The Uchiha truly deserved their reputation as the family with the longest lineage in the Shinobi World. Although their founder, Indra, had fallen out with the Sage of Six Paths and Asura, the Sage had denied him none of the benefits apart from the right to succeed him as the leader of ninshu. In the end, to guide Indra's descendants, he had even left the Uchiha Clan a Stone Tablet recording how to evolve the Sharingan.
Qiu Shan Uchiha's Sharingan was probably still not advanced enough. He could not see the sections on the Stone Tablet that described how to evolve the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan into the Rinnegan or detailed the Eye of the Moon Plan. Those passages likely only became visible once the Sharingan evolved into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Qiu Shan Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan had already reached its peak and was close to the threshold of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. Thus, when Qiushan pushed his Sharingan to its limits, he could still make out faint writing appearing on the Stone Tablet, though he could not read it. He suspected those were the passages Black Zetsu had left while posing as the Sage of Six Paths.
He could only make out that blurred writing because the ocular power of Qiu Shan Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan far exceeded that of an ordinary Mangekyō Sharingan.
Since he could not read it now, he would read it later. His Sharingan was close to becoming the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan anyway. Qiu Shan Uchiha stopped dwelling on it, manifested Susanoo's skeletal arm, wrenched the Stone Tablet out of the ground, and tossed it into a corner of the Spatial Island.
With the Stone Tablet removed, Qiu Shan Uchiha had accomplished what he had come to the Naka Shrine to do. After taking a quick tour of the shrine, he figured Uchiha Mikoto would have breakfast ready by now, so he went straight to her house to eat without standing on ceremony.
It was not that Qiu Shan Uchiha had wanted to go. After all, facing Uchiha Fugaku was still somewhat awkward for him. Rather, Uchiha Fugaku had something to discuss with him and had asked Mikoto to invite him over. Uchiha Mikoto had simply decided to invite him for breakfast.
Qiu Shan Uchiha also needed to discuss the list of clan members in the first group bound for Whirlpool Island with Uchiha Fugaku and the Elder, so he had accepted.
When Qiu Shan Uchiha arrived at the Clan Leader's House, Uchiha Mikoto had just finished preparing breakfast. After greeting Uchiha Fugaku and Mikoto and nodding to the curious little boy, Sasuke Uchiha, he enjoyed a lavish breakfast at the Clan Leader's House.
After breakfast, Uchiha Fugaku led Qiushan into the Reception Room. Unlike on previous occasions, however, Uchiha Mikoto and their son, Little Sasuke, followed them inside.
Uchiha Fugaku settled into the seat of honor and took a sip of tea before addressing Qiu Shan Uchiha with a solemn expression.
"I invited you here today, Qiushan, because I would like you to become Sasuke's teacher. First, Sasuke has reached school age and needs a good teacher's guidance. Although he is not quite as gifted as his older brother, he still has potential. As the strongest member of our Uchiha Clan, there is no one more suitable than you.
"Second, our Uchiha Clan is preparing to relocate. As Clan Leader, I must go there to oversee everything. Only with me there will our people feel at ease. But the Third Hokage has kept you here to join the Anbu, Qiushan, so while I am away, I hope you can help look after my wife and son from time to time."
Without giving Qiushan a chance to object, Uchiha Fugaku bowed his head to him. "Please, Qiushan."
Qiu Shan Uchiha had not expected this to be why Uchiha Fugaku wanted to see him. Although he was not particularly fond of the Sasuke Uchiha from the original story, that was because Sasuke had endured the slaughter of his clan and the murder of his parents at his own brother's hands. From childhood, his mind had been consumed by revenge. His personality had become warped, so naturally, he had not been likable.
Still, as Indra's reincarnation, Sasuke Uchiha was reasonably talented. With Indra's chakra inside him, his future achievements would hardly be insignificant.
As for his personality, Qiu Shan Uchiha glanced at the innocent-looking Little Sasuke. There was still time to straighten him out.
Qiu Shan Uchiha believed there was no child who could not be disciplined properly; it was only a matter of whether one was willing to use a firm hand. Besides, the current Sasuke was still a likable little boy. Without the massacre of his clan and the deaths of his parents, Sasuke Uchiha's personality probably would not become all that twisted.
Qiu Shan Uchiha looked at the expectant Uchiha Mikoto, then at the bewildered Little Sasuke and Fugaku, whose head was still bowed. He stopped holding back and agreed outright.
Qiu Shan Uchiha nodded. "Since you think so highly of me, Clan Leader, and want me to teach Sasuke, it would be ungracious of me to refuse. Rest assured. From now on, you can leave Sasuke to me."
This kind of teacher was not an irresponsible, village-appointed instructor like Kakashi. He would take responsibility for his disciple's life, guide him, and regard him as his successor. To the disciple, such a teacher was second only to his parents, while the disciple's standing was little different from that of the teacher's own children.
Now that Qiu Shan Uchiha had agreed, he would see his responsibility through to the end and train Sasuke into a true powerhouse. He would not let him become someone whose growth was forced by Uchiha Itachi and Orochimaru, as in the original story, only to fall short at crucial moments.
Uchiha Fugaku was delighted that Qiu Shan Uchiha had agreed and promptly arranged a formal apprenticeship ceremony for Sasuke. Finally, after Sasuke served Qiu Shan Uchiha tea, Qiu Shan Uchiha gave him a finely crafted tachi that he carried with him, completing the ceremony.
After Little Sasuke formally became his disciple, Qiu Shan Uchiha did not rush to train him. He was still too young, after all. Starting training and extracting chakra too early would harm his future development. There would be plenty of time to train him once he started school.
Once everything there was settled, Qiu Shan Uchiha and Uchiha Fugaku went together to the home of the Elder, Uchiha Ling. As the two people who held actual authority in the Uchiha Clan, they needed to make proper arrangements for relocating the Uchiha District. They could not simply move everyone over at once; it would take several groups at the very least.
The first team would be responsible for choosing the location of the new Uchiha District, surveying the surrounding environment, and clearing out wild beasts. Quality mattered more than numbers for this team. Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi were already doing the work this first team would handle, but there were still too few of them, so more people needed to be sent to assist them.
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