Chapter 12

The Uchiha clan

Athena could never understand them. For some reason they were almost always the cause of practically every conflict and war in the world of Shinobi. What is it with this clan and their absolute urge to rule? Athena honestly found that they had a superiority complex. If they are not in charge they feel weak. That is Athena's belief. Another thing she could never understand. It is said that the Uchiha clan is the strongest dojutsu clan. She wasn't sure if they were seen as the strongest clan in every other aspect. She didn't agree with that. In her personal opinion that she will never change, the Hyuga clan is the strongest dojutsu clan. She wasn't so sure about the strongest clan overall. She'll look into that. The sharingan could only copy until it hits the mangekyo where it gets seriously over powered. There's also the strong genjutsu they could put you in of course. That didn't seem all that powerful to her. The Hyuga clan on the other hand.

The Byakugan could see incredibly far in any direction. It has been noted that Neji had a visual range of over 800 meters. Plus the byakugan allows 360° area around their body except for that 1% blind spot not a lot of people know about. Their ability to see chakra points and internal chakra flow allows them exceptional control over the ability to release certain amount of chakra at specific points of their body allowing their rotation or ultimate defense. They can also see through solid objects. Literally X-ray vision accompanied by telescopic and microscopic vision along with a gift of insight. Their focus on fighting made them the only clan to strongly focus on taijutsu. The gentle fist technique doesn't need an axtensive amount of chakra, one of the reasons a Hyuga could not be outlasted in combat. An experienced byakugan user can use their gift to temporarily close off an opponent's various flows of chakra with carefully placed chakra blows, rendering the opponent unable to move the bodypart that had been struck. They can even kill a person if they seal off the right chakra points. The Hyuga are the masters of chakra control and hand to hand combat. And we know a certain Uchiha could not beat Lee despite his actvated sharingan. And Lee could not beat Neji a Hyuga. Although maybe that doesn't count seeing as Neji was a prodigy among them.

Now moving on to another subject that fueled Athena's belief.

Breaking a standard genjutsu is not hard for a skilled ninja, so comparing just the eye abilities of both clans Athena came to the conclusion that an Uchiha would be incapable of taking out a Hyuga in a fight. Even if they could read a hyuga's movements the Hyuga clan is trained much more thoroughly in the arts of taijutsu and always know the exact place that needed to be hit. An Uchiha would not be able to keep up with every single blow, as we've seen with Lee and Sasuke's match. Plus one hit would be enough to criple an Uchiha, if the right spot was hit. So close combat goes to the Hyuga.

The sharingan being able to see through any genjutsu would be useless. Hyugas don't focus on genjutsu. They rarely use jutsu to begin with. Casting a genjustu typically took a little time, but where is an Uchiha going to get that time when a Hyuga can know exactly where they are? It's not like they could run and hide or set up some master ambush while the byakugan is activated.

Now these are the reason Athena believes the Hyuga clan to be the strongest dojutsu clan.

The reason the Uchiha are so overpowered is because of their cheats. The mangekyo. Eternal mangekyo. The rinnegan. The rinne-sharingan did not count. They needed to be super overpowered for plot reasons.

In terms of max power, Rinnegan vs Tenseigan if the rinnegan is the strongest level the Uchiha eye can reach and the Tenseigan the highest the Hyuga eye can reach then they should be comparable. Rinnegan can create a moon. Tenseigan can control of destroy it. Rinnegan can bring the dead back to life. Tenseigan can rebirth a planet.

She also found that if the Hyugas were interested in their eye secret like the Uchihas were, they could have been stronger. It's their lack of drive tk discover more that they seem weaker.

That is Athena's unchangable opinion.

But back to the Uchiha. It was there urge to be the strongest that ended with them all dead. That is one of the reasons Athena felt sorry for them but also one of the reasons she could never understand them.

Perhaps she just could nkt understand why one could not just live in peace. Was it that hard? Well apparently it was. She shouldn't be surprised. Humans after all.

Although they aren't necessarily at fault. It is the distrust of the village that gave them that way of thinking. They are always the outcasts. Always the bad guy. Always treated as second best. Naturally they would want the respect they deserve even if it called for extreme measures that would have started another war.

Why was Athena trying to decipher the motives and existance?

Well she was standing in front of one. The prodigy among prodigy. The youngest ANBU captain. The one she felt for the most. The one she wanted to save from his guilt and sorrow.

Itachi.

It was time for her genjutsu training and he was assigned as her trainer. Seeing him reminded Athena of something else she needed to prevent. She'd go see the Hokage the moment a window opens itself to her.

"I've been told a decent amount about you"

Athena raised an eyebrow, curious. Whatever could the Uchiha know about her. Other than the basics.

