Clan was no longer what it once had been. In the era of Madara and Izuna, the clan had stood at its peak. Madara had been its spear, its overwhelming power and driving force, while Izuna had been its shield, the steady presence that held everything together. Together, the brothers had led the Uchiha to true glory.
After Izuna's death, however, the clan had only grown weaker.
Tadayoshi had been an active shinobi in that era. He knew what true Uchiha greatness looked like, and he also knew that the present clan fell short of it. Yet times had changed. Did the Uchiha need to return to that level of dominance? He didn't know.
What complicated matters further was who was making that promise.
Kanzou, the very man who had assaulted his granddaughter.
That alone twisted his thoughts into knots, leaving him conflicted and unsure. In the end, all he could say was, "The views and opinions of the older generation are not what matter. The future belongs to the younger generation."
Seiji shook his head. "That's not an answer, Tadayoshi-sama. You supported him in becoming Patriarch, yet you can't even say whether you truly agree with what he's saying."
At that, Mikoto frowned.
She had remained silent while the men spoke, but this time she chose not to hold back.
"Seiji-san," she said firmly, "if you're looking for an answer, then I'll give you one."
Seiji, Tadayoshi, and even Kasumi, who was beside her, looked at Mikoto.
She lifted her head, her voice steady. "Yes. We agree with him. I agree with what Kanzou-sama said."
"Mikoto-sama… you…" Seiji was genuinely stunned. He had never known Mikoto to be this way, never a radical, never someone who would openly support ideas like these. And yet, the determination in her eyes as she spoke left no room for doubt.
Kasumi was just as shocked. She had always thought of Mikoto as akin to a younger sister, and therefore, known her better than most, so hearing her take such a firm stance in favor of radical views was wholly unexpected.
"Do you really agree?" Seiji asked again, unable to hide his disbelief.
"Yes," Mikoto repeated without hesitation. "I fully agree with his words, with everything Kanzou-sama said."
Did she truly agree with those ideas? Mikoto hadn't even stopped to examine them that deeply. To her, that wasn't what mattered.
What mattered was that these were the views of the man she wished to marry, the man she had already accepted as her husband in her heart. Because they were his beliefs, she stood by them. She would defend them.
She might question him privately. She might wrestle with his words in her own thoughts when they were alone. But she would not sit quietly while someone else challenged her husband to be.
Right or wrong, it didn't matter to her. All that mattered was this: she had chosen to stand with Kanzou.
Because of that choice, she spoke to Seiji without hesitation.
"Seiji-san, for your own sake, you should do the same," she said calmly. "You should agree with Kanzou-sama's views and help him lead the Uchiha back to greatness. If you work alongside him and support him, it could be like the second coming of Madara-sama and Izuna-sama—restoring the Uchiha to their former glory."
"Is that so…" Seiji murmured, at a loss for words. Not only was Mikoto openly supporting Kanzou, but she was now urging him to do the same.
He turned to Tadayoshi, but the elder remained silent.
The atmosphere grew quietly uncomfortable.
Kasumi glanced at Mikoto, unsure how to respond. She briefly wondered whether Mikoto's support for such radical views stemmed from what had happened with Fugaku, but decided it was better not to voice it.
If she were honest, she could understand Mikoto's choice. After all, the man she intended to marry held those views, and even if Mikoto didn't fully agree with them, she would support him, at least in front of others. Kasumi knew she would have done the same in her place. A devoted wife stood by her husband.
Realizing that further discussion with Mikoto would be pointless, Kasumi gently tugged at Seiji's sleeve, silently suggesting that they excuse themselves.
Before they could move, a voice interrupted them.
"Mikoto, the photoshoot is finished. I think it's time for us to leave."
There was no need to ask who it was. Kanzou stepped over and joined them, casually slipping an arm around Mikoto's waist.
Mikoto's ears immediately flushed red with embarrassment. Being held like that, especially in front of others, and worse, in front of her grandfather, made her painfully self-conscious.
