Amidst the chaos, Uchiha Nan kicked aside the branches charred by flames and wiped the blood from his hands with a rag torn from Uchiha Kagami's clothing.
This blood is hard to wipe off.
As Nan was about to complain, he noticed a row of Uchiha clan members standing not far away, evidently drawn by the commotion.
Seeing them, Nan decided not to hide anything. He walked toward them with a smile, greeting them enthusiastically.
At dawn, a ray of sunlight fell on Nan's face, highlighting his still youthful features. Confidently, he believed his smile was perfect.
Unfortunately, Nan had forgotten to clean the blood from his face, giving his sunny smile a sinister undertone, leaving the Uchiha onlookers speechless at his enthusiasm.
Who smiles like that?
"Uchiha Kagami was bewitched by Sarutobi Hiruzen and attacked me, but I discovered him in time, and he's been subdued!" Nan fabricated an excuse, casting further blame on Kagami. After all, Kagami was used to bearing the brunt of blame.
"What, you don't believe me?" Nan grinned, resting his hand on his blood-stained ninja sword. Seeing no reaction from the Uchiha before him, he asked with feigned concern.
"We believe you!"
"Of course, we believe what the captain says!"
"Kagami is a traitor!"
The Uchiha nodded quickly, repeatedly affirming their belief, with some even cursing Kagami.
"Inahori, Tiehuo, you're here too. Inahori, carry Kagami to the clan's medical ninja. Don't let him die at my doorstep."
"Bad luck."
Nan noticed brothers Uchiha Inahori and Uchiha Tiehuo among the crowd and instructed Inahori to take Kagami for treatment.
Nan's medical skills were basic, and he feared Kagami might actually die if left untreated.
"Okay, okay, I understand," Inahori replied, hurrying to the severely injured Kagami.
Seeing Kagami's wounds, Inahori gasped. A large gash on Kagami's abdomen was poorly stitched with black thread, leaving his intestines partially exposed. The bleeding had been temporarily stopped.
Kagami was breathing faintly, and without treatment, he would surely die.
Inahori swallowed nervously as he recalled Nan's earlier smile, realizing he should be more cautious around the captain. If he spoke carelessly again, he shuddered at the thought.
Inahori gently picked up Kagami, careful not to apply too much pressure, fearing a resurgence of bleeding, and rushed to the clan's medical facility.
The remaining Uchiha, having witnessed Kagami's critical state, turned their attention back to Nan, who still wore his familiar smile.
Fear and awe!
Such emotions intermingled in the Uchiha's eyes. They wanted to leave, but without Nan's dismissal, they dared not move.
"Tiehuo, inform the clan leader and elders that I'm calling a clan meeting. All Uchiha ninjas must attend."
"With the Hokage of Konoha gone, Uchiha has a new opportunity. Perhaps this time, a Uchiha can become Hokage.
"I believe the current clan leader can't seize this opportunity. It's time for someone who can."
"I will lead Uchiha into a new era. A Konoha belonging to the Uchiha era will be born."
As Nan finished speaking, the Uchiha's faces changed drastically. They understood his intentions immediately.
Uchiha Nan aimed to overthrow Uchiha Tomita and become the new clan leader!
Strange, too strange!
The Nan before them was entirely different from the one they knew. His tone was domineering, ambitious, and unmistakably hawkish.
"Master Uchiha Nan, I support you!" an Uchiha shouted fervently. Nan recognized him from the battlefield, his name was Uchiha Yangta.
They hadn't been in the same unit but had fought side by side.
Yangta cheered, recalling how Nan had bravely charged into enemy ranks with his ninja sword, creating a scene of blue light and blood wherever he went, mowing down enemies like grass.
Yangta had admired Nan then, believing him to embody the true strength of Uchiha.
It was a pity that Nan hadn't shown ambition back then, seeming only loyal to Konoha, which had disappointed Yangta.
Now, Yangta was thrilled. His idol was finally stepping up. Uchiha Tomita lacked the courage to be Hokage.
Tomita, who usually maintained balance between Uchiha and Hokage, was a softie to Yangta.
A rising hawk!
Nan admired Yangta. This young man had potential.
In the past, with Tobirama around, Nan had to be cautious. Now, with Tobirama gone, he could be bold and embrace his hawkish nature.
"Captain! I support you too!" Tiehuo declared, a staunch supporter of Nan. His brother owed his life to Nan, and Tiehuo felt indebted.
Tiehuo's mind raced, recalling Nan's actions yesterday.
Nan had received news of Tobirama's death before anyone else in Konoha and reacted swiftly, bypassing Tomita's orders. It was hard not to speculate.
The captain seemed increasingly unfamiliar.
Could it be that the captain's previous demeanor was all an act?
Had he been a hawk all along?
Tiehuo gasped. Could someone wear a mask from childhood?
Was that even human?
Tiehuo felt his theory was far-fetched, but his intuition told him this was the real Nan.
"Captain, I support you too!" another Uchiha declared, having also fought alongside Nan.
With a few leading the way, the rest of the Uchiha joined in. People are like that, and Uchiha were no exception. Moreover, having Nan as clan leader wasn't unacceptable.
He had strength, achievements, and a charismatic presence!