Fairness, Fairness, and More Fairness!

It was the same little grove, burned to a char.

After all,

this was the only way back to Konoha.

Kakashi stopped. Standing amid the ashes, he looked back at the Uchiha compound, quiet and imposing.

He sighed.

Then he continued on his way.

On a distant Hillock, Big Brother Shinji watched Kakashi leave, the corners of his mouth lifting.

[Challenge complete: Defeat Kakashi once and free him from the embarrassing reputation of always fighting to a draw (reward: Green Chest ×1)]

[Challenge complete: Remove Kakashi's mask and see his true face (reward: Blue Treasure Chest ×1)]

He honestly hadn't expected it.

The Kakashi quests gave such generous rewards!

A Green Chest guaranteed at least 200 Gold Coins, and a Blue Treasure Chest guaranteed at least 300. That alone was a windfall. The Gold Coins Hikari had just spent were already coming back.

Mu matter whether green or gold, or even red, crimson-gold, or obsidian, chests of every tier had a chance to yield all sorts of useful things.

Anything from S-rank Ninjutsu to Soldier Pills.

Put simply, they drew from the same pool. Only the drop rates differed!

"Open!"

[Congratulations! You opened a Green Chest and obtained Tachi: Flowing Flame (Blue). You opened a Blue Treasure Chest and obtained the secret technique: Spirit Transformation Technique!]

Big Brother Shinji grinned. "Quite a haul!"

The Tachi he currently used was called Steel Cutter. He had wielded it for five or six years without the slightest damage. It was still as sharp as ever and conducted Chakra beautifully.

It was a superb weapon even by the standards of the Shinobi World. In Big Brother Shinji's eyes, it could hold its own against the swords of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!

And Flowing Flame was blue-tier?

As for the Spirit Transformation Technique... it let his soul leave his body and roam the skies.

But none of that was what mattered most.

What mattered most was that his words had planted more than one seed in Kakashi's mind.

All he had to do was wait for Kakashi to come to him with questions...

Well, it wasn't as though he was plotting against the man.

He just couldn't stand seeing Kakashi in that miserable state.

Kakashi needed to pull himself together and make a little "contribution" to the Shinobi World!

"Brother Big Brother Shinji, why did you tell Senior Kakashi all that? Do you really want him to become Hokage?"

Uchiha Itachi appeared silently behind Big Brother Shinji.

His voice betrayed neither joy nor sorrow.

"Oh, Itachi."

"What's wrong with making him Hokage? He has no clan ties binding him, so there'd be no conflict of interest. He could be a normal Hokage—fair, impartial, and evenhanded."

Big Brother Shinji smiled. "After all, there's no chance the position of Fifth Hokage will go to the Uchiha Clan. So why not choose someone who'd treat everyone fairly? I don't want a puppet, and I don't want to back someone close to us just to expand the Uchiha's influence."

"That's all bullshit. It wouldn't do any good. All I need is a normal Konoha. Itachi, do you understand what a normal Konoha is?"

"..."

Itachi fell silent.

His outlook had only just begun to change. Big Brother Shinji's idea of "normal"—a strategy that looked further ahead—was hard for him to grasp.

After all,

he still had the same brain.

As everyone knew, people in the Shinobi World had something wrong with their heads. They were extreme and hysterical. If they couldn't solve a problem, they wiped out an entire clan, created a new world, destroyed the old one, or made everyone share the same waking dream...

Their thinking was twisted beyond belief.

When Itachi still gave no answer, Big Brother Shinji turned and found him frowning in deep thought.

Big Brother Shinji slapped his forehead. "Ah, forget it. You're still young. Just remember one thing: fairness, fairness, and more... fairness!"

"Besides... I doubt Kakashi would be Hokage for very long."

Hands on his hips, Big Brother Shinji said quietly, "A person can't be so shortsighted that all he sees is little Konoha. How could playing these tedious games of make-believe with those pests every day ever change the Shinobi World?"

Change the Shinobi World?

Itachi jolted back to his senses. "But... Big Brother Shinji, if the Third Hokage won't step down, how will Senior Kakashi take his place?"

"And what about Senior Jiraiya and Princess Tsunade..."

Big Brother Shinji scratched his temple. "If he won't step down, I'll help him. Hey, relax. Why the face? People who want Konoha's Hokage dead are a dime a dozen in this world. Where would the Uchiha even rank among them?"

"As for Jiraiya and Princess Tsunade... they've probably heard what just happened and are already rushing back."

"We'll deal with that when they get here."

