When Sora returo Orochimaru's underground base, the Sannin was o be found.

  After a quick shower, Sora retired to his room to rest.

  Initially, he was still fuming over the enter with Uchiha Yuuto and Uchiha Kazuma.

  Do they really think I'm still the weak, spineless kid I used to be?

  But after a while, his anger subsided. Why waste energy being upset over two idiots?

  The more Sora thought about it, the more amusing the whole situation became. Those two s had the audacity to ihe Uchiha name as though their could somehow intimidate him.

  Covered by Orochimaru, I've got nothing to fear; Sora thought with a smirk as he y down. Moments ter, sleep overtook him.

  Meanwhile, Uchiha Yuuto and Uchiha Kazuma were far from fortable. They were now at Konoha's Ninja Hospital, their right arms bound in pster bandages.

  It wasn't long before Uchiha Masaki, the current head of the Uchiha , arrived at the hospital. By his side was a boy about Sora's age—the future leader, Uchiha Fugaku.

  Masaki's sharp eyes immediately noticed the sorry state of the two injured Uchiha. His frown deepened as he demanded, "What happened here?"

  Yuuto and Kazuma exged uneasy gnces, clearly nervous under Masaki's stern gaze.

  Kazuma gritted his teeth and finally blurted, "Lord Leader, it was that guy—Sora!"

  Masaki's brow furrowed even further. "Didn't I make myself clear? I told everyoo leave him alone!"

  Masaki had been keeping a close eye on Sora for some time. Sora had tributed A-rank ninjutsu, a rare and powerful taijutsu teique that several Uchiha members had already adopted. This act alone had drawention of the Hokage.

  Anyone observant enough could see that Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, had taken a liking to Sora and inteo cultivate his talents.

  And while not many in the vilge knew of it, Masaki had learhrough his own sources that Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin and Sarutobi's disciples, had taken Sora under his wing.

  As a result, Sora's status in Konoha had risen signifitly. He was clearly aligned with the Hokage faaking him a dangerous person to antagonize.

  Masaki's decision was clear: the Uchiha wao avoid any flict with Sora. That order had kept things quiet for years.

  After Sora's apprenticeship under Orochimaru became known, Masaki reiterated his and—no one from the Uchiha was to provoke him.

  Masaki's tourned colder as he asked, "Were you deliberately causing trouble for him?"

  Yuuto opened his mouth to respond but ultimately said nothing, l his gaze in shame.

  Both Yuuto and Kazuma, despite their usual arrogand pride in being Uchiha, were unwilling to ht lie to their leader.

  Masaki's expression darkened further. "When you're discharged aurn to the , you will be dealt with acc to the 's rules.

  I'll say this one more time—don't provoke Sain!"

  Masaki's voice carried a weight that left no room fument. Yuuto and Kazuma nodded silently, their bruised pride paling in parison to their fear of the sequences within their own .

  Uchiha Masaki couldn't help but feel frustration toward his . Their arrogance blihem to reality, making it impossible for them to uand their precarious position in Konoha.

  Masaki uood the situation the Uchiha found themselves in all too well.

  The Uchiha is like an old tree on the verge of colpse, ging to its st remnants of glory, he thought bitterly.

  The vilgers' fear and distrust toward the Uchiha, coupled with the 's own pride and domineering behaviour, only served to worsen their plight.

  Masaki khat if not for the current instability in the ninja world, which made Uchiha's bat prowess indispensable, Konoha might have already moved to deal with them—possibly even eliminating the ht.

  If there was anyone in Konoha who might instigate such a move, Masaki was certain it would be Danzo, the maniputive figure lurking in the shadows.

  Masaki's own solution to the 's troubles ainfully clear. To ehe survival of the Uchiha, they o prove their worth to Konoha—particurly to the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and the vilgers.

  And the battlefield was the only pce to showcase their value.

  Masaki had repeatedly urged his members to keep a low profile. However, Uchiha's ingrained arrogand habits were difficult to break. His words often fell on deaf ears.

  It left him nearly despo. As the leader of the Uchiha , it was his burden to carry these problems, likely for many years to e.

  Turning his gaze toward Uchiha Fugaku, who stood silently beside him, Masaki allowed himself a rare moment of hope.

  At least his son wasn't like the others—ungrateful and blinded by arrogance. Fugaku had discipline, fht, and the potential to be a strong and capable leader.

  Masaki truly believed his son would lead the wisely iure.

  He gnced back at the injured Uchiha Yuuto and Uchiha Kazuma lying on their hospital beds. For a moment, it seemed like he might say something. But, in the end, Masaki sighed, his disappoi palpable.

  What's the point? He thought. I've told them before, and it went in one ear and out the other. Fet it.

  As he turo leave, Uchiha Yuuto, after some hesitation, finally spoke up. " Head, that guy Sora… he awakehe Sharingan!"

  Masaki froze mid-step. Turning slowly, he fixed Yuuto with a look of disbelief. "What did you say?"

  Yuuto repeated, "Sora has awakened his Sharingan!"

  Masaki's expression shifted as he processed the news. "How old is he now? Thirteen? Fourteen?"

  Before Yuuto could answer, Fugaku spoke up. "Father, he's two years youhan me. He should be twelve years old."

  Masaki's shock deepened. "He awakened his Sharingan at twelve? No… it could have been earlier than twelve. This… this boy is a genius!"

  Masaki's mind raced. His son, Fugaku, was already regarded as a prodigy within the Uchiha , a, at fourteen, he had yet to awaken his Sharingan. Even Uchiha Madara, the legendary leader of the , had only awakened his Sharingan at fifteen.

  And here was Sora, a boy with only half Uchiha blood, awakening his Sharingan at such a young age.

  Masaki's thoughts drifted back to the day Konoha's Anbu brought Sora to the Uchiha pound. The boy's lineage—a mix of Uchiha and Senju blood—had stirred disdain among the . Even Masaki had dismissed Sora, refusing to aowledge him as part of the Uchiha.

  If I had known he was this gifted, I would have kept him in the , even against everyone's objes, Masaki thought with regret. But it's too te now.

  As Masaki wrestled with his thoughts, Fugaku stood quietly, his own mind rag.

  As the son of the leader, Fugaku was hailed as a genius, destio bee the Uchiha's stro pilr iure. He had always believed in his abilities, fident that he would surpass all expectations.

  But this revetion about Sora shook him.

  He's youhan me and has already awakehe Sharingan?

  Though Fugaku was careful not to show it outwardly, a mixture of shod jealousy ed within him. Despite all the praise he received as a prodigy, he had not even e close to awakening his own Sharingan.

  The fact that Sora, a boy with mixed blood, had surpassed him in this regard was a bitter pill to swallow.

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