I Have a Bunch of Relatives Who Want to Be Hokage Chapter 12

"Yeah, Brother Shingen is strong. I want to be as strong as you."

"Now that you mention it, I'm wide awake." Uchiha Shingen set down the stone. "Go over what you just said again and see where the problem is."

"Brother Shingen, can you use ocular power already?" Uchiha Shisui flickered back and forth across the clearing. He looked like he was repeatedly hopping around, but he was actually practicing the Body Flicker Technique.

Strictly speaking, Uchiha Shisui's mastery of the Body Flicker Technique truly surpassed Uchiha Shingen's. The title "Shisui of the Body Flicker" was entirely deserved.

Not only could he use the Body Flicker Technique as easily as he pleased, he could also combine it with the Shadow Clone Technique, making it impossible to tell real from fake.

When fighting the Mist Ninja, even those Mist Ninja who prided themselves on assassination were often wiped out squad by squad in a single wave by him.

Uchiha Shingen could not do that. When he used the Body Flicker Technique, he could not cast Shadow Clones, and could only make up for that shortcoming with raw attack power.

But he could ensure that whoever he hit would die very thoroughly.

If they absolutely had to be compared, it could only be said that each had his own strengths.

"How could a three-tomoe Sharingan possibly 'use' ocular power?" Uchiha Shingen shook his head, though he did not deny it outright. "But you—were you unable to take a loss or something? You actually used the Mangekyo Sharingan on me that day."

"But it failed. Actually, I already knew you could withstand it, Brother Shingen."

"Believe that and I'll be damned. If you hadn't fumbled it yourself, I would've made a complete fool of myself." Uchiha Shingen shot him an irritated look, then said seriously, "Still, I really suggest that you start practicing Yang Release now. That way, you can protect your eyes."

Uchiha Shisui blinked.

No need to ask—he did not understand.

"Put simply, Yang Release is about nourishing your body. Your eyes are part of your body too. That way, you won't be completely without restraint, but as long as you don't overuse it, even if you use the Mangekyo Sharingan a little more often, you won't go blind."

This was not a wild guess on his part; there was an actual example right there.

Uchiha Obito did not have older brothers, older sisters, younger brothers, or younger sisters to transplant eyes from. Back then, half his body had been crushed to pulp, and then Uchiha Madara transplanted Senju Hashirama's cells into him. From then on, he used the Mangekyo Sharingan like crazy.

If not for that real example, would Uchiha Shingen dare to be this stubborn?

But for Uchiha Shisui, this was crossing into another field entirely.

"Brother Shingen, I do know a little about Yang Release, but putting it that way is a bit..."

"Fine, then I'll give you another example." Uchiha Shingen thought for a moment and said, "That Izanagi of ours, where whoever uses it goes blind—wasn't it originally used by the Sage of Six Paths to create the Tailed Beasts? Have you ever seen any record saying he went blind?"

Uchiha Shisui's eyes widened.

Was that an example?

Leaving everything else aside, the clan records made it very clear that that immortal old man created the Tailed Beasts only in his later years. Maybe it had even been right before he breathed his last. Since he was about to close his eyes and kick the bucket anyway, who knew whether he had gone blind or not?

But Uchiha Shisui was a good child with excellent morals—he never argued for the sake of arguing.

"Mm, I believe you, Brother Shingen."

"Sigh, it's not about believing me. It's about believing history."

Uchiha Shingen said that politely with a grin, his heart brimming with accomplishment.

There was definitely something wrong with the kid's mental state. If he did not nurture him properly, there would be no way to treat it.

After a week, he was certain that Uchiha Shisui was not some idiot who had been excessively brainwashed. He was simply too emotional, while also possessing the Uchiha clan's inherited chuunibyou traits, which made him believe he was caught between the clan and the village.

With that, it would be strange if he did not develop psychological problems.

With that, if Danzo did not mess him up, even the author would not be able to stand it.

Instead of wasting time thinking about all that nonsense, he might as well practice Yang Release with him.

There was only one reason people let their imaginations run wild—they were not tired enough.

"That settles it. Tomorrow, we'll go talk to the clan head. From now on, we'll do missions together. Training and missions are like husband and wife—you have to work while learning to live harmoniously and prosper."

"Can we do that?" Uchiha Shisui thought it sounded great. He had not actually said any of the things he truly wanted to say, mainly because he did not know how to begin.

But if they formed a team, they would have plenty of time in the future. There would always be a chance to pour his heart out.

"Mm, tomorrow morn—forget it, tomorrow my ass. Better sooner than later. Come on! We're going to see the clan head right now!"

S-Class Mission

After making a trip to see Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Shingen's team-up arrangements were settled.

