I Am Fugaku Uchiha

In the serene Land of the Rivers, within the confines of Konoha Camp, the aftermath of a fierce skirmish left the air heavy with the pained groans of wounded Shinobi.

Tents at the rear of the camp housed a myriad of shinobi's, each grappling with injuries and the emotional toll of battle.

Among the casualties was Akihiko, who lay on a stretcher beneath the shadow of regret and self-blame.

The relentless Suna Shinobi had launched a tentative attack, leaving Akihiko grappling with the weight of a fallen comrade from his own clan. His mind raced with thoughts of explaining this loss to the patriarch upon his return.

"Darn it, how am I going to face the patriarch when he returns?" he muttered, his face etched with concern. A sharp pain in his leg served as a painful reminder of the chaos that had unfolded.

In the makeshift medical area, a brown-haired girl with glasses attended to Akihiko's wounds. Sensing his restlessness, she gently advised, "Stop moving your legs; you'll worsen the wound."

Akihiko, his nerves still on edge, scratched his head in apology. "Sorry, Yakushi-san, I was just too agitated."

"This is war," she replied, her voice soft but firm. "There's no room for self-blame. You led a squad against dozens of Shinobi and lost only two. That's already an impressive feat."

Protesting her words, Akihiko interjected, "What do you mean? If he were here, he could wipe out hundreds without losing a single person, let alone dozens. I'm ashamed to call myself an Uchiha after this kind of battle."

Really? You mean your clan head, right? I’ve heard so much about him since I came here!" Nono said with a smile, finishing up the bandaging process.

Initially skeptical like anyone else, she had heard tales of Clan Head circulating not only among his clanmates but also among the Ino-shika-cho trio and civilian ninjas. The clan head seemed to be a hero in everyone’s eyes, earning respect for leading three hundred against a thousand and losing only a few in battle.

Little did Nono know that the Uchiha patriarch and four others had dared to undertake a night raid on the Suna camp. The details of this covert mission were shrouded in secrecy, known only to the participants and the top leaders of Konoha. Even Tsunade remained unaware.

The civilian Shinobi were aware of the Suna ninja's unusual quietness but were kept in the dark about the real reason. Assuming it was a strategic shift, they remained oblivious to the daring night raid orchestrated by Uchiha Fugaku and his allies.

Akihiko, shaking his head, offered a bitter smile in response to Yakushi's words. "I don’t know how he trains, but I have to admit he is very strong. He probably heard news about what’s happened and will return soon."

“I’m curious to see what kind of person he is, but for now, you should rest well. I’ll go to the next tent to check on the other wounded.” Nono left the tent.

Shortly after Nono's departure, an individual wearing a forehead guard and a vest entered the tent in haste.

“What? Fugaku? How did you get here so fast? It takes ten days to get here from Konoha, right? Shikaku only sent you a message a few days ago!!” Akihiko was astonished.

Fugaku waved his hand, dismissing the concern. “Don’t worry about that; you’re fine; that’s what matters. Now tell me, what’s the situation here?”

“Well, you’re straight to the point, as always. It all started seven days ago. Akihiko began to recount the events of that fateful day. He explained that it was a clash with the Suna squad, with him disguised as Fugaku, as usual.

Accompanied by two clanmates and two civilian ninjas, they patrolled and unexpectedly encountered the Suna squad. Exposure led to an intense battle, resulting in casualties, including sacrifices from his clan.

“The Suna Shinobi realized that I was an impostor, and they attacked. One of my clanmates and a ninja sacrificed their lives, and the rest were badly wounded.

Then they found out you weren’t there, and the attacks intensified for seven days. The casualties have risen to hundreds, and many Uchiha clan members have  fallen."Akihiko concluded with a tinge of regret.

Fugaku, though puzzled, didn’t place blame. He understood the inevitable consequences of war and acknowledged that Akihiko had done well in holding the fort for a few months.

“I was too careless, and I got too close to them. And they seemed to have some sensory ninjas.” Akihiko said it with regret.

“It’s done; it’s done. I’ll take care of the rest!” Fugaku assured, recognizing the reality of the situation.

"Now that you’re back, I can rest a bit, and there’s a female medic who wants to meet you," Akihiko weakly smiled.

Fugaku chuckled at this revelation but was about to respond when three individuals entered the tent.

“Lord Fugaku… Ahem, thing. It’s really…”

“Oh? It’s Shikaku; don’t worry about it; it’s my fault for not thinking it through.” Nara Shikaku sighed in relief. He had anticipated Fugaku's return and had brought his two friends along to see him. Fugaku was the real deal, after all.

The only puzzle for Shikaku was how Fugaku managed to return so swiftly. It had been just seven days since he sent the message, and it took two days for the eagle to reach Konoha. How did Fugaku make it in five days?

Unbeknownst to Shikaku, Fugaku can fly using Justu. Fugaku advised Akihiko to rest well before following Shikaku and the company out of the tent.

Returning to his small tent, Fugaku contemplated his next steps. Thankfully, the tent was still neat and clean, a sign that someone had taken care of it.

As he lay down, a heavy sigh escaped him. His clansman was dead, and the enemy had taken his Sharingan eye. While a pair of Sharingan eyes posed no immediate threat, Fugaku couldn't risk them falling into the wrong hands. There was much to deal with, and the weight of responsibility pressed upon him.

Despite Fugaku's abundance of energy and strength, even he couldn't escape the need for rest, just like any other human. After three days of swift flight, he found himself in need of a comfortable sleep.

