Shearing the Sheep

"Akashi, will you be back for lunch today?"

"Probably not. I'll just grab something while I'm out. See you later, Mom."

Under the clear weekend sky, two crisp voices rang out.

Akashi had risen early to wash up and tidy his attire before heading toward the Hokage Building.

Several days had passed since the clan meeting, and it was time to report to the Konoha leadership once again. The more critical the timing, the more proactive he had to be to maintain his persona; he couldn't afford to let it crumble.

He followed the main road, crossed the Konoha River, and headed north, soon arriving at his destination.

Inside the office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was flipping through documents, his pipe set aside, taking a puff every now and then.

When he was worried, tobacco became the crutch that supported his soul.

He felt deeply exhausted. Ever since he became Hokage, he seemed to have aged significantly, both in body and in his way of thinking.

People often said the Hokage was the most powerful person in the entire village, or even the Five Great Nations.

In reality, it was exhausting work!

Troubles were everywhere, one after another. How many years had it been since the war ended?

Now, the internal situation was on the verge of chaos once again.

He looked at the important documents in his hands, weighing his options, unable to make a decision. Sometimes, Danzo was indeed a good helper—more decisive and bolder than he was.

Knock, knock, knock... Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

"Lord Hokage," Akashi requested permission to enter.

"Come in."

Sarutobi Hiruzen rubbed his Cuanzhu Acupoint and offered a smile.

Akashi glanced around, seeing only the Third Hokage. It was rare for Danzo to be absent from an occasion where he could throw his weight around.

Following established custom, he knelt on one knee to report the situation.

After hearing the statement, Sarutobi Hiruzen rummaged through a stack of files on his desk and smiled, pushing them to the edge. "Take a look at this."

Akashi stood up and stepped closer, seeing the name Uchiha Fugaku written on the paper.

It turned out that Fugaku had already finalized the relocation plans and reached a written agreement with Konoha.

Site selection, compensation, construction timelines...

Every single item was calculated in exhaustive detail. Who could believe this wasn't something Danzo had premeditated?

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe and said, "You've done very well. I've seen the Uchiha's resolution; the feedback was faster than I imagined."

"Actually, the Clan Head already had this idea in mind. I didn't have to put in much effort."

"You're being modest."

Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled. "I trust in your abilities. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, feel free to mention them. I will do my best to help."

It was the same old rhetoric, his face kind and amiable.

He made being a double agent sound like such an honorable profession.

Akashi straightened his posture and, with a thick skin, said, "Lord Hokage, there is actually a bit of trouble at the moment."

"Oh? Tell me about it."

"To be honest, I offended quite a few people at the clan meeting this time. I'm afraid that if my strength is lacking, I'll be ostracized and bullied. You know how it is—many people in the clan have short tempers..."

He stopped at the right moment, his voice gradually trailing off.

But how could Sarutobi Hiruzen not understand the implication? He had been making the boy work as an undercover agent for quite some time without giving him any benefits.

Continuing like this did seem rather uncharitable.

Winning people over always required some investment.

He thought for a moment, stepped down from his seat, and walked over to Akashi, patting him on the shoulder with a broad palm. "It's been hard on you. I happen to have some ninjutsu here that would suit you. Take them and give them a try; practice diligently, and they should be of some help."

With that, he produced two scrolls from somewhere.

How generous!

Usually, he wouldn't mention rewards, but he was quite lavish when it counted.

Akashi shed his impression of the Konoha leadership being stingy, reached out to take the scrolls, and thanked him repeatedly.

"Thank you, Lord Hokage."

"It's what you deserve."

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled. "With you there, I can rest easy."

The two chatted for a few more moments, the atmosphere quite harmonious.

Having achieved his goal, Akashi took his leave.

Stepping out of the Hokage Building, he did not rush to open the scroll, heading straight toward the Police Force instead. Having finished with the Third Hokage, it was now Fugaku's turn; naturally, working two jobs meant collecting two paychecks.

Although it was the weekend, Fugaku was already sitting in his office at the Police Force.

Having resolved the proposal for the clan's relocation, he was in a very relaxed mood.

In this vibrant spring where all things were flourishing, the village was peaceful and harmonious. The work at the Police Force was almost entirely limited to patrolling and maintaining basic order, keeping them far from busy.

Fugaku had become much more lenient toward those who spent their time drinking tea and reading newspapers.

He was currently waiting for one person.

Uchiha Akashi.

