What a Shame

A week passed quickly, and the Uchiha Clan's special training yielded tremendous results.

First, both Rin and Shinichi completed their water-walking training and could now stagger across the Naka River. This was a respectable achievement. The Naka River was broad and swift, and once they could cross it, they would be able to run freely across calm water.

The improvement in their chakra control greatly enhanced both of their abilities in every aspect.

Rin, especially, tried using the three basic medical ninjutsu—Hemostasis Technique, Healing Technique, and Wound Disinfection Technique—after Uchiha Yu's reminder. To her delight, she discovered that she could now use them easily, without the uncontrollable feeling she had before.

She even attempted the Mystical Palm Technique and actually managed to use it, though clumsily. Rin jumped and cheered with joy.

"Keep strengthening your chakra control. You'll soon be able to master the Mystical Palm Technique."

Hearing Uchiha Yu's encouragement, Rin replied happily, "I'll work hard!"

Uchiha Yu calmly reminded her, "Mastering the Mystical Palm Technique means your abilities will surpass the scope of battlefield first aid. It places high demands on your medical knowledge."

"Rin, how is your progress in your medical studies?"

"Sorry, in that area..."

"You must understand that the Mystical Palm Technique reaches beyond the skin and muscles, deep into the internal organs, nerves, and chakra pathways. A slight mistake could turn treatment into an accident that leaves someone disabled."

Rin's eyes were full of determination as she declared loudly, "I'll study hard."

"My advice is not to blindly teach yourself. There's no need to rush, either. Once you've become proficient with the Mystical Palm Technique, go to the hospital and demonstrate it to any medical ninja over thirty. Someone will naturally arrange a teacher and courses for you."

"I understand. Thank you for your advice."

Uchiha Yu looked toward the team's third member, the practically invisible Shinichi, and felt somewhat troubled.

Rin was an ordinary civilian ninja, but she had chosen an excellent path.

Thanks to Tsunade's strong advocacy, Konoha's medical ninja system was the most advanced among the Five Great Nations. Its medical strength was several times greater than that of the other four nations combined, and it had proven its value remarkably well in war.

Konoha greatly needed this kind of technical ninja, so it was exceptionally generous. Any child willing to become a medical ninja could study all basic medical ninjutsu in advance and choose one advanced ninjutsu.

By comparison, a purely combat-oriented civilian ninja like Shinichi was difficult to look at. He only knew six E-rank basic ninjutsu. Against ordinary people or traditional samurai, such a ninja still held an overwhelming advantage, but among ninjas, he could barely defeat anyone.

Uchiha Yu could exploit a loophole and train him under the pretext of training Uchiha Obito, but he absolutely could not teach him any ninjutsu.

This was a matter of principle in Konoha, one recognized by both the ninja clans and the Hokage's inner circle. The consequences of violating it would be extremely severe.

Unlike the First Hokage and Second Hokage, the Third Hokage was not particularly forceful in any respect. To consolidate his power, he formed the Hokage Faction. It was a powerful interest group built around small and medium ninja clans, with civilian ninjas as its foundation. By monopolizing the source of ninjutsu, they attracted and controlled civilian ninjas.

Breaking through those restrictions and spreading ninjutsu knowledge would shake the foundation of the Hokage's rule. They would never stand by and watch.

If a ninja clan spread ninjutsu knowledge, the Hokage would suppress it as a political enemy. If it was an individual, the Hokage might very well tear away all pretense and strike from the shadows, just as he had dealt with Hatake Sakumo.

The ninja clans likewise did not want ninjutsu to spread. The civilian population was enormous, so by sheer proportion, more geniuses were likely to emerge among them. Given enough time, the ninja clans' advantages would collapse, and they might even be eliminated.

Uchiha Yu found this difficult to understand. If the era of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara had never existed, then each clan guarding its own ninjutsu and secret techniques to maintain its military advantage would have made sense.

But the current Ninja World had already been shattered and rebuilt by the two heroes of the Ninja World. The Senju Clan, in particular, had sacrificed itself, spreading its bloodline and popularizing ninjutsu knowledge.

The social environment had already changed. How could they still cling to the old methods?

Look at the Sarutobi Clan of the Hokage. They were quite willing to teach ninjutsu to outsiders. As long as one learned well, one could change one's surname and join the Sarutobi Clan. That was the proper path.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had served as Hokage for only fifteen years, yet the Sarutobi Clan's population had tripled. Naturally, that growth came through people changing their surnames and joining the clan. Moreover, every Sarutobi who changed their surname was talented. Even if they were not jonin or special jonin, they were specialists proficient in sealing techniques or medical techniques. At worst, they were business talents capable of running enterprises and increasing the clan's income.

With a constant stream of talent joining them, the Sarutobi Clan could naturally expand rapidly while remaining exceptionally stable. As long as the Hokage remained in office and sufficient benefits were guaranteed, there would be no problem with loyalty.

Besides, those people had nowhere else to go.

No ninja clan besides the Sarutobi Clan operated this way. It was not that Hiruzen Sarutobi was especially formidable; it was simply that his peers were so terrible that talented people could only pour into the Sarutobi Clan.

If Uchiha Yu could become the Uchiha Clan's leader, he would follow that example. He would even proactively spread the clan's bloodline, learn from the Senju Clan, and have every clansman change their surname through marriage, thoroughly blending into Konoha's civilian population.

At that point, there would no longer be an Uchiha bloodline openly passed down. Whoever awakened the Sharingan could change their surname back to Uchiha and form the Uchiha Clan.

Then, to wipe out the Uchiha Clan, one would have to kill at least half of Konoha's population. Who would dare commit such a clan extermination?

Of course, doing that would be incredibly difficult.

First, that clan leader would have to slaughter relentlessly within the Uchiha Clan, killing every Uchiha who insisted on preserving tradition. Then he would have to lead the Sharingan-wielding Uchiha who despised him and endure twenty years of suppression from the Hokage Faction—an entire two generations.

Only when two consecutive generations of Uchiha had risen from among the civilians, gathered into a new Uchiha Clan, and fully integrated with all of Konoha could that clan leader's work be considered truly complete.

In the end, he could only retreat into obscurity carrying a body covered in curses. He might even face judgment from both Konoha and the Uchiha Clan, just like Luo Ji, who had wielded the sword for two hundred years.

What a shame.

The Uchiha Clan was a shame. Uchiha Yu was not its leader, and he had even less intention of sacrificing himself for it.

The Shinichi before him was also a shame. He clearly possessed better talent than Rin, yet he could not receive suitable training. He was destined to die in the Third Shinobi World War.

Uchiha Yu could only smile and say, "You're doing quite well. The training has been effective. Next, you need to work hard at completing missions. Be sure to accumulate merits and exchange them for suitable ninjutsu. Keep it up."

Shinichi lowered his head in a bow. "Thank you for your guidance, Lord Yu."

Uchiha Obito, carrying one hundred kilograms of weights, became dissatisfied. As he performed squats, he began to shout.

"Yu! What about me? Is my special training nothing but physical training?"

"This is my special training!"