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HSU: Ch. 123
🕑 Added 2025-01-07 19:12:43 +0000 UTCMasashi wasn't particularly eager to dine at Minato's house.
A dinner there meant an entire evening gone, and his plans for a relaxing night with some sake were down the drain.
But on second thought, he'd lost today. Without Fugaku's prized calligraphy piece to enhance the mood, it just wouldn't feel the same.
Although Fugaku had displayed his work, could Masashi take it? No way! Not that Fugaku would refuse, but it was a matter of pride.
A real man stood tall, even in defeat.
For now, dinner it was.
Masashi gave Fugaku a parting glance as he casually made his way next door.
Fugaku shook his head, gathered the scrolls scattered across the tatami, and carefully stored them in a newly installed hidden compartment.
Except for one—the newest addition, a fresh scroll.
He knew exactly how many scrolls he'd hidden. A sudden extra one? Clearly, Masashi had sneaked it in again.
His methods of smuggling items were becoming increasingly subtle.
Opening the scroll, he nodded in satisfaction. It was as he thought—a new edition.
Maintaining a hobby, it seemed, wasn't easy.
The Mangekyō was truly remarkable. With its power, the tides of battle could always turn unless Masashi's Sharingan advanced even further.
"Work hard, brat. Otherwise, you'll never see my masterpieces again!"
Still, the boy's development of Yang Release techniques was genuinely impressive. Another update this time, even.
Satisfied, he stowed the scroll away and, hands behind his back, strode out of the courtyard.
Outside, he spotted Masashi leading two figures, Hikari and Haku, out of the compound.
Haku, being a child, showed little nervousness and more excitement. Hikari, on the other hand, was visibly uneasy.
Seeing her anxious demeanor, he decided to project the kindness of a senior figure, ensuring she felt at ease within the Uchiha clan.
With that thought, he approached and flashed his signature dignified, yet deeply reassuring "elderly benevolence" smile.
"Don't be nervous. We're all family here."
Hikari quickly bowed.
"Fugaku-sama."
She was so nervous, beads of sweat had already formed on her forehead.
Ever since arriving in Konoha, she'd encountered one high-ranking individual after another.
"No need for formalities," Fugaku said, his smile growing even more benevolent. "You can call me Uncle Fugaku. If that feels too sudden, just call me Clan Leader, like Masashi does."
"Fugaku-sama…" Hikari's cheeks flushed as she caught onto his implication.
She stole a glance at Masashi.
The White Ghost, however, seemed oblivious. He was merely clicking his tongue, as though… evaluating Fugaku's smile?
He was definitely holding back laughter.
Hikari was certain this was Masashi's current thought.
From her time at Kiri's welcoming hall, she'd learned to decipher his expressions.
Still… what a close relationship they had.
As the daughter of the Yuki clan's leader, she had never enjoyed such casual interactions with her father.
This must be the ease of the truly powerful.
She admired it—not Masashi's strength, but his attitude toward life. It was something she longed for but lacked.
"It's getting late. Let's go," Fugaku said, taking the lead.
Any longer, and he might just lose his temper.
If reincarnation were real, he was convinced Masashi must have spent his past life being repeatedly beaten up.
Leaving the clan grounds, the group began the walk from the southern district to the northern one. Along the way, Fugaku decided it was a good opportunity to discuss matters and align their narratives.
After all, certain things had to be addressed when they reached Minato's place.
"Masashi, a few issues arose while you were in Kiri. Some will require your attention."
"Oh? What issues?"
"First, Konoha will soon formalize a treaty with Iwa. You'll need to take those two kids and represent Konoha as the official envoy to Iwa for the signing."
"They're acting tough for a defeated village?" Masashi asked, feigning ignorance.
"That's why you need to go," Fugaku said. "Don't get impatient. There's no one better suited. Your presence will keep the Iwa ninjas in check and expedite the process. With the Mizukage here, the rear is secure, but Kumo remains unsigned, likely waiting to see how things unfold."
"The Two-Tails is still captive. Are they giving up on it?"
"Of course not. They've been feigning weakness, claiming poor conditions, and asking for delays. They've even paid 'maintenance' fees for the jinchūriki's care."
Kumo was still the same—shameless.
"I see what's going on."
"Good. You know the situation. The Fourth Hokage will give you discretion over the treaty terms. Handle it swiftly. Once Iwa is settled, Kumo won't be able to stall any longer."
Masashi nodded. There was no way Kumo could hold out.
Konoha's alliance with Kiri and Suna, along with peace with Iwa, would isolate Kumo, making it a clear target.
Ōnoki wouldn't hesitate to kick them while they were down, and Kiri—hungry for external resources—might join Konoha in another strike against Kumo.
