Tell me about it

"Could you tell me about it and let the Toad Sage put it to the test?"

Uchiha Yan sat up straight. "Changing customs! I'll create various festivals, systems of etiquette, and a family tree system.

I've already established a family tree in the Uchiha Clan. From now on, every Uchiha will be recorded in it, whether they've awakened their eyes or not.

Except during ancestral rites, they won't need to wear clothes bearing the Uchiha Clan Crest, so they'll look no different from the other villagers.

I'll also open a school within the clan to teach them how to conduct themselves and deal with others from childhood.

As long as the Uchiha Clan keeps improving, the other shinobi clans will follow, gradually influencing all of Konoha."

"The family tree will let every clan member know where they came from, ancestral rites will unite their hearts, and giving up the crest on their clothes will help them integrate into the village.

That way, the clan members won't grow more distant from one another, and they'll also be able to fit in with the villagers."

"Yes! This is only a tiny part of it. Everything else will have to wait until the war is over.

But I've already handed the detailed plan to the clan leader. As long as he follows it, the Uchiha won't have any problems."

Jiraiya gave Uchiha Yan a long look and couldn't help reminding him:

"Have you considered that, a lot of the time, the problem isn't actually the Uchiha?"

"I know!"

The corners of Uchiha Yan's mouth lifted slightly. "Changes in the Uchiha can force other people to change. Sometimes, the way to solve a problem lies not with others, but with ourselves.

Just like on the Night of the Nine-Tails, when the Uchiha made a rare move against Root, forcing the Third Hokage to change his mind.

And on the day of the Hokage election, the Uchiha nominated the Third Hokage, forcing him to court the Uchiha to keep Lord Danzo in check.

Lord Jiraiya, until I die, Lord Danzo will keep targeting me instead of the Uchiha. That will be the Uchiha's window to change.

Don't worry! When we get to the Land of Water in a few days, I'll say a few more things that cut deep enough to make Danzo want to tear me limb from limb.

Everyone only has so much attention to spare. Winning the war and killing Uchiha Yan will be enough to keep Lord Danzo from thinking about anything else."

Jiraiya was utterly exasperated. He realized the Uchiha really were evil. There was actually someone even darker than Danzo, running circles around him.

"Enough of that! How are Konan and the others?"

"They're doing great! Konan and Yahiko have been protecting the people of the Land of Rain, and Nagato has been training his Rinnegan."

"But why did I hear Yahiko was already dead?"

"Nonsense! Kakashi and I saw them with our own eyes. Orange-haired Yahiko, blue-haired Konan, red-haired Nagato. How could we mistake them?

Konan really is rich. She has enough Explosive Tags to flatten Konoha."

"Hahaha... as long as they're all right. I was planning to visit Amegakure, but it looks like there's no need now."

Jiraiya laughed aloud. "Yan, someone's waiting on shore to meet you. Head back on your own in a bit. I still have to gather material."

At that, Jiraiya's expression changed, turning unusually grave:

"Before Minato died, did he leave anything besides that intelligence? For example..."

"I know what you want to ask, but I can't tell you."

Uchiha Yan raised a hand to interrupt him. "If you have questions, ask the Fourth Hokage yourself later. Once his child comes of age, you'll naturally get to see him.

I've also pretty much figured out who the culprit is, but you can't handle this person. I won't let you go to your death.

Lord Jiraiya, you have to stay alive until a new generation in Konoha grows strong enough to protect it.

You don't have to live that long, either. The leaders of all the major shinobi clans are having children this year. Once they grow up, you can go ahead and die."

Jiraiya looked thoroughly exasperated. "Brat, are you cursing me? Minato's already dead. Am I supposed to join him in the afterlife?"

"Can you leave chakra inside me and speak to me in my mind in the future?"

"Yes!"

"If even you can do it, how could the Fourth Hokage not be able to?"

"What's that supposed to mean? He's my student!"

"Oh, right! I forgot! Sorry, it's just that the Fourth Hokage really is stronger than you!

Don't be sad, though. It's normal for the student to surpass the master. After all, you're stronger than the Third Hokage, too."

"That makes sense! Huh? No, are you looking down on me? That's not right either. I'm stronger than my teacher. Still not right!"

Jiraiya lowered his head, counting on his fingers as he muttered, "I'm stronger than my teacher, and Minato's stronger than me, so does that make me strong?

