Tsunade's interaction with Mutsuki left Rin even more confused. How did it suddenly shift to eating? Did she unintentionally zone out for a few minutes?
"Ahem, this Chakra Control ability is quite impressive," Tsunade commented after clearing her throat.
The key to Enhanced Strength is Chakra Control, and Rin's ability to utilize such Enhanced Strength already proves her Chakra Control skills.
After observing Rin's Medical Ninjutsu and Enhanced Strength, Tsunade had nearly decided on the courses Rin would study next.
"Next, Shizune will be in your hands. How you teach her is up to you; anyway, I want to see Shizune's progress in six months," Tsunade continued.
Tsunade was willing to teach Rin because she made a pact with Mutsuki to temporarily swap disciples, meaning her overall workload wouldn't change.
Of course, it was also because Tsunade felt that Mutsuki had some expertise in teaching and that Shizune could learn something from him.
"No problem, I will teach Shizune diligently," Mutsuki replied with a nod.
He may not be able to compete with Tsunade in medical knowledge, but he excelled at helping others improve their abilities.
"Does that mean I have to move in with Yumi-sensei?" Shizune asked, puzzled.
Shizune was aware of the arrangement to study with Mutsuki, as Tsunade had mentioned it to her before.
Since Shizune's parents had passed away and her closest uncle, Dan Kato, had also died, she was currently living at Tsunade's house. Hearing Tsunade say this, Shizune thought that Tsunade was planning to hand her over entirely to Mutsuki.
"If Mutsuki agrees, that could work; it would be just right to have every meal delivered to me," Tsunade mused, stroking her chin and finding the idea quite appealing.
Although she had gotten used to being taken care of by Shizune, if it meant getting Mutsuki's meals for free, she could manage on her own.
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune puffed up her cheeks, a bit annoyed; this was completely taking advantage of her for food.
"Let's forget about that," Mutsuki shook his head in refusal.
He and Shizune weren't related, and even though she was just a nine-year-old girl, it still felt a bit inappropriate, especially since Shizune had a place to live.
Moreover, Mutsuki had too many secrets; staying together for a few days was fine, but living together long-term would require someone he trusted completely.
Tsunade showed a regretful expression and said, "Mutsuki, you've missed out on a good opportunity; Shizune is very capable when it comes to household chores."
Mutsuki smiled but didn't respond.
"I feel like Tsunade-sama is quite different from what I imagined," Rin thought as her perception of Tsunade gradually changed.
Although she had visited once before, she had only shared a meal and hadn't interacted much with Tsunade, so her impression of Tsunade was still based on external rumors.
Normal people wouldn't intentionally speak ill of Tsunade, the Konoha Sannin, so Rin had a very positive image of her.
"What is the real Tsunade-sama like?" With this question in mind, Rin began her studies with Tsunade.
...
"Grandma, you don't know how urgent it was back then. Luckily, I was there; otherwise, the Daimyo of the Land of Snow and the little princess would have been in danger."
During dinner, Obito excitedly recounted his story of becoming a hero in the Land of Snow.
Although the reality was that he and Kakashi had blocked Kazahana Doto's attack together, Kakashi wasn't present, so Obito added a little embellishment to the story, making it seem like he was the main hero with Kakashi playing a supporting role.
"Yes, yes, our Obito is amazing; he saved a country," his grandmother praised him with a smile.
Even though there were many things Obito talked about that she didn't understand, the fact that he protected the Daimyo and the princess was still simple and easy to grasp.
"Hehe." His grandmother's direct praise made Obito involuntarily shift his body, revealing a shy smile. "Actually, it was mainly Yumi-sensei's credit; he solved most of the enemies."
Obito wasn't so reckless as to take all the credit for Mutsuki's accomplishments since he certainly didn't have the strength to defeat hundreds of ninjas.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
As his grandmother was about to get up to answer it, Obito quickly stood up and said, "Grandma, I'll go."
After saying that, Obito jogged to the door and opened it, finding Uchiha Yashiro standing on the other side.
