Fugaku didn't know how he made it back home.
The words spoken by Hyuga Makoto still echoed in his ears.
The Hokage had neither killed him nor imprisoned him, but the price he had to pay was far more humiliating.
"Fugaku, you're back."
From the kitchen, his gentle and beautiful wife peeked out, smiling softly at him.
"Dinner will be ready soon. Just wait a little longer."
"…Where's Itachi?" Fugaku asked, his voice unconsciously hoarse.
Mikoto replied, "Itachi isn't coming back tonight. He's staying over at Shisui's place. Those two are practically inseparable now."
Fugaku's heart sank completely, and the thought of fleeing this place with his wife and children instantly shattered.
Itachi was in the Hokage's hands...
"Fugaku?"
Mikoto's gentle call brought him back to his senses.
He looked up to see his beautiful wife gazing at him with a puzzled expression.
"What's wrong? What are you thinking about?"
"…"
Fugaku stumbled a few steps and sank onto the sofa.
Seeing this, Mikoto turned off the stove, took off her apron, and walked over.
"Fugaku, are you feeling unwell?" she asked with concern.
Mikoto reached out to touch Fugaku's forehead but found it wasn't hot.
Fugaku just stared blankly at her.
.....
Half an hour earlier, at Obito's residence.
Makoto sat on the chair, coldly smirking at Fugaku.
"It seems Fugaku-senpai thinks I'm an easy Hokage to fool and take advantage of, huh?"
"I would never dare!" Fugaku hastily protested.
"Lord Hokage, this matter was indeed a moment of madness on my part. I resorted to harming my comrades in pursuit of power, but I have no intention of opposing you. The fault lies entirely with me. Please punish me as you see fit, but I beg you to spare Itachi and my clan."
Makoto's expression remained indifferent. "Is that so?"
Fugaku immediately dropped to one knee and declared, "I swear my absolute loyalty to you and to Konoha!"
Makoto sneered, "Then why don't I see any evidence of your loyalty?"
Seeing that Makoto was relentless, Fugaku was at a loss for what the Hokage truly wanted, his heart burning with anxiety.
At this moment, Hakumen suddenly stepped forward, producing a scroll and spreading it out in front of Fugaku.
On it was a complex and intricate pattern.
It was a sealing technique—one Fugaku had never seen before.
"Fugaku-senpai, have you ever heard of the Caged Bird seal?"
Fugaku's expression turned deathly pale.
He muttered under his breath, "Caged Bird... isn't that used for Byakugan users?"
Makoto replied, "You're correct. However, this is my improved version of the seal. Since you claim undying loyalty to me, would you be willing to bear this seal?"
Fugaku's thoughts raced, and he forced a smile. "Lord Hokage... is this truly necessary?"
Makoto spoke leisurely, "What, you're unwilling?"
He stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open.
"There is another path you can take."
"This place isn't too far from the Hokage building. Perhaps your son could catch one last glimpse of your Susanoo before he dies."
He even knows about Susanoo...
Fugaku felt as though he had fallen into an icy abyss.
Even among the Uchiha clan, knowledge about the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan was limited.
Makoto's words clearly implied that Fugaku could choose to resist with force — but that would undoubtedly lead to his son Itachi's brutal death.
Fugaku's gaze landed on the Caged Bird seal.
If he accepted it, it would mean being forever bound under Makoto's control.
He had never heard of anyone breaking free from the Caged Bird.
But in the current situation, did he have a choice?
There was no chance for mutual destruction or going down together in defiance!
Unless he was willing to completely disregard the lives of his son and his clan members.
The room fell into a deathly silence.
All his desires and ambitions sank into the depths of utter despair.
...
"Fugaku?"
Fugaku snapped out of his daze and met his wife's worried gaze, his heart aching as he averted his eyes.
"I'm... fine." He swallowed hard, forcing out the words.
But his troubled expression made it impossible for Mikoto to feel reassured.
She reached out and held Fugaku's hand, speaking softly, "Fugaku, if there's something wrong, you can tell me. Let me share your burden."