"Apparently you have knowledge of the future "

The look the older boy gave her made her know two things. One, he was skeptical. Who wouldn't be? Such a thing is impossible. Impossible. She doesn't believe in that word anymore. It seems everything is possible. Even the impossible. Two, he was curious. Maybe there's something he wants to know. There was definitely something he wanted to know. Perhaps the possibility of a next war. He is the only Uchiha Athena knew that sought after world peace and harmony.

"That would be correct" Athena's hands were in her pockets as nerves suddenly overtook her. She was hoping he wouldn't ask her a question about major changes.

"The Uchiha's. How do they turn out in the future? "

Athena glanced up at him suddenly nervous. He met her eyes and she quickly looked to the ground. She gripped her fist tightly. She needed to regain her composure. How had she lost it so easily? She could handle anybody else, but Itachi was.... He wash Itachi. His very presence effected her.

"There are certain things I cannot reveal"

Her voice was level and calm. She was nervous and would not let it show.

"I see"

Athena could feel eyes on her. She instinctively looked up and met piecing black eyes. Itachi just stared at her with no present emotion. She stared back not wanting to cower beneath him.

"I've also heard that you are quite the learner, having virtually mastered anything that was taught to you"

It seems her reputation prceeds her. Is that what's being said about her. Geez.

"Is that so? "

"A young prodigy "

Athena felt an unknown emotion bubble up in her. It made her feel very good. She felt like holding her head up and puffing her chest. Pride? Was she proud? She was proud of being called a prodigy by 'the' prodigy. That was an honor she never thought she would achieve.

A small smile graced her lips.

"We'll see how fast you grasp the arts of Genjustu"

~~~~~~~~~

"Not long now"

Hiruzen sat in hi office gazing down into the village beneath him. Just a couple more days. It had been so long since he last saw his pupils. They refused tk return to the village. The memories t painful to bare. He had to plead with them to return. Press the importance of what he had to tell them. He hadn't informed them of what it is he wanted to tell them. They needed to be there. Personally. He was hoping that reuniting the family could be the medicine they need. They all have their downs. All have their traumas. Maybe if they had each other it would make everything slightly better.

That brings him to Athena. Once more he was experiencing guilt at being the cause of her breakdown. He didn't want to hurt her. It was never his intention. The child was struggling as it is. Struggling with her emotions. With herself. With the new world she found herself in. With her discoveries. Everything was new to her and she was doing her best to adapt. She was doing so well. Well enough. She was enthusiastic about her training. About becoming stronger.

There were just song things she couldn't handle and was trying very hard to forget. And he had to resurvace those memories.

He took a puff of his smoke as Athena's words bounced in his head. She had made herself known in his office again. Hiashi had informed him of her whereabouts and his worry stilled slightly. He wanted to apologize the second he saw her and did so. She had no initial reaction to the words. There was silence for have a minute before she smiled a bit sadly.

"You know old man, you're pretty nice and you have a good heart. As much as I respect you there are some decisions you make, have made and will make that disappoint. You are the Hokage. You decide what goes on in the village and yet you let the council push you around. You're too soft and people take advantage of that"

Her words made him think. It made him look back to hi choices. All his meetings with the council. Everything. The advice he receinved and followed. The things he did in the name of the village. They were never really his ideas. It was those imposed upon him by the elders. The council. He didn't need to do anything they told him. He ranked far higher than them.

It is because of this softness that Naruto is treated the way he was. Because of this softness that the Uchiha's were isolated and now planning a coup to take over. Because of his softness that so much had been lost. He could have done so much more if he had shown a little more force.

That realization pained him.

He needed to change. Athena may not have said it, but it was inclined. He needed to change for the good of the village. He would change for the good of the village.

He sat at his desk and looked over the documents. He scribbled down his signature unconsciously. He wasn't focused on that at the moment. His mind wandered to the Uchiha's. Was there really no other way? There had to be. There had to be a possibility that did not involve blood. He wanted someone's advice on this matter, but it could not be any member of the council. He wanted advice from the one who knew everything she needed to know. He wanted Athena's advice. She already revealed that the Uchiha's were innocent and had nothing to do with the nine tail attack five years ago. She also reveiled that it was an Uchiha just not anyone present in the village. Who could it be? He wasn't aware of any rogue Uchiha.

He sighed.

He never once thought he would have to take advice from a five year old. He had to. Something wasn't sitting right with him.

Danzo.

Danzo was first to suggest the removal of the Uchiha clan. The look he had in his eyes were almost sinister.

Hiruzen knew that was the outcome he wanted. Hiruzen had a deep feeling in his stomach. Something that told him the ANBU leader would do anything to make it a reality.

"What are you playing at Danzo? "