For an entire day, Uchiha Ryoshi became a tireless workhorse, giving Indra one-on-one instruction.
When Uchiha Mikoto came home that evening and saw how lively her grandfather looked, she began to wonder.
"Grandpa, are you all right?"
"I'm fine. I've never felt better." With that, Uchiha Ryoshi polished off five bowls of rice in one sitting.
Mikoto stared in amazement. Even the white hair at her grandfather's temples had darkened.
Was that really normal?
Mikoto had learned plenty of medicine from Tsunade, and to her, it looked an awful lot like a final burst of vitality before death!
Under Mikoto's worried gaze, Uchiha Ryoshi resumed the lesson.
"The trick to the Phantom Body Flicker Technique lies in Uchiha-style Swordsmanship. The two work together..."
Brimming with energy, Uchiha Ryoshi taught with remarkable patience.
In just three days, Indra became proficient in Uchiha-style Swordsmanship and learned the basics of both the Phantom Body Flicker Technique and the Hell Viewing Technique.
"Not only are you exceptionally gifted, you work hard, too.
Indra, you'll definitely become one of the Uchiha Clan's elite!"
Uchiha Ryoshi's praise came from the heart, and he could not stop smiling.
Then he solemnly took out a short Chakra sword and handed it to Indra.
The moment Indra gripped the sword, he eagerly channeled a little Chakra into it. A faint glow appeared along its silver-white blade.
Only a weapon specially made with Chakra Metal could conduct Chakra so smoothly.
Judging by that first try, the sword contained no small amount of Chakra Metal!
He hurried into the backyard to test it. With a light swing, he sliced a branch in two as smoothly as a hot knife through butter.
Indra's eyes lit up. He had fallen completely in love with the short sword.
"Haha! Looks like you love that sword, Indra. But a ninja needs more than a weapon. An animal companion would help, too."
Smiling, Uchiha Ryoshi took out a Summoning Scroll and laid it before Indra and Mikoto.
"This is the Ninja Cat Clan's Summoning Scroll. They aren't strong, but their stealth and sensory abilities are first-rate. They'll make excellent helpers."
The Ninja Cat Clan had maintained a summoning contract with the Uchiha Clan for generations, so there was no need to defeat them to earn their approval.
All they had to do was write their names on the Summoning Scroll, press their handprints onto it, and form a blood contract. After that, the proper Hand Seals would summon them.
Grandpa Ryoji, you really are the best!
Without hesitation, Indra signed the blood contract on the Summoning Scroll alongside Mikoto.
Seeing that he had done everything he could, Uchiha Ryoshi breathed a sigh of relief.
His voice turned grave. "I've heard the higher-ups will assign you a mission soon. Once you reach the battlefield, put your own safety first."
As an elder of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Ryoshi could not interfere in Konoha's internal affairs. But the Third Hokage would not keep certain matters from him, either.
At the news, Indra and Mikoto hurried to make preparations.
Meanwhile, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, gazed toward the Uchiha Compound, as though he could see the two of them bustling about.
"Indra Uchiha and Uchiha Mikoto are both Tsunade's students, and she thinks highly of them."
"They may become two of the few Uchiha to inherit the Will of Fire. They're worth cultivating."
In Indra and Mikoto, Hiruzen Sarutobi saw traces of Kagami Uchiha.
Tsunade was his student, and they were hers. That made them part of his faction from the start.
The rift between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha had only widened since Uchiha Setsuna's rebellion and the Second Hokage's death.
It was true that isolating the Uchiha had been Konoha policy since the Second Hokage's time, but there had been exceptions.
Kagami Uchiha, for instance, had served in the Second Hokage's elite personal guard. He had been an Uchiha who possessed the Will of Fire.
If he were still alive, things would never have come to this.
Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to carry out the Second Hokage's true intent: divide the Uchiha Clan, suppress one faction, and bring another into the fold.
To do that, he needed people loyal to him within the clan.
Since Madara Uchiha's departure, the Uchiha Clan had had no clan head.
In practice, the Uchiha Clan Head was now the head of the Konoha Police Force, while the elders controlled most of the power.
Uchiha Ryoshi belonged to the dovish faction of the Elder Council. He was exactly the sort of person Hiruzen needed to support.
Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped his pipe, drew his gaze back, and returned to his paperwork.
Front-line deployments, the transport of supplies—every matter demanded his attention.
Konoha was now fighting on three fronts against Amegakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure. Hiruzen Sarutobi had his hands full.
He had assigned Tsunade an extremely important mission.
"Phew. Finally done."
Looking at the antidote before her, Tsunade let out a long breath.
The fighting between Sunagakure and Konoha at the front had grown fierce, and both sides were using every means at their disposal.
Among Sunagakure's forces was Chiyo, renowned for her exceptional Medical Ninjutsu and Puppet Technique. Her poisons had caused heavy casualties at the front.
Front-line personnel had collected samples of the poison and sent them to the rear, where Tsunade and the other medical ninja worked to counter it.
Their efforts had finally paid off. After all that research, she had cracked Chiyo's poison.
No sooner had she reported her success than a mission arrived.
Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered Tsunade to take a ninja squad to the front as quickly as possible and deliver the antidote.
"Teacher Sarutobi won't let anyone rest for a second. And he wants me to bring Indra and Mikoto..."
Tsunade frowned at the request, though it did not surprise her much.
Genin were often sent to the battlefield these days. Indra and Mikoto had graduated from the Ninja Academy, so they could not avoid the front forever.
If they went with her, at least she could protect them.
"Nawaki left with Orochimaru the day before yesterday. He should be fine with Orochimaru looking after him."
"And that little rascal Indra... I wonder if he'll wet his pants when he hears he's going to the front."
Tsunade put away the mission scroll, ready to give Indra and the others a "surprise" that very day.
When she met up with Indra and Mikoto that afternoon, none of her earlier delight at developing the antidote showed on her face.
She fixed them with a solemn stare and said gravely, "The higher-ups have assigned us a mission. Starting tomorrow, you two are officially heading to the battlefield!"
Indra: "Oh."
Mikoto: "Understood, Lady Tsunade."
At least Mikoto sounded serious. Indra's utterly flat response left Tsunade at a loss.
"What kind of reaction is that? You're going to the battlefield, kid! You think this is a game?"
"This day was always going to come. I've been preparing for it. What, am I supposed to cry?"
Indra's calm reply left Tsunade speechless.
She rubbed his dark hair and grumbled, "Being this grown-up so young isn't good for you. Stop acting like an adult all the time."
In Tsunade's mind, children his age were supposed to be as goofy as her little brother.
At least, she herself had been nowhere near this mature at Indra's age.
Tsunade sighed inwardly, and a trace of sympathy entered her gaze as she looked at him.
Done joking, she told them what the mission involved.
"Tomorrow, we'll leave the village in secret and escort the antidote to the front."
"Teacher Tsunade, can you really trust us with such an important mission?"
Mikoto was uneasy. She did not think their squad was up to it!
Tsunade laughed and shook her head. "Of course it won't just be you two. I'll be leading the mission, along with two elite Jonin.
Your main job is to stay with me. You can get some experience on the battlefield while we're there."
Tsunade did not intend to put too much pressure on Indra and Mikoto.
Once they reached the front, she planned to keep them at her side as medical assistants.
Indra was another matter, but Mikoto showed real aptitude for Medical Ninjutsu.
She had already reached the second stage: she could make a withered branch bloom.
At a time like this, Mikoto already qualified as a capable medical ninja.
Before you continue