I taught Minato, so I must be stronger than him, but he..."

Uchiha Yan glanced at Jiraiya, then checked the distance to shore before silently jumping off the toad and diving beneath the sea.

Gamabunta listened to Jiraiya's muttering, then glanced at Uchiha Yan, who had already dived underwater, and finally couldn't help reminding him:

"Jiraiya, that brat's already run off, and you're still figuring out who's stronger? Is your brain broken?"

"Huh?"

Jiraiya smacked his forehead hard. "Damn it! I actually got played. This brat's even craftier than Orochimaru.

Forget it, forget it! Leave him be. Gamabunta, you can head back!"

"Did Minato really leave behind chakra?"

"Why don't you go back and ask? He trained in senjutsu too. Others might not know, but surely the Toad Sage would?"

"Oh, right!"

Jiraiya's sudden appearance and departure with Uchiha Yan left Genji stunned for quite a while before he recovered:

"Jiraiya? Why did he suddenly show up?"

"I don't know, but judging by Uchiha Yan's tone, they must have been in contact for some time. He went fishing every day lately, probably to prepare for today and make us lower our guard.

Genji, how did the talks go? Will Uchiha Yan's escape affect our cooperation with Kumogakure?"

"Yes! But it doesn't matter. I made contingency plans, too."

Genji smiled reassuringly at Shiori. "Get ready. It's time we headed back as well. We might even run into Uchiha Yan.

Leave ten Chunin squads behind to secretly gather ships. They'll be useful later.

Remember! Don't let anyone notice."

"Yes!"

Just as Genji had said, he had prepared for both possibilities. It would be good if Konoha didn't know, but it didn't matter if they did. Either way, he wouldn't lose out.

There was just one question he couldn't figure out: how exactly had Uchiha Yan sent the intelligence out? If he had passed it along through storytelling, it certainly couldn't have been this fast.

A summoning animal? Without chakra, he couldn't summon one at all. Besides, there were large numbers of sensory shinobi around, and any unfamiliar chakra would inevitably be detected.

Genji had a vague feeling that he might encounter Uchiha Yan again on the battlefield at Jinghai Town. But for now, he had no intention of heading there. The Fourth Mizukage needed to grow.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Yan had already linked up with Konoha's shinobi. What he hadn't expected was that the people sent to meet him were the Fourth Hokage's guards, the Genma Squad.

"Captain Genma, with you guarding me, does that make me a Hokage too?"

"Think whatever you like!"

Genma Shiranui held a senbon in his mouth, his expression calm. "The Third Hokage ordered us to bring you back to Konoha. You'd better think about how you're going to answer his questions."

"What questions? Is it a Hokage assessment?"

"Why are you still alive?"

"Oh, that!"

Uchiha Yan looked relaxed. "The Third already knows everything. Before you came here, a ninja cat had already delivered the intelligence to him.

Genma, I heard you learned Flying Thunder God too. Could you take me straight back to Konoha?"

"No!"

Genma Shiranui refused flatly. "We aren't talented enough. We haven't mastered Flying Thunder God yet."

"What a shame! Why can't you learn it? Have you been slacking off?"

"Brat, that's a forbidden jutsu. Do you think it's some ordinary ninjutsu anyone can learn?"

"Yes! Any jutsu that's been developed can surely be learned. When it comes down to it, you must have been lazy, or your training is headed in the wrong direction.

You shouldn't reach beyond your grasp. You ought to start with the basics.

Let me tell you, if you start training from the basics, even immortality is possible.

There's a powerful member of the Uchiha Clan who's lived from the Warring States Era until now without her appearance changing, and the visual jutsu she possesses is even more terrifying.

Want to hear her story? Back then, Uchiha Hikari awakened her Mangekyō Sharingan at twelve, only to be turned into a tool by her own clan.

To guard against Uchiha Hikari, the Senju and other clans joined forces to seal her away. If Boruto Uzumaki hadn't rescued her, who knows how much longer she would have been sealed.

Unfortunately, Boruto Uzumaki later disappeared, and Uchiha Hikari vanished as well.

That's how the Uchiha Clan is. They easily lose their heads over love. It's a flaw...

Why aren't you saying anything? Were you born quiet?"

"Shut up!"