The next morning, Uchiha Kenichi walked into the alchemy chamber looking smug, his face pale after throwing up all night.
Hearing the explosions that still rang out one after another, Uchiha Kenichi shook his head disdainfully and sauntered over to Uchiha Aoki.
Uchiha Aoki had just turned twenty that year. He had already awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and become an elite jonin, making him, Uchiha Kenichi, and Uchiha Mahiro the leaders of the Uchiha Clan's younger generation.
Unlike Uchiha Kenichi's brash personality, Uchiha Aoki was reserved and steady, and took his work seriously. He had managed to achieve a 20% success rate when making Healing Liquid.
Unfortunately, this batch of Healing Liquid failed, and exploded with a bang.
"Aoki, you're no good at this."
Uchiha Kenichi stood nearby, grinning mockingly. He and Aoki were friends, but that didn't stop him from teasing him.
Uchiha Aoki was used to his friend's sharp tongue and couldn't be bothered to respond. He rubbed his tired eyes and prepared to continue.
"Aoki, take a break. The clan head said that working nonstop puts too much strain on your mind."
Uchiha Mahiro, standing beside them, frowned with concern.
Uchiha Mahiro was the youngest, but he was cold on the outside and kind at heart. Usually, he was the one looking after Uchiha Kenichi and Uchiha Aoki, even though they were older than him.
"Right. Move aside and let me, Kenichi, show you how to make medicine."
Uchiha Kenichi had suffered for a whole month in the illusion and had been itching to show off. He shoved Uchiha Aoki aside and got to work with practiced ease.
There had been instructional videos left behind by Obito in the illusion. Uchiha Kenichi had practiced making medicine until he felt sick of it, but he couldn't skip the training. He couldn't just mess around, either, with a vast thundercloud hovering over his head.
With a smooth sequence of movements, Uchiha Kenichi first refined the various medicinal ingredients and removed their impurities, then used his mental energy to balance their properties. After a few sticks of incense had burned, he had finished making a bottle of emerald-green Healing Liquid.
Just then, Obito walked in, looking a little unsteady after spending all night studying various cultivation techniques. He patted Uchiha Kenichi on the shoulder in surprise and encouraged him. "Kenichi, I knew I could count on you!"
"I have to thank you for your guidance, clan head."
After a whole month of suffering, Uchiha Kenichi didn't dare act up. He looked ingratiatingly at the great demon king he had cursed ten thousand times in his heart.
"Mm."
Obito nodded in satisfaction, then smiled at Uchiha Fugaku, who was handling clan affairs at a table he'd moved into the room. "Senior Fugaku, Kenichi's made good progress. From now on, Shisui and Kenichi can keep an eye on things here. You can go home."
"Good."
Uchiha Fugaku let out a deep breath, looking utterly relieved.
He, Uchiha Fugaku, was a family man, but because of all this, he hadn't gone home for days. Now that he was finally free, he felt both happy and a little anxious. Could he still bring himself to face his family?
Uchiha Shisui looked at Obito with a resentful gaze. He might have a good temper, but that didn't mean people could keep picking on him just because he was easygoing. He'd been stuck here for days, too!
Especially with all these idiots—no, I shouldn't say that. I, Uchiha Shisui, am a polite person. These seniors really do have trouble understanding things. I could learn something in a few tries, but even after teaching them a hundred times, they still didn't get it.
Obito sighed and looked sincerely at Uchiha Shisui. "Shisui, this is a difficult task. That's exactly why I entrusted it to you."
"Think about it. If our Uchiha Clan can master the production of these medicines, we won't just give Konoha Ninja an advantage in the coming war—we'll also raise the standing of our clan and improve our relationship with the Konoha High Command."
"Isn't that what you've always dreamed of?"
"What's a few extra days of work when you're pursuing a dream?"
Uchiha Shisui nodded blankly. Something about it felt off, but Obito's words did make sense.
He had always suffered over the strained relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the village. If they could ease that tension this way, and even help both the clan and the village, what did a few extra days of work matter?
Uchiha Shisui felt ashamed of his own slack attitude. If he had so little resolve, what right did he have to call himself a successor to the Will of Fire?
Just as Uchiha Shisui was feeling ashamed, he noticed that Obito was trying to sneak away again. He finally caught on, rushed over, and grabbed him. "What are you going to do?"
Obito hid his guilty expression. By the time he turned around, his face was full of righteous resolve. He patted Uchiha Shisui on the shoulder and said solemnly, "As the head of the Uchiha Clan, of course I have to handle the most difficult task."
"Really?"
Uchiha Shisui had been fooled by that expression too many times to believe him. He continued to eye Obito suspiciously.
"You still don't trust me?"
Obito looked heartbroken as he faced Uchiha Shisui. Patting his chest, he swore, "I swear on the ancestor I respect most, Lord Madara: if I'm lying to you, may Lord Madara be left without a proper burial and never find peace."
Uchiha Shisui thought the oath sounded a little strange, but Obito really did hold Lord Madara in high regard, so he nodded and let go of him.
Obito breathed a sigh of relief, then pulled Uchiha Kenichi away from the crowd of clan members he was showing off to. Smiling, he asked, "Kenichi, what did you think of the help I gave you last time?"
Uchiha Kenichi blinked in confusion and cautiously looked at Obito. "I, Kenichi, will always remember the clan head's guidance. From now on, if the clan head tells me to go east, I wouldn't dare go west."
"Excellent."
Obito nodded and gave Uchiha Kenichi a warm look. "I can keep helping you improve."
"No need."
"No need."
Uchiha Kenichi looked horrified. Seeing Obito frown in displeasure, he straightened up and said righteously, "I, Kenichi, am not the sort of selfish villain who thinks only of himself. The clan head's guidance is precious. Other clan members should have the chance to benefit from it, too."
Obito patted Uchiha Kenichi on the shoulder in satisfaction. Looking at the Uchiha clan members in the distance, who were glaring daggers at Kenichi, he smiled. "Good. Stay here and keep watch. Correct the clan members when they make mistakes, and write down the names of the three with the worst results. I'll make sure to help them."
When Uchiha Kenichi's eyes lit up and he smugly glared back at everyone, Obito continued with a smile, "Of course, if I find you slacking off and the others haven't improved, I'll make sure to help you, too."
Uchiha Kenichi shivered and quickly nodded. "Don't worry, clan head. I, Kenichi, will make sure this gets done."
"Good."
Obito waved to Uchiha Shisui, whose enthusiasm had been rekindled. He swept his Mangekyō Sharingan over the Uchiha clan members sneaking glances at him, then slowly strolled out.
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