"Drop out of school?"
The Third Hokage glanced at Uchiha Sasuke, who stood before him with an expressionless face, waiting for a response, and felt a headache coming on.
He took a puff from his pipe, only to choke on the smoke. Coughing several times, he finally regained his composure.
"Sasuke, can you tell me why you want to drop out of school? Are you unhappy at the Academy?"
The young often have simple minds, but their reasoning can be unpredictable. The Third Hokage felt it was necessary to have a proper talk with him.
"Can't I drop out of school? I don't recall there being any rules in the village preventing it."
Sasuke's expression remained cold.
"Of course, students are allowed to drop out of the Academy, but usually, it's only permitted when a student is struggling academically and lacks the talent to become a ninja. But you are different. You have exceptional talent, and you are an Uchiha. This is one of the oldest and most respected clans in the ninja world."
"Excuse me, Hokage-sama, but I am the only Uchiha left. There will be no more 'clan.'"
Sasuke placed special emphasis on the word "clan."
Hiruzen opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words.
It took him a moment to gather his thoughts.
"Isn't that the reason for your training? To become a powerful ninja and rebuild the Uchiha Clan?"
"And continue the cycle of killing?"
Before the Third Hokage could continue, Sasuke cut him off. "My parents and the rest of my clan are dead. Everything I was familiar with is gone. Just because they were ninjas, they were caught in a cycle of killing. And when they kill, they are also killed. I don't want my descendants to end up like my parents—massacred on just another night."
The Third Hokage sighed deeply.
"The two aren't necessarily related. Becoming a ninja doesn't mean you'll face the same fate."
The Hokage tried to explain further, but seeing Sasuke's indifferent expression, he knew it was pointless.
After a long pause, he sighed again and slid Sasuke's application for withdrawal from the Academy back toward him.
"I understand you are emotionally distraught right now, but I urge you not to make rash decisions. Let's do this: I will arrange for you to take some time off from the Academy. Go home and rest, then come back when you've had time to reflect. Think about your parents—if they were still alive, do you think they would want you to drop out of the Academy and stop being a ninja? I'll hold onto this application for now. When you've calmed down, come back and talk to me."
"There's no need for that, Hokage-sama. I am calm, and I know what I'm doing. I've decided to drop out of school. Please approve my application."
Sasuke didn't want this conversation to drag on. He knew if he left without a firm answer, the Hokage would visit him later and bombard him with the "Will of Fire" speech. He didn't want to hear it—he just wanted to move on.
If he was now the sole representative of the Uchiha Clan, then he would make decisions for himself.
Sasuke's mind was set, and nothing—not even the Sage of Six Paths himself—could change that.
Seeing how determined Sasuke was, the Third Hokage had no choice but to relent.
"Very well. I approve your application for withdrawal from the Academy." The Hokage sighed again and signed the form.
As Sasuke left the Hokage's office, he felt an odd sense of freedom.
Dropping out of school wasn't a decision he made on a whim—it was something he had carefully considered.
In his past life, Sasuke had been fascinated by ninjas while watching anime. Ninjutsu seemed incredibly cool, and even after his reincarnation, he had clung to the dream of becoming a ninja, even after the Uchiha massacre. He wanted to become a strong ninja to make his parents and older brother proud.
But after the massacre, when the memories of his past life returned, his perspective shifted. He realized he had grown disillusioned with the idea of becoming a ninja.
Ninjas produce nothing; they only kill. Their destructive power doesn't contribute to society's development—it merely perpetuates a cycle of violence and death. While they possess superhuman abilities, they don't create or build.
Sasuke couldn't change the world, but he could change his own fate, couldn't he?
You didn't need to be a ninja to gain strength. Being a ninja wasn't some magical pathway to ultimate power. It was just one of many professions in the world. So, Sasuke decided to pursue strength but avoid the trappings of the ninja system.
This choice might cause him some trouble in the future, but in the long run, the benefits outweighed the risks.
And he wasn't worried about his personal safety.
First, there was the Third Hokage's promise to Itachi. Though Sasuke resented his brother, he admitted that Itachi's influence still protected him. Second, the other ninja clans wouldn't allow harm to come to him. If the last Uchiha were killed under Konoha's protection, it would send shockwaves throughout the village and other clans.
Because of this, Sasuke could live freely without fear of retribution.
After returning home, Sasuke tidied the house, pulled out a cart, and began searching the Uchiha compound for any remaining valuables.
All of the bodies had been removed, and every ninja scroll had been taken. But, fortunately, some of the Uchiha clan's wealth had been left behind.
Ninjas typically didn't place much value on money—training materials and other ninja resources were their priority. But Sasuke knew this remaining wealth would be his first step toward building his future.
The Uchiha were once the wealthiest clan in Konoha, though Sasuke had never realized just how rich they were.
As a child, he never had to worry about money—his parents provided everything he needed.
But now, he had to stand on his own. If he wanted to see his plans through, he needed to know how much wealth his family still had.
By dusk, Sasuke had searched the entire compound.
The treasury had been looted, leaving him with little to work with. Sasuke walked out, shaking his head in frustration, but determined to begin the next chapter of his life.
(End of chapter).