Yako stepped into the command tent, tense and cautious.
Yellow Dog stepped forward, offering a mission scroll.
"Supreme Commander, Deputy Commander—the ambush ended in a complete victory.
We killed one elite jōnin, Hōzuki Muratsuki, four jōnin, and 337 Mist shinobi in total."
An assistant passed the scroll to Danzō.
Danzō's one visible eye—uncovered by bandages—contracted sharply as he read.
Yako's preemptive scouting had allowed the five battalions to engage a Mist trap squad early, flipping the tide.
And the scroll confirmed it:
Fox had reached the battlefield a day ahead of schedule, acquiring enemy intel that completely altered the plan's success.
That alone was dangerous.
'Yellow Dog's subordinates are growing far too quickly.
And now this "Fox" has become a real threat.'
After a pause, Danzō finally said:
"Very good. This mission's success is largely due to Yellow Dog's excellent strategy and intel work.
I will recommend an S-Rank mission reward for you."
Yellow Dog waited.
No mention of the others?
After a moment, he asked,
"Commander, what about Yamashiro, Uchiha Tōka, and the others? Including ANBU Captain Fox—shouldn't they also receive S-Rank commendations?"
Danzō's brow furrowed.
"Yellow Dog.
You are not authorized to question the Mission Classification System.
Evaluations are the responsibility of this command. If anyone could question them, how would the system function?"
Yellow Dog lowered his head slightly.
"I understand."
No further words.
He had no intention of clashing with Danzō today.
A few token replies, and he exited the tent.
—
Outside, Uchiha Tōka, Uchiha Higane, Yamashiro, and Moonlight Kento followed.
Uchiha Tōka gave a light bow.
"My apologies, Yamashiro-dono, Kento-dono.
It's our Uchiha status that cost you the reward.
Danzō has made it clear—he refuses to award S-Rank recognition to us, no matter the contribution.
Had we not been part of this mission, I'm sure you would've received proper recognition."
Yellow Dog paused.
His expression was complicated—he turned and gave Tōka a long, measuring look.
'This one… is truly worthy of being the Uchiha's elite.
Calm, competent, and politically astute.'
Yako, walking behind them, nearly choked.
'Wait a second.
Tōka… did you just steal Yellow Dog's line?'
In this mission, both Yellow Dog and the Uchiha had been Danzō's political targets.
Even with such a massive victory, only the one he couldn't suppress—Yellow Dog—could be granted public reward.
Everyone else would be ignored.
—
Later that day, Uchiha Tōka and Uchiha Higane returned to their sector with Uchiha Kagen, the clan elder.
Kagen sat heavily in a wooden chair inside his tent.
"Danzō's hatred for the Uchiha… I don't understand it.
I've never slighted him, never missed a formality.
I've never even addressed him without full honorifics."
Tōka gestured outside, and Higane went to check for eavesdroppers.
Moments later, he returned with a discreet hand signal: Clear.
Tōka lowered his voice.
"Clan head… I have a theory."
"Go on."
"I once handled a strange case in the Police Force.
A man accidentally killed a village elder, but was never caught.
In the years after, he killed every one of that elder's sons.
When I interrogated him, I asked why.
He said he feared discovery—so every time one of the sons looked at him with suspicion, he believed they knew.
And so he struck first.
He said, 'If they testify, if they seek justice, if they act… I'll be the one killed. So I have to kill them first.'
It's called retaliatory attribution—paranoia that makes you believe others' actions reflect hidden threats.
Or perhaps twisted projection—convinced the only way to survive is to destroy potential avengers before they move."
Kagen's expression darkened.
"Enough!" he cut in, voice sharp.
But then he sighed, his eyes heavy with exhaustion.
"Your job, Tōka, is to train Fugaku.
Make sure he grows into his potential.
I'll handle the rest."
"Understood," Tōka said quietly.
Still… he couldn't help but worry.
Fugaku lacked drive.
Yako had said it.
Tōka agreed.
'The boy has no bite.'
"…You don't understand," Kagen said softly.
"The Uchiha clan carries the original sin.
Madara Uchiha was the first to betray village.
He came back twice to destroy it.
The second time, he brought the Nine-Tails.
He died at Senju Hashirama's hands, but not before ruining the First Hokage's health.
Ever since… even if we stayed loyal, Konoha sees us as traitors in waiting.
Look at the Uzumaki.
They weren't weaker than us.
They had their own village—Uzushio.
But without Konoha's full protection, they were wiped out overnight.
If we leave Konoha?
The other four great villages will fall on us like vultures, and tear the Sharingan from our skulls.
If we stay?
We endure.
We wait.
We survive."
Tōka stared, conflicted.
'So Fugaku's meekness… was taught?
Was this the real plan? Not rebellion, not defiance, but survival at any cost?'
Kagen leaned forward.
"War is ending."
"…What?"
"Stone has entered peace talks.
When that war ends, this one will too.
Gensui doesn't want to see Homura Mitokado or Orochimaru on the battlefield.
Especially not Orochimaru—he's earned the title Cold Lord.
He leaves nothing behind.
Bodies vanish.
Some say his summoned snakes eat them whole.
With Stone backing out and Yellow Dog's victory here, the Third Hokage will use this as leverage to force Mist to negotiate."
Tōka blinked.
"Then… the war's truly over?"
"We've lost over 150 Uchiha on this front.
But now… we return to the village."