Naturally Great-Loving Uchiha

However, [Uchiha Reflection] was not without its drawbacks.

It was a ninjutsu that relied heavily on a ninja tool.

The [Gunbai]!

A family heirloom passed down through generations of the Uchiha Clan, it was an extraordinary ninja tool carved from a branch of the God Tree.

Decades ago, when Konoha had only just been founded and Madara Uchiha left the village.

That former leader of the Uchiha Clan had taken the [Gunbai] with him.

Logically speaking.

After the battle between Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha at the Valley of the End.

Madara Uchiha had "died" at Hashirama Senju's hands.

As Madara Uchiha's personal weapon, the [Gunbai] should have been collected by Hashirama Senju as a spoil of war.

But something had gone wrong somewhere.

The [Gunbai] had neither been recovered by Konoha nor returned to the Uchiha Clan.

Instead, it had vanished into history along with Madara Uchiha's "death."

The [Gunbai] should be in Obito Uchiha's hands right now, shouldn't it?

Uchiha Minamoto gazed longingly at [Uchiha Reflection] on the panel.

Such a great ability, yet he could not use it.

Uchiha Minamoto was itching to try it.

As he was now, he had no way to reclaim the [Gunbai] from Obito Uchiha.

For the time being, I can forget about the [Gunbai]...

Then is there any way to use [Uchiha Reflection] without the [Gunbai]?

I don't have the [Gunbai], but I do have [Uchiha Flame Formation]. That's a defensive ninjutsu too...

Would combining [Uchiha Flame Formation] and [Uchiha Reflection] get me anywhere?

Uchiha Minamoto brainstormed.

Just as his thoughts began to wander.

A small hand suddenly poked him in the side.

"Senior Minamoto..."

Uchiha Izumi's very soft voice sounded beside his ear.

"The clan leader is calling you..."

Uchiha Minamoto instantly snapped back to his senses.

He stood up reflexively, only then realizing that all his clansmen were looking at him.

Uchiha Fugaku, seated at the very front, looked rather displeased.

He had called Uchiha Minamoto several times, but received no response whatsoever.

His eyes had been vacant; he had clearly been distracted.

In a place as ancient and sacred as Naka Shrine.

On an occasion as solemn and dignified as a clan meeting.

You were daydreaming, Uchiha Minamoto?

This was simply-

"Ahem!"

Uchiha Hinotori, who had taken a seat beside Uchiha Fugaku at some point, saw things taking a bad turn and coughed twice.

"Clan leader, business comes first."

Uchiha Hinotori had considerable seniority within the clan and was around the same age as Uchiha Fugaku.

Although one was a Chunin and squad leader, while the other was a Jonin and clan leader.

The two normally treated each other as equals.

"Hinotori, you... never mind."

Uchiha Fugaku shook his head, reined in his displeasure, and looked calmly at Uchiha Minamoto.

"Minamoto, the clan has decided that you will serve as squad leader of the Fifth Division's Fifth Squad!"

Fifth Squad?

Squad leader?

Me?

Three questions ran through Uchiha Minamoto's mind in succession, then he looked at Uchiha Hazuki, sitting a short distance away.

Isn't the Fifth Squad our squad?

Aren't you the squad leader, Aunt Hazuki?

How did I suddenly end up taking my superior's place?

There were too many "questions" in Uchiha Minamoto's eyes.

Uchiha Hazuki could hardly answer them one by one, so she could only shake her head almost imperceptibly, signaling for him to keep listening to the clan leader.

Uchiha Minamoto turned back toward the clan leader.

Uchiha Fugaku patiently repeated the personnel reassignment he had just announced at the Clan Meeting.

"Your former squad leader, Uchiha Hazuki, will now serve as squad leader of the Fifth Division's Second Squad."

Squad leader of the Second Squad?

Uchiha Minamoto immediately looked at Uchiha Hinotori.

If he remembered correctly.

Uncle Hinotori was the squad leader of the Second Squad.

"I'm getting old, and the clan's young people are becoming more and more accomplished."

Uchiha Hinotori looked with gratification at Uchiha Minamoto, the monstrous genius who had risen as swiftly as a comet.

"Minamoto, your uncle here wants to retire."

