In the faint light of dawn, another day began.
The Uchiha children, bearing the same clan crest on their backs, marched in neat formation toward the Ninja Academy, led by three Uchiha elites.
The work of instilling a collective identity was a long road. For now, these subtle group activities could give the clan's children a hazy sense of belonging to one big family.
Going to school together was an activity that required no extra money and took no extra time, so Uchiha Ren naturally incorporated it into his plans to bring the clan together.
At the very least, it would help the Uchiha children become familiar with one another's faces.
"Ren."
In the tearoom on the second floor, Uchiha Setsuna slowly turned his gaze from the street and rubbed his fingertip against the warm ceramic teacup.
In the courtyard below, the deer scarer struck the bluestone, sending ripples across the pond.
The old man's voice was slow and deep, marked by the weight of years. "These childish games have gone on long enough."
"The Uchiha children are wasting precious time at the Ninja Academy."
Wisps of tea steam curled between grandfather and grandson.
Setsuna studied his eldest grandson across the table. The young man's eyelids drooped slightly, and the morning light traced faint shadows beneath his eyes.
The exhaustion of an all-nighter was plain in the dawn, yet it did nothing to dull the keen edge in his expression.
Setsuna was curious what the boy had been doing all night, but couldn't be bothered to ask.
A child's education mattered most when he was young. If you had already missed the years when a bamboo shoot put out new leaves, there was little point in wasting words once it had grown into a towering tree.
That kind of admonishment came not from duty or responsibility, but from sheer irritation.
Ren raised his teacup and took a small sip. The warm, strong tea slid down his throat, its bitterness blooming across his tongue and clearing his mind.
He had indeed found a few records about Onmyoji in the ancient texts he'd read in the archives last night.
But the Uchiha Clan excelled at using the Sharingan to read the enemy's formation and Fire Style to burn their foes to cinders, not at studying abstruse theories. As a result, there wasn't much information on the subject.
Before he knew it, the moon had set and the sun had risen. Ren had just finished reading all the books and making notes on the important points.
After leaving the archives, he had planned to go home and catch up on some sleep. Instead, his grandfather had called him up from the street.
Now, hearing Setsuna's question, Ren relaxed his brow and answered calmly.
"The Ninja Academy was established by Senju Tobirama. Its curriculum is nothing special, but the school itself has considerable influence in Konohagakure."
The teachers were all at the Chunin level, and the techniques they taught might seem like priceless treasures to children from civilian families.
For children from shinobi clans, however, they were little more than basic instruction.
The Chakra Refining Technique, the Three Basic Jutsu, Shurikenjutsu—any ordinary Uchiha child could manage them with ease.
As for the Will of Fire, only the slow-witted would believe it once they grew up and encountered the darkness of the Shinobi World.
It was like an elementary school student wanting to become an astronaut when he grew up. How many still remembered that by the time they reached middle school?
Still, there was no denying that the Will of Fire had a powerful influence on the student body.
That influence shaped children during the most formative years of their lives, from six to twelve, gradually turning them into capable Konoha Ninja.
If the Uchiha Clan weren't prone to extreme emotions and so deeply rooted in their clan identity,
and if they hadn't been pushed aside by the village leadership for so long, the Hawk Faction would never have risen.
Yet even among the Hawk Faction, most still acknowledged deep down that they were Konoha Ninja.
That deeply ingrained education naturally earned the Hokage the loyalty of civilian shinobi.
The old generation planted the trees, and the next generation enjoyed their shade. It gave Sarutobi Hiruzen, who wasn't from the Senju Clan, the foundation to truly wield the Hokage's authority.
At the same time, most clans that wanted a peaceful life and chose to cooperate tended to favor the Hokage's side, as long as the Hokage hadn't disgraced himself.
The Uchiha were willing to send their children to the Ninja Academy because they wanted to fit into Konohagakure.
Setsuna hadn't opposed it at first. But ever since he'd learned that his own grandson wanted to destroy Konohagakure, his view of the village had undergone a complete reversal.
Knowing that Ren never spoke without reason, the old man asked curiously,
"What are you planning this time?"
"It's only an initial idea."
Ren's tone was even. "Since the Ninja Academy has influence, we'll use it to our advantage and plant the impression in Konohagakure's rising generation that the Uchiha are the strongest."
"For example, every generation of Uchiha could become the undisputed top students, or monopolize the top ten spots in their year."
Even in the modern age, when people could see the wider world for themselves, plenty of diehard fans still emerged.
In the Shinobi World, where people instinctively revered strength, if they could be indoctrinated with the Will of Fire, they could just as easily be made to believe that the Uchiha were invincible.
And the strong naturally deserved a voice—and even special privileges!
Rather than bend over backward for others' approval, it was better to show their strength, make everyone look up to them, and ensure no one dared oppose them from the heart.
As Setsuna pondered his words, Ren continued without pause, his words sharp as a blade.
"Influence is only an outward result. The real goal is to forge the backbone of the clan. We need to make 'fighting for the clan' a foundation in every child's heart."
"When the new generation grows up sharing the same glory, striving and taking pride in the three words 'Uchiha Clan' together,"
"they'll naturally develop a powerful sense of unity. The seemingly stubborn barriers between factions will melt away like ice in a fire."
Ren's words stirred Setsuna's thoughts. A flicker of emotion crossed his eyes, then quickly settled.
He thought of the young talent who had made a name for himself in Konohagakure in recent years—the son of the famed Konoha White Fang, Hatake Kakashi.
"There's no doubt the Uchiha are powerful." The old man tapped his fingertip against the table, his voice cautious.
"But Konohagakure has certainly produced a lot of talent over the years. First, Namikaze Minato appeared out of nowhere, and now there's a prodigy like Hatake Kakashi."
"It won't be easy for the clan's children to stay ahead of people like them. They could easily end up as someone else's stepping stones."
The best way to make a name for yourself was to climb over the corpses of those who came before.
The Uchiha were a golden brand.
Ren gave a slight nod. "That's exactly why we need to establish classes at the Clan Academy and strengthen the education of the next generation."
What if the children didn't learn enough at school?
Then they could go to after-school tutoring.
The corner of Ren's mouth lifted in a faint, utterly confident smile.
"Of all the clans and civilian families in the Shinobi World, only the Uchiha can summon more than ten Elite Jonin at a moment's notice and dedicate them to teaching the next generation."
"Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, genjutsu—what can civilian shinobi at the Ninja Academy, or even shinobi from other clans, possibly compare to us in?"
"Even if they really are more talented than our children, they still need resources to make that talent count."
Ren finished with a shrug. "And if we still can't beat them, we can always recruit them."
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