You Regret My Shadow

That afternoon.

Uchiha Fugaku moved even faster than expected; just as Uchiha Aoba was organizing his ninjutsu scrolls at home, he received a message from a clansman stating that Sarutobi Hiruzen had summoned him.

Uchiha Aoba's hands paused. He closed the notebook filled with pinyin, tucked it away, and without asking further questions, headed straight for the Hokage Building.

He knocked lightly on the office door, and a voice came from within almost immediately.

"Please, come in."

Uchiha Aoba pushed the door open and entered.

At this time, Sarutobi Hiruzen was roughly in his fifties. Though his face showed signs of age, his body remained robust. He sat behind his desk, dressed in his Hokage robes and wearing his conical hat.

"Lord Hokage."

Uchiha Aoba bowed respectfully.

"Oh, Aoba is here."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded in response, a gentle smile appearing on his face. "Stand up, there is no need for such formalities."

"Fugaku came to see me not long ago to report on your performance on the Sunagakure Battlefield and the military merits you achieved."

"You have done very well."

"You are too kind, Lord Hokage. Everything I do is for the sake of Konohagakure."

Uchiha Aoba's expression remained unchanged as he recited the standard response.

"Mm."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded and fell silent for a moment. He picked up his pipe, took a deep drag, and continued, "Regarding Fugaku's recommendation for your promotion to Jonin, I have approved it."

"Due to the current special circumstances, I will not be arranging a Jonin examination for you; I have faith in your strength."

"Therefore, once you leave, go directly to the Logistics Department to collect your Jonin flak jacket and update your ninja registration." As he spoke, he handed over an appointment document bearing the Hokage's official seal.

Uchiha Aoba took it, glanced over it briefly, and tucked it into his robes.

Seeing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke again.

"Aoba, I would like to invite you to join the Anbu as part of the Hokage's direct command unit. What do you think?"

"The Anbu?"

Uchiha Aoba was stunned. Faced with an invitation that was completely unexpected, he didn't react for a moment.

It was no wonder he felt this way.

The situation of the Uchiha Clan in Konohagakure was well-known and incredibly awkward.

Despite being one of the great clans that helped found the village alongside the Senju Clan, they had been consistently marginalized and suppressed.

It might seem like they held power and prestige by controlling the Military Police Force, which made the Uchiha Clan appear formidable.

However, that was as far as it went.

One could not find a single Uchiha in any other department, especially not the Anbu.

Thus, Uchiha Aoba had never anticipated such an invitation.

It felt as if the sun had risen in the west.

However, Uchiha Aoba only maintained his stunned expression for a few seconds before he put on a look of flattered surprise, nodding in agreement. "To be able to join the Anbu, and the Hokage's direct unit at that, is my honor."

"Thank you for your trust, Lord Hokage. I accept."

In truth, beyond accepting, Uchiha Aoba had no right to refuse.

It wasn't that he was judging a gentleman's heart with a villain's measure.

Uchiha Aoba had a strong suspicion that the reason Sarutobi Hiruzen extended this invitation was certainly not because he favored an Uchiha or wanted to cultivate him as a trusted subordinate.

It was highly likely that after learning of his intelligence and current capabilities, he wanted to keep him under his own nose.

It would make surveillance much easier.

He thought this to himself.

However, Sarutobi Hiruzen's next sentence left Uchiha Aoba truly baffled.

"Very good, Aoba. I am truly glad you accepted the invitation."

"In that case, go report directly to Minato. From today on, you will be his subordinate in the Anbu."

Minato? Which Minato?

In the vast expanse of Konohagakure, besides Namikaze Minato, who else could it be?

Uchiha Aoba barely managed to keep his expression under control.

If Sarutobi Hiruzen had placed him under anyone else, he would have been certain that the purpose of inviting him into the Anbu was to facilitate surveillance.

But Namikaze Minato was different; Uchiha Aoba was well aware that the man would be the future Fourth Hokage.

Even without considering the future.

As it stood, Namikaze Minato was already considered one of the top leaders of Konohagakure.

Since Sarutobi Hiruzen arranged it this way, it was definitely not as simple as the surveillance Uchiha Aoba had previously guessed.

Awkward, truly awkward.

Could it be that he, Uchiha Aoba, had really become the villain this time?

Or was Sarutobi Hiruzen trying to have him replace the future role of Uchiha Itachi?

To become the bridge between the Uchiha Clan and the village?

Tsk, why think so much? Just take it one step at a time.

Once the template synchronization rate reaches over 50%, whatever schemes you have will be nothing but empty talk in the face of absolute power.

Logistics Department.

Uchiha Aoba held a Jonin flak jacket in one hand and an Anbu uniform in the other, finally thinking indifferently.

Hokage Office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen took out his crystal ball, preparing to cast the Telescope Technique to check on the situation in the village.

Just then, a figure exuding a gloomy aura pushed the door open and walked in.

Seeing who it was, Sarutobi Hiruzen rolled his eyes discreetly.

"Danzo, is there something you need?"

Leaning on his cane, Danzo stomped it hard against the floor twice: "Hiruzen, I heard you invited that brat Uchiha Aoba to join the Anbu. What were you thinking?"

"The Uchiha Clan is a clan cursed with evil. Have you forgotten the teachings of Tobirama-sensei?"

"Tobirama-sensei never taught us that."

Sarutobi Hiruzen put the crystal ball back on the desk, picked up his pipe again, took a puff, and said: "Tobirama-sensei did indeed tell us to be wary of the Uchiha Clan, but he also told us that the Uchiha are members of Konoha."

"Over these years, under the joint suppression by you and Koharu and the others, the Uchiha Clan has drifted further and further away from the village. If we don't take action to reverse this situation, that would be the true violation of Tobirama-sensei's teachings."

"Besides, Danzo, don't forget Kagami; he was also of the Uchiha Clan."

"Kagami! In all these years, the Uchiha have only produced that one exception," Danzo insisted stubbornly.

"Uchiha Aoba could become the third."

Sarutobi Hiruzen stated firmly.

"The third? Who was the second?"

Danzo's eyes widened; he hadn't expected there to be another fish that slipped through the net.

"Uchiha Obito!"

That was fine, then.

Danzo's expression softened. With Uchiha Obito's carefree and scatterbrained nature, he couldn't even be bothered to target him.

Sending people to monitor him would be a waste of manpower.

"Hiruzen, I don't care what you're thinking, but Uchiha Aoba absolutely cannot join the Anbu."

"He awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan at twelve years old. The village must never see a second Uchiha Madara!"

"You're overthinking it, Danzo." Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head helplessly: "I have kept an eye on Aoba and Obito since they were in the Ninja Academy. Neither of them are Uchiha who act in extremes."

"Naive!"

Danzo couldn't hold back anymore and snapped: "Hiruzen, you are the Hokage. How can you make decisions based on feelings?"

His outburst triggered Sarutobi Hiruzen's dissatisfaction.

"Enough! Danzo, since you know I am the Hokage, then do not interfere with my decisions at will."

"..."

Danzo felt a surge of stifled anger. After a moment, he gritted his teeth and said:

"Hiruzen, you will regret this."

"I am the Hokage, and I will never regret my own decisions!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression was stern.