Transaction

"Yu! What kind of changes are they exactly?" Fugaku asked in a deep voice.

"Father, it's just that my vision is incredibly clear. Like now, if I focus, I can see tiny bugs on your face—the kind ordinary people can't see. Plus, I can slow down the speed at which some things move."

To put it simply, the latter was like the bullet time from The Matrix in his past life.

Fugaku's expression slowly grew solemn. "Yu, have you awakened the Sharingan?"

"No!" Yu blinked his large eyes while in his mother's arms, signaling for Fugaku to look at his eyes to see that they hadn't awakened the Sharingan.

"Could it be that Yu's bloodline is so superior that he possesses the functions of the Sharingan even without awakening it?" Fugaku stroked his chin, lost in thought.

His heart then began to race with excitement. Both of his sons were talented enough to be considered geniuses; it seemed the prosperity of the Uchiha rested upon his shoulders.

Thinking of this, a sharp glint flashed in Fugaku's eyes as he looked at Yu in Mikoto's arms. "Yu! You must never speak of this to outsiders."

Yu nodded. "Don't worry, Father. I understand."

Seeing that her son was fine, Mikoto felt much more at ease.

"Yu, if you're alright, go upstairs and get some sleep. You have to wake up early tomorrow," Mikoto said gently.

"Um, Father, there is one more thing I wanted to discuss with you!" Yu said quickly.

"What is it?" A flash of surprise crossed Fugaku's face, as his eldest son rarely came to him with requests.

"Well, could you get me a hundred pounds of Chakra Metal?" Yu asked tentatively.

Fugaku's expression turned serious. "Can you tell your father why?" Fugaku didn't scold Yu for being unreasonable without cause; instead, he asked for the reason, which was one of the things Yu respected about him as a father.

No matter how wrong Yu might be, Fugaku would never punish him without first teaching him.

"I want to forge a chakra longsword that belongs solely to me," Yu said sheepishly.

"Yu, you must understand that a hundred pounds is not a small amount. Even for the Uchiha, as a major clan in Konoha, it is a significant burden," Fugaku explained patiently.

Yu's eyes darted around, and he instantly came up with an explanation. "Father, my bloodline limit actually has another function: it can control chakra metal weapons. It's not just simple control, but rather, I can command them as if they were an extension of my own arm. Any chakra metal weapon forged through my flames can be mentally linked to me."

"What!" This time, Fugaku was truly shocked, unable to maintain his calm facade any longer. "Yu! Are you certain of what you're saying?"

"Father, if you don't believe me, you'll see once I've forged it," Yu said, looking completely confident.

Fugaku stared blankly at Yu, saying nothing more. He simply stood up and walked out of the house. It was clear he had decided to support his eldest son, as he was heading off to consult with the clan elders.

After all, Yu wasn't asking for ten or a hundred grams; he wanted a hundred pounds. In the ninja world, where such materials were sold by the gram, for Fugaku to produce a hundred pounds at once, he would have to tap into the clan's treasury.

To be honest, sometimes this silent trust made Yu's nose sting slightly. A father's love is silent; sometimes you cannot expect it to be as attentive and caring as a mother's.

"Little one, you're happy now, aren't you? Making your father run around for your affairs. You must be more respectful to him in the future; don't be so impudent. He just returned exhausted," Mikoto said, flicking Yu's nose while looking at Fugaku's departing back with a pained expression.

"I know, Mother!" Yu nodded earnestly.

At night, in the Uchiha compound, a luxurious mansion was brightly lit.

In the massive living room, several Uchiha clansmen sat kneeling on tatami mats.

"Clan Head, may I ask what brings you to my residence so late at night?" an elderly man with graying hair and a frail appearance asked with a smile.

"Elder Ryuji, I apologize for the late visit. You manage the clan's resources, and I would like to withdraw seventy pounds of Chakra Metal from you. I will pay the market price for it," Fugaku said, his expression unchanging.

