I Am Fugaku Uchiha

Komeko insisted that she had set aside some money for the commission. However, he had never truly entertained the idea from the beginning.

Perhaps, he pondered, wearing the pendant might transport him back to his own world.

As this notion flickered through Fugaku's mind, he couldn't help but think of Mikoto. What would become of his wife and children in this world if he were to return?

Over time, he had grown fond of them, forming a deep attachment. The contemplation was fleeting, and he soon dismissed it with a resigned and bitter smile.

Perhaps, he mused, he was overthinking things. Even if he unraveled the pendant's origin, returning to his world might remain an insurmountable challenge.

Lost in his thoughts, Fugaku was abruptly pulled back to reality by the clash of metal echoing ahead. Peering ahead, he witnessed a village engulfed in flames, its inhabitants locked in combat.

Amidst the chaos, Fugaku's eyes caught sight of a familiar figure, and his expression brightened. "Wow, is that Jiraiya? Haha, he looks sh*t."

Jiraiya's voice rang out from behind a tree, where he crouched with a duffel bag slung over his back. "You're from the Fūma Clan, right? Why are you attacking innocent villagers who live peacefully? You have no shame!"

Fugaku, well aware of the unspoken rule that ninjas should not harm ordinary people, felt a sense of disbelief.

"Are you a ninja too?" a voice queried from the other side.

"I'm a traveler who is looking for someone," Jiraiya responded.

The man on the other side, wielding a massive shuriken, sneered. "Hmph, what nonsense! The country of wind is at war with the country of fire. The balance of power is unstable, and war is imminent. This village was destroyed because it had ninjas who spied on us!"

Fugaku's incredulity surfaced. They had massacred an entire village of civilians over suspicions of espionage. It struck him as inhuman.

Unfazed, the Fūma Clan ninja declared, "It's kill or be killed in this world. If you hesitate, you die. There's nothing wrong with that."

Before he could complete his statement, two smoke bombs detonated, engulfing the area in a veil of swirling smoke where metal clashed and sparks danced.

In the midst of the fierce confrontation, Jiraiya and the Fūma Clan ninja clashed until the smoke gradually dissipated.

Jiraiya, on one knee, gasped for air and acknowledged, "You're pretty good."

The Fūma Clan ninja, gripping his kunai, retorted, "You're a ninja too, so I can't spare you. Give up; this is the fate of ninjas!"

Jiraiya, visibly fatigued, pleaded, "Can you hear me out?"

"I don't want to hear anything; just shut up!" the Fūma Clan ninja retorted, driving his kunai into Jiraiya's chest. In an instant, Jiraiya vanished in a puff of white smoke.

"Shadow clone?" The ninja uttered it in shock, hastily lunging forward. However, his movements were too sluggish.

Upon turning around, he was confronted by Jiraiya, who stood behind him, clutching a blood-stained kunai. Realizing his enemy was strong, the Fūma Clan ninja recoiled, feeling the warmth of blood on his forehead.

Understanding his disadvantage, he spotted someone approaching and opted for a strategic retreat.

As he made his escape, a voice commented, "You didn't slit his throat. You don't want to kill him."

Jiraiya, sensing a presence behind him, remained uncertain of the speaker's identity. Slowly turning his head, he sought out the source of the voice that had caught his attention.

To Jiraiya's astonishment, Uchiha Fugaku stood before him clad in a samurai outfit, a katana hanging at his side, and a bottle secured to his waist.

"Is that you?" Jiraiya leaped off the tree trunk in disbelief. "Why are you here?"

With a swift introduction, Fugaku responded, "My name is Yasuo. Nice to meet you!"

Eager to maintain his disguise, Fugaku shook Jiraiya's hand with a friendly smile.

Jiraiya, still taken aback, felt the strength in Fugaku's grip and soon deduced the reason behind the name change. "What are you doing here? And who is this young lady?

Casually, Fugaku explained, "She's supposed to be the princess of the grass country. I found her on the way!"

Komeko and Kenji, who stood behind Fugaku, exchanged glances with black lines on their faces at his nonchalant explanation.

Unperturbed, Fugaku pulled Jiraiya aside, adopting a more serious tone. "I wanted to fight you last time, but you ran away. Why?"

“hey... Look, you wouldn't understand." Jiraiya hesitated, sensing a vast gap between himself and the Uchiha clan leader.

With a crucial mission on his shoulders, he felt distant from Fugaku and doubted the leader's receptiveness to the Toad Sage's prophecy.

Moreover, Jiraiya questioned why Fugaku was wandering here instead of being on the front line.

Noticing Jiraiya's expression, Fugaku smirked slightly. "You don't have to say it. I know. You're looking for a child of prophecy, right?"

“What? How do you know?” Jiraiya stared at Fugaku with incredulity. He had only shared the toad sages’ prophecy with Tsunade, Orochimaru, and the Third Hokage.

“Never mind that,” Fugaku dismissed, withholding an explanation. However, he shifted the topic, whispering to Jiraiya, “Hey, has the toad sages’ prophecy changed? Or are there any new prophecies?”

Curiosity lingered in his eyes as he wondered if the toad sage had foreseen anything about him.

Having noticed very few changes since his arrival, Fugaku was nonetheless convinced that something had shifted.

His thoughts turned to the toad sage, an ancient creature who had encountered the sages of six paths—perhaps, he mused, the toad sage might possess some insight. Fugaku's question about the prophecy had altered Jiraiya's perspective on him.

“How do you know about the toad sage? But before I tell you, answer me this." Jiraiya sounded wary.

Fugaku shrugged. “Go ahead.”

“How can we end the war?”

"Huh? That’s a deep question," Fugaku responded, taken aback by the unexpected inquiry. History was not his forte, and he studied Jiraiya's calm eyes, feeling a need to navigate this unfamiliar territory.

Stroking his chin in contemplation, he finally spoke slowly, “I think it depends on the situation.”

“Situation?” Jiraiya was surprised.

“Yes, situation. It depends on whether you want a quick fix or a long-term solution.”

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