The next morning, after completing his morning lessons, Kyuushin was about to head to school with Kushina when Mito informed him that she had already requested a day off for him. There were other matters to attend to. Thus, Kushina could only go to school by herself, feeling a bit resentful.
Kyuushin was also curious about what they would be doing today, but since Mito didn't explain, he waited patiently. Soon, his grandfather, Uzumaki Masaaki, arrived. Mito inquired about the condition of the clan members; after a few days of settling in, the Uzumaki had more or less adjusted to life in Konoha. The Third Hokage had also formally announced their integration to the entire village. From this point on, the Uzumaki clan was truly rooted in Konoha.
As a clan newly arrived in Konoha, their first order of business was to formally greet the other ninja clans. Since many of Konoha's families had contributed to their rescue, it was only proper to visit and express their gratitude in person. Therefore, Mito, accompanied by Masaaki and Kyuushin, planned to visit them one by one today. Kyuushin quickly understood why he was being brought along. Currently, among the Uzumaki, only Masaaki was a presentable representative. Although Mito's maiden name was Uzumaki, she was, after all, married into the Senju, and could not formally represent the clan. Bringing him along was a clear move to position him as the future face of the Uzumaki clan.
Mito's first choice was naturally the largest and most powerful clan in Konoha: the Uchiha. Although the Uchiha were viewed with a degree of suspicion by some, in this era, they were undeniably a pillar of the village's strength. Their relationship with Konoha's leadership was not yet strained; at least, they would not openly defy the Hokage's orders. The deep rift between the Uchiha and Konoha's high-ranking officials would mainly arise later. After contributing greatly during the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars and sacrificing many members, they felt they did not receive the rewards and recognition they deserved, leading to resentment. This conflict was intensified by the later Nine-Tails attack. Because the rampaging beast had the Sharingan symbol in its eyes, the Uchiha were completely ostracized by the villagers. Then, the village leadership forcibly relocated their settlement, placing them in a position of being constantly monitored by other clans. It was this high-pressure policy that ultimately led to the Uchiha's internal discussions of seizing power.
Of course, some of Konoha's high-ranking officials played a role in fanning those flames, but that was a story for later. Currently, the Uchiha controlled Konoha's police force, giving them jurisdiction over anything that happened within the village. Their power was second only to the Hokage himself. The Uzumaki clan had allied with the Senju during the Warring States period, so their relationship with the Uchiha was never close. Now that the Uzumaki were greatly diminished, Mito knew she had to personally visit them.
Having been informed in advance, the current Uchiha clan head, Uchiha Takezane, was very polite to Mito and personally greeted them at the entrance. The two parties exchanged pleasantries for a while before entering the reception room and taking their seats. Kyuushin, being young, did not sit down but stood respectfully behind Mito and Masaaki. He looked around and noticed that there were quite a few Uchiha members present, including four or five visibly elderly individuals, presumably clan elders. Their presence showed the high regard they held for Mito.
One of them looked particularly frail, his face a roadmap of wrinkles and age spots. He leaned heavily on a cane and appeared much older than Mito.
Mito's eyes widened in recognition. "You are... Uchiha Ryuuka?"
"I didn't expect Lady Mito to still remember me," the old man said, standing up shakily to bow to Mito. Mito also nodded in return. He slowly sat back down, took a breath, and then continued, "I feel that my time is running out. Hearing that you were coming today, Lady Mito, I wanted to see you one last time to say goodbye, and also to apologize."
Mito shook her head. "It's been so long since those events. I've long since put it behind me. It is already a rare blessing to see a familiar face now." His body seemed truly unwell; after speaking a few more words with Mito, he was helped away.
Thus, Mito began the main purpose of her visit. "A few days ago, the Uzumaki clan suffered a great calamity, and fortunately, the Uchiha clan came to our aid. We came today to express our gratitude."
Masaaki stood up and bowed to Takezane. "I am Uzumaki Masaaki, the third elder of the Uzumaki clan. We sincerely thank the Uchiha for your generous rescue." He pulled a scroll from his robes and handed it to Takezane. "A small token of our appreciation. Please accept it, Lord Takezane."
"Oh, no, this was simply our duty. There is no need for thanks," Uchiha Takezane replied politely, befitting the head of a clan with a long and proud heritage. He accepted the scroll Masaaki handed him without pretense. In matters of clan diplomacy, accepting a gift was an acknowledgment of the gesture and a promise to reciprocate, indicating that the two clans would maintain formal relations.
"I heard that the Uchiha have a barrier called the Uchiha Flame Formation, which can withstand all attacks but has high activation requirements," Masaaki said. "Our Uzumaki clan has few strengths left, but our sealing techniques are passable. The scroll contains a technique with similar effects, but with much lower activation requirements. I hope you can make use of it, Lord Uchiha."
Takezane was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected the gift to be so valuable. The Uchiha Flame Formation was a powerful but difficult ninjutsu, a rare defensive technique in their attack-oriented clan. If the scroll was truly as Masaaki described, it would be a great enhancement for the Uchiha.
"This is too valuable. How can we accept such a gift?" he said, making a polite, formal refusal.
"There's no need for such formality, Lord Takezane," Mito interjected. "The Uzumaki clan has now officially joined Konoha, and we will have to rely on the Uchiha greatly in the future."
Seeing Mito speak, Takezane no longer declined. "The Uzumaki clan joining Konoha is a great and joyous occasion. If there are any areas where the Uchiha can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to ask. We will do our utmost to help."
Mito nodded. With the main business concluded, the subsequent conversation became more relaxed. Kyuushin observed from the side, impressed. The Uchiha clan head was every bit the leader his position demanded. He handled matters with tact and precision, showing no arrogance, only a quiet shrewdness that revealed the depth of his political acumen.
In the end, Mito also introduced Kyuushin, allowing him to gain some recognition among the Uchiha. In response, Takezane called out his eldest son, Uchiha Fugaku, and the two boys formally met. Before their departure, the Uchiha clan head also gave Kyuushin a ninjutsu scroll as a return gift. At this point, the entire visit was truly concluded.
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