This kid was simply a freak of the Uchiha clan; his actions were always unexpected, yet they somehow always hit the mark, leaving him unable to fathom the boy's intentions.

"Clan Head, may I come in?"

A familiar voice drifted in from outside the door.

Fugaku sat up straight and cleared his throat: "Come in."

The door opened, and Akashi walked in with a smile, coming to a stop opposite him: "Clan Head, I've come to learn ninjutsu as promised."

"Skipping the pleasantries, are we?"

"The Third Hokage's attitude toward me has grown much colder lately, and Danzo seems to be making moves in the shadows. I'm afraid of being quietly disposed of, so I'm in a hurry to improve my strength."

Akashi changed his tune, his face full of worry: "You have to help me."

Fugaku couldn't help but laugh: "Alright, alright, I've already prepared them. Take these two scrolls."

He hadn't expected Fugaku to provide scrolls as well.

It had to be said, in terms of convenience and speed, this medium was truly excellent.

Having obtained the ninjutsu, Akashi was impatient to find a small grove to open and examine them, so he immediately took his leave.

"Clan Head, I'll be heading back now."

"Hey, wait, what's the rush?" Fugaku reached out: "I still have something to ask you. After the Police Force relocates, how about you come work here?"

"At the Police Force?"

"That's right, you can partner with your father."

Akashi shuddered and waved his hands repeatedly: "I think I'll pass."

Fugaku was stunned: "Why?"

High responsibility, low authority, and massive headaches; little pay, too much work, and offending everyone.

A department like this was only treated like a treasure by people like them.

But he couldn't say that out loud. Akashi sighed: "Father wants me to become a Jonin within two years. You know how he is—he's quite rigid. Usually, I... I need to focus on my training during this time, and there are also some daily missions..."

He began to ramble on like a monk chanting scriptures.

Fugaku quickly cut him off: "Fine, fine, fine, do whatever you want, just stop nagging."

"Thank you, Clan Head."

As if granted an amnesty, Akashi quickly left the office and headed straight south.

The area around Konoha was mostly forest, with few pedestrians.

He found a spot near a small stream and, filled with anticipation, opened Fugaku's scroll. The first words to meet his eyes were—Great Dragon Fire Technique!

Oh ho, unexpectedly good.

The difficulty of Fire Release ninjutsu was generally not high, at most B-rank, but the Academy did not teach techniques involving chakra nature transformation.

Before officially becoming a Genin, instruction was usually focused on the basics.

Things like the Three Basic Jutsu, shurikenjutsu, hand-to-hand combat, camouflage, traps, escape tactics, intelligence gathering, and so on.

Ninjutsu were taught by one's supervising ninja.

Children from ordinary families could only learn them after graduation, whereas descendants of various clans could learn ninjutsu or even secret techniques early on under the guidance of their elders.

Take the Nara or Akimichi clans, for example.

They were born with superior resources, so it was only natural that they surpassed civilian ninja.

The Uchiha were the same; almost everyone knew a Fire Release technique before graduation. Combined with the Sharingan and shuriken, it was truly unsolvable at lower levels.

Currently, Akashi had already mastered three or four types of Fire Release.

Among them, the Great Fireball Technique was the most basic. Mastering it meant one possessed sufficient chakra, which also meant one was qualified to continue deeper study.

For instance: the Great Dragon Fire Technique.

As the name suggested, it was a ninjutsu that involved spitting a giant dragon from one's mouth to attack the enemy.

The amount of chakra required for this move far exceeded C-rank techniques like the Phoenix Sage Fire. Clearly, after watching the battle that day, Fugaku had thought it over and chosen the most suitable one.

Filled with expectation, Akashi opened the other one, which was also a B-rank ninjutsu.

Shadow Clone Technique.

Not bad at all. With this technique, I can report to both sides simultaneously next time; wouldn't being a double agent become even smoother?

Senju Tobirama, the Second Hokage, created the Shadow Clone Technique originally for intelligence gathering. Later, he developed some combat applications for it, but it remained uncommon due to the inherent chakra limitations.

As for using it for training, aside from a freak of nature like Naruto, most people would be bedridden for a day after finishing a session.

Coincidentally, Akashi happened to have the God Tree inside his body.

Akashi was quite satisfied with these two ninjutsu.

When it was time for the scroll given by the Third Hokage, he opened it eagerly, only for his expression to suddenly stiffen.

Great Dragon Fire Technique.

Shadow Clone Technique.

They weren't just similar; they were exactly the same.

"Hey, did you two plan this?" Akashi stood there, disheveled in the wind.