Chapter 12
"By the way, Uchiha Gen didn't come today. Isn't that guy always punctual?" Zixu noticed that Uchiha Gen, who was always an outstanding student, hadn't shown up on time today. It was completely out of character for him, and Zixu couldn't help but find it strange.
"Maybe something happened. Aburame Hatsuizumi isn't here yet either," Hatsuizumi said, sounding a little confused, but he didn't dwell on it too much. Taking a day off wasn't a big deal.
"I don't know..." Hyuga Chinano murmured. Although she had always lagged behind Uchiha Gen, she still cared about him. After all, a person who excelled both morally and academically, while also having a good personality, wouldn't be disliked by many. She admired Gen from the bottom of her heart, but that didn't change her desire to surpass him.
"Everyone, I have to announce something very sad today..." Gouda Takeshi's tone was more serious than ever. The students, who had been chatting casually, were immediately drawn in by his solemn demeanor. They all focused on him, waiting for his next words.
Zixu had a bad feeling. He sensed that whatever Gouda Takeshi was about to say had something to do with Gen's absence.
"Yesterday, a member of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Itachi, killed every single member of his clan... It's said that his younger brother, Uchiha Sasuke, is the only survivor. He did this just to test his own strength, and now he has defected from Konoha, becoming a rogue ninja."
There was undisguised anger in Gouda Takeshi's voice. He clenched his fists tightly and slammed them onto the podium. The wooden surface let out a loud crack as it broke under his force.
"Among the Uchiha who were killed... was our classmate... Uchiha Gen..."
Tears welled up in Gouda Takeshi's eyes. His dream had always been to train the next Hokage, and he believed his students had the potential to achieve that. Among them, Uchiha Gen had been the one he had the highest hopes for. Unlike most Uchiha, Gen wasn't arrogant. He had the qualities of a leader, the intelligence, the strength, and the heart necessary to become Hokage. Gouda Takeshi had even believed he could train the first female Hokage in history. But that dream was shattered overnight by a single massacre.
"How could this happen?!" Hyuga Chinano, usually so composed, suddenly lost her cool. She slammed her fist against the desk, her tone filled with shock and disbelief. She couldn't accept that someone she had spent every day with was now nothing more than a lifeless corpse.
"This has to be a joke! The Uchiha clan is a major clan! How could they be wiped out just like that? Sensei, you must be joking! Yeah... that's it. It's just a joke. Gen was so strong, she must've been able to—"