"Obito, there's a clan meeting at eight o'clock tonight. Make sure you arrive on time at Naka Shrine," Uchiha Yashiro said without entering, seeing that it was Uchiha Obito who answered the door.
Normally, he wouldn't need to notify him about such things, but he had high hopes for Obito, and since Obito had missed several previous clan meetings for various reasons, this would be his first time attending, so Uchiha Yashiro made a special trip.
"As long as the clan's ninjas don't have missions, they will attend the clan meeting. You can take this opportunity to interact more with the other ninjas in the clan," Uchiha Yashiro reminded him.
The Uchiha Clan values strength above all, and while Obito was devoted to training, Uchiha Yashiro still hoped Obito could spend more time with his clan members to enhance his sense of family identity.
"Eight o'clock, right? I got it," Obito nodded in agreement after thinking for a moment.
Since he had never attended before, Obito thought it might be worth going just to see what it was like; if it turned out to be boring, he wouldn't go again in the future.
Right now, he was quite frustrated with Kakashi always pressuring him to train. If it was something pointless, he didn't want to waste his time on it.
"Obito, who was it that came?" his grandmother asked when she saw Obito return to the dining table alone.
"It was Elder Yashiro; he informed me about the clan meeting," Obito replied succinctly.
"The clan meeting, huh? Your father attended many of those back in the day..." His grandmother said as she fell into reminiscence.
After finishing dinner, Obito quickly cleared the dishes from the table, washed them, and put them away.
"Obito, you're really considerate. Your father wouldn't have taken the initiative to wash dishes at your age," his grandmother instinctively reminisced.
Once the elderly began talking about the past, it was hard for them to stop. Obito listened, occasionally responding with a "hm," but when it was almost eight o'clock, he had to interrupt because the clan meeting was about to start.
"Obito, you should go. I'm feeling a bit tired, anyway," his grandmother said with a faint smile, showing a hint of fatigue.
"Then take care and rest well, Grandma." Obito waved goodbye and headed toward Naka Shrine.
On the way to Naka Shrine, Obito wasn't thinking about the clan meeting but was instead considering how to persuade his grandmother to go to the Konoha hospital for a check-up.
Obito felt that his grandmother was unwell because he noticed that her energy was not what it used to be since he returned, and her movements had become slower, making her appear older.
However, his grandmother believed she was fine, so she rejected Obito's suggestion to go to the hospital. This left Obito at a loss; he certainly couldn't use Sharingan Genjutsu on his grandmother to force her to go to the hospital—she wouldn't be able to handle such stress.
"Tomorrow, I'll ask Yumi-sensei if he has any solutions," Obito decided to consult the omnipotent Mutsuki Sage during training the next day.
Lost in thought, Obito found himself near Naka Shrine.
"Obito, long time no see." Uchiha Inabi, who was also attending the clan meeting, greeted him upon seeing him.
After being defeated last time, Uchiha Inabi had a period of withdrawal, especially since he had a bit of a reputation within the Uchiha clan, only to be defeated by Obito like that.
However, Uchiha Inabi didn't dwell on it for long; strong was strong, and weak was weak. He lost to Obito simply because he was weaker and needed to train more.
"Uh, you're Inabi-san from that day, right?" Obito said, trying to recall his name.
After all, Uchiha Inabi had helped him obtain a high-level Fire Release ninjutsu.
"Forget the 'san'; just call me Inabi. If you have time, give me some pointers on my Fire Release," Uchiha Inabi said with a smile.
He had watched the Chunin exams and seen Obito's powerful Fire Release and Taijutsu, so he was clear about Obito's strength now.
Uchiha Inabi couldn't afford to be called by Obito "-san" like that, as the gap in their abilities was too large. If Obito fought him using the skills he displayed in the Chunin exams, he would definitely be defeated in an instant.
"Haha, if I have the time, that's no problem," Obito replied, unable to hide his smile.
