Uchiha Toru

"Did you hear? That guy Shimizu brought back a mongrel he had with an outsider."

"Hmph, what a stain on the Uchiha bloodline!"

"Looks like they're just ahead."

Two men conversed as they walked forward, casting glances toward the path in front of them.

Up ahead, a black-haired man dressed in civilian clothes limped into the Uchiha compound, accompanied by a white-haired child.

The two men, trailing about twenty or thirty meters behind the pair, muttered, "Hmph, a little mongrel. He didn't even inherit the Uchiha black hair."

At that moment, the white-haired child silently turned his head.

Both men behind him were startled.

"This brat..."

"He's actually that sharp!"

The white-haired child had striking white hair and matching white lashes and eyebrows, along with a pair of brilliant, azure-blue eyes like the stars. His handsome features made it difficult to tell his gender at a glance.

His large eyes swept over the two men, making them feel as if they were sitting on pins and needles, as if they had been completely seen through.

The child turned back around and continued to support his father as they walked into the Uchiha clan compound.

"Hmph! Just a coincidence."

"Exactly, how could a kid possibly notice us?"

Feeling embarrassed, the two men defended themselves before walking away sullenly.

"What's wrong, Toru?"

The sickly Uchiha Shimizu looked down and noticed his son's sudden movement, asking softly.

The child named Toru looked up, smiled, and shook his head. "It's nothing, Father."

Uchiha Shimizu nodded slightly. He knew his son had been precocious since he was young, so he didn't press the matter.

The pair, one large and one small, arrived at the clan leader's residence under the strange gazes of many Uchiha clansmen. After waiting at the entrance for a moment, the doors opened, and they walked inside.

"Lord Clan Leader."

Uchiha Shimizu led Toru in a ninety-degree, respectful bow.

The young man before them sighed and helped them both up.

"Just call me Fugaku. You were my senior back in the day, after all."

Uchiha Fugaku then led the two to sit down and asked, "How have you been these past few years?"

Uchiha Shimizu coughed, and Toru stood up to pat his father's back, attempting to ease his pain.

"When I left the Uchiha and left Konoha, it caused a lot of bad blood. If my wife hadn't passed away and my own time wasn't running out, I wouldn't have come to ask you for this."

Fugaku glanced at the white-haired boy behind Shimizu, already having guessed the truth.

"It's for the child, isn't it?"

Shimizu pulled Toru to his side and said earnestly, "When the clan exiled me, I left Konoha in a fit of anger. It was only because of the clan that I wasn't branded a missing-nin by the village, so I am still grateful to the clan."

"I don't expect the clan to forgive me; I only ask that you accept this child. He is innocent."

Fugaku let out a long sigh. "Sigh, why suffer like this? If you had just followed the clan's instructions and married the elder's daughter back then, you wouldn't be in this situation now."

Shimizu remained silent.

Fugaku compromised helplessly and spoke again.

"Fine. What is the child's name?"

"Toru," the white-haired boy replied, his eyes shining brightly.

Fugaku nodded. "Uchiha Toru. From today on, you are a member of the Uchiha clan."

"How old are you?"

"Five years old," Uchiha Toru answered.

Fugaku looked at Shimizu. "I will have the child enter the Ninja Academy to study. You can rest easy."

"Thank you, Lord Clan Leader," Shimizu bowed in gratitude.

"I've kept your old house for you, though no one has cleaned it in a long time."

"Farewell, Clan Leader."

Shimizu stood up with difficulty and left with the support of his son. Fugaku watched their retreating figures with a complex expression.

The father and son arrived at a rather secluded residence.

Though remote, the property was quite large, and aside from being a bit dilapidated, it was a decent place to live.

A babbling brook ran nearby, and the chirping of birds could be heard from time to time in the surrounding forest.

Uchiha Toru helped his father onto the bed and let him rest while he began to clean the house by himself.

Just then, Shimizu suddenly began to cough violently, spitting out a large mouthful of blood.

Uchiha Toru immediately dropped his broom, rushed over, and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his father's mouth.

A moment later, Shimizu spoke weakly, his voice carrying a faint scent of blood.

"Toru, you must become strong. Only by becoming strong can you hold the initiative in your life in this world."

"The room on the left is my study. In the drawer at the bottom left of the desk, there is a gift I left for you. It will help you grow stronger."

"I am a recluse by nature and not good at dealing with people. There are only two people in the village I can call friends."

"One is Uchiha Fugaku, and the other is Yuhi Shinku. If you run into trouble, go to them. For my sake, they will help you..."

Shimizu spoke for a long time, his voice growing weaker and weaker until his breathing eventually faded away.

That night, Uchiha Shimizu passed away at home at the age of twenty-five.

The funeral was arranged by Uchiha Fugaku, but few guests attended.

Aside from Fugaku's wife, Uchiha Mikoto, there was only one other man.

Konoha Jonin Yuhi Shinku arrived, wearing his green flak jacket, looking travel-worn as if he had just rushed over after completing a mission.

After exchanging a few words with Fugaku and his wife, Yuhi Shinku walked up to Uchiha Shimizu's tombstone.

Uchiha Toru knelt before the stone in silent mourning, neither crying nor making a scene, appearing mature in a way that was heartbreaking.

"Child."

Yuhi Shinku patted Uchiha Toru on the shoulder.

Uchiha Toru turned and bowed. "Hello, Uncle Shinku."

Yuhi Shinku looked surprised.

"How did you know I was Yuhi Shinku?"

Uchiha Toru explained, "Father said he only had two friends in Konoha: Uncle Fugaku and Uncle Shinku."

Yuhi Shinku looked into Uchiha Toru's azure eyes and said, "Rest assured, child. I will treat you as my own."

Uchiha Toru bowed once more.

After the funeral ended, Uchiha Toru returned home.

The house had been cleaned inside and out, but the large residence felt empty with only him living there.

The scent of blood in the master bedroom had been washed away, and the last traces of his father's presence were gone.

Uchiha Toru felt an unprecedented loneliness. He knew he did not belong to this world.

A moment later, Uchiha Toru went to his father's study. The shelves were filled with books, but he went straight to the desk his father had mentioned, opened the drawer, and took out a wooden box.

He opened the box to find several books and a piece of paper that looked ordinary.

Chakra Extraction Methods, Collection of Fire Release Ninjutsu, Collection of Water Release Ninjutsu, Genjutsu Collection and Insights, Uchiha Style Ninja Tool Handling, and that single piece of chakra testing paper—this was the gift Uchiha Shimizu had left for his son.