The One Behind It

"It seemed this child truly had a major conflict with the Uchiha Clan, but what was his relationship with the Uchiha Clan's Third Elder?"

Jiraiya asked in confusion, trying to learn more about the child.

"Wasn't Uchiha Katsuo's Jonin Nominated Student slot recommended by Uchiha Feng? Everyone should still remember that, right? That makes his relationship with Uchiha Katsuo quite clear!"

"What kind of person is Uchiha Feng?"

Tsunade suddenly asked the Third Hokage. She wanted to know what attitude the Uchiha Clan's Third Elder had toward Konoha.

Just as the Third Hokage was about to answer, an Anbu appeared before him and whispered something. After nodding, the Third Hokage smiled at Tsunade.

"The person you asked about has arrived."

Before long, an old man entered the Hokage Office. He and the Third Hokage exchanged smiles and nods, then the Third Hokage instructed Jiraiya.

"Bring a chair for the Third Elder."

Uchiha Feng calmly took his seat, moving slowly and carefully.

"Thank you, Third Hokage."

Uchiha Feng thanked him with a genial smile, then openly observed the young Sannin.

"This must be Hashirama-sama's granddaughter, Princess Tsunade?"

He ignored the other two members of the Sannin entirely and looked at Tsunade with a smile.

Tsunade nodded and smiled in greeting, only to hear Uchiha Feng sigh.

"You've grown so much. Time passes so quickly!"

"Third Elder, did you come for that little brat?"

The Third Hokage got straight to the point.

"Ah, this old man did indeed come for that bad boy. I wonder if the Third Hokage could do this old man a favor."

The Third Hokage nodded slightly and did not refuse.

"You flatter me, Third Elder. It was merely a children's fight. If you wish to take him away, you may do so at any time."

As the Third Hokage said this, the Sannin all glanced sideways at him in unison. But then he continued.

"However, Third Elder, you must teach that bad boy a proper lesson for me. The key issue is that the brat was far too ruthless. The Hyuga Patriarch's eldest son was beaten into a pig's head and even lost a front tooth. He's still unconscious now..."

The Third Elder's expression changed at once. He silently cursed that leak-proof little padded jacket of his for daring to lie through her teeth and deceive him!

Mikoto had told him that Katsuo had been arrested. When he asked why, Mikoto had only said that Katsuo had fought Hiashi Hyuga of the Hyuga Clan, won, and then been arrested.

At first, Uchiha Feng had thought it was a minor matter. He happened to have nothing to do, and after Mikoto made a fuss, he simply made a trip to the Hokage Building.

He had even wondered whether that kid, the Third Hokage, had been too idle lately. Why was he sticking his nose into a children's fight and making such a fuss?

Only now did he understand what sort of "minor matter" Katsuo had caused.

This is practically tearing down the whole school! Is he trying to become the enemy of the entire school? Or the entire village? Even the Hokage's family wouldn't dare pull something like this... And that little bastard was far too vicious and underhanded!

Uchiha Feng's face turned ashen. After a long silence, he asked.

"Where is he now?"

"Konoha Detention Center."

The Third Hokage answered bluntly.

"..."

That shameless bastard says it was just a children's fight, no big deal, yet he still locked him up...

Although Uchiha Feng despised the Third Hokage's hypocrisy, he did not accuse him of handling the matter too harshly.

He fell silent and pondered for a long while, weighing the pros and cons.

Though I could take that bad boy away, the Third Hokage presumably wouldn't refuse. But then wouldn't I be shouldering the Hyuga Clan's hatred...

No, no, these old bones of mine can't bear the hatred of someone whose child was bullied... That little bastard has been far too lively lately, and his temperament is too rash. He truly needs to be tempered!

"So be it. This old man respects the Third Hokage's decision. Let him reflect on his mistakes in the detention cell and properly repent."

After sighing, Uchiha Feng shakily rose to leave. At that moment, the Third Hokage spoke.

"Wait, Third Elder. There is something I would like to ask you!"

Hearing this, Uchiha Feng sat back down.

"Katsuo has been living beside the Death Forest for quite some time now. You knew about that, didn't you? I would like to ask why."

As the leader of a village, he could directly inquire into most matters within it. Katsuo had established a camp there, so it was necessary for him to investigate the reason.

"Ah..."

Uchiha Feng first sighed, then answered seriously.

