I Have a Bunch of Relatives Who Want to Be Hokage Chapter 20

The Uchiha Itachi before him looked nothing like some freak who would draw a blade against his own parents.

He was not even aloof. If anything, he looked adorably silly.

His change seemed to have begun after he joined ANBU. To be honest, Uchiha Shingen could not make heads or tails of that ridiculous move—throwing his own son into someone else's ideological reeducation base.

Among all the departments in the Hidden Leaf Village, ANBU was the most special. What made it special was that anyone who could enter it was unquestionably from the Hokage's camp.

Of course, ANBU was still being run by people from the Third Hokage's faction. There was no helping that.

Uchiha Shingen could not remember how old Uchiha Itachi had been when he entered ANBU. He only remembered that he had been very young—he could not have been old, since he was only thirteen during the clan massacre night in the original timeline.

But Uchiha Shingen was not worried about any clan massacre now.

If the accumulation from two playthroughs still could not protect a single Uchiha Clan, then starting a third playthrough early would be a good thing.

"Itachi, you'll come to work with me today. This is training too."

Uchiha Itachi's face was full of confusion. Though he did not understand what this had to do with training, he was already used to accepting adults' arrangements and did not question it, simply nodding obediently.

Uchiha Shingen noticed, but did not dwell on it for now. He took Uchiha Itachi home first.

By the time they got home, the rest of the family had already gone to work. Uchiha Shingen had Itachi sit in the house for a while, put down his things, took a shower, and changed into his Police Force uniform. Once everything was ready, he took Itachi out.

At the Police Force, Uchiha Shingen picked up an assignment and carefully looked over the mission sheet.

"Oh." Uchiha Shingen looked at Uchiha Itachi. "I'm patrolling Hokage Rock today. That suits you pretty well."

Uchiha Itachi Goes Up Hokage Rock

Viewed from above, Hokage Rock lay at the easternmost edge of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Geographically, Hokage Rock was actually carved into the cliff face of an elevated plateau. A small portion of that plateau legally belonged to the Hidden Leaf Village.

Since it was their own territory, naturally they had to make use of it. Not only had the village carved several giant faces into the cliff, but it had also dug passages and built shelters here.

In principle, the Police Force's patrol range did not include the areas around the Hokage Building, including places like the Ninja Academy and the Leaf Hospital, because there was no need to. But the plateau was an exception. Theoretically, it was a gap in the village's defensive system.

With Uchiha Itachi in tow, Uchiha Shingen climbed the open-air stairs built onto Hokage Rock and reached the plateau.

It was Uchiha Itachi's first time on the plateau, and he was a little excited. He had never come up here before, making him completely unlike the village's usual rowdy children.

Looking down over the Hidden Leaf Village from the plateau felt different. This was the true highest point within the village's territory, offering an unobstructed view of everything.

The plateau was extremely vast and flat. To satisfy Uchiha Itachi's desire to take in the village scenery from here, Uchiha Shingen led him along the boundary the entire way.

They encountered other Leaf ninja along the way. It might sound a little absurd, but because the terrain was flat and the view was excellent, quite a few ninja liked to bring their families here in their free time to have fun, hold picnics, and so on.

They also encountered masked ANBU patrolling the area. After both sides verified each other's identities, they let one another pass.

ANBU might look all mysterious with their masks, but infiltrators actually loved disguising themselves as ANBU. After all, with a mask on and a cloak draped over their shoulders, who could tell whether there was a person or a dog underneath?

The ANBU themselves knew this perfectly well. They had procedures for coordinating with the Police Force, with both sides working together to ensure nothing that ridiculous happened.

After completing the "Heavenly King Covers the Earthly Tiger" routine with ANBU ninja for the fifth time, Uchiha Shingen saw that his temporary student was staring at him curiously.

"What is it?"

"Brother Shingen, were those ANBU ninja?"

"Yep."

"Won't stopping them like that affect their missions?" Uchiha Itachi glanced back several times, but the ANBU ninja had long since disappeared. "Maybe it was an important mission."

"They're all public-service ninja, so naturally they follow the rules." Uchiha Shingen said. "It'll be the same once you become a ninja. Once you enter public service, you follow the rules. If you run into someone without a Hokage's writ who keeps making a fuss, just arrest them. They're either spies or people abusing their authority for personal gain."

"Brother Shingen, isn't that too arbitrary?" Uchiha Itachi had clearly imagined some strange nonsense for himself. "ANBU specializes in carrying out special missions for the village, and they're all powerful ninja. If an urgent mission causes conflict between them and us, the relationship between the clan and Lord Hokage will become tense."

Uchiha Shingen did not answer. He merely looked at Uchiha Itachi.

As the Uchiha Clan's patriarch and the head of the Leaf Police Force, Uchiha Fugaku's education of his child was truly hard to describe in a few words.

And do not say he was only five. In this world, anyone who could become a ninja had high "Wisdom" stats, and their minds matured far faster than those on Earth.

