After finishing his ramen, Uchiha Fugaku chose not to keep wandering around Konoha.
Instead, he headed home. There was still plenty of time, after all. It would be no fun if he explored all of Konoha in one go.
It was time to get back to training.
At Uchiha Fugaku's level, training didn't do much to improve his strength unless he learned more powerful ninjutsu.
But he still had the Qi Refining Technique to practice.
Studying a cultivation technique might not let him embark on the path of cultivation, but perhaps he could find a way to absorb Natural Energy. That would be worthwhile too.
He could create his own Senjutsu, and establish a style of Senjutsu unique to the Uchiha Clan.
Then he'd have his own: Senjutsu: Susanoo.
The thought excited Uchiha Fugaku.
Then he headed home.
Konoha Military Police Force
"Itachi, being the head of the Uchiha Clan is exhausting. I have to deal with so many documents every day."
After saying that, Izumi collapsed onto the floor. The excitement she'd felt when Uchiha Fugaku had just talked her into working alongside Itachi was gone.
This wasn't the kind of date she wanted.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Itachi had activated his Sharingan and was frantically reading and correcting documents. He couldn't help nodding in agreement, then thought resentfully:
Damn you, otou-san. You not only stole my limited-edition Three-Color Dango, you're slacking off and making Izumi and me do your work for you.
You're just awful.
Uchiha Clan Compound
When Uchiha Fugaku returned and saw the now-empty compound, with some of the clan members having already moved away, he couldn't help thinking that the Uchiha Clan really was a little short on people.
Honestly, the population of the Uchiha, Konoha's number-one clan, was far too small.
There were only a few hundred of them in total.
He'd only realized this after exploring Konoha that day.
Just as Uchiha Fugaku was musing over it, a system notification made him excited.
"Detected the host lamenting the Uchiha Clan's insufficient population. System mission issued: New Life for the Clan."
[System Mission: New Life for the Clan] [Mission Objective: For every healthy newborn with ninja talent born into the Uchiha Clan, the host will receive one lottery opportunity. As the man with the strongest genes in the Shinobi World, the host will receive one super lottery draw for every child born.] Super lottery draws have a chance of yielding a super prize of gold grade or higher.
Holy crap! System, are you forcing me into this? I only regained my memories yesterday, and now you're tempting me to become a breeding machine. That's too much.
How could Uchiha Fugaku possibly submit to the temptation of your system rewards?
I should focus on developing the Uchiha Clan first. Even if I became a breeding machine and had children, how could I possibly match the entire Uchiha Clan's fertility?
At the thought, Uchiha Fugaku immediately became invested in the Uchiha Clan's development.
Didn't he have that Taijutsu training ability?
It was time to put it to use.
After all, healthy children needed healthy parents.
Starting tomorrow, he'd put the Uchiha Clan through their paces.
As for why he wouldn't start today, it was already nearly afternoon, and they were all busy moving the clan compound.
It wouldn't be appropriate to summon them now.
But the system mission had appeared because he'd lamented that the Uchiha Clan was too small. What if he lamented that they were too weak?
The system's intelligence mercilessly crushed Uchiha Fugaku's fantasy.
System missions were triggered randomly. The host could not trigger one by deliberately trying to do so.
Uchiha Fugaku understood and couldn't help pursing his lips.
Fine. If he couldn't, he couldn't.
Even if no other missions were ever triggered, he was already more than satisfied with this permanent system mission.
At the thought, Uchiha Fugaku happily headed home.
At the same time, he began thinking about how to encourage the clan members to have children tomorrow.
"Should I set up a birth incentive program?"
"But how should I go about it?"
After returning home, Uchiha Fugaku put aside his thoughts on how to complete the mission.
After all, having children to grow the clan wasn't something that could be done overnight.
Senjutsu, on the other hand, could improve the clan members' combat ability and reduce their chances of dying.
After all, the larger the clan, the more new lives it would naturally produce.
Uchiha Fugaku then took out the Qi Refining Technique, intending to finish reading it that day and then use Enlightenment Tea that night to develop a Senjutsu unique to the Uchiha Clan.
He would make the Uchiha Clan the first Senjutsu clan in the Shinobi World whose members all practiced Senjutsu.
But when Uchiha Fugaku took out the Qi Refining Technique, he was a little stunned.
A book a full twenty centimeters thick appeared before Uchiha Fugaku.
"Holy crap! What kind of edition of the Qi Refining Technique is this? Why is it so thick?"
"Is this some kind of scientific cultivation guide?"
Still, Uchiha Fugaku held out hope for its contents.
What if—just what if—it was all illustrated instructions for cultivation?
But when Uchiha Fugaku saw what was inside, he realized he shouldn't have entertained such unrealistic fantasies.
Every page was densely packed with text explaining the specific principles of cultivation.
But for his Senjutsu, for his Senjutsu Susanoo—
For his system rewards—
Could this little Qi Refining Technique really stump Uchiha Fugaku? Could it stump the man with the strongest genes in the Shinobi World?
Uchiha Fugaku would read it first and ask questions later.
With that thought, Uchiha Fugaku activated his Sharingan and began reading at top speed.
When Uchiha Mikoto returned from Izumi's house that evening, she couldn't help worrying at the sight of Uchiha Fugaku frantically flipping through a book.
"Fugaku, what's wrong? Are you all right?"
Hearing Uchiha Mikoto call out to him, Uchiha Fugaku slowly raised his bloodshot Sharingan and spoke in a hoarse, hoarse voice.
"I-I'm fine."
After saying that, Uchiha Fugaku felt his head grow heavy and foggy.
All he could see were the basic theories of the Qi Refining Technique: Psionic Particle, Psionic Particle Reaction Theory, Psionic Particle Attraction Theory...
Then Uchiha Fugaku cleared his exhausted mind and asked,
"Mikoto, what time is it?"
Uchiha Mikoto checked the time and replied,
"It's already five in the afternoon."
Hearing that it was five, Uchiha Fugaku immediately snapped to attention.
Oh no, I promised to pick up Sasuke and check on Itachi and Izumi's work at the Military Police Force.
Uchiha Fugaku left her with one sentence, then rushed out in a panic.
"Mikoto, I'm going to pick up Sasuke and Itachi."
Watching Fugaku dash out, Uchiha Mikoto couldn't help smiling. He seemed to have gone back to the impulsive young man he'd been in his youth, no longer as composed as before.
But she seemed to have gotten much younger, too.
As she spoke, Uchiha Mikoto touched her face.
"I have to admit, that dango Fugaku gave me really worked. My girlfriends were all secretly asking me for my skincare secrets today."
"If they hadn't kept pestering me and wouldn't let me leave, I wouldn't have gotten back so late."
Before you continue