The Joy of Being Trusted

Beneath the light of Susanoo, the welcoming ceremony came to an abrupt end. The Uchiha Clan returned to their district in high spirits, while the four Uchiha leaders shut themselves in the Clan Head's room for a private meeting.

"Young Lord, you've worked hard for the clan while out there on your own. You must be exhausted."

As soon as they sat down, Uchiha Shikata tried to use a few words to draw closer to Uchiha Takeyasu.

Ever since Takeyasu had redirected the danger by leading several Jonin from Kumogakure to Konoha's outpost, where they killed the Senju Jonin stationed there and set off a full-scale war between the two villages, he had been branded a Rogue Ninja.

It had been nearly three years since he'd returned to Konoha. Uchiha Setsuna had handled their usual correspondence, so Shikata, the Clan Head of the Compromise Faction, had barely spoken to Takeyasu.

Now that Takeyasu's identity as the Young Lord had been confirmed, letting their relationship grow any more distant would probably leave Shikata fishing in retirement before long. It would be downright humiliating to have served as Clan Head and ended up like that.

Uchiha Kaku was in a similar position, but he wasn't the Clan Head, so he wasn't the one who'd be most embarrassed. His tone was only a little gentler.

"I never imagined the Young Lord would develop his Susanoo to such a level. You showed everyone in Konoha the strength of our clan, and even inspired quite a few of the next generation to awaken their Sharingan. But your eyes..."

Kaku found some things difficult to say. Uchiha Setsuna, who was much closer to Takeyasu, had no such qualms. The Martial Faction elder fixed his gloomy eyes on Takeyasu and asked solemnly, "Young Lord, have you had any problems with your eyesight?"

"Unless you reach the Eternal Realm, the divine power of the Mangekyo will cause your eyesight to deteriorate every time you use it, until you're completely blind."

Meeting the three elders' concerned gazes, Takeyasu replied gravely, "There's no need to worry about that. One of my Mangekyo Dojutsu Techniques lets me use certain things to bear the price I have to pay."

Setsuna's eyes lit up. "Such as?"

Takeyasu had come prepared. Watching the three elders closely, he answered slowly, "The lives of ninjas."

With the war over and his return to Konoha, he could no longer hunt enemy ninjas as freely as before. To keep earning Ascension Points efficiently, Takeyasu had decided to let the clan in on a little of the truth, so they would willingly become his allies.

That was better than keeping the clan in the dark and exhausting himself taking missions alone. He had status, after all; taking those missions would be beneath him, and the rewards were low.

In Takeyasu's view, those who had power but didn't use it were either saints of great virtue or peculiar people with something seriously wrong with them.

"Excellent!"

"This is a blessing from heaven for the Uchiha!"

Setsuna clapped his hands and laughed. Then he and Kaku, who was smiling without a word, turned to Shikata.

"The clan happens to control the Security Department. We've been saving all the death-row prisoners for you. If that's not enough, the clan can round up some bandits and robbers for you, too. They're easy to find in times of chaos."

The three elders had all survived from the Warring States Period, so they had no such qualms.

To these three Uchiha, outsiders were little better than weeds by the roadside. Killing someone came more naturally than killing a chicken.

Shikata thought for a moment, then said, "I'll show you around the Security Department first. After a while, I'll hand over the director's position to you."

"The clan has decided to support you with everything we have in your bid to become the Third Hokage. The director's position at the Security Department will be a good stepping stone."

Takeyasu had heard the news from Tachibana long ago, so he felt neither surprised nor caught off guard. Instead, he felt the heavy burden of responsibility—and the joy of being trusted.

The Uchiha Clan's love and hatred had always been clearly divided.

"Thank you for trusting me, elders, Clan Head. I won't let you down."

Takeyasu placed his hands on his knees, bowed his head slightly, and said, "As I said before the Konoha Gate, there will be no one who can stand against us!"

"Excellent!"

The more Setsuna looked at Takeyasu, the more pleased he became. He regretted not having a suitable daughter—and there didn't seem to be any particularly outstanding girls in the clan, either.

But young men are drawn to pretty girls. We can't let someone from another clan steal our Young Lord's heart.

Setsuna coughed twice and turned to Shikata.

"Clan Head Shikata, the Young Lord has been away for years and doesn't know many of the younger people in the clan. Why not hold a gathering for them sometime, so he can get to know the clan's young people better?"

Setsuna's exaggerated winks nearly made Shikata laugh. After all their years of arguing, Shikata understood what he meant as soon as he turned the idea over in his mind.

An arranged marriage would be a good solution, but even a clever housewife can't cook without rice.

Shikata felt a little helpless. Some people from the Warring States Period had married and started families early, while others had waited until much later. Unfortunately, he was one of the latter, and his only child, Fugaku Uchiha, was not yet a year old.

"Elder Setsuna is right. Once the Young Lord has settled in, we'll hold a welcome banquet and give him a chance to spend time with the younger people."

Takeyasu, of course, was happy to go along with a good opportunity to build connections.

Time passed, and soon it was time for dinner.

Setsuna and Kaku left arm in arm, planning to go look for talented young women in the clan.

At Shikata's invitation, Takeyasu stayed for dinner, and he also got to meet Fugaku Uchiha, still swaddled in his blankets.

Takeyasu felt little ill will toward the future last Clan Head of the Uchiha, the famous man who would father Itachi Uchiha—a major figure, a thankless son who would kill his family and wipe out his clan with his own hands.

The butterfly was already beating its wings furiously. The future Takeyasu remembered was bound to be unrecognizable.

As long as he put people to good use, Clan Head Fugaku, who was indecisive about major matters, could become Fierce Eye Fugaku, fighting for the Uchiha Clan's interests on the battlefield.

If his sons were raised well, they could still become capable assets to the Uchiha Clan.

Besides, in a few decades, Takeyasu figured the whole Ninja World might belong to the Uchiha. He might even have conquered another world by then.

After a pleasant dinner with his hosts, Takeyasu was given a room in the house next door.

Apart from being made entirely of wood, it wasn't much different from the modern world of his previous life. As soon as he entered, Takeyasu switched on the ceiling light in the entryway, illuminating the hall connected to it.

There was also an air conditioner in the hall, with an open-plan kitchen on either side and a corridor leading outdoors. The washroom was beneath the stairs to the second floor.

Remembering Shikata's instructions before he left, Takeyasu went upstairs. There were four rooms on the second floor, and the master bedroom at the far end had already been prepared, complete with furniture, a television, and a change of clothes.

"Everything is falling into place."

Holding a towel, Takeyasu strolled to the washroom. After a quick rinse, he lay down in the filled bathtub. There were no special effects or fluctuations in Chakra as his Mangekyo quietly appeared in his eye sockets.

As his strength reached Super Kage level and he wielded the third stage of Susanoo, the range of his left eye's Amenotokotachi ability expanded to five hundred meters in every direction.

Most of the Uchiha's central district was already laid bare before him. Every move made by the clan's strongest, including the Clan Head, appeared in his mind. And with the map-based teleportation of his right eye...

Given enough time, he could reach from the highest heavens to the depths of Yomi. Who in the world would he be unable to kill?

Takeyasu's lips curled into a faint smile. He performed Summoning Jutsu, pulled over a half-asleep Tachibana, and took a deep inhale.

Meanwhile, Senju Moriki began putting his own plan into action.