For a profession as dangerous as being a shinobi.

Uchiha Hinotori could indeed be considered "old."

But he was still far from retirement age.

The real reason Uchiha Hinotori had chosen to retire was none other than Uchiha Minamoto!

At the Ninjutsu Exchange Meeting earlier that day.

Uchiha Hinotori had briefly exchanged blows with Uchiha Minamoto and personally witnessed the battle between him and "Body Flicker Shisui," so he knew very well just how powerful the boy was.

Among the clan's current younger generation of shinobi.

Uchiha Shisui was undoubtedly the strongest.

Next came Uchiha Minamoto and Uchiha Itachi.

In the eyes of an "old Uchiha" like Uchiha Hinotori.

Shisui Uchiha was like his late elder, Kagami Uchiha: a shinobi who valued the village more than the clan.

And Uchiha Itachi, who was extremely close to Shisui Uchiha, seemed to be showing the same tendency.

Of the Uchiha Clan's three most outstanding young people.

Two leaned more toward the village.

Only Uchiha Minamoto.

He had refused the Third Hokage's invitation, established the Ninjutsu Exchange Meeting, formed the Great Love Group, and always put strengthening the clan first.

They could not let such an outstanding young man feel disheartened!

Thus, immediately after the Ninjutsu Exchange Meeting ended, Uchiha Hinotori had skipped the group dinner and sought out the clan leader, Uchiha Fugaku, intending to give his squad leader position to Uchiha Minamoto.

"A young man has joined the Konoha Military Police Force. His blade is fast, and he's always flying through the sky."

Those were not Uchiha Hinotori's exact words.

But that was roughly what he meant.

Uchiha Fugaku had not attended that day's Ninjutsu Exchange Meeting, but he had heard about Uchiha Minamoto's astonishing performance there.

A Super Genius capable of fighting Shisui Uchiha to a draw was holding the lowest-ranking position in the Konoha Military Police Force.

Even without this matter involving Uchiha Hinotori.

Uchiha Fugaku had intended to promote Uchiha Minamoto and give him more responsibilities.

Now that Uchiha Hinotori had volunteered to "make way."

Uchiha Fugaku naturally went along with it.

He would send Uchiha Hazuki to the Second Squad to take over Uchiha Hinotori's duties.

Then promote Uchiha Minamoto to squad leader of the Fifth Division's Fifth Squad!

"Yes, Commander-in-Chief!"

Uchiha Minamoto first puffed out his chest and answered the clan leader loudly, then waved at Uchiha Hinotori.

"Uncle Hinotori, I'll buy you a drink when you have time!"

"What do you mean, a drink! That's one of the Three Prohibitions of Shinobi! You're still young. You need to exercise restraint."

Uchiha Hinotori first delivered a stern-faced lecture, then asked a little sheepishly.

"But, Minamoto, is your Great Love Group still recruiting?"

"Yes! Of course we are!"

Surprised and delighted, Uchiha Minamoto agreed without the slightest hesitation.

"Uncle Hinotori, having you join would be an honor for the Great Love Group!"

Over the past week.

The Great Love Group had indeed been growing rapidly.

But the vast majority of its full members were ordinary people from the Uchiha Clan.

There were relatively few shinobi.

And nearly all of them were Genin.

There were almost none at Chunin rank or above.

That was actually normal.

Because almost every shinobi in the Uchiha Clan already had an "official post."

At Chunin rank, they could already serve as mid-level officers in the Konoha Military Police Force.

Uchiha shinobi at that level would hardly care about the paltry rewards the Great Love Group offered for doing good deeds.

Apart from Uchiha Hazuki, who had been unable to resist Uchiha Izumi's enthusiastic invitations.

Uchiha Hinotori was the first Chunin in the clan to request to join the Great Love Group of his own accord!

A veteran Chunin with an extraordinary wealth of experience.

How could Uchiha Minamoto let such "top-tier talent" slip away?

"Uncle Hinotori, the Great Love Group has only just been established, after all, so we can't offer much in the way of compensation."

Uchiha Minamoto swept his hand out and began throwing money around.

"Let's set your monthly salary at a hundred thousand ryo for now! Bonuses will be separate."