Chapter 51: Uchiha Hazuki's Unease
The fire pit in the center of the room was lit, casting a warm orange glow throughout the chamber. Flickering shadows danced across the stone walls.
Standing by the entrance, Uchiha Yashiro waited until nearly everyone had arrived. He then walked over to the stone door and shut it with a heavy thud.
With a dull rumble, the underground room was sealed off from the outside world. The firelight became the only source of illumination, cloaking everyone's faces in shifting shadows.
Seiji, who had just become a genin, sat quietly in the back row. He could feel multiple eyes fixated on him.
Their gazes varied—some were curious, others dismissive, and a few were laced with subtle admiration or expectation.
Amid the darkness, the crimson glow of Sharingan eyes stood out sharply, exuding a cold, piercing gleam.
And naturally, there was no shortage of surprise.
Uchiha Hazuki, a chūnin, sat in the middle-rear section. Her eyes widened in disbelief—wasn't Seiji just picking up beginner ninjutsu a short while ago? He'd already graduated?
Hazuki hesitated. Maybe she should go over and exchange a few words to smooth things over.
After all, her previous attitude toward Seiji had been… less than kind.
If Seiji bore a grudge and decided to retaliate in the future, that would be troublesome.
She didn't believe for a second that a talent like Seiji would remain an ordinary genin for long.
"Congratulations on becoming a ninja, Seiji."
After a moment's thought, Hazuki stood up, intending to approach him.
But Seiji merely nodded lightly—gone was the friendly, simple smile from their last meeting.
His cool demeanor caught Hazuki off guard.
"Seiji, you—" She was about to ask if he still held a grudge.
"Hazuki, Fugaku is about to speak," came a gentle reminder from Mikoto, who sat in the front as a jōnin. She turned back and glanced at Hazuki.
"Understood," Hazuki sat back down, her thoughts spinning.
Had Seiji been pretending the whole time? Had he put on an act just to catch her off guard?
Around the room, clan members reacted in their own ways.
Seated across from them all, Uchiha Fugaku crossed his arms, the Uchiha crest on his shoulders gleaming in the firelight.
He cleared his throat, silencing the low murmurs and whispers in the chamber.
"Tonight, we welcome a new ninja into our Uchiha clan—Uchiha Seiji."
As soon as he finished speaking, several clan members who had not activated their Sharingan did so. Crimson pupils lit up across the room like flickering embers.
Activating the Sharingan during such a gathering was an Uchiha tradition—both a symbolic welcome and a silent assessment.
Seiji stood up.
The firelight painted his upright figure clearly against the stone walls.
His gaze swept over the room, steady and unflinching.
Fugaku gave a slight nod in approval.
He remembered—on the very first day—how this boy had performed well even under the pressure of his own Sharingan.
"We Uchiha are not a clan that cares about bloodlines from outside. So long as you walk with us, you are one of us." Fugaku's tone was firm.
He didn't care whose blood flowed in Seiji's veins. As long as his heart belonged to the Uchiha, that was enough.
"Yes, Lord Fugaku," Seiji nodded.
Everyone knew how to say the right words about unity. The real question was whether Fugaku himself truly believed them.
In the original timeline… that had already been answered.
"What are your plans moving forward?" Fugaku asked.
He had received a subtle message from Hiruzen Sarutobi, hinting that Seiji carried the Will of Fire.
That was a clear sign of favor.
Originally, Fugaku had planned to pull Seiji straight into the Konoha Police Force. But now, he decided to hold off.
"I… would like to take on missions like any other ninja," Seiji said with a look of aspiration.
"Once I gain enough experience, I'll consider joining the Konoha Police Force and working alongside everyone."
He paused for a beat, then added:
"Also, Lady Nonō has agreed to teach me medical ninjutsu. I'd like to focus on that training as well. With those skills, I'll be able to better help the clan in the future."
"Yakushi Nonō?" Fugaku repeated, surprised.
Others in the room shared his confusion.
"Isn't she that highly skilled medical-nin?"
"Some say that after Tsunade, she's the best in Konoha."
"Ah, I remember now—she treated me once. Her medical jutsu is excellent."
"Wait, does Uchiha Seiji have yang chakra?"
Whispers spread through the chamber.
Not only were they shocked that Nonō Yakushi had taken a liking to Seiji—they were also surprised by his elemental nature.
Most Uchiha were born with yin chakra. Only a few had any affinity with yang.
Hearing all this, Hazuki grew increasingly uneasy.
Had she really offended someone that promising?
Had Seiji figured out his talent early on, and now returned with confidence to settle the score?
She couldn't shake the chill of realizing just how good his performance had been that day.
He's just a kid… how is he already this calculating?
"It was an arrangement between Seiji and Yakushi Nonō." Mikoto stepped forward, sensing the clan's confusion, and calmly explained how it all came to be.
As long as Seiji graduated from the Ninja Academy and showed potential as a medical ninja, Yakushi Nonō was willing to teach him.
Mikoto had been present when Nonō said those words.
"I didn't expect you to have talent in this area as well," Fugaku nodded, clearly impressed.
Earning the favor of the head of the Medical Corps meant Seiji had significant aptitude in medical ninjutsu.
The only regret was that Seiji had only one Sharingan. Whether it could evolve further remained uncertain.
While there had been Uchiha with mixed bloodlines before, cases of someone awakening only a single Sharingan eye were exceedingly rare—mentioned only in a few scattered records from the Warring States era.
"For now, follow the village's arrangements," Fugaku finally said, deciding on Seiji's next steps.
Since Hiruzen Sarutobi had shown interest in Seiji, this was an opportunity for Fugaku to use the boy as a bridge to ease the tense relationship between the village and the Uchiha.
Ever since the Uchiha were put in charge of the Konoha Police Force, they'd made many enemies.
As a result, the Uchiha clan had become somewhat isolated in the vast expanse of Konoha, lacking support from other clans.
"Is there anything you need?" Recognizing Seiji's talent, Fugaku decided to invest more in him and strengthen his bond with the clan.
"I need a ninja blade." Seiji replied honestly.
He'd been wondering how to afford a decent blade. If the Uchiha could provide one, that would be ideal.
"No problem. Mikoto, take Seiji to claim a copy of Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu, then accompany him outside the village to the Ninneko clan and help him pick out a blade that suits him." Fugaku instructed Mikoto.
She always carried out his tasks with exceptional efficiency, and in his eyes, she was already like the ideal wife he hadn't yet formally married.
"Understood," Mikoto nodded gracefully.
With that matter settled, Fugaku had Seiji sit back down and began discussing more routine matters concerning the Uchiha clan.
Only Uchiha Hazuki remained visibly tense, sneaking glances at Seiji from time to time.
Seiji noticed Hazuki's discomfort and allowed a sly, almost wicked smile to curl at the edge of his lips.
Isn't this the perfect target to help enhance my ocular powers?