Tadayoshi cleared his throat. "Ahem," he coughed pointedly, as if reminding Kanzou to mind his decorum and not touch his granddaughter like this in his presence.
Kanzou shrugged and withdrew his hand, then turned his attention to the pair beside them as if he had just noticed them. "Oh? Seiji-san and Kasumi-san? Seiji-san, I thought you were out on a mission," he said lightly. "Well, since you're here, I suppose you made it back safely. I'm glad you returned alive."
He was only joking. During his speech, he had already noticed Seiji and his wife, Kasumi, among the crowd, but he still spoke as though he had only just seen them now.
"Yes… I'm glad as well, Patriarch," Seiji replied, bowing slightly. Kasumi followed suit, though she had a bit of a blush as she recalled Kanzou's earlier action of holding Mikoto's waist in front of them, 'H-he is very bold…'
Though Kanzou was younger than both of them, he was now the Patriarch, and they accorded him the respect his position demanded.
"Well then, now that you're back," Kanzou continued casually, "get some rest. After that, I'd like to ask whether I can expect your help at the police station. We're currently short on high-level personnel, and the workload is becoming a bit much for our existing manpower."
Of course, the manpower shortage was largely his own doing, but that hardly mattered…
Unlike most Uchihas, Seiji was not part of the Military Police Force. He was a Jōnin who took missions directly assigned by the Hokage. And he wasn't the only one. Others like Araki, Makoto, and Tsubaki also operated outside the police force, serving on village missions instead.
If people like them returned to the police force, Kanzou believed the personnel shortage could be resolved easily.
Seiji hesitated. "That… Patriarch… I'm not sure I can. I would need Hokage-sama's permission."
Though he used the Hokage as a shield, the truth was simpler: Seiji did not want to join the police force. Doing so would severely restrict his movements and authority and place him directly under Kanzou's command.
Seiji didn't want to place himself under Kanzou's command, especially not when he could clearly see that Kanzou was walking a radical path and stirring trouble within the village.
Kanzou, of course, understood Seiji's thoughts perfectly.
In truth, the question about joining the police force had never been about manpower. It was a probe, nothing more, a way to gauge where Seiji truly stood. Whether Seiji joined or not didn't really matter to him.
Still, since Seiji's reservations were obvious, Kanzou decided to be a little petty.
With an easy smile, he said, "Is that so? Then I suppose I'll have a word with Sarutobi Hiruzen myself. He would probably not refuse my request."
Seiji flinched. He hadn't expected that, nor the way Kanzou said it. Referring to the Hokage so casually, without a shred of respect, made Kanzou's intent painfully clear. Seiji had no desire to work under him.
Carefully, he replied, "Patriarch… wouldn't it be better for me to continue serving the village as a Jōnin? If I do, our clan's relationship with the other clans could improve. I could also represent the Uchiha to the Hokage and the village at large. In that way… I might still contribute to making the clan great again."
"Oh?" Kanzou asked, amused. "You want to help make the Uchiha Clan great again?"
"I am a Uchiha as well," Seiji said with a nod. "Naturally, I wish for our clan's greatness." He glanced briefly at Mikoto before adding, "Moreover, Mikoto-sama advised me to work together with you. If that's the case… how about I handle relations with the Hokage and the other clans?"
Kanzou didn't answer him right away. Instead, he turned to Mikoto. "You advised Seiji-san to help me?"
She hummed softly and nodded, "I believe, Kanzou-sama and Seiji-san working together would be beneficial for the Clan…"
Kanzou didn't deny either. "Well… that's fine. Working together is good," he said, gently caressing Mikoto's back in reassurance. Then he looked back at Seiji and continued evenly, "However, Seiji-san, you working for the village and representing the clan there is not what I want, and it's unnecessary."
His eyes sharpened slightly, "That isn't the vision I have when I say I will make the Uchiha great again. So it won't be needed."
