Chapter 19: Green hat

The First Elder activated his Three Tomoe Sharingan, his expression terrifying, as he could barely contain his rage. At this moment, he desperately wanted to confront Uchiha Kisaragi. Even if Kisaragi had tried to assassinate him, the elder wouldn't have been this angry. But to think that Kisaragi had targeted Mikoto instead—that was unforgivable.

"Mikoto, how did Uchiha Kisaragi coerce you?" the First Elder asked Uchiha Mikoto.

Hearing the elder's question, Uchiha Mikoto remained silent.

"I can guess, even if you don't say it. Did he use me to threaten you?" the elder continued.

Uchiha Mikoto's silence persisted, but the elder had already understood—his guess was correct. Uchiha Kisaragi had indeed used him to threaten Mikoto.

"No wonder Uchiha Fugaku has been so cold to me recently. It seems he already knows," the elder muttered, realization dawning upon him. Uchiha Fugaku's sudden indifference now made sense—it was clear that he had discovered the truth.

"Fugaku knows?" Mikoto finally spoke.

The elder sighed. "Yes, he must have figured it out."

"What are you thinking now?" the elder asked.

"I don't know," Mikoto replied, her voice uncertain. Her life had taken a turn that she never expected, and confusion clouded her mind.

"Blame me. I'm your grandfather, yet I was powerless to protect you," the elder said regretfully. He knew he couldn't hold Mikoto responsible. Uchiha Kisaragi had used him as a pawn to manipulate her.

Who would have thought that Kisaragi would be so cunning? The elder regretted letting him go earlier, but even if he hadn't, there was nothing he could do. He was an old man now, with strength no greater than that of a Jōnin. How could he stand up to Kisaragi? It was clear that the younger generation now ruled the world.

"Grandfather, I want to break up with Uchiha Fugaku," Mikoto said, her voice resolute. She had carried a heavy burden of guilt for some time now. Breaking up with Fugaku would allow her to free herself from that guilt, and the decision had hardened in her mind.

"That might be for the best. And if Uchiha Kisaragi is willing to marry you, the outcome may not be so bad," the elder said with a deep sigh. Though his heart was filled with hatred for Kisaragi, there was little he could do now. Fugaku was no match for Kisaragi, and perhaps it was better to free Mikoto from the hopeless situation with Fugaku.

The battle between Kisaragi and Fugaku for the Uchiha clan's leadership had yet to be resolved, but the elder no longer had any hope for Fugaku. Kisaragi's strength and ruthlessness made it unlikely that Fugaku would prevail.

"Marry Uchiha Kisaragi?" Mikoto's expression was complicated, but she didn't voice any objection. After all, since that night with Kisaragi, she felt there were only two choices left for her: either live out her days alone or marry Kisaragi despite everything.

"I'll go speak to Kisaragi," the elder decided, intending to meet with him.

But he was too late—Kisaragi had already gone to Uchiha Fugaku's residence.

---

Inside Fugaku's home, the sound of shattering objects echoed through the air. Uchiha Kisaragi, standing outside, smirked.

"Breaking things again? You shouldn't get so worked up in your condition," Kisaragi commented as he heard the noise.

"What are you doing here? Get out!" Uchiha Fugaku yelled angrily.

Kisaragi had expected this reaction. Fugaku had been keeping tabs on him, and when one of his men reported that Kisaragi had visited the elder's house, it hadn't taken long for Fugaku to guess what had happened. Fury burned within him, knowing he had likely been cuckolded once again.

"Relax. I'm here to discuss something with you. It might even be good for you," Kisaragi said as he calmly sat down and poured himself a cup of tea.

"Feel free to sit. Make yourself at home," Kisaragi added, his tone mocking.

Fugaku's anger only grew. "What do you want?" he asked coldly, his eyes filled with venom. If looks could kill, Kisaragi would have been dead a thousand times over.

"You want to be the clan leader, don't you? I don't need to compete with you for the position of the patriarch. In fact, I could even support you as the patriarch," Kisaragi said, taking a sip of tea.

"What do you want?" Fugaku asked, suspicion lacing his voice. He didn't believe a word Kisaragi said. Why would Kisaragi give up the fight for leadership and hand it over to him?

"Let me finish. I could hand the position to you, but you'll have to give me something in return," Kisaragi replied calmly.

Fugaku watched him carefully, unsure whether Kisaragi was serious or just toying with him.

"What do you want from me?" Fugaku finally asked. The idea of becoming the patriarch had consumed him for so long that he couldn't ignore Kisaragi's offer, no matter how dubious it seemed.

"Some people crave power, others wealth. I, on the other hand, desire something else," Kisaragi said, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"To be blunt, I like Uchiha Mikoto. She's a fine woman. If you hand her over to me, I will back your claim as clan leader. No tricks," Kisaragi said, his tone as casual as if he were discussing a business deal.

Uchiha Fugaku's fury nearly boiled over. He wanted nothing more than to kill Kisaragi on the spot, but he forced himself to calm down. He thought about it: Kisaragi and Mikoto had already been involved. She was no longer his to claim, so what difference did it make? It wasn't as if Mikoto could be his wife now.

Still, the thought of losing her hurt. He had always admired her—her personality, her beauty, everything about her was perfect in his eyes. And yet, Uchiha Kisaragi had stolen her from him.

If he had the strength to kill Kisaragi, he would have done so in a heartbeat. But Kisaragi was far more powerful than he was, and he couldn't do anything about it.

Agree to this? Fugaku hesitated. How humiliating would it be if word got out that he had given away the woman he loved? He wasn't some kind of tragic hero willing to sacrifice everything. Moreover, he couldn't trust Kisaragi. Was this all just a game to humiliate him?

With rage burning in his chest, Fugaku stared at Kisaragi with hatred, imagining the satisfaction of tearing him apart, if only he could.