To Be Lost On The Road Of Life (Continuation)

Chapter 26 - Returning Darkness

Chapter 26 - Returning Darkness

The Uchiha meeting hall was set up suspiciously like a council chamber, with the elders situated around the room in a halved ovate shape, the clan head at the apex.

The room was, in the Uchiha fashion, lined with door-to-door shoji screens, the wall on the far end with a hanging silk of the clan's insignia. He had never come to this particular room in the past, as he had little to do with the clan's politics as a child and it's use dwindled when the idea of a coup sparked-they had moved to a more private facility to discuss their less-than-civil plan.

As soon as Obito had entered, escorted in by some Uchiha Chūnin a couple years his senior, the room hushed to an eerie silence.

"... Uchiha Obito," one of the elders spoke out at last, breaking the silence. His tone was neither derisive nor welcoming.

Obito inclined his head. "Honorable elders."

The small action left a few of the more aggressive Uchiha bristling, appalled at his lack of proper respect. The elder that had spoken coughed, leveling a cold gaze on the younger Uchiha present. "Do you understand why you are here?"

The time traveler meandered over to an unused cushion, knowing it was reserved for himself. The fact that it was set up very much like a court hearing, with his seat at opposition with the others made it rather obvious.

"Boy," another elder called out, a glare in place. "Do you understand why you are here?"

"No, I don't," Obito replied simply, unaffected by what the man no doubt thought was an intimidating tone. He felt the vague inclination to continue the charade and incite the elders' ire even more, but he wished to be there as much as anyone else present.

A different elder, one Obito vaguely recalled dubbing "vapid-idiot" spoke up. "Obito-kun, you have been given the chance to rejoin the clan of your own accord, and you have displayed reluctance to do so. Before it was excused, as the ignorance of a child, but I'm afraid we cannot turn a blind eye any longer."

Obito glanced to Fugaku, who had a look that indicated frustration despite his clear restraint. Either the man had acquiesced to this decision or he was being forced-and though he was inclined to believe the latter, especially considering their last conversation, he couldn't discount the possibility.

"Jirou-san," Fugaku spoke, a certain tightness around his eyes. "The final decision has not been made. We cannot simply have Obito rejoin the clan if he does not wish to."

"Excuse my impertinence, but the boy has the Mangekyō, Fugaku-sama!" Obito froze at this, his eyes darting around the room. No one was surprised at the declaration. "The terms from before were in regards to him having the normal three-tomoe stage, but him having advanced his Sharingan to such a point renders that agreement null and void!" The elder turned to Obito with a sneer. "If not simply for keeping others from obtaining his eyes, the boy needs to be kept under supervision due to the nature of his eyes. We all know the price paid to attain that power, who knows what else the boy will do to gain power?"

Obito's fists clenched. It was a sick joke that they of all people would accuse him as he was currently for being a moral-less, power-hungry monster. Even if the words held truth to them, they were just as much to blame as he was.