Something was off

After Danzo left, the Third Hokage closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then slowly opened them:

"Yan, next time something happens, tell me immediately. Don't take matters into your own hands!"

"Third Hokage, I understand your feelings for Lord Danzo. They're just like my feelings for Captain Kakashi and the Uchiha Clan.

I didn't want to put you in a difficult position, so I resorted to this."

"Even so, you must still be punished."

The Third Hokage sighed softly. "Once you've delivered Jinyan and the others to Amegakure, go to the Land of Water battlefield!

Whether you survive will depend on your own luck. Kakashi and Taichi won't be with you. You'll be a one-man squad, taking orders from Danzo."

"What?!"

Jinyan cried out, "Third Hokage, aren't you sending Yan to his death?

He just offended Danzo, and now you're making him take orders from him? You might as well kill him outright."

"Well said! Shall I kill him right now, then?"

"Uh... I was just saying!"

"If I were an Uchiha, you'd have angered me into awakening my Sharingan just like Yan.

With you around, the Uchiha Clan will never have to worry about whether they can awaken their Sharingan again."

Uchiha Yan bowed to the Third Hokage:

"Thank you for your care, Lord Third Hokage. For Konoha and the Uchiha, I'll be sure to help Lord Danzo analyze intelligence and devise plans that benefit Konoha.

I'll also remind Lord Danzo at all times not to rush after quick results."

The Third Hokage nodded in satisfaction. "Send a copy of the book over once you get back. I'm very curious."

"Yes! I'll make the arrangements and leave for the Land of Rain tomorrow morning.

As for Senior Jinyan and the others, keep them in the Hokage Building for now. Make them bleed a little-flogging would be best!"

"Go! Kakashi, take Yan back to the Uchiha Clan Compound and bring the book back while you're at it."

"Yes!"

Before long, only three members of Konoha High Command remained in the room. Koharu couldn't help asking:

"Hiruzen, are you really letting Uchiha Jinyan and the others off just like that? What will the villagers think?

And Uchiha Yan-we should take this opportunity to kill him. He's too clever!"

"Koharu!"

The Third Hokage exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. "There's no benefit in killing Jinyan. With the Rinnegan in the Land of Rain, it's better to plant Root ninja there.

As for Uchiha Yan, I'm giving him a chance, too. If he can survive under Danzo, that will show he's clever enough to change the Uchiha.

You saw it just now. To protect Uchiha Yan, Jinyan and those other Uchiha didn't resist at all. That alone proves the place Yan holds in their hearts."

"Aren't you afraid Uchiha Yan will become Hokage?"

"I can keep going for another ten years. We'll see then. If the Uchiha truly have Konoha's interests at heart and have the ability, what would it matter if one of them became Hokage?

The book will arrive shortly. You should both read it, too. If it really is as Uchiha Yan said and can treat the mental illnesses caused by the Sharingan, the Uchiha Clan will be Konoha's strongest force."

"Impossible! How could our teacher have been wrong?!"

"Perhaps! Let's wait until the book arrives."

Meanwhile, as they walked down the road, Kakashi kept glancing back at Uchiha Yan, full of curiosity.

"Captain Kakashi, if you have something to say, just say it. You're making me rather embarrassed."

"Why did you insist on sending them to the Land of Rain? Don't tell me it has anything to do with the Land of Earth."

"To reform the Uchiha!"

Uchiha Yan told him the truth. "These Uchiha are too arrogant. Let them suffer a few defeats, and they'll become humble.

Another reason is that the Third Hokage wants intelligence on the Rinnegan. That was how I could be confident of saving Jinyan and the others' lives."

"So that's it! But how are you going to survive under Danzo?"

"Simple! Just make him realize that keeping me alive is worth more than killing me."

"You've already treated him like an idiot."

"Anything is possible! Captain Kakashi, when I think about your Three-Tomoe Sharingan, I feel more and more that you have Uchiha blood.

