The sunset deepened its hue, casting a reddish glow across the sky. Golden rays pierced through the clouds, illuminating the distant mountain peaks like bursts of fireworks. As the red expanse of the sunset widened, the sun eventually dipped below the horizon, leaving behind a delicate crimson.
Walking in the twilight, enveloped by the spring breeze, a group of children who had spent the day outdoors gathered together and made their way back to the Uchiha clan compound.
The backpacks they carried, bulging even more than when they set out in the morning, gave the idea of the hunt they caught. After indulging in a noon meal of "Rock style barbecue," their bellies swollen and mouths slick with oil, they had little appetite for the pastries, rice balls, sandwiches, and other provisions brought from home.
Toshiro, briefly assuming the role of "Pig Slayer" demonstrated a straightforward and practical approach to dealing with the wild boar. Swiftly removing its head, skin, and entrails, he buried the unsavory parts in a pit.
Despite this, the remaining edible portion weighed nearly 200 Kilos. Of which they had consumed upwards of 100 kilos.
Before heading home, they divided the meat into twenty portions, wrapping each in leaves and distributing them among the group. When distributing, Toshiro did not take an equal approach. For example, he allocated more generous portions to Mamoru and Shou, who had joined him in the hunt, knowing they came from single-parent households or had lost their parents.
In this world, where both ordinary civilians and powerful ninjas face high mortality rates, such acts of kindness carry deep significance. Some succumb to illness, fall in the battles of ninjas, get entangled in the conflicts among the five great ninja villages, or the perilous missions that ninjas routinely undertake. Regardless of the world one inhabits, life remains fragile.
"I'm home!" After bidding his friends farewell one by one, Toshiro returned home.
"Ah, welcome back! Go wash up; dinner will be ready soon." replied Mei excitedly.
The eighteen-year-old girl, shedding her youthful exuberance, was blossoming into the prime of her life.
"Did you have a good time with your friends today?" His 'elder sister' Mei Uchiha asked with evident excitement.
Intelligent, diligent, resilient, self-disciplined, mature, and thoughtful—it's no exaggeration to use such terms typically reserved for adults to describe him. Sometimes, she wondered if this child might grow into an extraordinary ninja capable of reshaping not just the clan or the village, but perhaps even the entire ninja world.
As for his 'aunt's' expectations, Toshiro remained oblivious. If he were aware, he would likely be rendered speechless.
Despite possessing a mature soul beyond his years, his usual demeanor stood out prominently among his peers. The decision to become a ninja largely stems from the hazardous nature of this world. Part of the allure lies in his curiosity about supernatural abilities and perhaps the inevitable tragedy that lies ahead.
"It was wonderful spending time with everyone today, and we hunted a huge wild boar." With that, he retrieved a piece of wild boar meat wrapped in leaves from his backpack and placed it in the refrigerator.
The refrigerator, a new product launched just last year, doesn't seem to have gained much popularity due to its slightly higher price tag. Convincing Mei to invest in it required quite a bit of persuasion, but the benefits were undeniable.
"I heard Mei-neechan has been getting close to a guy named 'Asahi' in the police force lately. Are you planning to tie the knot?" The two sat across from each other at the dining table in the living room, enjoying their meal and conversation.
"You're just a little kid. Focus on eating and having fun! That's none of your business..." The girl, clearly the subject of the conversation, blushed slightly and shot Toshiro an annoyed glare.
Seeing her blush with embarrassment, Toshiro swiftly changed the subject.
"How's the development of the special hemostatic agent coming along?"
"Well, the progress is quite promising. Clinical trials are nearly ready to commence within the next two weeks!"
It's still the 38th year of Konoha. With the village having emerged victorious from the Second Ninja World War, it is now nursing its wounds and quietly gathering strength. The medical system is at the forefront of efforts to boost investment, but it's just the beginning, and progress has been slow.
A year and a half ago, to divert Mei's attention and not have her worry too much about him, Toshiro trained heavily to get stronger and developed good bonds with the clan kids.
With an eye on his future safety, he proposed the development of a coagulation agent to swiftly stop bleeding on the battlefield. After over a year of painstaking research and development, it's finally nearing fruition.
"That's impressive. Have you begun animal experiments? How's the efficacy?"
