Strategy Toward the Uchiha Clan

Orochimaru was thoroughly talked around by Advisor, then took his leave—he intended to carefully store away Enchantment Basics and begin studying it after finishing today's lessons.

Satoru and Homura watched Orochimaru's departing figure and exchanged looks.

"He really believed it." Homura pushed up his glasses.

"Of course. It's all about the routine... The routine may be cliché, but it works." Satoru glanced at his father's glasses and suddenly found himself missing the black-rimmed pair he had worn in the past.

"The routine..." Homura's eyelid twitched. "Did you pull the same routine on me too?!"

"How could I..." Satoru gave an awkward smile. "Well... Father, you can handle the report to the Third Hokage. I'm not familiar with Lord Hokage's temperament."

"Hiruzen... He'll probably fall for the routine too."

Mitokado Homura snorted, took out the original copy Satoru had given him, and sighed.

"So, you quietly went and did something this big without saying a word. Did you really come up with this yourself?"

"Of course. Otherwise, could there be so little of it?"

Satoru put on a serious expression. "There are plenty of people more talented than me. What does this amount to?"

"That's true." Homura thought for a moment and nodded. "By the time Hiruzen was your age, he had already mastered three Chakra Nature Transformations."

"...I was just being modest!"

Before setting out for the training grounds to meet up with Nawaki and Mikoto, Satoru saw Homura quietly shake his head as he watched him leave.

"There's actually an Uchiha in your team..."

"But fortunately, she isn't a core member."

After returning to his room and making another copy of Satoru's handwritten Enchantment Basics, Homura rubbed his wrist and brought the copied volume to the Hokage's office.

When there was no formal meeting, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, generally handled affairs in his office.

The two senior Advisors and Assistant Hokage Danzo usually discussed public matters with the Hokage in the council chamber.

Comparatively speaking, the office was a more private place.

"Hiruzen... Cough, cough, cough—achoo!"

"Oh, Homura. Honestly, after all these years, you still have no resistance to this wonderful scent!"

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had a large pipe clamped between his teeth as he reviewed documents. Seeing Homura get choked by the smoke upon entering, he wore a smug smile.

"Cough... You don't open the windows or the door. Are you trying to suffocate yourself to death?"

The veins on Homura's forehead throbbed as he strode to the window and threw it open.

"If Koharu had come, you'd be getting scolded right now! Want me to go back and tell Biwako?"

"Uh..."

At the mention of his wife's name, Sarutobi Hiruzen instinctively shrank his neck, removed his pipe, and changed the subject.

"What brings you here specifically?"

"Two matters. The first..."

Handing Hiruzen a notebook, Homura told him the same version of events he had told Orochimaru, his expression unchanged.

"I no longer have the energy to research such matters. Satoru and Orochimaru will handle the work going forward."

"This is not an urgent matter either, so I instructed them to prioritize the current war."

"You're as prudent and careful as ever, Homura."

Hiruzen smiled and nodded. Naturally, he had great faith in his student, Orochimaru.

And Homura's arrangement meant that his own faction would receive a share of the benefits from this matter.

"Your arrangement is very sound. I agree with it as well."

"That child Satoru has earned both your and Orochimaru's recognition. It seems Konoha has produced another young genius, haha!"

Hiruzen had complete faith in Homura's assessment. His old classmate and longtime comrade had always been a serious man; even when judging his own son, Homura's evaluation would certainly be objective and reliable.

"Yes. This may have tremendous room for development. It depends on just how far the younger generation can take it."

Homura smiled, then his expression turned grave.

"The second matter... Hiruzen, besides Satoru, Nawaki and Uchiha Mikoto are on Satoru's team."

"This Uchiha Mikoto..."

"You're worried about the 'strategy toward the Uchiha Clan' that Danzo proposed yesterday?"

Hiruzen put away the Enchantment Basics notebook, intending to study it carefully later. Hearing Homura's words, he understood.

"You're worried... that the strategy will affect Mikoto, causing Orochimaru, Nawaki, and Satoru to become dissatisfied?"

"Yes."

Homura pulled over a chair and sat down, pushing up his glasses.

"Nawaki is fine. His nature is rather simple, and he won't think too much about it. Even if he does, a single word from Lady Mito will settle everything."

"But Satoru is very quick-witted, and he seems to have a good relationship with Mikoto."

Thinking of the concern Satoru had shown him the night before, Homura felt warmth rise in his heart, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

"Satoru may not say it ordinarily, but he cares deeply about his family and companions. Orochimaru is probably the same."

"If his own students are affected by something like this, Orochimaru will surely have objections as well."

"Mm... I'll handle Orochimaru."

After pondering for a while, Sarutobi Hiruzen had to admit that Homura's concerns were reasonable.

"Orochimaru has been a sensitive child since he was young. He even fears his companions being hurt, to the point that he does not quite believe in their strength..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed. As Orochimaru's teacher, while appreciating him, he had always worried about him as well.

Orochimaru's temperament made him far too prone to extremes. If he had strong feelings for his students, then setbacks suffered by those students because of the village's internal issues could very likely stir his emotions.

"Besides, although Uchiha Mikoto is exceptionally gifted, she is not a core member of the Uchiha Clan. She should not be greatly affected. Otherwise, she would not have that sort of personality."

Homura nodded, then frowned slightly.

"Hiruzen, although we did not explicitly reject Danzo's proposal, the sight of Kagami fighting and bleeding for our teacher remains vivid in my mind.

Although Kagami has been gone for more than a decade, his love of peace still endures among some members of the Uchiha Clan. Formulating an isolation policy against the Uchiha Clan now may be inappropriate."

Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent.

Kagami Uchiha, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, Shimura Danzō, and Torifu Akimichi had all been members of Tobirama Senju's, the Second Hokage's, guard unit. They had shared life-and-death bonds.

Kagami Uchiha's Will of Fire had been fierce and pure. He had made tremendous contributions to Konoha's development. Even Tobirama Senju, who had always been exceptionally wary of the Uchiha Clan, had given him his complete trust.

Because he had been one of the few Uchiha Clan members entirely free from the shackles of narrow clanism. In his eyes, the village and peace were the causes worth striving for throughout one's life.

Originally, Kagami Uchiha might have become a bridge between the Uchiha Clan and the village, but he died on the battlefield at only twenty-five. To the village, this was not merely the loss of an Elite Jonin.

"For more than a decade, our policy toward the Uchiha Clan has remained unchanged because of Kagami's legacy."

Sarutobi Hiruzen drew on his pipe and spoke flatly.

"I, too, have always hoped that a powerful figure who truly inherited Kagami's will would emerge from the Uchiha Clan. But regrettably, none has appeared so far."

"Kagami's son is not especially talented. Though he inherited Kagami's ideals, he lacks Kagami's strength and status, and cannot change anything."