Chapter 94: Tragedy is Uchiha's fate

Hokage's Office.

Stacks of official documents lined both sides of the desk as Hiruzen Sarutobi fixed his stern gaze on Orochimaru.

"You left the village without a word and left behind a complete mess," he said coldly. "Orochimaru, you're awfully relaxed about it."

The bitterness in his tone was unmistakable. Orochimaru, however, only offered a faint smile. "Old man, I didn't start this mess."

Sarutobi's eyes narrowed. "Human experimentation on the Uchiha? Are you saying you had nothing to do with that?"

"If fools want to spout nonsense, let them. But you, of all people, believing such a thing? That's disappointing." Orochimaru licked his lips and added, "Unless I'm absolutely sure, I wouldn't dare experiment on an Uchiha. I've no desire to be forced out of the village… not yet."

The words were veiled, but Sarutobi understood the implication immediately:

You don't need to believe in my morals, but trust my caution. I won't give anyone an excuse to push me out.

Sarutobi sighed inwardly. His emotions were conflicted. He looked at the former student before him but said nothing in reply.

Orochimaru continued with a sneer, "And really, old man, shouldn't you be more concerned about Danzo?"

He leaned forward slightly. "I'd barely left before Danzo somehow found out everything. The operating room is within the Uchiha compound. So tell me—was it Uchiha's Sharingan that attracted his attention, or has Danzo been keeping a suspiciously close eye on them?"

It was a fair question, but not the one Sarutobi wanted to focus on. He leaned forward, gaze sharp.

"What exactly changed in Uchiha Shinsuke's eyes?"

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, then casually pulled a chair over and sat down. He glanced toward the shadows in the corners of the room.

Sarutobi followed his gaze and gave a subtle nod.

Clatter.

The Anbu hidden in the shadows stepped out silently, poured a cup of tea for Orochimaru, and then quietly left the room.

Taking a sip, Orochimaru said calmly, "Old man, you've read the Second Hokage's research on the Sharingan, haven't you?"

Sarutobi remained silent.

Of course he had—and so had Koharu, Homura, Danzo… even Uchiha Kagami had read that report.

The Uchiha's Sharingan grows stronger with intense emotional turmoil. That much is known.

But contrary to popular belief, it's not love that drives their power—it's hate. A hatred that cuts deeper than anything else.

Love is spread across daily life, but hatred erupts in a single moment.

The Sharingan awakens. The Mangekyō follows.

To be strong as an Uchiha is to walk a path paved in tragedy.

All the joy in their lives builds toward the moment everything shatters.

For those who've lived through great trauma, falling to extremes becomes almost inevitable.

In short, the Uchiha are bombs fueled by happiness.

The more blissfully they live, the greater the explosion when it all collapses.

Even if Hiruzen bore no personal bias against the Uchiha, he couldn't ignore that truth.

He had to be cautious.

In the end, prejudice exists because it's rooted in reality. Hiruzen knew that. The two elder advisors, Koharu and Homura, simply didn't bother to hide their own.

Compared to the average Uchiha, Shisui was... different.

"The Second Hokage's genius was admirable," Orochimaru said with a touch of regret. "It's a shame I never had the chance to work alongside someone like him."

His tone grew awkward for a moment, but he quickly masked it with a smile.

"That said, the Second's research on the Uchiha was still incomplete. It carried a bit too much emotional flair."

Sarutobi frowned. "What are you trying to say?"

He wasn't angry—after all, this was coming from his own student, his most brilliant one.

"All this talk of emotions, of love… these are sentimental explanations. Trying to explain real phenomena with abstract ideas—it's lacking in rigor."

Orochimaru tapped his finger against his temple.

"The Second wasn't wrong, but he missed one key point: biology comes first. When an Uchiha awakens their Sharingan, irreversible changes occur in the brain—in the nervous system."

He leaned forward slightly.

"And that, more than anything, explains why so many Uchiha spiral into extremes."

"What I said before still stands: the stronger ones among the Uchiha often suffer from mental instability."

A heavy silence followed. Hiruzen reached for the pipe on his desk and took a long, thoughtful drag. Smoke curled around him, but it couldn't conceal the disturbance in his eyes.

Orochimaru hadn't brought forth scientific proof like Tobirama once had. He spoke in theory. Yet... Sarutobi found himself believing him.

Because it was an extension of Tobirama's logic. And because it explained what had long unsettled him about Shisui.

Even years ago, with Uchiha Kagami—his old comrade—there had been something off. An intense, almost obsessive loyalty to the village. And now, Shisui showed the same.

Sometimes it felt like they were acting.

Framing it as an illness made uncomfortable sense. But emotionally... Sarutobi didn't want to accept it.

He exhaled slowly. "So what you're saying is... the Uchiha are suffering from some sort of brain dysfunction? A neurological condition?"

"I wouldn't call it that," Orochimaru replied calmly. "Their brains aren't damaged. Not physically."

He paused, then clarified, "It's more like a psychological disorder. Their cognitive functions—emotions, willpower, perception, behavior—are all affected."

Sarutobi took another puff of smoke, waiting for more.

"Think about Jiraiya," Orochimaru said suddenly, glancing toward the door with a smirk. "He's... unusually perverted."

Sarutobi's expression froze. He didn't respond.

"But you and I both know," Orochimaru went on seriously, "that Jiraiya didn't become like that overnight."

"It was built up—peeking into bathhouses, stealing Tsunade's clothes, ogling with half-lidded eyes... little by little."

Sarutobi Hiruzen: (·_·)

It was awkward to admit, but it wasn't wrong. As the saying went: the crooked beam above leads to a crooked one below. And Jiraiya was definitely proof of that.

"But," Orochimaru continued, growing solemn again, "imagine compressing that decade-long descent into a single moment."

He leaned in, voice low but intense.

"To go from a sincere man to a lecherous one—all in a flash. That's what happens to an Uchiha when their eyes awaken. Whatever emotion triggers it... they become drawn to it. Addicted."

"Just like Jiraiya—his lust isn't just willful anymore. His body and brain are now wired for it."

Click. Clack.

The door to the Hokage's Office creaked open. Jiraiya stepped inside, clearly annoyed.

"You explained that a little too well," he grumbled. "Maybe keep it to yourself next time."

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