Ryuji, sitting at the head, let his face darken slightly. "The Clan Head isn't joking, are you? Seventy pounds of Chakra Metal is no small amount. With the clan currently being suppressed by Konoha's high-level officials, our finances are already tight. You are putting this old man in a difficult position!"

"Elder, I will strive to fulfill my duties as Clan Head and turn around the clan's current status in the village," Fugaku said, looking at Ryuji firmly.

Ryuji remained silent for a long time before letting out a long, slow sigh.

"Clan Head, it's not that I won't give it to you, but I cannot answer to the other elders. You must realize that seventy pounds of Chakra Metal is worth tens of millions of ryo. Withdrawing such a massive resource all at once is very difficult to justify!"

"Does the Elder have a compromise in mind?" Fugaku asked, his eyes flickering as he looked at Ryuji.

A sharp glint appeared in Ryuji's eyes, followed by a look of feigned difficulty.

"Clan Head, you know that the descendants of several elders have yet to be placed in positions. The village's distrust of the Uchiha is growing, and there are no positions allocated to our clan. We can't have our clan's excellent youth working as ordinary mission-ninjas, can we?"

After speaking, Ryuji let out another helpless sigh.

Fugaku understood the implication instantly. If his son hadn't needed so much Chakra Metal—and if he hadn't only had thirty pounds on hand—he never would have come to the Council of Elders.

The internal power struggles of the clan were intense and the factions complex. If he used his authority to provide positions to the moderate faction that weren't officially allocated by the clan, the hardliners would certainly not let it slide tomorrow.

Within the entire Uchiha clan, he, as the Clan Head, appeared to control the Military Police Force and hold great power, but in reality, he was merely a balancer distributing power between the two factions.

Usually, he lacked true authority; otherwise, this would have been a simple matter of a single word. Although Chakra Metal was precious, for the Uchiha, the number one clan in Konoha, it was only a minor burden.

After a moment of contemplation, Fugaku spoke slowly. "Elder, I can provide you with at most two positions in the Military Police Force. Anything more is beyond my control."

Elder Ryuji's face turned slightly ugly. "Clan Head, I heard there are currently three captain vacancies in the Military Police Force. Isn't this too little?" Ryuji tapped the tea table in front of him.

"Elder, if you don't want to see blades drawn at tomorrow's clan meeting, I suggest you leave one captain position for the hardliners. After all, hasn't your side already gained the upper hand? We are about to discuss the relocation of the clan grounds; the clan should prioritize peace."

Having said this, Fugaku fell silent, watching the shifting expressions on Elder Ryuji's face.

"Sigh! Since the Clan Head has said so, then we shall do as you say!" Ryuji let out a long sigh, then called over a young Uchiha, whispered a few instructions, and the youth quickly vanished into the night.

Carrying the heavy box, Fugaku glanced back at the luxurious mansion, feeling only a heavy weight in his heart. This was the Uchiha of today—bickering over every penny. Was this still the premier clan of Konoha from the past? Fugaku felt a wave of exhaustion.

Returning to his home and seeing the lights still on in the living room, Fugaku's mood finally improved a little.

As soon as he stepped inside, he saw his eldest son still obediently snuggled in his wife's arms. Fugaku felt a measure of comfort; he could finally display a father's authority in front of his eldest son.

"Father, you're back!" Yu hurriedly broke free from his mother's embrace. He had wanted to leave her arms for a long time, after all, as he possessed the mind of an adult.

But no matter what, Mikoto refused to let go. Just like someone who loves cats petting a kitten, once Yu was caught in his mother's arms under any pretext, there was no chance of her letting him go easily.

"Mm!" Fugaku nodded heavily and placed the heavy box in his hands onto the table.

"Yu! Are you going to forge now?" Fugaku asked uncertainly.

"Mm!" Yu nodded heavily. He didn't need actual sleep, and the sooner he finished refining the magical artifact, the sooner he could experience the sensation of flying on a sword.

This was a romance that every fan of xianxia often fantasized about.