Kyudo * Teaching

The first thing that popped into Izuna's mind was, of course, a sniper rifle.

Byakugan combined with a sniper shot, taking down the opponent from 800 miles away with a single shot – just thinking about it is exhilarating!

But he wilted the next second.

As an ordinary military enthusiast, he roughly knows how a sniper rifle works.

But to actually ask him to rub it by hand... I'd better not.

Materials, manufacturing processes, rifling, ammunition—none of these are things that a mediocre person like him can handle.

Moreover, in this era dominated by handicrafts, even if it could be made, it would most likely only become Divine Artifact in the hands of a very few people, and would not be able to be popularized.

Equipping the entire Hyuga Branch Family with that? That's a pipe dream.

Cost, technology, maintenance, training systems... these are all problems.

Izuna quickly crossed it out in his mind.

If we settle for second best...

"How about the Archery?" Izuna asked Tobirama. "The Byakugan provides unparalleled dynamic vision and ultra-long-range sight. Combined with a powerful bow, it allows for precise strikes beyond visual range. Unlike Gentle Fist, it doesn't require close-quarters combat, making it safer and offering more tactical options."

Tobirama shook his head almost without thinking, "That's not realistic. The accuracy of Archery requires years of arduous training; it can't be achieved overnight."

"The Hyuga Clan's thousand-year-old tradition is all in Gentle Fist. Now, are we going to ask them to switch to Archery from scratch? The resistance will be too great, and the results will be slow."

"That's why we need to start making changes now!" Izuna slammed his fist on the table. "While the shock from last night is still fresh, and while they themselves are realizing the limitations of the Close Combat system, this is the perfect time to introduce new ideas!"

"We have someone in our clan who's good at this! Uchiha Setsuna! You remember him? The Nasu no Yoichi on stage, his Archery are truly amazing! Let him teach him!"

"Setsuna?" Hashirama also recalled the Uchiha youth who had delivered a stunning arrow on the stage; his archery skills were indeed superb.

But another problem immediately occurred to him, and he frowned. "Izuna, this won't do."

He looked at Izuna with a serious expression. "If we let the top archers of the Uchiha teach the Hyuga Clan a new way of fighting... in the eyes of other clans and the Hyuga themselves, this is an attempt by other clans to gain the upper hand."

"You're one thing; one person taking on the entire clan's strongest members can be viewed regardless of clan affiliation. But Uchiha Setsuna represents the Uchiha. Letting him go will only escalate the conflict and might even trigger a new round of hostility. We can't do that."

Izuna was taken aback, then realized what he'd said and slapped his forehead in annoyance, "Oops... You're right. I was being naive, only considering the technical aspects and not the political implications."

He muttered to himself, "What should I do...? I need a reliable teacher, right? There's definitely no one in the Hyuga clan who specializes in ranged attacks..."

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly a thought struck him, "That's it! The Ninja Academy! Hashirama- kun, has our Konoha Ninja Academy been built yet?"

Upon hearing Hashirama, Hashirama's face showed a hint of helplessness and a headache. "Uh, well... the main buildings of the school have been built, and Tobirama the textbooks and basic plans. But... the various clans..."

He sighed, "The rifts between families are not so easy to bridge."

"Currently, those willing to send their children to school are mainly small Shinobi Clans, as well as a few ordinary families who trust Konoha and want their descendants to be literate."

"Large clans like the Uchiha, Senju, Hyuga... are still observing; they prefer to teach within their own clans."

Tobirama added coldly from the side, "It's not just large families. Many ordinary families who survived in chaotic times by relying on a skill also feel that going to school is unnecessary. They value the ability to immediately support their families more."

Reality is harsher than ideals.

Izuna scratched his head. He could roughly imagine this situation. It was like this in the early days of the new school. They went to great lengths to ensure that everyone could send their children to school, but hearing it with his own ears still made him a little depressed.

Just then, Tobirama casually remarked, "But if you became a teacher, they'd probably be scrambling to send their kids there."

Izuna: "... Huh?"

He pointed to his own nose, with a "Are you kidding me?" look on his face. "Me? I don't know anything, what am I supposed to teach?"

Madara glanced at Tobirama, his brow furrowed slightly, and his tone clearly displeased. "Don't put pressure on my brother."

In his opinion, it was already good enough that Izuna was willing to help come up with ideas, so why should he be pushed to do this and that? Especially teaching, which is a trivial and mentally and physically exhausting job.

Hashirama stroked his chin and chuckled, saying, "Well, isn't this great? Madara, think about it, Izuna is very popular with the kids, and the parents trust him too. He's Strength, responsible, and his character is impeccable."

He looked at Izuna, his eyes full of trust, "Wouldn't it be wonderful to let the children learn from Izuna, learning skills and how to be a good person!"

Izuna looked distressed. "But I really don't know how to teach. What if I mislead the students?"

Tobirama asked, "What kinds of Fire Style are there?"

Izuna blurted out almost reflexively. "Great Fireball, Great Fire Dragon, Great Fire Destruction, Great Fire Annihilation, Dragon Flame Song, Phoenix Flower Fire, Phoenix Flower Claw Crimson..."

He spoke faster and faster, going through almost every Fire Release Ninjutsu in his memory, until he met Tobirama's calm, red eyes and suddenly stopped.

Tobirama nodded, made a gun-wielding gesture, and announced expressionlessly, "OK, hired."

"Hey! Your hiring standards are way too low! You think just being able to recite Ninjutsu names makes you a teacher?!" Izuna was exasperated. "To be honest, I initially suggested Setsuna be the teacher! How did it all end up with me being the unlucky one?"

