Uchiha Hino's gaze grew increasingly hostile as he looked at Uchiha Setsuna.
"If there's nothing else, you may leave."
"I'm the elder of the Uchiha clan. I go wherever I like!" Setsuna sneered at Hino, even wanting to mock him.
"Could it be… could it really be… is there still someone in the next generation without a Mangekyo Sharingan?" Setsuna said, dripping with sarcasm.
Uchiha Hino: "…"
Alright, alright, you old fool!
He had once been so stubborn, trying to kill that kid, and now he came bragging to me? Doesn't your conscience hurt at all?
Seeing him remain silent, Setsuna continued, "Hino, no need to rush. Each generation has its own fortune. That kid Fugaku probably won't awaken the Mangekyo."
"But it doesn't matter—my grandson-in-law and granddaughter both have one."
"You should be happy too."
"That's enough! I am the head of the Uchiha clan!" Hino cut him off, pointing toward the door with a dark expression. "You may leave now."
"Hahaha, alright then, enjoy your quiet time," Setsuna said, hands behind his back as he walked away. "Like what you see?"
"If you like, let Fugaku awaken his too."
"The weather's great today; get some sun while you can."
Setsuna swaggered off, but Hino remained seated, silent for a long time.
After a while, he slapped his own face.
Back then, how could I have said that Uchiha Haru marrying an outsider was the only way to reclaim the Gunbai Uchiwa!
It wasn't the Mangekyo that troubled him—but the way he had promised Setsuna to handle the fan. He practically wanted to slap himself twice.
Is Yuki Seisui an outsider?
Of course.
But is Seisui, who awakened the Mangekyo, really an outsider?
No.
If anything, if Seisui refused to acknowledge his Uchiha blood, everyone would push him to admit it.
He was a next-generation ninja with a very high chance of becoming the next Hokage.
From Hino's understanding, this kid was the perfect heir—powerful, kind-hearted, strong-willed, and a true embodiment of the Will of Fire.
Being the leader of the Uzumaki clan was not a problem.
After all, the ninja village system had existed for barely thirty years. Bloodlines still carried significant influence.
As long as Seisui acknowledged his Uchiha heritage, when he became Hokage, the Uchiha clan's position would improve dramatically.
Sigh… one step at a time. Hino exhaled, eyes on the sky.
You think the same way, don't you?
==========
In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally sent Danzo away, then looked helplessly at Jiraiya.
"You need to tell me about things like this earlier next time."
"Otherwise, it becomes very troublesome."
Hiruzen tapped the desk with his pipe.
"Relax, relax," Jiraiya gestured. "Next time that brat tells me something, I'll inform you immediately."
"Hmm." Hearing that, Hiruzen nodded.
"By the way, he's such a fine child—don't call him a brat."
"This kid perfectly embodies the Will of Fire!"
Hiruzen rapped the desk again, looking at Jiraiya. "Seisui is far better than you, that brat of yours."
So I'm no longer your favorite student?
He was about to protest but then suddenly remembered something. His expression grew serious.
As for Seisui having the Sharingan… the Uchiha side…
He left the sentence unfinished, but Hiruzen understood. He looked at Jiraiya and smiled genuinely.
Having the Mangekyo is a good thing. The Uchiha will be satisfied.
"Hmm?" Jiraiya paused, then realized Uchiha had always pursued the Hokage position. Suddenly, everything clicked.
Then the next Hokage…
"Yes." Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe and nodded. "No matter how you look at it, he's the perfect successor for Hokage."
"Uh… if you say so." Jiraiya recalled Seisui's words about unifying the lands during their time in Amegakure. He was momentarily speechless.
Foolish teacher… if you knew this kid's true thoughts, you'd probably be scared out of your wits.
Sending Jiraiya off, Hiruzen stood by the steel-framed window, gazing silently at the sky.
Seisui will have a huge stabilizing effect on Konoha.
His eyes then drifted toward the Uchiha clan.
You feel the same way, don't you?
==========
Meanwhile, in the Panda Clan's bamboo forest…
"I'm done. I really am!"
"Not a drop left!"
Seisui looked at the Panda Sage, exhausted.
"No way, absolutely no way!" the Panda Sage shook his head, disbelief written all over him. "I admit your 'show-off jutsu' surpasses mine. Teach me more!"
"I really have nothing left!" Seisui said helplessly.
Since he had started resting in the bamboo forest, the Panda Sage had been pestering him to teach him the art of showing off. Seisui had jokingly said he wasn't a prodigy at it, and yet the Panda Sage only admired him more.
He called Seisui a genius of show-off jutsu.
"Really not going to teach me?"
"I really don't know." Seisui insisted.
"The path of the Panda is already invincible. Why rely on show-off jutsu?"
"Fine, fine, I knew you weren't wrong!" The Panda Sage clapped with satisfaction.
"Indeed, the path of the Panda is invincible. Why rely on show-off jutsu?"
"Exactly!" the Panda Sage nodded, pleased. Seeing Seisui had no other words, he said, "In this bamboo forest, besides me, you're the deputy master, deputy sage!"
"Command the other pandas as you wish!"
"I'm going to study my invincible path!" With that, the Panda Sage vanished.
Did he just say deputy master?
So… you were running a secret society before?
The Panda Clan had no name until the Panda Sage decided to give it one. Drawing inspiration from the other Great Sacred Places—like Mount Myoboku for the Toad Sage or Ryuchi Cave for the Snake Sage—he settled on Bamboo Forest.
The name suited the clan perfectly. From then on, he called himself the Great Panda Sage of Bamboo Forest.
Seeing the Panda Sage leave, Seisui sat in his handmade rocking chair to rest.
"The Great Panda Sage left?"
Uchiha Haru's voice came from behind, small hands lightly pressing his shoulders.
"Waaah," Hanah climbed onto Seisui's lap, rolling around.
Seisui picked up Hanah, tilted his head, and looked at Uchiha Haru behind the chair. Things were a little blurry, but he didn't care. "He left."
"He went off to ponder on his own," Seisui added.
"That's good," Haru sighed.
Seisui had been ignoring the Panda Sage, who then tried to persuade Haru to convince him. She hadn't known what to do between the panda and Seisui.
"By the way, how's everything over there?" Seisui asked, standing up with Hanah in his arms.
"All taken care of."
"The mission report has already been sent back by Minato," Haru replied.
Seisui nodded, rubbing his eyes. Things were even blurrier in the distance, so he stopped looking that way. Instead, he focused on Haru.
The war won't start all at once.
"After a few more days of rest, we can return to Konoha."
"Mm." Haru nodded again, her eyes filled with concern. "Are your eyes feeling better?"
"Much better." Seisui shook his head, signaling her not to worry.
His vision had suffered from overusing the Mangekyo. Besides some temporary impairment, he was fine.
That Susanoo slash had been exhausting. And before that, he had maintained the fourth-stage Susanoo for a while, using Amaterasu, and other techniques.
Even for a normal Mangekyo, it had been pushing his limits.
When the Panda Sage went to the Sand ninja army, Seisui had barely been able to see Chiyo's position—just a blur of darkness. He had relied on sound to find direction.
Now it was better. The Uzumaki clan's chakra continuously restored his ocular strength.
Seeing Seisui calm, Haru still looked worried.
Seisui smiled and said, "In a couple of days, I'll be fully recovered."
"And then you'll see for yourself."