When the two entered Naka Shrine, many Uchiha were already seated inside. Obito scanned the room, spotted Shisui, and walked directly to sit next to him, while Uchiha Inabi also took a seat nearby.
"It seems the clan has high expectations for you, Shisui. This is the first time I've seen someone attend a clan meeting before becoming a ninja," Uchiha Inabi couldn't help but exclaim.
However, thinking about Shisui's strength made it seem reasonable; after all, although Shisui was still in the Academy, he was already strong enough to defeat Chunin, and the only difference between him and a ninja was that he didn't have a forehead protector.
"It was just a coincidence; I happened to run into the Clan Head on the way," Shisui explained.
Unlike Obito, Shisui had a certain interest in the Uchiha clan meetings, so he readily accepted Fugaku's invitation.
He believed that in order to solve the problems facing the Uchiha, one needed to have a sufficient understanding of the clan. Therefore, he was always willing to participate in both the exchanges among the younger generation of Uchiha and the clan meetings.
When most of the Uchiha were present, Uchiha Yashiro nodded to Fugaku, who then announced the official start of the clan meeting.
"What do you all think the Uchiha should do to develop and grow at this time?" Fugaku stated the important theme of this clan meeting.
"I think we should apply for more funding!" a Uchiha in his twenties spoke up.
"Our police force has such significant responsibilities; we have every reason to apply for more funds to train our clan members."
The shrine immediately buzzed with excitement, as many Uchiha expressed their agreement.
"I think this is reasonable; if it weren't for our hard work as Uchiha, the spies from other ninja villages would have already infiltrated Konoha."
"This suggestion is excellent; our Uchiha must grow stronger to better protect Konoha."
Most Uchiha ninjas worked in the police force, with only a few in regular teams carrying out missions. More funding meant they could receive higher salaries, and no one would complain about having too much pay.
"I will try to apply for the funding, but it might not be approved," Uchiha Fugaku replied, feeling the gaze of many Uchiha upon him.
In reality, Fugaku believed it was a 100% chance it would not be approved; he just didn't want to discourage his clan members by saying it out loud.
Konoha was currently at war, and since the police force did not need to fight on the front lines, there was no way the Konoha Elders would increase the funding for the police force at this time. Moreover, the police force had not produced any new results, making it even less likely that such an application would be approved without cause.
"We need an Uchiha to become Hokage, to gain control over Konoha's core authority," another Uchiha spoke up immediately.
Uchiha Fugaku nodded subconsciously; this was indeed a key point for the Uchiha's development.
The other Uchiha in the shrine also expressed their agreement.
"Everyone knows that becoming Hokage is important, but how to become Hokage is another question," one Uchiha said.
As soon as these words were spoken, the shrine fell silent.
Though this statement was heart-wrenching, it was the truth, as the current Sannin were popular candidates for the position of the Fourth Hokage, and there wasn't a single Uchiha ninja with the same level of fame and strength as a Sannin.
"As long as you're excellent enough to earn everyone's recognition, isn't that enough?" Obito said, breaking the silence when no one else spoke.
Since Obito was the only one talking, it was easy for the Uchiha to identify who it was, and many looked at him as if he were foolish. If someone were that strong, why would they need to be silent?
"Very good! Our Uchiha Clan should have such ambition," Uchiha Yashiro said, looking at Obito with admiration.
Some Uchiha found it strange; the usually stern Yashiro Elder shouldn't be praising such nonsense.
"You must not have watched the Chunin exams. Uchiha Obito can be said to be the most talented ninja of our young generation. Of course, that may change once Shisui graduates," one Uchiha who had watched the exams reminded.
Obito's participation in the Chunin Exams made him quite famous within the Konoha area, and many Uchiha knew that their clan had produced a young genius.
The Uchiha who was reminded instantly understood: in the Uchiha clan, strength is respected, and if Obito was talented enough, he had the right to say such things.
"I think we can lift the restrictions on the police force and allow other Konoha Ninja to join the police force," Shisui thought for a moment and said at this point.
