While Senju Chen was immersed in crazy "masochistic" practice, the atmosphere in another corner of Konoha, Uchiha Clan's clan, seemed particularly depressing.
Family meeting room.
This is the highest level meeting place in the Uchiha Clan, and only clan leaders and elders are eligible to enter.
Uchiha Fugaku was sitting in the main seat, his face as sinking as water. Below him, several elders of Uchiha were sitting on both sides, and their faces were not very good-looking.
"Fugaku, what do you think? It's been more than a month. Our people reported that that kid Senju Clan is either catching cats and teasing dogs or helping villagers weed weeds every day. He doesn't look like a genius at all!"
An elder with a hot temper, Uchiha Yashu, slapped the table, his tone full of dissatisfaction.
"Are we, Uchiha, going to watch helplessly as a Senju brat who is pregnant with Wood Release gains a good reputation as a so-called 'people-friendly' guy in the village? This is clearly Hokage Faction's conspiracy! They are paving the way for that brat's future political path!"
"Elder Yashiro, you can't say that." Another elder who seemed to be more sensible stroked his beard and retorted, "According to Shisui's observation, that Senju Chen has a gentle personality, is friendly to others, and has no ill feelings towards us Uchiha. Maybe he is really just a... precocious and sensible child?"
"Stupid! You are so naive!" Uchiha Yashiro snorted, "The hatred between Senju and Uchiha is engraved in our bones! Gentle and friendly? That's just his disguise! Don't forget, First Hokage Hashirama Senju, didn't he seem to be a good old man back then? What happened? How did he treat us Uchiha!"
"That's enough."
Uchiha Fugaku finally spoke, his voice not high, but with an unquestionable majesty, which instantly suppressed all the quarrels.
His sharp eyes scanned everyone present.
"What you said, whether it's threats or wooing, are just speculations. But one thing is true - that child is quickly integrating into Konoha in a way that we can't understand, and has gained unanimous recognition from Hokage down to the civilians."
His fingers tapped lightly on the cold stone table, making a "ta, da" sound, as if tapping on everyone's heart.
"We can't wait any longer. Whether he is truly gentle or pretending, we must take the initiative into our own hands."
Fugaku's eyes became extremely firm.
"I decided to launch the 'Rising Star' project."
"What?!"
The expressions of all the elders present changed drastically.
"Fugaku, are you crazy?!" Uchiha Yashiro stood up excitedly, "The 'New Star' plan is prepared for our family's once-in-a-hundred-year genius. It requires a huge amount of resources and connections! Now it has to be started in advance for an outsider?"
"It's not for outsiders." Fugaku looked at him coldly, "It's for our Uchiha's future."
He turned his gaze to the corner of the secret room, where a young man remained silent from beginning to end.
"Shisui."
"Yes, Lord Patriarch." Shisui Uchiha stepped out of the shadows and bowed in response.
"Are you willing to take on this responsibility for the sake of the family?" Fugaku's tone was unprecedentedly solemn.
Shisui Uchiha raised his head, there was no hesitation in those clear eyes, only a clear determination.
"I do."
Fugaku nodded with satisfaction.
"Okay. From today on, the family will use resources to apply for early graduation for you. I will personally arrange your graduation assessment."
He stood up, walked to Shisui, and patted him on the shoulder.
"After graduation, I will apply to Lord Hokage and arrange you to work under Orochimaru and become Senju Chen's teammate."
This decision, like a bombshell, shocked all the elders.
"Become teammates with Senju Chen?!"
"Fugaku, this is too risky! Shisui is an outstanding son of our clan. How can we tie him up with that dangerous Senju brat?"
"That's right! What if Shisui is influenced by him, or even..."
"Shut up!" Fugaku roared suddenly, the scarlet Sharingan instantly opened, and the three Tomoe slowly rotated, emitting a heart-stopping huge pressure.
The entire secret room fell silent for an instant.
"Do you think I asked Shisui to go there to monitor him or to become his enemy?" Fugaku's voice was cold and bone-chilling, "Is your vision only that narrow?"
He glanced at the silent elders and said word by word:
"I want Shisui to go there for only one purpose - to become Senju Chen's best friend, most trusted partner, and closest comrade-in-arms!"
"Use our Uchiha's sincerity to influence him and influence him! Let him understand that Uchiha is not his enemy, but a companion who can be trusted to support him!"
"If a Senju member who is pregnant with Wood Release can become our Uchiha friend, have you ever thought about what this means to our family?"
If Itachi hadn't been too young, only 2 years old, he would have even preferred his son to become a companion and close friend with him.
Fugaku's words made the elders present fall into deep thinking.
Yeah...
If Senju Chen can really stand together with Uchiha...
The picture was so beautiful that they couldn't even imagine it.
Senju and Uchiha, First Hokage and Madara Uchiha. The combination of these two forces once created Konoha and almost destroyed Konoha.
If in this generation, these two forces are no longer enemies, but friends...
"I understand..." Uchiha Yashiro sat down slowly, the excitement and anger on his face being replaced by a deeper shock.
"I admire the patriarch's foresight and foresight." The remaining elders also sighed sincerely.
Fugaku put away Sharingan and sat back in the main seat.
He looked at Shisui in front of him, and his eyes became softer.
"Shisui, this task may be very difficult for you, and may even make you feel aggrieved. But for the future of the family, I leave it to you."
He bowed deeply to Shisui.
This bow shocked Shisui's heart.
He quickly stepped forward to support Fugaku, "Master Patriarch, you are serious! I will definitely complete the task!"
In his heart, there is no complaint about being used as a political tool.
Because he also really wants to make friends with Senju Chen.
In his opinion, that young man who is always quiet in school, but will stand up and speak for Hatake Sakumo at critical moments, that young man who shows amazing talent in sparring, but always hits the spot, is a person worth making friends with.
Perhaps, I can really become the bridge connecting Senju and Uchiha.
A blazing fire lit up in the young man's heart.
The energy of the Uchiha Clan is huge.
Under the personal operation of Fugaku and the joint promotion of several elders, a report on "Uchiha genius boy Shisui Uchiha applied for early graduation" was quickly delivered to Third Hokage's desk.
Hiruzen Sarutobi fell into a long silence as he looked at this report and the accompanying letter of recommendation written by Uchiha Fugaku himself.
He was smoking a cigarette, and in the smoke, no one could see his expression clearly.
Uchiha... Finally can't sit still anymore?
Let Shisui Uchiha be Senju Chen's teammate?
Haha, that's a good calculation.
Hiruzen Sarutobi feels like a mirror.
Of course he knows Uchiha's Xiao Jiujiu. He just wants to use Shisui Uchiha to win over Senju Chen.
Should he refuse?
From Hokage's point of view, he should refuse. Allowing the two most powerful forces, Senju and Uchiha, to combine is a potential threat to Hokage's authority.
But...
He remembered that day, when Senju Chen was on the training ground, and that unstoppable Wood Release.
I also remembered that recently, that child worked diligently every day to do D-Rank Mission and accumulated a good reputation among the villagers.
A child who has the power of First, but also knows how to get close to the people.
A young man who owns Uchiha Bloodline but yearns for peace.
If they could really be friends...
Perhaps this is not a bad thing for the village.
It can even completely resolve the decades-long estrangement between the two races.
This is a gamble.
If the bet is successful, Konoha will usher in unprecedented unity and strength.
If you lose the bet... the consequences will be disastrous.
After a long time, Hiruzen Sarutobi knocked his pipe in the ashtray and picked up the seal representing Hokage's authority.
"Pah!"
The bright red seal landed heavily on the document.