I Have a Bunch of Relatives Who Want to Be Hokage Chapter 24

"You like it this way? Fine. Though I became like this because of you, from a certain perspective, you've done me a favor too."

"It's fine. No need to say one thing and mean another." Uchiha Shingen withdrew his gaze. "I can probably guess which department you'll be joining. What, are you planning to sell intelligence to both sides?"

"How much can you make off a bowl of noodles?" Pantaia said indifferently. "I thought the Uchiha were one of Leaf Village's great noble clans. Then I found out your situation isn't all that great either. And you still had the mood to try to persuade me to surrender back then."

"What's so bad about it?" Uchiha Shingen's gaze kept drifting toward Teuchi.

He could smell it.

"If you don't care, then it doesn't matter. But you killed so many Mist Ninja. In a couple of days, people from the Mist Hidden Village will come to meet with the Hokage. You'd better be careful not to get beaten up."

"The Mist Hidden Village?" Uchiha Shingen turned his head. "Are they meeting with the Hokage, or with the former Hokage's advisor?"

"I don't know about that. That person told me to go welcome them. It isn't anything confidential anyway—you'll see when the time comes. They're official envoys."

"Envoys..." Uchiha Shingen recalled the Mist Ninja he had encountered on the battlefield.

Calling them terrorists would practically be the most excessive possible glorification of the term. The Mist Ninja raised under the "Bloody Mist" policy were all a little deranged.

That bunch would not send envoys to Leaf Village for no reason.

Could Obito be plotting something?

Uchiha Shingen did not know when the Mist Hidden Village had fallen under Obito's control, but that did not stop him from thinking so.

There was no reason for the Mist Hidden Village to send official envoys at this point either. If the purpose was to improve relations between the two sides, they had already done that right after the war ended, when they sent envoys to Leaf Village to sign an agreement.

Hopefully this was not Uchiha Obito's doing. The timing was off too—Uzumaki Kushina had not even been born yet. From the looks of it, there were at least another three months to go.

If One Ninja Clan Must Die

Even with chakra and ninjutsu capable of turning the rotten into the miraculous, the ninja world was not centered on fighting and killing. Human relationships and social customs were the mainstream.

Grass had to bloom, trees had to bear fruit, and people had to express themselves.

Most of the time, ninja actually made their living with their mouths.

Pantaia was a mature ninja, and she was not influenced by Leaf Village's existing political environment. She would not cut ties with Uchiha Shingen's side simply because she had joined the ANBU. Thus, after the two met again, she naturally used the occasion of sharing a meal to reconnect with him. With a seemingly useless piece of intelligence, she shifted their former relationship of victor and spoils a step closer toward friendship.

Or rather, running into Uchiha Shingen had simply been good luck for her. Had it been another Uchiha, she probably would have been killed on the spot.

Because the Uchiha Clan had originally favored the "non-adult" approach.

Your words were your own once spoken. Don't be arrogant, don't be tense, don't get worked up. Express yourself properly, keep your emotions stable, speak with a smile, and finally add one more point: equal exchange. That was the simple framework of an adult.

Your words had to piss the other person off. Be arrogant, sensitive, and emotional. Prefer rhetorical questions when speaking, have wildly unstable emotions, sneer when you talked, and finally add one more point: Exchange? Hand it over! That was the standard operating procedure of a traditional Uchiha when dealing with ninja from other clans.

So Pantaia really had been quite lucky. The treatment she should originally have received was for some Uchiha jonin to first skillfully piss her half to death with his mouth, then pin her down with Genjutsu: Sharingan, use genjutsu to empty out her mind, and finally scatter her ashes with Fire Release. At most, they might keep her head to trade for money.

Uchiha Shingen felt that this was a case of good deeds bringing good returns.

Pantaia thought she was building connections, but in Uchiha Shingen's eyes, she had indeed provided important intelligence.

The Mist Hidden Village had been under Uchiha Madara's control since the Third Mizukage, which was why they had pulled stunts like sealing the Three-Tails inside a Leaf Village ninja. But by the Fourth Mizukage's time, that perfect jinchuriki had been completely countered by a high-level Sharingan, and the last veil of concealment had been torn away.

As the best tool Madara had left Obito, the envoy group representing the Mist Hidden Village could not possibly be up to anything good.

Yet the Uchiha Clan, which controlled the Police Force, had received no news of something this important. Clearly, the Hokage Building's attitude toward the Uchiha had not changed at all.

The matter itself was not much of a problem, but the principle was what it was.

Namikaze Minato might not have done this deliberately, but unintentional actions best revealed a person's fundamental attitude.

If that fundamental attitude did not change, then neither would the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the Hokage Building.

