Gradually, Shinji began to understand the underlying meaning. His gaze slowly swept over Fugaku and the three elders, and he couldn't help but inwardly criticize.
With the level of imagination these people have, it's no wonder they were eventually wiped out by Itachi Uchiha and Obito working together.
Sure enough, another elder, Yuichi, spoke up:
"I believe this is an opportunity."
"Shinji has become Lady Tsunade's disciple. With this status, there's no reason why our Uchiha clan can't compete for the position of Hokage."
A complex, indescribable sigh appeared on his face.
The Uchiha clan is a great clan on par with the Senju clan. Yet, after all these years, not a single Hokage has ever come from the Uchiha clan.
The First Hokage, Senju Hashirama—they had nothing to say about that;
The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju—they couldn't really comment on that either;
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was directly appointed by Tobirama Senju.
The position of Hokage has always been firmly held by the Hokage's lineage. The Uchiha clan has merely been guarding the Police Force.
This treatment truly does not match their status.
"Indeed!" Homura immediately chimed in, "Especially recently, with rumors spreading throughout the village that the Third Hokage made serious mistakes during this battle."
Shinji was slightly taken aback and couldn't help but ask:
"Rumors?"
Fugaku slowly opened his eyes and nodded in explanation:
"There have indeed been some unfavorable rumors circulating in the village about the Third Hokage."
The content of the rumors grew increasingly intense, with more and more versions emerging.
Some said that Hiruzen Sarutobi mismanaged multiple fronts during the war, directly leading to heavy casualties among the frontline shinobi.
Others accused him of being overly conservative in his tactics, hesitating to fully utilize capable young talents like Minato Namikaze, thereby missing multiple opportunities to turn the tide of the war.
There were even those who claimed that during post-war negotiations with other villages, his attitude was weak, failing to secure any substantial benefits for Konohagakure.
All sorts of criticisms were escalating.
Shinji raised his hand and stroked his chin, feeling more and more that something was off.
"Could it be that old bastard Danzo spreading rumors behind the scenes?"
Shinji directly pinned the blame on Danzo without the slightest hesitation.
When Hatake Sakumo was driven to suicide, Danzo had a hand in it.
Spreading rumors in secret and manipulating public opinion were exactly the kinds of schemes Danzo excelled at.
"Is Danzo trying to force Hiruzen Sarutobi to step down?"
Fugaku said gravely:
"This is only just beginning to surface in the village."
"But if the time truly comes to replace the Hokage, our Uchiha clan must seize this opportunity."
A faint flush of excitement appeared on his face.
If the Uchiha clan could truly secure the position of Hokage, that person would undoubtedly be him, Uchiha Fugaku.
He, too, wanted to become Hokage!
Fugaku looked seriously at Shinji:
"Aside from the mission to investigate Danzo, Shinji, you must get along well with Lady Tsunade."
"If you need anything, don't hesitate to tell the clan. The clan will fully support you."
The other three elders also nodded in agreement.
"Money!"
The word immediately popped into Shinji's mind, but the next second, he pictured the scene of Tsunade rushing into a gambling den with money in hand, while Shizune desperately tried to stop her from behind.
The image was too vivid—he didn't dare dwell on it!
He raised a hand to rub his temples, decisively extinguishing that thought.
Shinji straightened up and said to the group:
"I'm currently studying Medical Ninjutsu under Lady Tsunade. If the clan is willing, providing me with some medicinal herbs and cultivation resources would be enough."
The group exchanged glances, all somewhat surprised.
They hadn't expected Shinji to make such a request.
In the end, it was Yashiro who stepped forward, speaking with a wry smile:
"Then the clan will allocate one hundred thousand ryo to you each month, specifically for your Medical Ninjutsu studies."
He shook his head helplessly. Previously, he hadn't been optimistic about Shinji learning Medical Ninjutsu, thinking it was purely a waste of time. Wouldn't it be better to spend that effort delving deeper into the Uchiha clan's inherited Ninjutsu to improve his strength?
But what was the result? Shinji had found his own teacher, and it was none other than one of the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade.
They had to admit that being able to study Medical Ninjutsu under Tsunade was something even they, as elders, couldn't achieve.
A dedicated fund?
Shinji felt a surge of secret delight. Was this considered successfully fleecing the clan?
Ever since becoming Tsunade's disciple, his money pouch had never been full.
Tsunade couldn't save money, so did her student have to follow suit?
Could this aspect be contagious too?
That wouldn't do! He still had to support a family in the future!
Now, he would receive one hundred thousand ryo every month—a harvest that filled him with pleasant surprise.
This was equivalent to the total reward for two or three C-rank missions, and he didn't even have to split it.
It was truly no small surprise.
The corners of Shinji's mouth lifted slightly.
"Thank you, Clan Head and elders."
At this moment, he found Fugaku and the three elders exceptionally endearing.
Seeing there was nothing else, he stood up and took his leave.
...
Time moved to the next morning.
Shinji took out the box Tsunade had given him and pulled out a book he hadn't read yet.
He took a sip of hot tea, leaned back comfortably on the sofa, and began flipping through the medical book.
Shinji planned to relax properly for a while; there wasn't anything urgent to handle recently.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
Shinji quickly set the book down and hurried to the entrance.
The moment he opened the door, he smiled.
The visitor was none other than Kurenai Yuhi. She was wearing her usual wine-red, long kimono-style coat, the collar slightly open, faintly revealing the mesh armor underneath.
Kurenai glanced at Shinji, paused for a moment, and after a careful look, her gaze lingered on his eyes for two seconds before she covered her mouth with a light laugh.
"Shinji, you're back?"
Shinji quickly stepped aside, ushering Kurenai into the house.
"I just got back yesterday. Sorry, Kurenai, I couldn't tell you right away."
Kurenai didn't stand on ceremony either, familiarly taking a pair of slippers from the entrance.
She bent down to pick up her shoes, changed into the slippers, and walked in.
"Did you finish everything you needed to do?" Kurenai asked with concern.
"I came by twice over the past few days and saw your Shadow Clone reading at home. Knowing it wasn't your real self, I went back first."
"It seems my luck is good today—I finally caught you back."
Kurenai said with a smile.
"All done, everything went smoothly!"
Shinji replied with a smile. He had previously told Kurenai that he was going out to handle some matters and cultivate along the way.
And he had indeed "comprehended" Storm Release during his trip.
That wasn't a lie!
Shinji took Kurenai's hand, and they sat together on the sofa. He said with a smile, "I've been practicing a really powerful technique recently. I'll find a chance to show you."
Kurenai Yuhi sat down close beside him, leaning her head naturally against his shoulder. "Perfect timing, I also wanted to ask for your help with my training."
After not seeing each other for days, the two snuggled together, enjoying a simple moment of warmth.
She suggested, "How about we do it today?"
Shinji nodded. He had long promised to help Kurenai with her training.
Suddenly, he spoke with a playful smile:
"Speaking of which, Kurenai, is this your way of inviting me on a date?"
Kurenai lifted her head and lightly punched his arm, chiding:
"What do you think?"