Mizuki stood frozen, unable to respond to Uchiha Souji's calmly spoken words. For a moment, he desperately searched for something—anything—to refute him. Yet every time he tried to form an argument, it dissolved before reaching his lips.
A dreadful realization crept into his mind.
For a brief second, he felt as if Souji had peeled away his mask, revealing the vulnerable self beneath. A child hiding under a blanket. A lost wanderer staring down a dark, thorn-covered path. A man too afraid to take a single step forward.
Souji watched Mizuki fall deeper into thought. A faint, almost invisible smile appeared on his lips. He had pushed Mizuki enough—now it was time to offer sweetness after the bitterness.
Mizuki, after all, was a man with ambition. And Souji understood people like him very well.
Ambition was never a sin. Not in this world, not in any world.
What is ambition?
It is merely a big idea—a desire that refuses to fit inside the boundaries of the ordinary. Society might call it outrageous, excessive, or unreasonable. But in the world of shinobi, there is no such thing as an unreasonable dream.
Souji thought to himself:
Is it wrong to want a better life?
Is it wrong to desire strength?
Is it wrong to wish for recognition?
Humans are driven by desire. That is what makes them predictable, controllable, and useful. A person with ambition can be guided. A person with no ambition cannot be moved at all. As Laozi once said, "Without desire, one is strong." If a person wants nothing, you cannot tempt him, bribe him, or influence him.
Just like Souji himself, back in his previous life—did he ever work hard for the boss's promises? Of course not.
Souji finally lifted his foot from Mizuki's chest.
"Jiraiya-sensei was born a commoner," he began, his tone soft but cutting. "So was Orochimaru—the man you idolize. The Fourth Hokage as well. And there will be more like them. Countless. Too many to list."
Mizuki blinked, startled.
"You might think you have no chance," Souji continued. "But opportunity exists only for those who are prepared—and enlightened. So tell me, Mizuki… are you prepared? Are you enlightened?"
Without waiting for an answer, Souji reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out a kunai. He drove it into the ground beside Mizuki's left ear with a sharp thunk.
This was a special kunai—engraved with the proud Uchiha clan crest. Uchiha Itachi had given it to him.
It was more than a weapon. More than a tool. It was a symbol.
Every Uchiha child who entered the Ninja Academy received such a kunai from their parents. It marked the moment they took their first step as a shinobi of the clan. A passing of responsibility.
But Souji's own parents had died on the battlefield long ago. So Itachi had quietly performed the ceremony for him.
Of course, Souji secretly suspected that Itachi wasn't the real gift-bringer. He had an absurd but persistent theory that Fugaku—Itachi's father and the Uchiha patriarch—was using it to hint:
"I am your father."
Ridiculous or not, Souji thought Fugaku was exactly the type of man to pull something like that.
Before he could dwell on the thought, a group of dark figures appeared in the distance. They moved quickly, landing in front of Souji within seconds.
It made sense. Mizuki's earlier explosion had been loud enough to alert half the training grounds. And in the heart of Konoha Village, detonating tags were treated as serious threats. They were supposed to be used only in controlled environments.
The Konoha guards, upon seeing Souji, immediately straightened their posture. Their haughty expressions vanished, replaced by respectful seriousness.
"Master Souji! Is everything alright here? This person…" one of them asked cautiously.
They clearly didn't know whether to intervene or stay out of it.
Souji felt a wave of irritation. The exaggerated respect, the sudden humility—it made him feel like he had swallowed a mouthful of flies.
Can you all stop treating me like some legendary figure already?
I'm seven! Seven!
But the Uchiha clan's internal politics left him no choice. And his "Navy Plan"—his long-term scheme—was about to begin.
"It's nothing," Souji said casually. "Mizuki here challenged me after hearing the rumors. Our little spar got… loud."
Then he added calmly, "Please take Mizuki to the Ninja Hospital. Put the bill on Itachi."
Generosity was easy when he had no money.
Souji was, financially speaking, broke. Completely. He had been hospitalized for weeks and owned nothing—not even enough to buy snacks. He was dangerously close to digging up the "happy water" he buried in the backyard to sell it.
So yes, Itachi was paying. He would survive.
And if Itachi refused? Fugaku would pay. He always did.
Souji had no problem taking money from Fugaku. In fact, he considered it emotional compensation. The man had caused him far too many problems already.
As the guards helped the groaning Mizuki up, Souji suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, by the way," he said, lowering his voice. "Itachi mentioned suspicious people wandering around the clan grounds late at night. Possibly some kind of pervert—maybe a voyeur."
The guards froze.
Souji added with great seriousness:
"Be careful during night patrols."
This was Souji's revenge plan. A subtle jab. A little "eye drop" aimed directly at Fugaku. The accusation would make the patriarch's life a bit more inconvenient.
The guards scratched their heads. They still wondered:
Why didn't Itachi tell us himself? Why through Souji?
But they didn't dare question anything involving the clan leadership.
"Understood, Lord Souji."
Hearing "Lord Souji" again made Souji wince. Another arrow stabbed directly into his heart.
"Please," Souji groaned, "stop calling me 'Lord Souji.' I'm just a beginner at the academy. I'm not Itachi. I'm not Shisui. I don't have their talent or strength."
The guards blinked, then—somehow—even more respect appeared on their faces.
They whispered among themselves:
"This humility… he really is like the Fourth Hokage."
"Of course! He's an Uchiha—of course he's extraordinary!"
"Souji-sama is wise to stay low-key. Low-key people live the longest."
Souji's eye twitched violently.
Do you hear yourselves?!
He wanted to punch them. Hard.
When I'm cold, it means I'm powerful.
When I'm kind, it means I'm approachable.
How do you people switch logic so fast?!
Souji grabbed his head and shouted internally:
"I BEG YOU—LET ME GO!"
And thus ended another chaotic day in the life of Uchiha Souji.
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