It was still the Uchiha Clan Compound, but many days had passed.
"Genichi, you're already the White-Clad Death God. Why do you still train so hard every day? Why not take a break and enjoy life for a change?" Nara Shikaku asked lazily, leaning over the table with his head propped on one hand.
Naturally lazy, Shikaku had been forced by his father to train extra hard every day because of the excellent performance of Genichi and the others during their school days. He'd suffered terribly and secretly vowed that when he had children of his own, he'd make them experience the same childhood he had.
"I'm enjoying my life right now." Genichi shot back, "Unlike you, I suppose, who can just fool around and wait to go home and inherit the whole Nara Clan?"
"I wouldn't dare say that. If my dad heard you, I'd be in for another brutal training session when I got home." Shikaku was afraid the words might get back to his father and earn him another round of extra training.
"That's right. Genichi, with your strength, you probably don't lose to the Sannin," Yamanaka Inoichi remarked. There was no obvious change in his expression, but his sigh carried a note of admiration.
"Not at all. There are still plenty of things I can learn from my teacher, Lord Orochimaru," Genichi said modestly.
After the war, Genichi had spent nearly two years consolidating his strength. He was confident he wouldn't lose to anyone in Konoha. Even compared to Sarutobi Hiruzen, his ninjutsu might be less versatile and his experience less extensive, but the outcome of a real fight would still be uncertain.
"Crunch. I heard that every time Lord Orochimaru summons Aoda, he has to offer hundreds of living people as sacrifices. That's terrifying." Akimichi Choza looked a little frightened as he kept eating the food on the table.
"That's not true. I've also contracted with the snakes of Ryūchi Cave. In battle, they can eat whatever they find; for the rest, pork and beef will do. There are plenty of snakes in Ryūchi Cave. If Aoda won't do it, there are plenty that will." Genichi explained.
Already planning to become the Fourth Hokage, Genichi considered his advantages.
His strength was more than enough, and as the Hokage's grand-disciple, he had no problem getting nominated for the Hokage Position. Then all that remained was the vote.
He had a good relationship with Uzumaki Mito and Tsunade, so the Senju Clan's remaining influence should support him. The Uchiha Clan would do the same—or at least wouldn't oppose him.
Once the Third retired, he and the Hokage's faction—Sarutobi, Utatane, Mitokado, and the three Ino-Shika-Cho Clans—should support him too. Besides, he was a classmate of the next generation of leaders from the three Ino-Shika-Cho Clans, and they got along well.
A genius ninja born to an ordinary family, Genichi had also made a point of maintaining a good public image. He was popular among Konoha's civilian ninja as well.
It was in the bag. The more carefully Genichi thought it over, the more convinced he became that he embodied the Will of Fire. He was only one step away from becoming Hokage.
That step was for the Third to retire of his own accord.
That was right: there was no fixed term for the Hokage. The First Hokage had died of old age, and the Second had died in battle. When the Second Shinobi World War ended, everyone thought the Third, who was already past his prime as a ninja, would pass the Hokage Position to one of the Sannin. But the Hokage's office remained silent.
Genichi clearly remembered that Sarutobi Hiruzen stayed in office until the end of the Third Shinobi World War, when he passed the position to Minato. After Minato's death, he immediately returned to the post, and this time remained Hokage until the year 64 in Konoha's calendar.
In his previous life, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been harshly criticized.
Although events had unfolded for many different reasons, objectively speaking, Sarutobi Hiruzen's record was hard to defend.
He and the Second had encountered an enemy. The Second died, and he came back to take over as Third.
He and the Fourth Hokage had encountered an enemy. The Fourth Hokage died, and he returned to serve as Hokage again.
During his time in office, Konoha's staunch ally, the Uzumaki Clan, was wiped out. The founding clans, the Senju and the Uchiha, were also wiped out, with only one or two descendants of each remaining in Konoha.
During the Third Shinobi World War, he had Ninja Academy students graduate early and sent them to the front lines, yet he never went to battle himself.
When the war ended, he had refused Rock Ninja reparations just to stabilize the situation quickly. Then, when Cloud Ninja deliberately provoked Konoha, he had pressured the Hyuga Branch Family head, Hizashi Hyuga, until he died.
With his indulgence, Danzo had done countless terrible things: the Wood Style Experiment, White Fang's death, embezzling the orphanage's funds, spreading the claim that Naruto was the Demon Fox, and fighting over the Rinnegan in the Land of Rain...
As for "assassinating the Hokage," that didn't count. It was just a bit of fun between close friends.
The more Genichi thought about it, the worse he felt. If the Third hadn't treated him reasonably well, he might have been tempted to arrange an accident and seize the Hokage Position.
After calming down and thinking it through, he realized the Third Shinobi World War wasn't far off. Rather than trying to become Hokage now and playing political games with them in a little village, it would be better to keep building his strength. Three years, then another three years. By then, he could overwhelm any opponents with sheer power, unite Konoha, and expand outward. With Konoha's might and intelligence network, he could gather things that would help him grow stronger, and eventually unify the Ninja World for generations to come.
Just as Genichi was daydreaming about the future, a man with short black hair walked in, wearing a dark blue robe with the Uchiha Clan's Gunbai symbol emblazoned on its back.
It was none other than today's guest of honor, Fugaku Uchiha.
Fugaku had made a name for himself at a young age. Powerful and full of confidence, he was determined to make the Uchiha Clan great again.
He had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan early, and thought to himself, Next, I should become clan head, awaken the Mangekyo, become Hokage, and reach the pinnacle of Uchiha life. What a wonderful path ahead.
"Thank you all for coming today. Let me raise a glass to you." Fugaku smiled as he lifted his cup.
Though he'd earned a fearsome reputation on the battlefield, Genichi was still underage and couldn't drink. He raised his tea instead. "Congratulations, Uchiha heir?"
Fugaku smiled at that. "Haha, you're too kind. You and Mikoto are so close, Genichi. I hope we can all keep in touch."
Aware of the rift between the clan and the village, Fugaku continued trying to win over Genichi, whose strength was formidable.
Uchiha Clan Head—ever since Madara Uchiha had left the village with the clan's heirloom, the Gunbai, the Uchiha Clan had argued endlessly over who should be their new head.
They were all Three-Tomoe users, and there wasn't much difference in their strength. The Uchiha had never considered themselves inferior to anyone, so none would yield to another.
Eventually, they had finally chosen a respected elder to lead the clan. Then Setsuna Uchiha had launched a rebellion, vowing, "Though my body may burn to ashes, I will ensure the Uchiha Clan's glory endures for another hundred years."
Though the rebellion had failed to kill the Second, it had killed the Uchiha Clan Head of the time.
It took several more years before they selected a relatively mild-mannered and steady person to lead the clan. That person was Mikoto Uchiha's grandfather.
Even now, the clan head's family had only one daughter: Mikoto.
Female ninja usually gradually left the profession after marriage and returned to family life. The Uchiha Clan Head had also traditionally been a man.
So they had to choose a successor from among the younger generation in the clan. Fortunately, Fugaku was powerful and ambitious, and had considerable standing among his peers. That was why today's gathering had been arranged.
Anyone with a sharp eye could tell that today was the day the Uchiha Clan would choose its heir.
Even those who privately looked down on them had to show the Uchiha Clan some respect in public. Important figures from all over the village had come, and only one person among the Konoha High Command hadn't received an invitation.
Who could it be? What a mystery.
You tell me, Danzo.
Before you continue