Uchiha Mikoto

"Lord Clan Head?"

Gentō frowned at those words.

"When did our Uchiha Clan choose a new Clan Head?"

The clansman guiding him hurriedly explained:

"Before the previous Clan Head passed away, he appointed Lord Fugaku as acting Clan Head."

Gentō's gaze darkened slightly. He asked no further questions and followed the man toward Fugaku's residence.

They reached a traditional courtyard, and Gentō was led into the reception room.

Two men were already kneeling inside: Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Yashiro.

They seemed to have been discussing something. When Gentō entered, Fugaku spoke first, his tone steady:

"Gentō, you're here. Sit."

Gentō nodded, but just as he was about to sit, Yashiro spoke from beside him, his voice cool:

"Do young people these days not even know to bow before the Clan Head?"

He cast Gentō a sidelong glance, his tone mocking:

"I really don't know why Lord Hokage would promote a junior with no respect for his elders to Jonin, let alone allow him to command a shinobi army."

Gentō paused, stopping before he could sit.

He slowly turned his gaze toward Yashiro and spoke calmly:

"Yes, I'm your junior. But I led three hundred clansmen to defeat Sunagakure, forced them to pay reparations to Konoha, and ended the Third Shinobi World War."

"The Uchiha became a renowned shinobi clan in the Ninja World through strength, not seniority."

He took half a step forward and stared at Yashiro.

"You, on the other hand, never stop harping on about being an elder. So tell me, esteemed elder, what have you accomplished for the Uchiha?"

Yashiro's expression stiffened. He craned his neck defiantly.

"You... you're in no position to judge my achievements!"

"Achievements?"

Gentō scoffed.

"You went to war alongside the Clan Head. He died, yet here you sit without a scratch."

"Where were you when the Clan Head was surrounded? If you can't explain that, I might start wondering whether someone deliberately allowed him to die so they could claim his position."

"What nonsense are you spouting!"

Yashiro sprang to his feet, his face flushed red.

"How could I possibly..."

"Enough!"

Fugaku cut him off sharply, his expression darkening as well.

Gentō's words openly targeted Yashiro, but weren't they also an insinuation against him?

The Clan Head had died in battle while they, his bodyguards, had failed to protect him. That dereliction of duty was difficult to excuse.

Fugaku drew a deep breath and waved Yashiro away.

"Leave us. I'll speak with Gentō alone."

Yashiro shot Gentō a vicious glare, then reluctantly rose and left.

Only after the door slid shut did Fugaku turn toward Gentō, his tone gentler:

"Yashiro is rigid, but he means no harm. Don't take it to heart."

Gentō ignored that and went straight to the point:

"Why did you call me here? If there's nothing urgent, I still need to report to the Hokage."

Before he had finished speaking, the room's sliding door quietly opened.

A gentle, graceful figure entered with a tea tray.

She wore a deep-purple kimono, her long black hair gathered into a low bun, with a few strands falling softly against her snow-white neck.

Her figure was full and well-proportioned, her kimono sash accentuating her slender waist. A strip of fair skin showed beneath her slightly open collar.

She walked with slow, light steps, the curves of her waist and hips swaying naturally with her movements. She possessed a mature allure a young girl could scarcely match, yet remained poised and elegant.

She was Fugaku's wife, Uchiha Mikoto.

The moment Mikoto appeared, a system notification sounded in Gentō's mind:

[Ding! Suitable female shinobi for dual cultivation detected.]

[Name: Uchiha Mikoto

Kekkei genkai: Three-Tomoe Sharingan

Strength: Jonin

Overall rating: S]

Gentō's back instantly straightened when he saw Mikoto's system notification.

What?

Even Fugaku's wife, Mikoto, counted as a suitable dual cultivation partner?

She was a married woman!

Her husband, Fugaku, was sitting right in front of him!

What was this system trying to tell him?

Was it telling him to steal Fugaku's wife?

Mikoto noticed nothing amiss.

She knelt before the tea table and deftly poured tea for both men.

As her sleeve slipped back, it revealed a pale wrist. Her fingers were slender, her movements graceful and unhurried as she poured.

