Just as there are rogue ninjas in shinobi villages, every faction has individuals who oppose mainstream views. Konoha is no exception, nor is the Uchiha clan.
Not all Uchiha supported the coup, and not all wished to leave Konoha. Before the battle, the clan leader Fugaku had arranged for some to act as seeds for the clan’s future if the coup failed, sending them away from Konoha. The movement was subtle, unnoticed by Konoha without the Byakugan but not by other members within the Uchiha compound.
Some had already sent their families away before dawn, but most remained indifferent.
Their reasons were complex. Those who stayed in the Uchiha compound included Fugaku’s die-hard supporters who believed the coup would succeed and many who naively thought that even if the coup failed, the kind-hearted Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, wouldn’t harm ordinary Uchiha civilians.
However, after the Nine-Tails appeared and Hiruzen went to restrain it, the battle in the Uchiha compound was taken over by Danzo Shimura and his Root unit, who were staunch supporters of the Uchiha extermination.
Thus, the battle became even more brutal. Unlike the Anbu, Root saw all Uchiha, not just the ninja, as enemies.
In a dark alley:
A long sword slashed down, blood spurted, and a man screamed, falling to the ground.
Before he fell, he pushed his daughter away, shouting:
“Run!”
The little girl stumbled a few meters and turned back to see her fallen father and the two Root ninjas with blood-stained blades.
Fear, hatred, and anger surged within her. Tears streamed down her face, and her dark eyes began to change, with two small tomoe orbiting her pupils.
She gritted her teeth, memorized the faces of the two Anbu, wiped her tears, and ran!
“Opening the Sharingan at a time like this?” One Root ninja was surprised but shook his head.
“Useless.”
He was about to chase her when the girl’s father suddenly grabbed his legs tightly. The man was an ordinary Uchiha, working as a dango seller, without the Sharingan. The red in his eyes was from his injuries.
The man cried and begged:
“Please… let my daughter go!”
“She’s only five, she knows nothing…”
“Thud.”
The sound of the blade piercing the man’s head.
With one strike, the man fell silent. The Root ninja tried to kick him off, but even in death, the man held on tightly. Shaking his head, the ninja crouched to pry the man’s hands off, saying to his companion:
“Hinata, you go. If we wait, the girl will get too far.”
“She has awakened the Sharingan.”
Hinata understood the implication. It wasn’t that those without the Sharingan could be spared, but Danzo’s mission assessment was based on the number of Sharingan collected by each team. Letting the girl go could mean another team capturing her.
“Understood.” Hinata nodded.
Since Ningci was always unpredictable, Danzo didn’t even know where he might appear. So, Ningci’s team members were temporarily reassigned to other teams.
Hinata followed the girl’s trail. Due to her obvious movements, she soon found her.
“Come out. I’ll make it quick.”
She entered an empty restaurant, speaking to the closed bathroom door.
Bang!
The sound of a window breaking came from the bathroom. Hinata pushed the door open, finding it empty. Looking out the window, she saw the girl running through the alley.
Shaking her head, Hinata leaped down.
The girl turned a corner, and as Hinata caught up, she saw the girl standing in the middle of the alley, looking both ways in despair.
Hinata’s gaze went beyond the girl to the figure at the end of the alley.
“Captain Ningci?”
Her tone rose slightly in surprise.
“Hinata…” Ningci was a bit surprised. Pointing to the girl, he asked, “So, she’s your target?”
“Yes.” Hinata nodded.
“Then what are you waiting for?”
Hinata tightened her grip on her blade, then stepped forward, dodging the girl’s kunai and swiftly beheading her, placing her Sharingan in a prepared container.
“Is this all you’ve got?” Ningci asked, eyeing the few Sharingan in Hinata’s pouch.
Given her skills, she should have had more.
“The rest went to the team leader,” Hinata explained. She noticed Ningci’s bulging pouch and asked, “Is Captain Ningci also on this mission?”
If Ningci was on the mission, why had she been reassigned to another team leader?
“Me? Yes… Where’s your team leader? Take me to him,” Ningci suggested.
Uncertain of Ningci’s intentions but not refusing her former superior, Hinata led him to the team leader reading a message.
“Ningci?” The team leader glanced from the message to Ningci, then back.
——Then he drew his blade.
“Ningci! Are you going to steal my Sharingan too?”
Ningci squinted at the message.
He had just started collecting a few, and already rumors were spreading.
“I’m acting on orders from the Hokage, reclaiming these Sharingan. Don’t make this difficult,” Ningci said calmly. Danzo wouldn’t check with Hiruzen right now, so he could say whatever he wanted.
“You’re a Root ninja!” The team leader reminded Ningci, gritting his teeth.
“Not anymore.” Ningci shook his head, drawing his short blade.
Anbu and Root often clashed, sometimes killing each other during missions. Danzo had even tried to have Root assassinate Hiruzen.
Ningci claimed to follow the Hokage’s orders but acted against Danzo, which made it clear they were on opposing sides. If both wanted the Sharingan, only a fight would decide.
Three minutes later, Ningci stood over the fallen Root ninja, taking his pouch and tying it to his waist.
Glancing at Hinata, who had remained passive, he said, “Yours too.”
Hinata handed him her three collected Sharingan.
“Captain Ningci, how did you suddenly become the Hokage’s subordinate?” Hinata asked as he turned to leave.
“What are you trying to say?” Ningci looked at her.
“I… can I… follow you?” Hinata asked cautiously. “I want to serve the Hokage too. I still want to be your subordinate!”
She had been considering this since Ningci met with her team leader.
Ningci smiled, patted her shoulder, and walked away, his voice echoing in the alley:
“Then keep getting stronger. Changing your fate is up to you. Right now, you’re not qualified.”
Not qualified for the Hokage to ask Danzo for you.
Not qualified to be my subordinate.
That’s the harsh reality.
Ningci had seized his fate from the Main House while Hinata was still far from understanding herself.
The Hokage or Ningci?
She didn’t realize they were completely different choices.
And due to her lack of strength, both would reject her.
Watching Ningci’s departing figure, Hinata’s eyes grew sad beneath her mask.
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