Clan Celebration

The selection of the Third Hokage had finally come to an end, and news of Uchiha Nan's overwhelming victory instantly swept through all of Konoha.

According to gossip from the spectators present, Mito-sama had been beaten into a pig's head by Uchiha Nan and had ultimately returned to the Senju Clan Compound with a piece of cloth covering her face.

Of course, the Senju Clan immediately issued a statement regarding such rumors.

Slander. Pure slander!

Anyone who dared wag their tongue again would be invited to sit in the Anbu for a while.

Mito-sama had voluntarily yielded so as not to stand in the younger generation's way!

She had merely suffered a narrow defeat against Uchiha Nan in the end!

The Senju Clan directly mobilized its family resources to spread the news throughout Konoha's streets and alleys. Even the Senju Clan had to cover up something this embarrassing.

However, that news was quickly drowned out by word that Uchiha Nan was about to become the Third Hokage.

In the past, the Hokage line had always been monopolized by the Senju Clan. Now, the situation had changed; offense and defense had switched places, and the Uchiha Clan would take the initiative in Konoha.

Konoha's ninja clans, large and small, had always followed the wind. Whoever won between the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan was the one they supported.

For a time, the doorstep of the Uchiha Clan was nearly trampled through, with clans wishing to pledge their allegiance arriving in an endless stream.

Uchiha Nan naturally welcomed this. If these ninja clans wanted Uchiha to protect them in the future, how could they come empty-handed?

Every envelope was stuffed thick with cash. If they gave too little, Uchiha Nan would not even see them!

Such social customs were naturally familiar to clans dealing with one another.

Still, Uchiha Nan only met those small clan heads to make their acquaintance. Whether he would make use of them in the future was another matter. He might not remember everyone who came, but he would certainly remember those who did not.

The ones Uchiha Nan focused on receiving were the Bloodline Families and Secret Jutsu Families.

Hyuga Takuma happily came to visit Uchiha Nan with gifts. The Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan were currently in their honeymoon period. With Uchiha Nan defeating Mito Uzumaki and ascending to the Hokage Position, the Hyuga Clan, as his ally, would naturally reap abundant rewards in the future.

What caught Uchiha Nan's attention, however, was that Hyuga Takuma had also brought a young girl from the Main Family. Her name was Hyuga Asuka, and she was only twelve years old.

After exchanging pleasantries with Hyuga Takuma, Uchiha Nan listened as he eagerly introduced Hyuga Asuka.

She wore a yellow kimono and carried herself with refined courtesy. She possessed a maturity beyond her years, though she could not fully hide her childishness. Her appearance was naturally excellent; she somewhat resembled Naruto's sister-in-law Hanabi, but was more composed.

Hyuga Takuma lavished Hyuga Asuka with praise, calling her the most outstanding girl of the Hyuga Main Family.

Hyuga Takuma had thought it through clearly. Uchiha Nan's strength had already entered the top tier of the Ninja World, and he would likely control Konoha for decades to come. For the sake of the clan's future, what did sacrificing a mere woman matter?

There might be a loss of bloodline, but that was not a problem. Hyuga Takuma was looking far ahead. If everything went smoothly and Uchiha Nan and Hyuga Asuka became a couple, then had a son or daughter—

Uchiha Nan's bloodline combined with that of the Hyuga Clan would produce a child whose talent was easy to imagine. That child would surely be a genius among geniuses.

As Uchiha Nan's child, he might even become the Fourth Hokage in the future. With the bloodlines of both the Hyuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan, rounding it off, would that not be equivalent to the Hyuga Clan producing a Hokage as well?

The harm of bloodline leakage was far less than the returns on this investment, so why not do it?

What the Hyuga Clan pursued was prosperity and inheritance. In later generations, they had even been stifled enough to drag out the Clan Head's younger brother and send him to his death. They acted lofty, but deep down, they had no principles at all.

If it had been the Uchiha Clan, they would probably have fought Kumogakure to the bitter end.

Was he trying to play matchmaker?

Looking at Hyuga Takuma's sales-pitch expression, Uchiha Nan asked himself whether he had already become morally bankrupt. He had not expected Hyuga Takuma to be even more uninhibited than him.

He could even bring out a twelve-year-old girl. Yet Hyuga Asuka did not seem dissatisfied. Konoha had only been founded for twenty years and was still steeped in the customs of the Warring States era. Once a girl had her first period, she was considered fit to bear children.

After all, everyone knew about the high mortality rate of ninja.

But Uchiha Nan was not enough of a beast to lay hands on a twelve-year-old girl. He had no desire to get a bullet from the River Crab God, so he vaguely brushed the matter aside.

Seeing that Uchiha Nan had no interest, Hyuga Takuma did not mention it again. Today was only their first meeting; there would be plenty of opportunities in the future.

After busily meeting a great many people, Uchiha's celebration finally began!

Night.

Naka Shrine.

Every member of Uchiha Nan's clan had arrived. Even ordinary clan members who had not awakened their Sharingan were present. Fireworks and firecrackers exploded relentlessly on the stage, illuminating the night sky as brightly as day.

After the fireworks ended, Uchiha Nan was pulled away by the clan elders to worship their ancestors. With tears in their eyes, the elders looked at the ancestral tablets and sobbed uncontrollably, praising Uchiha Nan without pause.

Calling him the hope of the Uchiha Clan, the strongest Hokage in Konoha.

In any case, they said whatever sounded good. Since Konoha's founding, Uchiha had been suppressed by Senju for twenty years. At last, the day had come for them to hold their heads high.

The endless praise made even Uchiha Nan feel a little embarrassed. They had even pinned Hiruzen Sarutobi's title on him.

He was not that narcissistic yet. If he faced Hashirama Senju now, he would most likely end up like the Nine-Tails, squeezed into shit by one massive hand.

After honoring their ancestors, they naturally held a grand feast. Uchiha Nan was dragged off to compete in drinking, and on such a joyous day, he naturally did not wish to spoil the mood.

But two fists could not beat four hands. No matter how well Uchiha Nan could drink, he could not withstand his clansmen taking turns to toast him. In the end, Manji had to drag him back home.

While Uchiha celebrated beneath blazing lights, the Senju Clan was naturally steeped in grief and turned out the lights early to sleep.

The Hokage Position, passed down for two generations, had been seized by Uchiha just like that. It was simply the greatest humiliation.

Senju Clan Compound.

An underground secret chamber was filled with all kinds of experimental equipment and piles of research materials.

This had once been Tobirama Senju's laboratory.

Senju Touma pulled out a sealed set of experimental records from the very bottom.

"Clan Head, are we really going to restart the Cell Experiment?"

This was an experiment Lord Tobirama had personally ordered stopped. Back then, every clan member who had volunteered to participate had died without exception!

Fear covered Senju Toury's face. He was Senju Touma's trusted confidant and had followed him onto the battlefield all along.

Senju Toury was a few years older than Senju Touma. He had personally witnessed the miserable state of the test subjects back then. It had been utterly horrifying. One after another, they had suffered until they no longer looked human, frightening the still-young him into nightmares for several days.

"Uchiha has already climbed over Senju's head!"

"I need greater power if I am to reclaim the Hokage Position in the future!"

Hatred filled Senju Touma's face. Uchiha Nan's mocking expression back then had utterly broken his composure.

"What about Mito-sama—"

"Keep your mouth tightly shut around Mother. I will deal with her when the time comes."

Senju Touma waved his hand, unwilling to dwell on the matter any further.