Is this my new stepmother?

"Just now? No, I was brushing Big Yellow. Father, you've been working for five days straight. Your eyes must be tired and playing tricks on you."

Izuna blinked his big, clear, innocent eyes, his expression saying he had no idea what his father was talking about.

If he hadn't been holding the dog's mouth shut, Tajima might really have wondered whether he had falsely accused him.

"They've caused far too much trouble this time. Things won't be peaceful for a while, so don't go running around."

Only after watching Uchiha Tajima leave did Izuna release Big Yellow. He took out a notebook and began scribbling and sketching, engrossed in developing ninjutsu to use against the Senju.

"Looks like Father figured out what I was planning. Now I can't sneak off to find my brothers."

Uchiha Tajima overheard this and nearly coughed up blood in anger. Every last one of them was an unfilial son! All they did at home was infuriate him.

Back home, he rummaged through the kitchen and found only a little rice left. He steamed it and served it with some pickled vegetables.

After eating, he returned to the Meeting Hall to discuss their next moves in the aftermath of the battle.

Once the clan's other elders received the intelligence report, their adrenaline surged. Now this was what it meant to be Uchiha.

This was how their Uchiha clan ought to fight.

"Clan Leader, has Xia still not sent you any word? What about the prisoners?" The Second Elder managed the Uchiha clan's resource allocation. Since the Uchiha had ultimately won, the prisoners and resources naturally belonged to them.

"Heh. What kind of daydream are you having?"

Uchiha Tajima sneered. That unfilial son had dared to seize Uchiha resources before. Now, it was hard to say whose orders the Uchiha in the Land of Fire even followed, yet the elder was still thinking about prisoners and resources.

"We didn't give that unfilial son the slightest support. Forget prisoners and resources-with the way he operates, he might even demand double the mission payment."

The Fourth Elder had been frowning and staring into space with a cup in his hand. Once their argument ended, he interjected.

"Clan Leader, I heard Xia slaughtered clansmen on the battlefield, and not just one or two. We can't simply call it friendly fire and consider the matter settled."

"I question the accuracy of that intelligence. Wasn't the earlier report about Xia kidnapping Madara also mistaken? We can question those children in detail once they return."

The First Elder brushed the matter aside, clearly having decided to protect Indra. As for the clansmen who had been killed... he did have his doubts.

"By the way, Tajima, what do you think of these Uchiha girls?"

The First Elder clapped his hands. More than a dozen Uchiha girls dressed in yukata walked in and bowed slightly to those present.

"What is this? What are you doing?" Uchiha Tajima glanced over them. Several girls looked familiar, and some were capable ninja.

"Didn't we say before that Xia was old enough to settle down? I carefully selected all these girls. None would be an unworthy match for him. Most importantly, we know their backgrounds inside and out."

The First Elder placed particular emphasis on his last sentence, reminding Uchiha Tajima to prevent Kaguya's side from sending someone over.

Uchiha Tajima understood what his brother meant, but his expression remained cold.

Was knowing their backgrounds really the point?

The point was that he had no say in this!

If he tried to force the issue, that boy might send them straight to his room.

And then...

Just imagining the possibility made his head throb.

Seeing Uchiha Tajima's sour expression, the First Elder began introducing the girls.

"This is Uchiha Saya, my eldest daughter. She has already awakened a single tomoe. Although she is a year older than Xia, she is kind and levelheaded, with considerable skill in swordsmanship. They'll have something in common."

Uchiha Tajima closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Are you sure that unfilial son won't cut your daughter down?"

The First Elder frowned, misunderstanding Uchiha Tajima's meaning. He scanned the group, his gaze settling on the youngest girl at the back.

"That girl is Uchiha Chiri. Though she has no talent as a ninja, she is beautiful. She is twelve this year and an orphan. Once she is old enough, she can marry the boy along with Saya."

Uchiha Tajima rubbed the space between his brows and said through gritted teeth, "That unfilial son lived in Asagiri Town for over a decade. What kind of beautiful woman hasn't he seen?"

"Then... let him take them all? He can keep whichever ones he likes." The Third Elder offered a suggestion that practically begged for a beating. "His talent is exceptional. We can't let another clan get its hands on him."

While they were still considering whom to send to Indra's side, Uchiha Chiri kept her head lowered, wrestling with herself.

As the elders continued arguing, Uchiha Chiri stepped forward and knelt, placing both hands on the floor and pressing her forehead firmly against the tatami.

"Clan Leader, honored elders, please allow me to serve Young Master Xia. As a servant, a concubine, or even a tool-please give me a chance."

The Meeting Hall suddenly fell silent. Every gaze settled on Uchiha Chiri.

Some of the other girls looked envious, some contemptuous, and others utterly dismissive. Her offer to share his bed filled them with anger and disdain.

Uchiha Tajima activated his Sharingan and stared at the girl kneeling on the floor. After a long while, his voice broke the silence, cold and commanding. "Raise your head."

Uchiha Chiri slowly lifted her head. Under the scrutiny of so many eyes, she was already drenched in sweat.

She was an orphan with no family. She didn't want to come of age only to be assigned to an Uchiha man and reduced to a breeding tool. She wanted to become a ninja. She wanted to fight.

If she had to spend the rest of her life bearing children, why not serve someone strong?

"You have a pretty face. Since this is your choice, you may stay. We'll make arrangements once the boy returns."

Uchiha Tajima deactivated his Sharingan. He had seen ambition in the girl's eyes. Someone like her would never be content among ordinary people. Better to keep her close and let that unfilial son watch her.

"Thank you, Clan Leader. Thank you, honored elders." Uchiha Chiri bowed and withdrew.

At sunset, a Shadow Guard brought her to the Clan Leader's Residence, where she came face-to-face with Izuna.

"Huh? Who are you?" Bewildered, Izuna turned to the Shadow Guard and asked gravely, "Is this my new stepmother?"

"N-no, Young Master Izuna. I'm Uchiha Chiri. I'm here to serve Young Master Xia."

Uchiha Chiri hurried to explain, terrified of causing a misunderstanding. Besides, she only looked a few years older than him.

"Ohhh, so you want to be my sister-in-law?"

Izuna pouted as he shoveled rice into his mouth, thoroughly unhappy. His eldest brother belonged to Madara, Madara belonged to him, and he belonged to Xing and Yue. Now someone was trying to steal their Nii-san. He had to tell Madara about this.

With a mind full of schemes, Izuna had already begun plotting how to fight for Nii-san.

Late that night, a ninja cat delivered a letter to Madara Uchiha, who was reading the Anti-Scam Guide.

Seeing Izuna's Little Black Cat, Madara Uchiha stroked his head, then looked toward Indra. "Nii-san..."

"Mm." Indra picked up a pen and began writing tomorrow's lesson plan in his notebook: the best strategy for dealing with the despicable Senju.

Madara Uchiha eagerly opened the letter. The more he read, the stranger his expression became. In the end, he even activated his Sharingan to check for a second layer of hidden information.

But there was none!