The swift progress can be attributed to Mei's remarkable talent as a 'medical ninja'. Along with the clan's secret medicine. By finding ways to replace costly medicinal ingredients, the price of this secret medicine has been significantly reduced.
"The efficacy is remarkable! For wounds measuring no more than 15 cm in length and 3 mm in width, bleeding can be swiftly stopped within 10 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on the wound's depth. It's particularly effective for non-penetrating wounds caused by shuriken and kunai. The clan's top-secret wound medicine formula is largely responsible for its success.
As an old rival of the Senju clan ninjas, who had remarkable physical strength and recovery abilities, the Uchiha could only compete in terms of recovery power using medical ninjutsu. So, the clan began to address these gaps by focusing on injury medicine.
"Oh, does it work that well? Are you considering incorporating this medicine into the regular medical supplies for ninjas?"
Unexpectedly, Toshiro's actions inadvertently stirred up some changes within the clan.
Given that it's a medicine developed by the Uchiha clan with a secret formula, spreading it within Konoha Village will inevitably face obstacles.
"It's not as simple as it seems. Even if the clinical trials show promising results and the clan approves, there are still hurdles to overcome within the village!"
Toshiro didn't see the opposition within the clan as a major problem. Since the clan's internal strife 30 years ago due to Madara's fight with Hashirama and the subsequent fight for the position of clan head, there hasn't been any internal strife within the clan.
"That's why I sought advice from Princess Tsunade. During the initial stages of creating the drug, I aimed to replace a nearly irreplaceable and high priced component of the main ingredients. But I got stuck on what to use as the replacement. Tsunade helped me figure it out. I am hoping she will help with the village's approval, as she has enough political clout and is a student of the Hokage."
"I believe it's highly probable that the clan will agree. With Princess Tsunade's influence in the village, the issue shouldn't be too serious! After all, it can minimize ninja casualties, and I doubt the Third Hokage would object.
Moreover, the demand for medicine in Konoha Village surpasses that of the police force. As long as the secret recipe remains undisclosed, many unemployed individuals within the clan could secure meaningful employment.
Despite being a large Uchiha clan, there are numerous idle members who cannot become ninjas, and there's a significant demand for employment."
"Yes, it would indeed be wonderful if everything proceeded smoothly, as you suggested! It would be a pity if it remained confined to just our clan's use."
"Don't worry, Neechan! This endeavor benefits both the village and the clan. I believe neither the Third Hokage nor the Patriarch will reject such a favorable opportunity!"
Success often involves numerous stakeholders. Failing to achieve a satisfactory outcome for all parties involved can lead to complications.
The current patriarch of the Uchiha Shigeyama is one of the graduates of the Ninja Academy and not from the Warring Clan era. He assumed leadership after the untimely demise of his predecessor, Uchiha Kagami, the second-generation disciple.
Throughout the years, he has worked tirelessly to maintain strong relations between the village and the clan. Additionally, he has endeavored to mitigate the negative legacy of the clan's rebellious legend, striving to reclaim the clan's position within the power structure of Konoha Village.
The legacy of their ancestor, the 'dancing king', is indeed a concern. Having defected after the establishment of Konoha Village, he controlled the Nine-Tails and engaged in a well-known pinnacle battle with the First Hokage, ultimately facing defeat.
This history has left a significant stain on the clan's reputation. Under the influence of certain individuals, it has even incited an unprecedented civil war among the three wielders of the Mangekyo Sharingan within the clan. Which led to the decline of the clan in the coming years.
The clan's influence has drastically declined, and the second Hokage has capitalized on this situation. Using the actions of Madara as a pretext, they ousted the clan from the core of power in Konoha.
Toshiro has ample reason to believe that if Konoha Village hadn't been established less than a decade ago, the major ninja clans wouldn't have truly welcomed them back. The Uchiha clan's image is far from simple in the village. It's akin to a 'time bomb.'
After dinner, Mei was preparing to retire to her study to prepare a pitch for her newly developed medicine. However, she was intercepted by Toshiro, who was seated on the sofa.
"Wait a moment, Neechan, I have something I'd like to discuss with you!"
AN : You can read chapters published ahead on my p@treon account - p@treon.com/noviceauthor777