A one-against-three scenario? Kumo couldn't handle it.
Personally, Masashi wouldn't mind seeing Kumo take a hit. In the original timeline, they had been the ones kicking Konoha when it was down.
Back then, Konoha was far weaker, with only Suna as a nominal ally. It had lost the Fourth Hokage, the Sannin, the White Fang, and jinchūriki. Its lower ranks were depleted after the Nine-Tails' attack and renewed clashes with Iwa, leaving the village too exhausted for further conflict.
Continuing the fight would have revealed Konoha's true frailty.
Kumo had predicted this, so they mercilessly struck.
The arrogance of their envoy—a mere chunin-level ninja—showed their attitude. What was more, the envoy attempted to kidnap Hinata on his first night in Konoha!
Hiruzen's response was timid, as were the Hyūga clan's leaders, though under the circumstances, their choices made sense for the village.
In hindsight, they had reacted swiftly given Kumo's calculated aggression.
The result? Konoha lost a valuable elite like Hizashi, while Kumo suffered nothing but the loss of a disposable envoy.
Konoha's sacrifices since the Third War had become Kumo's stepping stones to power, painting Konoha as weak and Kumo as strong.
While much had changed now, Masashi's disdain for Kumo remained.
After all, he'd poured his heart into Konoha.
"Don't worry, Fugaku-sama. I'll make sure Kumo behaves."
---
As the group arrived at Minato's house, the sounds of laughter and cheer could already be heard from within.
Don't get the wrong idea—it wasn't because the house had poor soundproofing. It was simply that Fugaku and Masashi had exceptionally good hearing.
As the sound of knocking echoed, the door opened, but the first thing to appear was a small figure.
Three-year-old Naruto was already filled with energy.
The little guy charged out with a shout and latched onto his left leg with a loud splat.
Masashi was perplexed. He was just about to step inside.
Wait, was his relationship with Naruto this good?
Then, he saw Sasuke bouncing out energetically. When Sasuke saw Masashi and Naruto clinging to his leg, his eyes lit up, as if some strange switch had been activated.
Another splat.
Now there were two little kids, one clinging to each leg, suddenly staring at each other and seemingly exchanging intense eye beams.
Masashi frowned.
With one hand each, he picked up the two tiny versions of Asura and Indra, carrying them inside alongside Fugaku. He could feel Fugaku's amused glance at the situation.
"Hey! Fugaku, Masashi, come help!" Minato called out from inside, clearly setting up for a feast as he tidied up the table.
Masashi first set down Naruto and Sasuke, who quickly scampered off to Mikoto, giggling and asking for hugs.
He glanced inside the house.
"Where's Karin?"
"Oh, that child is so considerate. She's in the kitchen helping Kushina."
Minato spoke cheerfully.
Seeing him still fussing over the table, Hikari, who had been following Masashi, quickly stepped up to assist.
"No need to trouble yourself, Hikari. You and Haku are guests." Minato smiled, then turned to Masashi with a knowing look. "Your new girlfriend is quite beautiful."
Hikari's face instantly turned red, while Masashi's eyes widened.
Wasn't this Hokage the one who signed off on her recruitment himself? How could he forget?
Before Masashi could voice his complaint, Kushina's loud voice interrupted him.
"Dinner's ready! Dinner's ready!" She came out of the kitchen, carrying a large pot of stew and signaling the start of the meal.
Steam rose from the pot in the center of the table as everyone settled into their seats. The rich aroma of the stew filled the room as Kushina began serving.
Naruto bounced in his chair, watching each ladle of stew pour into the bowls, while Sasuke, trying to look like his father, kept fidgeting as he waited for his portion.
"Naruto, sit properly," Kushina said, ladling stew into bowls.
"But Mom, Sasuke's not sitting properly either!"
"I am!" Sasuke protested, straightening his back even more.
Mikoto covered her laugh with a hand while Fugaku pretended not to notice their antics.
"I can eat more than you," Naruto declared suddenly, pointing his chopsticks at Sasuke.
"Let's see!"
Before either mother could intervene, both boys were shoveling rice into their mouths. Sasuke, maintaining his Uchiha dignity for about three seconds, matched Naruto's pace bite for bite.
"Slow down, you'll choke," Minato warned.
Right on cue, both boys reached for their water cups. Karin, sitting next to Naruto, quietly pushed his cup closer.
The adults continued their meal, passing dishes. Masashi noticed how Minato smoothly directed conversation, keeping topics light while ensuring everyone was included.
As they finished eating, Naruto and Sasuske shouted, "I won!"
"Actually," Masashi said, "Karin finished first." He nodded toward her empty plate.
Both boys turned to stare at the redhead, who blushed and seemed to shrink in her chair.
