A Genius's Hobby

"So we're just going to leave Shingen-kun to his own devices?!"

"His position is special. He's the link between the Uchiha and Konoha. If Setsuna Uchiha really brainwashes him, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

"It's fine."

Fugaku Uchiha wasn't worried about it.

Thinking back on Uchiha Shingen's conduct over the years, he couldn't help but smile.

"If Elder Setsuna had wanted Shisui tonight, I absolutely wouldn't have let him go."

"Shingen's still young, but he sees a lot of things more clearly than most of the clan. His way of thinking is different from the norm, too. He won't be so easily brainwashed."

Uchiha Yakumi recalled Uchiha Shingen's usual laid-back attitude and couldn't help feeling a little exasperated.

"That's true."

"That kid's completely devoted to clocking in at the Police Force. If he could, he'd be happy to spend his whole life like that."

When it came to his subordinate, Uchiha Yakumi didn't know what to say.

His talent was among the best in Uchiha history, and his mind was as sharp as the Nara Clan's, yet he'd somehow picked up that clan's long-standing lazy streak.

If he hadn't checked in advance and confirmed that Uchiha Shingen was a pure-blooded Uchiha, he'd have suspected that Nara blood was running through his veins.

And that was exactly why it was so frustrating!

"Hahaha!"

Seeing his exasperated expression, Fugaku Uchiha chuckled and consoled him.

"You don't have to be so upset."

"I heard that after the kid started following Jiraiya, he changed his ways, didn't he? He's been training in the Forest of Death every day."

"You don't understand."

Uchiha Yakumi sighed deeply.

"It's his Shadow Clone that's training. That kid spends every day hanging out with Jiraiya and writing books."

"Uh..."

Fugaku Uchiha froze.

"Writing books?!"

Uchiha Yakumi nodded.

"Yeah. I heard Shisui's reading one, too. If you're interested, I can bring you a copy."

"Sure. I'd like to see what kind of books the two most outstanding members of this generation of the Uchiha are reading."

Fugaku Uchiha suddenly grew interested.

"After all, a book reflects the heart and can stir an echo in the soul."

"One of those boys seems unserious, but no one can see what's in his heart. The other is upright, with a way of thinking beyond that of ordinary people."

Early the next morning.

Uchiha Yakumi entered Fugaku's office with an odd expression. Fidgeting, he pulled Make-Out Hell from his robes and set it in front of Fugaku.

"Here."

"This is what Shingen-kun and Shisui are reading."

"Shingen-kun's even working with Jiraiya lately to release a new book together."

Fugaku glanced at the exposed, sexy woman on the cover of Make-Out Hell, and his still-foggy mind cleared in an instant.

What was this?!

This was what the Uchiha's two most outstanding geniuses were reading?!

No, no, no!

Maybe he'd only seen the surface and missed the deeper meaning. Perhaps the book had some other significance.

The picture on the cover didn't necessarily mean what he thought it did, either.

Fugaku took a deep breath and patiently began to read.

But the more he read, the more colorful his expression became. His ears even started to redden.

"Wait, those two are reading this before they're even adults? I'm an adult, and I don't read this stuff!"

Fugaku Uchiha felt as though his worldview had been shaken. He even had the strange sense that he'd already been left behind by the times.

When he'd been twelve or thirteen, he hadn't even held a girl's hand, let alone read anything about an Imperial Uncle!

Mikoto had only been seven or eight back then!

Wait a minute...

One of those brats was thirteen, and the other was eight. If he worked it out, wouldn't that be like his thirteen-year-old self taking eight-year-old Mikoto along to...

No!

He couldn't keep thinking about this!

Smack—!

Fugaku Uchiha slammed Make-Out Paradise shut and casually slipped it into his desk drawer. Then he launched into a scathing criticism.

"They're neglecting their proper duties! Utterly neglecting their proper duties!"

"There's a serious problem with how the Uchiha are educating the new generation. They're still so young, and already they've gone down this road of no return!"

"This is a failure on my part as clan head."

Fugaku Uchiha was heartbroken. He waved Yakumi out of the room.

He didn't notice the other man's hesitant expression or the way his eyes stayed fixed on the drawer.

Setsuna Uchiha moved faster than Uchiha Shingen had expected.

By the very next afternoon, Setsuna had moved into Uchiha Shingen's house along with two servants who tended to his daily needs.

The house was an inheritance left by Uchiha Shingen's parents. Although it stood on the edge of the Uchiha Clan Compound, it was fairly spacious.

It had two floors and more than a dozen rooms, so having three or four extra people around wouldn't make much difference.

Besides, Uchiha Shingen had just agreed to become Setsuna Uchiha's disciple and inherit his legacy. He couldn't exactly kick him out now.

Still, whenever he saw the old man's smug expression, Uchiha Shingen couldn't help feeling like he'd gotten the short end of the stick.

"Never mind."

"Once this old geezer dies, all his inheritance will be mine."

"Inheritance?"

Uchiha Toma, who was busy carrying things inside, put down his luggage and blinked up at Uchiha Shingen with wide eyes.

That innocent look made Uchiha Shingen's heart skip a beat.

"The old geezer promised at the clan meeting last night that I'd inherit his legacy. He said he'd leave me his inheritance when he died."

"Uh..."

Uchiha Toma's expression stiffened. He seemed to want to say something, but hesitated.

"Elder Setsuna was imprisoned for more than thirty years. Everything in his home was cleared out a long time ago. The only thing of any real value he had left was that house."

Uchiha Shingen silently cursed the old geezer for setting him up. He was a little disgruntled, but figured that at least he still had a big house, so he swallowed his annoyance.

Just then, a cry suddenly came from outside.

"Fire!"

"There's a fire in the Uchiha Clan Compound!"

"That old geezer wouldn't go this far just to screw me over, would he?!"

Uchiha Shingen suddenly had a bad feeling. He walked out with Uchiha Toma and looked toward the fire.

Flames blazed high. Even from several hundred meters away, they could feel the waves of heat rising into the air.

Quite a few ninjas skilled in Water Release had already rushed to help, but they were too late.

The fire had started strangely, spreading fast and fiercely without giving anyone time to react.

In just a few minutes, it had reduced a mansion spanning several thousand square meters to ruins, without affecting any of the nearby buildings.

"That wouldn't be..."

Uchiha Shingen pointed at the mansion, now reduced to a few standing pillars, his eyelid twitching.

"Oh."

Uchiha Toma nodded.

"That's Lord Setsuna's inheritance."

"Old geezer, you did this on purpose, didn't you? I'm going to kill you!"

Uchiha Shingen's head was buzzing. He turned and saw Setsuna Uchiha wheeling over with a mischievous grin.

"Kid, you think you can go up against me? You're still wet behind the ears!"