Bonds

The old patriarch returned to the clan compound and immediately arranged for Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Koh to be summoned.

Before long, the three Uchiha elders gathered in a simple, elegant Japanese-style room.

Perhaps it was because he had made a decision in his heart, formally entrusting the future course of the clan to the younger generation, that the heavy burden and internal conflicts weighing on his shoulders suddenly vanished.

The three sat opposite one another, experiencing a rare sense of peace they had not felt in a long time.

It was even... a harmony that felt like a lifetime ago.

Once upon a time, they were spirited youths, standing by the Naka River under the Uchiha fan crest, fighting side by side for the clan they loved, letting the roar of ninjutsu deafen their ears and blood soak the earth beneath their feet.

"...Sarutobi is still the same, offering nothing but a hollow excuse."

The old patriarch recounted the negotiations, finally lifting his teacup with an unexpectedly relaxed expression, as if he had long anticipated the outcome.

As the warm tea moistened his throat, he set the cup down gently, the porcelain base making a crisp, light sound against the tabletop.

Uchiha Setsuna leaned back on his cushion, his thin, long fingers tapping rhythmically against his knee.

After hearing the old patriarch's account, his eyebrows shot up, and a sneer of extreme mockery escaped his nose.

"He wants Uchiha clansmen to go out and risk their lives, yet he clings to his sliver of power and refuses to let go. He truly wants to have his cake and eat it too."

The old man's biting words were like poison-tipped kunai, piercing straight to the core. "This kind of behavior is more disgusting than the prostitutes in the hot spring district of the Land of Hot Water who put a price tag on everything!"

Setsuna turned his head to look at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window, his raspy voice filled with a cynical detachment born of having seen through the ways of the world.

"At least they believe in a fair trade where both parties are willing."

As his voice fell, the room plunged into silence, save for the faint sound of his knuckles tapping his knee and the rhythmic clacking of the deer scarer outside.

A sharp, blade-like glint flashed in the old man's cloudy but still piercing eyes.

"We absolutely cannot compromise this time!"

"Setsuna, don't be so impatient."

Uchiha Koh set his teacup down unhurriedly, lifting his eyes to look at Setsuna, whose brow was still furrowed with hostility, his voice as calm as the deep, flowing water of the Naka River.

"We are all getting on in years; it is time to let our anger settle to the bottom."

Ever since he had entrusted his granddaughter to that brilliant young man and knelt all night before the spirit tablets of his son and daughter-in-law, the obsession that had haunted him for years had dissipated without a trace.

Now, Koh sat in the light and shadow, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes relaxing into a composed curve.

The future of the clan would be forged by new blood, as vibrant as the rising sun.

All he could do now was use this weather-beaten body as a vessel to escort his clansmen through this final voyage.

If the need arose, his old bones could even serve as the kindling to light the path ahead.

"You always have a mountain of reasons."

Watching the composed Koh opposite him, Setsuna couldn't help but sit up straight, clear his throat, and abruptly change the subject.

"Once these immediate matters are settled, come over to my place for a visit? It's time we properly discussed the marriage of the two children."

Koh's expression shifted instantly.

Even if he had silently accepted the reality in his heart, the thought of his precious granddaughter—whom he had carefully nurtured—being whisked away by the brat from the Setsuna household made his chest feel tight.

"Hmm, indeed."

Koh echoed the sentiment, then moved to change the subject without a trace, his gaze falling on the old patriarch who was watching the show, and he spoke up.

"Patriarch, speaking of which, Fugaku is not young anymore. When do you plan for him to get married?"

He's only doing this because he's chasing Mikoto; otherwise, Fugaku would have been married long ago, and by now, he'd probably have a child of four or five.

The old patriarch muttered to himself, casting a sidelong glance at the two men before him—

Koh looked away as if nothing had happened, while Setsuna held his chin high with composure, his eyes swirling with undisguised smugness.

After all, Ren had managed to win Mikoto's heart, and he had been so happy last night that he had let his guard down and gotten drunk for the first time in ages.

"With a great war looming and the situation in the ninja world shifting like clouds, setting a wedding date now would be precarious. It is better to wait until the situation becomes clear."

The old patriarch's gaze swept over the hidden anticipation in Koh's expression, his mind as clear as a mirror—

This old friend simply wanted to use his words to delay Mikoto's marriage.

Since he didn't particularly like the smug look on Setsuna's face either, he went with the flow.

"After all, marriage is a lifelong matter for the children. It will be more grand and solemn after we return from a great victory."

Setsuna let out a cold snort, knowing full well what these two old men were thinking.

However, he didn't quibble over it. With his boy's meticulous mind and methods, making the Mikoto girl willing to spend her life with him was only a matter of time.

And when she ends up pregnant before the wedding, let's see if you, Koh, don't jump up in a rage.

Setsuna picked up his teacup and took a light sip, thinking happily to himself.

Seeing that he had no further reaction, the other two turned the conversation back to the main issue.

"The situation within the village is clear; it all depends on how Sarutobi Monkey tries to haggle with us."

"However, the winds of change are blowing outside the village. We need more comprehensive and timely intelligence to maintain the initiative in our subsequent negotiations with the Hokage, or even in the event of war."

The old clan head looked around at his two old friends, his gaze calm and resolute.

"Therefore, it is time to integrate our respective intelligence networks into one."

"Only by twisting ourselves into a single rope and exerting force in the same direction can the Uchiha Clan take its steps more steadily and travel further."

The sunlight outside the window was dappled by swaying tree shadows, casting the solemn figures of the three old men against the wall like three gnarled, deep-rooted pine trees.

"It should be so."

Huoke nodded and said in a deep voice.

"Regarding the candidate to oversee intelligence, I propose that Mikoto, who is weaker in strength, should be responsible, while Ren and Fugaku are better suited for charging into battle."

Although this statement contained a measure of selfishness in wanting to keep his granddaughter away from the core of the danger, it was primarily a self-recommendation based on an objective perspective.

The importance of intelligence was beyond doubt; it could only be held in the hands of one's own kin. Even with staunch confidants, Huoke still felt a bit uneasy!

The only ones capable of perfectly integrating the intelligence of the three families were Ren, Fugaku, and Mikoto.

The other two men understood this as well.

They also knew that putting their own descendants on intelligence work, which required a vast amount of time to organize, would be a complete waste of their potential.

Setsuna clapped his hands and laughed, nodding decisively.

"I agree. Mikoto is meticulous and thorough in her actions; she is the perfect candidate to take charge of intelligence."

The old clan head, feeling as though he had been set up, watched the two of them singing in harmony and casting expectant gazes at him in unison. His mouth twitched slightly, and he finally shook his head helplessly.

"You two old foxes... just don't go scamming my Fugaku."

Hearing his playful scolding, Huoke and Setsuna laughed along with him.

Their laughter was interwoven with decades of grievances and unspoken understanding, like the crisp cracking of the Naka River as it thawed after being frozen through the winter.

The barriers of the past gradually dissipated like morning mist, replaced by the unchanging bond beneath the Uchiwa crest!