"Lord Hokage, take care."
As Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others departed, the tension that had stretched to its limit inside the Police Headquarters since afternoon finally snapped loose with a quiet hum.
Somewhere in the hall, someone let out a breath.
Like a spark—
It ignited everything.
"Ha… hahaha!"
A young Uchiha laughed first, wiping his face, his eyes still shining with disbelief.
"We… we actually did it! The Hokage really just left!"
"That's right!"
Another voice chimed in immediately, trembling with excitement.
"The so-called 'strongest Hokage'—in front of the Uchiha, he still had to back down! He didn't even dare demand the prisoners!"
The suffocating tension vanished.
In its place—
Unrestrained exhilaration.
"Did you see that?! This is the power of the Uchiha!"
"Let's see who dares talk behind the Police Force now—we'll arrest them all!"
"We should've done this long ago!"
Amid the noise, Uchiha Tekka and Uchiha Inabi slapped Uchiha Yashiro on the shoulder, grinning wide.
Even Yashiro, usually composed, couldn't suppress a smile.
—
Uchiha Fugaku stood among them, finally relaxing.
A strange feeling rose in his chest.
'So… even the Hokage can yield.'
'Have we been wrong all these years?'
He stared toward the entrance, thoughts churning.
Then he turned—
Toward Uchiha Mikoto, whose gaze was fixed entirely on Uchiha Ren.
Toward Uchiha Shisui, flushed with excitement, speaking animatedly with others.
Everything felt…
Natural.
As if it had always been meant to be this way.
Fugaku's doubts—
Suddenly seemed trivial.
—
Ren stood apart from the celebration, facing the window.
Beyond it, lights still burned across Konoha.
The Uchiha crest glowed above—
Casting its shadow over the retreating Hokage's party.
Mikoto stepped beside him, her voice soft.
"It's been a long time since everyone felt this way."
Ren glanced back.
At the young faces filled with pride and excitement.
Then at Mikoto—
Warm.
Steady.
Before he could speak—
A voice rang out.
"Brothers and sisters!"
Yashiro stepped forward, raising his voice.
"All of this—was made possible by Lord Ren!"
Mikoto smiled faintly, then stepped out as well.
Her dark hair swayed behind her as she faced the crowd, eyes bright.
"Clan members—"
"It was Lord Ren who helped us reclaim our lost dignity!"
For a heartbeat—
Silence.
Then—
An eruption.
"Long live Lord Ren!"
"Long live the Uchiha!"
The roar shook the hall.
Young clan members shouted until their faces flushed red—
As if releasing years of suppressed frustration.
Even the older generation—
Some had tears in their eyes.
They understood more than anyone—
How hard this moment had been.
Internal division.
External indifference.
Oppression from above.
Three crushing burdens—
Now, two had lifted.
How could they not rejoice?
—
At the center of it all—
Ren stood unmoved.
He raised a hand.
The cheers quieted instantly.
Every gaze fixed on him.
Burning.
Expectant.
"Dignity," he said.
His voice was clear.
Firm.
"It is not given."
"It is taken—by our own strength."
His eyes swept across the hall.
Sharp.
Resolute.
"Today… we only reclaimed what was already ours."
A pause.
Then—
"The future of the Uchiha—"
His hand lowered.
His voice rose.
"Will be forged by our own hands!"
For a split second—
Stillness.
Then the cheers returned, louder than before.
The entire building trembled with it.
Mikoto watched him.
Not just the man she loved—
But the leader the clan needed.
—
Night deepened.
Outside, the clan heads dispersed one by one.
Hiruzen walked at the front, his Hokage robes shifting in the wind.
Behind him—
The echoes of celebration chased after them.
Sharp.
Relentless.
"Long live the Uchiha!"
"Long live Lord Ren!"
Each shout—
Like a slap.
Koharu stopped abruptly, her face dark with anger.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
"You're just going to let this continue?! Listen to them! This is provocation—open defiance of the Hokage's authority!"
"We step back once, and they'll only grow more arrogant!"
Hiruzen stopped.
Slowly turned.
He looked back at the brightly lit building.
At the light—
Reflected in his aged eyes.
He did not answer immediately.
Instead, he lit his pipe.
Took a deep breath.
Smoke curled around him.
His voice, when it came—
Was cold beneath its calm.
"Arrogant?"
"Koharu… tell me—what do we use to suppress them right now?"
He turned slightly, eyes sharp.
"The Sannin are gone. Minato Namikaze and the main forces are at the front."
"The village is empty."
"The Uchiha elders are armed. Dozens of jōnin. Hundreds of chūnin. Two rising elites."
"You and I—"
"Shall we fill the gap with our lives?"
Koharu fell silent.
His words painted the truth too clearly.
Hiruzen exhaled smoke.
"If we break now—internal war will follow."
"And the other villages will laugh… then invade."
"At that point—"
"We will be remembered as the ones who destroyed Konoha."
Koharu clenched her teeth.
"But we can't just—"
"Let them be?"
Hiruzen cut her off.
"This is a strategic retreat."
"Those who are destined to fall… must first rise."
"The Uchiha's strength will alarm the other clans."
"Today, we step back—"
"In their eyes, we act for the greater good."
"And the Uchiha's aggression…"
"Will isolate them."
He paused.
Then added quietly—
"Besides…"
"Let them fight for the Konoha they helped build."
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