CHAPTER 32

After parting ways with Hyuga Himeji, Uchiha Tatsumi walked home alone.

To him, helping Himeji unlock her potential was just a small favor.

As for what comes of it, that's out of his control.

Maybe... Hyuga Himeji really could become Hokage and change the fate of the Hyuga clan.

Tatsumi walked the same path back. He wasn't in the mood for sightseeing. The light-hearted mood from earlier had turned heavy again.

Time always looks down on us from above.

It oversees life and death, shaping everyone's story with indifference.

It silences the most vibrant, dulls the most patient, and numbs even the sharpest minds.

And we're powerless against it.

Uchiha Tatsumi approached his house.

"Who's there?" he asked, eyes narrowing with alertness.

A faint presence had suddenly locked onto him.

Whoosh.

A figure appeared before him.

"So fast!"

Tatsumi looked up.

Standing before him was a man in his thirties, wearing the signature Uchiha clan longcoat, his face grim and serious.

Tatsumi's pupils shrank slightly. The man had intentionally revealed his chakra just now.

"My lord, Deputy Captain of the Military Police Force. What can I do for you?" Tatsumi said with respectful caution.

Indeed, the man was Uchiha Han—Deputy Captain of the Uchiha Police Force.

He had long been active under the Uchiha clan's leadership.

"It's late. Where have you been?" Han asked, his tone unreadable.

Tatsumi couldn't quite sense his intent.

"I was just taking a walk to relax," Tatsumi replied, scratching his head and flashing a deliberately awkward smile.

Han chuckled. "No need to be so tense. It's good to unwind after training."

Then his expression turned formal. "The clan head wants to see you. Come with me."

What is going on tonight? Why is everyone looking for me?

When did I become such a hot commodity?

Still, Tatsumi followed without protest. There were people in this clan he couldn't afford to resist.

Don't be fooled by Han's current gentle demeanor—he was a battle-hardened shinobi with blood on his hands.

Han slowed his pace slightly, clearly making sure Tatsumi could keep up.

Tatsumi's house was some distance from the clan leader's estate.

Uchiha Yama, the clan head, lived in the central compound of the Uchiha district, while Tatsumi resided on its outskirts.

This would be his first time visiting the patriarch's residence.

Only here could one truly feel the legacy of Konoha's most powerful founding clan.

This is what it's like to be rich, huh.

As they passed through a spacious courtyard, Tatsumi caught sight of a teenage boy training against a jonin.

—Uchiha Fugaku.

Tatsumi was curious about him.

As a future wielder of the Mangekyō Sharingan, Fugaku had always been a genius—and the father of both Itachi and Sasuke.

But in this timeline... will Itachi and Sasuke even be born?

After all, there's always a greener grass—Fugaku's green, on the vast plains of Hulunbuir.

Under Han's guidance, Tatsumi was led into a room filled with scrolls and documents.

Uchiha Yama sat alone at a desk, buried in clan affairs.

He was nearly forty and carried the aura of a seasoned warrior.

Having survived the final battles of the Warring States Period, Yama exuded a cold sharpness, like a drawn blade.

Yama waved a hand, prompting Han to leave them.

"Patriarch," Tatsumi bowed.

There was no helping it. As the saying went—weakness is original sin.

Genius or not, he was still just a student of the Academy.

"You've come." Yama set down his brush and raised his gaze, his eyes scanning Tatsumi.

The pressure was overwhelming.

But he quickly eased his chakra.

"Relax. Sit down," Yama said with a hearty smile.

"I've heard a lot about you lately, child. You've brought honor to the Uchiha name."

"Back then, your father—Uchiha Koji—and I were close. Fellow shinobi, comrades, and friends. His early death was a great loss."

Yeah, sure. Tell that to someone who wasn't ostracized by the clan his whole life.

If Tatsumi hadn't been transmigrated here, maybe he'd have been moved by that kindly old face shedding crocodile tears.

This guy's acting is better than Itachi's.

Still, Tatsumi put on a surprised face. "You knew my father?"

"Of course. He was the Uchiha clan's top expert in his day," Yama said with sorrow. "It's a tragedy—"

Here it comes, Tatsumi thought.

"What tragedy, Patriarch?"

"He was murdered."

Tatsumi's eyes widened in mock shock. "That can't be! Lord Hokage said my father died during a mission!"

Yama nodded gravely. "Yes. That's the official story. But I always had my doubts. For years, I investigated in secret…"

"And eventually, I learned the truth. Your father was ambushed—betrayed during a mission."

"By who?" Tatsumi asked, keeping his tone carefully measured.

Yama leaned forward.

"Shimura Danzo. And behind him… the Third Hokage himself, Sarutobi Hiruzen."

He continued, eyes burning with intensity.

"After the Second Hokage died, Hiruzen took over as the Third. But he was young, insecure. Your father supported him—too well. Hiruzen feared Koji's influence, feared the Uchiha would grow too strong."

"So during a mission, he and Danzo conspired. They eliminated your father."

Yama slammed a hand down.

"I lost my composure. Forgive me. But you—you're Uchiha. You understand what that means."

He paused, then asked quietly:

"Don't you want to inherit your father's will? Don't you want to become Hokage… for real?"

Tatsumi was screaming inside.

What's going on tonight? First I try to talk Hyuga Himeji into becoming Hokage, now someone's trying to talk ME into it?

This is ridiculous.

Yama's voice cut through his thoughts.

"If you want revenge… if you want justice… you need strength. The clan can help."

"What do you want me to do, Patriarch?" Tatsumi asked, keeping his head bowed.

Yama took a moment before responding.

"You earned a top-three spot in the Academy's entrance exams."

"You've been granted the right to choose a jonin mentor."

"I want you to choose Osha Maru."