Your Regret, My Shadow

Uchiha Mikoto fell silent after seeing this.

At that moment, Uchiha Fugaku asked, "Since that's the case, when do you plan to formally meet Chiga?"

What he meant was that he wanted to confirm the relationship between Chiga and Kushina as soon as possible.

Kushina Uzumaki thought for a moment before saying, "After he graduates from the Ninja Academy. I want to give him a surprise!"

Uchiha Mikoto said in surprise, "Huh? Aren't you planning to attend our wedding?"

"Oh, right. I almost forgot that you're getting married, Mikoto. Do you need me to be your bridesmaid?"

"Of course. But can you fit into a bridesmaid's dress?"

"Fine! You're even more annoying than Chiga now!"

"I can become even more annoying. Fugaku and I are having a traditional wedding, so we don't need bridesmaids!"

"Mikoto, you're messing with me!"

In front of Uchiha Fugaku, Kushina Uzumaki reached all over Uchiha Mikoto.

Uchiha Fugaku didn't interrupt their horseplay. Come to think of it, it was quite surprising that the two of them had become close friends.

One was gentle and quiet, while the other was lively and energetic. Perhaps their personalities simply complemented each other.

"Kushina, since you insist on taking Chiga as your disciple, what are we going to tell Minato?"

Only then did Uchiha Fugaku remember that they still hadn't given Minato an explanation.

"Minato? Tell him to die with Kakashi!"

"I could let it go when he's busy with missions for the village, but when he comes back to rest, he still thinks about giving Kakashi special training. He doesn't even leave any time to spend with me!"

"And Fugaku, you're no better! Minato is already so busy, yet you went and sent him another disciple!"

Whenever Minato was mentioned, Kushina Uzumaki was filled with resentment, and some of that resentment was directed at Uchiha Fugaku.

Ever since he took Kakashi Hatake as his disciple, his heart had changed. He could actually talk to her about Kakashi's growth while they were flirting.

And under these circumstances, Uchiha Fugaku still wanted to send another genius to Minato.

Was he really afraid that Minato and I wouldn't argue enough?!

Uchiha Fugaku explained awkwardly, "I was considering the fact that Minato Squad was short-handed. That's why I sent Chiga to his squad. It should help ease his burden!"

Seeing that Kushina was about to continue, Uchiha Mikoto quickly interrupted her. "Kushina, speaking of which, Chiga and I are from the same generation. If you take him as your disciple, wouldn't that make me a generation below you?"

She knew just how formidable Kushina was in an argument. Her own boyfriend definitely wasn't a match for Kushina when it came to bickering.

Sure enough, Kushina's attention was instantly diverted. She exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? I hadn't even thought of that. Now that you mention it, I have to take him as my disciple even more!"

"Oh, so that's what you were planning all along. Kushina, I misjudged you!"

It was now Uchiha Mikoto's turn to reach all over Kushina.

"Haha, Mikoto, I was wrong! Don't tickle my armpits, I'm ticklish!"

Watching his fiancée fool around with Kushina, Uchiha Fugaku fell silent once again.

Am I overthinking this? Could someone this lively, cheerful, and unreliable really be a Jinchuriki?!

That night, in the Hokage Office Building.

"Kushina, you really know how to give me a difficult problem!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the report in his hand and exhaled a long stream of smoke.

As a key individual under Konoha's protection, Kushina always had two ANBU following her.

These two ANBU only accepted orders from Hiruzen Sarutobi.

They could be said to be protecting Kushina, or they could be said to be monitoring her.

Normally, as long as nothing unexpected happened, there was no need to report every little thing to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

But Kushina wanted to take a member of the Uchiha clan as her disciple. This was clearly a serious matter.

If Uchiha Mikoto and Kushina hadn't already been close friends before Kushina became a Jinchuriki, Hiruzen Sarutobi would never have allowed Kushina to appear in the Uchiha Clan Grounds.

Unfortunately, suddenly forcing Kushina to sever this bond would be too obvious.

Not to mention that Kushina would refuse, anyone with ulterior motives could guess that there was a problem.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took several more puffs of his cigarette before asking the reporting ANBU, "What about the boy's information?"

"We've already gathered it."

The ANBU had made thorough preparations and directly handed another document to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Uchiha Chiga, seven years old. No particular hobbies. Proficient in swordsmanship and Fire Release ninjutsu. Suspected of having awakened the Sharingan after his father's death. His personality became more cheerful?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was somewhat dumbfounded when he read this far.

According to his teacher, Tobirama Senju, members of the Uchiha clan were all deeply obsessed people. The more they hated, the more powerful their Eye Power became.

Since Chiga had awakened his eyes so early, Hiruzen Sarutobi had assumed he would be just as his teacher had described.

The ANBU seemed to notice that Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't believe it and added, "I've already asked the teachers and Ninja Academy Students. He really has become much more cheerful!"

"Is that so!"

There were as many faces as there were people. Hiruzen Sarutobi was old, and his imagination could no longer keep up. He had never considered that Chiga's soul had already been replaced.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was silent for a while before saying, "In that case, it should be acceptable. However, this probably isn't the most troublesome part."

Sure enough, before he could finish speaking, the office door was shoved open with tremendous force.

Shimura Danzo, the Hokage Assistant, entered with his cane.

"Sarutobi, I disagree!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened.

Did you secretly turn one of my ANBU into one of your people again?!

He had only just received the intelligence that Kushina wanted to take Uchiha Chiga as her disciple, and Danzo had already rushed over to stop it.

And if one also counted the time it had taken Danzo to get from Root to the Hokage Building—

Then one of those two ANBU is probably already a Root operative, right?!

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand and sent the reporting ANBU away.

After the ANBU left, Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "Nothing has even happened yet. What are you getting so anxious about?"

"Hmph. If I weren't anxious, would you have agreed?"

"Let Kushina make her own choice. She's a jonin and has the right to choose her own disciple! Besides, allowing a member of the Uchiha clan to approach Kushina at a time like this could actually reduce suspicion toward her."

"Although what you said makes sense, don't forget what our teacher said and the mistakes the Uchiha clan has committed!"

"The child is still young. Even if he has awakened his eyes, he can't do anything."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said gravely, "Besides, you should know how far the Uchiha clan would need to evolve the Sharingan in order to control the Nine-Tails, right?"

"Hmph. In any case, I'm opposed to this matter!"

"Danzo, I'm the Hokage!"

"Sarutobi, you'll regret this!"

The two of them said their respective classic lines at the end, and then Danzo left the Hokage Office. From his expression, this matter was clearly far from over.

Hiruzen Sarutobi curled his lips without saying anything else. He merely stared at Chiga's file and sank into thought.