Hashirama smiled innocently, "But Izuna, it seems that you're the only one who can attract other clans, especially the Hyuga Clan, to send their children here."

"Even if the parents in Hyuga are still angry and resentful, after last night, they at least have to acknowledge your strength."

"If you teach at the Ninja Academy, they might send their kids there to try out, either to expose them to your fighting philosophy or simply because they don't want their kids to fall behind."

"In that case," he spread his hands, "Couldn't Setsuna legitimately become the school's specially hired Kyudo instructor and teach the Hyuga Clan's Archery? This would avoid the sensitivity of the Uchiha directly interfering in the Hyuga's internal affairs while still achieving his goal. Izuna, are you really not going to reconsider?"

Izuna opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't find a reason to refute it.

Tobirama looked at Izuna, a glint of light flashing in his crimson eyes. He knew Hashirama was right.

Konoha has only been established for a little over six months. How could the blood feuds and animosities between the various Shinobi Clans, which have lasted for hundreds of years, be so easily eliminated?

Beneath the surface of peaceful coexistence, undercurrents still surge.

The reason why no large-scale conflict broke out was largely due to the suppression by the absolute power of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and Madara Uchiha.

And deep in the hearts of most Ninjas lies the hope that "future generations will never have to go to the battlefield again."

But as much as the expectation is, is it really possible to have your own child and your enemy's child studying in the same classroom?

No parent can easily let go of their worries.

Moreover, each major clan has its own well-established and historically significant clan school, with a complete system. Why should children be entrusted to a newly established "public school" with an unknown history?

Can outsiders teach them effectively? Can they guarantee their own child's safety?

These doubts, like heavy barriers, stood between the Ninja Academy and the various clans.

However, the existence of Uchiha Izuna unknowingly created a crack in this barrier.

Even before his Kyoto trip, Izuna was already a legend among the children of Konohagakure.

He always had interesting stories to tell, could play the Biwa beautifully, could play with the youngest children, and could also discipline the most unruly teenagers.

He would teach them to sing songs with strange but catchy tunes and lead them through fun training sessions.

Moreover, his friends came from Eight Gates, including people from almost every family.

The purity and beauty he possessed, unimaginable even for Ninja, made people unconsciously want to get closer.

At that time, many children ignored their parents' warnings and secretly ran to watch Izuna play with the children.

The Kyoto performance was a great success. Izuna's artistic talent on stage and his political acumen behind the scenes impressed even the adults.

The subsequent reports of his single-handedly repelling a mysterious monster in Kyoto and negotiating on equal terms with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire further elevated his reputation to a height that was difficult for ordinary people to reach.

Last night, he single-handedly and almost humiliatingly defeated the Hyuga Clan's Elite for its Taijutsu, in a one-on-one duel, relying solely on his Taijutsu.

This battle cemented the name "Uchiha Izuna" as synonymous with "an unfathomable powerhouse" and "a miracle-maker who breaks the mold."

If someone like that were willing to teach at the Ninja Academy...

Parents may feel conflicted, uneasy, and worried that their children might be influenced by the "Uchiha" ideology.

But at the same time, an irresistible temptation will also arise.

To give their own child the opportunity to receive personal instruction from this top expert.

Even learning just a little bit can be an immeasurable asset for a child's future.

Faced with absolute Strength and the potentially enormous benefits, tribal divisions and past grudges can be temporarily set aside.

Not to mention, Izuna also possesses a peculiar neutrality.

Although his surname Uchiha, his actions and many of the ideas he put forward often transcend the interests of a single clan, genuinely considering the future of the entire Konoha.

This allowed other families to maintain a degree of trust in him, even while remaining wary.

Hashirama saw this clearly.

Tobirama knew his Big Brother's thoughts, and he agreed that this might be the best entry point to break the current stalemate in the Ninja Academy and introduce new ideas for reform to the Hyuga.

Ban still frowned, but he didn't object again.

He understood his younger brother, knowing that although Izuna could be a bit eccentric at times, he was never ambiguous when it came to important matters.

He would definitely agree to this.

Izuna didn't think about all those complicated details.

He just felt... that seemed to make sense.

It seems like... he's quite popular with kids? Back in the clan's territory, those little Uchiha kids loved to hang around him, listening to his random stories.

Later, the children from other families, even those who were initially timid, all became quite attached to him after getting to know him.

Becoming a teacher... it doesn't seem like a bad idea after all?

The pressure is just a bit too much...

What if he doesn't teach well? Wouldn't that be misleading students? He was just an ordinary student in his past life. Although he has the title of "the best in the whole company" in this life, teaching and educating people is a completely different matter!

But looking into Hashirama's eyes, filled with trust and expectation...

Izuna scratched the hair at the back of his head.

Finally, he slumped his shoulders and let out a long sigh.

"... middle."

With drooping eyelids, he listlessly uttered that familiar word.

"I'll teach."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the Office door was slammed open with a loud bang!

Senju Yūki, panting heavily, leaned against the doorframe, her face flushed from running, but her eyes shone brightly as she stared straight at Izuna.

"Izumi, Uncle Izuna! Are you really going to become a teacher at the school?!"

Behind him followed Uchiha Hinata, Uchiha Takuma, Yamanaka Harukawa Senju Ichiyo, who had joined them at some point, all looking equally excited and expectant. There were also several children from other clans peeking out.

Clearly, the conversation in the Office had been overheard by these sharp-eared little ones.