"Not even two years old—can you really tell if someone's gifted at that age?"
Kyoichi wasn't so sure.
Madara and Black Zetsu's abilities were beyond ordinary comprehension, but generally speaking, if someone like Fugaku had that much talent, his child probably wouldn't fall too far from the tree.
Even Sasuke…
Aside from some issues with his Sharingan, his overall potential wasn't lacking.
Of course…
Compared to Itachi, there was no contest.
But that wasn't Sasuke's fault—Itachi's talent was just absurd.
If Madara's target was Itachi…
Kyoichi pondered how to avoid that outcome. But no matter how he turned it over in his head, he couldn't find a good solution. After all, there was no way he could publicly reveal that Madara was still alive.
There simply wasn't any evidence.
And if he did speak out, the Uchiha would probably just think Konoha was stirring up trouble—trying to reopen old wounds now that they had control over the Police Force, using it as an excuse to deal with internal Uchiha issues.
Interfering in a clan like that wouldn't just make the Uchiha hostile; other clans would start getting suspicious too.
So, after much deliberation, he realized the only real move was to work something out from inside the Uchiha clan itself.
---
The next day…
Taking advantage of his squad's rest period, Kyoichi gathered Shisui, Asuma, and Kurenai.
Lately, Kurenai had been busy helping out at the hospital and studying there. Her taijutsu and genjutsu hadn't improved much, but her medical ninjutsu had seen some progress. She was patching up gaps in her knowledge and gaining some skill.
Kyoichi gave her a few pointers, assigned Asuma some training tasks, then pulled Shisui aside for a private conversation.
"Sensei, is there something you need me to do?"
"Not exactly," Kyoichi replied. "We've been so busy with the Chūnin Exams, I haven't had a chance to talk with you about the Uchiha. What's your take on the current state of your clan?"
He patted the ground, motioning for Shisui to sit and relax.
Shisui nodded and sat down across from him.
That question…
He wasn't sure how to answer.
After collecting his thoughts, Shisui finally said, "I think it's not looking great. Clan Head Fugaku may have confronted the old guard and stripped them of power, but there are still a lot of them around. Their influence runs deep. If they're not dealt with thoroughly, it'll come back to haunt us."
"There will definitely be consequences. Have they made any moves?"
Kyoichi didn't disagree.
Fugaku had that typical personality—he wanted everything.
And the result?
He usually ended up with nothing. It would've been far better to act decisively from the start, cut clean, and finish it all in one go.
Shisui shook his head. "I'm not sure. I've been busy with the exams, and now Inahori and Tetsuka are getting closer to Fugaku, too."
"I see…"
Kyoichi narrowed his eyes. That was within expectations.
Shisui was only six, after all.
No matter how talented he was, he wasn't a match for the clan head's status. Especially now that Fugaku had started adopting some of Shisui's ideas and was pushing for sweeping reforms within the Uchiha. Plus, he was personally mentoring Shisui, practically grooming him as the next heir.
It made perfect sense for others to start aligning with him.
Still…
Fugaku was so eager about these reforms, yet never considered being more ruthless with the elders. That was just… baffling.
Shisui sighed. "Sensei, I've been thinking a lot more about what you said. You were right—a leader doesn't just need means and decisiveness; he also needs real strength."
Without power, others can abandon you at any time.
That's what happened with Inahori and the others.
The one small comfort was that Obito still blindly believed in and encouraged him. The frustrating part was… Obito didn't seem to care about any of the clan's internal changes.
That guy's recognition of "Uchiha" probably only extended to his family and the Sharingan.
Shisui sighed inwardly.
Kyoichi smiled faintly.
After one strategic push, Shisui had really started to grow. He was on the path to becoming a proper clan leader—and someone Madara likely wouldn't be able to manipulate.
Which meant…
He was no longer a potential target.
Obito and Itachi were still possibilities.
Obito just needed a little mental rewiring and the right trigger to awaken his Sharingan—he'd become a perfect pawn. As for Itachi, he could be raised from a young age with carefully guided ideology…
Both had their uses.
Kyoichi thought for a moment, then asked, "How's Fugaku's son?"
"You mean Itachi? Very smart, but also under a lot of pressure. Clan Head Fugaku has extremely high expectations—he's already being treated harshly, and he's just over a year old."
Shisui felt bad for Itachi.
From his perspective, Fugaku was neither a good leader nor a good father. He didn't understand what Itachi needed; he only saw his own ambitions.
"Then why not get closer to him? When you train or mentor him, try teaching him some general knowledge as well."
Kyoichi offered the idea.
It was the only solution he could think of—something that might help, yet wouldn't arouse suspicion from the Uchiha or the other clans, who might otherwise believe Konoha was meddling in clan affairs.
Shisui was stunned for a while.
"Sensei… you mean, you want me to brainw— change Itachi's mindset?"
"I'm not asking you to brainwash him. Just teach him knowledge—give him the ability to distinguish right from wrong. He's almost two now. If he's bright, he can start learning."
Kyoichi figured that if Shisui did this, Fugaku would probably applaud him.
After all…
In the original timeline, Fugaku took four-year-old Itachi to the battlefield and made him witness bloodshed. That completely shattered the kid's worldview and drove him to the brink of suicide—an absolutely monstrous move.
