Minato's Choice

Fugaku and Minato chatted casually for a while before Fugaku could no longer hold himself back and brought up the real matter.

"Minato, we know each other well enough, so I'll speak plainly. I hope you won't take offense."

Minato smiled warmly. "Not at all. Speaking openly and honestly is the best way to solve problems."

Fugaku nodded slightly, his expression turning serious. "The Sharingan is the most important thing to the Uchiha Clan. Over the generations, our clansmen have even come to worship it."

"Under normal circumstances, the Sharingan absolutely cannot be passed outside the clan. However, the Uchiha Clan is not some unreasonable family that knows nothing of the greater good."

"Obito and Kakashi were close comrades and heroes of Konoha. Logically speaking, the Uchiha Clan should respect the gift exchanged between them."

"However, although I am the clan's young patriarch, I cannot force the clansmen to accept such a major matter. I need to respect their views and opinions."

"Minato, can you understand?"

Minato smiled faintly. "Though I wasn't born into a great clan, I understand your difficulties, Fugaku."

"As the young patriarch, you need to act from the clan's standpoint. Just as the Hokage must act from Konoha's standpoint."

As expected of a popular Hokage candidate—his understanding was crystal clear. If one did not act from the clan's standpoint, one would be abandoned by the clansmen.

Even Madara Uchiha, as powerful as he had been, had not had a single clansman follow him when he left Konoha because he had failed to stand with the clan.

"Minato, you are absolutely right."

"To calm the opinions within the clan, I must give the clansmen an explanation they can accept."

"This is also for Kakashi's own good. Once it is settled, no one will target him afterward."

Minato's heart stirred. "Fugaku, what do you mean?"

Fugaku took a deep breath, his expression solemn. "Obito is gone. Add another Uchiha to your direct squad to become your disciple."

So that was the idea. Uchiha Gen must have discussed it with Fugaku beforehand.

Why was he so determined to become his disciple?

Did he truly admire him, or did he have some other purpose?

Minato Namikaze leaned toward the latter, and a measure of dislike for Uchiha Gen rose in his heart.

Despite that dislike, Minato Namikaze had no intention of rejecting this solution. He was confident he could keep things under control.

"Fine."

Fugaku was overjoyed and quickly said, "Minato, what do you think of Itachi?"

Minato: "???"

Itachi?

Wasn't it supposed to be Uchiha Gen?

Had that kid overplayed his hand?

"Ahem, Fugaku, wasn't it Gen?"

A trace of embarrassment appeared on Fugaku's usually stern and imposing face. Somewhat awkwardly, he said, "Gen said that anyone from the Uchiha Clan would do. It did not have to be him."

"Though I am the young patriarch, I am also a father. So sometimes, I inevitably have selfish motives."

"Minato, your strength is outstanding, your name resounds throughout the ninja world, and you may even become Hokage. If Itachi could study under you..."

Fugaku Uchiha's blatant flattery made Minato Namikaze feel rather good. After all, Fugaku was the young patriarch of the Uchiha Clan, the foremost noble clan in the ninja world—not some ordinary person.

At the same time, Fugaku's words dispelled Minato Namikaze's dislike, though they also gave rise to new thoughts.

So Gen was someone who valued his clan greatly. The only question was whether the village or the clan ranked higher in his heart...

But someone willing to sacrifice his own interests for the clan was unlikely to place the village above the clan.

What a pity. He had extraordinary talent, but his vision was too narrow.

The thought flashed through Minato's mind before he smiled and said, "Fugaku, Itachi is a very good child, but he is simply too young."

"Team 7 needs a teammate who can fight alongside them."

Fugaku felt disappointed at those words, but he immediately smothered that disappointment.

It did not matter if Itachi could not become Minato's disciple. At worst, he could have Itachi become the disciple of Minato's disciple in the future. That would still create a connection.

"That makes sense. I had not thought it through."

"Then, Minato, choose one between Gen and Shisui."

Minato had heard of Shisui Uchiha. He was a rising star from the Hidden Mist Battlefield and one of the Uchiha Clan's two great geniuses, having gained fame even earlier than Gen.

He just did not know what kind of mindset the man had...

Compared to talent and strength, Minato Namikaze valued one's thinking more.

Had he not sensed that Uchiha Gen likely held the belief that "the clan comes first," Minato Namikaze would naturally have chosen the person he knew better. Once he officially joined the team, there would not even be a need for an adjustment period.

But things were different now. Minato Namikaze intended to make his decision only after carefully assessing them.

"Choosing a disciple is an important matter. Could you give me some time to consider?"

"Of course."

Since neither was his son, Fugaku could accept either choice. Still, he leaned more toward Uchiha Gen.

First, the two were more familiar with each other. Second, in Fugaku's view, Uchiha Gen was smarter and more mature in his thinking.

After finishing their business, the two continued drinking tea and chatting about all manner of things.

By the time Kushina Uzumaki, Mikoto Uchiha, and Itachi returned, it was already late. Minato then took his wife and said his goodbyes.

The next morning, Minato Namikaze arrived at the Hokage's office.

"Minato, what is it?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi wore a Hokage Cloak over a red ninja uniform, with a Hokage hat on his head and a pipe in his mouth. He raised a hand, a kind smile on his face and a warm, gentle tone in his voice.

"It's like this, Lord Hokage."

Minato Namikaze then recounted what had happened the night before, concealing almost nothing.

"Lord Hokage, what kind of person is Shisui Uchiha? Do you know him?"

Shisui Uchiha was Kagami Uchiha's descendant, and Kagami Uchiha had once been Hiruzen Sarutobi's teammate.

As the descendant of a former teammate, Hiruzen Sarutobi had kept an eye on him in secret.

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not object to Minato taking another Uchiha as a disciple.

After all, Hiruzen Sarutobi himself had assigned Team 7 to Minato, so it was impossible for him not to know that there was an Uchiha among them.

Without the Nine-Tails incident, the divide between the Konoha higher-ups and the Uchiha Clan was not particularly deep. At the very least, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not hold much prejudice against the Uchiha.

"Shisui... he is the descendant of my teammate, Kagami Uchiha, one of the Second Hokage's disciples."

"Kagami was an Uchiha who possessed the Will of Fire, so I have also paid attention to his descendant."

"Shisui is gentle and courteous toward others, entirely unlike the average Uchiha. He loves the village and has repeatedly risked his life on the battlefield for its sake."

"In my view, he has the potential to inherit the Will of Fire. He only needs a little guidance."

"Though Uchiha Gen has also rendered service to the village, based on what you just described, his thinking is most likely rather narrow."

"As a Hokage candidate, you must be cautious when accepting disciples. Choose only the best."

Minato Namikaze pondered briefly, then raised his head. "Lord Hokage, I understand."

"Mm. Go on, then."

After Minato Namikaze left, he returned home with the Flying Thunder God Technique and told Kushina Uzumaki of his decision.

After Minato left, Kushina Uzumaki departed from home and went to the Uchiha Clan compound, where she found Mikoto Uchiha and told her of her husband's decision.

Mikoto Uchiha then headed to the Konoha Military Police Force and informed Fugaku Uchiha, who was working in his office.

Fugaku Uchiha was somewhat disappointed upon receiving the news, but he quickly accepted reality. Either way, it was still an Uchiha. He then prepared to send someone to summon Uchiha Gen.

Since Mikoto Uchiha happened to be returning to the clan compound, she voluntarily took on the task.

(Damn it, the next chapter got flagged for review. I didn't write anything excessive.) Shisui's age has always been a plot hole, so don't dwell on it too much.