A Visitor at Midnight

After leaving Yamanaka Inoichi's flower shop, Uchiha Toko returned to the Uchiha Clan Territory.

Uchiha Toko did not hurry home. Instead, he went to Uchiha Fugaku's residence.

Uchiha Fugaku was somewhat surprised by Uchiha Toko's late-night visit, but he still invited him inside.

After Uchiha Mikoto served them tea, she left the living room.

Uchiha Fugaku studied the young man who had forcefully taken his position as Clan Head. He held no particular resentment over Uchiha Toko's seizure of power. To be honest, he had long wished for someone to take over the Uchiha Clan's mess. Moreover, after taking office, Uchiha Toko had united the clan in the shortest possible time and suppressed the calls for armed rebellion within it. Even Fugaku had to admit that the methods Toko displayed throughout the process were impressive.

"Douhuan, the Military Police Force has posted the notices recruiting Commoner Ninja as you instructed. However, the village's Commoner Ninja may still have reservations, so only a handful signed up today, and they were all newly graduated genin," Uchiha Fugaku said.

"Genin are enough for catching petty thieves and guarding stalls," Uchiha Toko said. "Besides, with the clan providing ninjutsu, we won't have to worry about a lack of applicants."

"It's good that you have it under control. But Douhuan, I checked the accounts today. If we follow the standards you set yesterday, the clan's funds will last three months at most. Otherwise, we'll have to sell off ancestral property," Uchiha Fugaku said.

"I told you not to worry about money. I've already found a source, and in a few days, someone will probably deliver it to us," Uchiha Toko said after taking a sip of tea.

"Then why did you come here tonight..." Uchiha Fugaku was puzzled. Uchiha Toko could not have come this late just to beg for a cup of tea.

"I came because of Itachi," Uchiha Toko said.

"Itachi..." Uchiha Fugaku sighed upon hearing that. "I've already heard what happened outside the Shimura Clan's gate today. Sending him to the Anbu back then was too hasty of me."

"Sending him to the Anbu was not a bad thing," Uchiha Toko said. "But sending him to the battlefield too early was truly rash."

"Is that what you think?" Uchiha Fugaku looked at Uchiha Toko and pressed his lips together.

"Itachi was precocious from a young age, and you exposed him to the dark side of this world far too soon. That child loves to think, but when his knowledge cannot support the height of his thoughts, it can only become a disaster," Uchiha Toko said. "I once heard a wise man say: to study without thought is futile; to think without study is perilous. That is exactly the reason."

"In the end, it was my education that went wrong." Uchiha Fugaku let out a long sigh, then turned toward the tightly shut door. "Since you're here, come out."

The courtyard gate to the living room slid open, and Uchiha Itachi walked in, still wearing his Anbu mission uniform.

"Father. Clan Head." Uchiha Itachi bowed to each of them in turn.

"You don't need to be so formal when you're off duty." Uchiha Toko waved a hand.

"Brother Douhuan." Uchiha Itachi nodded.

"You heard what your Brother Douhuan said just now, didn't you?" Uchiha Fugaku said.

Uchiha Itachi lowered his head and remained silent.

Seeing this, Uchiha Fugaku could only sigh. As a father, he truly was not good at communicating with his children. Uchiha Itachi's values had already taken shape; mere words would no longer change anything.

"Brother Douhuan, there's something I'd like to ask you," Uchiha Itachi said, taking the initiative to break the silence.

"Go ahead."

"If one day, the clan and the village had no choice but to meet in battle, what would you do?" Uchiha Itachi raised his head and looked into Uchiha Toko's eyes.

"As long as I'm here, that day will never come," Uchiha Toko said.

"What if it really came to that?" Uchiha Itachi pressed.

"Itachi, stand down." Uchiha Fugaku lowered his voice, anger flashing through it.

Uchiha Toko smiled calmly. "The village sent me to the battlefield when I was nine. It was the clan's bloodline that gave me the ability to survive."

"If that day truly comes, I'll do everything in my power to stop you!" Uchiha Itachi said, staring at Uchiha Toko.

"Uchiha Itachi, you are being far too presumptuous." Although he had long guessed that Uchiha Itachi's stance was no longer with the clan, Uchiha Fugaku had not expected him to be so direct. Even with Fugaku's temperament, he could not help flying into a rage.

"It's fine." Uchiha Toko gestured for Uchiha Fugaku to calm down, then looked at Uchiha Itachi with a smile.

"Itachi, you are a genius of the clan. I believe that one day, you will possess the same eyes as mine. But you cannot stop the tide of the times. Of course, you may not understand what that tide is. When you do understand it, you will no longer struggle with this question."

Uchiha Toko rose with a smile and said to Fugaku, "Elder Fugaku, I won't disturb you any longer. Please put more effort into the Military Police Force's affairs."

With that, Uchiha Toko stood and took his leave.

By the time Uchiha Toko returned to his small house, it was already past midnight.

The clan was preparing a new residence for him as Clan Head, but for the time being, Uchiha Toko still had to stay in this little place.

Uchiha Toko lit a lamp and began carefully maintaining his Ninja Blade.

Ordinarily, as a jonin assigned to the Military Police Force, even if he rarely accepted village missions, Uchiha Toko should not have been living in a house of less than thirty square meters. The reason for all this was the Chakra Ninja Blade called Swift Lightning. The entire blade was forged from Chakra metal, and Uchiha Toko had poured all his savings from the past several years into it.

"Since you're here, show yourself," Uchiha Toko suddenly looked up and called out as he wiped the blade.

No one answered.

"I don't know whether you'll die if I swing this blade, but you'll have to compensate me for this house." Uchiha Toko smiled faintly as strands of electricity began flickering across the surface of his Chakra Ninja Blade.

A figure dropped from the roof beam. The visitor had messy white hair, while a mask and a slanted Forehead Protector concealed his left eye. It was Kakashi, who had crossed paths with Uchiha Toko earlier that morning.

"So it was Senior Kakashi. I thought you would wait a while before coming to find me." Uchiha Toko smiled and sheathed his blade. "Sit."

Uchiha Toko motioned for Kakashi to sit on the other side of the low table, then set out a row of tea utensils and put water on to boil.