The three support squads led by Renji, Yan, and Retsu might not have shifted the entire balance of the police force, but whenever they arrived in a district together, the results were immediate and obvious.
Day after day, districts under Uchiha patrol were swept clean. Others began imitating their methods, cracking down on thugs, bullies, and suspicious individuals, bringing them in for questioning or driving them out altogether.
Letters of thanks for the three brothers piled up on the captain's desk.
With Uchiha Ming's help, any positive letters about them were immediately reported upward, while complaints mysteriously vanished into the flames.
Secretary Uchiha Xing also made sure that whenever a letter mentioned Renji, it was placed first in the daily paperwork stack.
Every morning, the first thing Captain Nobunaga saw was a glowing thank-you note about his nephew. At first, it filled him with pride.
"That's my family, always shining," he thought. But after days of the same routine, the endless praise started to grate.
In the end, he scribbled a note: to commend the three for their efforts, their companies would receive a twenty-thousand ryo bonus, and the three squad leaders could take a week's leave.
Finally, a week of peace. Nobunaga even smiled to himself. His son Fugaku was graduating soon. Time to have him follow his older brother. Life was good.
When Renji got the news, he split the bonus evenly among his men, then organized a picnic for all three squads. For the three most diligent fighters, he gifted each one of his own training insights for a chosen jutsu, pushing them toward growth.
And then vacation began.
Renji spent his free days in the training grounds, refining the Chidori and developing its variations. He intended to hand this new series to the clan, not the village. Giving it to Konoha now would only arm potential enemies.
He no longer wanted to play nice with the elders. He knew the Third Shinobi War was only a few years away. His focus now was ensuring that more Uchiha survived it. Anyone else's fate was none of his concern.
After a week, he called together his uncle Nobunaga, his parents, his three teachers, little brother Fugaku, and close comrades who had trained alongside him. When they were all assembled, Renji grinned.
"Let's begin."
He raised his hand. "This is Chidori. Concentrating lightning chakra in the hand, then charging forward to pierce the enemy. Its penetrating power is immense, and it paralyzes as it strikes. The current is so strong that it cries out like a thousand birds, hence the name.
From that foundation, I've created several variations:
Chidori Blade, infuse lightning chakra into a weapon, increasing cutting power and paralyzing the target on contact.
Chidori Senbon, split the current into countless sharp needles, striking from range. With Sharingan, it can target vital points.
Chidori Spear, shape the chakra into a lance for mid-range thrusts. Not as powerful as the original, but safe and versatile.
Chidori Current, release lightning across the body in a wide range, frying everything nearby. It can even serve as defense when surrounded."
He glanced at their stunned faces and kept talking.
"Training this jutsu isn't the hardest part. Anyone with good chakra control and lightning affinity can learn it. The problem is in battle: you have to sprint at your enemy, and without the Sharingan you risk being countered. Only with our eyes can it reach its full potential.
This, I believe, is a jutsu tailored for our clan. With Sharingan, it can give us another great leap forward." He smiled, waiting for praise.
Uchiha Ming was first to recover from shock. "Show it again." His eyes spun scarlet, tomoe glinting. The others followed, opening their Sharingan.
Renji sighed but demonstrated once more, cycling through the whole Chidori series. He even explained the mechanics, uses, strengths, and risks of each, almost like a weapons dealer unveiling a new line to prospective buyers.
By the end, he was half tempted to write a manual.
Nobunaga rubbed his eyes. "Renji, you mean to hand all of these to the clan? Good boy. The future of the Uchiha really does lie with your generation."
Ming nodded. "These should stay within the family, treated as secret arts. They rely on Sharingan anyway, so there's no reason to give them to the village."
Renji's father laughed. "Hahaha, my son truly takes after me. Yes, the clan and village don't always get along, but we're still part of Konoha. If you gave this to the Hokage too, it would show goodwill. In return, you could choose another jutsu for yourself. Besides, without Sharingan, they'd barely be able to use it."
Teacher Ze shook his head. "Konoha and the clan? Ever since the Second Hokage, relations have never been good. We've tried before. Don't cling to illusions."
Teacher Sa added, "I see the point in showing loyalty to the village, but perhaps it would be better if the clan presented it as a gift. That way, the future of the Uchiha in Konoha could be secured." His gaze drifted toward Fugaku.
Renji's mother spoke softly, "The clan has given disciples to Hokage before. We all know how that ended."
Renji considered this. Sa's suggestion sparked an idea. If Fugaku joined Minato's class under Jiraiya, it would link the clan and Hokage's circle without forcing the boy to be a Hokage's direct disciple.
He said,
"We could let Fugaku join Jiraiya's team. Jiraiya values peace and understanding. He would teach seriously, and it would make Fugaku not just a talented child, but the clan's heir learning alongside the Hokage's line. It would look like a bridge between us and the village.
No need to aim for Hokage's direct tutelage, which would look suspicious. Being the pupil of a Hokage's pupil is a softer gesture, a sign of possible reconciliation.
If Jiraiya really becomes Hokage one day, then perhaps our family could hold an advisory position at his side."
He patted Fugaku's head.
"No pressure. This is just an experiment. If it fails, we still have other paths. But who knows, maybe one day you'll be the symbol of peace between Uchiha and Konoha."
Nobunaga's face lit with pride. Brotherhood and succession had always been valued by the clan. "As your uncle, I'll make sure you get the chance."
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