Underlying Currents

At Uchiha Mokuen's home, Uchiha Izumi sat at the dinner table, staring at Obito in astonishment, her tone tinged with disbelief.

"Obito, you really became the clan head?"

Obito tapped Uchiha Izumi on the head with his chopsticks, looking exasperated.

"How many times have I told you? Call me Big Brother Obito."

"Hmph, I won't. You're only four years older than me."

Uchiha Izumi gave a little huff, then asked with a worried look, "Does that mean you're moving out of the house next door?"

"Are you worried you'll miss me?"

Obito smiled as he pinched Uchiha Izumi's chubby cheek, teasing her. "As long as you behave and call me Big Brother Obito from now on, and let me pinch your cheek, I won't move out."

"Really?"

Uchiha Izumi's eyes lit up. For once, she let Obito pinch her cheek, squirmed a little, and whispered, "Big Brother Obito."

Uchiha Mokuen sat at the head of the table, watching the two of them tease each other with an amused smile. He spoke up to defend his daughter.

"Izumi, Obito isn't moving out at all. He's just teasing you."

"Stupid Obito!"

Uchiha Izumi looked indignant. She shook her head to fling Obito's hand away and let out a snort.

"I'm never talking to you again."

Uchiha Naomi rose with a gentle smile and served Uchiha Izumi some food. "Izumi, it's not good for a girl to lose her temper all the time."

Uchiha Izumi's face fell, and she turned her head away. Uchiha Mokuen patted her head with a smile, glared at Obito, and said loudly, "You little rascal, you're a clan head now, but you still love teasing your little sister."

"Exactly. Obito's a mean big brother."

Uchiha Izumi nodded emphatically, glaring at Obito with wide, resentful eyes.

Obito wasn't fazed in the slightest. He looked at Uchiha Izumi with an amused smile. "Fugaku's planning to have his son, Uchiha Itachi, become my student. I heard he just started school, too. Izumi, do you know him?"

"I... I'm his classmate."

Uchiha Izumi's cheeks reddened a little, but she pretended nothing was wrong.

"Is that so?"

Obito nodded knowingly, a mischievous glint flashing in his eyes. He raised his voice and said, "That's troublesome. My Izumi is so cute, she must be really popular in class. I'll have to warn that boy to stay away from our Izumi."

"You... You can't!"

Uchiha Izumi could no longer keep up her act. She looked frantic.

"Why not?"

Obito pretended not to understand, looking puzzled.

"I..."

Uchiha Izumi's face was on the verge of tears. She clutched her head in frustration.

"Stop teasing her."

Uchiha Mokuen doted on his daughter more than anything. Seeing how flustered Uchiha Izumi was made his heart ache. He frowned and glared at Obito, who was enjoying the spectacle.

"You tricked me again?"

Uchiha Izumi lowered her hands and stared at Obito in disbelief.

"Men's words are all lies."

"Izumi, learn from your mistakes."

"I'm teaching you a lesson for your own good."

Obito pinched Uchiha Izumi's cheek, his tone utterly sincere.

"Is that so?"

Uchiha Izumi looked a little dazed. She glanced at her smiling parents as if asking them for confirmation.

"Of course."

Obito nodded gravely, then took a sapphire necklace from his clothes and put it around Uchiha Izumi's neck. Smiling, he said, "See? Big Brother Obito even got you a present."

"It's so pretty."

"Thank you, Big Brother Obito." Uchiha Izumi smiled in delight and held the necklace against her chest as if it were a treasure.

Obito stroked Uchiha Izumi's head, his expression gentle. "I'm glad you like it."

Obito had put a lot of thought into the necklace. He had set it with Clear Mind and Deflection Field, and also added Focus Study and a Spirit Gathering Array. That way, Izumi would be more focused while studying, and the necklace would slowly replenish its own energy without her needing to supply it with magic.

Uchiha Mokuen looked at Obito fondly, his voice full of emotion. "You really have grown up. If your older brother and sister-in-law had seen you yesterday, they would've been so happy."

Obito smiled and nodded, then suddenly slapped his forehead in dismay. "Oh no, I still have something to take care of."

At the Nara Clan's compound, Nara Shikaku sized up Obito Uchiha with a smile. "A distinguished guest at my door. What brings the Uchiha Clan Head here?"

Obito looked at the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, who were always together, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and got straight to the point. "There's no need to pretend you don't know, Nara Clan Head."

"Oh?"

Nara Shikaku exchanged a glance with Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza. His eyes narrowed as he asked in a low voice, "What kind of cooperation do you have in mind?"

"The Nara Clan can supply medicinal ingredients, and the Uchiha Clan will prioritize purchasing them from you."

Obito never liked beating around the bush. He stated his proposal plainly.

Nara Shikaku furrowed his brow and pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "This is a serious matter. I'll have to report it to Lord Hokage and let him decide."

"If the benefits aren't enough, just say so, Nara Clan Head. There's no need to make excuses."

Obito dipped a finger in his tea and drew a circle on the wooden table, then divided it with three strokes into two large sections and one small one.

"As far as I know, the Third Hokage inherited the Second Hokage's will and has always wanted to change the situation in Hidden Leaf Village, where the clans have grown too powerful."

"The Ino-Shika-Cho alliance and the other small and mid-sized clans need to join forces with the Third Hokage to guard against the Uchiha Clan becoming too dominant. But they also keep their guard up against the Third Hokage in secret. They need the Uchiha Clan, the strongest clan in Hidden Leaf Village, to stand at the front and draw fire."

"Your relationship with the Third Hokage isn't as good as it seems."

Nara Shikaku remained impassive, unmoved by Obito's words. "With wolves in front and tigers behind, survival is difficult. We have no choice but to be cautious."

"Fine."

Obito smiled, then stood and headed for the door, speaking loudly as he left. "The longer you wait to place your bet, the less you'll get. You'll change your mind soon enough."

Yamanaka Inoichi frowned as he watched Obito's back, then turned to Nara Shikaku. "Shikaku, who do you think will win this time?"

Nara Shikaku dipped his finger in the tea and redrew the circle on the table, dividing it into three equal parts. He looked thoughtful.

"That depends on whether Lord Hokage can reproduce it."

Akimichi Choza, as usual, never stopped eating. He asked doubtfully, "If even you can't reproduce it, Shikaku, can Lord Hokage?"

"Lord Hokage has two genius disciples."

Yamanaka Inoichi gazed into the distance, looking somewhat worried.

At Hidden Leaf Hospital, Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned at the head of the Medical Department and asked in a low voice, "You still haven't reproduced it?"

The Medical Department head, Matsumoto Kenro, wiped the sweat from his forehead. His voice held a trace of helplessness and shame. "These medicines react in extremely complicated ways. The formulas we've reverse-engineered either explode during preparation or are completely useless."

Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a long breath, and a large smoke ring appeared in midair. He lowered his head and thought for a moment, then clapped his hands lightly. A ninja in Anbu uniform silently knelt before Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Summon Tsunade and Orochimaru back from the front lines."