After the cultivation ended, Shisui and Obito returned to the Uchiha Clan Land with their respective Pokemon.
After having dinner with Zorua, Shisui prepared to take Zorua for a walk to aid digestion, and as soon as he stepped out, he saw Uchiha Fugaku walking towards his house.
"Uncle Fugaku." Shisui guessed that Uchiha Fugaku might have something to discuss, so he greeted him proactively.
"Shisui, have you eaten?" Uchiha Fugaku stopped, nodded, and smiled as he asked.
"Yes, I just finished and am planning to take a walk to help digest." Shisui nodded in response.
"Is there something you need from me, Uncle Fugaku?"
"It's nothing major, let's walk and talk."
Uchiha Fugaku led Shisui towards a nearby stream.
"Have you heard about the Youth Martial Arts Tournament?" Uchiha Fugaku quickly asked.
Shisui's gaze was a bit peculiar; he had gained a whole new understanding of the craze around the Youth Martial Arts Tournament.
In the afternoon, the Third Hokage had just asked Mokgetsu whether they were interested in participating, and in the evening, Uchiha Fugaku also brought up the Youth Martial Arts Tournament.
This was indeed a rare occurrence for the Uchiha.
Because most Uchiha ninjas held positions in the Police Department, the Uchiha Clan was relatively closed off and rarely concerned itself with matters of the Ninja World.
After all, generally, work in the Police Department only involved tasks within Konoha, not requiring them to leave the village.
Ninjas like Shisui's uncle, Uchiha Nobuhiro, who frequently took on out-of-village missions, were few and far between.
"Yes, it's a ninja competition organized by the Ninja Sect in the Land of Rain, with generous rewards." Shisui answered while pulling Zorua, who had jumped onto his shoulder, into his arms.
Shisui was only a nine-year-old child, while Zorua was now about 0.7 meters tall and weighed 13 kilograms. Having Zorua stand on his shoulder was somewhat uncomfortable.
The main issue was that Zorua was rather large. If he stood, it would be cramped; if he were a bit smaller, Shisui thought it might be quite nice.
"I think if you and Obito don't have anything urgent, you could participate in this Youth Martial Arts Tournament. Even if it's not for the prizes, you can gain experience by competing with other talents and build a reputation." Uchiha Fugaku suggested.
Being too famous as a ninja can actually be detrimental to combat, as excessive fame inevitably leads to some intelligence leaks.
But fame isn't without its benefits either; if you want to become Hokage, the sooner you become famous, the better. A ninja flying under the radar has no chance of becoming Hokage.
Uchiha Fugaku had high hopes for Shisui and Obito, so he personally came to discuss the pros and cons with Shisui and also sent Uchiha Yashiro to persuade Obito.
"Sorry for having you make the trip, Uncle Fugaku. Actually, the Hokage has already informed us, and both Obito and I are planning to participate." Shisui explained.
All of Mokgetsu's students, except for Yamato, were participating in this Youth Martial Arts Tournament, including even Nohara Rin.
Shisui felt that this Youth Martial Arts Tournament was truly a rare opportunity with significant benefits.
To Shisui, the attractive prizes that others most desired were the least appealing. His main motivation for participating was the opportunity to hone his skills and earn recognition for the Uchiha from the Konoha ninjas.
If he and Obito, as the Uchiha representatives, defeated the ninjas from other nations in the Youth Martial Arts Tournament, it could somewhat enhance the goodwill of Konoha ninjas towards the Uchiha, as it ultimately brought honor to the village.
"From the Third Hokage, huh, that's great." Uchiha Fugaku said with a smile.
The reason why Uchiha Fugaku held Shisui and Obito in such high regard, besides their talent, was that they could easily integrate into the Hokage faction and have the chance to gain support from it.
Obito's Jonin teacher, Namikaze Minato, was a disciple of Sannin Jiraiya, a true and pure Hokage faction loyalist if there ever was one.
Although Shisui's teacher, Habu Mokgetsu, wasn't directly related to the Hokage on the surface, Sarutobi Hiruzen greatly valued him. He was the first vice-principal since the founding of the Ninja Academy, and now an eminent figure in Konoha, considered a pillar of strength in the Hokage faction as well.
With these connections, Shisui and Obito had a far greater chance of becoming part of the Konoha leadership or even Hokage than an average Uchiha.
"Shisui, if you need anything, just let the clan know, and we'll do our best to accommodate you."
For someone like Shisui, who was truly the clan's hope for the future, Uchiha Fugaku would not be stingy.
"Uncle Fugaku, do you think the current state of the Police Department is good?" Shisui did not make any demands but rather asked him a question.
The Uchiha actually couldn't offer much to Shisui at the moment; Mokgetsu could easily defeat all the Uchiha's Fire Release Ninjutsu with just the Breath of Fire. In terms of wealth, Shisui didn't have any substantial needs either.
Shisui really didn't have high expectations from the Uchiha Clan; he only wished they could live peacefully without causing trouble.
"The Police Department..." Uchiha Fugaku fell into contemplation, pondering what aspect Shisui was referring to.
"In Konoha, aside from the Police Department, is there any other department completely controlled by a single clan?" Shisui didn't leave any room for guessing and stated directly.
Uchiha Fugaku was not only the Clan Leader of the Uchiha but also the Captain of the Police Squad. For internal reforms of the Police Department to take place, Uchiha Fugaku must first be persuaded.
Uchiha Fugaku nodded, acknowledging that this privilege was indeed unique to the Uchiha.
"Is it appropriate for a department like the Police Department to be under the control of one clan?" Shisui continued to ask.
Uchiha Fugaku vaguely perceived a part of Shisui's thoughts but immediately dismissed it, considering it far too audacious.