Time passed bit by bit, and in the blink of an eye, golden autumn arrived, marking the beginning of September.
"Yang, your birthday is coming up soon! Do you want to have a small banquet? You can invite your companions over to the house!
It's said that Xiaoyang never liked playing with others as a child, so she should cherish the two she finally got close to!
Let's also call your uncle and aunt, and I'll ask Sister Qingzi to invite your teacher. Let's all celebrate together! After all, this is Xiaoyang's first birthday since becoming a ninja…"
As his mother busied herself making plans, completely immersed in her own world, Uchiha Yang watched in silence.
He felt genuinely happy. In this life, he had a warm family, loving parents who always thought of him, two teammates who were like brothers—annoying at times but reliable nonetheless—a teacher who swore a lot but cherished his sword techniques more than anything, and a proud clan with a rich history. A prosperous village. This life was truly wonderful.
Perched on a tree, Yang gazed at the sky, lost in thought about the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha.
This village, built through the efforts of Senju and Uchiha in pursuit of peace, was ultimately fated for destruction. How troublesome…
No Uchiha could accept such a fate. This village, which the Uchiha helped create, was now ruled by smaller clans who had once sought its protection. In the beginning, unity had been a strength—everyone working together to maintain peace. But as generations passed, the great clans were used and discarded. The Senju were reduced to a single survivor, Tsunade, while the Uchiha were driven to annihilation by their own kin.
How absurd. Why? For Konoha? What nonsense. This wasn't about peace—it was about power. A small clan couldn't suppress a great one, so they sought to eliminate it entirely. After all, surviving the Warring States Period was a testament to absolute strength.
Those in power lacked the ability to control Uchiha, so they feared them. Just like ancient emperors, the first thing they did was cut down the vassals. No regime tolerates a mountain too large within its domain. Small factions can be used to maintain balance, but a powerful clan like Uchiha stood out too much. With the Senju nearly gone, Uchiha was an even bigger target.
Now, no clan in the ninja world could match the Uchiha. The Hyūga's internal structure restricted their own development, making them no real threat. Those in power accepted this self-imposed weakness.
For Uchiha to truly integrate into Konoha was nearly impossible—unless one of them seized control. If an Uchiha stood at the top, then they could oversee everything. Only then would the village's talented ninjas, geniuses, and civilians be safe—no longer sacrificed for the so-called "Will of Fire," no longer pawns in the game of power, no longer framed and slaughtered for being too strong or too weak.
If the Uchiha were free to develop without restrictions, they wouldn't need to guard against their own kin. After all, even the Fourth Great Ninja War had nearly turned into an internal Uchiha conflict.
The Uchiha had always produced powerful shinobi. Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Obito, Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Sasuke—how many of their generation could stand against them? And this was with restrictions placed upon them. If not for those limits, their strength would be unmatched.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's Hokage faction constantly sent the Senju to fight in the name of power and righteousness. In the end, they either died or were crippled. The so-called "Will of Fire" left Tsunade physically and emotionally broken. In the Second Great Ninja War, her clan leader ordered their people to fight to the death, leading to her brother and lover's tragic demise. The Senju clan was left in ruins, and she was plagued by hemophobia.
If not for the fact that she was the last of her clan, Tsunade would never have accepted the position of Fifth Hokage.
Just like how Konoha's higher-ups treated the Uchiha—did anyone really believe an Uchiha could become Hokage under normal circumstances?
The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had implemented policies to suppress the Uchiha, knowing that the next generation of Senju was weak. Tsunade was still a child, and if a strong successor had existed, would Hiruzen Sarutobi have been chosen? The Senju's vast legacy wouldn't have been handed over to an outsider.
Tobirama wasn't simply carrying out his brother's will; he knew that if he died, someone had to hold the clan together until the next generation could take over. But Konoha's inaction led to the fall of yet another great clan.
Even Mito Uzumaki, powerful as she was, died alone due to Konoha's endless wars. And why were there so many orphans from the Uzumaki clan who never sought refuge in Konoha? Because they didn't trust it.
Konoha, whose forehead protectors bore the Uzumaki clan symbol, had once been saved by their kin during the First Great Ninja War. But when Uzushio was destroyed, Konoha turned a blind eye, failing to intervene in time. Did they think the Uzumaki were fools?
Exhaling heavily, Uchiha Yang reached a conclusion: if the Uchiha wanted true security, there was only one path—the path of Hokage.
---
"Happy birthday!"
Amidst the loud cheers, Yang smiled brightly.
His little cousin, Uchiha Rei, jumped into his arms, giggling and making faces at Fugaku.
Fugaku scowled but said nothing, though Yang couldn't help but notice how eerily similar his mannerisms were to Sasuke's. Smirking, Yang ruffled the boy's hair. "Xiao Yueyue, give me a smile."
Laughter erupted. Even their normally stern uncle cracked a rare grin.
Uchiha Rei beamed. "Tsundere ghost! Hehehe, Brother Fugaku asked me to prepare a gift for you." She kissed Yang's cheek. "That was from me! Hope you like it!"
"I love anything Lili gives me," Yang chuckled.
Blushing, Fugaku stepped forward, handing Yang a scroll. "This is my gift."
Unrolling it, Yang saw the Fire Release: Powerful Dragon Fire Technique. "Thanks, Xiao Yueyue! You'll be an amazing ninja, just like Uncle."
His mother then presented a delicate amulet. "For my Xiaoyang, so you'll always return home safely."
His father, Ming, stood up, taking a short sword from his wife and handing it to Yang. "You'll begin sword training next week. This blade is called Seiryū. Take good care of it."
"I arranged an assessment for you tomorrow," his uncle announced. "Pass it, and you'll get your gift."
Then he pulled out a letter. "From today, you are a team captain. Ming will leave your squad to lead the Fourth Team. Consider this your gift."
"Thank you, everyone! I won't let you down! I will become strong, protect our clan, and make the Uchiha name resound throughout the ninja world!" Yang declared.
All eyes turned to his teammates, curious about their gift. They hesitated before Uchiha Yan grinned. "We prepared something special. We'll take you there after the banquet. Hope you like it."
"Haha, the kids have their little secrets," their uncle teased, slightly drunk.
After the feast, his teammates dragged him away, leading him to their usual patrol spot. To his surprise, they were dressed in combat gear.
"Yang, your outfit is ready—change quickly. Your gift is the 'big fish' you've been waiting for. Tonight, we will go hunting."
Yang's eyes lit up. A real birthday present.
He dressed swiftly, excitement coursing through him.