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"Huh? Hahaha, Grandpa... I thought you were going to say Clan Head Jin was the greatest genius. I didn't expect you to pick yourself!"
Uchiha Tajima laughed and reached out to pat Manji's sleeve with his small hand.
In his young mind, his grandfather was a wise elder who seemed to know everything and could explain any question he asked.
The elders of the clan treated him with great respect as well. Even the Clan Head had to address him politely.
But when it came to strength, Tajima had never once seen his grandfather fight...
The most impressive thing he could remember was from spring—when Manji picked fruit from a high branch. He gathered chakra under his feet, stepped lightly upward, and reached the fruit with ease. Other than that, Tajima had never seen him use real ninjutsu.
He was different from the other shinobi in the clan, who trained daily with kunai and ninjutsu and always seemed to have an air of danger about them.
Manji just shook his head at the boy's reaction and said nothing.
He had reached the top of the Shinobi world long ago. Strength and weakness were like clouds passing by.
"Tell Grandpa what happened today."
"Wait, Grandpa, I still want to hear one of your old stories!"
Cherry blossoms floated down around them and landed softly on their shoulders. Besides the gentle sound of wind in the trees, the courtyard was quiet except for the voices of the old man and the child.
They talked for a long time, starting with academy lessons, then daily Uchiha training, and finally rumors about other clans. Slowly, the relaxed mood in the courtyard faded as worries from the outside world crept in.
"Grandpa, do you think Clan Head Jin will attack the Senju Clan?"
Uchiha Tajima grabbed the edge of his robe. His smile faded, replaced by a seriousness unusual for someone so young.
Manji lowered his eyes to look at him and nodded. "He will. Without question."
"The Uchiha and the Senju both have their roots in the Land of Fire. Their territories, resources, and mission contracts all overlap and clash, so conflict is bound to happen. On top of that, the daimyō of the Land of Fire will get involved. He'll use the clans' fight to profit from both sides while staying safe away from the battlefield."
Manji understood the situation better than anyone because he had planted the roots of it himself.
When he divided power among the daimyō of the various nations, placing secular rulers and shinobi clans in a state of mutual restraint, he had done so to ensure that the reincarnations of Indra and Asura would remain trapped in the whirlpool of clan rivalry, unable to escape their destined confrontation.
The rules of the Shinobi world had been built by his own hand. Everything unfolding now was only following the path he had laid down centuries ago.
So Manji knew exactly which mines he had buried, and which ones were about to explode.
When Tajima heard this, indignation filled his little face.
"UGH! THOSE AWFUL DAIMYŌ. Why do ordinary people who can't use even a bit of ninjutsu get to sit above shinobi and order us around?"
"We shinobi have so much power. We take on dangerous missions no ordinary person could survive. But we still get choked by the daimyō at every turn. Even the grain our clan needs to survive and the materials we use to forge weapons all depend on trade with the outside. We still have to watch the daimyō's mood before doing anything..."
Tajima clenched his small fists and puffed out his cheeks as he complained.
Even though he was young, Manji had taught him well. Tajima already knew much more about how a clan worked than most kids his age. He understood that shinobi seemed powerful—but were still limited by the rules of ordinary leaders.
What he couldn't understand was why powerful shinobi had to obey daimyō who couldn't even protect themselves.
"Heh..." Manji smiled.
If Tajima wanted to know that, he had definitely come to the right person.
After all, it was Manji who had given the daimyō their authority.
"The daimyō were granted their positions by the Sage of Six Paths," Manji explained. "After the Sage of Six Paths purged the demons, the Shinobi world had no unified order. Someone had to maintain stability. At the time, a number of clean and capable officials were chosen by the Sage of Six Paths and granted lands to govern."
Uchiha Tajima nodded, then sighed softly. "The Sage of Six Paths, huh..."
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
Manji was about to stand up, but Tajima rushed ahead on his short legs. "Grandpa, I'll get it!"
He slid open the wooden door. As soon as he saw who was outside, he stood up straight.
The visitor wore the Uchiha Clan's signature high-collared dark-blue robe, decorated with subtle fan patterns. He stood tall and straight, with sharp features that marked him as a true Uchiha.
This was the current head of the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Jin.
"Greetings, Clan Head Jin!"
Tajima bowed, looking up at the man. Then he turned back into the room and called, "Grandpa, the clan head is here!"
Manji walked over slowly and looked at Uchiha Jin. "So it's Jin. What brings you here?"
Of course, he knew exactly who stood before him.
Uchiha Jin was Indra's reincarnation in this era.
He was also the Uchiha Clan Head.
After seeing reincarnations come and go for a thousand years, Manji no longer felt anything when faced with that familiar fate.
"Clan Elder, forgive me for disturbing your rest." Uchiha Jin immediately bowed deeply. "I came today because I hoped you might advise me and help me settle on a decision."
"Then come in."
Manji nodded and led him into the inner room.
The room was very simple, with just a low table and a few oranges on it.
They sat down across from each other.
"Clan Elder, I want to move against the Senju. What do you think?" Uchiha Jin asked, unable to hide his urgency.
"If you have already decided, then there is no need to say much. Fight them. Why ask me?"
Manji's answer made the eagerness fade from Jin's face.
Jin's expression tightened, uncertainty creeping into his voice. "Clan Elder, you know I only recently became clan head. I've never led a large clan war before..."
"I'm worried that if I send troops too soon, the first battle will go badly and cost the clan's children their lives. Should we wait a few years and grow stronger before acting?"
"Or should we attack now and try to take the initiative?"
As soon as Jin finished speaking, Manji looked up at him.
"You awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, didn't you?"
"..." Uchiha Jin's entire body shook.
His face turned pale and his pupils shrank. He was so shocked that for a moment, he almost couldn't hide his reaction.
He had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan in absolute secrecy. He had told no one. Not even the elders closest to him in the clan had noticed—yet this clan elder had seen through him with a single glance.
The realization made Jin's heart race with alarm.
"Clan Elder, your eyes miss nothing..."
After calming himself, Jin pushed down his shock. Instead, a pride he couldn't hide showed on his face.
He lifted his right hand and brushed his fingers lightly near the corner of his eye. In the next instant, the scarlet Sharingan opened.
He revealed a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan, with patterns that were both intricate and striking. In the center of each eye, a shape like a spinning windmill turned, edged with red arcs.
"This is the confidence behind my decision to act against the Senju!!"
Uchiha Jin clenched his fist, and the power of the Mangekyō filled him with the confidence of someone sure of victory.
At the doorway, Tajima stood with his head tilted, watching everything with curiosity.
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