Chapter 24 Bonds
Upon returning to the clan's territory, the old clan chief arranged for people to invite Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Kagami.
Before long, the three elders of the Uchiha clan gathered in the simple and elegant Japanese-style room.
Perhaps having made a decision in their hearts, they formally entrusted the future direction of the family to the younger generation, and the heavy burden on their shoulders and their respective conflicts suddenly disappeared.
The three sat facing each other, and a rare sense of peace, which they hadn't felt in a long time, arose between them.
Even... a harmony that felt like a lifetime ago.
Once upon a time, they were spirited young men, fighting side by side for their beloved family on the banks of the Naka River, under the clan crest of the fan, letting the roar of ninjutsu deafen their eardrums and the blood stain the ground beneath their feet.
"...Sarutobi was still the same as always, giving only a half-hearted excuse."
The old clan chief recounted the negotiation process in detail, and finally picked up his teacup with an unusually relaxed expression, as if he had expected the outcome.
The warm tea soothed his throat, and he gently set down the teacup, the porcelain bottom striking the table with a crisp, light sound.
Uchiha Setsuna leaned back on the cushion, his thin, long fingers tapping absently on his knee.
After listening to the old clan chief's account, his eyebrows suddenly rose, and a mocking laugh escaped from his nose.
"They want Uchiha disciples to risk their lives, yet they cling tightly to that little bit of power and refuse to let go. They want both."
The old man's sharp words were like poisoned kunai, piercing straight to the heart: "This kind of behavior is more disgusting than those prostitutes with clearly marked prices in the hot spring streets of the Land of Hot Springs!"
He turned his head in an instant, looking at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window, his hoarse voice carrying a cold cynicism that seemed to have seen through the ways of the world.
"At least they still believe in fair trade based on mutual consent."
After he finished speaking, the room fell silent, except for the faint sound of his knuckles tapping his knees, which echoed the sound of a startled deer crowing outside the window.
A fierce glint, like the gleam of a blade, flashed in the old man's cloudy yet still sharp eyes.
"We absolutely cannot compromise this time!"
"Don't rush."
Uchiha Kakuzo slowly put down his teacup, raised his eyes to look at Setsuna, whose brows still held a hint of ferocity, and spoke in a voice as still as the deep waters of the Naka River.
"We're all getting on in years, it's time to let our anger fester."
After he handed his granddaughter over to that dazzling younger generation and knelt all night before the memorial tablets of his son and daughter-in-law, the obsession that had haunted his heart for many years vanished without a trace.
At this moment, Huo He sat calmly in the light and shadow, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothing out into a serene arc.
The future of the family will be created by new blood, like the rising sun.
All I can do now is use this weathered body as a vessel to protect my people on their final journey.
If necessary, his old bones can also be transformed into a torch illuminating the way forward.
"You have a whole bunch of reasons."
Looking at the calm and composed Huo He across from him, he couldn't help but sit up straight, clear his throat, and abruptly changed the subject.
"Once these matters are settled, come visit me. It's time to discuss the children's marriage."
Huo He's expression suddenly changed.
Even if he silently accepted this reality, he still felt a tightness in his chest when he actually had to face the fact that his beloved granddaughter, whom he had carefully nurtured, had been kidnapped by that brat from the Setsuna family.
"Yes, that's true."
Huo He echoed, then subtly changed the subject, turning his gaze to the old patriarch who was watching the show, and spoke.
"Clan leader, speaking of which, Fugaku is not young anymore. When do you plan to get married?"
'It's all because he's pursuing Mikoto; otherwise, Fugaku would have been married long ago, and his child would probably be four or five years old by now.'
The old patriarch muttered something to himself, glancing sideways at the two people in front of him—
Huo He casually turned his head away, then calmly raised his chin, his eyes gleaming with undisguised smugness.
After all, An Lan was able to win over Mei Qin, and he rarely let loose like this last night, getting drunk for once.
"With a major war imminent and the situation in the ninja world constantly changing, arranging a marriage now is uncertain. It's better to wait until the situation becomes clearer before making a decision."
The old patriarch's gaze swept over the expectant look in the fire core, his mind clear as a mirror—
This old friend simply wanted to use his words to persuade Mikoto to marry later.
He happened to be looking at something he didn't like for a moment, so he went along with it.
"After all, a wedding is a matter of life and death for the children, and it is even more important to celebrate after such a great victory."
He snorted coldly in an instant, how could he not understand what those two old guys meant?
However, he didn't dwell on it. With his son's meticulous mind and methods, it was only a natural thing for him to make Mikoto willingly accompany him for the rest of her life.
'If you get pregnant out of wedlock, see if your Fire Core won't be furious.'
In a flash, I picked up the teacup, took a small sip, and thought happily to myself.
Seeing that he didn't show any extra expression, the other two also changed the subject back to the main topic.
"The situation in the village is clear; let's see how Sarutobi Monkey tries to argue with us."
"But the situation outside the village is constantly changing, and we need more comprehensive and timely intelligence support in order to take the initiative in subsequent negotiations with the Hokage and even in the war."
The old clan chief looked around at his two old friends, his gaze calm and resolute.
"Therefore, it is time to integrate our respective intelligence networks."
"Only by working together as one and exerting force in the same direction can the Uchiha clan take more steady and farther steps."
The sunlight outside the window swayed in the shadows of the trees, casting the solemn figures of the three elderly men onto the wall, making them resemble three gnarled old pine trees.
"That's only natural."
Huo He nodded and said in a deep voice.
"Regarding the selection of someone to coordinate intelligence, I suggest that the weaker Mikoto be in charge, while Anlan and Fugaku are more suitable for leading the charge."
While this statement contained some personal motive of keeping his granddaughter away from the core danger, it was more of an objective self-recommendation.
The importance of intelligence is beyond doubt, and it can only be kept in the hands of one's own people. Even with his closest confidants, Huo He is still a little uneasy!
Only Anlan, Fugaku, and Mikoto can perfectly integrate the intelligence from the three sources.
The other two understood this as well.
They also knew that it was a complete waste of energy to put their own juniors to work on intelligence that required a lot of time to sort out.
He clapped his hands and laughed in an instant, then nodded decisively.
"I agree. Mikoto is meticulous and thorough in her actions, making her the perfect candidate to be in charge of intelligence."
Feeling like he'd been set up, the old clan leader watched the two of them singing in unison and giving him urging glances. His lips twitched slightly, and he finally shook his head helplessly.
"You two old foxes... don't you dare trick my Fugaku."
Hearing his laughter and scolding, Huo He and Shan Na laughed along.
The laughter was interwoven with decades of grudges and tacit understanding, like the crisp sound of springtime arriving on the frozen Nanga River in winter.
The past barriers gradually dissipated like morning mist, replaced by the unchanging bond beneath the round fan emblem!
End of this chapter...