Yet Uchiha Itachi seemed not to understand that the Uchiha Clan and the Police Force were two entirely separate entities. He had even less concept of the Hidden Leaf Village's organizational structure.

This child who liked to view everything from the village's perspective actually knew nothing about the village. On the contrary, he was the one most tightly bound by clan-first thinking.

Uchiha Fugaku had to take the blame for that. As his father, he bore the primary responsibility.

Uchiha Shingen felt that he might have discovered why this great filial son would turn out so bizarre in the future.

"I know what I need to teach you." Uchiha Shingen reached out and ruffled Uchiha Itachi's little head. "What you need to learn now is not ninjutsu. Don't talk for the time being. Watch and listen more."

Uchiha Itachi nodded obediently. Sensitive by nature, he sensed that Uchiha Shingen's attitude toward him seemed to have changed.

Before this, Uchiha Shingen had been polite and distant. Uchiha Itachi was familiar with that and had grown accustomed to it. But just now, Uchiha Shingen had given him a feeling somewhat like Uchiha Shisui.

As a sensitive child, Uchiha Itachi was at a loss in the face of this kindness.

He did not want to be disliked, and he was afraid that his inappropriate actions or words would disappoint someone else's goodwill.

So far, only Uchiha Shisui had been able to match his pace.

When Uchiha Shingen told him not to speak for now, he actually felt relieved.

After that, he followed Uchiha Shingen's instructions very obediently. He did not say a word the whole time, only watched.

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but when he suppressed the urge to ask questions and began simply observing Uchiha Shingen's work as an onlooker, he suddenly felt that he might have been making a mountain out of a molehill before.

The ANBU ninja who had been stopped showed no impatience whatsoever. On the contrary, they all skillfully coordinated with Uchiha Shingen, who was wearing the Security Force uniform.

The ninja who had come to gather inspiration or have fun with their families did not seem displeased when Uchiha Shingen reminded them to dispose of their trash in designated areas. Some even took the initiative to ask where the garbage collection points were.

Just as Uchiha Shingen had told him, everything was handled according to the regulations. Those enforcing them never grew weary of it, and those being questioned or reminded did not feel offended in the slightest.

Two rowdy children got into a fight and burst into tears. Uchiha Shingen gave each of them a lollipop, and they happily decided to stop fighting for the time being. Everything was very harmonious.

After making a full round, Uchiha Itachi suddenly felt that there really was nothing wrong with the public security regulations his clan had established.

Before he knew it, time had passed.

It was only when another Security Force ninja appeared and began handing over the shift with Uchiha Shingen that Uchiha Itachi realized in surprise that it was already over.

Uchiha Itachi was not actually unfamiliar with the Security Force. After all, he was the clan head's son. Sometimes, when Uchiha Fugaku took him to the department, no one said anything about it.

He had also walked through the streets and alleys of the Hidden Leaf Village with the others and was quite familiar with how Security Force members enforced the law. Uchiha Fugaku had even taken him to watch the Security Force capture spies from other villages.

But he had always only watched from afar and had never taken part himself. Today's experience felt different.

Uchiha Shingen had clearly not done much at all, yet everywhere he passed seemed to change somehow, taking on an added sense of comfort.

Uchiha Itachi saw Uchiha Shingen turn after finishing the handover and glance at him, signaling for him to follow.

Uchiha Itachi hurried after him, staying close at every step.

When Uchiha Shingen stopped, they were standing directly above the carved face of the First Hokage on Hokage Rock.

Read Books, Boy

Standing at the edge of the cliff, Uchiha Itachi looked into the distance. Beneath blue skies and white clouds, the Hidden Leaf Village, surrounded by lush forests, displayed an entirely different character from what he usually saw.

From high above, the city appeared tranquil and leisurely. Rows upon rows of buildings spread across the land, while roads crisscrossed in the distance. A winding river ran through verdant fields, glittering beneath the sunlight.

Uchiha Shingen looked at him. This little bean sprout had finally shown a... foolish grin appropriate for his age!

"How is it? The view from here is pretty good, isn't it?" Uchiha Shingen asked with a smile.

"Yeah!" Uchiha Itachi nodded vigorously.

"Climb high and you can see farther and more clearly than usual," Uchiha Shingen said. "But if you only look into the distance and not at your feet, you'll fall and be smashed to pieces."

Uchiha Itachi instinctively lowered his head and saw the sheer, blade-cut cliff face below.

He habitually wanted to ask a question, but remembering Uchiha Shingen's instruction to watch and listen more, he closed his slightly parted lips.

Uchiha Shingen noticed all of it.

He decided to say more.

"Itachi, do you know what this place you're standing in represents?"

"Higher than the First Hokage?" Uchiha Itachi tried to answer.

Obviously, that could not have been the right answer.

Meeting Uchiha Itachi's expectant gaze, Uchiha Shingen did not keep him in suspense.

"This is where the Hidden Leaf Village began. When Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara were children, it was here that they told each other their dreams."

This was history Uchiha Itachi had never known.

His eyes widened.

"What kind of dreams?"