Shisui had studied history with Mutsuki for over a year, and he felt that the Uchiha shouldn't be thinking about how to become stronger now but rather how to get out of their predicament.
Currently, the Uchiha are still being watched by the ANBU, feared by fellow Ninja, and disliked by the villagers. If these problems are not solved first, striving for more power will only deepen the conflict.
Shisui hasn't yet figured out a way to solve the problem on his own, but he can ask Mutsuki, and in Mutsuki's vision, the police force is the first issue that needs to be addressed.
This is because the Uchiha's current predicament is basically the direct or indirect result of the influence of the police force.
It is normal for a clan to be wary of a powerful department that it controls alone, and the Uchiha, holding that power, would become more arrogant under its influence. At the same time, since most of the clan's ninja work in the police force, their interactions with other ninjas would diminish, leading them to primarily associate with their own clan members.
Shisui's words were like throwing a stone into a calm lake, instantly causing an uproar within the shrine.
"How can we let outsiders join our police force? The insignia of the police force is our Uchiha Clan emblem! If they fail in their duties, won't that tarnish our Uchiha reputation?"
"Our ancestors worked hard to establish the police force for us; we can't let their contributions go to waste."
"If we allow others to join the police force, what if someone uses tricks to seize the position of Squad Captain? Wouldn't we Uchiha then lose control of the police force forever?"
"Having only clan members in the police force makes it easier to get things done. Bringing in outsiders would disrupt the atmosphere of the police force."
Opposing voices filled the shrine, and almost everyone was rebutting Shisui's "heretical" statements.
"Shisui, how could you have such an idea? It's extremely detrimental to our Uchiha development," Uchiha Inabi beside him shook his head in denial.
He almost wanted to say that such words should not be spoken if they are not beneficial to unity.
Shisui did not expect to encounter so much opposition; he thought only a few Uchiha would have considered this perspective.
"Shisui, your thoughts are dangerous. At your age, you need to study the clan's history more!" a Jonin Uchiha who knew Shisui directly pointed out.
It was precisely because he recognized Shisui as a genius that he made such a statement; otherwise, what use is it to have a powerful Uchiha who doesn't support their clan?
Feeling the disapproving gazes from many Uchiha, Shisui did not show a hint of fear. He opened his mouth to explain his viewpoint but was rudely interrupted.
"Isn't it required to be a ninja to participate in the clan meeting? Shisui hasn't graduated yet, has he?" someone noted that Shisui did not yet have a ninja headband.
"Not having become a ninja still makes you a child; what does a child have to do at a clan meeting?"
Even Shisui couldn't help but frown at being looked down upon, especially since some of those speaking could even be beaten by him.
"So what if he hasn't become a ninja? With Shisui's strength, it wouldn't take long at all to become one," Obito spoke up as he noticed his friend being targeted.
"Aren't clan meetings meant for discussion? Is it not allowed to say things you don't want to hear?" Obito countered sharply, showcasing his ability to banter with Kakashi.
Obito's words were so piercing that some Uchiha were momentarily at a loss for words.
"It's not about the words; this simply doesn't comply with the rules," a Jonin Uchiha said lightly.
Those Genin and Chunin might have been too intimidated to respond to Obito due to their weaker strength, but Jonin had no such concerns—talented juniors were still juniors.
"It was my oversight; I thought I'd bring Shisui to experience the atmosphere of the clan meeting in advance," Uchiha Fugaku stepped forward, seeing that Shisui's comments had sparked anger.
"Fugaku, even if Shisui shows exceptional talent, rules must still be followed," a middle-aged Uchiha said solemnly.
"Such a situation won't happen again next time." Fugaku had to concede; he couldn't refute those Elders when he was in the wrong.
Shisui wasn't foolish. After calming down, he left the shrine on his own to avoid further embarrassment for Fugaku.
Obito already found the clan meeting boring, and when he saw that Shisui, the only one he was close to, had left, he didn't bother to maintain appearances and directly followed Shisui out.
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