As Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others watched Sasuke Uchiha bow to Kakashi as his teacher, they all furrowed their brows in unison.
"Hiruzen, Kakashi taking Sasuke Uchiha as a disciple... is this appropriate?" Koharu Utatane asked, her brow tight with concern.
Hiruzen thought for a moment, then relaxed his expression, saying calmly, "Kakashi possesses a Sharingan; he is actually the most suitable person to guide Sasuke. Looking at the chakra litmus test, Sasuke's affinity seems perfectly compatible with Kakashi's as well."
"With Kakashi teaching him, I believe Sasuke Uchiha will grow up to inherit the Great Will of Fire."
In Hiruzen's mind, regardless of whether someone was an Uchiha or not, as long as they held the Will of Fire in their heart, they could be used for the village's benefit. Kakashi was Minato's student and a firm believer in the Will of Fire; by having him transmit both ninjutsu and ideology to the boy, Hiruzen was confident Sasuke would become a loyal protector of the leaf.
The two advisors fell silent upon hearing this. The status of the Uchiha was no longer what it used to be, and they were no longer an easy target. Sasuke's uncle was now the de facto Clan Head, the Uchiha followed his will, and—more importantly—he was the son-in-law of the Fire Daimyo. He was practically the Daimyo's own son. Targeting the Uchiha now would risk the immense displeasure of the capital.
Furthermore, after thoroughly suppressing Danzo, Hiruzen's authority had reached a peak. His word was law, and even the advisors knew that resisting would only result in unnecessary friction.
"Hiashi, I recall your eldest daughter, Hinata, hasn't found a mentor yet, has she?" Hiruzen suddenly asked Hiashi Hyuga, who was sitting nearby with a young Hinata.
"That is correct, Third Hokage," Hiashi replied respectfully.
"Do you have a candidate in mind?"
"Third Hokage, Hinata is still young. There is no rush," Hiashi answered.
"True. She is a girl, after all; perhaps it's best to wait until she's a bit older." Hiruzen wasn't surprised by the refusal. In these Great Clans, secret techniques were usually passed down by clan elders, and they rarely allowed their heirs to learn outside ninjutsu. The Uchiha were a special case—the clan had been decimated by Itachi, leaving only Raizen, who was a mere Genin. Finding an elite Jōnin teacher for Sasuke was a logical move.
After finishing his pleasantries with Kakashi and the others, Raizen approached Hiruzen while holding baby Mirai.
"Third Hokage, look at this baby. Isn't she striking?"
"Look how spirited and beautiful those big eyes are," Raizen said with a beaming smile. Internally, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction. Look at me, I've intercepted the granddaughter that was originally yours in the timeline, and I even named her Mirai (Future). Hehe.
Hiruzen wore a kind, grandfatherly smile as he looked at Uchiha Mirai. "Raizen, what is her name?"
"Uchiha Mirai," Raizen laughed.
"Uchiha Mirai!" Hiruzen pondered the name for a second, then gave a warm smile. "This child will surely become the pillar of the Uchiha, just as you hope."
Raizen shook his head. "No, Lord Hokage. This child isn't just the future of the Uchiha; she is the future of the Hidden Leaf."
"In the future, I will definitely have her learn the Will of Fire from you, so she can become an outstanding ninja and protect our village."
Hiruzen was delighted by these words. "Raizen, you are working so hard to add new 'flowers' to our Leaf. You truly have it difficult!"
"Expending energy for the Leaf, struggling for the Leaf—I would do it ten thousand times over." Raizen spoke the beautiful political platitudes with ease. Who can't play this game? he thought. He'd be as manipulative as necessary. Only the old Uchiha, whose brains were stuck in the past, were too stubborn to adapt, shouting about pride and war until they were schemed into extinction.
"Good, good! Raizen, you are a fine man." Hearing such "noble" words, Hiruzen's satisfaction reached a new high.
Nearby, little Hinata stared at the baby in Raizen's arms with wide, curious eyes. Noticing her gaze, Raizen walked over to her. "Come, have a look, little Hinata."
Hinata looked at Mirai and said softly, "The baby is so cute... just as cute as my sister Hanabi."
"Do you like Mirai?" Raizen asked.
"Mhm, I do." Hinata nodded, her rosy cheeks making her look incredibly adorable.
Raizen laughed. "Once Mirai can walk, I'll bring her over to your house so you can all play together."
Hinata glanced at her father, Hiashi. Raizen followed her gaze and smiled. "Clan Head Hiashi wouldn't mind our Mirai visiting, would he?"
"You are welcome," Hiashi replied, bowing his head slightly after seeing Hiruzen's approving nod.
"Excellent. Then I'll definitely bring her over once she's up and about," Raizen said. Then he turned back to Hinata. "Little Hinata, would you like to hold her?"
"May I?" Hinata's eyes lit up.
"Of course! You're so gentle and kind, Hinata; Mirai will be perfectly safe in your hands."
Hinata carefully took Uchiha Mirai into her arms. "She's so cute! Her eyes are like rubies... so beautiful."
"You have a pair of beautiful and kind eyes yourself, Hinata," Raizen complimented. Hinata blushed deeply at the praise.
At another table, Ino Yamanaka turned to Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi. "Sasuke's uncle is really good at having kids, isn't he?"
"They're all daughters!"
"Is this the twelfth one already?"
Shikamaru scratched his ear. "Twelve in a row and all girls... that's something else."
"Do you think Sasuke's uncle only knows how to have daughters and can't have a son?" Choji asked through a mouthful of grilled meat.
"It's just a matter of probability. How could someone only be able to have girls?" Shikaku Nara, Shikamaru's father, shook his head from the side, but then added thoughtfully, "Though, twelve daughters in a row... those odds are definitely a bit spooky."
"Daughters are great, too!" Ino's father, Inoichi Yamanaka, chimed in with a laugh. "Look at our Ino—how cute and pretty she is!"
Ino beamed at the compliment. Shikamaru glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, unable to see where the "cute" or "pretty" parts were. Aside from chasing Sasuke around like a lovesick fan all day, he didn't see much of either. Choji, catching Shikamaru's expression, knew exactly what his friend was thinking. In Choji's mind, only grilled meat was truly "cute" and "pretty."
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