[V2] - Chapter 85. Disgrace of the Uchiha Clan
---
My name is Uchiha Sasuke.
A well-known genius among Konoha's new generation, and also the top graduate of the last class of the Ninja Academy.
My father and brother are both high-ranking officials in Konoha, my uncle is the richest man in the ninja world. I come from a prosperous and happy family, and the future that awaited me was bright and full of promise.
Just like my Onii-chan… Although he too was considered a problem child when he was younger—often getting into fights at the Academy—he still graduated with outstanding grades far surpassing others in his year, and is now a prominent figure at the Academy.
I believed my future would be just as bright.
However.
Now.
Damn it, I actually got caught cheating during the exam—right there in the exam hall!
What the hell!
Sasuke began to feel hopeless, sitting on the steps with his head in his hands. In front of him was a small river running through the village.
He could already guess what was going to happen next… The internet had probably already exploded with the news that the top graduate of the last class had been caught cheating—this was serious.
Even though those who understood would know it was about intelligence gathering as a ninja, being the top graduate and getting caught over just a little intel gathering during the Chunin Exams—everyone would laugh themselves to death!
You have to understand—
He was the genius of the Uchiha clan! Uchiha Sasuke, who swore to follow in his Onii-chan's footsteps!
And he got eliminated in the first round of the exam!
What a disgrace!
And now what should he do?
Go home straight away?
Though he knew well that his father only appeared cold on the outside but was actually warm-hearted and loved them dearly… he figured right now… his father was probably already standing at the doorway with a bamboo cane in hand, expressionless, waiting for his return.
"What should I do? What should I do?" The young Sasuke, caught cheating for the first time in an exam, was anxiously rubbing his head. "Should I… tell Onii-chan or Mom first? Maybe then Dad won't beat me!"
Just as he said that—
"Here, Sasuke! Have a slice of orange!"
Naruto's cheerful voice came from beside him, as a peeled orange slice was offered right in front of his face.
"Don't be so down~ Maybe we'll pass the exam next time!"
"Who do you think is responsible for this?!" Sasuke slapped away the orange slice and grabbed Naruto by the collar, shouting, "This is all your fault! Now look—we both got caught cheating!"
He had only planned to use his Sharingan at first. But this guy came begging him—begging for help—and was so annoying that Sasuke eventually gave in.
And the result…
"It's your fault for not putting your phone on silent, idiot!"
"Hahaha~" Naruto scratched his head awkwardly and chuckled, "I stayed up too late playing last night and forgot this morning. I just grabbed my phone and went to school." As he spoke, he angrily raised his fist, "Obviously, collecting information online is also part of a ninja's skillset. Why can't we do it during an exam? This is so unfair! I'm definitely going to talk to Dad about this later!"
"We're already posted on the public board! Even our phones got confiscated! You know, that was the newest model from Uncle Yuto! I never should've trusted an idiot like you." Sasuke looked at Naruto, who had his hands together apologetically, sighed, and then asked with suspicion, "Wait—how did you even know this was an intelligence-gathering assessment?"
"Boruto told me!" Naruto smiled again when he saw Sasuke wasn't blaming him anymore, but then… he thought of Boruto. "I haven't seen him in a while. He hasn't even been online these past few days. I wonder where he went!"
He remembered…
Boruto had said goodbye to him before, and it was Boruto who told him this would be an intelligence-gathering test. Who would've thought—just a few days later, Boruto vanished like he'd disappeared completely.
Naruto sighed. "And even Mr. Tree and the others are gone too! It's been so long since we played games together. It's so weird! I should've asked where they lived!"
"Boring!" Sasuke snorted. He had no interest in talking about games right now. He scratched his head again in frustration and said irritably, "Right now, I only care about what to do next! This is truly a disgrace to the Uchiha clan!"
Just as he finished—
A stern voice rang out nearby, repeating his words: "It's truly a disgrace to the Uchiha clan!"
