CHAPTER 15

Two Days Later

The frontline combatants returned one after another.

The first order of business was to honor the dead, led by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

In this local conflict with Kirigakure, the Uchiha clan suffered heavy losses—accounting for nearly a third of the casualties. The remaining fallen were auxiliary ninjas and lower-ranking shinobi who had served as expendable forces.

The bodies of the deceased were laid out on the field, each covered with a white cloth. Families gathered, weeping as they said their final goodbyes.

"Father, don't leave me!"

"Big brother… Big brother!"

"Rest in peace, I will take care of your wife."

The air was thick with heart-wrenching cries.

Uchiha Tunan, a white mourning cloth tied around his forehead, knelt before the corpses of his parents—Uchiha Kenbu and Uchiha Nanako. His expression was eerily calm.

Crying isn't about shedding tears—it's about making others believe in your sorrow.

Wailing too loudly wouldn't make him stand out.

The right atmosphere had to be cultivated, and contrast could enhance its effect.

He took out two prepared cups and placed them before his parents' remains. Carefully, he poured sake into one and strong tea into the other.

The distinct aroma of liquor and tea wafted through the air, subtly drawing the attention of those around him.

"Father, I always knew you had a soft heart beneath your strict exterior. You never spoke kind words to me, but I understood everything you did."

Uchiha Tunan's gaze softened as he looked at his parents' lifeless faces, reminiscing. His voice was calm, deliberate—filled with warmth.

"I remember the day of my Academy entrance exam. I was nervous. You stood there, stone-faced, calling me a failure, telling me not to disgrace the Uchiha name."

"But I knew... you were even more nervous than I was. Your hands were sweating. I saw you standing outside the Academy the entire time, waiting."

"When I finally passed, all you said was 'Not bad.' But that night, you drank three bottles of sake. You always said a ninja must remain clear-headed, yet you got drunk that day."

"Ever since I started at the Academy, my grades were mediocre. Every day you called me a fool. Every day you still stayed up late to train me in chakra control and kunai throwing."

"You always told me that a ninja must grow stronger through adversity. And to prove your point, you gave up your comfortable position in the Uchiha Police Force and went to the front lines. You promised that when you returned, if I was no longer at the bottom of my class, you'd teach me something special."

At that moment, a stiff, bitter smile formed on Uchiha Tunan's lips.

"I didn't just improve, Father. I awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan. I even mastered Phoenix Fire Jutsu in secret. I wanted to surprise you. I wanted you to be proud of me."

His voice wavered, as if he were desperately holding back tears, yet the smile remained on his face.

Silent tears streamed down his cheeks.

With a deep breath, he stood up and began forming hand seals.

The crowd's murmurs died down, their attention drawn to him.

Uchiha Tunan's hands blurred through seals before he shouted hoarsely:

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!"

Multiple fireballs shot from his mouth, spiraling into the sky before converging into a brilliant explosion of flame.

The sudden spectacle seized everyone's attention.

As the embers faded, Uchiha Tunan let his hands fall limply to his sides. His gaze was empty, lost.

"I'll never hear you call me a failure again. So for the first and last time… let me drink with you."

Lifting the sake bottle, he tilted his head back, downing the entire contents in one motion.

Tears mixed with the spilled sake, dripping down his chin and soaking his mourning clothes.

The onlookers, even those who had been sobbing moments before, found themselves silenced—overwhelmed by the raw emotion of the scene.

At the front of the crowd, Uchiha Fugaku watched in silence.

"Such a talent… And he cherishes family so deeply. He should have been nurtured as the future of our clan. But instead, his heart belongs to Hokage."

Fugaku's face darkened. Clearly, he was displeased with how the Uchiha leadership had handled Tunan.

Beside him, the Uchiha Elder narrowed his eyes, watching Tunan with a calculating gaze.

"Do not be fooled by appearances. This boy is no ordinary shinobi. If he survives… he could lead the Uchiha back to the glory of the Warring States era."

Fugaku turned to the Elder in surprise. "But I've heard from others in the clan that this boy is…"

The Elder gave a knowing smile and patted Fugaku's shoulder.

"Forget what you've heard. Watch him for yourself. In time, you will understand."

Fugaku hesitated but nodded. The Elder had always been perceptive.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Tunan wasn't finished yet.

He had mourned his father. Now, it was time for his mother.

"Mother… You always—"

A short distance away, Kakashi Hatake and his father, Sakumo, observed the scene.

"Kakashi, Tunan is a valuable comrade. You should cherish this bond," Sakumo said.

"Mm," Kakashi responded nonchalantly, arms crossed.

But his gaze lingered on Tunan, a hint of concern in his expression.

"Ding. Gained Kakashi's approval."

Uchiha Tunan, who had been mid-sentence, felt a subtle pause in his thoughts.

Kakashi… A long-lived ninja. But his later strength was mediocre.

Not a valuable target.

Uchiha Tunan mentally shook his head. Indeed, Kakashi was of little use to him.

His real prize lay elsewhere.

---

Elsewhere in the Mourning Crowd

Near the outskirts of the gathered shinobi, Hyūga Chiretsu knelt before her father's corpse, her eyes hollow.

Unlike the Uchiha, who lost powerful combatants, the Hyūga had sent only lesser branch family members—expendable reconnaissance units.

Chiretsu's father had been among them.

"The strong main family lives in comfort, while the weak branch family dies on the battlefield," she muttered, tracing the cursed seal on her forehead.

Her long bangs concealed her expression, but behind them, something changed.

A flicker of madness flashed through her pale lavender eyes.

A moment later, her Byakugan awakened.

Yet, due to the distance and distraction of the funeral, no one noticed.

---

The Hokage's Speech

After the burials, the gathered shinobi moved to Konoha's Memorial Stone.

Dressed in his ceremonial robes, Hiruzen Sarutobi began his eulogy.

"Wherever Konoha dances, the fire burns eternal…"

The usual rhetoric. Words they had all heard countless times.

But then, Hiruzen subtly shifted his speech.

"Konoha has seen three generations of Hokage, and with each era, the interpretation of the Will of Fire evolves…"

Uchiha Tunan, standing quietly among the Uchiha, listened with rapt attention. His expression filled with admiration—genuine or otherwise.

Because he recognized those words.

They came from his own diary.

Hiruzen had taken his notes and repurposed them for his speech.

Not just inspiration—he had lifted entire passages verbatim.

Still, even in its diluted form, it was enough to captivate the crowd.

The Will of Fire belonged to him now.