"This is the Uchiha's district! It's… really big!"
However, what puzzled Jiraiya wasn't the size of the district, which he had heard was large due to the clan's population, but rather the atmosphere. "Why do I feel that the people here don't carry the kind of tension I expected? On the contrary, there's an air of vitality and community spirit—this atmosphere is more peaceful and harmonious than most other areas of Konoha!"
"Is this really the Uchiha clan? The same clan that's been at odds with Konoha's leadership for years?"
As Uchiha Yue received news of Jiraiya's secretive return to the village, the legendary Sannin himself, having successfully evaded both the Anbu operatives and the Uchiha intelligence division tracking him, was wandering the clan district in disguise via the Transformation Technique. But what he saw left him stunned—gone was the cold, distrustful mood often associated with the Uchiha. In its place was vibrant commerce, laughter of children, and a disciplined but content population.
Jiraiya's understanding of the Uchiha had always been limited. Although a village elder, he had barely stepped foot into the Uchiha's territory before. The clan's reputation, especially after the Nine-Tails' attack and their subsequent scapegoating by Danzo and the Konoha Council, made such visits difficult. Still, he was no fool. The idea that the clan—currently in open conflict with the village leadership—could exude such a peaceful energy felt dangerously unnatural.
"Are they really unafraid of Konoha retaliating with full force? Do they believe even Uchiha Yue could stand alone against the whole village?"
As these thoughts circled in his mind, a sharp voice interrupted him:
"Hey! You there—stop right now!"
Jiraiya halted in his steps. His brows furrowed, and his casual demeanor shifted to wariness. That voice—it had seen through him.
"You're using the Transformation Technique! For it to deceive even a Three-Tomoe Sharingan… you must be highly skilled!"
The voice was getting closer, and the tone held confidence and calm authority.
Shfft!
With a swift hand sign, Jiraiya's figure blurred. He made a split-second decision to flee—he was discovered.
"Hmph! Trying to escape?"
Clearly anticipating this, the voice's owner had already set a trap. A shadow moved rapidly to block his escape. Another presence, with identical chakra, appeared behind him—Jiraiya was surrounded.
"A pre-prepared Shadow Clone? And coordinated movements… this wasn't a coincidence."
His eyes narrowed as he studied the one in front—eyes glinting with a familiar hue.
"Those eyes… Mangekyō Sharingan?!"
The moment Jiraiya identified the Mangekyō, his heart sank slightly. He knew what that meant. From his experiences with Itachi and his studies under Hiruzen, he understood that Mangekyō possessed exclusive, devastating abilities—like Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, and the terrifying Susanoo. Not knowing this user's specific powers made things dangerously uncertain.
"You're a Konoha shinobi," said the Uchiha with a calm but piercing tone. "You snuck into our clan grounds in broad daylight. I must say, you're brave."
"However, since it's me you've run into, perhaps fortune favors you. Lift your Transformation Technique. We'll take you into custody—there's no need for violence."
Jiraiya was stunned. The tone wasn't arrogant or hostile—it was measured, even friendly.
"Huh? What are you saying? Aren't you Uchihas planning a rebellion? Why spare a Konoha shinobi?"
Uchiha Kurotsu, the Mangekyō wielder, furrowed his brows. "Rebellion? Who said our clan is rebelling? We are one of Konoha's founding clans. Betraying it would mean betraying our ancestors."
"Even if others defect, the Uchiha never will."
"Besides," he continued, "don't believe the lies of those decaying elders. From the start, all our clan ever did was resist their tyranny."
"Our current goal isn't rebellion—it's salvation. We want to rescue Konoha from its corrupt upper echelon. That's not rebellion—that's righteousness."
Jiraiya paused. The calm conviction in Kurotsu's words rattled his preconceptions. Could it be… that the situation wasn't as black-and-white as it seemed?
"But the Hokage is the Third Generation," Jiraiya argued. "To try and overthrow him—how is that not mutiny?"
Kurotsu scoffed. "Is Hiruzen truly infallible? Look at Konoha today."
"The Senju Clan—gone. Konoha's White Fang, a hero, driven to suicide by internal slander. The Sannin—fractured, scattered."
"The Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself, and instead of appointing a Fifth, the Third returned, bypassing all succession plans."
"And the son of that same Fourth Hokage? Naruto Uzumaki, treated as a pariah—beaten, shunned, labeled the Nine-Tails' vessel instead of honored as a hero."
"What kind of leader lets this happen?"
He continued, eyes burning. "If not for Uchiha Yue's leadership and our clan's strength, we would've shared the Senju's fate already. And when we're gone, who's next? The Hyūga? The Aburame?"
"Mark my words—if things go on like this, there will be no Konoha left to save."
Jiraiya was speechless.
Each accusation struck home, undeniable truths twisted into harsh clarity. As someone who had watched these events unfold but never questioned the narrative from within, the weight of Uchiha Kurotsu's words left him reeling.
"Sensei… is this what Konoha has become under your watch?" The question echoed in Jiraiya's heart.
In that moment, he saw that the Uchiha's resistance wasn't fueled by ambition—but necessity. It wasn't just rebellion. It was revolution.
"And so," Kurotsu said, voice softening, "as long as you do not side with those corrupt elders, we won't harm you."
"Now—what is your choice?"
Seeing Jiraiya visibly shaken, Kurotsu stepped forward, pressing his advantage, emboldened by Yue's teachings and the righteousness they believed in.
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