Forming teams was highly flexible within ninja clans. After all, everyone knew each other well enough; all it took was a notification.

The Hokage Building would not interfere either. If you formed a team, they would assign you team missions.

But Uchiha Shingen's persona was not that of someone who "loved teaching others." He was aiming for S-class missions.

As everyone knew, Uchiha Shisui carried a lot of weight at the Hokage Building.

I'll train you in Yang Release, and you'll help me snatch missions. The division of labor was perfect.

The results were gratifying as well. Shisui did not disappoint him in the slightest.

The notification from the Hokage Building arrived quickly.

Unlike A-, B-, C-, and D-class missions, S-class missions were assigned only in the Hokage's office.

When the two Uchiha arrived at the Hokage's office, the Fourth Hokage was sitting on a sofa and chatting with an envoy from the Daimyo's Court.

Because of the skill panel, Namikaze Minato most often took on missions escorting confidential national documents or items. His dealings with the Daimyo's Court were far more frequent than those of any Leaf Village jonin.

Back and forth like this, he had made more and more friends.

This envoy from the Daimyo's Court was especially familiar with Namikaze Minato.

"Lord Namikaze, are these the candidates you recommended?" The envoy looked at the two Uchiha before him. "Come to think of it, when I first met you, Lord Namikaze, you were about their age as well. Time truly flies."

"Indeed. I had only just become a jonin then, and it was also your first visit to Leaf Village." Namikaze Minato's expression was filled with nostalgia. "But don't underestimate these two young men. They are both elites of Leaf Village."

"Surely you jest." The envoy smiled reservedly. "If there is nothing else you need to tell them, then I shall take my leave. Before returning to the capital, I still need to go over a few matters with these two."

"Very well, please wait a moment." Namikaze Minato nodded, rose to his feet, and walked over to Uchiha Shingen and Uchiha Shisui, raising a hand to pat their shoulders.

"I won't waste words. Your mission this time is to escort a batch of supplies for the Daimyo's Court. The destination is near the border of the Land of Rain, where things have been rather unstable in recent years. Proceed with caution."

"Yes, Lord Hokage." Uchiha Shingen and Uchiha Shisui answered together.

"Then, Lord Namikaze, time is pressing, so I shall take my leave first."

Seeing that Namikaze Minato had finished his instructions, the envoy also rose and bid farewell.

Uchiha Shingen and Uchiha Shisui followed the envoy out of the Hokage Building.

A carriage was already waiting at the entrance. Its cabin was exceptionally spacious. A guard opened the door, and the envoy stepped inside, but the guard did not close it immediately.

"Please come aboard, honored ninja. There are some matters I still need to inform you of."

Seated inside the carriage, the envoy spoke with a smile.

Naturally, Uchiha Shingen and Uchiha Shisui did not refuse their employer's request. They entered the carriage and sat in the chairs opposite the envoy.

The guard shut the door, and the surrounding noise faded.

"Lord Envoy, what are your instructions?" Uchiha Shingen asked.

"You overstate things, honored ninja. I am merely a retainer and would not dare give instructions to the two of you. I am only conveying them on another's behalf." The envoy first looked at Uchiha Shisui. Seeing nothing unusual in his expression, he determined that Uchiha Shingen could serve as the spokesperson for this mission. He then took a scroll from the carriage and handed it to Uchiha Shingen.

"This mission was commissioned by the Dainagon. The situation in the Land of Rain has changed recently, and our country has received a letter from the Rain Daimyo requesting aid. After consulting with the two ministers, the Dainagon decided to reject their request for military assistance and provide material aid instead. This is the list of supplies."

Uchiha Shingen opened the scroll and gave it a quick look.

There was nothing particularly unusual, mostly food and daily necessities, along with a small quantity of military equipment.

However, one item listed was not a physical supply, but a service.

The Land of Fire's supply escort would remain behind to protect the Rain Daimyo's personal safety, while Uchiha Shingen and Uchiha Shisui would need to stay for around three months.

"I roughly understand the mission details." Uchiha Shingen returned the scroll and asked, "But the two of us alone certainly won't be enough to escort so many supplies. May I know the strength of the escort force?"

"Ten monks and one hundred and fifty samurai. They were all formerly from the Land of Rain, and are very familiar with the terrain."

"That is only the security force. What about the laborers responsible for transport?" Uchiha Shingen asked.

"The supplies have already been delivered to the territory bordering the Land of Rain, and the local magistrate will arrange manpower." The envoy's tone remained calm. "I trust the honored ninja know the caliber of our country's magistrates. There will certainly be no mistakes in such a minor matter."

"What about the route and schedule?"

