After witnessing Tahara Rokuro's overwhelming strength, the gathered Uchiha finally put away their contempt and sat down to listen.
Unfortunately, that was all they did—sit down.
Once Rokuro finished recounting the incident in full, their reactions remained the same as always.
The Hawk Faction shouted about the hypocrisy and underhanded schemes of the Hokage's people, while the Dove Faction immediately turned into a flock of obedient grandchildren—eager to insist that the culprits had nothing to do with the Hokage, that it must've been someone acting alone for money, a "purely personal matter," and shouldn't be treated as a political issue.
As for the Neutral Faction, they didn't even bother forming an opinion—they were just here for the show.
Watching these useless clansmen bicker like scholars too scared to fight, Rokuro could only think of one saying:
"When scholars rebel, it takes them three years to even get started."
Seeing their pitiful faces, Rokuro stood up abruptly.
"I still have things to do. I won't waste time trading words with you lot. I'm leaving."
Everyone froze. No one expected him to walk out that directly.
"Rokuro, you're the one involved in this incident. How can you leave now?"
Fugaku's brows furrowed. In his view, this whole mess had started because of Rokuro—he ought to be the one to clean it up.
Rokuro turned his head toward him.
"Clan head, you asked me here to recount what happened. I've done that. What's the point of staying any longer?"
"This whole incident began because of you. Shouldn't you take responsibility and see it through?"
The Doves caught the note of accusation in Fugaku's tone. Seizing the chance, a few jumped in like eager lackeys.
"That's right! If it weren't for you, the Hokage wouldn't have ordered such a strict investigation. You should go apologize and de-escalate things."
"Exactly! We've already been pushed to the outskirts of the village; the Hokage no longer trusts us. You should think of the bigger picture and stop being so petty—besides, nothing really happened to you, right?"
Listening to their infuriating words, Rokuro actually laughed—out of pure disbelief.
"Listen to yourselves! Are you really descendants of the same Uchiha clan that once dominated the Warring States Era? To curry favor with some decrepit old man, you're even willing to betray your own kin! Why don't you all just change your surname? Stop calling yourselves Uchiha. If our ancestors could see you now, they'd crawl out of the Pure Land just to slap you all dead. You're a disgrace!"
"You—! How dare you! We're doing this for the greater good! The village is already facing internal and external crises; we can't afford any disunity. Don't you understand that?"
Rokuro's eyes on him were colder than steel—and far more insulting.
He looked at the man as if staring at a pile of dung.
"You should be saying that to Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzo, because they're the ones destroying unity—not us! You lot just sit here blaming your own people, swallowing every humiliation without even farting in protest. How did I end up sharing the same bloodline as cowards like you? It makes me sick just thinking you bear the name Uchiha! Pah!"
He spat on the floor right after saying it.
The insult hit hard—one of the Doves burst out in rage, his Sharingan flaring as he lunged forward.
But his companion quickly restrained him. Rokuro felt a flicker of disappointment—he had been ready to kill.
Yes, he really had intended to strike.
The instant that man activated his Sharingan, Rokuro's killing intent erupted—fused with chakra that felt icy and suffocating. Every Uchiha in the room froze as if dropped into an ice cellar. Even Fugaku and Shisui, both seasoned elites, couldn't hide their alarm.
Fugaku's expression darkened as he instinctively shifted into a defensive stance.
Shisui's body reacted on its own—every hair standing on end as his Sharingan spun to life.
Their reactions weren't exaggerated.
Rokuro had deliberately drawn on the Nine-Tails' chakra—letting its feral, violent energy leak into the air.
Ever since its birth, countless shinobi had tried to capture the Nine-Tails.
Records spoke of the Gold and Silver Brothers of Kumogakure, Uchiha Madara, and Senju Hashirama.
Attacked, sealed, and imprisoned for decades inside jinchūriki hosts—it had endured endless torment.
Any being treated that way would become twisted; a tailed beast with that much power even more so.
The Nine-Tails' chakra was steeped in hatred and malice—poisonous emotions that eroded its host's body and mind. Most jinchūriki went mad or lost themselves to violence before long.
But Rokuro wasn't a jinchūriki.
With his mastery of sealing techniques, those negative emotions couldn't touch him. Instead, he could harness them.
"Working with you people is a waste of breath. Sit here and argue all you want—wait for your doom together. I'm not dying alongside a bunch of idiots. That'd make me look just as stupid."
Ignoring them completely, Rokuro turned and left.
He had barely stepped out of Naka Shrine when two figures caught up to him—Elder Uchiha Setsuna and his attendant, Uchiha Meika.
"Rokuro, my boy—would you care to join an old man for a cup of tea?" Setsuna said with a faint smile.
Rokuro glanced at the old hawk.
"Tea? Elder, are you sure that's wise? I just offended half the clan's jōnin. If I go to your house now, people might say you've taken sides."
"Hahaha! At my age, boy, I'm already half-buried in the ground. Reputation doesn't mean much anymore."
Rokuro met his cloudy but razor-sharp eyes.
"Then what does matter to you, Elder?"
A sharp glint flashed through Setsuna's gaze.
"I care only for the future of the Uchiha."
Rokuro smiled faintly.
"In that case, I'd be rude to refuse."
Back in Naka Shrine, Fugaku's expression soured the moment he heard that Setsuna had invited Rokuro to his home. Combined with the endless bickering still echoing in the hall, his patience finally snapped.
"Enough! This meeting is over. The Third Hokage will give us an explanation. There's no need for further action. Dismissed!"
And so, yet another Uchiha clan meeting ended in meaningless noise—accomplishing nothing but giving Danzo's spies a little more to report.
Meanwhile, Rokuro arrived at Setsuna's home.
"I must thank you, Rokuro," the elder said with a chuckle. "If not for your sealing scrolls, I wouldn't have been able to settle in so quickly. Truly revolutionary work—no wonder you could kill a jōnin at your age."
As Meika went to pour the tea, Rokuro waited until the cup cooled before taking a sip.
"How's the tea, my boy?" Setsuna asked.
Rokuro smiled.
"Elder, I'm the wrong person to ask. My understanding of tea begins and ends with 'tastes bad' and 'doesn't taste bad.' This one's… not bad."
"Hahaha! If a youngster like you says it's 'not bad,' I'll take that as high praise."
They shared a few light words before Setsuna's expression grew serious.
"You've apprenticed under Orochimaru now, haven't you? Are you hoping to follow in the path of Uchiha Kagami?"
Rokuro paused, surprised.
"Uchiha Kagami? Why would you think that? To me, he was just an idealist who couldn't see reality for what it was. Not just him—his descendant, Uchiha Shisui, is the same. A fool."
Setsuna's brows rose in surprise—but his eyes gleamed brighter than ever.
END OF CHAPTER
35 CHAPTERS AHEAD!!
Forbidden Java Jutsu - MrBehringer's Secret
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