Hostage Elder's Office

The Elder's Office.

Utatane Koharu asked Shinji, "Are you really going to insist?"

Shinji looked calm. "Why shouldn't I?"

Utatane Koharu continued, "The Third is already displeased with you, and the other village leaders have plenty of complaints about you too. Is it worth provoking everyone just for the right to choose your subordinates?"

From where she stood, the more isolated Shinji became in the village, the more he would have to rely on her—and the better it would be for her.

But she knew how the Uchiha operated. If she didn't lay out the pros and cons beforehand, this could easily come back to bite her.

Shinji shot back, "You should ask the Third if it's worth it. The village still doesn't seem to understand how important I am. Right now, I don't need the village—the village needs me!"

Utatane Koharu frowned slightly. "Shinji, watch your words!"

"I'm just stating a fact." Shinji smiled faintly. "The Third should learn how to ask for help all over again!"

Utatane Koharu shook her head. "Making an enemy of the Third won't do you any good!"

She only wanted Shinji to be isolated and without support. She didn't want him making so many enemies that she and the Third ended up in direct conflict.

Shinji stood up. "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

"Go ahead!"

Utatane Koharu sighed.

She had always thought Shinji wasn't much like an Uchiha, so she'd been wary of him at every turn. Now that he was becoming more and more like one, she was finding him harder to control.

At the door, Shinji suddenly stopped. "I'd rather have the Third hate me than look down on me! Goodbye!"

After leaving the Elder's Office, Shinji headed back to his apartment.

Even he hadn't expected Chiyo to