Minato received the documents, and the Third Hokage waved his hand, signaling him to leave. Minato took the documents and respectfully departed.
After leaving the Hokage Building, Minato finally opened the documents. "Uchiha Rong Lin, isn't this Lady Tsunade's disciple? A Special Jonin?"
Looking at Rong Lin's file, a hint of curiosity appeared on Minato's handsome face.
Indeed, Rong Lin's growth rate was astonishing. From graduating from the ninja academy to becoming a Special Jonin in such a short time – this speed was simply incredible!
Especially the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and his record of defeating several Special Jonin surprised Minato.
When did he achieve all this? It seemed like ages ago, didn't it?
As a fellow genius, Minato grew increasingly interested in Rong Lin and eagerly looked forward to meeting him.
The notification for Rong Lin's direct promotion to Special Jonin, jumping from "403," arrived quickly. Rong Lin went to the Hokage Building to collect his personal data card and Special Jonin equipment, and at the same time, received notice of the meeting time with his new teammates.
"Wow... that's amazing!!!"
Rong Lin's promotion to Special Jonin was not kept secret. Many people knew about it. His former classmates, both those who had yet to graduate and those who already had, all gathered to celebrate with him.
Inside the barbecue restaurant, Kurenai watched Rong Lin, now in his new gear, his face flushed. Her big eyes, usually so calm, now sparkled with admiration as she gazed at him.
Since their first gathering, Kurenai had always sought out Rong Lin to play, whether intentionally or not. Rong Lin wasn't oblivious; he knew the little girl had feelings for him. However, he hadn't responded. Her hair hadn't even fully grown out yet; he figured it was best to put it off for now. They could talk about it later!
"Yeah, he's so incredible! We haven't even graduated yet, and Rong Lin is already a Special Jonin!!!"
A group of classmates chattered incessantly. Obito, sitting a distance away, watched with a face full of envy, though without a trace of jealousy. Rong Lin wasn't Kakashi; he wouldn't vie with him for Rin. Obito's impression of Rong Lin was quite good; his envy was purely admiration.
In truth, Kakashi wasn't fighting Obito for Rin either. It was just that Rin seemed to like Kakashi, which was Kakashi's "fault." That's why Obito not only disliked Kakashi but was also intensely jealous!
Watching everyone congratulate and flatter Rong Lin, Kakashi sat silently to the side, his expression unchanged. Only his hands, clenched tightly under the table, betrayed his unease.
The gap was steadily widening!
After his promotion to Chunin, Kakashi had secretly compared himself to Rong Lin. Back then, Rong Lin had only recently graduated, while Kakashi was already a Chunin. Now, the tables had turned. If he could, Kakashi genuinely wanted to apply for the Chunin Exams right now, but unfortunately, his strength wasn't enough. Applying now would only lead to a humiliating defeat.
The barbecue restaurant grew lively due to their presence. Many people watched their playful antics, feeling a sense of nostalgia, as if reminded of their own childhoods.
Among the children, Rong Lin seemed to have become the "king." Whether in terms of strength or stature, he towered over everyone else, making it hard to believe they were the same age or even classmates.
Toward these classmates, Rong Lin mostly felt helpless. He felt there wasn't much common ground between them, so he only exchanged a few words with Kakashi, Obito, and Kurenai. As for Guy, he was still recovering in the Konoha Hospital, having missed the gathering. But everyone knew it was Rong Lin who had put Guy in the hospital with a few moves, much to Guy's chagrin.
After the gathering ended, Rong Lin finally felt a bit more relaxed. The constant clamor of a group of children gave him a headache. Especially after some scoundrel brought alcohol, Kurenai drank too much and clung to him, making his headache even worse. If Kurenai were grown, Rong Lin would definitely welcome it, but right now, her hair wasn't even fully grown in. How awkward!
Fortunately, the gathering was an "AA" affair, meaning Rong Lin wasn't expected to treat everyone. Otherwise, Rong Lin would have been in an awkward situation. At that time, he could only have turned to Tsunade for help, but getting money from Tsunade was incredibly difficult!
Three days passed in a flash. Rong Lin had a period of leisure, spending most of his time resting, with only occasional training.
The time to meet his new teammates hadn't yet arrived, and Rong Lin didn't know who they would be.
Soon, it was time for Rong Lin to give his answer to Uchiha Fugaku. Under the watchful eyes of the Hyuga clan, Rong Lin naturally gave his answer, returning to the Uchiha clan.
...
As for certain matters, in Rong Lin's words, a man must be able to endure. Some things are not forgotten, but simply waiting for the time to settle scores.
"This is the residence the clan head has arranged for you. Additionally, the clan will provide fixed funds each month as capital for your training. The stronger you are, the better your treatment will be.
Furthermore, you can freely enter the clan shrine five times. Each time, you cannot choose more than three ninjutsu. From today until the next half month, I will follow you and guide you in your training of the Sharingan and genjutsu."
The Uchiha's actions were swift. After Rong Lin publicly addressed Uchiha Fugaku as the clan head, various arrangements were quickly made. A decent mansion was prepared, at least from Rong Lin's perspective, it was a mansion.
Large sums of money each month, as well as opportunities to enter the shrine to select ninjutsu, and Uchiha Fugaku's guidance.
As for women, everyone tacitly agreed not to mention them. If Rong Lin progressed further, Uchiha Fugaku wouldn't mind satisfying his desires, but for now, it was not an option.
"This will be your home from now on."
Entering the courtyard, Rong Lin looked at the somewhat large house for a single person, his heart filled with emotion. Compared to his initial thoughts, Rong Lin had changed quite a bit.
He understood the importance of patience, rather than blindly rushing in. At least for now, he couldn't rush.
Some accounts are best kept in mind; there will always be a time to settle them.
So, Rong Lin took his simple luggage and entered the Uchiha clan compound, marking his return to the Uchiha clan. From today onwards, the Uchiha clan would witness the rise of a genius, at least that's what others would believe.
There are gains and losses. Some privately spread rumors that Rong Lin was opportunistic and lacked ambition.
But Rong Lin merely smiled at these rumors and paid them no mind.
Because no matter what choice he made, he would always be criticized by others.
If he refused Uchiha Fugaku's invitation, some would call him foolish. With such a good opportunity, why wouldn't he go back? That way, he could receive large amounts of funds and various benefits, making his growth even smoother.
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