Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

How did he feel?

Uchiha Taiga just felt it was incredibly melodramatic.

He was a transmigrator, possessing memories from the moment he was in the womb. However, no matter how intact his memories were, getting used to a new world took time.

Therefore, he started speaking later than normal children. Because his brain retained memories of his past life, learning the language of the ninja world was essentially like learning a foreign language.

Coupled with his young age, his parents obviously couldn't say everything in front of him. This resulted in his actual understanding of his parents in this life being limited to only what he personally witnessed.

That part was very normal.

For example, his father, Uchiha Hayato, was a standard Uchiha.

He was handsome, awakened his three-tomoe Sharingan during the Third Great Ninja War, served as a Jonin in the clan, and was quite popular among his peers.

His mother, Uchiha Kumiko, was not an outsider who married into the clan, but a native Uchiha.

She was a beauty, also possessed a three-tomoe Sharingan, was also a Jonin, and was equally popular within the clan.

Such a family, even among the Uchiha clan, belonged to a rather high social stratum.

This wasn't just because both of them were Jonin, but also because their family shared blood ties with the Clan Head's lineage.

In short, all these factors combined gave Uchiha Taiga a solid background and a very pleasant childhood.

Unfortunately, all of that vanished when he turned six.

So now that Uchiha Setsuna was asking him how he felt?

He only found it absurd.

After all this time, it turned out he was actually the descendant of orthodox Uchiha radicals?

Seeing his silence, Uchiha Setsuna assumed his words had shocked the young man before him, so he asked, "Do you know why your parents went to assassinate Shimura Danzo?"

Uchiha Taiga glanced up at him without saying a word.

Uchiha Setsuna didn't mind his attitude and continued, "The Uchiha clan actually had a chance to improve relations with the village. Although we Uchiha are extreme, we aren't fools. We also acknowledge ourselves as members of Konoha. However, someone didn't want to see that happen, and that person was Shimura Danzo."

Without giving Uchiha Taiga time to react, he unrolled a book and pointed at it. "This book records the life of a certain man. His name was Uchiha Madara. You should know him—the one who defected from Konoha, known as the Asura of the Ninja World."

"Ever since his time, the Uchiha's situation in Konoha plummeted. It was fine when the First Hokage was in power, as he was quite tolerant of the Uchiha. But things changed when the Second Hokage took over. He was a truly insidious man who guarded against the Uchiha at every turn."

He opened another book, or rather, a booklet.

"This records the life of another person. Unfortunately, he died too early. Otherwise, if he were still alive, the Uchiha clan might have truly mended its relationship with the village."

Uchiha Taiga glanced at the booklet. The first page bore a single name—Uchiha Kagami.

Uchiha Setsuna continued, "Uchiha Kagami was a few years younger than me, practically my peer, and he was also the disciple of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama."

He seemed to fall into reminiscence, displaying the characteristic chattiness of an old man.

"Kagami had great talent and a wonderful personality. He was a rare anomaly among the Uchiha. After being chosen as Senju Tobirama's disciple, his status in the clan became entirely different. Back then, we all thought he would be the bridge of communication between the clan and the village."

"Unfortunately, he died too early, and his death was far too suspicious."

At this point, Uchiha Setsuna let out a cold laugh.

"With your intellect, it shouldn't be hard to guess who was involved in his death, right?"

Uchiha Taiga spat out a name expressionlessly, "Shimura Danzo."

Uchiha Setsuna's smile grew even colder.

"Exactly, that bastard. Although there is no direct evidence, Kagami was an elite Jonin who survived the First Great Ninja War. He couldn't have just died silently. Yet, he perished during an ordinary mission, and that mission was one he undertook alongside Shimura Danzo."

Uchiha Taiga nodded slightly, not doubting the authenticity of these words.

Shimura Danzo had been a professional scapegoat for decades; pinning this blame on him made perfect sense.

"The bridge of communication between the clan and the village was gone, and he likely died at the hands of a comrade. Can you imagine the consequences?"

Uchiha Taiga's answer was brief.

"Someone didn't want to see the Uchiha and the village mend their relationship."

Uchiha Setsuna laughed heartily.

"Exactly! As expected of you, Taiga. Your intellect astounds me."

His tone remained steady. "You can figure this out at your age, but back then, no one believed it. Can you understand the anger in my heart when I deduced this under those circumstances?"

Before Uchiha Taiga could respond, he said hatefully, "The hawks in the clan and I planned to use that opportunity to launch an attack against the Konoha higher-ups, specifically to seek revenge on Shimura Danzo."

Shaking his head, Uchiha Setsuna sighed.

"Unfortunately, the information leaked. The village higher-ups were prepared in advance and directly dispatched ANBU operatives to apprehend me."

Uchiha Taiga's mouth twitched.

What a pathetic attempt at revenge.

"What, do you find me laughable, brat?"

Uchiha Taiga nodded, offering a sharp critique. "If you act without secrecy, failure is inevitable. Shouldn't you be mocked?"

Uchiha Setsuna choked on his words, glaring fiercely at Uchiha Taiga, the tomoe in his eyes spinning a bit faster.

"Hmph!"

Ultimately, he could only let out a cold snort.

"Don't underestimate Shimura Danzo's methods. That bastard actually managed to plant spies within the clan. I couldn't have even imagined such a thing back then."

"And then? Cut the crap."

Uchiha Taiga unceremoniously cut off his self-justification.

The corners of Uchiha Setsuna's eyes twitched, but he finally managed to suppress his temper.

"And then? Then I was released, but because of this incident, the clan also learned what I had done. The hawk faction fractured and faded into obscurity, and I was stripped of my status as a clan elder, left to guard the shrine for a living."

"So, what happened with my parents?"

"Your father was highly talented and gradually sensed the village's malice toward the Uchiha. He sought me out, and I told him everything that had happened. After that, he decided to assassinate Shimura Danzo."

Uchiha Setsuna inexplicably felt a chill and instinctively explained, "I tried to persuade him otherwise, but unfortunately..."

His tone became somewhat indescribable.

"As a member of the Uchiha, you should understand the Uchiha. Any Uchiha, once they set their mind on something, will never change it. Uchiha Madara was like this, I am like this, Uchiha Kagami was like this, and your parents were the same."

The meaning was obvious, pointing to one simple fact—every single Uchiha was just too f*cking stubborn!

Uchiha Taiga's tone remained flat. "So, he went with my mother to assassinate Shimura Danzo, and they failed?"

Uchiha Setsuna nodded. "Yes, they failed, without a doubt. But to avoid further provoking the Uchiha clan, the village higher-ups chose to cover it up."

As he spoke, he pushed the scroll forward.

"Before that, your father made a contingency plan. If they failed, he asked me to pass Izanagi on to you. Of course, only after you possessed enough strength, and I feel that now is the right time."

Uchiha Taiga didn't waste words, directly picking up the scroll and tucking it into his shirt.

To be honest, his mood was a bit complicated right now, to the point where he didn't even know how to describe it.

To him, his parents in this life were good parents who had given him plenty of familial love and care.

But now, discovering that his parents were no different from the foolish Uchiha he despised, it would be a miracle if he felt fine about it.

"So, brat, now that you know all this, what is your choice?"

Uchiha Setsuna stared intently at Uchiha Taiga, as if trying to see right through him.

"Will you choose to act like you do now, pretending you know nothing—nothing about your parents' deaths, nothing about the Uchiha clan's predicament—and continue living your current life? Or... will you inherit your parents' will and contribute your strength for the sake of the clan?"