"Senju Hashirama hoped to establish a village of his own, one where children would no longer have to kill one another. Uchiha Madara's wish was to protect his younger brother properly in such a village."

Uchiha Itachi froze.

Instinctively, he felt that it was true.

"But those very wishes became the fundamental reason for their eventual split," Uchiha Shingen continued.

"Why?" Uchiha Itachi could not hold back any longer. "Weren't their wishes the same?"

"Because what they wanted to protect was different." Uchiha Shingen sighed. "Senju Hashirama wished for war to end forever, so tragedies like what happened to his younger brothers would never happen again. During the Warring States period, the average life expectancy of ninja and civilians was under thirty. The main reason was that opposing sides deliberately hunted each other's children. By the time Uchiha Madara met Senju Hashirama, he had already lost three younger brothers. So his only wish was to protect his sole surviving brother. Not long afterward, Senju Hashirama was left with only one brother as well."

"Because of... the Uchiha?" Uchiha Itachi asked.

"Of course. The Senju of the Forest and the Uchiha Clan were enemies for generations. Whenever they had the chance, they hunted each other's children. In the words of Senju Hashirama's father, Senju Butsuma, it was respect for the enemy. A parent's love was to raise their child into someone capable of standing on their own. All the brothers of Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara who died before reaching adulthood were killed by the other's clan."

"Brother Shingen, how do you know all this?"

"I like reading books," Uchiha Shingen replied casually. "Besides, of the two of them, the first to suggest that ending the war could only be achieved through mutual understanding was Uchiha Madara. So it was also Uchiha Madara who wished to find a way. His friendship with Senju Hashirama made him feel that this path might be possible. But you know how it ended."

Uchiha Itachi cast his gaze downward once more.

There was no carved face of Uchiha Madara there.

"So don't think that just because an ideal is good, it will definitely come true." Uchiha Shingen looked at Uchiha Itachi. "When you believe that the path you walk is the only correct one, that is often the sign of failure."

"Brother Shingen, why are you telling me this?" Uchiha Itachi asked.

"Didn't I say it already? What you need to learn most right now isn't ninjutsu." Uchiha Shingen placed a hand on Uchiha Itachi's shoulder. "It's history—the history of the Uchiha and the Senju of the Forest, and the history of the Hidden Leaf Village."

Before his words had even faded, Uchiha Itachi felt the world spin. Everything before his eyes seemed to lose its color.

When he came back to his senses, he found himself standing atop the stone head of the First Hokage.

"Look at this village." Uchiha Shingen pointed at the streets below. "The Hidden Leaf Village is first and foremost a military base. Everything here exists to serve the ninja forces. Do you know how many ninja Konoha has?"

Without waiting for Uchiha Itachi to answer, he continued, "There are no fewer than twenty thousand chunin and above. The vast majority of them don't hold official posts in Konoha. Compared to that number, whether it's the ANBU or the security forces, they're utterly insignificant. Every department in the Hidden Leaf Village, even the Hokage himself, exists to serve this group."

"But... the ANBU is a department that carries out special operations for the village. It doesn't deal with ordinary ninja." Although Uchiha Itachi felt as though he had seen a whole new world today, he still disagreed somewhat with this view.

"Itachi, no department in an organization can be especially important," Uchiha Shingen said. "The purpose of a department's existence is to serve the organization's survival. The purpose of the Hidden Leaf Village's existence is to make Konoha's ninja forces strong. If the Hokage cannot fulfill that function, then being abandoned by all is the best outcome he can hope for."

He placed his hand on Uchiha Itachi's shoulder again.

Then, that familiar wave of dizziness struck Uchiha Itachi's head once more.

The city vanished. Before his eyes stood a roaring great waterfall and towering colossal statues.

Uchiha Itachi stared blankly at the two statues.

This was the Valley of the End, far from Konoha.

The two statues had been erected to commemorate the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, and Konoha's Asura, Uchiha Madara. This place was the battlefield of their final battle.

"Brother Shingen, you..." Uchiha Itachi recalled that earlier sensation.

"Just an auxiliary ninjutsu. Don't worry about it." Uchiha Shingen pointed at Uchiha Madara's statue. "If you see Uchiha Madara as an evil man, a dangerous element, then it means you don't understand the village at all, nor do you understand your own clan. But if you think the Uchiha Clan's current situation is entirely their own fault, and that the Hokage Building is fair and impartial, then it means you're ignorant. And if, after changing your mind, you decide that it's reasonable for the Uchiha Clan to make further demands of the Hokage Building, then you really shouldn't be a ninja. With that brain of yours, I'm afraid you'll just screw yourself over."

After saying so much, even Uchiha Shingen felt tired. He looked at Uchiha Itachi.

"Can you digest all that?"

Uchiha Itachi looked as though he had gone stupid. Hearing Uchiha Shingen's words, he reflexively shook his head.

"It's fine if you don't understand. Go back and ask your father. Then read more books. Once you understand the relationship between the clan and the Police Force, and between the Hokage and the village, you'll be a qualified Konoha ninja even without graduating from the Ninja Academy."

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