Uchiha Setsuna

"What does 'eunuch' mean?" Kushina asked on everyone's behalf. There was no word for "eunuch" in this world.

Seeing the instructor about to step in, Sen pulled his foot off Shimura Saburo's face and calmly explained:

"It means a man who doesn't have that thing."

"Huh? Doesn't have that thing?" Kushina still didn't understand. Her wide eyes were full of question marks.

Minato rubbed his chin, his genius mind quickly turning over the possibilities. He ventured, "It probably means he doesn't have anything down there. Like the biology stuff we learned in class."

"Eek—!"

Kushina heard that and blushed bright red. She punched Minato, and the girls nearby joined in:

"How can you say something like that in front of a girl? You blond-haired pervert!"

Minato covered his cheek, which had swollen red in an instant, and got up from the ground, feeling wronged. You're the ones who asked! Sen said it, so why are you hitting me?

Some of the students who were usually bullied by Shimura Saburo saw their chance and piled on:

"Hahaha, what a loser! That uncle of his must be a loser too. From now on, let's call him Shimura the Eunuch!"

"Yeah, Shimura the Eunuch!" Kushina echoed softly, listening to them.

But when she thought about the deeper meaning of "eunuch," she felt both embarrassed and angry. She turned to Minato beside her and punched him again.

Minato hit the ground with a thud, close to tears. "You're picking on me just because I'm nice, aren't you?"

Shimura Saburo lay on the ground, surrounded by unrestrained laughter, but his gaze stayed fixed on Sen like a venomous snake.

Damn it! The Uchiha Clan really is, just like Uncle said, an inherently evil clan!

Just you wait, Uchiha Sen!

I'll tell Uncle about this. You'll be sorry!

Sen paid no attention to these clowns.

He held out his palm, feeling the steady flow of power within him, and sighed with emotion.

The Uzumaki Clan's physique is amazing! I've fought nonstop, and I'm not even tired. I'm full of energy!

This is what it feels like to be alive!

After afternoon sparring practice ended,

Sen and Kushina parted ways at the school gate on their way home, agreeing to go see the cherry blossoms together on Sunday afternoon.

Watching the girl skip away, Sen thought, It'll be fun to stroll around Konoha with such a cute girl.

Yeah, definitely not because of the attribute points.

The next day at noon,

Sen had just finished making lunch in the little house he rented. He was about to pick up his chopsticks when he heard a knock at the door.

"Who is it? Showing up at lunchtime—are they here to mooch a meal?" He set down his chopsticks and muttered as he went to open the door.

As soon as it opened, a familiar, lovely face appeared before him. The visitor held up a slice of watermelon, her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. "Sen, I'm not here to eat for free today. Look, I brought you some watermelon!"

It was Uchiha Mikoto.

Sen took the small slice from her hand and frowned slightly. It was only as big as his palm—not even enough to get stuck between his teeth.

But then he remembered what kind of world he was in, and accepted it.

Uchiha Mikoto didn't act like a guest at all. After handing Sen the watermelon, she strolled into the house and sniffed the air. Her eyes lit up.

"That smells so good! I knew you'd make something delicious on the weekend. Come on, let me see—what are you making today?"

Sen shook his head and followed her inside.

When his parents had been alive, they had been close friends with Mikoto's parents. The two of them had grown up together, too.

Even after Sen's parents died on a mission, their friendship had never faded.

Ever since Sen moved out, Mikoto often came by like she did today, bringing fruit or snacks to "check up" on him.

Of course, a big reason was that Sen, a transmigrator, really was a much better cook than the average person of this era.

Watching Mikoto eat and praise every bite, Sen casually asked, "Mikoto, your house isn't close to mine. What brings you all the way here today?"

Uchiha Mikoto was the granddaughter of an elder, with a prestigious status. She had far better food and clothes than he did as an orphan.

Mikoto set down her chopsticks elegantly and gave him a resentful glance. After a long moment, she finally said two words:

"Blockhead!"

She sighed and explained, "You came in first in the class last week's practical exam, remember? The clan's handing out stipends today. The elders said they wanted to give you, their genius, a little extra. Grandpa asked me to tell you to come with me after lunch."

Sen nodded.

After they finished eating, the two went to the Uchiha Clan's meeting room.

The meeting room was ancient and gloomy. It had never been renovated, all in the name of "tradition," and always felt oppressive.

By the time they arrived, everyone else had already collected their stipends and left. Sen was the only one remaining.

Sen entered the room alone. Mikoto didn't need the stipend and wouldn't have wanted it anyway.

Inside, four elders sat solemnly, with Clan Leader Uchiha Sōgaku at their head. His son, Uchiha Fugaku, stood beside him.

When Sen entered and bowed, Clan Leader Uchiha Sōgaku smiled warmly. "Sen, all the elders are here today. One reason is to hand out stipends. The other is that we've taken an interest in your talents."

He paused, then dropped a bombshell. "After discussing it, we've decided to double your annual stipend, raising it from 240,000 Ryo to 500,000 Ryo."

His original annual stipend of 240,000 Ryo was just enough if he spent carefully.

But... if the Clan Leader were only adding a few thousand, that would be a good thing. Doubling it out of nowhere definitely means something.

Sen's expression turned wary, and he asked outright, "Does the Clan Leader have something else in mind?"

"Hahaha." Uchiha Sōgaku praised his son Fugaku. "See that, Fugaku? This is Sen. He's so young, yet already so thoughtful."

Fugaku, who was fourteen, began to study his younger cousin seriously.

But aside from being sturdier than other boys his age, Sen didn't seem particularly special.

Uchiha Sōgaku continued, "Here's the idea. I'd like to put together a team under your brother Fugaku's direct command and have you join it. You can learn from each other and improve together.

"With the extra 200,000 Ryo, you'll also be able to train better. It'll be good for both of you. Uchiha Yakumi, who's a year older than you, has already agreed."

Sen understood at once.

In short, he'd get an extra 200,000 Ryo a year and become Fugaku's lapdog.

He'd thought the Uchiha Clan's leadership passed through abdication. Turns out it was hereditary.

For someone else, it might have been a shortcut to the top.

But for Sen, who had a system and deeply despised Fugaku, that proposal was more disgusting than eating a fly.

Could someone really watch their whole clan get wiped out just to avoid opposing their own son?

There had been a chance to fight back, but he'd let an entire clan die just so he wouldn't have to fight his son.

Also, Sen remembered Mikoto, who had accompanied him here. Maybe he should find a way to break her and Fugaku up. She was his childhood friend, after all. Could she really be happy with a man like him?

Having made up his mind, Sen lifted his head and fixed Fugaku with a sharp stare. "Relations between the clan and the village have been tense lately. What do you think about that, Senior Fugaku? I need to know whether you're worth following."

In an instant, everyone's attention turned to Fugaku.

Fugaku knew this was a test from both his father and the elders. If he answered well, he'd not only strengthen his position as heir but also win Sen over.

He thought for a moment, then put on a show of concern for the greater good and spoke loudly:

"The clan's future lies in prospering alongside the village, of course. We founded Konoha alongside the Senju Clan for the sake of peace. This little disagreement will be resolved soon, I'm sure."

As soon as he finished, the Clan Leader and the two elders from the more conciliatory faction nodded in satisfaction. His answer was steady and in keeping with the clan's current mainstream policy.

"Boring."

Two cold words came from Sen's mouth.

He turned around, showing his back to the others. His voice was quiet, but it carried clearly throughout the room:

"Ever since the Second, the village has been isolating and suppressing us Uchiha. If we keep talking about 'prospering together,' one day the clan will be gnawed down to the bone!"