Inside the Hokage's office.
Aozora settled into his designated chair and smiled, "Clan Leader, being Hokage isn't easy, is it?"
Fugaku and Kyudai just stared at him, speechless.
After a pause, Fugaku glanced at the endless pile of paperwork on the desk and thought about all the requests he'd face from clan members when he returned home. He gave a faint, bitter nod.
"The title of Hokage brings not only glory but also responsibility."
On the very first day as the Fifth Hokage, he'd truly felt happy and full of purpose.
But as wave after wave of paperwork landed on his desk and clan members came to him openly or secretly with various requests, he gradually felt increasing pressure.
The Uchiha Clan had never had a Hokage before—no one could give him solid advice.
What's more, the wise elders and high-ranking members were too focused on how to use his position as Hokage to benefit the clan.
As for younger ninja like Kyudai and Inabi, they were capable in action but somewhat lacking in strategic thinking.
After much consideration, Fugaku turned to Aozora.
Although Aozora was young, his wisdom and vision surpassed ordinary people. He was among the rare few who could see beyond clan boundaries.
Only Aozora could offer valuable advice at this time.
Now, hearing Aozora say, "Being Hokage isn't easy," Fugaku realized Aozora already knew what he was going through.
"Aozora, Kyudai, since everything's so chaotic right now, help me sort things out today."
While mainly seeking Aozora's counsel, Fugaku hoped Kyudai would also think actively and grow from the experience.
After all, Kyudai was far more agreeable than Aozora. As long as needed, he could work tirelessly year-round without rest.
Kyudai nodded firmly while Aozora merely gave a soft "Mm."
"There are several urgent matters," Fugaku organized his thoughts and said. "First, what should we do about the former Anbu?
They were all directly under the Third's command and carried out many wrongdoings on his orders.
Now that the Third has taken full responsibility with his life, should we still hold them accountable?
If not, how should we handle them?
I don't feel safe letting them remain in Anbu, yet if we disband them, they know too much sensitive information."
Hearing this, Kyudai scratched his head anxiously—it really was a tough problem to solve.
Aozora paused briefly, then replied directly, "There's nothing to consider here. Dismiss them all and let them become regular ninja."
Kyudai asked, "But won't they take away valuable intelligence with them?"
Fugaku also turned his gaze toward Aozora, sharing the same concern.
Aozora shrugged, "Since Orochimaru and Danzo both betrayed the village, how much truly valuable intelligence could they possibly still have left to expose?
Internal defense secrets? Danzo and Orochimaru definitely know more than them.
Advanced Ninjutsu? As long as it's not Kinjutsu, what harm would it do if it leaked?
High-ranking officials' privacy? It's generous of us not to smear the Third's name at this point!"
Upon hearing this, Kyudai's face showed astonishment. Indeed, whatever intelligence those former Anbu might leak seemed trivial now.
A faint smile appeared in Fugaku's eyes. That was Aozora for you—he always found ways to flip even the hardest problems upside down and see them differently.
Aozora continued, "Although many clan members have left the Anbu following Danzo's defection, there are still representatives from each major clan within the Anbu. Handling the Anbu leniently can demonstrate Lord Hokage's generous spirit."
He paused before wrapping up, "As for forming a new Anbu force, I believe Lord Hokage already has his own thoughts on the matter. I'll leave it in your hands."
Fugaku nodded, "The matter regarding Anbu is settled then."
Fugaku then said, "The second issue concerns Naruto's placement.
Naruto is Minato's orphaned child and also the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. His identity is sensitive; how to properly place him will be a crucial topic at the next high-level meeting."
After a moment of contemplation, Aozora asked Fugaku, "What's your opinion on this?"
Fugaku replied, "I think it would be inappropriate to leave Naruto completely unattended, or else when he learns of his true heritage, he might harbor deep hatred toward Konoha. It would be best if an appropriate household could take him in as their own."
Aozora gave a slight nod—he finally understood. Fugaku wanted to take Naruto in personally, keeping the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki close under his watch.
Given that Fugaku was now the Hokage, this wasn't unreasonable—so long as he didn't repeat the Third's manipulative tactics on young children.
At the same time, Aozora realized that Fugaku was essentially asking him to come up with reasonable justifications for placing Naruto with his family.
