Family is the Most Important (Seeking Votes! Seeking Investment!)

The streets of Konoha in the early morning were filled with a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

Children heading to the Ninja Academy early in the morning chased and played along the road, their light and lively laughter echoing through the streets and alleys, unconsciously infecting the passersby and the shop owners on the roadside. Everyone's faces showed happy smiles. This cheerful and tranquil atmosphere was broken only by the appearance of two particularly notable passersby.

The conspicuous flame-shaped fan emblem on the back of the black long-sleeved robe, impossible to ignore, was like some kind of demonic or fiendish idol, possessing the magical power to strip away others' smiles.

"We really aren't welcome at all, are we!"

Sōken, with both hands tucked into his sleeves, watched the evasive glances of the people on the road and the suddenly busy figures of the shop owners, shaking his head as he chatted idly with Shisui. "Shisui, see for yourself! How bad our clan's reputation is now? It's almost like we're street-clearing tigers."

"Since you know that, why insist on walking on the road? Can't you go on the rooftops?"

Shisui sighed endlessly.

It was both because of the clan's abysmal reputation and because of the Lord Clan Head's twisted sense of fun standing right beside him!

"What's the rush?"

"Didn't you say we'd go early and come back early?"

"Can't I change my mind?"

Sōken stopped at the street corner, looking at the little blond-haired boy standing under a utility pole, head down, drawing lines in the dirt with his toes. He waved and called out, "Yo, Naruto!"

"Brother Sōken!!"

The little blond looked up and saw Sōken, and immediately ran over happily.

To be honest, at this time, Naruto and the Uchiha shared a similar situation—in this village, they were both unwelcome targets.

The difference was that the Uchiha still possessed fearsome power, so not many people dared to openly spit at them, unlike Naruto, who would be sure to collect a full load of malice just by walking around town. The villagers' disgust for Naruto was undisguised.

"What are you standing here for? If you don't hurry to the Ninja Academy, you'll be late and the teacher will make you stand as punishment." Sōken reached out and pressed down on the little blond's head, rubbing it vigorously. Anyway, the kid's hair was already a mess, though it was fairly clean—looked like he'd washed it, just refused to spend time combing it, or didn't even have the concept of combing.

"I'm waiting for Toka."

Naruto answered in a full-of-energy, loud voice.

"Waiting for Toka?"

"Yeah, we agreed yesterday after school to meet here this morning."

"I see! Then take your time waiting. Toka likes to sleep in, so it'll probably be a while before she comes... If you can't wait, just go to the Ninja Academy on your own. No need for both of you to be late and get punished together."

"It's fine, we promised to wait here. And I'm not afraid of standing as punishment!"

Naruto's face showed no fear or hesitation.

Sōken studied the kid for a moment—he really wasn't just putting on a brave face. This boy genuinely wasn't afraid from the bottom of his heart.

"You've got some nerve!"

"Hehe!"

Naruto scratched his head sheepishly.

Compared to the cold stares, hatred, and disgust he was used to, standing as punishment—a painless penalty—really didn't threaten him. On the contrary, having rarely been praised since childhood, he couldn't help but feel shy whenever someone complimented him now.

"Brother!!!"

A voice so familiar it made his ears ache rang out.

Sōken followed the sound and saw his precious little sister charging toward him like a cannonball.

"Toka, didn't I tell you not to run in the street?" Sōken reached out and grabbed his sister's head, manually braking this cute little cannonball that was charging at considerable speed. "And why are you up so early today? I thought you'd just be getting out of bed around now!"

"Grandfather woke me up!"

Toka slapped away the big hand pressing on her forehead, using her slender, fair fingers like spring onions to tidy her messed-up bangs, puffing out her cheeks angrily. "You're the one, Brother! You promised to take me to school this morning, but you didn't come home all night! Big liar!"

"Sorry, sorry, something urgent came up last night. How about... I treat you to cake after school this afternoon?"

"I want strawberry cake!!!"

"No problem. Forget strawberry cake—you could have just strawberries and no cake, and it'd still be fine!"

After promising a bunch of goodies, a satisfied Toka took off like the wind, sprinting toward the Ninja Academy again. Naruto, her little follower, hurriedly trotted along behind her, not even bothering to say goodbye to Sōken.

Watching his sister's figure disappear around the street corner, Sōken withdrew his gaze and said, "Alright, Shisui, let's hurry up and get moving!"

With that, he leaped up and began dashing swiftly across the Rooftop Terrace.

Shisui, following close behind, opened his mouth several times as if to speak but stopped.

Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, he asked, "Sōken, were you dawdling earlier just to wait for Toka?"

"What else?"

Sōken countered.

"You didn't think I actually enjoy kissing up to people who give me the cold shoulder, did you? I hate being avoided like something dirty too. But I promised Toka I'd take her to school, and last night, as you know, I was too busy to go home. So I had to wait here halfway to say a word to her."

Hearing this, Shisui was left speechless.

"What? Shisui, you don't think I'm too focused on personal matters, do you?"

"No, not at all."

"Hmph! Whether you do or not, as far as I'm concerned, family is the most important thing. Someone who doesn't cherish their family is worse than a beast. When Toka was first born, she was only that small. I had just come back from the battlefield and didn't even dare to hold her, afraid my hands might be too rough and accidentally hurt her."

"After finally watching her grow up little by little, slowly learning to speak, to be honest... Shisui, I'm even more reluctant than you to reach an irreconcilable conflict with the village at this time. I'm terrified that a fight spiraling out of control might harm Toka, Father, Mother—all of them. I'm afraid that after destroying Konoha, Toka would have to wander with us. I'm afraid everything I do will be in vain..."

"But the more afraid I am, the clearer it becomes that I can't afford to back down even half a step right now. Only by truly daring to fight to the death, putting on a show of being ready to smash the net along with the fish, and making those who fancy themselves fishermen realize that we desperate fish have the power to break that net—only then will it not truly come to a life-or-death standoff!"

"So—"

"Shisui."

"Wait... don't hold me back!" A voice as light and soft as willow fluff drifted into Shisui's ears.

Shisui shuddered.

He looked up at Sōken's blood-red eyes, that serious gaze no joke at all!

"I understand, Clan Head!"

Shisui swallowed.

His heart involuntarily tightened, silently praying that nothing would go wrong in what came next.