Reputation

To be honest, Shiraishi Yoshijo did not want to get involved in such matters so early.

Politics and the like—he was only eight years old now; one wrong move and he might lose his life.

Danzo was no mere ornament, the Third Hokage only appeared magnanimous and upright, and then there were the Uchiha, Hyuga, Senju, and other ninja clans; none of them were easy to deal with.

If he could choose his birth, he suddenly felt that being a commoner would be quite nice. Although resources were limited, at least his life would be secure.

However, being born into a ninja clan meant that while resources were plentiful, every step taken was fraught with peril.

Not to mention his current weak strength, even if he possessed the power of a Kage, dealing with this situation would still be enough to make him tear his hair out.

Shiraishi Yoshijo pondered for a moment, and a decision formed in his heart.

"Grandpa Shuichi, joining the hospital is my own wish, and it will absolutely not change."

Takemoto Shuichi grew anxious: "Do you even know what entering the hospital means? It means you are giving up your status as a ninja; you won't even have a ninja registration number."

"Without the status of a ninja, your path to advancement in Konoha is practically severed. Even if your medical skills are top-notch, what can you gain besides a bit of fame?"

"Life is not that simple, especially since you were born into a ninja clan. Are you trying to shirk the responsibilities you are destined to bear?"

By the end of his speech, Takemoto Shuichi's face was livid, and he sprayed spit all over Shiraishi Yoshijo's face.

Shiraishi Eizawa watched this scene quietly, sipping his tea at a leisurely pace.

Shiraishi Yoshijo remained silent.

Takemoto Shuichi realized he had overreacted, calmed himself down, and began to persuade him again.

"You don't need to worry about joining a ninja squad; we have already arranged absolutely reliable teammates for you."

"As long as you gain experience for a few years and accumulate some credentials, we will push you into a high-ranking position in Konoha. In short, it is definitely better than staying in the hospital."

Listen to that—they had everything arranged for him, and Shiraishi Yoshijo could not find a reason to refuse.

But his mind was already made up, and at this moment, he had to be decisive.

He needed to cut ties with these ninja clans directly to avoid becoming a burden to himself later on.

"Grandpa Shuichi, say no more. My mind will not change."

"Why? Give me a reason."

"There are only my uncle and me left in our family. I just want to grow up safely and live the life of an ordinary person."

Takemoto Shuichi stared fixedly into his eyes, but Shiraishi Yoshijo held his ground, refusing to yield to the pressure.

"Your family is not just the two of you. We are all your clansmen, clansmen connected by blood!"

"Once a branch family is split, they are two separate clans."

These were the words Shiraishi Eizawa had said yesterday, and Shiraishi Yoshijo used them directly to shut Takemoto Shuichi up.

Takemoto Shuichi's face turned from green to white, then finally bright red, and sparks of electricity began to flicker on his body.

A powerful aura emanated from him, pressing down almost entirely upon Shiraishi Yoshijo.

It was agonizing; that was all Shiraishi Yoshijo could feel right now.

This aura was not just an explosion of chakra; it was mixed with a terrifying killing intent.

Shiraishi Yoshijo dared not move a muscle; his heart felt as if it were being gripped by a hand, as if it would burst and kill him at any second.

This was the power of the strong, and this kind of power...

It was simply fascinating!

Takemoto Shuichi was undoubtedly from the same generation as his grandfather, an era of near-constant warfare. No one who survived such an environment was weak.

Shiraishi Yoshijo was forced to his knees by this pressure, and he had no doubt that if this old man wanted to kill him, he could do it with the flick of a finger.

Shiraishi Eizawa could no longer sit still; he stood up and said: "Uncle Shuichi, he is still young and cannot withstand this kind of pressure. Why must you be so angry?"

Takemoto Shuichi seemed truly enraged; upon hearing this, his aura grew even more intense.

Blood trickled from the corner of Shiraishi Yoshijo's mouth, and he could only hear a buzzing sound in his brain.

He knew very well that he could not compromise now, and he knew even better that Takemoto Shuichi could not kill him.

In any case, gritting his teeth and holding on was the right thing to do. As long as he didn't die, the future would be wide open.

Takemoto Anna, who had been standing behind the old man the whole time, looked at him with eyes full of incomprehension.

She did not understand why Shiraishi Yoshijo was resisting so much.

No one wanted to harm him; everyone was doing this for his own good.

What was wrong with a life like this?

Having just turned eleven, she looked at Shiraishi Yoshijo as if seeing a new door opening before her.

"Grandpa, actually we can do this: let him go to the hospital, but he must also complete the assessment. Wouldn't that solve it?"

