Chapter 353: Uchiha Problem
Tsunade and Mugetsu's earlier conversation left Rin Nohara even more confused. How had the topic suddenly jumped to food? Had she spaced out for a few minutes without realizing it?
"Ahem. Your chakra control is quite good," Tsunade said, clearing her throat and putting on a serious expression as she gave her evaluation.
The key to Chakra Enhanced Strength was chakra control, and Rin being able to use that level of power already proved how precise her control was.
After watching Rin demonstrate both her medical ninjutsu and Chakra Enhanced Strength, Tsunade had more or less decided what curriculum Rin would be following next.
"Then Shizune will be yours to teach. I do not care what methods you use, but in half a year I want to see clear progress from her," Tsunade continued.
The reason Tsunade, in her usual lazy state, was willing to take Rin as a disciple was because she had already reached an agreement with Mugetsu to temporarily swap students, so her overall workload would not change.
Of course, it was also because Tsunade felt Mugetsu was very talented at teaching, and Shizune could learn a great deal from him.
"No problem. I will teach Shizune properly," Mugetsu nodded.
He might not be able to match Tsunade in pure medical knowledge, but when it came to helping others improve their combat strength, that was where he shone.
"Then am I going to move into Teacher Mugetsu's house from now on?" Shizune asked, a little lost.
Tsunade had already told her that she would be learning from Mugetsu.
Since Shizune's parents had passed away and her closest uncle, Dan, had also died, she was currently living in Tsunade's home. When Tsunade brought this up, Shizune thought she meant to hand her completely over to Mugetsu.
"If Mugetsu agrees, that could work. It would make it much easier for him to send food to me every day," Tsunade muttered, rubbing her chin as if she had discovered a brilliant idea.
Although she had already grown used to Shizune taking care of her daily life, if she could exchange that for free meals from Mugetsu, Tsunade felt she could reluctantly live on her own.
"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune puffed out her cheeks, a little offended. That sounded very much like using her as a convenient excuse for free meals.
"I think that is not appropriate," Mugetsu refused with a shake of his head.
He had no blood relation to Shizune, and even though she was only a nine year old girl, it would still be somewhat improper, especially when she was not without a home.
More importantly, Mugetsu himself had too many secrets. Having Shizune stay for a few days was one thing, but living together long term required someone he trusted absolutely.
Tsunade showed a regretful expression and sighed. "Mugetsu, you passed up something good. Shizune is very reliable with housework."
Mugetsu only smiled and did not comment.
"Lady Tsunade feels different from what I imagined," Rin thought as her impression of Tsunade quietly shifted.
Although she had visited Tsunade's home once before, that time she had only stayed for a meal and barely interacted with her. Her image of Tsunade still mostly came from the rumors circulating outside.
For one of the Legendary Sannin, very few ordinary people would dare to speak ill of Tsunade to her face and risk offending her, so in Rin's mind Tsunade's image had always been extremely lofty and perfect.
"What is the real Lady Tsunade like?" With that question in her heart, Rin formally began her apprenticeship under Tsunade.
During dinner that evening, Obito was still excitedly recounting his heroic experience in the Land of Snow.
"Grandma, you do not know how urgent it was back then. It is a good thing I was there, or else the daimyo of the Land of Snow and the little princess would have been in real danger."
Although the truth was that he and Kakashi had blocked Doto Kazahana's attack together, Kakashi was not here now, so Obito very naturally embellished the story a bit, turning himself into the main hero and Kakashi into a supporting character.
"Yes, yes. Our Obito is amazing, saving an entire country," his grandmother praised him with a smile.
She did not really understand all the details Obito was talking about, but the part about protecting a daimyo and a princess was easy enough to grasp.
"Hehe." Under his grandmother's straightforward praise, Obito could not help rubbing his nose with an embarrassed grin. "Actually, most of the credit belongs to Teacher Mugetsu. He was the one who handled most of the enemies."
