In the center of the village, within the Uchiha territory,
this place was isolated from the outside world. High walls marked the boundary, keeping outsiders out, shrouding the clan in secrecy.
Inside the Uchiha clan leader's mansion,
Uchiha Kaji sat on the tatami, calmly sipping tea.
"Elder Soichi, what's your take on this matter?"
"No matter what happens, the Uchiha are still part of Konoha." His hair was streaked with gray, his stance firm.
Having lived through the Warring States period, Uchiha Soichi abhorred war and cherished peace. His loyalty was to Konoha, not to the Hokage alone.
He longed for the days when Konoha and the Uchiha were close. Peace had been hard-won, and the Uchiha deserved it.
Even though the Uchiha had lost in the struggle for dominance during the Warring States era, their foundation remained strong. By merging with the Senju, they had helped build the First Hidden Leaf Village.
This was their village; no Uchiha could ever retreat in shame.
Not even the legendary Uchiha Madara could change the clan's mindset.
Pride ran deep in the Uchiha blood.
Moreover, rather than fleeing, the Uchiha preferred another path:
to become Hokage.
As Konoha's leading clan, the Uchiha were filled with elite talent. All it would take was the right opportunity to claim the title.
And now, that opportunity had arrived.
"Soichi spoke carefully, "Uchiha Shigeru is our chance. If he forms bonds with those children and faces no opposition from the other clans, with the Uchiha's strength, the Fifth Hokage will undoubtedly be from our clan."
He didn't mention the Fourth Hokage, as Shigeru was too young to have a realistic chance.
Originally, the Uchiha aimed for the Fourth Hokage position, with the clan prodigy Uchiha Fugaku leading the bid.
Now, Shigeru presented a far better starting point. Many of the other clans' young leaders were his classmates, giving him a tremendous advantage beyond comparison to Fugaku.
"That's right. Konoha was built by both the Uchiha and Senju, so it's our turn."
"But the Third Hokage will require a show of sincerity from the Uchiha. If I'm correct, the girl involved is Mikoto."
Although Hiruzen Sarutobi had said nothing, Soichi understood the unspoken pressure: the Uchiha had to make a choice. Accept marriage into Konoha, set aside family pride, and seize the chance to become Hokage or remain stubbornly isolated.
Kaji's expression was unreadable. He said, "The Uchiha are part of Konoha, that will never change. But our bloodline must never be exposed. That is non-negotiable."
His tone left no room for discussion. Friendship, camaraderie, alliances fine. Marriage absolutely not.
Not a single Uchiha would agree to it unless the child became like Senju Hashirama, a god among shinobi, dominating the world, and still agreed to carry the Uchiha name.
Otherwise, letting one marry here and another there would destroy the very essence of the Uchiha.
After all, a bloodline clan prized legacy above all.
Soichi stroked his graying beard, eyes sharp and deadly. "Negotiations will continue. I doubt Sarutobi would be foolish enough to demand an Uchiha bride for acceptance. If it comes to that, we wouldn't mind waiting for another Hokage."
"Exactly. The Uchiha bloodline is not to be covetted."
Meanwhile, on the training grounds,
Hikaru Kinoshita paused mid-run and turned to the others, exhausted.
At that moment, the remaining eight in the group collapsed to the ground.
"You guys…"
Before he could finish, several figures appeared, lifting the exhausted children one by one.
One blonde woman shot Hikaru a sharp glare before leaving.
"What's going on?" Hikaru asked Minato Namikaze, eyebrows furrowed.
"They are important members of their respective clans. They are probably being taken back for medicinal baths."
Hikaru's small face twisted in frustration. "No, that's not what I meant! Why are it just the two of us left? We need baths too!"
Minato simply panted heavily, saying nothing.
Medicinal baths are expensive. Do you have the money?
Hikaru had no energy to argue, realizing he was now the lone "jester" of the group, despite all the care he had shown others.
He could only support Minato, heading home step by step, serving as his loyal companion.
Where was his older brother?
Back at home,
Kinoshita Murakazu rubbed his nose, attentively feeding Hata Saeki.
"Murakazu-kun, are you sick?"
"Saeki-chan, yes, very seriously!"
Saeki quickly placed a hand on Murakazu's forehead. "No fever?"
"It's not here, it's in my heart. I've contracted lovesickness."
"Ugh, Murakazu-kun, you're ridiculous!"
"That's because you're irresistible. I could never tire of you."
Murakazu was completely lost in love. Earlier, he had reported to the Hokage that Danzo would stay in line for a while. The threat to life was gone.
He completely forgot about his two younger brothers who still needed care.
When the two returned home, the room was pitch black and silent.
Hikaru had no choice but to prepare the medicinal bath for Minato himself.
All herbs were purchased from the Nara family with strict confidentiality. Just boil and add, simple and convenient.
Once prepared, Hikaru placed Minato into the bath and handed him a water sphere.
Chakra can change in form or nature. Nature change could wait, but the Rasengan, the pinnacle of form change, had to be mastered.
He had prepared many water spheres for training.
This wasn't cheating; ordinary shinobi couldn't learn A-rank unmarked jutsu. Failing to study it would dishonor a traveler like him.
Both were still young, so the focus was on adaptation; chakra reserves weren't yet enough for advanced use.
"Flying Light-kun, what are we doing?"
"This is a training method. Control the chakra to expand and burst the water sphere with your hand."
"And then?" Minato asked.
"After you succeed, we'll move on." Hikaru replied. Eating must be done bite by bite; you can't become strong in one gulp.
Suddenly,
pop! The water sphere burst. Minato asked, "Is this right?"
Hikaru was startled. Had he really learned it so quickly? Not bad, he thought his creation worked perfectly.
However, Hikaru didn't reveal the next step, letting Minato continue controlling the sphere, spinning it rapidly without breaking.
In the ninja world, a small misstep could make the sphere explode. Injure your hand, and you'd regret it for life. Minato didn't have Naruto-level regeneration.
Hikaru practiced alone, learning fine chakra control. It required talent; otherwise, Rasengan wouldn't be rated A-rank.
Outside, at the Senju residence,
Shinju soaked in a medicinal bath, face flushed, recounting the day's events to his grandmother, Mito.
Mito, serene and beautiful, her face untouched by time, watched lovingly. A diamond-shaped seal on her forehead preserved her youthful appearance.
She handed him a scroll. "Open it."
Boom! A straw hat appeared in midair.
"小Shinju, I've sealed it for you," she said.
Shinju grabbed it, eyes shining.
"This straw hat holds dreams. Guard it well."
Seeing his excitement, Mito explained, "I've placed five seals. Fireproof, waterproof, resilient. It can even return to you through summoning, so don't fear losing it."
"Awesome!"
Shinju's eyes sparkled. "But why summoning? I will never let it leave my sight!"
Mito rolled her eyes but smiled. Let the boy be happy.