Unmarked Healing

What did he think of the village?

Uchiha Akira looked solemn.

Good question!

The mafia boss patted your shoulder and asked, "You got a problem with my mafia?"

Akira's mind automatically translated the question.

"The village does not belong to any one person."

Uchiha Akira's gaze sharpened as he declared righteously, "It belongs to all the villagers. No matter who it is, as long as anyone dares to destroy the village's peace, whether they are my clansmen or anyone else, I will never let them off!"

He snapped his legs together with a firm thud, then saluted Hokage Rock. "Loyalty!"

"Is the creed I will uphold for my entire life!"

This was his resolve!

No.

Although nothing he said seemed wrong, Hiruzen Sarutobi still felt that something was off. And shouldn't he have been saluting him? Why was he saluting Hokage Rock?

Still, it was not a major problem.

Though his Will of Fire was somewhat off course, the First Hokage's Will of Fire was still the Will of Fire. Besides, the First Hokage was already dead, so there was no need for him to argue with a dead man.

Uchiha Akira was not the First Hokage.

It was not as if he could seize power, right?

"Cough, cough!"

He coughed twice. "Akira, I understand your resolve. The conflict between the village and the Uchiha is growing increasingly severe. If the Uchiha Clan makes any unusual moves, I hope you can notify me promptly."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Uchiha Akira saluted Hokage Rock once more, then turned and left.

Tsk!

The old man was pretty vigilant.

Otherwise, he would definitely have sent Uchiha Itachi to have an in-depth discussion with him about the Will of Fire, and probably test him as well. Old men liked to play it safe.

But what Akira had not expected was that just after he left the Hokage Building—

Hiruzen Sarutobi said in a deep voice, "Shisui, I'll leave this matter to you. The conflict between the village and the Uchiha is escalating, and Akira may also be a spy from the Hawk faction!"

They were at a critical juncture.

He could not afford to let down his guard.

Itachi was a very useful blade, but when it came to investigations and heart-to-heart talks, Shisui was clearly better suited than him.

"Yes, Lord Hokage. I will determine Akira's true intentions."

From the shadows—

Uchiha Shisui's earnest voice rang out.

Konoha was bright and sunny.

Spring was in full bloom.

Uchiha Akira tilted his head toward the sky, basking in the sunlight. Even the Chakra within him seemed to leap with joy. "What a wonderful day! Since I have nothing to do, I might as well go lie around at the Senju Clan's place!"

At the Senju Clan's place, he could bask in the sun—

And increase his mission progress. Why not?

More importantly, the Uchiha Clan had such a gloomy atmosphere, while the Senju Clan was different. Even though no one was there, the entire compound radiated a warm, comforting feeling.

But just then—

A middle-aged man who had hurried over heard Akira's words. His expression froze, and his face darkened. "Akira! You are a member of the Uchiha Clan! What kind of behavior is it to go to the Senju Clan every day?"

An Uchiha Clan member—

Going to spend every day at the Senju Clan's place? Was there anything more absurd?

"Um..."

Broom-like hair.

A stern face.

Small eyes.

Akira stared at the man, his brows knitting slightly as if he were trying to confirm something.

"What are you looking at?"

The middle-aged man was taken aback, then felt a trace of regret. Although Akira went to the Senju Clan every day, the Senju Clan was gone now. The Uchiha Clan no longer held much hatred toward them internally.

After all, once people died, their debts were settled.

The Uchiha Clan was not that petty.

"No, old man, who are you?"

Akira curled his lips. "I didn't provoke you or anything, so who are you trying to lecture here?"

Watching Akira first look blank, then curl his lips into the standard arrogant Uchiha expression, the middle-aged man's face darkened. "I'm Uchiha Yashiro! Stop wandering around out here and come back to the clan with me!"

"What's with spending every day at the Senju Clan's place?"

"I'll find you a job in the Police Force later, so you won't be idle with nothing to do every day!"

Oh.

As Uchiha Akira was dragged away, he finally remembered. So it was Uchiha Yashiro. The man simply did not look like a "handsome Uchiha," which was why Akira had failed to recognize him at first. Still, he was a pretty good person.

He could be considered part of the Uchiha's Dove faction.

He leaned toward peaceful coexistence between the Uchiha and the village.

Tsk.

How should he put it? If Yashiro had been someone who liked causing trouble, Akira would have immediately given him an Uchiha maniacal laugh. But the problem was that Uchiha Yashiro was not like that. This guy was one of those serious yet warmhearted good people among the Uchiha.

In short—

An older, sterner, weaker version of Shisui.

"Ah, how helpless and powerless this is."

Uchiha Akira shook his head helplessly.

[Ding! Lord Hashirama is actually interacting with the Uchiha Clan. Please show Lord Hokage's enthusiasm and let the Uchiha Clan feel Konoha's care. Mission issued: Reconcile with a Handshake!]

[Reconcile with a Handshake: Please have Lord Hashirama shake hands with more than ten Uchiha clansmen!]

[Mission Reward: Unmarked Healing!]

The system's electronic voice rang in his mind.

Yet even from that electronic voice, Akira could hear the system's shock and excitement.

Indeed, the Uchiha Clan had always avoided Hashirama Senju.

How could they possibly be like him, getting dragged along...

"Senior Yashiro, I can walk by myself!"

Akira pulled his hand free from Yashiro's grasp and helplessly straightened his sleeve.

[Ding! Mission completion: 1/10]

"Senior Yashiro, is something happening within the clan today?"

As soon as they entered the Uchiha Clan's remote settlement, there were clearly more people around. Normally, the Uchiha Clan was either cutting people down or on the way to cut people down, so during the day, the clan grounds were generally occupied only by the old, weak, sick, and disabled.

Today was different.

There were so many people.

"Uh..."

Yashiro wanted to speak, yet did not know where to begin. After a moment of silence, he finally sighed. There was a hint of envy in his gaze as he looked at Akira. "Actually, it's not bad for you to stay at the Senju Clan's place."

As for Akira—

Yashiro naturally knew that he belonged neither to the Hawk faction nor the Dove faction.

He was merely an ordinary Uchiha clansman who liked basking in the sun at the Senju Clan's place, had fairly good talent, yet had not awakened his Sharingan even at fifteen.

"No!"

Akira said righteously, "As a member of the Uchiha Clan, how can I stay at the Senju Clan's place every day? I bear the responsibilities of the Uchiha Clan on my shoulders!"

Then—

Under Yashiro's baffled gaze, he walked toward the other Uchiha clansmen.

"Hey! Long time no see, Zero, and Hanabi. Hi! Isn't this Shui Ling? You're getting bigger and bigger!"

"And Izumi, you're getting prettier and prettier!"

He enthusiastically shook hands with every Uchiha.

"Huh, Itachi too? Your nasolabial folds are getting deeper and deeper. Don't keep such a cold face all the time. Smile a little—smiling makes you ten years younger, you know?"

Akira firmly shook Itachi's hand, not caring in the slightest whether he resisted.

Uchiha Itachi: "..."

First of all—

He did not want to attend the clan meeting.

Secondly—

He had not provoked anyone!