He was not making up things completely. Obito would never claim Mugetsu's credit as his own. After all, he knew he did not yet have the strength to defeat hundreds of enemy ninja on his own.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
His grandmother had just started to stand up when Obito quickly jumped to his feet. "Grandma, I will get it."
He hurried over, opened the door, and found Uchiha Yashiro standing outside.
"Obito, there is a clan meeting tonight at eight. Remember to be at Nara Shrine on time," Yashiro said without stepping inside.
Normally he would not have needed to personally deliver such a notice, but he thought highly of Obito. Obito had skipped previous meetings for various reasons, and this would be his first time attending, so Yashiro decided to make the trip himself.
"All members of the clan attend the meeting as long as they are not on a mission. You should take this opportunity to interact more with the others," Yashiro reminded him.
The Uchiha clan valued strength above all. Yashiro did not mind Obito being obsessed with training, but he also hoped Obito would spend more time with his fellow clan members and develop a stronger sense of belonging.
"Eight o clock. Got it," Obito said after thinking it over, then nodded.
Since he had never gone before, he decided he might as well go once and see what it was like. If it turned out to be boring, he would simply stop going in the future.
He was already annoyed by constantly being suppressed by Kakashi and dragged off to train whenever he had free time. If the clan meeting was a meaningless activity, he really did not want to waste time on it.
"Obito, who was at the door?" his grandmother asked when he returned to the table alone.
"It was Elder Yashiro. He came to tell me about the clan meeting," Obito replied casually.
"A clan meeting, hm. Your father used to attend many of those back then," his grandmother murmured, her thoughts drifting to the past.
After dinner, Obito once again cleared the table, washed the dishes, and put them away in their proper places.
"Obito, you have really become sensible. When your father was your age, he would never have taken the initiative to wash dishes," his grandmother said, unconsciously slipping back into her memories.
Once elderly people started reminiscing, it was hard for them to stop. Obito listened quietly, occasionally giving a soft response, until it was almost eight o clock. Only then did he reluctantly interrupt her, because the clan meeting was about to begin.
"You should go, Obito. I am getting sleepy anyway," his grandmother said with a tired smile.
"Then rest well, Grandma," Obito said, waving to her before heading toward Nara Shrine.
On the way, he was not thinking about the clan meeting at all, but about how to convince his grandmother to go to Konoha Hospital for an examination.
Obito was sure that she was not in perfect health. Ever since he came back this time, he had noticed that her energy was worse than before, her movements had grown slower, and she looked visibly older.
But his grandmother insisted that she was fine and refused his suggestion to visit the hospital. Obito felt helpless. He could not exactly use his Sharingan genjutsu on his own grandmother and drag her there. An elderly person might not be able to endure that kind of mental shock.
"Tomorrow I will ask Teacher Mugetsu if he has any ideas," Obito decided, planning to consult the all knowing Sage Mugetsu during training.
While he was mulling this over, he unconsciously arrived near Nanga Shrine.
"Obito, long time no see," Uchiha Inaho greeted when he spotted him.
After losing to Obito last time, Inaho had been dispirited for a while. Within the Uchiha clan he had always had a certain reputation, and losing to Obito in such fashion had been a heavy blow.
In the end, though, he had not allowed himself to wallow in it. Strong was strong and weak was weak. He had lost simply because he was weaker than Obito, which only meant he needed to train harder.
"Uh, you are Inaho senpai from that day, right?" Obito tried his best to recall the name and finally remembered.
After all, Inaho had helped him obtain a high level Fire Release technique.
"There is no need to call me senpai. Just call me Inaho. If you have time, give me some pointers on my Fire Release," Inaho said with a smile.
He had watched the Chunin Exams in person and had seen Obito's powerful Fire Release and taijutsu. He was very clear about Obito's current strength.
Someone like him had no right to call himself Obito's senior. If Obito used the level of strength he had shown in the exams, he could defeat Inaho in an instant.
