After a while, Iruka smiled and shook his head. "Shinji, medical ninjutsu isn't something you can master at your current level!"
Medical ninjutsu requires extremely precise chakra control. Even many Chūnin, or even Jōnin, struggle to grasp it.
If it were easy, medical shinobi wouldn't be so rare and valuable.
"But I want to give it a try!" Uchiha Shinji said seriously.
Seeing that Shinji wasn't joking, Iruka became more serious. He knew Shinji's talent far surpassed that of other children his age. It was possible that Shinji really had the potential to master medical ninjutsu.
After thinking it over, Iruka nodded. "Alright, I'll put in a request to Lord Hokage on your behalf!"
"Thank you, sensei," Shinji said, bowing before leaving the teacher's office.
He went to the training field, found a quiet corner, and ate his lunch while contemplating his next steps.
Considering that he might have to frequently transplant or replace his Sharingan in the future, learning medical ninjutsu had become essential. That was why he asked Iruka to help him apply for medical ninjutsu training.
Although Coalball knew a bit of medical ninjutsu, Shinji didn't want to rely on anyone else when it came to the secret of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
As his thoughts wandered, he glanced across the training field.
In a distant corner, Neji was furiously practicing his Gentle Fist on a training post. His strikes landed in rapid succession, each blow powerful enough that even from a distance, Shinji could feel the intensity.
"He's really giving it his all," Shinji thought, shifting his gaze to another corner, where Sasuke was training with ninja tools. Sasuke, with his Sharingan activated, was throwing kunai and using wire strings to control their movements in midair.
"Is he trying to mimic me?" Shinji muttered, bemused.
He had noticed the day before that Sasuke's taijutsu had started to resemble his own.
After all, the Sharingan was sometimes called the Copy Wheel Eye or Replication Eye. Ordinary taijutsu and ninjutsu, once seen by the Sharingan, could be copied as long as the user had the corresponding chakra nature.
However, Shinji's taijutsu was rooted in the Breathing Technique, a method that worked from within. Sasuke might be able to mimic Shinji's moves and chakra control, but replicating the breathing techniques was another matter entirely.
"Both of them, one driven by revenge, the other by a sense of imprisonment... Maybe one day I could recruit them as my retainers."
Sasuke's thirst for revenge and Neji's resentment toward the Caged Bird system were motivations Shinji could leverage if he wanted to enlist them.
Especially Sasuke—the reincarnation of Indra Ōtsutsuki, whose potential was unparalleled, matched by only a few in the entire shinobi world.
If Shinji could recruit him, it would be an investment with limitless returns.
As for Neji…
Shinji sighed softly as he thought about Neji's fate in the original timeline.
A genius who spent his life fighting against destiny, a boy who constantly suppressed his emotions, a shinobi who never backed down from a strong opponent—Neji's end, tragically falling to a simple attack, was truly ironic and heartbreaking.
Neji's story reminded Shinji of his own.
He too was tirelessly struggling against fate, and perhaps one day, like Neji, he might fall victim to a sudden, fatal blow from destiny.
Who knows?
At that moment, he also recalled the previous encounter during the invasion. Karin had led him in circles through the forest, only for them to stumble upon Deidara. It was an unusual occurrence that still puzzled him.
To this day, Shinji couldn't determine whether Karin had made a mistake in her sensory abilities or if there was another reason behind it.
Meanwhile, Iruka wasted no time after agreeing to Shinji's request. He immediately reported it to the Third Hokage.
In the Hokage's office:
The two elder advisors happened to be present, as they were discussing the recent incident in the Forest of Death.
After Iruka left, Koharu Utatane looked confused. "Uchiha Shinji applied to learn medical ninjutsu? He's not even a Genin yet—what's he doing trying to learn medical ninjutsu? This is ridiculous!"
Homura Mitokado chimed in, "Could it be related to what happened last night?"
Koharu asked, "You mean Danzo's operation?"
The Third Hokage also looked toward Homura.
After some thought, Homura replied, "According to the Anbu who were protecting Sasuke, Uchiha Shinji might have guessed something about last night's events. His request to study medical ninjutsu might be a way of sending us a message."
"Medical ninjutsu…" Koharu chuckled. "Is he trying to tell us that he poses no threat to the village? Can an eight-year-old really be that cunning?"
The Third Hokage pondered, "Iruka has mentioned several times that Shinji is a determined child, not like most others his age."
Homura nodded. "I've kept an eye on him—he's a promising talent."
The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe, weighing his options.
Was it worth intervening directly over a lone Uchiha survivor?
Because of Sasuke's situation, his relationship with Danzo had already soured. If he continued to press Danzo over Uchiha Shinji, their strained relationship would surely deteriorate further.
Seeing the Third Hokage's hesitation, Homura said, "Danzo went too far this time. He brought the methods he uses on his own subordinates into the village and targeted others. This behavior must be curbed."
"Indeed, it's for his own good." Koharu added, "Besides, we already gave him an opportunity. It's his own subordinate who failed."
With the advisors' encouragement, the Third Hokage nodded in agreement.
Clearly, with the Uchiha Clan no longer posing a direct threat, all three of them felt that they didn't need to tolerate Danzo's growing arrogance any longer.
The Third Hokage gestured, and with a flicker of movement, an Anbu appeared before him. "Lord Hokage!"
The Third ordered, "Inform Iruka that Uchiha Shinji is permitted to intern at the Hidden Leaf Hospital."
"Understood!"
The Anbu bowed and swiftly left the office.
Then the Third Hokage turned to his advisors and said, "It seems we need to have a serious talk with Danzo."
Koharu remarked, "That Uchiha brat got lucky. But with such a cunning mind, is it really wise to let him stay?"
Homura chuckled, "The Uchiha Clan has already been wiped out. Do you really think one child could start another coup?"
The Third Hokage, however, gave the matter serious thought. "Kakashi shouldn't remain in the Anbu any longer. Let's have him reach out to Uchiha Shinji. If Shinji harbors any resentment toward the village, we'll have no choice but to deal with him swiftly. We can't let him influence Uchiha Sasuke."
Koharu and Homura both nodded in agreement.
And just like that, in a few casual words from those in power, Uchiha Shinji's fate was decided.