Takemoto Anna suddenly spoke up.

These words opened a door for Takemoto Shuichi as well.

Takemoto Shuichi calmed down, Shiraishi Eizawa's eyes lit up, and the two exchanged a glance, immediately reaching a consensus.

Shiraishi Yoshijo was gasping for air, much like a fish on the verge of dying from thirst.

"Heh, old man, you really are something else!"

In the past, Shiraishi Yoshijo might have held some respect for this old man, but now, it had all vanished into thin air.

All that remained was fear.

Having his life completely under someone else's control was an experience he had never had before.

It was like lying on an operating table, forced to entrust his life entirely to the surgeon.

Ah, what a shocking yet mesmerizing power.

An unprecedented ambition surged within his heart; he wanted this power.

He wanted to control the fates of others, and he wanted more, even greater power.

Takemoto Shuichi also realized he had gone too far, and he could only offer an awkward laugh in response to Shiraishi Yoshijo's disrespect.

"It's decided then. Starting tomorrow, you will come to me for training. With your current strength, passing the assessment is impossible."

After dropping those words, Takemoto Shuichi left, taking Takemoto Anna with him.

As she left, Takemoto Anna glanced at Shiraishi Yoshijo, a thought-provoking expression on her face.

Once they were gone, Shiraishi Yoshijo completely relaxed, turning into a total slacker.

He lay flat on the ground, not wanting to move at all, staring blankly up at the sky.

"Alright, they're gone. Get up, wash your hands, and come eat."

Shiraishi Eizawa could no longer stand to watch.

After finishing the meal, Shiraishi Yoshijo prepared to head back to his room.

Just as he pushed the door open, Shiraishi Eizawa's voice rang out.

"Don't you have anything you want to ask?"

"Ask what? I'll find out sooner or later anyway."

"Ow, ow, ow! Can you not pull my ear?"

Shiraishi Eizawa dragged him back to the dining table.

"What's with the brooding act? If you have something to say, just say it."

Shiraishi Yoshijo rolled his eyes, his mind racing for a moment before he began to speak.

"There are only two of us left. Why are they clinging to us so tightly when their own family is so powerful and influential? Is it really just because of a secret technique inheritance?"

This was Shiraishi Yoshijo's greatest doubt; their family consisted of nothing more than a crippled uncle and a child who hadn't grown up yet, and they possessed no vast fortune.

He truly couldn't understand why Takemoto Shuichi was so persistent, going to such great lengths to push him into a position of power.

Shiraishi Eizawa laughed. "Secret techniques? Even if you gave that stuff to your grandfather Shuichi, he wouldn't want it."

"The things in this world that truly hold value have never been the things you can see with your eyes."

Here he goes with that vague, high-minded nonsense again, Shiraishi Yoshijo thought to himself.

Perhaps seeing that Shiraishi Yoshijo didn't understand, Shiraishi Eizawa sighed.

"The thing of true value in our family isn't the secret technique, but our reputation."

Reputation. Once it was put that way, Shiraishi Yoshijo understood.

On the Konoha Memorial Stone, there were many names starting with Shiraishi; those were all members of their clan.

They paid with their lives to earn that honor. The sacrifices of their clansmen helped build Konoha, and in turn, elevated the Shide Clan.

Just like the Senju motto of always being the first into battle, sometimes these things are more persuasive than brute force.

An emperor doesn't need the strength to defeat ten thousand men; what they need is for their words to carry weight and conviction.

If people believe in you, they will help you succeed; if they don't, they won't be truly convinced even if you hold a blade to their throats.

At most, they will submit in word, but not in heart.

"Although the Takemoto family shares blood with us, we split into different branches long ago, and they lack this kind of reputation."

"Before Konoha was established, we were a major clan. Many ninja clans relied on us, and even after Konoha was founded, they maintained deep connections with us."

"As long as there is someone left in our family, this reputation will continue to exist. If our family line ends, this interest group will crumble into dust."

Hearing this, Shiraishi Yoshijo finally understood his own situation clearly.

Whether it was the Takemoto family or other ninja clans, without reputation, they could not command the masses.

An inability to command the masses meant they would become scattered sand, and their interests within Konoha would shrink drastically.

They were well aware of this, which was why they were clinging to him so tightly. It just so happened that the Shide Clan had completely declined, and their own needs for personal gain had reached an all-time low.

As long as they pushed him to the top and let him act as their proxy to fight for a voice in the village, their interests would be maximized.

It was even foreseeable that if he truly rose to power, more ninja clans might flock to them.

This interest group would become even larger.

If he played his cards right, he might even be able to look forward to becoming the Hokage.