Chapter 5: First Meetings and Unspoken Truths

The Uchiha compound was suffocating.

The tension was no longer just an undercurrent—it was an open wound, festering beneath the surface of every conversation. Whispers of rebellion, of Konoha's distrust, of a fate already set in motion. I had known for a while that this was inevitable, but now, the weight of it was pressing down on me harder than ever.

I sat beneath a tree in one of the compound's quieter training fields, rolling my wrist as I recovered from another spar. My body ached, but I welcomed the pain. It meant I was growing, getting stronger. And I needed to be.

My Wood Release was developing in secret, my chakra reserves stretching beyond what even I had anticipated. I had long since learned to hide the full extent of my abilities, even from my own clan. The Sharingan had come too—though I had kept that fact to myself, only testing it in isolation when no one could see.

Power meant attention, and attention meant danger.

A sharp crack echoed through the air, pulling me from my thoughts. It came from the other side of the training field, where a group of older boys had gathered. I recognized them—Hyūga.

And they weren't alone.

A small figure knelt in the dirt in front of them, shoulders hunched, dark hair half-covered in dust. Hinata.

I had seen her before, mostly in passing. She was the Hyūga heiress, quiet and unassuming, always trailing behind her father or training alongside the clan's prodigy, Neji. I hadn't spoken to her, but I had noticed things. How she seemed to shrink under her father's gaze. How she hesitated before speaking, as if weighing the worth of her own words.

Right now, she wasn't hesitating. She was just... still.

"You're an embarrassment to the Hyūga," one of the older boys sneered. "You'll never be strong enough to lead the clan."

The others muttered in agreement, their eyes sharp with the superiority only a Hyūga could wield.

I exhaled slowly, my mind already calculating. This wasn't my problem. I wasn't a hero, and I had no interest in interfering with clan politics that weren't my own.

And yet, my body was already moving.

I approached quietly, my presence unnoticed until I spoke. "You must be pretty weak yourselves if you need to gang up on someone half your size."

The Hyūga boys tensed, turning to face me. Their expressions flickered between surprise and irritation, recognizing the Uchiha crest on my back. I met their glares without flinching, my gaze steady.

"Walk away," I said simply.

One of them scoffed. "This isn't your business, Uchiha."

"Maybe not," I admitted. "But I really don't like people wasting my time."

There was a challenge in my voice, one that made them hesitate. The Uchiha and Hyūga clans were two of the most powerful in the village, and while these boys weren't at Neji's level, they weren't pushovers either. But I wasn't bluffing. If they wanted to test me, they'd regret it.

A tense silence stretched between us before one of them finally muttered a curse and turned away. The others followed, though not without shooting me a few last glares.

I waited until they were gone before turning to Hinata. She was still kneeling, her hands clenched in her lap.

"You okay?" I asked.

She flinched slightly, as if surprised that I was still there. Slowly, she nodded. "Y-Yes. Thank you, Uchiha-san."

"Raiden," I corrected.

She hesitated. "Raiden-kun."

It was the first time I had ever heard her say my name, and for some reason, the way she said it felt... different.

I studied her for a moment. "Why didn't you fight back?"

Hinata looked down. "They're right. I'm weak."

I frowned. "You don't actually believe that, do you?"

She didn't answer.

I exhaled, standing straight. "Strength isn't just about winning fights. It's about deciding what kind of person you want to be."

Her eyes lifted to meet mine, wide and searching. I wasn't sure why I said that, or why I even cared. But something about her reminded me of Sasuke—of how he was always chasing after Itachi, desperate to be acknowledged.

Before she could respond, I turned. "See you around, Hinata."

And then, I left.

I didn't look back, but somehow, I knew she was still watching me.

---

That night, I found Itachi standing at the edge of the compound, staring out at the village. He didn't turn as I approached.

"It's happening soon, isn't it?" I asked.

His silence was answer enough.

I clenched my fists at my sides. "Are you really going to do it?"

A sharp breath. A quiet, almost broken, "I have to."

Anger simmered beneath my skin, but I pushed it down. I had spent too many years honing my mind to let emotions rule me.

"Are you going to let me live?"

He finally turned to look at me. His face was unreadable, but his eyes—his eyes were heavy with something unspoken. "I won't hurt Sasuke. Or you."

I exhaled slowly. That was all I needed to know.

"The path you choose after this will define you," Itachi murmured.

I knew that.

And I had already decided.

I wasn't going to die.

Not tonight.

And when the time came, I would carve my own fate from the ashes of the clan I once called home.