"Haha, if I have time, no problem," Obito replied happily, unable to hide his smile.
The two of them walked into Nara Shrine together. Many Uchiha were already seated inside. Obito swept his gaze across the hall, spotted Shisui, and went over to sit beside him. Seeing that there was still plenty of space near them, Inaho joined them as well.
"It seems the clan has high hopes for you, Shisui. This is my first time seeing someone attend a clan meeting before graduating as a ninja," Inaho sighed.
But when he thought about Shisui's strength, he did not find it that surprising. Even though Shisui was still in the academy, he already had the ability to defeat a Chunin. The only thing separating him from a full fledged ninja was the lack of a forehead protector.
"It was just a coincidence. I happened to run into the clan head on the way," Shisui explained.
Unlike Obito, Shisui actually had some interest in clan meetings, so he had readily accepted Fugaku's invitation.
He simply believed that if he wanted to solve the problems of the Uchiha clan, he first needed a deep understanding of the clan itself. That was why he was willing to participate in both the young generation gatherings and the formal clan meetings.
Once most of the Uchiha had arrived, Yashiro nodded to Fugaku, then announced that the meeting would begin.
"How do you all think the Uchiha should develop and grow at this stage?" Fugaku stated the main topic.
"I think we should apply for more funding," said a young Uchiha who looked to be around twenty years old.
"Our Police Force bears such important responsibilities. We are fully justified in requesting more funds to train clan members."
A murmur rippled through the shrine and many Uchiha voiced their agreement.
"I support this. If not for our Uchiha working so hard, spies from other villages would have slipped into Konoha long ago."
"That suggestion is very good. Only by becoming stronger can our Uchiha better protect Konoha."
Most of the Uchiha worked in the Police Force. Only a small portion served in regular four person squads. More funding meant a higher salary, and no one disliked a larger paycheck.
"I will try to apply for additional funds, but they may not approve it," Fugaku said, feeling the weight of all the expectant gazes.
In truth, he believed the chances of success were practically zero. He simply did not say that out loud because he did not want to dampen his clansmen's spirits.
Konoha was at war, and the Police Force did not need to go to the front lines. Under those circumstances, how could the village leadership agree to give them more funding? On top of that, the Police Force had no new achievements to speak of. Submitting such a request without any solid justification was even less likely to pass.
"An Uchiha must become Hokage and seize the core authority of Konoha," another clan member declared.
Fugaku nodded almost reflexively. That was indeed the key to the clan's future.
The Uchiha throughout the shrine murmured in agreement.
"Everyone understands how important it is to become Hokage. The question is how to become Hokage," someone else said.
As soon as that was voiced, the shrine fell silent.
The words were discouraging, but they were also true. Right now the Legendary Sannin were all popular candidates for Fourth Hokage, and no one in the Uchiha clan could match their reputation or strength.
"Is it not enough to be excellent and earn everyone's recognition?" Obito could not help offering his answer when he saw that no one else spoke up.
Because only Obito had said anything, it was easy to identify the speaker. Many Uchiha turned to look at him as if they were looking at a fool. If that were all it took, would they still be sitting here in silence?
"Very good. Our Uchiha clan needs that kind of ambition," Yashiro said, looking at Obito with approval.
Some Uchiha were surprised. Given Yashiro's usual strictness, they had expected him to scold such naive words, not praise them.
"You did not watch the Chunin Exams, did you? Obito is basically the most talented ninja among our younger generation. Well, that might change after Shisui graduates," an Uchiha who had been in the stands reminded them.
Obito's performance in the Chunin Exams had earned him quite a reputation in the village. Many Uchiha had learned that a new young genius had emerged in their clan.
The Uchiha who received the reminder immediately understood. In this clan, strength determined everything. Since Obito was talented enough, then he had the right to speak that boldly.
"I think we should relax the restrictions on the Police Force and allow other Konoha ninja to join," Shisui said after thinking for a moment.
