In any case.
As a C-rank ninjutsu, the [Great Fireball Technique] carried a certain degree of difficulty and danger to learn.
This was a rank of ninjutsu that usually only Chunin would encounter.
And after Uchiha Minamoto's modifications.
The single-seal version of the [Great Fireball Technique] was even harder to learn than the normal version.
Even among the Uchiha Clan's ninja, not everyone was a genius.
Uchiha En was the fastest learner.
But a certain Uchiha Sasuke who preferred not to reveal his full name still hadn't mastered the single-seal Great Fireball by the time the Ninjutsu Exchange Meeting ended.
That was actually normal.
Compared with Uchiha Itachi.
Sasuke Uchiha was indeed a "late bloomer" of a ninja.
Hmm...
How did that not count as being a late bloomer?
After hearing Uchiha Minamoto's words, the Uchiha present all cheered.
"All right, the meeting is over now, but don't rush off. Anyone without a date can join us for a meal."
After "Ninjutsu Paves the Way," Uchiha Minamoto brought out the second step of his "Commander-in-Chief Plan": "Money Is King."
"The barbecue restaurant! My treat!"
Ninja earned a lot of money.
But ninja spent a lot of money too!
Just look at the Sarutobi Clan's young master, who had nearly had to pawn his underwear at the restaurant after treating just three subordinates to barbecue.
It was only because Uchiha Minamoto had the [Great Love System].
Even a small good deed in his daily life could earn him a reward of a thousand ryo, comparable to the pay for a D-rank mission.
That was what allowed him to casually treat people to meals.
But only to meals.
Uchiha Minamoto's current financial situation was best described as "enough for small expenses, nothing for big ones."
Treating people to dinner was a piece of cake~
The cheers instantly grew even louder.
"Long live Minamoto!"
"Minamoto! Banzai!"
"Uchiha Minamoto is the one everyone wants!"
The barbecue dinner came to an end.
Quite a few Uchiha ninja had grease gleaming on their faces from the meal.
After they left the barbecue restaurant.
Everyone headed home, each to their own mother.
Uchiha Izumi, Uchiha En, Uchiha Rai, and the others gathered around Uchiha Minamoto, walking toward the Uchiha New Clan Compound with him at their center.
A small core group was slowly taking shape.
As it happened, the clan was holding a meeting that evening.
Come to think of it.
This was Uchiha Minamoto's first time attending a clan meeting, and it felt quite novel.
On the way.
As the oldest member of the group, Uchiha Rai explained the things his younger "brothers and sisters" should keep in mind at the clan meeting.
"Clan meetings are basically only held in the main hall of the Naka Shrine."
"There isn't much on the agenda, but the overall atmosphere is still very serious."
"The meetings are usually chaired by the clan head, Captain Yashiro, and the others."
"Young ninja like us just need to listen and watch. There isn't much else..."
Through Uchiha Rai's account.
Uchiha Minamoto and the others gained a basic impression of the clan meetings.
As time passed.
The crowds on the road gradually thinned.
When they reached the Naka Shrine.
Uchiha Minamoto looked up and saw that almost everyone in sight was a member of the clan.
He also spotted Uchiha Itachi standing at the edge of the crowd in Anbu attire, presumably just off duty.
"Itachi."
Taking the attitude that a bigger man shouldn't hold petty grudges, Uchiha Minamoto approached him and offered a greeting.
"Sasuke came to the Ninjutsu Exchange Meeting I held today too.
"Your little brother is very well-behaved~"
It was a perfectly ordinary greeting.
Yet Uchiha Itachi reacted as though someone had stepped on his tail, suddenly raising his head and glaring at Uchiha Minamoto.
Then the young master charged into the Naka Shrine without looking back.
"He really is as arrogant as the rumors say..."
Uchiha En frowned.
Uchiha Rai looked displeased as well.
Uchiha Izumi's opinion of her former classmate dropped another few notches.
"Forget it. Let's go in together."
Uchiha Minamoto had no idea what was wrong with him either, and beckoned to the others.
"I saw the clan head and the others arrive."
Inside a secret chamber beneath the main hall of the Naka Shrine.
The Uchiha Clan's ninja gathered together, an unspoken pressure hanging over their surroundings.
As the clan head, Uchiha Fugaku sat at the very front of the crowd.
"My son-Itachi!"
Uchiha Fugaku spoke slowly, naming the eldest son who made him proud.
"He has officially joined the Anbu and begun carrying out missions as an Anbu ninja.
"For our clan, this is undoubtedly excellent news.
"Itachi, you've done very well."
Uchiha Itachi stood up and suddenly made a remark.
"Actually, things could have been even better."
"What?"
"Lord Third also invited another member of our clan to join the Anbu. Unfortunately, he refused."
Uchiha Itachi looked at the man sitting composedly among the crowd.
"Am I right, Senior Minamoto?"
Chapter 19: S-rank ocular technique-[Amaterasu]! (Please keep reading! Please send monthly votes!)
"Big brother, you don't understand Senior Minamoto at all."
"No, not 'Senior.' It should be 'Big Brother Minamoto.'"
"Big Brother Minamoto is a very gentle and reliable genius ninja."
"Even compared with you, Big Brother Minamoto isn't far behind, and I think the clan members seem to like him more..."
Recalling what his younger brother, Sasuke Uchiha, had said before he came to the clan meeting, Uchiha Itachi couldn't help feeling a pang in his heart.
After all.
Uchiha Itachi had personally stayed by Sasuke's side through countless days and nights, practically raising his little brother himself, diapers and all.
The bond between the brothers was incredibly deep.
Yet Sasuke had attended just one Ninjutsu Exchange Meeting hosted by Uchiha Minamoto, and already showed faint signs of being lured away by him.
Even when he came home for dinner, Sasuke kept saying "Big Brother Minamoto" at every turn, seemingly quite disappointed that he hadn't been able to join Uchiha Minamoto's dinner after the meeting.
Seeing Sasuke like that, Uchiha Itachi felt as though a knife were twisting in his heart.
All those years of affection and time had been wasted after all!
No!
This wasn't Sasuke's fault!
Sasuke was so adorable. How could he possibly do anything wrong?
This was all Uchiha Minamoto's fault!
If Uchiha Minamoto hadn't suddenly come up with this "Ninjutsu Exchange Meeting."
How could such an obedient, sensible child as Sasuke suddenly turn out like this?
Uchiha Minamoto must have cast some mind-bewitching genjutsu on Sasuke!
Perhaps Uchiha Itachi was hostile toward Uchiha Minamoto because he had secretly accepted a mission to monitor him;
Or perhaps his previous experiences had left Uchiha Itachi resentful of this senior clansman who had no sense of reverence;
It might also have been because Uchiha Minamoto's seemingly simple greeting outside the Naka Shrine had set off Uchiha Itachi's negative emotions...
In short, at that very moment.
Uchiha Itachi suddenly turned his sights on Uchiha Minamoto!
Uchiha Minamoto already dared to praise Sasuke for being well-behaved right in front of him.
Uchiha Itachi didn't even dare imagine what he might do next!
What if Sasuke really was lured away by Uchiha Minamoto someday...
No!
There was absolutely no possibility of that!
Uchiha Itachi's soul, utterly obsessed with his little brother, roared madly.
And his words, unsurprisingly, caused a stir.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had invited Uchiha Minamoto to join the Anbu.
Only a tiny handful of people had known about this matter.
Yet tonight, Uchiha Itachi had suddenly dropped that secret like a bomb in front of everyone at the clan meeting.
It could hardly fail to spark discussion...
"Is that true?"
Before you continue