The Fall of the Fang

"Did you hear? White Fang failed his mission."

"Yeah, they're saying war is definitely going to happen now."

"Isn't it already happening at the border?"

"True, but my sister-in-law's uncle's son-in-law's friend is in the ANBU, and he said the war could've been avoided if the mission had succeeded."

"Really!?"

"Of course. Why would I lie to you?"

"Damn it, White Fang. Couldn't he have just completed the mission?"

"I know, right? How could he choose a few shinobi over the entire village?"

"So stupid. What was he even thinking?"

"Honestly, the Hokage shouldn't have trusted him to lead such an important mission."

"Yeah, he completely broke Lord Hokage's trust."

"Didn't he fight in the last war?"

"Not just fought, he was one of the village's main combatants."

"Then why let things escalate now?"

"Maybe he's a psychopath. A war maniac who can't handle peace."

"You might be right. His mental state must be unstable."

Watching how the villagers gossiped about Sakumo at every shop and street corner, Aizen muttered under his breath,

"So... it has finally begun."

He already knew this would happen, yet seeing it unfold still felt strange. Letting out a quiet sigh, he turned and walked toward the Hatake clan compound.

He didn't completely blame the villagers. After all, they were part of a larger manipulation, and no one truly wanted war. Their reactions were expected.

Still, a part of him couldn't help but feel a deep disgust.

"I should never let something like this affect me," Aizen thought, fully aware that he would face situations like this himself one day, and when that time came, he couldn't afford to be impulsive.

"Sorry, Sakumo-sama isn't seeing anyone today," the gate guard said.

"No problem. Sorry for bothering you," Aizen replied with a small nod, turning to leave without showing any disappointment.

Ninjas aren't naive. They've seen the darkest sides of the world, especially seasoned ones like Sakumo. Still, deep down, they hold on to a certain belief, that fighting for the village is the right thing to do. That killing enemies will somehow keep their families safe.

But when that belief shatters, when the very village they fight for turns on them, it becomes too much to bear. Some break. They go rogue, sell secrets, even kill their own comrades… and some choose to end their lives.

"Aizen, what are you doing here?"

Hearing the voice, Aizen snapped out of his thoughts and turned to see the man who would one day become a dutiful father.

"Brother Fugaku," Aizen acknowledged, spotting him along with a few other Uchiha clan members.

"Nothing much," he said, shaking his head. Then he asked, "Did your mission go well?"

Fugaku nodded. "Yes. That's why we get to stay in the village for a while before we're deployed again."

Just then, one of the men beside him spoke up. "Aizen, is the academy closed today?"

"No," Aizen replied with a slight frown. "I saw Obito heading there this morning."

"Then why are you still here?" the man asked, crossing his arms. "I know the academy isn't as intense as clan training, but it's still better than loitering in the streets. War's coming. If you're not ready, you'll die."

Aizen immediately understood the misunderstanding, especially after noticing the similarly stern expressions on the other faces.

"Seniors, I've already graduated. I'm doing D-rank missions now," he clarified calmly.

He figured they had just returned from the Land of Rain and likely came straight to the village without stopping at the border camps, otherwise, they would've already known from the other Uchiha stationed there.

"Already graduated?" they all repeated, brows furrowing in disbelief.

As seasoned jonin, they knew Aizen had only just started attending the Academy this year, and he was just five. Something didn't add up. A few exchanged skeptical looks, clearly thinking he was making it up.

Noticing their doubt, Aizen spoke before they could question him further. "Kakashi and I applied for early graduation. We passed a special test and were approved to graduate together."

Their expressions shifted instantly, from suspicion to surprise, then to pride.

"That's incredible."

"As expected of an Uchiha."

"We're proud of you, Aizen."

One by one, they praised him with genuine approval.

It wasn't every day someone graduated this early, let alone from their own clan. As for Kakashi? Well, who cared? Early graduation was no small feat, and they all understood that. No weakling could pull it off. Still, their interest was squarely on Aizen at the moment.

Fugaku spoke with calm authority, though the slight curve of his lips betrayed his satisfaction.

"Tell us about your team."

"My squad leader is Kaito Sarutobi. My teammates are Nozomi Yamanaka and Miyuki Hyuga."

A brief silence followed. Several of the men frowned. One opened his mouth to object—

But Fugaku cut him off, his tone leaving no room for debate.

"That's enough. Learn everything you can from this assignment, Aizen. Don't waste the opportunity. Your sensei may not be able to guide you with the Sharingan, but his experience is still valuable. Use it. And don't leave a bad impression on him."

"Alright," Aizen nodded, understanding that Fugaku wasn't just giving advice. He was trying to strengthen the bond between the Uchiha and the village.

Fugaku gave a small nod in return. "Let's go," he said, turning to leave with the others following behind.

As they walked away, Aizen's expression turned cold.

Fugaku hadn't done anything yet, but the memory of the anime still lingered, burned into his mind. A leader who let his own son slaughter the entire clan, just to keep his family safe.

You may have been a good father, Aizen thought darkly, but you were never a good leader.

You let everyone who trusted you die, for the sake of a psychopath child.

You passed as a parent... but failed your clan.

I'll stop that genocide from ever happening. But if you even think of making the same choices here, I'll make sure you die before it gets that far.

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