The Elder forced him to become his disciple

Yūto's words shook Nonō deeply.

As far as she knew, Danzo had always wanted to recall her to Root to carry out espionage missions.

But after hearing Yūto point out Danzo's sexual preferences, a strange thought suddenly occurred to her. Could his real reason for recalling her be the Orphanage?

Nonō turned to look at the children, who had regained their energy.

Their ages did seem to match what Yūto had described.

If Yūto was right, she absolutely could not return to Root. Once she left, the children at the Orphanage would be in danger!

Shisui was equally shocked, his eyes wide.

In his mind, Danzo had always been a highly respected elder. How could he do something like that?

But to him, Yūto was someone who risked his life to protect the village and his comrades. He probably would not lie.

Yet just as Shisui wanted to ask for confirmation, Yūto had already walked into the Orphanage with the sack of rice over his shoulder.

With no other choice, Shisui followed.

Walking ahead, Yūto's lips curled slightly. He had planted seeds of doubt in both of them. Danzo probably would not find it so easy to fool them into leaving this time.

Although Danzo had little to do with his plan to get himself killed, Yūto's instinctive disgust still made him disrupt the man's plans without thinking.

Besides, as far as Yūto was concerned, Shisui and Nonō were already his friends.

Yūto gently set the rice sack in a corner of the storeroom, then turned to find himself surrounded by children.

They tilted their little faces up, all calling out, "Big Brother Yūto!"

A little girl with pigtails even caught his sleeve and gave it a shake. "Did you bring candy this time?"

Yūto crouched down and produced a handful of colorful fruit candies from his ninja tool pouch as if by magic. The children immediately cheered.

Shisui stood to one side, holding the sack of flour rather awkwardly.

A little boy timidly approached, staring at the Konoha symbol on his forehead protector. "Big brother, a-are you a ninja too?"

Shisui hurriedly nodded, but did not know what to say. In the end, he stiffly pulled a kunai from his pocket and clumsily twirled it.

The children crowded around him with cries of "Wow!" His ears reddened as he scrambled to handle their requests to "Do it again!"

Leaning against the doorframe, Nonō watched the two surrounded by children and lightly pushed up her glasses with a fingertip to hide her smile.

Watching Shisui's clumsy yet gentle manner, Yūto could not help laughing aloud.

He ruffled the little girl's pigtails and said softly, "I'll bring more candy next time."

Nonō walked over and gently reminded the children, "It's time to get lunch ready."

The children reluctantly dispersed, still turning back to look from time to time.

Yūto patted Shisui on the shoulder and said quietly, "Looks like you're pretty popular."

Shisui scratched his head and gave a bashful smile.

Watching the children skip away, he felt ripples stir in his heart.

He recalled Yūto's unhesitating figure in the face of danger, then compared it with his own constant wavering between the clan and the village. Unconsciously, he tightened his grip on his kunai.

I really don't seem to live as freely as Yūto.

At the entrance to the clan grounds, Yūto said goodbye to Shisui.

Their homes were not in the same place. Although both were in residential areas, how could the parents of an obscure ninja like Yūto possibly have afforded a large house?

So Yūto's home was in what amounted to the commoners' district.

Shisui, on the other hand, was different. His grandfather, Kagami Uchiha, had been an elder of Konoha, on the same level as the current Elder and Fugaku.

The Uchiha Clan differed from the Hyuga. The Hyuga were divided into the Main Family and the branch family, while the Uchiha Clan was divided into the Six Main Branches.

The Elder led the First Main Branch, while Fugaku led the Third Main Branch. Even if Fugaku had not become clan head, he could now have become the Third Elder.

In the Uchiha Clan, the selection of the clan head was rather like the Electors of the Holy Roman Empire.

If one branch was strong, several successive clan heads might come from that same branch, just as Uchiha Tajima had passed the position to Madara Uchiha.

In this respect, the Uchiha Clan did indeed have an edge over the Hyuga.

After all, among the Hyuga, once someone entered the branch family, all their descendants belonged to it too, with no chance of ever rising above it.

Yūto pushed open his front door. Just like that night, the Elder was sitting at the table in the living room, with freshly brewed tea at hand.

The Elder raised his teacup and took a small sip, his gaze falling on Yūto's bandaged arm.

"How are your injuries healing? I heard a Kumogakure spy nearly pierced your lung with Lightning Release."

His tone was flat, but carried a barely perceptible trace of concern.

Yūto assumed the Elder had come especially to thank him for saving his granddaughter Tsukimi's life, so he did not think much of it.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Just a minor injury. That guy's Lightning Release did pack a punch, though."

"Reckless fool!" The Elder suddenly slammed his teacup down on the table. "How do you think ninja died in the Warring States Period? By being rash, just like you!"

He stood up. "Starting tomorrow, I'll personally oversee your training!"

Yūto's eyes widened. This old man was the Elder of the Uchiha. Why would he suddenly offer to train him?

Training was what he feared most. He was already capable of killing a Chunin. If this Elder, a Jonin from the Warring States Period, put him through his paces as well...

Wouldn't he be able to kill a Jonin with his own hands?

How many people in the Shinobi World would still be able to kill him then?

Surely he, Uchiha Yūto, could not go around the whole world provoking Kage-level fighters!

Yūto forced a smile. "Elder, you're joking, right?"

"There's no need to trouble you with teaching me. I can train on my own..."

The Elder snorted, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes. "Do you think I'm asking for your opinion?"

He stood up and struck the floor hard with his cane. "Just look at yourself! You don't know a single decent ninjutsu. All you can do is throw your life on the line! You've utterly disgraced the Uchiha!"

Yūto shrank back and was about to make another attempt to resist when the Elder suddenly formed hand seals. The Three-Tomoe Sharingan slowly turned in his aged eyes. "Thirty years ago, I watched seven brothers die in battle with these eyes. Do you think risking your life is glorious?"

He seized Yūto by the collar, his voice as rough as scraping sandpaper. "A useless fool who survives is ten thousand times more useful than a dead hero!"

The Elder released him. "Five tomorrow morning, at Naka Shrine. Arrive one minute late, and I'll show you what special training in the Warring States Period was like!"

With that, the Elder turned and left.

Watching the Elder's retreating back, Yūto howled inwardly.

If he really trains me into an elite ninja, how am I supposed to get myself killed plausibly afterward?

How am I supposed to commit insurance fraud if I get stronger?

Will I have to fight a Tailed Beast single-handedly just to die?

At the thought of possibly being forced to slaughter his way across future battlefields, Yūto's vision went dark.

"I'm doomed. That hundred-million payout and a life of wine and debauchery on Blue Star are slipping further and further away!"