I'm Not Useless—I'm Afraid What I Become Will Be Too Much

"Are they really willing to buy it...?"

The elders fell into thoughtful silence.

They understood Ashina's meaning. If the Fire Country's daimyō refused to buy, they could sell it to the Wind Country, the Lightning Country, or one of the other four great nations. And the Fire Country's daimyō would certainly not stand by and watch the nation's mineral resources flow into foreign hands.

"To seize that iron mine from the Kaguya Clan, we lost more than a hundred clansmen," Ryū said.

"Iron ore is of immense strategic importance to us. We need it to forge weapons. If we sell the mine, where will our weapons and armor come from the next time war breaks out?"

Shusen had already discussed this question with Ashina beforehand. Unruffled, he said, "Father, we must have the resolve to sell the iron mine. We only need to endure the initial period of building the village. Within a year, the situation will surely improve!"

"Once the iron mine is sold, we won't fight any wars for the time being. We'll focus on development and construction. With so many people here, there's no need to fear attacks from other ninja clans. As the saying goes, stockpile grain, build high walls, and bide your time before claiming the crown!"

The moment he finished speaking, Ryū's eyes lit up.

The First Elder and the others even clapped in praise.

"What a line—stockpile grain, build high walls, and bide your time before claiming the crown! Ashina, that was brilliantly said!"

"Who would have thought that Ashina could possess such profound insight at such a young age? This old man is ashamed of himself!"

"Now I've seen what a true genius is. If Ashina had been born ten years earlier, how could the Uzumaki Clan's circumstances have become so difficult?"

The elders continued marveling. They no longer dared underestimate Ashina because of his age, regarding him instead as a rare talent capable of governing an age.

An hour ago, the First Elder had still felt that Mito should inherit the position of clan head. Now, however, he believed none but Ashina could become the next clan head. He could lead the Uzumaki Clan to unprecedented heights!

"Did you come up with all of that yourself?" Ryū suddenly asked.

Ashina's scalp tightened. He did not dare look at his second brother now, and gritted his teeth. "Yes. I came up with all of it myself."

The elders broke into another round of astonished praise.

Mito and Shusen exchanged delighted looks, genuinely happy for their younger brother's resourcefulness.

"Father, now that the fighting has ceased, this is the best possible time for us to build a village," Ashina said.

"Otherwise, if war breaks out again one day, building the village will become far more difficult."

Ryū nodded, then seemed to casually glance at his second son. "Shusen, what do you think of Ashina's proposal?"

Without hesitation, Shusen respectfully replied, "I think my brother makes a great deal of sense. This truly is the best time to build a village."

Ryū's gaze lingered on his face for a moment before he turned to the others. "What do the elders think?"

"We think there's no problem with it at all!"

"There's no time like the present. We should begin today and spread the news that we're building a village."

"Building a village concerns the Uzumaki Clan's fate for the next century. It is our highest priority and should be designated as the clan's top-level strategy!"

The elders all voiced their agreement, eager to get started. Not one of them objected.

Shusen was not surprised by this outcome. Even without his interference, the Uzumaki Clan would eventually establish a village in the original story, even founding a nation.

He had merely hastened that outcome and brought the Uzumaki Clan's hard days to an end sooner.

"Very well. We'll announce the news to the clansmen shortly," Ryū declared, making the decision on the spot.

In truth, when Ashina had told him about the proposal to build a village the day before, he had thought it over again and again, thoroughly sorting through the pros and cons. The more he considered it, the more feasible it seemed. Today's elders' meeting was merely a formality. He had already made up his mind; even if every elder opposed it, he would still push it through alone.

"Go gather the clansmen now. Shusen, stay behind," Ryū said.

The moment he heard his father keeping him behind alone, Shusen's heart inexplicably skipped a beat. He felt guilty for no reason.

The elders rose and left without lingering, hurrying off to carry out the great undertaking of building the village. Mito and Ashina both gave Shusen worried looks. Mito worried that her brother would be scolded, while Ashina worried that their father had seen through his brother's secret.

A moment later, only father and son remained in the meeting hall.

"Do you know why I kept you behind?"

Ryū asked coldly. He did not sound as though he were speaking to his son, but rather interrogating a criminal.

Shusen lacked confidence, but stubbornly said, "Your son does not know."

"Hmph!"

Ryū snorted angrily and suddenly flashed in front of Shusen, reaching for his chest.

Shusen was startled and hurriedly used the Body Flicker Technique, barely avoiding his father's press.

With a flick of his hand, Ryū shot an Adamantine Sealing Chain from his sleeve. It struck Shusen and sent him sprawling to the floor.

"Father, how did I make you unhappy again?"

Shusen nearly wept as he grimaced and climbed to his feet.

"You useless brat!" Ryū snapped, frustrated that his son had failed to live up to expectations. Their brief exchange had already revealed Shusen's true level of strength.

"After all this time, you're still only a special chūnin! You haven't improved at all!"

A special chūnin ranked above a genin but below a chūnin.

"I've been training hard too, but I don't have my sister's or brother's talent. There's nothing I can do about it," Shusen muttered in his own defense.

"You still have the nerve to say that?" Ryū grew even angrier. "Your sister became a jōnin at eight. Your brother became a jōnin at twelve and proposed the grand plan of building a village at thirteen. Yet at sixteen, you're still only a special chūnin. If word gets out, you'll disgrace the whole family!"

Shusen had extensive experience with being scolded and knew he absolutely could not talk back at a time like this. So he obediently lowered his head, standing there as though ready to take a beating and allowing his father to vent his anger.

Sure enough, after several minutes of scolding, Ryū gradually calmed down. He said coldly, "From now on, you and Ashina will be fully responsible for building the village. Learn properly from your younger brother. My son, Ryū's son, is not allowed to be useless!"

"Alright."

Shusen accepted the order helplessly. Before his father, he had no room to resist.

"Get out."

The moment Shusen "got out" of the meeting hall, he truly breathed a sigh of relief.

He had thought his father kept him behind because he had noticed something suspicious about him. Instead, he had merely been given a scolding, making all his nervousness pointless.

Father, I'm not useless. I'm afraid what I become will be too much, and it'll scare the daylights out of you...

Shusen silently thought to himself.

The many Sharingan and Byakugan in his laboratory would one day shake the entire ninja world.

"Have I neglected Shusen too much?"

In the empty meeting hall, Ryū let out a melancholy sigh.

He admitted that he might have been a good clan head, but he was certainly not a good father. Over the years, he had always lacked communication with his children and liked to express his concern for them through beatings and scoldings.

More than half the responsibility for his second son's mediocrity lay with him.

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