After Uchiha Tatsumi parted ways with Hyuga Himeji, he returned to his home alone. For him, helping Hyuga Himeji was merely a small favour, nothing more. Whatever the future held was beyond his control. Perhaps Himeji could truly become Hokage and reform the Hyuga Clan.
As Uchiha Tatsumi retraced his steps, he no longer felt the inclination to venture out for a stroll. The earlier feeling of relaxation had dissipated, replaced by a sense of unease. The ever-present aloofness of fate hovered above, dictating the life and death of everyone it touched. It silenced the most lively spirits, dulled the most patient waits, and numbed the sharpest minds. And they were powerless against it.
Approaching his house, Tatsumi's senses heightened.
"Who's there?" Uchiha Tatsumi squinted, his eyes wary. A barely perceptible presence had locked onto him.
Whoosh.
A silhouette materialised before Tatsumi.
"So fast!" he thought, lifting his head.
Before him stood a man in his thirties, clad in the distinctive trench coat of the Uchiha Clan. His cold gaze fixed on Tatsumi.
Tatsumi's pupils contracted. The aura he had sensed was no accident. It had been deliberately revealed.
"Police Vice-Captain, what can I do for you?" Tatsumi's tone conveyed the appropriate level of respect. The man before him was Uchiha Samui, Vice-Captain of the Uchiha Clan Military Police Force and right-hand man to the Clan Leader.
"So late—where have you been?" Uchiha Samui's voice was inscrutable.
Tatsumi couldn't gauge Samui's mood.
"I was just out for a walk," Tatsumi replied, running a hand through his hair and forcing a sheepish smile.
"Well, don't be nervous. It's fine to go for a walk after a tiring day of trials." Samui's smile was almost paternal.
"Clan Leader wants to see you. Come with me."
"What's going on tonight? Why is everyone suddenly looking for me?" Tatsumi mused, following silently.
Despite Samui's gentle demeanour, Tatsumi knew better than to resist. As Vice-Captain, Samui had countless lives to his name.
Samui's pace was intentionally slowed, ensuring Tatsumi could keep up. They walked from the outskirts of the clan's territory, where Tatsumi lived, towards the heart of the Uchiha compound. This was Tatsumi's first time visiting the Clan Leader's residence, a place where the history of Konoha's Great Clans was palpable.
As they passed a spacious courtyard, Tatsumi noticed a boy of about 10 sparring with a Jonin.
Uchiha Fugaku. The sight piqued Tatsumi's interest.
Fugaku, a man destined to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan, was a prodigy. He was also the future father of Uchiha Itachi and Sasuke.
"I wonder if Itachi and Sasuke will still be born in this timeline," Tatsumi mischeviously pondered as his thoughts turned to his own intent for Mikoto. "Fugaku's notorious for his stern demeanour. The young prodigy sparring now might be a reflection of that uncompromising nature."
Guided by Uchiha Samui, Tatsumi entered a room lined with scrolls. Seated alone, immersed surrounded by neat stacks paperwork, was Uchiha Gaku.
Gaku, about forty, exuded an imposing presence. He was a veteran of the Warring States Period and the First Shinobi World War, his experience honed into a sharp, unyielding edge.
Uchiha Gaku, working on a scroll, gave a subtle signal with his hand, and Samui immediately retreated.
"Lord Clan Leader," Uchiha Tatsumi said with his head bowed. There was no other option—when beneath another's roof, one had to lower their head. As Tatsumi often reflected, weakness was the original sin.
Though considered a genius by some, Tatsumi was still just an Academy student and orphan of a man at odds with the ambitions of Hawks of the clan.
"You're here," Uchiha Gaku said, stopping his writing. He lifted his head, and his piercing eyes swept over Tatsumi's form.
Tatsumi felt a slight pressure from Gaku's imposing aura. Fortunately, the Clan Leader soon reined in his presence.
"Alright, child, sit down," Uchiha Gaku said with a smile that soon grew into a hearty one. "Yes, yes. You trully are worthy of being a genius of the Uchiha Clan. You took the limelight in a commanding fashion."
"I've kept tabs on you within the clan. It's heartening to see our Uchiha Clan having such a promising figure," Gaku said, his expression caring and paternal.
"You know, back then, your father, Uchiha Kagami, and I were close friends—both teacher and student, as well as comrades. It pains me that he met an untimely death." Uchiha Gaku sighed deeply.
Tatsumi knew better. Uchiha Kagami, a disciple of the Second Hokage, had maintained good relations with the more conservative factions. Consequently, the clan had ostracised Tatsumi for years, never stepping in to support him. If Tatsumi hadn't been transmigrated, he might have been moved by the Clan Leader's apparent sincerity, seeing the old man's face streaked with tears.
"The old fox is definitely a master actor," Tatsumi thought, though he made sure his face showed genuine surprise.
"You knew my father?" Tatsumi asked.
"Of course. Your father was the Uchiha Clan's top expert back then. We were the best of friends. But, unfortunately—" Gaku's voice trailed off, his expression sad.
Tatsumi silently cursed Gaku's cunning.
"Unfotunately? Lord Clan Leader…" Tatsumi prompted.
"It's a pity your father was murdured by someone," Gaku said, his face contorting with anger.
"Impossible! Lord Hokage told me that my father died on a mission."
Gaku's expression turned distressed.
"Yes, that's what I thought at first. But over the years, I've felt something was amiss. I conducted a secret investigation," Gaku explained. "I discovered that when your father, Uchiha Kagami, was on his final mission, his information was leaked. He was subsequntly ambushed by the enemy and killed."
"Who did it?" Tatsumi asked, perfectly playing his part with this question.
"It was Shimura Danzo, leader of the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen's Root," Gaku revealed. "After the Second Hokage died in the war, Sarutobi Hiruzen temporarily assumed the role of Third Hokage. But he was too young, and his position was unstable. Your father, Uchiha Kagami, did everything he could to support Hiruzen."
"Sarutobi Hiruzen feared the Uchiha Clan's influence. He worried your father might seize power and make him a puppet. So, during your father's mission, Hiruzen and Danzo conspired to kill him," Gaku said, his voice growing more agitated as he stood up.
"Ahh, I lost my self-control, forgive me. Child, we are all of Uchiha bloodline. Do you think I would lie to you?" Gaku asked, his voice soothing. "Look at our situation. The Uchiha Clan, one of the two founding families of Hidden Leaf Village, remains excluded from the centre of power, while the Senju Clan has produced two generations of Hokage."
"Are you content with this, child? Don't you want to fulfil your father's last wish and become Hokage?" Gaku's voice was hypnotic.
Tatsumi's mind whirled. He had just persuaded Hyuga Himeji to become Hokage, and now someone was trying to convince him to do the same.
"This is truly surreal," Tatsumi thought.
"If you seek revenge, your current strength is insufficient. You need the clan's support," Gaku's voice echoed. "Then, Lord Clan Leader, what must I do?" Tatsumi asked, bowing his head.
Gaku pondered for a moment before speaking. "You won the top three today, and you have the opportunity to choose one of the three Jonin. I hope you'll choose Orochimaru."