Scandal & Assassination – Haruto Becomes the Talk of the Village
Haruto's dramatic noodle-spitting incident finally caught the attention of a few shinobi who had just entered the restaurant.
And in an instant—
A new wave of gossip erupted.
Words like—
"Two-Toned Eyes!"
"Pervert!"
"103 Stabs!"
"Beast!"
All echoed around him.
Haruto's face twitched violently.
"Check, please!"
He waved at the waiter.
Screw this. I'm not eating anymore!
Wandering Through the Village – A Growing Storm
After leaving Echikawa Cuisine, Haruto wandered through the streets.
Although he hadn't finished his meal, he had eaten enough to feel somewhat full.
For the entire morning—
Haruto wandered through the village, weaving through alleyways and main roads, familiarizing himself with Konoha's layout.
And by the end of the morning, he had come to two important realizations:
Konoha's terrain is extremely complex.
But… it only limits weaklings. Stronger ninjas could simply leap over buildings and move freely.
In other words—
If an assassin comes for him, relying on terrain won't save him.
The rumors about Kushina have spread… EVERYWHERE.
Not just the 103 stab wounds.
But the so-called "incident" with Kushina.
At this point—
Haruto felt like cursing at the heavens.
"Who the hell is behind this?!"
It felt like there was an invisible hand, pushing the scandal further.
An Unexpected Confrontation – The Uchiha Make Their Move
Midday.
The busy streets of Konoha's main shopping district.
Haruto was searching for a restaurant—
He wanted a clean, quiet place to eat.
But just as he moved with the crowd—
BAM!
The entire crowd in front of him suddenly parted.
And another group—a group of shinobi with a distinct presence—blocked his path.
The streets erupted with whispers.
"Look! Look! It's them!"
"Are they really going to arrest him?"
Haruto frowned slightly.
His True Sight Eye instantly activated—scanning the group.
Every single one of them belonged to the Uchiha Clan.
And the young man standing at the front—a teenager, no older than seventeen or eighteen—had an aura of natural authority.
The way the other Uchiha stood around him made it clear—
He was the leader.
And he wasn't just some random Uchiha.
He was—
Name: Uchiha Fugaku
Identity: Young Clan Leader of the Uchiha Clan / Deputy Captain of the Konoha Police Force
Reputation: 4665
Relationship: Neutral
Uchiha Fugaku.
The future Uchiha Clan Leader.
The father of Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke.
In the original timeline, his sons became two of the most iconic characters—one of them even being the main protagonist!
And right now—
It was Year 32 of the Konoha Calendar.
Born in Year 15—Fugaku was only 17 years old.
And yet—
His reputation and strength already indicated that he was at the Jōnin level.
No doubt—he was a true genius.
The Uchiha only awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan under extreme circumstances.
But Fugaku?
He was one of the rare few who had done so!
There were nine Uchiha shinobi in total.
All of them were members of the Konoha Police Force.
And they had completely blocked Haruto's path.
The villagers—seeing the situation—immediately backed away.
They wanted no part in this.
"What's the meaning of this?"
Haruto raised an eyebrow.
Fugaku lifted his hand slightly.
And in response—
The eight other Uchiha moved in, surrounding Haruto.
The whispers in the streets grew louder.
Wait… are they REALLY here to arrest me?!
Over that Kushina nonsense?!
Are you kidding me?!
Haruto's expression remained calm—but inside, he was fuming.
But… he wasn't too worried.
The ANBU were still monitoring him in secret.
Even if the Uchiha tried to forcefully take him away—
The ANBU would intervene.
Then—
Fugaku spoke.
"I've received reports about certain… incidents."
"I'd like to take you in for questioning."
And then—
He stepped closer.
Leaning in slightly—
And lowering his voice.
"Haruto Saito… you killed Hyuga Renji."
Haruto's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Yeah?"
"What's it to you?"
Fugaku smirked.
And then—
He said something unexpected.
"Nice work."
"Huh?"
For a brief moment—
Haruto was stunned.
Fugaku—who had been wearing a serious expression—suddenly smiled.
Because they were surrounded, no one could hear what he was whispering.
"I mean no harm. That was just an excuse."
"Come with us."
"The Uchiha Clan will protect you."
"Don't worry—no matter how arrogant the Hyuga are, they won't dare touch someone under OUR protection."
That much was true.
The Hyuga and Uchiha were both elite clans of Konoha.
And they were constantly at odds with each other.
Even the Hokage kept their rivalry in check—using it as a form of balance.
If Haruto aligned with the Uchiha, the Hyuga wouldn't be able to act openly against him.
But…
Why would the Uchiha even care?
Why protect me?
Then it hit him—
It wasn't about him at all.
It was about hitting the Hyuga where it hurt.
"So that's your angle, huh?"
Fugaku—
His expression turned serious again.
"Join us."
"We'll make sure the Hyuga pay for what they did."
Haruto fell silent.
And then—
He smirked.
"No thanks."
Fugaku's expression darkened.
He clearly hadn't expected a flat-out rejection.
"Are you sure? The Hyuga will send an elite Jōnin after you next. At the very least—a Jōnin-level assassin."
"You're not strong enough to survive that yet."
Haruto nodded.
"I know."
"But I still refuse."
Fugaku sighed.
And then—
"I see. You've made your choice."
He straightened his posture, his smirk vanishing.
"Then… I'll be sure to collect your corpse."
With a flick of his hand—
The Uchiha turned and left.
The streets buzzed with excitement.
Haruto stood there, deep in thought.
"Damn it… at least one Jōnin is coming for me?"
That was bad news.
He needed to get stronger—fast.
Haruto's gaze swept across the crowded street.
Scanning every person he passed.
Then—
His eyes locked onto a target.
A man he could kill.
Name: Kaze no Shigure
Identity: Amegakure Assassin
Reputation: 1200
Relationship: Hostile
A hidden assassin from the Rain Village.
Haruto smirked.
Looks like I found my first prey.