There had long ceased to be any right or wrong between the two sides. For the deadlock to be broken, one side had to yield first. Now that they were locked needle against wheat stalk, there could only be a fight to the death.

And Uchiha Shingen could not possibly stand with the Hokage Building.

Then the plan had to change. Protecting the Fourth Hokage and the current jinchuriki was no longer the top priority.

It was not as if he was disappointed. In the end, his target had never been the people in the Hokage Building.

Several days later, the Uchiha Clan finally received notification from the Hokage Building that an envoy group from the Mist Hidden Village would soon arrive.

The Hokage Building's messenger was Akimichi Doto of the Akimichi Clan. This big fat man had arrived beaming, and before relaying the Hokage Building's notice, he had even chatted and laughed with the Uchiha jonin.

The Akimichi Clan had been a powerful clan since the Warring States era, famous for its destructive power. Akimichi Doto was a standard supporter of the Fourth Hokage and had served under Namikaze Minato during the Third Shinobi World War.

The Uchiha Clan therefore gave him every courtesy. Clan head Uchiha Fugaku personally received him, and all the clan's jonin were present as well.

But when he delivered the notice, every Uchiha present fell silent.

Still, no one asked the foolish question, "Why are you only telling us now?"

During Senju Hashirama's era, the Uchiha Clan had the right to vote on decisions.

During Senju Tobirama's era, the Uchiha Clan had the right to offer recommendations on decisions.

By Sarutobi Hiruzen's era, the Uchiha Clan had become nothing more than an executor of orders.

When the Fourth Hokage took office, the Uchiha Clan had been full of hope. But now, it seemed to be nothing more than the post-Sarutobi Hiruzen era.

What more was there to say?

Faced with this situation, the smile on Akimichi Doto's face vanished as well. He realized that perhaps something had happened—something he did not know about, and that Namikaze Minato had overlooked.

Though in the past, the Uchiha Clan had generally reacted the same way whenever they received notices from the Hokage Building.

But this time, the silence was especially unsettling.

"Brother Fugaku?" he asked tentatively. "Did something happen? If there's anything I can help with..."

"No, it's nothing." Uchiha Fugaku forced a smile at Akimichi Doto. "It was just a little sudden."

Akimichi Doto had once been his comrade-in-arms. Uchiha Fugaku knew this old companion's character well; there was no need to take his emotions out on him.

The Akimichi Clan was generally mild-tempered and valued friendship. Even the Uchiha Clan, stubbornly arrogant as they were, found it comfortable to get along with the Akimichi.

In a situation like today's, the Uchiha might once have let their tempers flare and tossed out a few barbed remarks. But Uchiha ninja no longer did that.

Uchiha Shingen had, in the end, instilled something in this clan.

A powerful Uchiha would always become a role model for the rest of the clan, to some extent. Whether consciously or not, he would influence how others behaved.

Uchiha Shingen had already proven his strength, so the way he conducted himself would influence the other clansmen.

The same was true of Uchiha Shisui.

"All right, then I'll head back and report in first." Akimichi Doto nodded. Yet as he turned to leave, he could not help looking back. "Brother Fugaku, don't bottle things up if something's wrong. The rest of us are here for you, and Minato is the Hokage now too."

"Don't worry, Doto. It isn't that serious." Uchiha Fugaku sighed inwardly. He rose from the tatami and walked toward the door alongside Akimichi Doto. "Go report in first. I'll see you out."

The Uchiha silently watched Akimichi Doto's figure disappear.

The air was so heavy that it felt as though a storm was about to break.

"This is actually pretty good," Uchiha Shingen suddenly said. "Don't you think?"

The clansmen all turned to look at him.

Some seemed thoughtful, while others struggled to contain their indignation.

"Brother Shingen? What do you mean?" Uchiha Shisui looked somewhat worried.

"If we never needed to expect anything in the first place, why should we be disappointed?" Uchiha Shingen looked at everyone. "Was everything we worked for really just for that building? Most people in the Akimichi Clan are decent folks, but they aren't fools. In the past, they wouldn't have spoken that way."

The indignation in everyone's eyes gradually subsided. Quite a few of the quicker-witted ones had already understood what Uchiha Shingen meant.

"How many people are in one building? How many people are in the Hidden Leaf Village? Everyone understands which matters more." Uchiha Shingen stood up. "I'm young, so perhaps I don't know how to measure my words. But I think that if we keep this up, then if one ninja clan must die in the future, it definitely won't be the Uchiha."

Chapter 44: So It Was You

Under the watchful eyes of all parties, the Mist Hidden Village delegation arrived at the Hidden Leaf Village.

Fuguki Suikazan looked at the gates ahead. As the leader of the Mist Hidden Village delegation and its fully authorized representative for these negotiations, he appeared to hold great power, yet his heart was ice-cold.