"Then what kind of vision do you have when you say you'll make the Uchiha Clan great again?" Seiji asked.
It wasn't just his question. Tadayoshi, Kasumi, and even Mikoto were wondering the same thing.
None of them truly understood what Kanzou meant by that promise.
"The vision I have… fufu…" Kanzou chuckled, clearly enjoying the tension he was creating. "That's not something I wish to reveal right now. It will take time. For now, all I'll say is this: follow my orders and watch the results. In one or two years, the clan will be great again."
Silence followed. The others exchanged glances, all realizing the same thing: Kanzou had no intention of explaining himself.
After a moment, Kanzou added lightly, "But Seiji-san… I suppose I wouldn't mind giving you a few hints if you start working for me in the police."
In fact, Kanzou had no intention of revealing anything to Seiji at all. In his eyes, Seiji was nothing more than a potential double agent, a man too closely tied to Sarutobi Hiruzen to ever be trusted.
He remembered Uchiha Kagami, who had served Tobirama and later Hiruzen, quietly feeding them information. In the canon, even Shisui had acted as a double agent, loyal to Konoha's leadership rather than his own clan, to the point of attempting to use Kotoamatsukami on the sitting Patriarch.
Kanzou saw no reason to believe Seiji would be any different.
He was Kagami's son and Shisui's father; how could he be any different?
'The offspring of a dog will always be a dog,' he thought coldly.
Seiji, unaware of the contempt directed at him, hesitated instead of agreeing outright. "I… I'll think about it and speak with Hokage-sama first. Though, to be honest, I'm not sure he would approve, especially with the current tensions along the borders."
Kanzou replied casually, "The decision is yours." Then his tone sharpened. "That said, until you decide, I suggest you to be careful about the missions you accept and the places you go. If something were to happen on a mission beyond your capabilities… Kasumi-san would be left a widow, and your son without a father."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Kasumi. "You wouldn't want something like that to happen, would you, Kasumi-san?"
"Y-yes…" she nodded instinctively, an uneasy feeling settling in her chest at his words.
Kanzou smiled faintly. "I would also hate to organize the funeral of one of our strongest shinobi. But I'm sure you're intelligent enough to understand what's best, so I won't say anything more."
With that, he took Mikoto's hand. "Come, Mikoto. I want to greet a few others before we leave, so accompany me."
"Hai… Kanzou-sama," she replied softly, offering no resistance as he held her hand. Her ears flushed as she bowed to her grandfather. "Sofu-sama… I'll be leaving with Kanzou-sama."
Tadayoshi nodded. "Mm."
Mikoto then turned and bowed politely to Seiji and Kasumi before departing at Kanzou's side.
Watching Kanzou and Mikoto move off to greet others, Seiji felt a tight knot form in his chest. Kanzou's parting words replayed in his mind; they hadn't been casual at all. He could feel it. They had been a warning.
He turned toward the elder. "Tadayoshi-sama—"
But Tadayoshi cut him off calmly. "It's time for me to return home. At my age, my body can't handle too much exertion."
He had no intention of interfering, especially not now, when his granddaughter had clearly aligned herself with Kanzou. If anything, he would support him.
With that, the elder turned and left.
Left alone with Kasumi, she tugged gently at Seiji's sleeve. "Seiji-san…"
"Kasumi," he said quietly, "you should go home with Shisui."
She frowned. "Where are you going?"
"I need to submit my mission report to Hokage-sama," he replied.
Kasumi blinked, lips parting as if she wanted to say something. But one look at his expression made her stop. She nodded instead. "I understand… then I'll prepare lunch."
"Mm," Seiji acknowledged, already turning away as he headed toward the Hokage Building.
Kasumi sighed softly as she went to the area where Shisui should be playing with the other kids of the Clan.
While on her way, she didn't notice the way Kanzou glanced at her from afar, a faintly sinister smile curving his lips.
'Kasumi-san… for your sake and your son's, I hope Seiji-san doesn't do anything foolish. Because if he does… fufu~ well… you wouldn't blame me, would you?'