Itachi looked baffled.

Was this really something they could leave until the last moment and still resolve properly?

The Konoha Sannin were famous throughout the Shinobi World. Everyone knew their names. However promising Kakashi was for his age, he couldn't compare to those two, could he?

Itachi decided to stop thinking about it and changed the subject. "Big Brother Shinji... I've been thinking about what you said at the Clan Meeting. But now that you want to make Kakashi Hokage, I... don't really understand."

"Itachi, have you heard the saying, 'Dynasties last a hundred years; great clans last a thousand'?"

Uchiha Itachi shook his head, looking utterly lost.

"Forget it."

Big Brother Shinji patted Itachi's shoulder. "You'll understand in time. For now... remember what I told you earlier?"

Uchiha Itachi's expression sharpened.

"Yes!"

"Go say goodbye to Uncle Fugaku, Aunt Mikoto, Sasuke... oh, and your little girlfriend. Then come find me, and I'll tell you what to do. Also... that little trick of yours was ridiculous. You sent such an innocent girl to follow Kei and the others around and gather information about me?"

Big Brother Shinji looked utterly exasperated. "How did you come up with something so stupid?"

Itachi's expression grew complicated.

"I..."

"Forget it. Go on. Izumi is a good girl. This time... don't let her down again. Understand? Otherwise..."

A chill ran down Itachi's spine. "Yes!"

"Clan Head, what brings you to this old man's home?"

Uchiha Genshiki poured Big Brother Shinji a cup of tea. Big Brother Shinji thanked him and drained it in one gulp. "Elder Genshiki, I came to ask you about something..."

Uchiha Genshiki was truly getting on in years. His hand trembled slightly as he held his cup. "Oh? What could you need to ask a useless old man who's about to return to dust?"

Shinji Uchiha answered earnestly, "Elder Genshiki, I've heard the saying, 'An elder in the family is a treasure.' We still have much to learn from our seniors. You survived the Warring States Period and countless wars after it. Now that we're at peace, take good care of yourself and you're sure to live to a hundred... er, no, two hundred!"

Uchiha Genshiki's cloudy eyes brightened.

He threw back his head and laughed, then coughed and took a moment to recover. "I'll take that as a blessing, Clan Head. Ask me whatever you like."

"Izanagi and Izanami."

Big Brother Shinji leaned forward, his expression solemn. "That's the first thing. I need those two forbidden techniques of the Uchiha Clan. Elder Genshiki, can you give them to me?"

Uchiha Genshiki paused. A trace of nostalgia entered his eyes. After a long while, he sighed. "Clan leader, the harm those techniques do to their users is irreversible. The price is more than the Uchiha Clan can bear. As your senior, I must refuse to pass such forbidden techniques on to you."

"Not even if I ask as Clan Head?"

"..."

Uchiha Genshiki's voice was weak. He sighed. "Clan Head, that technique is a tool of chaos!"

Big Brother Shinji was silent for a moment. "I'm not a madman... You can rest assured of that. But what if I told you I could avoid the consequences of using them?"

Bzzz—!

As his words fell,

Big Brother Shinji opened his eyes. A dazzling Mangekyo Sharingan appeared in each one.

"Tch... Just as I thought."

Uchiha Genshiki fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "Clan Head, do you know who you remind me of right now?"

Big Brother Shinji's mouth curled. "You're not going to say Madara Uchiha, are you?"

"No."

"Hm?" Big Brother Shinji froze.

Uchiha Genshiki stared at Big Brother Shinji and slowly said, "Tobirama Senju. That damned murderer who killed young Clan Head Izuna!"

"..."

Shinji Uchiha's cheek twitched. "Please don't insult me... I admit he was a powerful ninja worthy of respect, but to the Uchiha..."

"I beg you, don't use your seniority to call me names."

"Hahaha—cough, cough!"

Uchiha Genshiki slapped the table and laughed. Overcome with excitement, he bent over coughing again. "Good! Good! It's been years since anyone found such a novel way to insult Tobirama Senju. You've made this old man happy. Since Clan Head needs the techniques, I'll give them to you."

"?"

Insult Tobirama Senju and he coughs up Gold Coins?

Well, that certainly made sense for an Uchiha...

Then,

Shinji Uchiha watched the old man pick up a slip of paper and scribble on it. Less than half a minute later, he handed it over.

"Here, Clan Head."

"What's this?"

Big Brother Shinji lowered his head, puzzled.

One glance left him rooted to the spot. "That's... it?"