"Our country is only responsible for transporting the supplies to the border between the two nations. After that, the Land of Rain will provide the manpower for transport. It is said that a ninja organization called Dawn has recently emerged in that country and is gathering supplies everywhere. Rain Village is doing something similar. Both have the ability to threaten the safety of the supplies."

"I see. If the attackers are ninjas from Rain Village, that would indeed be troublesome."

"Oh?" The envoy's expression changed for the first time. "Honored ninja, you seem rather certain that Rain Village is more likely than Dawn to act."

"Our clan has its own intelligence sources as well. The situation surrounding this Dawn organization is quite complicated, but for now, they are more rule-abiding than Rain Village."

Uchiha Shingen said this with a thoroughly serious expression.

Beside him, Uchiha Shisui glanced at him, held himself back, and said nothing.

Taking in the changes in their expressions, the envoy chuckled softly. He said no more, merely taking out a map and handing it to Uchiha Shingen.

"Then, I wish both honored ninja success in your mission."

"Thank you for your kind words."

Taking the map, Uchiha Shingen and Uchiha Shisui opened the door and got out of the carriage.

The guard, who had been waiting for some time, closed the carriage door again before directing the convoy to depart.

Only after the convoy had gradually disappeared into the distance did Uchiha Shisui ask, "Brother Shingen, how come I never knew we had intelligence like that?"

Of course you didn't know. I made it up.

"Because I made it up."

"Huh? Then isn't that lying?" Uchiha Shisui was greatly alarmed.

"It only counts as lying if they believed it. They didn't." Uchiha Shingen curled his lip. This little brother of his was far too straightforward.

How could marketing a brand possibly be called lying?

"Then what do we do? That envoy probably won't trust us anymore." Uchiha Shisui grew anxious and began considering whether he should use the Body Flicker Technique to catch up with him.

"What are you panicking for? Didn't you see that he didn't care at all? Besides, he thinks the same thing himself."

Uchiha Shingen kept shaking his head.

This little brother's way of thinking truly needed changing.

Seeing that Uchiha Shisui still seemed conflicted, Uchiha Shingen had no choice but to explain it to him more clearly.

"These supplies belong to the Land of Rain's daimyo. The people transporting them work for the Rain daimyo, and our employer is also the Rain daimyo. The attackers are bound to be Rain ninja, and if the Uchiha Clan's intelligence is accurate, then it must be true. Understand?"

Chapter 22: Reaching the Border

Uchiha Shingen's conversation with the envoy in the carriage was not particularly long, but from several key pieces of information, he had already become certain of one thing.

This mission was not about escorting supplies. It was a national military operation, and their assignment was merely one component of it.

Those people at the Daimyo's Court definitely weren't up to anything good.

Since it was all a smokescreen anyway, it was only natural to throw in some commercial boasting while they were at it. After all, it had already been decided that Rain ninja would come to seize the supplies.

The Daimyo's Court envoy had been very cooperative, since Uchiha Shingen had also been very cooperative with him.

But then again, if the Land of Fire truly intended to help the Land of Rain, then they really had to have been kicked in the head by a donkey.

The Land of Rain was the number one troublemaker in the shinobi world. It loved stirring things up, and it had the strength to do so.

Before the Second Shinobi World War, Rain Village had firmly held the position immediately below the Five Great Villages. As a small ninja village, it had launched the Second Shinobi World War, fighting Leaf Village on one side while provoking Sand Village on the other.

In the days that followed, Hanzo of Rain Village, Chiyo of Sand Village, and Tsunade of Leaf Village thoroughly demonstrated what it meant for ninja to compete themselves to exhaustion.

After watching the envoy's convoy depart, Uchiha Shingen and Uchiha Shisui set out for the border administrative center marked on the map.

Along the way, adhering to the principle of being honest, Uchiha Shingen had already begun teaching Uchiha Shisui how to cultivate Yang Release.

The Uchiha Clan truly started farther ahead than any other clan in the shinobi world. The existence of the Sharingan meant that the Uchiha Clan's Yin Release power had reached an "ultimate" stage from the very beginning.

By comparison, the "Sage Body" was hell mode. Even with complete and mature Yang Release cultivation knowledge, Uchiha Shingen had begun training at the age of three and only developed the most basic "Sage Body" at sixteen.

It brought him an explosive increase in chakra reserves. Learning, using, and even modifying ninjutsu became effortless, while all of his body's fundamental abilities improved substantially—what was known as the Sage Body was the gradual transformation of one's physical qualities, almost like "evolution," through the long-term nourishment of Yang Release power.

But throughout this life, Uchiha Shingen had never defined himself as a Yang Release-type ninja.

What he sought was merely to use the Sage Body's enhancements to overcome the Sharingan's various "flaws."