Waste Not, Three Team Leaders

Deployment to the front lines required transfer orders, so Fugaku Uchiha was sent by Uchiha Kyu to the Hokage Office that very day to obtain them.

The roster for the three major front lines was also quickly stamped with the Hokage's seal.

Uchiha Kyu had no intention of letting the people he had so carefully arranged become targets for schemers like Danzo. Otherwise, wouldn't he just be playing the fool?

The three elders he had stripped of power before now had a use again.

Having each of them lead a team to the front lines offered at least some measure of security.

There were still far too few people in the clan who could be put to use.

The clan's former three elders had originally been stripped of their authority and placed under house arrest by Uchiha Kyu, but he had now released them again.

Why waste them? They had drunk so much of the clan's blood; letting them off so easily would be far too generous.

Uchiha Ying, responsible for relaying Uchiha Kyu's orders, handed a roster scroll to each of Shita Uchiha, Jinpu Uchiha, and Hirota Uchiha.

"Inside are the locations you are responsible for and the list of personnel."

"Go to the front lines without worry. The clan head will take care of your families, so you have no need for concerns at home."

Uchiha Ying's cold Three-Tomoe Sharingan swept over the three men, warning them not to entertain any foolish hopes.

"Please tell the clan head that the three of us will do everything in our power to complete this mission."

Circumstances were stronger than people. Shita Uchiha knew that his era had completely passed, and for the sake of his family, he could only obediently accept his fate.

Jinpu Uchiha stood to the side, not daring to speak. Only after Uchiha Ying left did he speak indignantly.

"That bastard is far too arrogant. He actually dared to threaten us to our faces."

"And then? What can you do about it?" Shita Uchiha looked at him expressionlessly.

Jinpu Uchiha immediately grew furious, but the words of rebuttal lodged in his throat.

By comparison, Hirota Uchiha appeared more open-minded. "The three of us are relics of the old era. It's a good thing for young people to have drive."

"Although Uchiha Kyu stripped me of my elder status, I still believe he is the one who can lead the Uchiha Clan back to its peak."

Shita Uchiha agreed with Hirota Uchiha's view and consoled Jinpu Uchiha.

"Enough. He merely took back our authority. He will not make a move against old men like us."

"No matter what, this old man is still part of the clan. Put personal feelings aside for now. If something happens to these three hundred people, we will become sinners of the clan."

Jinpu Uchiha gave a reluctant grunt and said nothing more.

"Have they left?"

"They have all left. But can we really rest easy leaving things to those three? Or do you have some backup plan?"

"I don't."

Uchiha Kyu shook his head and glanced at Fugaku Uchiha's puzzled face.

"It's precisely because they have never gotten along with you that they will give it their all. Thinking about what you did before, I trust that they will not betray the clan."

Fugaku Uchiha's face darkened. He dearly wanted to take back what he had just said. Had he known, he would never have asked.

Uchiha Kyu circled three streets on the map. The streets formed something like a wall, enclosing the entire Uchiha Compound.

"Tomorrow, we will take over these three streets. Arrange for the ordinary clan members who have not become ninja to conduct business here."

Fugaku Uchiha smiled bitterly. "Conduct business? Do you think anyone will come buy things from Uchiha Clan shops?"

"You don't need to worry about that. I will make them come willingly."

Uchiha Kyu naturally knew just how terrible the Uchiha Clan's standing was in the hearts of Konoha's residents.

But if they refused to buy, were they sure about that?

Then he would have to start exercising the Security Department's authority. Finding an excuse about threatening Konoha's safety to shut them down would be easy enough.

Power was the greatest foundation for making big money in business.

Without power supporting you from behind, no matter how large your business grew, you would only be seen as a fat piece of meat by others.

With the Konoha Military Police Force, a department wielding immense authority, backing them, those three streets would be forced into prosperity.

Fugaku Uchiha buried his doubts in his heart. His current position was merely that of an assistant, so he should simply do what needed to be done.

"Very well. I will select clan members to open shops on the three streets."

"Thank you for your hard work."

"It's nothing."

Fugaku Uchiha replied, then looked back into the room as he was leaving.

Itachi was receiving Uchiha Kyu's instruction and asking questions about the finer details of ninjutsu.

As expected of his son, the pride of his life.

Fugaku Uchiha left with his heart full of satisfaction.

Just as Uchiha Kyu was talking about the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Itachi suddenly spoke. "Teacher, I do not want to attend the Ninja Academy."

"Hmm?"

Uchiha Kyu gave a surprised sound, yet there was not the slightest trace of anger on his face.

"May I know why?"

"Because I do not think the Ninja Academy can teach me anything at all."

Uchiha Itachi also possessed the Uchiha Clan's common flaw: an exceedingly arrogant personality.

The flashbacks from the original story made it clear enough—he had used a clone to attend class.

That arrogance prevented him from seeing himself clearly. He looked down on his clansmen, believed only he was right, and eventually went down the wrong path.

He had even personally driven the Uchiha Clan from the stage of the Shinobi World, leaving behind only Sasuke Uchiha as its sole surviving seedling.

Uchiha Kyu ruffled Uchiha Itachi's hair and smiled in satisfaction.

"Not only can the Ninja Academy teach you nothing, Konoha cannot teach you anything either."

"No one understands the Uchiha Clan better than the Uchiha Clan itself."

Uchiha Kyu stared into Itachi's eyes with absolute confidence. "Do you want to become stronger?"

"I do." Uchiha Itachi nodded heavily.

"Ying." Uchiha Kyu called out toward the door.

Hearing him, Uchiha Ying pushed the door open and entered. He dropped to one knee before Uchiha Kyu, lowering his usually proud head.

"Clan head."

"Have Shisui Uchiha come here."

"Yes." Uchiha Ying respectfully withdrew.

The two people Uchiha Kyu valued most right now were Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi. Their future strength had been guaranteed by the original story, so there was no reason not to value them.

An hour later, Uchiha Kyu brought Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi to a river.

Uchiha Shisui looked around at the surrounding environment and asked curiously, "Clan head, what have we come here for?"

"What an extravagant display, Kyu."

"Who is that?"

The sudden unfamiliar voice immediately put Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi on guard as they scanned their surroundings.

Uchiha Kyu said nothing, merely signaling for the two of them to look toward the river.

When they turned around, they saw a water snake several meters long raise its head from the middle of the rushing river, its jaws gaping wide.

After the person inside the water snake's mouth crawled out, Uchiha Kyu pointed at the river and suggested, "Why don't you wash up? Otherwise, it will be difficult for me to resist the urge to attack you."

"You are still an important figure in Konoha. Seeing you in such a sorry state every time, I truly do not know what to say about you."

Orochimaru laughed wildly at those words. An important figure in Konoha—what an amusing description. Still, he formed hand seals and cleaned himself up.

"You came looking for me this time. Is there something important?"

Orochimaru stared curiously at Uchiha Kyu. Shouldn't the other man be extremely busy at a time like this?

"Danzo has already betrayed you. Even your secret research into Wood Release with Danzo has likely been laid before Hiruzen Sarutobi."

Uchiha Kyu had not come looking for Orochimaru because he had nothing better to do. He intended to continue funding him.

There were many scientists in this Shinobi World, but Orochimaru was the only one Uchiha Kyu regarded highly. Not even Hiruko could compare.