Small Investment, Big Ally
In the end, neither side lost out. Shirō had gained a powerful backer, allowing him more freedom to develop, while the Uchiha Clan gained a future ally with rare techniques and unusual potential.
As long as Shirō could maintain his talent and continue to grow, the Weimiya Clan—known for their strange flying puppets—would inevitably gain influence within the village.
After their discussion wrapped up, Miyue, who had been watching from the side, finally spoke up.
"Uh, can you two explain how you even met? I still don't get it at all."
"Same here," Taiyi added. "Shirō, if you already knew the Fourth Elder, why'd you come to me first? Wouldn't that have saved you some trouble?"
Shirō scratched his head. "Let me explain from the beginning—it'll make more sense. Miyue and I met by chance. She needed a hand with something, and since she's from the Uchiha Clan like you, I gave her a small favor. Later, I realized she was also my classmate, so we crossed paths again that night…"
Halfway through his words, Shirō froze. He suddenly felt a killing intent. Looking carefully, he saw Miyue glaring at him, her face scarlet.
"…No, wait—Miyue, why are you blushing? It's not like we did anything. We just had a meal, right?"
"A meal? Three days before the graduation exam?" the Fourth Elder asked.
"Yes, that night."
"Oh, that's fine then. She's blushing for another reason," the Fourth Elder muttered, glancing knowingly at his granddaughter. "And Shirō, don't call me Fourth Elder—it's too stiff. Just call me Uncle."
"Yes, Four—uh, Uncle," Shirō corrected himself quickly.
He turned back to the others. "Anyway, after that, I told Miyue I'd watch her graduation exam three days later. That's where I ran into Uncle and Auntie. So, that's all there is to it."
Taiyi snorted. "Heh, so basically, a secret date."
"What date?!" Shirō snapped. "Taiyi, shut up!"
Everyone laughed. Miyue's mother added fuel to the fire:
"Shirō, you even gave Miyue one of your handmade puppets. Don't tell me you don't have feelings for her?"
"Mom!" Miyue yelped, face turning crimson.
Shirō raised his hands in defense. "Auntie, please, I'm still young. I haven't even thought about that kind of thing! I gave her the puppet because… well, I didn't have money, so I made it myself."
Outwardly, he looked helpless. Inwardly, though, he had considered it—if only fleetingly. But Miyue wasn't someone he could see as a true partner. Partly because of her personality, but more importantly, because she was from the Uchiha Clan.
Large clans always carried heavy burdens and endless complications. Shirō preferred to avoid them as much as possible.
After some more small talk, Shirō and Taiyi excused themselves.
Before parting, Shirō handed Taiyi a scroll. "Here, this is the Lightning Release Body Flicker Technique. I prepared it for you a while ago."
"Oh?" Taiyi accepted it without hesitation. Since they were teammates, refusing would be pointless. Still, he silently remembered the favor.
Not long after, the two arrived at the gates of the Uchiha compound.
"Want to stay for dinner?" Taiyi asked hopefully.
Shirō shook his head. "Sorry, I've got things to do."
"…Alright. Goodbye then."
"Mm, goodbye."
After seeing Shirō off, Taiyi went straight home to the study, where his father was waiting.
"Knock, knock."
"Father, it's me."
"Come in, Taiyi. What's the matter?"
Taiyi stepped inside, eyes determined. "Father, I won't give up on training my Sharingan."
His father studied with him. "…Is this for power's sake?"
"That was true before I awakened," Taiyi admitted. "But now? You know why it awakened. You know the cost."
His father's gaze darkened. "Yes. The death of your teammate, Matsumoto Ci Lang. That loss triggered your Sharingan. And now you carry a two-tomoe at your age… a dangerous pace of growth."
Taiyi clenched his fists. "That's why I won't let the Sharingan evolve on its own through more loss! I'll train it myself, through effort, not tragedy. This is a gift from Matsumoto. I'll become stronger with it."
His father's expression softened. "Perhaps I was wrong about suppressing you. Still, remember—too fast an advancement can twist even the strongest Uchiha. As long as you have a plan, I won't stop you. If you need resources, I still have some influence in the clan."
"Yes, Father. Thank you. I'll go train now."
"Go. But don't neglect rest."
Meanwhile, Shirō wandered Konoha, hunting for a pharmacy willing to buy out his entire stock of herbs. No luck.
Either the shops already had steady suppliers, or they were only willing to take small amounts. Nothing solved his problem.
He considered asking friends for help but shook the thought away. The quality of this batch wasn't great. Forcing them to buy it would only cause losses and damage their positions within their families.
"Ahhh, so troublesome. Forget it. I'll just go train first."
Elsewhere, Keiko and Zhi Zi were on their way to inspect the medicinal herb field.
"Tsk, tsk. Incredible. Your Shirō already got himself a herb field," Zhi Zi said.
"Of course. He's my son," Keiko replied proudly, before sighing. "Though it'd be better if he didn't have to take such risks."
Zhi Zi nodded sympathetically. "Yes… My Xiao Guang is the same. She's been enduring harsh training since childhood. I can't help her with anything."
"You're still better than me. At least you can support Shirō's herb field. I can't help Xiao Guang at all."
"What support? I just try not to cause trouble. Oh, by the way, Xiao Guang doesn't have a boyfriend yet, right? You could introduce her to someone."
Zhi Zi laughed softly. "That girl has her own goals. I don't need to worry. But what about your Shirō? Has he thought about things like that?"
Keiko frowned. "Don't even mention it. That brat doesn't have a shred of intention in that direction. It drives me crazy!"
"Haha, sometimes being too mature isn't good for kids."
"Exactly. And besides, I don't even know how to manage a herb field…" Keiko paused, then turned. "Zhi Zi, do you know how?"
"How would I? But I'll tell you this—help him with the accounts. That's a nightmare to manage, and it'll save Shirō a lot of energy."
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