"Wow! You are amazing!" Naruto recovered first, making her blush deeper.
As they cleared the table, Minato started stacking plates. He flicked a plate toward the sink like a shuriken—it spun through the air before landing perfectly in the soapy water without a splash.
Not to be outdone, Masashi gathered cups in one hand and chopsticks in another. With a quick movement, he sent the cups spinning in a perfect arc. Each landed neatly in the drying rack while the chopsticks dropped into their holder like senbon finding their target.
"Show-offs," Kushina muttered, but she was smiling as she shooed the children toward the living room. Naruto and Sasuke were already racing there, while Karin followed at a more dignified pace.
Mikoto and Hikari gathered with Kushina and the children, their laughter soon filling the house as some game began.
"Shall we take that walk?" Minato suggested to Masashi and Fugaku, drying his hands on a towel.
---
"Masashi, Fugaku must have already discussed this with you, right?" he asked as they walked.
"Yes, Fugaku-sama told me," Masashi nodded. He felt like he'd been playing delivery boy way too much lately. "I do have something to say, but... I'm not sure if I should."
"If it's troubling you that much, maybe it's better not to say it. No worries, no trouble," Minato said earnestly.
"I'm not troubled at all, so I'll say it anyway." Masashi retorted firmly, countering his superior's words. "I think someone else should go. You can't keep picking on me. I only just got back from Kiri."
"Well, you're the one who captured Deidara and Kurotsuchi, so they're more familiar with you. Besides, this was suggested by the Third Hokage. He said if we want the Third Tsuchikage to behave, we'll need someone who can use Susanoo."
"Isn't that counterproductive? The Third Tsuchikage was once beaten up by Madara."
"Then who do you think is suitable?" Minato asked, his eyes showing he already knew Masashi's eventual answer.
"Well, obviously…" Masashi started to say a name but suddenly froze.
After thinking it through, he realized that this really had to be handled by someone from the Uchiha clan.
As the only active Third Kage left, Ōnoki wasn't someone an average person could intimidate.
Using brute force wouldn't work either.
And in the Hokage's administration, apart from Minato himself, the only other Kage-level person was Sarutobi Hiruzen.
The once-thriving Hokage faction now had only these two high-level combatants remaining in the village.
With the deaths of the White Fang and the dissolution of the Sannin, none of them were around.
Unknowingly, the Uchiha clan's top-tier combat power had surpassed the Hokage faction's on the surface.
Masashi began to understand why Minato had grown closer to Fugaku over the past two years.
While personal friendship was part of it, the political reality likely played a significant role as well.
"So, what do you think?" Minato asked with a grin.
"Fine, I'll go." Masashi sighed, though he began to reflect internally.
He felt that the Uchiha clan's current atmosphere had grown a bit too arrogant.
The clan's ninjas had moved from initial delight over their new "popularity" to taking it for granted, and Masashi himself was no exception.
He decided this wasn't a good trend and made a mental note to discuss it with Fugaku later.
"Don't worry, it'll all be classified as S-rank missions." Minato thought for a moment and added, "Also, if we can resolve the matters with Iwa and Kumo in one go, Fugaku and I have agreed to integrate the Aburame clan into the Police Force. Additionally, the Uchiha jonin will be given the option to join the jonin corps voluntarily."
"Oh?" Masashi was surprised, glancing at Fugaku, who nodded in confirmation.
"That's a bold move."
"No, it's been a long time coming," Minato said seriously. "I want everyone to join hands and move past prejudices tied to their surnames."
"Of course. No one wants to be at odds with their homeland," Masashi agreed with Minato's vision, noting how carefully the Hokage had chosen his words.
The internal conflicts within Konoha had indeed eased significantly in recent years, thanks to Minato's leadership style.
Not just the Uchiha clan, but also the Hyūga, Aburame, and Inuzuka clans had softened their stances toward the Hokage administration and were actively engaging in village affairs, both domestic and external.
This reminded Masashi of Ao's Byakugan.
"About the Mizukage's entourage this time…"
"The Mizukage is quite bold and has earned the Hyūga clan's favor. It's possible that the final agreement might include terms more favorable to Kiri."
"Will there be an alliance?" Masashi asked.
"It's uncertain for now. If Konoha allies with Kiri, it might strain our relationship with Suna. After all…"
Minato didn't finish, but both Fugaku and Masashi understood.
Konoha was currently benefiting from its alliance with Suna, using it as a key source of resources.
If Kiri couldn't provide enough value, Konoha likely wouldn't form an alliance.
"So, when am I heading to Iwa?"
"No rush. We'll wait until we've finalized matters with Kiri."
Masashi calculated and figured he'd have about a month of vacation.
"Then I'll prepare well."
