Early Graduation (Good Mood, Extra Chapter)

"Shimizu, sit."

Upon entering the room, a dignified voice reached Shimizu's ears.

He looked toward the source of the sound, finding a stern, square-jawed middle-aged man sitting on the tatami mat—it was none other than Fugaku.

"Lord Fugaku."

"There is no need for such formalities."

Fugaku attempted to squeeze out a smile, but despite his efforts, he failed to manage it.

He rarely smiled, and even when he forced one, it felt awkward to those watching.

Regardless, this child's parents had once been his subordinates and had died for the Uchiha; as their former captain, he needed to show the proper attitude.

"Shimizu, have you heard about the White Fang of the Leaf?"

Fugaku asked suddenly.

Mikoto poured a cup of hot tea for Shimizu and placed it before him.

Shimizu rubbed his fingers against the surface of the teacup, feeling its warmth. "I have heard."

The White Fang of the Leaf, whose real name was Sakumo Hatake, possessed peerless skill with the blade. He had carved out a massive reputation during the last Great Ninja War, with prestige that even surpassed the Sannin.

Yet, he had died a short while ago.

The cause of death was suicide.

But was the White Fang of the Leaf really so fragile that he would commit suicide simply because he couldn't handle the pressure?

According to the official data books, the White Fang of the Leaf had completed 27 S-rank missions and 123 A-rank missions.

Spying on enemy intelligence and engaging in underhanded assassinations were the basic tenets of a ninja.

With hundreds of other missions under his belt, he was a seasoned veteran who had long since grown accustomed to life and death.

As a ninja, one could not avoid espionage—all those dark, unseen deeds.

Yet, he had killed himself just like that.

For a time, hearts were filled with anxiety, and every ninja clan in the Hidden Leaf Village was secretly speculating about the cause.

The Uchiha could not remain aloof; as a large and prominent clan, they had to consider their own path to survival.

"Shimizu, your strength is already sufficient for graduation, isn't it?"

"I would like to spend a few more years honing my skills."

Shimizu shook his head.

The sooner he graduated, the sooner he would have to carry out missions.

He wasn't short on money right now, so why would he want to go do those boring tasks?

"No, we are currently in a time of great upheaval. The Uchiha needs to accumulate every ounce of strength."

Fugaku took a sip of tea, his tone brooking no argument.

Regarding the manner of Sakumo Hatake's death, the various ninja clans held different opinions.

Some believed that the Third Hokage felt Sakumo Hatake threatened his position as Hokage due to his excessive prestige.

Others believed that ninjas must adhere to the code, the most important of which was strict discipline, and that errors must be held accountable to maintain the stability of the ninja village.

Otherwise, how could mere slander have harmed Sakumo Hatake?

If the Third Hokage had issued a single order, everyone would have shut their mouths; anyone who dared to speak ill of Sakumo Hatake after that would have been going against the Hokage and showing a lack of regard for the village.

"Lord Fugaku, this..."

Shimizu frowned slightly.

He was being forced to graduate. Seeing that he had decent talent, they wanted to train him immediately and turn him into a tool?

"Shimizu, you know that there is some friction between the clan and the village right now. As a member of the Uchiha, you have an obligation to help everyone. You have a talent for medical ninjutsu, which is good, but I do not want you to waste your time."

Fugaku paused, then continued:

"If it were my own child, even at three or four years old, I would send them to the battlefield to witness the cruelty of the ninja world."

Shimizu did not speak, using the act of drinking tea to think.

Fugaku was not lying; he truly acted that way.

Itachi had been sent to the battlefield at age four, and regardless of whether he suffered psychological trauma, the answer was always that a ninja must be strong.

Shimizu remained silent for a long time, which caused Fugaku to furrow his brows.

He was speaking to him as the clan head, yet Shimizu was still making excuses—did he even have the Uchiha in his heart?

Just as the atmosphere grew tense, Shimizu finally spoke.

"Yes, Lord Fugaku."

"Good."

Fugaku nodded, clearly satisfied with Shimizu's answer.

They began with small talk about Shimizu's recent situation, to which Shimizu answered one by one.

Since he couldn't fight the current, he had no choice but to agree to graduate early.

In any case, it wasn't long until his actual graduation anyway, with only a few months left; a few months early was just a few months early.

For a moment, the two conversed harmoniously, just like old friends who hadn't seen each other in years.

Mikoto, who had just brought out dessert from the kitchen, looked puzzled.

Why couldn't she hear any sound from the living room while she was in the kitchen, yet now their voices were so loud?

"Shimizu, come have some cake."

Mikoto pushed a small cake toward Shimizu.

"Thank you for the trouble, Mikoto-nee."

Shimizu wore a smile, his expression gentle.

In reality, his opinion of Fugaku was plummeting.

He knew how to use the obligations of the Uchiha Clan to pressure him now, but during the Uchiha Clan Downfall, why hadn't he fulfilled his duties as clan head?

Fugaku bore an inescapable responsibility for the destruction of the Uchiha.

When Itachi betrayed the Uchiha and slaughtered a large number of innocent clansmen, Fugaku did not seek revenge, but instead praised him.

According to the ending of Itachi Shinden, even at the very end, there wasn't a hint of complaint in Fugaku's tone.

On the contrary, he felt that his own suffering was merely a fleeting moment compared to Itachi's.

He believed Itachi was the one truly in pain, and that he deserved praise for making such a decision.

He had quietly accepted his fate and waited for death, completing the total annihilation of the Uchiha.

One had to admit, there was a reason why the Uchiha were sometimes called lunatics.

That train of thought was truly one of a kind.

Back when he read this plot in the book, it hadn't felt like much, but now that Shimizu had become a member of the Uchiha, he really wanted to ask Fugaku: if you thought your precious son was in pain, why didn't you ask if all those clansmen were in pain too?

As a clan head, even if he didn't seek prosperity for the family, he should at least have the clansmen in his heart.

Various thoughts flashed through Shimizu's mind until Fugaku spoke again.

"Shimizu, help Mikoto look after her health. I know you've learned a lot from the captain of the Medical Team."

Having received the answer he wanted, Fugaku had no interest in wasting any more time; he still had to patrol the village.

Without waiting for Shimizu's reply, Fugaku departed.

A man and a married woman being alone in a room would usually invite gossip, and under normal circumstances, one would avoid such suspicion.

However, Shimizu was only nine years old—a standard child—and possessed the privileges of a child.

"Ara, I'll have to trouble little Shimizu then."

Mikoto tidied up the plate with cake crumbs and explained the reason to Shimizu.

It turned out she had always suffered from minor ailments, experiencing excruciating pain during that time of the month.

At first, Mikoto assumed it was a lingering injury from her time as a ninja and, since it didn't affect her daily life, she left it alone.

She had mentioned it to Fugaku, but he was always busy and had no time for such trivial matters.

In his view, a ninja was someone who endured pain.

He still had some old injuries from his youth, so what did this amount to?

Mikoto had simply gone to the hospital to get some medicine and left it at that.