The Hyuga Clan

He had actually been secretly monitoring the Uchiha for a long time, but their territory had made it difficult.

He hadn't infiltrated many of them, but now that he had these assets, he could infiltrate more. The Uchiha Clan would have no secrets from him!

Orochimaru paid no attention to what Danzo was thinking. His gaze passed through the dim room, as if it had landed on Shimizu.

An Uchiha who didn't worship the Sharingan, but instead pursued medical skills—why?

He really was a very unusual Uchiha. What would this new trend do to Konoha?

A glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes as he thought of something.

Hokage Building, Hokage Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe as he looked over the report in his hands.

The room was hazy with smoke, the air thick with its smell.

"Hiruzen, the Uchiha have been showing more and more disregard for the village lately. We need to put this matter on the agenda!"

Shimura Danzō gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a cold sidelong glance. He hated the smell of smoke.

Years ago, Danzō had advised Hiruzen Sarutobi to stop smoking. It wasn't something a ninja should do.

The smell could give away his position!

"Danzō, the Uchiha are members of the village, too."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff, then tapped his pipe lightly against the desk.

What he meant by "put it on the agenda" was planting surveillance devices inside the Uchiha Clan.

"Hmph."

Danzō placed a report on Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk.

He had never expected Hiruzen Sarutobi to agree so easily. What mattered more to him now was something else.

"Transfer this person to Root."

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly and picked up the report.

It contained the records of a student at the Ninja Academy: Uchiha Shimizu.

"A medical ninja?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi skimmed the report. It detailed Uchiha Shimizu's exceptional medical talent.

"What's the problem with this child?"

"I want to train him to become a second Kagami Uchiha."

Danzō's one visible eye fixed intently on Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Since Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't let him plant surveillance devices within the Uchiha Clan, he would train a spy!

"Enough, Danzō. This child can't join Root."

Hiruzen Sarutobi had actually been keeping an eye on Uchiha Shimizu for some time.

Those who became medical ninja generally had a desire to heal and save lives.

Among the Uchiha, whose hearts were usually cold, someone so bright was truly rare. With proper guidance, he might even become a bridge between the village and the Uchiha.

"Hiruzen, don't you trust me?"

Danzō furrowed his brow, anger simmering beneath the surface.

Whatever he did, Hiruzen Sarutobi always stood in his way.

Did he want to do this? He was only acting for the village, to bring about the peace he envisioned!

"Enough, Danzō. I'm the Hokage."

Hiruzen Sarutobi lifted his pipe and took a puff.

He knew all too well what Danzō was plotting.

He had other plans for Uchiha Shimizu and couldn't let Danzō meddle.

"Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

Shimura Danzō slammed the door on his way out. Neither of his goals had been achieved, leaving him even more resentful of Hiruzen Sarutobi.

If things were done his way, the village would surely be better off.

He was the one who had inherited the Second's ideals. Hiruzen Sarutobi had only taken the position because he'd acted first.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed softly.

His old friend was too extreme. Root was also part of Anbu, but Danzō had turned it into his own personal dictatorship. Its members were all branded with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.

What had happened before could be put aside, but when it came to the Uchiha Clan, they had to be extremely cautious.

He gazed out at Kage Rock and fell into his memories.

Ninja Academy.

"Hey, Inuzuka Shi, don't you think Kurenai's been acting strange lately?"

Asuma Sarutobi whispered.

He kept glancing at Kurenai Yuhi as she practiced ninjutsu up ahead, afraid she might hear him.

"What's different?"

A small black dog lay across Inuzuka Shi's head, panting to cool itself down.

Inuzuka Shi wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The sun was blazing, and it was a free-period class for once. Of course he was going to take a good rest.

"Didn't you notice? Kurenai and Tenten seem to have something on their minds lately. Sometimes they even look troubled."

"Have they?"

Inuzuka Shi had vaguely suspected that Asuma Sarutobi was interested in Kurenai Yuhi. This was practically a confession.

Who paid attention to another girl every single day?

Inuzuka Shi casually humored the young lord, passing the time.

Under the scorching sun, many students had chosen to cool off beneath the trees.

Shimizu was among them.

He rested with his eyes closed, leaning against a tree trunk.

After returning from Yakushi Nonō's place yesterday, he had found a sheet of Chakra Paper to test his chakra nature.

As he fed chakra into it, the white paper first crumpled into a ball, then burst into flames.

The result meant Shimizu had both Fire and Lightning chakra natures.

Chakra Paper reacted differently depending on the nature of the chakra put into it.

Fire burned it, wind split it down the middle, lightning crumpled it, water dampened it, and earth crumbled it.

A ninja could have as many as seven chakra natures, or none at all.

Chakra natures were divided into the five basic transformations—Lightning, Fire, Wind, Water, and Earth—

as well as the Yin and Yang transformations.

Ordinary Chakra Paper could only test the five basic natures.

It couldn't detect the special Yin and Yang natures. Testing for those required special Chakra Paper.

Shimizu pondered his training plans.

Fire was easy. The Uchiha were a clan known for their fire techniques, so he only needed to systematically learn the ninjutsu passed down within the clan.

The Uchiha Clan had very few Lightning Style techniques in its records.

Developing them on his own would take too long. His best option was to rely on the Simulator.

Shimizu discreetly glanced at Kakashi, who was training alone. The Simulator could only simulate three years for now.

Kakashi was six. He wouldn't develop the Lightning Cutter for another six years, so the timing wouldn't work.

As Shimizu thought things over, it was soon time to leave school.

He had run out of Military Ration Pills at home, so he planned to stock up again.

"Xia, look. That's one of the Uchiha."

As Shimizu walked along the road, he occasionally heard people whispering about the Uchiha.

It was nothing serious. The Uchiha, who ran the Konoha Military Police Force, were bound to attract resentment.

But the relationship between the other villagers and the Uchiha would only become more hostile after Danzō spread rumors.

Danzō wouldn't spread rumors yet. He had no reason to make a move against the Uchiha.

That would have to wait until the Night of the Nine-Tails. That was when Danzō would choose to act.

"The clan leader told you not to say things that undermine unity."

"So what? The clan leader also said the Uchiha were born evil."

Hyuga Tetsu looked unconcerned.

He didn't want to lose face in front of the girl he liked.

"Ugh."

Hyuga Natsu shook her head, looking rather helpless.