But it was precisely this gentle kindness that made Fugaku feel an excruciating pain, piercing deep into his heart.
This was the woman he loved dearly, who also loved him just as deeply.
Fugaku's heart trembled.
He forced himself to stay calm and put on a smile. "I'm fine. Go finish cooking. I'm hungry."
"Alright then."
Seeing that he wasn't willing to talk, Mikoto sighed inwardly, feeling helpless.
She got up and returned to the kitchen.
Fugaku leaned against the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling.
The bright glow of the fluorescent lamp wasn't blinding, but staring at it for too long made him feel light-headed and dizzy.
Until Mikoto brought the food to the dining table.
With Itachi absent, only the two of them were left to eat.
Itachi isn't home... He's in the hands of the Hokage right now...
A suffocating sense of despair gripped Fugaku.
The current situation showed no glimmer of hope.
Even knowing there was an abyss ahead, he had no choice but to press forward.
But Hyuga Makoto not only wanted to push him into that abyss — he sought to utterly crush his dignity.
"Fugaku, wash your hands and eat."
Fugaku remained silent and went straight to the dining table.
Mikoto didn't press him further, quietly serving him a bowl of rice.
After a long silence, Fugaku finally spoke again, "Mikoto..."
"Hmm?"
"Tetsuhi is dead."
Mikoto's eating motion froze, her pupils widening in shock.
"What... did you say?"
"Tetsuhi, Inoka, Genji, Kai, and Kyo... they're all dead."
Mikoto was stunned, covering her mouth in disbelief.
"How could this happen? What happened?"
Fugaku said solemnly, "I gave them an order to assassinate someone, but..."
These five men were fellow clansmen and trusted subordinates of Fugaku.
Mikoto knew them well. They often visited their home, always politely addressing her as Lady Mikoto, sometimes even affectionately calling her sister-in-law.
This outcome was hard for her to accept. Her eyes instantly reddened.
But thinking about how her husband must be feeling even more devastated, she wiped the corners of her eyes and said, "Fugaku, you..."
Fugaku interrupted her, saying, "Listen to me first."
"..."
"The person I ordered them to assassinate... was Nohara Rin."
"Nohara Rin..." Mikoto muttered the name, suddenly recalling who she was.
"Isn't she Obito's former squadmate? Fugaku, why did you do this?"
Fugaku then explained the conditions for awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan and his intention to help Obito achieve it.
Hearing this, Mikoto was plunged into indescribable shock—her husband had actually done such a thing...
Fugaku continued, "Now the Hokage knows about it."
"What?!" Mikoto instantly panicked.
Committing violence against comrades was an unforgivable crime in the village.
"What do we do?"
"...Don't worry, the Hokage only suspects me for now," Fugaku said, keeping his head lowered, eyes fixed on his bowl of rice, not daring to meet Mikoto's gaze.
"But the Hokage will definitely investigate this, and it's only a matter of time before the truth comes out."
"So, Mikoto... I need you to help me plead with the Hokage."
Mikoto nodded repeatedly, speaking earnestly, "Alright, I understand. I have a good relationship with Ayari; she will surely help us."
But Fugaku said, "Not Ayari... It has to be the Hokage himself. Ayari getting involved might provoke his dissatisfaction instead."
Mikoto hesitated, looking troubled. "I can go, but I don't have a particularly close relationship with the Hokage. It's mostly through Ayari that I've maintained any connection. I'm not sure it will help much."
Fugaku fell silent for a long time.
"It might work..."
"The Hokage... has a bit of a weakness for women."
Clatter—
It was the sound of chopsticks falling to the floor.
Fugaku didn't look up to see his wife's expression, keeping his gaze fixed on the bowl of rice she had served him.
The grains were perfectly plump and translucent under the light.
He hadn't taken a single bite yet, but just stirring the rice with sauce-covered chopsticks would instantly turn it murky and unsightly.
"I'm sorry, Mikoto."
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