Sasuke and Naruto froze, then looked up… and saw two men walking past them.
One was blind.
The other… was supporting that blind man!
"Got caught gathering information! And he's from the Uchiha clan! For such trash to appear… as expected, the Uchiha clan has fallen!" Uchiha Madara heard the gossip being played from Senju Hashirama's phone, snorted coldly, and said disdainfully, "So many Konoha ninjas got caught! As expected! Konoha has fallen! This entire ninja world has fallen! Hashirama!"
"Hahaha~ He's just a kid! It's normal to make mistakes," Hashirama chuckled and said, "Madara, you're being too serious!"
"You're the one who's too soft!"
"But…"
"Don't talk back! I'm blind!"
"…"
Hearing Madara scold him with such confidence, Hashirama fell silent, scratched his head, opened his mouth, and looked at Madara's tightly shut eyelids. He couldn't help but feel something was off inside.
Madara, this guy…
Could it be he's doing this on purpose?
After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Madara, how about I let Tsunade transplant a pair of eyes for you? That way, you'll be able to see the light again!"
"…Ordinary human eyes aren't worthy of me, Uchiha Madara!" Madara paused for a moment, then snorted coldly, "No!" Then, suspiciously narrowing his eyelids at Hashirama, he said, "Are you getting tired of me? Are you about to break our agreement again? It's only been a few days, and you're already—"
Before he could finish—
Hashirama quickly shook his head and interrupted Madara, saying seriously, "Madara! I'm not! I wouldn't! No matter what, I will be your eyes!"
"Don't break our promise again! Hashirama!"
"Yes!"
After hearing Hashirama's serious and earnest reply, Madara finally nodded in satisfaction, then continued, "What a laughable Uchiha clan! Falling further and further!"
Just as he said that—
"I won't allow you to speak of the Uchiha clan like that!"
A young, angry voice shouted from the side.
"How laughable!"
Sensing someone nearby, Madara turned his head toward the voice, as if looking down on them, "Why can't I say it, brat?"
"You bastard! I won't let you insult them like that! Apologize to the Uchiha!"
"Immature brat! Are all the brats in Konoha this childish now? As expected, Hashirama… Konoha has fallen!"
"Damn you! You bastard!!!"
"Hey hey, blind uncle!" Naruto quickly held back the furious Sasuke and looked at Uchiha Madara, speechless, "He's a genius of the Uchiha clan! Saying that in front of him is pretty rude, don't you think?"
"Uchiha clan?" Madara paused slightly, then, as if glaring down at him, a terrifying aura suddenly emanated from his body. "Another Uchiha genius? Tell me your name, brat!"
"I am!" As if intimidated by Madara's aura, Uchiha Sasuke's body trembled. He took a deep breath and stared Madara in the eyes, "Uchiha Sasuke!"
After the words fell—
Uchiha Sasuke?
Madara froze, seemed to glance at him deeply, then curled his lips disdainfully, "So it's that kid who got caught cheating! This is your so-called Uchiha genius? As expected, the Uchiha clan has fallen!"
"I—I was just passing answers to someone else!"
"Ridiculous! Brat! Do you think a ninja who gets caught passing information isn't laughable too?"
"…"
Hearing this, Sasuke's face turned red and pale in turns, as if he didn't know what to say.
Because… he was right!
And off to the side, Senju Hashirama… feeling the tension rising, quickly tried to break the mood with a laugh, looked around, and asked in confusion, "Weren't there supposed to be people dancing here? Why haven't we seen anyone yet? Madara! How about we check the back hill?"
He had specifically come to watch some dancing.
Just as he said that—
"Eh?"
A voice came from behind, "First Hokage-sama, Madara-sama! What are you doing here?"
Everyone turned their heads in surprise and saw…
Jiraiya, wearing a tight red tracksuit, holding a dance fan with frills, leading a group of elderly people over!
"Could it be… you're here to join the Konoha Square Dance Association?"