Kin had never considered Uchiha Fugaku as a hypothetical enemy.
A man plagued by indecision, possessing the Mangekyō yet choosing to withhold its power until death.
He wasn't even worthy of being Kin's rival.
As for why Kin targeted Fugaku, it all boiled down to the future—when Fugaku's son chose to slaughter their entire clan, Fugaku opted not to resist.
That included non-combatant civilians, the elderly, and children.
The root of this tragedy lay with Uchiha Fugaku.
A failure as a leader, a failure in upbringing—the Uchiha's downfall was his doing.
Fugaku's "contributions" were undeniable. Had he not been groomed for leadership since birth, no one would have chosen him as clan head.
Even a more incompetent leader would have rallied the clan against such a crisis.
Had the clan head led a resistance, at least some lives could have been spared.
On the night of the massacre, most of the Uchiha's forces died in their sleep.
This was why Kin held Fugaku in such contempt. At the very least, Kin believed that preventing Fugaku from becoming clan head would have granted the Uchiha more years of survival.
The clan meeting concluded.
Everyone filed out in an orderly manner, their expressions dazed.
Clan meetings were usually filled with debates, but nothing ever changed—everyone was accustomed to it.
At most, verbal arguments escalated into physical ones, but nothing major ever came of it.
Neither the doves nor the hawks had ever proposed anything groundbreaking.
But today was different. Kin's appearance had shaken everyone to their core.
It was as if he had ushered in a new chapter for the Uchiha.
Leaving the meeting, Kin headed home.
"Uchiha Kin!"
Under the twilight sun, Fugaku blocked his path.
Their shadows stretched long behind them.
"What? Want to fight me again?" Kin tilted his head, smirking. His recent progress had been rapid—Fugaku alone was no match for him now.
"What exactly is your game?" Fugaku demanded, his voice low.
"You were the one who said you didn't want the position of clan head."
Fugaku had been ready to step down, but Kin had refused—harshly, at that.
Yet today, Kin had openly challenged him for leadership. What was the meaning of this?
"You misunderstood me," Kin sighed, shaking his head.
"What you offered was scraps. What I take is the rightful seat of the clan head."
If Fugaku relinquished the position, it would be a condescending act—as if he were some magnanimous figure.
What Kin wanted was to kick him off that pedestal and seize the title for himself. The difference was fundamental.
He stepped forward, patting Fugaku's shoulder.
"You're just too disappointing."
With that, he walked past Fugaku.
Fugaku's face darkened, his fists clenched so tightly his veins bulged. For the first time, he raised his voice at Kin in anger.
"Do you find it amusing to toy with me?"
He felt mocked, played for a fool.
Kin didn't answer directly. Instead, he waved dismissively without turning back.
Watching Kin's retreating figure, Fugaku suppressed the urge to attack. Finally, he let out a deep sigh, his face etched with defeat.
He never seemed to gain the upper hand against Kin.
And why was Kin so fixated on targeting him?
It made him question himself deeply.
Was he truly that inadequate?
At the crossroads, Hyuga Kiyoshi appeared beside Kin like a shadow.
"Kiyoshi, what kind of teammate should we look for?"
Kin had already moved on from the Uchiha matter. After all, his declaration was just that—a declaration. Uchiha Hokaku wasn't dead yet.
The old man clung to power despite his feeble state, refusing to learn the Basic Internal Energy Technique to extend his life.
Kin couldn't fathom his motives.
Kiyoshi bowed slightly. "As you command, my lord."
He had no preferences for teammates.
Kin wasn't surprised by the answer. Stroking his chin, a figure flashed through his mind—the perfect candidate.
Hizure.
What he needed wasn't someone loyal to the village. And Hizure was destined to defect in the future.
"By the way, any leads on the Byakugan?" Kin asked casually.
His research on the Byakugan had only yielded superficial understanding. The mysteries of the Ōtsutsuki clan's chakra on the moon remained unsolved.
More Byakugan samples were needed.
"My apologies, my lord. The main family has too many restricted areas. I cannot approach them for now."
Those places were strictly off-limits to branch family members—even Hyuga Hizashi, who came from the main family, couldn't enter.
"Is that so?" Kin mused.
"If you encounter trouble, call for me."
"The Hyuga clan can't stop me."
Their Gentle Fist style? Even elite jōnin would be hard-pressed to counter him. Whatever he wanted to do to the Hyuga, they couldn't prevent it.
Kiyoshi's pupils trembled slightly before he bowed again.
"Yes!"
"Now, go invite Hizure for me."
"Yes!"
Rain poured outside as Kin sat cross-legged at the table, watching the storm.
The door creaked open.
Hizure stepped in, holding an umbrella. At nearly 180 cm tall, it would've been awkward for the 150 cm Kiyoshi to shield him from the rain.
"Lord Hizure, please, have a seat."
Kin gestured politely to the space before him.
"I've been expecting you."
Hizure nodded, setting the umbrella aside. Kiyoshi silently retreated into the shadows.
"What brings you to seek me out, Kin?"
Hizure knelt formally, hands resting on his knees, every gesture impeccable.
His brow twitched almost imperceptibly at Kin's casual posture.
"I'd like you to join my team," Kin stated bluntly.
Hizure's frown deepened.
"I must decline."
Teaming up with Jiraiya's student? They weren't even of the same generation.
For someone as prideful as Hizure, this was unbearable. Already, watching his peers—the Sannin—rise to fame while he remained an ordinary jōnin was agony.
Becoming Kin's teammate would be an admission of inferiority.
Even if it was the truth.
The thought twisted his heart.
Kin's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile.
"Tell me, Lord Hizure… are you familiar with the forbidden Ghost Absorption Technique? The one that fuses the user with summoned creatures? I believe research on it is strictly prohibited."
Hizure's body stiffened, his eyes narrowing to slits.
"I assume you wouldn't want anyone to know you're studying how to integrate others' Kekkei Genkai into yourself using that technique?"
Kin's smile widened.
...
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(End of Chapter)