…
Somewhere near the Naka Shrine—
"Careful… careful… you can do it… come on…" a young boy of five or six muttered to himself as he struggled to balance on a tree trunk. "You're going to be Hokage one day… you have to be able to do this…"
As he steadied himself and climbed a little higher, his face lit up with excitement.
"Look! Look! I'm doing it, I'm really doing it!"
The moment of triumph lasted only a heartbeat.
His footing slipped, his balance broke, and he tumbled to the ground with a dull thud, "Aaah—!"
"Hahaha! He fell again!"
"Obito, you're so stupid, you can't even walk on a tree!"
That's right. The boy sprawled on the ground was none other than Uchiha Obito.
The same Uchiha Obito who would one day become a major villain, plunge the shinobi world into chaos through the Akatsuki, secretly control Kirigakure, orchestrate the deaths of the Yondaime Hokage and his wife, trigger the Nine-Tails' rampage, take part in the Uchiha massacre, and ultimately declare war on the Five Great Nations by launching the Eye of the Moon Plan to create a world where Rin could exist.
But that was all in the future.
For now, he was just a kid, and, frankly, a bit of an idiot.
His face burned as the laughter of other kids rang out. He scrambled to his feet and shouted back, "Shut up! I'm the one who's going to become Hokage! A-and just like the Patriarch said, I'll make the Uchiha Clan great again!"
"Maybe learn how to walk on trees first before talking about making the clan great," one of the kids shot back, laughing even harder.
Another pointed up at a nearby tree. "Look, Shisui can already do it, and he's younger than you. But you can't!"
Obito froze and followed their gaze.
There, higher up, Shisui moved effortlessly from branch to branch, chakra flowing smoothly as he leapt and balanced with careless ease, doing exactly what Obito had been struggling with.
His eyes twitched. 'He's really doing it!'
For a brief moment, Obito even wondered if Shisui had started training back when he was still in his mother's womb. The thought barely formed before his mind tripped over itself, and all he could do was snort.
"S-so what?!" Obito snapped, his cheeks blazing red. "If I really try, I can do it too!"
He turned back to the tree, and began climbing again, muttering stubbornly, "I'm going to be Hokage… I'll make the Uchiha Clan great again… there's no way I'm losing this easily…"
But no one paid him much attention.
One of the kids scoffed, "If anyone here is going to make the clan great, it's probably Shisui. Look at him, so young and already that good."
"Yeah," another added. "And after him, probably Mira-nee-chan. She always gets top grades in the academy, and everyone says she's the most talented in her year."
They glanced back at Obito with disdain.
"Compared to them, you're always late to school, your performance isn't even that good, and you can't even beat that kid from the Hatake Clan. How can you say you'll become Hokage or make the Uchiha great again? You're all talk."
The words hit harder than the fall.
Obito clenched his fists, humiliation burning in his chest. Unable to take the laughter and looks anymore, he turned and ran.
"Hey, where are you going?" someone called after him.
"Hmph!" Obito snorted, not looking back.
As he ran, his thoughts churned.
'If it were Rin-chan… she'd believe me,' he thought stubbornly. 'She'd definitely agree that I'll become Hokage, and that I'll be the one to make the Uchiha Clan great again.'
Lost in his thoughts as he ran, Obito failed to notice Kasumi approaching from the opposite direction. He slammed straight into her and tumbled backward, landing hard on his backside.
"Are you okay?" she asked gently, crouching down and reaching out to help him up.
"Y-yeah… s-sorry!" he blurted out, scrambling to his feet before bolting off again.
"H-hey, wait!" Kasumi called out, trying to stop him so she could at least check whether he was hurt.
But Obito didn't listen. In the next moment, he had already disappeared from sight.
Where was he headed?
Of course, to see Rin.
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
Read ahead of public release on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley
Check out Chapter illustrations on Pixiv: unhinged_uchiha