"The Meeting Room"
After the formal greetings, the meeting began. Takeshi listened and rarely asked questions.
"If I remember correctly, this month Mikata was responsible for the hospital, and after this meeting, Hirata will take over. Correct me if I'm wrong," Takeshi said. "Mikata Masuroboshi, could you give your report?"
Standing up and adjusting his glasses, Mikata replied, "You're right. After this meeting, I will become an assistant elder, and honorable Hirata will take my place." After these words, Hirata only scoffed. "The number of patients hasn't increased significantly. At times, we run short of pills sold by the Akimichi clan, as well as some herbs supplied by the Nara clan. The number of staff hasn't grown much compared to last month, but the new generation of medics is already gaining experience in missions and battles. Thanks to the stolen techniques from the Senju clan, our medical skills have improved, but we still lag behind the Senju and Uzumaki." He glanced at the leader, asking if he should mention today's news, but Takeshi squinted, signaling him not to. Few noticed, but fewer cared. Although Mikata was the youngest among them, despite his age, he had earned their trust. However, there were those who had been paying close attention since the beginning, such as Hirata Tanaka, Satsuki, Fuji, and Kai.
"With that, I would like to conclude my report." Smiling at Sai, Mikata returned to his seat.
Takeshi looked at Saya, indicating she should continue. Elder Saya, a woman in her 50s or 60s, had hair graying from age, which testified to her experience, while her sharp eyes caught Mikata's complaint. She stood up and began her report.
"Ahem," she cleared her throat and started. "We are in the process of strengthening relations with the Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka clans. Afterward, the supply of goods will increase significantly," she said in response. "Clans like the Hyuga, Inuzuka, Hatake, and Yūhi maintain neutrality. Other clans are too distant or wild, and we cannot establish relationships with them." She spread her hands and continued, "The Uchiha and Senju clans openly declare their hatred towards us, while the situation with the Uzumaki clan remains unclear. They don't show hatred, but they also refuse to increase the supply of seals. I believe Elder Nori Mamuraboshi can continue."
Takeshi frowned as he considered the information. After a few moments of thought, he looked at Nori, the elder responsible for espionage.
Standing up, Nori surveyed the room, picked up some papers from the table, and began. "Elder Saya is right; the situation is unclear. Since we cannot infiltrate their ranks, and the seals prevent us from getting far, we don't have much information." Shrugging, Nori continued, "According to rumors, they are increasing the production of combat seals. As for the Uchiha and Senju clans, there have been minor skirmishes, but no major battles for several months. I would say they are preparing for another war, but it's not that simple. Considering their hatred for us, I'd say they are preparing to destroy us."
The meeting room, which had been quiet before, now fell into a deathly silence as Takeshi's expression darkened with a murderous intent. But after a few seconds, the laughter of Satsuki, Kisa, and Ochi broke the silence. Ten seconds later, Takeshi, Tanaka, and Hirata joined in. Meanwhile, Fuji, Kai, and Mikata frowned, sensing they were missing something.
"I haven't laughed like this in a while," Takeshi finally managed to say, barely catching his breath.
"Why are you laughing?" Mikata asked, confused.
At first, Kai frowned, but then, remembering some information, he answered, "The head and his closest elders often have meetings where they discuss the clan's strength and how to increase it. It's very difficult to join those meetings, as you need to earn not only the trust of the head but also of every member of that group. I spent almost my entire life trying to get in, but my red hair was a hindrance, because Elder Tanaka argued that I looked too much like a member of the Uzumaki clan."
"And he really does look like an Uzumaki. If it weren't for the fact that he was born here, even I would've thought he was a spy."
Hearing this, Elder Fuji's face almost cracked from the strain of holding back.
"The Clan Leader's Home"
A few hours later, a man and his three sons were having dinner. It was hard to call it dinner since normal people would be asleep at midnight, but the little devils, usually calmed by their mothers, were full of energy after a nap and wanted to run around, much to Takeshi's dismay, as he was exhausted. But what could he do? He prepared dinner for them.
"So," he asked tiredly, "You want to hear a story?"
"Yes," came Sora's voice from behind a plate.
"Hmm," Takeshi thought for a moment before asking, "What do you know about chakra?"
"Chakra is the life energy that ninjas use to perform various techniques (jutsu). It combines the body's physical energy with spiritual energy, accumulated through training and meditation," Yuki responded quietly.
"Hmm, you're right. But do you know what else can be done with chakra?"
"Dad, he already said it," Sora reminded him.
"Yes, but jutsu isn't the only thing chakra is capable of," Takeshi said intriguingly. "Did you know that chakra is an excellent painkiller? The more chakra a ninja has, the less pain they feel. But if a ninja is very powerful, they need someone stronger or at least close to their level to make them feel pain."
The little ninjas absorbed this knowledge like sponges, not interrupting.
"And who said that chakra is only for jutsu? Chakra threads, for those who have excellent control, are real helpers in life. For example, using them, you can—" Threads of chakra began to form from his hand and flew toward the book Sora had been holding. Snatching it away, he continued, "If your chakra is large and dense, you can do amazing things. An example of this is the tailed beasts. The Nine-Tailed Fox, who has the most chakra among them, is the strongest but lacks anything except the standard tailed beast bomb and physical strength. The Eight-Tails, for example, can use different combat techniques, while Shukaku can seal objects."
"That's all for now. I don't want you sleeping during the day again, so off to bed." Sora tried to take the book with him, but it was quickly snatched away, and Takeshi firmly said, "Brush your teeth and go to sleep."
"Takeshi's Room"
The next day, Takeshi continued working. Around 10 a.m., he had visitors. They walked down the corridor, stopped at the last door to check if it was the right one, and entered cautiously. Inside, they saw piles of papers and a tuft of black hair sticking out from behind them. In a normal situation, the three elders—Tanaka, Satsuki, and Hirata—would have laughed, but the news they brought was no laughing matter.
Takeshi had sensed their presence long ago and expected mockery from the old traitors who undermined his reputation in front of his sons. Lifting his head, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "What happened that such important elders have come to my home?" he said with sarcasm. Hirata, who would usually have made a sharp comment in response, only rolled his eyes. Tanaka, who often laughed, stood with his head down, while Satsuki, looking serious, said, "This concerns your sons."
Ignoring the sarcasm, he replied.
Takeshi's mood darkened immediately. "What could traitors, who don't respect the clan leader in his own home, possibly know about his sons?" he finished with narrowed eyes.
"We didn't live for just three decades like some of us," Hirata said, clearly hinting at Takeshi, "We are in our seventh decade, so show some respect. We came with important news."
"What kind of news could elders who don't even answer directly for the clan's strength or espionage have?" Takeshi asked. But this time, Tanaka couldn't hold back.
"I may know what happened with Sora, Haru, and Yuki. What may happen to them—and the cancellation of their ninja careers is the least of their worries."
Takeshi, now without sarcasm, asked, "And what?"
"It's a long story from my youth, one that's terrifying to remember."