Teaching him early to tell right from wrong could only help.
Shisui felt ashamed.
He had thought Kyoichi wanted him to indoctrinate Itachi—to mold him in his image. He'd hesitated about whether that was the right thing to do.
Turns out…
It was a misunderstanding.
"Yes, I understand now. Just teaching him knowledge… Actually, Aunt Mikoto has already been doing that. And apparently, Clan Head Fugaku plans to take over himself later. If I help out, they likely won't oppose it."
"Don't teach him any ideology. Got it?"
Kyoichi's face turned stern.
If Shisui started spouting "Will of Fire" to Itachi at this age, not only would the boy not understand it, but it would also draw unwanted attention from Fugaku, Black Zetsu, and Madara—putting him in even more danger.
Shisui nodded firmly.
Then he went back to training.
Shinobis from other villages had started leaving the village, and Konoha's genin had stopped training at the Police Force grounds.
Not because they were banned.
Fugaku had issued a decree: any shinobi who registered their name could train at the Police Force's facilities, and the guards wouldn't interfere.
It was a brilliant move.
Unfortunately…
His failure to completely purge the old guard was also starting to show. Some stubborn holdouts were like rotten mice in a pot of rice—just a few could spoil everything.
Those Uchiha who whispered behind others' backs and rolled their eyes were exactly that kind of rot.
As long as they remained, no one would ever truly feel that the Uchiha were approachable. On the contrary, people would only grow more convinced the Uchiha were difficult to get along with.
That afternoon, Kyoichi dismissed everyone to train independently.
And sure enough…
Back in the village, that familiar eye-catching scene returned—
Might Guy, leading the way, followed by Obito, Kotetsu Hagane, and others. But this time, something had changed.
Before, Obito and the others, though they trained with Guy, still resisted those hideous green jumpsuits. Especially Obito—just one time wearing it had left him with lasting trauma.
But now…
Eighty percent of them had put on the green suits. On the streets of Konoha, they ran and trained, sweat flying, completely unbothered by how others looked at them.
This was progress too.
But still…
He couldn't shake the feeling that he had brought this upon himself!
If he hadn't praised Guy so much back then, these people probably wouldn't have mustered the courage to wear that incredibly embarrassing outfit so soon.
Kyoichi couldn't help but sigh.
The artistic direction of Konoha in the future… might be headed for something truly bizarre.
Shaking his head, he made his way to his usual spot.
Ichiraku Ramen.
He took a seat in the shop, only to spot a familiar face. He froze for a few seconds, then blinked in surprise.
"You? What are you doing in Konoha? Did you come with Yahiko? Wait, that's not right… I didn't sense your presence at all back then."
"Haha, I didn't come with Yahiko. Sensei sent me," Konan said with a hand covering her mouth, smiling.
Jiraiya?
Kyoichi was genuinely surprised. That guy actually left Konoha and went to find Konan and Nagato?
And more importantly…
Hanzo didn't stop him?
His thoughts drifted for a while before he came back to the present and asked,
"So what did Jiraiya send you here to do?"
"You gave us guidance on forming alliances with the smaller shinobi villages, and it's been going well so far. But there are still some big issues. One of them is education. You know how poor our education system is in Amegakure. So, Jiraiya-sensei sent me to Konoha to observe and learn."
Konan explained calmly.
Kyoichi twitched at the corner of his mouth.
That guy really is generous—with other people's resources.
Observe and learn?
Bluntly speaking, a lot of this stuff is classified now. And right after he'd just announced a paid guidance system, here comes someone trying to freeload…
Is this really okay?
"Your ramen, sir."
"Thanks…"
Konan accepted the bowl gratefully.
Then—
She said to Kyoichi, "Sensei said you often come to Ichiraku, so he told me to wait here. I didn't expect you to actually show up."
"Have you seen Yahiko yet?"
"I have. Mm, and I know what you're trying to say. The cost isn't a problem."
Konan was direct and confident.
Those small countries didn't have shinobi villages, but that didn't mean they were poor.
What they lacked was a path upward.
Some nations had even spent a fortune hiring washed-up, wandering ninja from the Land of Rivers.
Compared to that…
If they could establish a shinobi village of their own, this little expense was nothing.
"That's good. I just set the rules, so breaking them immediately wouldn't be great. Ahem, anyway, let's eat first. Afterward, I'll take you to meet Tsunade-hime, and we can talk more in detail then."
Kyoichi chuckled.
"You came at just the right time—Tsunade-hime is going to take office in a few days. You'll get to witness Konoha's leadership transition."
"Really? Then she'll be the first female Kage in the shinobi world?"
Konan was just about to dig in with her chopsticks when she heard that. Her eyes lit up, and the noodles were suddenly forgotten.
A female Hokage!
Unprecedented.
Although Konan had always been reserved and composed, even she couldn't help but feel a spark of admiration.
A woman… becoming a Kage…
How wonderful!
"Hey, Tsunade-hime is a legend in Konoha! We're all thrilled that she's going to lead us!"
Before Kyoichi could respond, Teuchi chimed in while pulling noodles, clearly speaking from the heart with sincere admiration for Tsunade.
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