"Please forgive the humble tea."

She spoke softly and gave Gentō a slight nod, a gentle smile on her lips. Then she rose and walked gracefully away.

Gentō lifted his cup and took a small sip, savoring the flavor.

Fugaku spoke then, returning to the matter at hand:

"In seven days, the clan will hold a meeting at the Naka Shrine to select a new Clan Head."

He looked at Gentō, his tone earnest:

"Gentō, your military achievements are outstanding, and your reputation is at its peak. I hope you'll support me as the next Clan Head."

After a brief pause, Fugaku laid out his offer:

"If I become Clan Head, the position of chief of the Konoha Military Police Force will be yours."

He finished and quietly watched Gentō, his gaze carrying a measure of confidence, as though he had offered a sufficiently generous price.

Gentō merely continued sipping his tea with lowered eyes, unmoved.

Fugaku frowned slightly and added:

"When I step down in the future, I'll also give you my full support as my successor. What do you say?"

Gentō finally raised his head.

Fugaku thought his terms had won Gentō over, but the first words out of Gentō's mouth were:

"I'll also be running for Clan Head this time."

The room fell silent.

Fugaku froze, unable to respond for a long moment.

Gentō seemed entirely oblivious to the stifling atmosphere. His gaze drifted toward the doorway, hoping to catch another glimpse of Mikoto.

Instead, he saw a small face peeking through a gap in the paper door. The boy was about seven, with black hair and eyes, his quiet gaze revealing a precocious intelligence.

It was Uchiha Itachi.

A meaningful glint passed through Gentō's eyes, and he rose.

"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

He gave Fugaku a slight nod, turned, and slid the door open to leave.

The moment Gentō left, Yashiro darted inside and said indignantly:

"Clan Head! That brat doesn't know what's good for him!"

"Once you secure your position as Clan Head, you must teach him a lesson."

Fugaku watched the swaying doorway curtain and said softly:

"The appointment of the Clan Head requires the approval of the Three Elders."

"We already know that Grand Elder Zong Yan firmly supports him as the next Clan Head."

Fugaku fell silent for a moment, then murmured:

"The hero who ended the war... heh."

Meanwhile, Gentō left the Uchiha compound and headed straight for the Hokage's administrative building.

Inside the Hokage's Office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was discussing something with his two advisers, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, a pipe between his lips.

When Gentō entered, both advisers fell silent, their gazes settling on him with mixed feelings.

News of Konoha's crushing victory over Sunagakure and the peace treaty it had forced them to sign had already spread throughout the Ninja World.

Along with it came news of the staggering spoils of war and reparations.

Many of Konoha's shinobi clans had made a fortune this time.

Only the clans behind these two advisers had gained nothing.

As a result, neither looked at Gentō with much friendliness.

Hiruzen, however, smiled and beckoned to him.

"Gentō, you're back."

"Lord Hokage, I've come to report the results of the campaign."

"There's no rush."

Hiruzen spoke kindly.

"You've only just returned to the village. There's no harm in resting for a few days. Everyone in the village is calling you the hero who ended the war."

Gentō bowed his head modestly.

"It was everyone's united effort. I was merely fortunate."

As he spoke, Gentō took three scrolls from inside his clothing and presented them to Hiruzen.

The moment the three scrolls appeared, they drew everyone's attention.

They all knew it was time to divide the spoils of war!

Gentō continued his report:

"The valuables acquired within the Land of Wind totaled 5.6 billion ryō. The shinobi from the participating clans received half, leaving 2.8 billion ryō."

The corner of Utatane Koharu's eye twitched. She was deeply envious of those shinobi clans.

That was 2.8 billion ryō!

Even a small share would have been enough to greatly strengthen her clan and train a large new crop of shinobi.

But now, all that money had gone into other clans' pockets!

She couldn't help regretting that she hadn't sent her clan's shinobi to participate in the war.

Mitokado Homura was equally envious.

Putting on a stern expression, he criticized Gentō:

"Commander Gentō, all that money should have been handed over to the village for centralized distribution. Allocating it to the clans on your own was... against regulations, wasn't it?"