Third Hokage! (Seeking Flowers and Rewards!)

All unfairness in this world is caused by one's own lack of ability!

Uchiha Hao was stunned upon hearing this, at a loss for words. He could not imagine that such a statement would come from the mouth of a six-year-old child. On the other hand, Uchiha Hao became even more certain that the death of Mirai Uchiha's parents had left a profound impact on him. Uchiha Hao felt a twinge of guilt; he realized he had neglected Mirai Uchiha's growth over the past two years, otherwise, he would not have failed to notice these changes.

"A fine sentiment—that all unfairness is caused by one's own lack of ability!"

At that moment, a bold voice echoed from the doorway. Everyone turned to see the Third Hokage, dressed in his official robes and puffing on a pipe, walking in. The Third Hokage was in his prime, lacking the frailty of his later years, his eyes sharp and piercing, exuding the formidable aura of a leader.

"Lord Third!"

Uchiha Hao and the others bowed slightly. Although they looked down upon the Hokage in their hearts, they still had to perform the basic formalities; after all, Konoha did not yet belong to the Uchiha Clan.

"Hmm!" The Third Hokage gave a faint nod before turning his gaze toward Mirai Uchiha. He smiled slightly, stepped forward, and said, "You must be Mirai Uchiha. Can you explain the meaning behind what you just said?"

This person is incredibly strong! The moment he saw the Third Hokage, Mirai Uchiha felt a wave of pressure—a presence he had never sensed from Uchiha Hao. Hearing the question, Mirai Uchiha exhaled softly and replied calmly, "If one were not weak, how could they be killed by others? Why are they weak? Because they did not train diligently enough since childhood, or because their ancestors did not grant them a superior bloodline. Therefore, they are the weak. Whether it is a lack of diligent training or a lack of good bloodline, these are their own problems—their own faults. If they had trained hard enough, or if their ancestors had provided better conditions, they would be the strong. They would not have been killed, nor would they have forced their killer to bear the stigma of a murderer!"

Upon hearing this, both Uchiha Hao and the Third Hokage were astonished. The Third Hokage even forgot the pipe in his mouth. After a long silence, he regained his composure, looked deeply at Mirai Uchiha, and asked kindly, "I heard your ideal is to never make mistakes. Is that because of the reason you just stated?"

The Third Hokage had reviewed Mirai Uchiha's file before coming here; he knew every detail of what the boy had experienced since birth.

Mirai Uchiha nodded, not refuting the Third Hokage's words.

Uchiha Hao, standing to the side, was nervous. He feared the Third Hokage would interfere with the affairs of the Military Police Force, which would put Mirai Uchiha in danger.

"Mirai Uchiha, you are still just a child. I will overlook this matter for the sake of your youth. However, you cannot return to the Ninja Academy; the other children are likely terrified of you. How about this? Starting tomorrow, I will personally oversee your training. What do you say?"

Unexpectedly, the Third Hokage made no mention of the killing of the ninja, leaving both Mirai Uchiha and Uchiha Hao confused.

"Sigh! That deceased genin was an orphan; it is truly a pity," the Third Hokage suddenly sighed, his face filled with compassion.

Mirai Uchiha was stunned for a moment, then realized the Third Hokage's intent. The genin was an orphan, meaning there were no relatives to cause trouble. Since only three children had witnessed the killing, it was easy to keep them quiet. As for being taken as a disciple, Mirai Uchiha pondered it and guessed the motive: the Third Hokage had always wanted to reconcile the Uchiha Clan and Konoha. As the greatest genius of the Uchiha Clan, Mirai Uchiha held a significant position. By taking him as a disciple and guiding him, the relationship between the clan and the village would surely improve in a decade or so. Of course, in the past, the Third Hokage would never have made such an offer, knowing the Uchiha Clan would refuse. But things were different now; Mirai Uchiha had committed a grave crime that should have cost him his life. To protect this genius, Uchiha Hao would not dare to object, which explained why the Third Hokage was here and why he proposed the apprenticeship.

As expected, one does not become Hokage without a few tricks up their sleeve! Mirai Uchiha nodded inwardly. He did not mind being manipulated by the Third Hokage. The man was known as the Professor of Ninjutsu and possessed thousands of techniques. If he studied hard, his strength would improve rapidly—far better than wasting time at the Ninja Academy.

"Mirai Uchiha, are you willing to take me as your master?" the Third Hokage asked again with a smile.

Mirai Uchiha looked at Uchiha Hao first. Seeing him nod with a look of displeasure, Mirai Uchiha said, "I am willing. Greetings, Master!" He bowed slightly, performing the formal rite of master and disciple.

"Good, good. Mirai Uchiha, I have matters to attend to today. Go handle your withdrawal from the academy, and come to me in three days. I will arrange your training!" The Third Hokage nodded with a smile, acknowledged Uchiha Hao, and turned to leave.

"That old fox, taking advantage of a crisis!"

As soon as the Third Hokage left, Uchiha Hao began to curse. After a long while, he sighed helplessly. The Uchiha Clan was currently weak and lacked the strength to confront the Hokage's faction. Unless necessary, he did not want to burn bridges with the Third Hokage. Thinking this, Uchiha Hao looked at Mirai Uchiha, narrowed his eyes, and thought, Mirai Uchiha is the foundation for whether our clan can regain the glory of the Warring States period. I cannot let the Third Hokage brainwash him. It seems I need to prepare accordingly!

As the head of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Hao was quite perceptive. He understood the Third Hokage's intentions—it was nothing more than an attempt to gain complete control over the Uchiha Clan. He would never let the Third Hokage succeed.

Clearly, Uchiha Hao had misunderstood the Third Hokage's good intentions! The man simply wanted to ease the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha.

"Mirai Uchiha, come home with me now. I have things to discuss with you!" Uchiha Hao was restless. Time was short, and he needed to prepare. It was best to tell Mirai Uchiha certain things so he wouldn't be swayed by the Third Hokage's influence; after all, he was still a child and easily misled.

After delegating tasks for the Military Police Force, Uchiha Hao took Mirai Uchiha home.