He felt that he had been exposed.

During the Third Shinobi World War, the Third Mizukage's decisions had already made him uneasy. He had always felt that the Third Mizukage was in a strange state. His strategy against the Leaf seemed workable at first glance, yet was riddled with problems everywhere. Still, with all Seven Ninja Swordsmen present at the time, Fuguki had not thought too deeply about it.

Then he had been beaten half to death by a green-skinned monster. If not for the greatsword Shark Skin, he would not have merely been half dead.

He had heard that the green-skinned monster was dead. Otherwise, he truly would not have dared return to the Leaf, because that green-skinned freak's thought process had felt even more bizarre than that of the ninja raised in their Village of the Bloody Mist. If that guy were still alive and came charging over with an "A-da~" the moment he saw him...

After imagining himself being beaten to death, with that green-skinned monster standing nearby wearing an embarrassed expression, Fuguki Suikazan felt thoroughly sickened.

"Lord Suikazan," the ANBU behind him said. "The Leaf's people have arrived."

"Mm." Fuguki Suikazan responded and glanced at the ANBU completely concealed beneath a robe.

A month ago, Yagura Karatachi had suddenly abandoned his previous governing policies and begun rapidly returning to the path of the former Third Mizukage.

Though it had not yet been officially announced, the return of the Village of the Bloody Mist was already inevitable.

This ANBU had begun appearing frequently at Yagura Karatachi's side at that time, his identity a mystery.

He had even joined this delegation. Though he had done nothing along the way, Fuguki Suikazan saw him as someone Yagura Karatachi had sent to watch him.

The question was, why would Yagura Karatachi send someone to monitor him, his former trusted confidant?

Sure enough, the series of actions he had taken after suspecting that Yagura was compromised had already been noticed.

Thinking back to several months ago, the Mist Hidden Village had seemed to return to its former prosperity and glory. Yagura had become a perfect jinchuriki, and everyone in the village, from top to bottom, revered him. Above, he had veteran commanders such as Fuguki himself, Ao, Genji, and Gonbei supporting him; below, there were outstanding young talents like Zabuza, Mangetsu, and Ameyuri Ringo, all promising successors to the ninja swords. He had thought everything could return to the way it once was and move toward an era even better than before. Yet that beautiful vision had ended when Yagura Karatachi's temperament changed overnight.

Now, companions who had once stood on the same side had begun devouring one another under the coercion and temptation of power. War had already erupted within the Mist Hidden Village.

All illusions and hopes had begun with the Village of the Bloody Mist, and they would end with the Village of the Bloody Mist as well.

But Yagura, we were once the closest of comrades. You'd better not underestimate me too much.

For the village, I am capable of anything!

Fuguki Suikazan strode toward the gates of the Hidden Leaf Village, and the rest of the delegation followed behind him.

This guy really is planning to do something.

Hidden beneath a robe and mask, Uchiha Obito watched the burly figure ahead, who seemed to be held upright by some conviction. Killing intent churned within him.

However, when those familiar gates came into view, his emotions settled again.

For just an instant, he had the urge to visit that little courtyard that had once given him endless warmth.

Then he saw the Leaf ninja in green flak jackets.

Walking at the front was Nara Shikaku of the Nara Clan.

He approached Fuguki Suikazan and extended his hand.

"Welcome, Lord Fuguki."

"Sorry to trouble everyone." Fuguki Suikazan extended a hand and shook Nara Shikaku's. "Please forgive my lack of familiarity with the important figures of your village. You are?"

"I am Nara Shikaku. Lord Hokage entrusted me with the responsibility of receiving you this time."

"I see. So Lord Nara came in person." Fuguki Suikazan barely stopped himself from blurting out, "I've heard so much about you."

He was so enthusiastic that even Nara Shikaku felt a little bewildered.

Were people from the Mist Hidden Village this friendly?

Did "Village Hidden in the Bloody Mist" mean they were so welcoming that you could practically see the blood in the air?

In truth, he was not the only one confused. Everyone in the delegation was baffled.

Was this really Fuguki Suikazan?

Fuguki Suikazan paid no attention to the people behind him. His gaze swept over the Leaf Village ninja ahead, one by one.

That green-skinned monster wasn't here. Safe!

Hopefully, he really was dead.

That guy had been fucking terrifying!

Back then, the seven of them had been personally selected by the Second Mizukage to form the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, renowned throughout the ninja world. They could handle an entire war zone without any reinforcements, yet in that green-skinned monster's hands, they had been like paper.

And he'd actually claimed to be a genin. Did he have no shame?

You couldn't bully people like that!

Even now, the Mist Hidden Village still couldn't gather seven people again...

Suddenly, Fuguki Suikazan heard a cry of alarm from behind him.