"I know about this. I urged him to return to the clan and live there, but he said home was too far away and insisted on staying there, saying it was closer to the school. I couldn't persuade him otherwise, so I let him do as he pleased."

"What is your relationship with him, Third Elder?"

Tsunade suddenly asked. The Third Hokage cast her a subtle look of approval.

"There is no particular relationship. If there is one, it is merely that we both belong to the Uchiha Clan. Though he bears the Uchiha name, he is not from this old man's branch."

"Then..."

Tsunade was puzzled.

Uchiha Feng shook his head, sighed again, and muttered to himself.

"He is a pitiful child. At the age when he needed his parents' care the most, he lost them. He had no one to rely on in the clan—no family and no friends. Perhaps that is why he did not wish to return home. That home was cold and lifeless. He longed for family and friends. That was probably why he chose that place, closer to the school."

"The first time I saw him, he was skin and bones, his body in an extremely poor state. I did not know what hardships he had endured. Yet this orphaned child came to me of his own accord, asking me to give him the opportunity to attend school early, and he even declared lofty ambitions before me!"

"At first, I dismissively thought it was a farce, until I saw his eyes... In those bright, spirited eyes flickered a startling radiance..."

"Radiance?"

Orochimaru asked curiously. It was a term related to the eyes that few people ever mentioned.

"As an elder of the Uchiha Clan, I have seen countless Sharingan. Whether a child of the clan can awaken the Sharingan can be determined after spending some time with them and observing the radiance in their eyes. That child's eye radiance is exceptionally strong. This old man can say with absolute certainty that his eyes can evolve to Three-Tomoe!"

"!"

The Third Hokage and the Sannin were all stunned. Three-Tomoe was the standard for Jonin within the Uchiha Clan, as well as a widely recognized measure of strength in Konoha and the ninja world.

"What exactly is this eye radiance?"

Orochimaru grew even more curious. He was extremely interested in the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan.

"Hm? You're interested? Then this old man can teach you!"

Uchiha Feng suddenly glanced at Orochimaru before speaking seriously.

"Do not ask too much about things you should not ask."

The Third Hokage said sternly. He knew that Orochimaru's question involved the secrets of the Uchiha Clan's eyes.

There were many clans in Konoha, and every clan possessed its own inheritances and secret techniques. Such secrets were not things outsiders—even the Hokage—could inquire about.

Setting one's sights on such secrets was no different from declaring war on them. No clan would tolerate it.

Orochimaru was taken aback upon hearing this and realized that his question had touched upon the Sharingan. Even so, he showed no trace of apology. His gaze drifted aside, and he said nothing further.

"Was that why you gave him a Nominated Student slot?"

The Third Hokage nodded as he spoke, once again easing the tension in the room.

"This old man is getting old, and my sympathy has grown excessive. I could not bear to see a genius of the clan go unnoticed. That is all!"

After saying this, Uchiha Feng shakily rose and left the Hokage Office.

"His relationship with Uchiha Katsuo is clearly more than that."

Jiraiya said.

"I know, but you must understand that we were not interrogating him. The fact that he told us this much already counts as cooperation, so there is no need to get to the bottom of everything."

The Third Hokage picked up his pipe.

"You believe him?"

Jiraiya asked again.

"His connections to Uchiha Katsuo can be easily investigated. There is no need for him to deceive us; it would be meaningless and would not hold up. So his words are credible."

Orochimaru answered for the Third Hokage.

"That old man values the child greatly. He is the one behind that child."

Tsunade stated with certainty.

Jiraiya and Orochimaru rolled their eyes at the same time. Wasn't that obvious... Did she really need to say it...

"You value that child greatly too..."

The Third Hokage suddenly exhaled a cloud of smoke and smiled at Tsunade.

"..."

"Are you really going to lock him up?"

Tsunade asked, glancing sideways at the Third Hokage.

"Yes, I'll lock him up for a couple of days first and let him properly reflect. That brat is far too lawless."

"Oh, right, and your Nawaki!"

The Third Hokage added with a mischievous reminder. He had investigated this incident thoroughly; Nawaki had a hand in it too!

"Nawaki! If I don't beat him for three days, he'll start tearing the roof off... Just wait until I get home. I'll teach him a proper lesson!"

Tsunade's fingers cracked as she clenched them. The other three all broke out in cold sweat. While secretly taking pleasure in Nawaki's misfortune, they also silently offered a prayer for him.