His fatigue caught up with him, and he drifted into slumber without realizing it, his mind meandering through thoughts.

During this time, whether it was his clanmates or Shikaku and his friends, nobody disturbed him. The tranquility of his rest was undisturbed, allowing him to recharge fully. As evening fell, he awoke, enticed by the aroma of the meal the chefs had skillfully prepared.

Rubbing his head, Fugaku emerged from his tent, surveying the surroundings in search of a particular person. Despite scanning the area, the one he sought eluded his immediate sight.

After satisfying his hunger, he approached a medic to inquire about Tsunade's whereabouts and soon set out to find her.

Tsunade's tent, still imposing in size, occupied a quiet corner, away from the bustling camp.

Specially tailored for her needs, it served as a sanctuary for her concoctions, housing an array of transparent containers atop a large rectangular table that resembled a chemistry lab.

Within the tent, the atmosphere hummed with diligence. Tsunade, donned in a ninja outfit featuring a green vest, a forehead protector, and the standard Konoha ninja gear, was immersed in her work.

Alongside her, a ten-year-old Shizune assisted diligently. The duo had forgone dinner due to an urgent task at hand—the afternoon's returning wounded carried a rare poison that demanded swift attention.

Focusing on their respective interests, Tsunade and Orochimaru shared a common fascination with the transparent containers, akin to a chemistry lab.

However, their goals diverged; Tsunade dedicated herself to curing and healing, while Orochimaru delved into the intricate study of the human body and its cells.

As Fugaku entered the tent with a faint smile on his face, he observed the scene. The urgency in the air was palpable, yet Tsunade's determination shone through as she tirelessly worked on the antidote.

Fugaku, approaching with a soft smile, acknowledged the intense atmosphere. "You must be exhausted; I heard you’ve been working all afternoon," he remarked.

Surprised by the familiar voice, Tsunade looked up and, upon recognizing Fugaku, waved him away. "It’s you; don’t distract me now. I’m almost done with the antidote!" she insisted, a sense of urgency in her voice.

Fugaku patiently waited on the side, his curiosity piqued, observing Tsunade's bustling activity with a wry smile.

Unbeknownst to Tsunade, Fugaku had another reason for seeking her out. He intended to discuss a matter of his own—a request for professional advice on using his own blood for experiments.

Fugaku recognized that Tsunade's unparalleled medical ninjutsu skills made her the go-to expert for such matters. As he patiently observed her, he pondered the right moment to broach the subject and seek her valuable insights.

"Awesome, it worked!" Shizune exclaimed with relief, her eyes fixed on the venom that gradually faded away after the antidote was applied to the device.

Tsunade, too, allowed a faint smile to grace her lips. "Shizune, you go and tell them to come and get it. I'll make some more while I can."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama," Shizune acknowledged, leaving the tent, her heart lightened by the success of the antidote's formula.

While Tsunade continued her work, Fugaku seized the moment to address his own query.

"What about you? Do you need something?" Tsunade asked without turning around.

Fugaku nodded. "Yes, I wanted to ask: do you have any pills that can permanently increase one’s strength? Without any side effects, of course."

Tsunade halted her hand, looking at Fugaku with a bemused expression. "Hehe, are you joking?"

Fugaku, maintaining his seriousness, responded, "Come on, Onee-san, I’m serious, okay?"

The corners of Tsunade's mouth twitched at the unexpected honorific.

"Sure, there are pills that can boost your strength, but they all have a time limit and side effects, like the three-colored pills of the Akimichi clan! Why? Aren’t you strong enough? You still want to get stronger?" she teased, resuming her work on the antidote.

Fugaku, momentarily taken aback, considered the mention of the Akimichi clan's three-colored pills. They sounded reliable.

After a brief pause, he smiled. "Of course, the stronger the better, but... Those pills... Can you please modify them and make them like I said? Even if it’s just a little bit stronger."

"Permanent strength increases with no side effects? That's impossible," Tsunade scoffed, shaking her head. "If I could do that, I would have done it long ago. There’s no such thing. You want to improve your strength by taking pills? You’re dreaming!"

As Tsunade finished addressing Fugaku’s question, the tent was filled with a brief silence.

Fugaku, deep in thought, was on the verge of expressing his next thought when the tranquility was shattered by the entrance of an unexpected visitor. His gaze instinctively lifted, and he found himself shocked by the newcomer.

“Tsunade-sama is amazing; such a complex poison, and she made an antidote in half a day!” Nono praised, her admiration evident. While competent in medical ninjutsu, Nono wasn't particularly skilled in detoxification.

“Of course, Tsunade-sama is the best medic... Oh, what’s wrong with you?” Shizune inquired, noticing Nono's sudden hesitation near the tent's entrance.

Nono, fixated on the man inside the tent, seemed frozen. Her mind raced as soon as she recognized him. How could she forget the man who took her virginity?

Dressed in a forehead protector, a vest, and bearing the Uchiha emblem on his clothes, the man was a Konoha ninja—an Uchiha at that.

Her surprise echoed in her thoughts. She didn’t know him, having predominantly undertaken spy missions in enemy countries during her time working for Danzo. Additionally, when she left Root, Fugaku had not yet assumed the role of clan head.

Despite the internal tumult, Nono, skilled in the art of espionage, concealed her shock. Lowering her head, she gracefully accepted the antidote from Shizune and quietly left the tent.

Internally, however, her heart remained in turmoil. Many times, she had wondered what she would do if she encountered him again. Yet, the answer remained elusive, wrapped in uncertainty.