“Chiqin and Mie had an accident on the battlefield.”
Upon hearing the Clan Chief’s words, Uchiha Yakoto, who was drinking water, suddenly paused.
When he saw the Old Clan Leader's hesitant demeanor, Uchiha Yakoto had already guessed that something had likely happened to his parents.
Although he had somewhat anticipated it, Uchiha Yakoto’s mind still went blank for a moment upon hearing the news.
After a brief silence, Uchiha Yakoto said, his voice trembling slightly.
“Their bodies?”
“I’m very sorry, we didn’t find them. The Village’s report stated they were killed by explosive tags, leaving no remains.”
“I understand,” Uchiha Yakoto said in a low voice, then turned and left.
Yakoto’s steps were somewhat unsteady, as if he might fall at any moment.
Uchiha Yakoto truly regarded Uchiha Chiqin and Uchiha Mie as his biological parents.
Various emotions filled his heart, and a constant, faint stinging sensation came from his chest.
The Old Clan Leader looked at Uchiha Yakoto’s eyes with a mix of guilt and anticipation.
Unfortunately, Uchiha Yakoto’s eyes did not change as he had hoped.
“There’s a memorial service for war casualties around five in the afternoon. Chiqin and Mie’s names are on the list.”
“I understand.”
After somehow seeing the Old Clan Leader off, Uchiha Yakoto slumped onto the sofa, staring blankly at the world outside the window.
The scenery outside the window was somewhat gloomy, with dark clouds gathering as if it were about to rain.
After an unknown amount of time, Yakoto numbly walked to the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes hollow, his face pale.
He turned on the faucet, letting the cold water hit his face.
After washing his face, Uchiha Yakoto returned to his room and sat quietly, unmoving.
At five in the afternoon, the memorial service was solemn.
Everyone was dressed in black. Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and even Danzo Shimura all stood in black before the massive memorial stone.
Uchiha Yakoto, dressed in black, stood silently among the crowd.
The heavy rain that had been accumulating for a long time poured down.
One by one, people stepped forward to lay flowers.
When it was Uchiha Yakoto’s turn, he placed the flowers, only managing a quick glance at the names on the memorial stone before turning to leave.
Once everyone had laid their flowers, Hiruzen Sarutobi began his customary speech.
With no desire to listen to Hiruzen Sarutobi’s speech, Uchiha Yakoto returned to the memorial stone.
After searching for a long time, Uchiha Yakoto finally found Uchiha Chiqin and Uchiha Mie’s names in a corner of the memorial stone.
Seeing those two names in the corner, Uchiha Yakoto felt a strange sense of melancholy.
The sacrifice of a family’s parents only earned them a small spot on a memorial stone.
“Yakoto-kun, you feel it too, don’t you? Life is fragile,” Orochimaru’s voice came from behind him.
Uchiha Yakoto didn’t turn around, saying faintly,
“Individual sacrifice is like a joke.”
“Indeed, it’s meaningless, except to cause grief to those closest to them.”
Orochimaru looked at the name Senju Nawaki on the memorial stone, his expression complex and inscrutable.
After the memorial service, he stumbled back home. Uchiha Yakoto pushed open the door.
The house was pitch black, filled with a deathly silence.
His stomach, which hadn’t eaten for over a day, rumbled.
Uchiha Yakoto opened the refrigerator, and a note flew out, landing on the floor.
Yakoto bent down and picked up the note, which had Uchiha Mie’s handwriting on it.
“Remember to eat well! (smiley face)”
Looking at the smiley face Mie had drawn, Uchiha Yakoto’s eyes instantly welled up. He seemed to see Mie’s gentle face.
Past memories flooded his mind, and intense pain shot through his heart. Large tears streamed from his eyes.
Uchiha Yakoto clutched the note tightly, his body trembling uncontrollably.
He slowly squatted down, buried his head between his knees, and sobbed uncontrollably.
His cries echoed in the empty room, as if narrating the endless sorrow in his heart.
After an unknown amount of time, a knock suddenly came from outside the door.
Uchiha Yakoto wiped away his tears and opened the door.
Outside were Shizune, Minato Namikaze, Hyuga Kana, and Tsunade.
Seeing Uchiha Yakoto’s current appearance, everyone outside the door was startled.
At this moment, Uchiha Yakoto’s face was still streaked with tears, and his crimson eyes rotated with a Double Tomoe.
“Kid, you—” Lady Tsunade rushed forward, looking at the magnificent Double Tomoe Sharingan in shock.
How old was Yakoto? At most, he was only twelve years old.
If she remembered correctly, the last Uchiha to awaken the Sharingan at twelve was named Uchiha Madara.
And Yakoto awakened the Double Tomoe right away. Uchiha Madara’s speed in reaching Double Tomoe was definitely not as fast as this boy’s.
“Hiss—” Tsunade gasped.
Double Tomoe at twelve years old, Uchiha Yakoto’s future could already be said to be limitless.
She hadn't expected Uzumaki Mito’s prophecy to come true, and she really got herself an Uchiha Madara.
Just thinking about having an Uchiha Madara under her command gave Tsunade a headache.
“Yakoto, your—” Shizune looked at Uchiha Yakoto’s eyes with surprise.
“I’m fine,” Uchiha Yakoto took a deep breath and waved his hand.
“I meant your eyes!”
Uchiha Yakoto, regaining his senses, then noticed the change in the world through his eyes.
The whole world seemed to have suddenly brightened.
Compared to his unawakened eyes, Uchiha Yakoto truly felt like the clouds had parted to reveal the moon.
He hadn't had a chance to fully experience the Double Tomoe when a sudden sharp pain struck.
Uchiha Yakoto fell straight to the ground.
“Yakoto!” everyone exclaimed.
Tsunade, seeing this, reached out and grabbed Uchiha Yakoto.
She didn't know until she touched him, and then she was startled. Uchiha Yakoto’s body temperature was alarmingly high; he was like a reactor… In his unconscious state, Uchiha Yakoto only felt a wave of discomfort, as if he was melting in a furnace.
Time passed minute by minute.
When Uchiha Yakoto opened his eyes again, he found himself in Konoha’s hospital.
“What happened to me?” Uchiha Yakoto murmured, still a bit disoriented.
“Too much psychological stress recently, and overly intense emotional fluctuations.”
“Plus, you got quite wet in the rain, and your body couldn’t handle it all at once.”
Suddenly, a voice sounded. Uchiha Yakoto looked up to see a doctor changing his IV drip.
“Alright, it’s nothing serious, just get some good rest for two days.”
“Get some good rest. Lady Tsunade will be here soon. Do you want anything to eat? I can get it for you.”
Uchiha Yakoto shook his head at the doctor before him.
“No, thank you.”