Aozora considered it carefully before speaking, "In my opinion, there isn't a more suitable household in the village than yours for taking in Naruto.
Firstly, Lady Mikoto and Kushina were like sisters; she'll definitely treat Naruto as her own child.
Secondly, given the dangers associated with a Jinchuriki, regular monitoring from Anbu is necessary. This arrangement would significantly reduce the burden on the village's resources.
Lastly, with your strength, even if the Nine-Tails' seal were ever broken, you would be capable of quickly containing the situation and minimizing damage to the village."
As Aozora laid out his reasoning, Fugaku had already begun to nod lightly in agreement. However, Aozora wasn't finished yet.
He considered further and added, "I'd also suggest officially adopting Naruto as your son—this would give Sasuke a training companion, especially now that Itachi is about to graduate from the academy."
It was Aozora who convinced Itachi to stay back an extra year at the academy. Now that he'd grown taller, he no longer wanted to waste his time loafing around and approached Aozora again about graduating early.
Considering the much-improved safety conditions surrounding the Uchiha Clan nowadays, Aozora approved of Itachi's request to graduate ahead of schedule, which would presumably make him a proud Genin by the end of this semester.
Additionally, having Naruto adopted by Fugaku also benefited Aozora personally.
Putting everything else aside, Aozora would have a lot more chances to interact with Naruto, giving him the opportunity to communicate with the Supernatural Presences sealed within him—the Nine-Tails and Asura.
At this thought, Aozora suddenly gasped in alarm and stared wide-eyed at Fugaku.
Sasuke was Indra's reincarnation while Naruto was the reincarnation of Asura.
If Naruto were taken in as Fugaku's adopted son, wouldn't that effectively make Fugaku the father of both Asura and Indra?
Wasn't this bound to attract envy or even covert sabotage from the still-living Sage of Six Paths?
Fugaku looked down at his robes in confusion and asked Aozora, "What's wrong? Did I get something on my clothes?"
Aozora immediately shook his head, saying hurriedly, "No, nothing like that. I just happened to realize something just now, and felt that Lord Hokage is truly impressive!"
Fugaku let out a bemused chuckle, attributing Aozora's sudden behavior to youthful eccentricity and not dwelling on it further.
Fugaku then asked another question. "Thirdly, many clan members want to move back to the original compound."
Upon hearing this, Aozora replied directly, "Then let them go!"
Fugaku looked surprised. "Let them go?"
"Yeah!" Aozora said. "Does Konoha restrict any resident from relocating?"
Fugaku shook his head. "Of course not."
Aozora smiled and said, "There you go! The Third's decision to relocate the Uchiha Compound was not exactly favorable to the clan, but he did provide appropriate compensation, so it's not wise to easily overturn that decision. If they wish to relocate, just let them buy their old houses back."
Kyudai frowned and asked, "Won't scattering the clan members weaken our unity in the long run?"
Aozora, however, said, "There's nothing wrong with scattering. By spreading out, we can integrate more naturally into Konoha and ease the suspicion surrounding the Uchiha. Besides, as our clan grows stronger, expansion will inevitably happen. Otherwise, how could Konoha's central area have such a large piece of land reserved for Uchiha residence?"
Kyudai nodded slightly but remained somewhat concerned.
Aozora continued, "[Establishing a Uchiha Kindergarten at the new compound] or [improving the Sharingan Awakening Ritual to make it a coming-of-age ceremony for the Uchiha]!
The former allows young children in the clan to receive education together, learning about the Clan History while building deep bonds with their peers.
The latter bestows grace and obligation on young clan members, thus reminding them of the clan's kindness and favors.
There are plenty of ways to keep us united—we don't need to stress over it."
After hearing this, Kyudai finally nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Fugaku, who had been listening quietly, gave Aozora an approving look after hearing his solutions to the three issues.
Actually, he already had his own ideas about these three questions. His reasons for asking went beyond seeking Aozora's thoughts—he also wanted to challenge and assess his thinking.
Undoubtedly, Aozora's mind remained sharp. His answers matched Fugaku's expectations well, some even being more suitable than the ones Fugaku had struggled to devise himself.
So he finally brought up the one question he really wanted Aozora's input on.
"Aozora, how do you think Konoha should develop in the future?"
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