Shisui had been studying history with Mugetsu for more than a year. He believed that instead of thinking only about how to become stronger, the Uchiha should first consider how to escape their current predicament.
At the moment they were still under Anbu surveillance, feared by other ninja in the village, and disliked by many ordinary residents. If they did not solve those problems and only pursued greater power, it would only deepen the hostility.
Shisui did not yet have a complete solution of his own, but he could consult Mugetsu, and in Mugetsu's view the Police Force was the first knot that had to be untied.
Their present situation had been caused directly or indirectly by the Police Force.
It was entirely natural for a single clan monopolizing such a powerful department to be feared. At the same time, those Uchiha who held authority would gradually grow more arrogant, and because most of the clan's ninja worked there, they interacted less with other ninja and spent most of their time surrounded only by their own clan members.
Shisui's suggestion was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring the entire shrine.
"How can we let outsiders join our Police Force? The symbol of the Police Force is our Uchiha clan crest. If they do not do their jobs properly, would that not tarnish our reputation?"
"Our ancestors shed blood to earn the right to control the Police Force. We cannot let their efforts be wasted."
"If we open the Police Force to others, what if someone uses tricks to steal the captain's position? Would we not risk losing the Police Force forever?"
"The Police Force is almost entirely made up of clan members right now. That makes things easy to coordinate. Outsiders would only disrupt the atmosphere."
Voices of opposition filled the shrine. Almost everyone was condemning Shisui's suggestion as treasonous.
"Shisui, how could you say something like that? It is terrible for the future of the Uchiha," Inaho said, shaking his head.
He very nearly told Shisui not to say things that harmed unity.
Shisui had not expected his idea to provoke such strong backlash. He had thought at least a few people might have considered the same thing.
"Shisui, your way of thinking is dangerous. At your age, you should read more of our clan's history," an Uchiha Jonin who knew him said, calling him out by name.
It was precisely because he knew Shisui was a genius that he bothered to say this. After all, what use was a powerful Uchiha who was not loyal to his clan?
Feeling the displeased gazes of so many clansmen, Shisui did not show the slightest trace of fear. He opened his mouth, wanting to explain his reasoning.
"Is it not a rule that you have to be a ninja to attend a clan meeting? Shisui has not even graduated yet," someone interrupted, having just realized that Shisui was not wearing a forehead protector. It was Rui who spoke.
"If you have not become a ninja, you are still a child. What is a child doing at a clan meeting?"
Even Shisui could not help frowning slightly at being dismissed like that. Some of the people speaking were even weaker than he was.
"What is wrong with not graduating yet? With Shisui's strength, becoming a ninja is only a matter of time," Obito could not help stepping in when he saw his friend being singled out.
"Is this not supposed to be a place for discussion? Are you saying that anyone who voices an opinion you do not like is not allowed to speak?" Obito used the arguing skills he usually reserved for bickering with Kakashi and fired back at them.
His words were so sharp that several Uchiha were left speechless for a moment.
"It is not about his opinion. It is about rules," an Uchiha Jonin said calmly.
The Genin and Chunin might be wary of challenging Obito because of his strength, but a Jonin had no such concerns. A talented junior was still only a junior.
"It was my oversight. I wanted Shisui to experience the atmosphere of a clan meeting in advance," Fugaku said, stepping forward when he saw that Shisui's remarks had sparked public anger.
"Fugaku, even if Shisui is exceptionally gifted, rules are still rules," a middle aged Uchiha said in a deep voice.
"This will not happen again," Fugaku replied. Since he was in the wrong, he could not argue with the elders.
Shisui was not foolish. After a brief moment of reflection, he stood up and left the shrine on his own, so as not to put Fugaku in a more difficult position.
Obito had already found the meeting tedious. When he saw Shisui, the only person he felt close to here, walk out, he also stood up and left without giving the elders any face.
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