At seven in the evening, Kageyama Kogetsu arrived at the Uchiha compound, where Uchiha Fugaku stood at the door with his two sons to greet him.
"Senior Fugaku, you could have just waited inside. Why be so formal?" Kogetsu said with a touch of reproach.
Fugaku wasn't offended—he was actually pleased. This was how close friends spoke.
"Sitting at home is dull. Better to come wait a bit. Kogetsu-kun is an honored guest."
"Haha, what kind of honored guest am I?" Kogetsu laughed.
"Kogetsu-nii," seven-year-old Uchiha Itachi bowed respectfully.
"Itachi, long time no see." Kogetsu smiled.
"Kogetsu-nii!" three-year-old Uchiha Sasuke beamed.
"Sasuke, seems you've grown taller again." Kogetsu crouched and scooped Sasuke up with a grin.
His manner was noticeably warmer than with Itachi; when Itachi was this small, Kogetsu had never picked him up.
In the whole anime, if you asked which male character he liked most, it would be Uchiha Sasuke. In the early and middle stages, what a fine boy.
A bit aloof and a little showy—what's wrong with that?
Given Sasuke's experiences, being cold on the outside is normal. The fact he wasn't withdrawn or unhinged already made him remarkable.
In truth, early Sasuke was tsundere—cold outside, warm within. A bit of posing is no big deal; who doesn't like to show off?
He likes it too; in a sense, showing off is one of humanity's primitive urges to move forward.
Before awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, Sasuke was among the most normal people in the shinobi world.
"I'm going to eat hard and surpass Naruto," Sasuke declared with lofty ambition.
"Hahaha…" The three laughed.
"Kogetsu-kun, please," Fugaku gestured with a smile.
"After you, Senior Fugaku."
They entered the Uchiha compound together. Along the way, clan members greeted Fugaku and Kogetsu alike.
In truth, some Uchiha who were being sidelined had already grown restless and were entertaining thoughts of a coup.
Even so, those agitated Uchiha still had a good impression of Kogetsu, despite his steady rise through Konoha's upper ranks.
First, Kogetsu had never shown any sign of ostracizing, targeting, or suppressing the Uchiha—if anything, he stayed close to them and helped when he could.
Second, shinobi admire strength, and the Uchiha even more so.
With distinguished war merit, a renowned name, and a bout with the Third Tsuchikage from which he withdrew intact, he was clearly one of the world's top powers—and so young.
Third, Fugaku's family and Shisui had both spoken for him.
Fourth, Kogetsu had no airs; when he met Police Force shinobi in the village, he would chat with them.
All of this made Kogetsu welcome among the Uchiha.
Amid greetings they reached Fugaku's home.
"Welcome, Kogetsu-kun." Uchiha Mikoto—black hair to her shoulders, in black loungewear—smiled brightly and bowed slightly.
"You're too polite; you're making me feel awkward, haha."
"This is just courtesy. I won't be so formal afterward."
As she spoke, Mikoto took a pair of slippers from the entry cabinet and set them out.
Shoes changed, they all went to the dining room.
After the meal, Itachi took Sasuke off to play while the three adults moved to the tearoom to talk.
After two sips of green tea, Fugaku finally came to the point.
"Kogetsu-kun, to be frank, the Uchiha's position in the village grows harder by the day. It's wearing me down."
"The Hokage remains relatively friendly toward the Uchiha. Elder Homura and Elder Koharu are neutral."
"Only Elder Danzō has a strong objection to your clan."
"Chief Shinnosuke follows the Hokage's lead. As for other department heads, I'm not sure," Kogetsu said, looking serious though he was speaking offhand.
"Is there a way to change it?" Fugaku asked, and both he and Mikoto looked at Kogetsu expectantly.
Kogetsu sighed. "Sigh… hard, hard, hard."
"Because the prejudice in people's hearts is a mountain. No matter how you try, you can't move it."
"Unless you possess power to move mountains and fill seas and reverse the situation."
At that, the two couldn't help showing disappointment.
"In my view, instead of trying to change others' minds, it's better to perfect yourselves."
"Oh? How so?" Fugaku's eyes brightened.
"I've looked closely. The roots of the rift between the village and the Uchiha are roughly fivefold."
"First, after Uchiha Madara defected, he controlled the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha, indirectly causing the First Hokage to exhaust his life and die early."
"Second, during the Second Hokage's rule, Uchiha Setsuna tried to agitate the clan to rebel."
"Third is the Nine-Tails incident—by far the most impactful."
"So long as the culprit remains uncaught, no matter what the Uchiha do, others will harbor doubts and won't fully trust you."
"Fourth, the temperament of Uchiha shinobi—especially those with awakened Sharingan—makes people uneasy under the eye's influence."
"Fifth, the Police Force's work offends people, especially when enforcement is rough."
Fugaku's face filled with admiration. "What incisive insight—Kogetsu-kun truly is a man of great wisdom."
Wisdom is wisdom; cleverness is cleverness; petty cleverness is petty cleverness. You can't equate them.
"I wouldn't dare claim great wisdom—I'm far from it," Kogetsu quickly shook his head.
He was only standing on the shoulders of those before him.
Those who blazed the trail through thorns and sacrifice to shatter the old world and open a new one—that's great wisdom.
Across the ages there haven't been many like that. What was he, to be compared with them?
"Then how do we perfect ourselves?" Mikoto refilled the pot, eyes hopeful.
"What's past can't be chased; we must stand in the present."
"Have the Police Force enforce with warmth. Don't be rough by habit; show some human feeling."
"Change the clan's way of handling matters as much as possible. Speak and act with humility; be approachable," Kogetsu offered advice that was and wasn't advice.
Fugaku gave a bitter smile. "It's too hard to change how the clan acts. It's temperament."
"The Uchiha aren't like the Hyūga. The clan head's word isn't absolute; elders restrain me."
"I also lack absolute prestige and absolute strength to overawe them."
Now that sounded right.
If you had Mangekyō Sharingan and still led the Uchiha into extermination, that would be incompetence at its peak.
The Uchiha's blind worship of Mangekyō isn't just talk—it's ingrained to the bone.
With Mangekyō, unifying the clan isn't that hard.
"Don't fear difficulty. You have to try; any effect at all is a gain." Kogetsu said solemnly.
"Kogetsu-kun is right. I'll try," Fugaku said earnestly.
"By the way, I heard you took Hyūga Neji as a disciple?"
"Mm. The kid's good." Kogetsu sipped tea and smiled faintly.
"What do you think of Itachi?"
"Itachi has applied to graduate early. Barring surprises, he'll certainly pass."
Fugaku finished and both he and Mikoto looked at Kogetsu even more expectantly than before.
Huh? Waiting here for me, are you?
Taking Uchiha Itachi as a disciple—what good would that do me?
A backstabber—taking him on would be more harm than help!
Besides, even without accepting him as a disciple, with my status and Konoha's interests, can't I command him?
Trying to take advantage of me? Nice try!
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