Education for a New Generation

The morning light was faint; another day had begun.

Behind him, the young children of the Uchiha Clan, wearing the same family crest, walked in an orderly fashion toward the Ninja Academy under the guidance of three other Uchiha elites.

The work of shaping a collective consciousness was a long and arduous task, but for now, he would use these subtle, collective activities to give the clan's young ones a vague concept of being part of a "big family."

And walking to school together—an activity that required no extra financial investment and occupied no extra time—was naturally incorporated by Uchiha Ren into his plan for clan integration.

At the very least, it would allow the Uchiha children to become familiar with each other's faces.

"Ren."

In the second-floor tea room, Uchiha Setsuna slowly withdrew his gaze from the street, his fingertips rubbing against the warm ceramic teacup.

In the courtyard below, a bamboo fountain struck a blue stone, sending a ripple across the pond.

The old man's voice was deep and slow, carrying the texture of one who had weathered many storms. "These games of house, it is time to put an end to them."

"The children of the Uchiha are simply wasting their precious time at the Ninja Academy."

Tea smoke curled, drifting between grandfather and grandson.

Setsuna stared at his eldest grandson sitting across from him—the young man's eyelids were slightly lowered, and the morning light cast faint shadows across his face.

The exhaustion of an all-nighter was undisguised in the dawn, yet it did nothing to diminish the sharp spirit settled between his brows.

Though curious about what the boy had done last night, Setsuna couldn't be bothered to ask.

The way of nurturing lies in early education—since the age for bending the bamboo shoot had already passed, why waste breath now that the tree had grown tall?

That was not discipline born of responsibility or duty, but something purely annoying.

Ren lifted his cup and took a sip; the warm, strong tea slid down his throat, the bitterness blooming on his tongue, and his mind instantly cleared.

He had spent the night in the library flipping through ancient texts, and he had indeed found some records regarding Onmyoji.

However, the Uchiha Clan was more adept at using the Sharingan to observe enemy formations and using Fire Release to burn enemies to cinders, rather than delving into these esoteric arts, so there wasn't much information left behind.

Before he knew it, the moon had set and the sun had risen; Ren had finished reading all the books and made summary notes on the key points.

After leaving the library, he had intended to return home for a nap to recover his energy, only to be called upstairs by his grandfather while on the street.

Now, hearing Setsuna's inquiry, Ren relaxed his brow and answered calmly.

"The Ninja Academy was established by Senju Tobirama, and its curriculum is not worth mentioning, but the influence the school itself holds in Konohagakure cannot be underestimated."

The teachers at the school were all at the level of Chunin, and the techniques they taught were like treasures to the children of commoners.

But to the children of ninja clans, it was nothing more than introductory education.

Chakra Refining Technique, Three Basic Jutsu, and Shurikenjutsu were things any normal Uchiha child could master with ease.

As for the Will of Fire, aside from those who were dim-witted, few would believe in it once they grew up and encountered the darkness of the ninja world.

It was like a first-grader saying they wanted to be an astronaut; by the time they reached middle school, how many would remember that?

But it could not be denied that the Will of Fire brought a powerful influence to the student body as a whole.

This influence permeated the most precious years of a child's life, from six to twelve, gradually molding them into qualified Konohagakure ninjas.

If not for the fact that the Uchiha Clan was prone to extreme emotions and had a deeply rooted sense of clan identity, coupled with the long-term exclusion by the village's top brass, the Hawk Faction would never have risen.

But even within the Hawk Faction, deep down, most acknowledged themselves as Konohagakure ninjas.

This deeply ingrained education allowed the Hokage to naturally win the support of commoner ninjas.

The predecessors planted the trees, and the descendants enjoyed the shade, giving Sarutobi Hiruzen—who was not of the Senju Clan—the foundation to truly exercise the power of the Hokage.

At the same time, most ninja clans who wanted a stable life and chose to cooperate actively also tended to side with the Hokage faction, provided the Hokage did not lose his moral standing.

The Uchiha were willing to send their children to the Ninja Academy because they also wanted to integrate into Konohagakure.

Setsuna had not originally opposed this, but ever since he heard his grandson had thoughts of destroying Konohagakure, his view of the village had naturally taken a 180-degree turn.

Knowing that Ren would not speak without a purpose, the old man asked curiously.

"What is your plan then?"

"It is just a preliminary concept."

Ren's tone was calm. "Since the Ninja Academy has influence, we will borrow the hen to lay the eggs, using it to imprint the impression that the Uchiha are the strongest upon the new generation of Konohagakure."

"For example, ensuring that every generation of Uchiha becomes the undisputed top, or monopolizing the top ten rankings in every grade."

In the modern society where people "open their eyes to see the world," a large number of die-hard fans could be born.

In a ninja world that inherently worships power, if they could accept the brainwashing of the Will of Fire, they could naturally be implanted with the conviction that "the Uchiha are invincible."

And the strong, by right, possess the power of discourse, and even enjoy special privileges!

Rather than compromising to be recognized by others, it is better to display one's own strength, making others look up in awe, afraid to resist from the bottom of their hearts.

As Setsuna fell into deep thought, Ren did not pause, his words sharp as a blade.

"Influence is only the external fruit; the true core lies in forging the backbone of the clan. We must make the conviction of 'fighting for the clan' the cornerstone in the heart of every child."

"When the new generation grows up in shared glory, striving and taking pride only for the three words 'Uchiha'..."

"A powerful centripetal force will naturally arise within their hearts, and the seemingly stubborn barriers between factions will melt away as quickly as ice meeting fire."

Setsuna's thoughts were stirred by Ren's words, a ripple flashing through his eyes before settling once more.

He recalled the rising star who had gained fame in Konoha in recent years—the son of the renowned "Konoha White Fang," Hatake Kakashi.

"The strength of the Uchiha Clan is beyond doubt." The old man tapped his fingertips against the table, his voice carrying a note of caution.

"But Konoha has indeed produced a wealth of talent over the years; first there was the sudden emergence of Namikaze Minato, and now, a genius like Hatake Kakashi."

"It will likely not be easy for the children of our clan to consistently surpass such figures. It would be all too easy to become someone else's stepping stone."

The best way to make a name for oneself is to tread upon the bones of those who came before.

The Uchiha Clan is a golden signboard.

Ren nodded slightly and said, "Precisely because of this, we must now launch clan-based academic classes to strengthen the education of the new generation."

What if they didn't learn well enough at the academy?

Then they take extracurricular tutoring classes.

A faint, yet absolutely confident curve played across the corners of Ren's mouth.

"Whether it be ninja clans or commoners, in the entire ninja world, we are the only ones who can casually mobilize over ten elite jonin to be specifically responsible for teaching the next generation—only we, the Uchiha, can do this."

"Ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu—what do the commoner ninjas or even other clan ninjas still in the Ninja Academy have to compare with us?"

"Even if their talent is truly greater than our children's, they still need resources to realize that potential."

Ren finally shrugged, "And if they still can't win, then we'll just recruit them."