Otherwise, there's no way that Sharingan could have advanced."

"Why don't you say Obito is still alive?"

"That's possible, too! Why not try looking for him?"

"Heh... You'd better think about how to stay alive first! I don't think Yahiko will let you go again."

"Isn't that what you should be thinking about? You're the captain!"

"..."

The two chatted on and off, arriving at Fugaku's house before they knew it.

"Itachi! Are you there?"

"Senior Yan, are you all right? Where are Uncle Jinyan and the others?"

Uchiha Yan patted Itachi's head and reassured him with a smile:

"I'm fine! Go get that copy of the Analects for Captain Kakashi. Lord Third Hokage wants to learn haoran qi, too."

"Really?!"

Itachi's eyes lit up. "That's wonderful! I knew haoran qi was the most powerful. Even Lord Third Hokage wants to learn it.

Senior Kakashi, wait here. I'll get it right away!"

"Haoran qi?"

Kakashi looked at Uchiha Yan in confusion. "What is that? What does it do?"

"It can restore mental energy, keep people's hearts forever turned toward the light, and save you from darkness. Cultivate it to the end, and it can cleanse all evil.

But cultivating it is extremely difficult. The slightest misstep could lead to failure."

"Really?"

"Take a look first in a moment. As long as you can live up to one sentence in it, you won't fear the darkness."

As he finished speaking, Itachi ran out carrying a thick scroll:

"Senior Kakashi, this is the Analects. Everything it says makes a lot of sense.

For example, 'I examine myself three times each day.' Lately, I've been reflecting on myself every night before bed. I've discovered many shortcomings, and I've been making great progress every day.

Tell Lord Third Hokage that as long as he does what the book says and doesn't deceive himself, he'll definitely be able to cultivate haoran qi.

I've only been studying it for a few days, and my chakra has been recovering faster lately."

"Thank you! I'll tell the Third Hokage."

Kakashi took the scroll, then turned and left.

Uchiha Yan, meanwhile, looked at Itachi suspiciously. Had this kid really learned some kind of haoran qi? Could haoran qi actually restore mental energy?

Something was off! On a scale of one to ten, this was a twelve! No matter how clever Itachi was, he couldn't possibly gather haoran qi this quickly. Besides, this was the paragon of filial piety. How could he have haoran qi?

"Itachi, is your chakra really recovering faster? You're not imagining it?"

"It really is faster! A few days ago, it took half an hour to build up enough chakra for one Fireball. Now it only takes twenty-eight minutes."

Uchiha Yan breathed a sigh of relief. That was more like it. Only two minutes-it had to be his imagination.

"Itachi! You really are a genius, but don't get conceited. Keep training hard, and sooner or later you'll surpass the clan head."

"Yes!"

Uchiha Itachi answered loudly, then looked outside the door with worry all over his face:

"Why haven't I seen Uncle Jinyan and the others?"

"Wrongdoing has to be punished. They caused such a huge incident; they're lucky to be alive.

The Hokage Building will issue a notice shortly. If you want to understand the whole story, just read the notice."

"Oh! Then I'll get Mom to come back. She's still outside asking around!"

"Go on! Tell the clan members not to worry."

Back in his room, Uchiha Yan lay on the floor, his thoughts drifting to the Land of Rain. He needed to find a way for Uchiha Jinyan to put down roots there.

Having the Uchiha put down roots in the Land of Rain was originally supposed to happen after the war ended, but plans were no match for idiots. He could only send the idiots away first.

System, based on Uchiha Jinyan's behavioral patterns, list ten plans that would make it easy for him to gain Nagato's trust in the Land of Rain...

Beep... Running projections for you...

Based on Uchiha Jinyan's behavioral patterns, here are ten suggestions. One: an honest man...

As he read the ten suggestions on the system panel, the corners of Uchiha Yan's mouth slowly rose. The system was useful after all.