Naka Shrine's New Year

The night of the handover.

Uchiha Yan successfully brought the two subjects into the hollow tree.

Inside, she unexpectedly discovered something Toji had left for her.

A scroll containing one million ryo in cash, along with a new set of instructions detailing her deployment to establish a long-term base in the Land of Rice Fields.

Uchiha Yan cursed under her breath, "He really knows how to boss people around."

Despite the grumbling, she happily tucked the money away.

With this much cash, she could afford plenty of wine and meat, and her quality of life would improve significantly. The situation in the Land of Rice Fields was chaotic, and prices were outrageously high.

Uchiha Yan turned to leave, but upon reaching the tree trunk, she stopped on a whim and cast a long, lingering look behind her.

In that direction lay Naka Shrine.

Her roots, her homeland.

"Tomorrow is the New Year."

"Sooner or later, I will return..."

She would obtain power that surpassed Uchiha Chirori, return to Naka Shrine in glory, and beat that woman to her knees, making all the clansmen understand—

She was the one who was right, and Uchiha Chirori was wrong.

An Uchiha that willingly bowed its head to the Senju was no different from a tamed beast, destined to become nothing more than a mediocre house pet!

Konoha Year 7, January 1st.

Another peaceful year had passed, and the villagers took to the streets to celebrate, just as they did every year.

For the first time in a long while, Toji did not have to report to the hospital.

Last night's handover had gone smoothly; the two new test subjects were already locked away in the Underground Laboratory, lying quietly on the operating tables.

Uchiha Yan was efficient; by the second handover, she had already brought him Chunin-level subjects. As the quality of the subjects improved, the value of his experiments would rise accordingly.

Seven in the morning.

His internal clock woke Toji up right on time.

He changed into casual clothes, grabbed the dust he had collected while cleaning up the experimental remains yesterday, and headed toward the clan grounds' Forest Garden to fertilize the soil and tidy up the courtyard.

Before he could even begin, he heard a noise at the front gate.

Toji walked up and opened the door.

Uchiha Chirori and Uchiha Ayano, dressed in festive New Year attire, had come to visit.

"Toji-kun."

"Lord Toji."

"Happy New Year, Chirori, Ayano," Toji greeted them gently. "Coming over so early, is something the matter?"

Uchiha Chirori replied, "I thought that since you are the only one left of the Zenin clan, I would invite you to be a guest at the Uchiha clan. Everyone in the clan still remembers your kindness from last year."

New Year visiting?

Toji paused, not expecting her to come for such a reason.

He had originally planned to spend the entire day holed up in the laboratory...

But on second thought, relaxing for one day on such an important holiday didn't seem like a bad idea.

This was the only bond he had maintained in this life, and perhaps his previous one as well.

"Alright."

Toji agreed readily. "But I need to tidy up the grounds and tend to the plants in the garden first. If you two don't mind waiting a moment."

"We'll help you."

The group walked together toward the Zenin Garden.

Uchiha Ayano very sensibly stepped back, quietly leaving the space to her superior.

Chirori walked with her hands behind her back through the snow-covered bamboo forest. "What an elegant bamboo grove. I never imagined Toji-kun had a hobby for gardening."

"I'm not a machine that only knows how to work," Toji said, straightening up as he slowly scattered the dust—the remains of the corpses—onto the ground. "And as for you, I never expected the Ninja Academy Principal and the Uchiha Clan Head to lower herself to help me with this."

"I am a ninja, but I am also an ordinary villager. Don't think of me as being so high and mighty; my cooking isn't bad either... Speaking of which, what is this powder?"

Chirori looked at the grayish-yellow dust in Toji's hand.

"It's a special plant nutrient mix I prepared. It helps the flowers and trees grow better."

Toji explained softly, his expression unchanging.

The plants would naturally grow more lush, for beneath their roots lay buried a mountain of bones.

The bamboo forest was serene, the flowers and trees scattered in harmony.

In this quietude, Uchiha Chirori's heart slowly settled into a state of peace.

She instinctively reached up to cover her right eye.

"Are you feeling unwell?"

"No..." Chirori shook her head. "My ocular power seems to have grown a bit stronger."

"..."

Toji was momentarily speechless.

He had racked his brains researching the Sharingan, using scientific methods to enhance Uchiha Yan's ocular power, yet none of it compared to the boost Chirori had gained from a casual stroll through the Forest Garden.

In this world, the gap between bloodlines and talent was truly suffocating.

"Well, congratulations on your increased strength. However, I still stand by my previous opinion..."

"Remember to come to me for regular check-ups; you cannot be careless. As long as you possess those eyes, the risk of the Bloodline Disease will always be present."

Toji brought it up proactively.

He craved the Mangekyou Sharingan intensely, yet he could not openly reveal his intent to study it. Regular check-ups were the most reasonable excuse, one that would not arouse suspicion.

"Thank you. I will leave everything to you from now on."

Half an hour later.

After tending to the flowers and plants, Toji walked alongside Chirori toward the Uchiha clan grounds.

The three of them first arrived at Naka Shrine.

On a day as important as the New Year, this place naturally became the gathering and worship site for the Uchiha.

The life-and-death struggle in front of the shrine last year still felt vivid in his memory.

But this year, that atmosphere was completely gone, replaced by a scene of peace and harmony.

Many things had happened over the past year, and time had gradually proven that the Ninja Academy was not a conspiracy by the Senju Clan. Senju Hashirama had not targeted the Uchiha because of Uchiha Madara's departure, truly treating everyone equally.

The Uchiha children had indeed received excellent guidance and growth at the academy.

The bloodshed on that night a year ago had been meaningless.

"Lord Toji!"

"Clan Head!"

Hearing the title of Clan Head, Toji was somewhat surprised. "You've become the official Clan Head?"

"Yes, as of midnight this morning." Chirori replied calmly, though the slight curve of her lips betrayed her true feelings.

"Congratulations."

Suddenly, some mischievous brat squeezed through the crowd and shouted:

"Lord Toji, when are you going to marry the Clan Head!"

The clansmen nearby quickly pulled the child away, offering an embarrassed smile. "Lady Chirori, Lord Toji, Kagami is just a child and doesn't know what he's saying. Please, don't take it to heart."

"Heh..."

Toji raised his eyes to look at the mischievous brat.

The boy had fluffy black hair that didn't look messy, and his temperament was sunny and cheerful—a rare anomaly among the Uchiha.

"That is Uchiha Kagami."

Chirori introduced him from the side. "He is the most talented youth in our younger generation of Uchiha. His talent for genjutsu is particularly outstanding, even stronger than mine was at his age. I plan to take him on as my disciple after he graduates."

"Kagami, come over and greet Lord Toji!"

Uchiha Ayano beckoned from the side.

The young Uchiha Kagami hurried over to Toji and bowed respectfully:

"Lord Toji!"

Toji nodded slightly and praised:

"Kagami, is it? This child is impressive..."

"He has the makings of a Hokage."