Kabuto was very unhappy, extremely unhappy!
Because that guy came again today!
"My father asked me to bring these. They contain some fabrics, as well as rice, meat, and vegetables."
Seeing the boy who acted like a little adult and the scrolls he handed over, Nonou was surprised. She had hardly ever had any interaction with the Uchiha clan.
Noticing Nonou's confusion, Itachi leaned in and whispered, "My father said that most of Konoha's ninjas have received gifts from the Kougetsu clan. They provided a lot of food supplies during the war to defend Konoha's peace. So…"
Understanding dawned on Nonou. These gifts were the Uchiha's way of repaying the Kougetsu clan's past generosity.
But she was also somewhat astonished.
She had briefly interacted with the Uchiha clan before, and they were all exceptionally aloof and hard to approach. This polite young boy was indeed an anomaly among the Uchiha.
Could it be that the Uchiha had a tsundere (cold outside, warm inside) attribute?
Finding this increasingly likely, Nonou couldn't help but smile. She gratefully accepted the gesture, as the orphanage's funds were currently tight.
Relying occasionally on helping out at the overcrowded Konoha Hospital for meager income, the orphanage was always struggling with finances.
And with the recent Nine-Tails attack, the village's budget was strained, leaving no extra money to support them. As long as the donations weren't given with ulterior motives, they were always welcome!
After thanking him, Nonou kindly invited Itachi to stay for lunch. It wouldn't be polite not to offer a meal to someone who brought such generous gifts. She also asked Itachi to convey her gratitude to Uchiha Fugaku.
After some thought, Itachi agreed to stay for lunch, though his reasons remained unclear.
...
Throughout the morning, Itachi worked and played with the children, who seemed more mature than the ones he usually saw. All the while, he discreetly observed the atmosphere.
He couldn't help but marvel at how wonderful it was. Compared to the village, the orphanage's atmosphere was far better. Though unrelated by blood, the children were like one big family, supporting each other without any barriers.
Seeing this, Itachi thought to himself that it would be great if all of Konoha could be like this orphanage—no conflicts, no hidden fights, just unity for the village.
The lunch was simple and plain but tasted good. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and joy. That was Itachi's impression of the orphanage's lunch.
Blood ties weren't the only bonds. This was an important life lesson Itachi learned at the orphanage.
Chloe didn't care much about food. For a thousand years, she hadn't needed to eat. Now she ate only because her human body required it.
Whether the food was good or not didn't matter.
"Director, another bowl, please!"
Chloe held her small bowl high in front of Nonou, having licked every grain of rice from the edges.
Human bodies are fragile and can't survive without food. It's an unavoidable fact. Not that Chloe thought Nonou's cooking was delicious!
With a human body came unavoidable physical cravings or desires.
Like needing water when thirsty, food when hungry, warmth when cold, and coolness when hot…
Chloe, eating heartily, was experiencing these cravings firsthand.
These physical changes would inevitably lead to other changes in her long-held views.
...
After lunch, Itachi hesitated for a long time before approaching Chloe, who was contentedly burping. He wanted to say something but was unsure how to begin.
In the end, Chloe spoke first. "Itachi, want to join Kabuto and me in our training area?"
"Can I?"
"Sure," Chloe nodded. Training as a ninja was something she knew well, but progress was slow without a partner.
Although Kabuto disliked the idea of this "flashy and scheming" character trying to win over his little brother, he couldn't argue against Chloe's invitation.
The "training area" was a small clearing in the woods behind the orphanage.
There were a couple of sturdy-looking wooden posts, not too old, indicating they hadn't been up for long.
Thwack!
Several wooden shuriken, thrown in quick succession, hit the center of one post, forming a circle. A wooden kunai followed, hitting the center dead-on!
Kabuto, the thrower, adjusted his glasses smugly, as if to say, "See, Chloe? You're fine training with me. Who needs the Uchiha?"
Itachi, slightly surprised by Kabuto's skill, realized how different their backgrounds were. Unlike him, who had received extensive training from his clan, Kabuto had no formal guidance.
Self-made wooden shuriken varied in quality, yet Kabuto hit the target perfectly, a difficult feat even for skilled ninjas.
He's a genius!
Thwack!
As Itachi marveled at Kabuto's display, more thwacks sounded. On the other post, Chloe's shuriken weren't as perfectly placed as Kabuto's but were still impressive.
According to his father, the Kougetsu boy had only been in Konoha for less than a month but already showed such skill. Another genius, no doubt.
They say geniuses attract each other, so Itachi felt a slight, perhaps unnoticed, kinship with the two.
"Now it's my turn."
Itachi, initially planning to use real shuriken and kunai, opted for the wooden ones instead.
After retrieving Kabuto's shuriken from the post, Itachi examined them closely, feeling their weight. Without a practice throw, he made his move!
Thwack!
The wooden shuriken hit the target's center, deeply embedded.
Kabuto's eyes widened in shock. This little kid was amazing!
He had practiced in secret for days to pull off his earlier display just to impress his "brother"!
Oh no!
Kabuto felt he might lose his standing as an older brother!
Determined not to be outdone by this little Uchiha, Kabuto resolved to train even harder.
From that day on, the three often trained together. Nonou, silently watching, didn't stop them. Despite her worries about the dangerous path they chose, she occasionally gave pointers on sparring techniques. She didn't know many jutsus besides medical ones, but Itachi, coming from the Uchiha, didn't lack for instruction.
For Itachi, Nonou's lessons were practical, especially those about saving chakra during battles. They were extremely useful.
Thus, Itachi developed a genuine fondness for the gentle orphanage director.
...
Almost half a month had passed since Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin, had taken office as the Fifth Hokage.
Fugaku Uchiha, who had been looking for an opportunity to discuss the Uchiha clan's land issues with the new Hokage, finally received her summons!
Dressed in his Konoha jounin uniform, with the Konoha Police Force armband, Fugaku felt both nervous and excited as he left the Uchiha compound.
Being summoned could mean the higher-ups had made a decision, or was the new Hokage planning to make a strong first impression?
...
Upon entering the Hokage's office, Fugaku saw the heads of other major Konoha clans: Hyuga Hiashi, Ino-Shika-Cho's heads, Aburame, Inuzuka—everyone was there!
Realizing what this gathering meant, Fugaku knew it was a show of strength from the new Hokage, addressing everyone at once.
Acknowledging Fugaku with a nod as he closed the door, Tsunade began seriously, "These are special times, so I'll be direct. Since the end of the Third Shinobi War nearly a year ago, Kumogakure hasn't stopped infringing on and harassing our borders. What do you think?"
Nara Shikaku, the new head of the Nara clan and long-time advisor, spoke up. He noted that Kumogakure had suffered significant losses during the war and wouldn't likely start a full-scale conflict, so there was no need to worry too much.
They preferred small skirmishes, and we should respond in kind. A full-scale war would benefit no one, and Kumogakure knew that, seeking only to annoy us.
"... Especially since Konoha hasn't fully recovered from the Nine-Tails incident."
After Shikaku finished, the others nodded in agreement. It was logical and reasonable.
Glancing at the clan heads, Tsunade pondered before saying, "Prepare your clans for potential battle and send envoys to ask Kumogakure if they want war. Konoha won't tolerate being bullied at our doorstep! If they want to fight, we'll make this the last war Konoha, or even the shinobi world, will ever see!"
Instantly, everyone was stunned.
Is the new Hokage crazy?