Chapter 31: Only by Recognizing Weakness Can One Become Gentle

"Gulp... why... why isn't that guy hurt at all?"

"Our attacks didn't do anything—what the hell is happening?"

"And those eyes... just looking at them makes me feel terrified..."

As the stunned Sand shinobi froze in place, Yuzuru Uchiha's lips curled into a wicked smile.

"Run! Run for your lives!"

Someone screamed the words first, and at once the entire Sand squad broke.

The sight of Yuzuru, drenched in blood like a demon god, shattered what little courage they had left. They scattered in every direction.

"A rabble of cowards..."

Yuzuru snorted in contempt and waved a hand toward the fleeing Sand-nin.

At once, Fugaku Uchiha led the others in pursuit.

No matter how long a tiger is kept in a cage, when it reveals its sharp claws and fangs, it will still strike fear into the hearts of others.

————

The battle ended far more easily than expected.

Facing opponents who only thought of running, the Uchiha shinobi cut them down with ease.

Especially Fugaku—

When the last two Sand jōnin made a desperate stand, he fought them both at once and didn't yield an inch.

Even Yuzuru found himself impressed.

Judging by Fugaku's current strength and precision, if he had chosen to resist on the night of the clan's massacre in the original timeline, the outcome might have been very different.

Before long, all the Uchiha who had given chase returned.

All fifty Sand shinobi—five jōnin among them—had been wiped out completely.

Excitement glowed on every clan member's face.

The Uchiha blood coursing through them made the thrill of battle almost intoxicating.

"Yuzuru," Fugaku said as he approached, voice edged with concern, "the Sand-nin are all dead. We should prepare for Sunagakure's retaliation."

Yuzuru, however, looked unconcerned. "Fugaku, you're too softhearted."

"Weakness only invites further cruelty. The only way to earn respect is to make others fear you."

"That arrogant Sand-nin you saw—only in the face of death did he finally discard his pride."

"Fear isn't a sin. Fear makes people aware of their own weakness. And once they recognize that weakness, they learn to act with courtesy... and gentleness."

Fugaku frowned slightly. "Even so, for a major village like Sunagakure, losing five jōnin is a serious blow... They're bound to retaliate."

"Remember this, Fugaku," Yuzuru interrupted coldly. "The weak will attract the covetous eyes of others even if they do nothing."

"The status and honor of the Uchiha clan will never come from submission to others—but from the strength of our fists."

"From now on, just follow my orders. Leave the thinking to me." (T/N: he said it… :o)

Fugaku straightened unconsciously, his voice firm. "Yes!"

————

The battle against the Sand-nin pushed Yuzuru Uchiha's prestige within the clan to new heights.

With everyone's approval behind him, Tarou Uchiha directly handed over the position of clan head.

Yuzuru didn't refuse.

As clan leader, his plans could finally move forward unhindered.

A week passed quietly.

The slaughter of the Sand squad didn't stir much commotion.

In the meantime, emissaries from several small shinobi villages arrived—each hoping to convince the Uchiha to settle in their lands.

Some even offered to hand over their own village leadership positions.

But Yuzuru declined them all.

Those tiny villages lacked population, resources, and land—hardly the foundation for the Uchiha's revival.

To truly grow, they needed to align with one of the great hidden villages.

————

A few days later.

When the burly man entered the room, Yuzuru gestured politely. "Kitsuchi, have a seat."

"Thank you."

Kitsuchi sat across from him and got straight to the point. "Clan Leader Yuzuru, does the Uchiha clan have any interest in living in Iwagakure?"

"We can offer your people land to settle on and a stable environment."

Yuzuru waited in silence for a moment before asking, "That's all?"

Kitsuchi nodded with a rumbling voice. "That's all."

"If you want us to move to Iwagakure," Yuzuru said evenly, "then we'll need a degree of autonomy—and a say in your village's decisions."

"We'll also need part of your industries to sustain the clan's livelihood."

"Of course, we'll pay for what we take."

"As for our jutsu scrolls and clan resources, we reserve the right to decide whether to share them or not."

The demands weren't excessive; even in Konoha, they'd enjoyed similar privileges.

But Kitsuchi's face showed clear hesitation. "Everything else is possible, but... autonomy and a voice in Iwagakure's leadership—that may be difficult."

Yuzuru lifted his teacup and took a slow sip.

Kitsuchi stood. "Clan Leader Yuzuru, I'll discuss your terms with my father. For now, I'll take my leave."

As he watched Kitsuchi depart, Yuzuru felt a faint trace of disappointment.

Had even Ōnoki—the man who once witnessed Uchiha Madara's overwhelming power—become so shortsighted?

Still, he could understand.

After all, with the scars Madara left on him, Ōnoki probably feared what might happen if he let another Uchiha into his village's core.

'Let's just hope,' Yuzuru thought, 'that one day he doesn't regret his hesitation.'

————

At the border of the Land of Fire, nine masked shinobi moved swiftly through the dense forest in three squads.

Before long, they crossed into the Land of Rice Fields.

For a country without a hidden village, infiltration was child's play.

"Lord Danzō's orders are clear—bring Kushina Uzumaki back to Konoha, no matter the cost."

"And... if possible, capture some Uchiha, dead or alive."

Only now did the rest of the Root operatives learn their mission's true purpose.

Emotion had long since been trained out of them. They simply nodded and memorized their objectives.

Then, a rough voice echoed nearby.

The Root operatives turned sharply—two massive figures had appeared not far away.

"Well, look what we've got here. Konoha rats, crawling all the way out here."

"What bad luck."

The Root squad leader's tone went icy. "Our mission has nothing to do with Kumogakure. If you don't want to spark conflict between your village and Konoha, I suggest you leave immediately."

One of the men cracked his neck and smirked. "What's that gibberish you're mumbling?"

"B, let's get started."

"Yo!"

T/n:

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