Reborn as Danzō’s Grandson, Must I Offend the Entire Ninja World?

After watching the two children leave, the smile on Fugaku's face gradually faded, replaced by a cold, stern expression as he fixed his gaze on the two guards.

"Starting next week, your workload will double. Notify everyone—no one is allowed to stop Shimura from entering."

The two Uchiha guards shivered slightly but quickly acknowledged the order and returned to their posts.

Fugaku took his son home, reminding him along the way:

"Itachi, make sure to build a good relationship with Shimura at school. His attitude is crucial in easing tensions between our clan and the village leadership."

Though Itachi was only six years old, his maturity far exceeded that of an ordinary child, and Fugaku treated him accordingly.

"Yes, Father," Itachi replied respectfully, fully understanding the weight of his father's words.

Seeing his son's agreement, Fugaku allowed himself a faint smile of relief.

But soon, his expression turned grim again.

The current situation gave him no reason to feel at ease.

The isolation of the Uchiha clan was becoming more severe, their compound monitored constantly by the village's upper echelon.

Fugaku wasn't certain whether this was Danzō's doing or the Third Hokage's, but regardless, he could only feign ignorance and endure.

His true hatred was reserved for the masked man who had manipulated the Nine-Tails.

If not for the Nine-Tails' attack, the Uchiha wouldn't have been further ostracized, and the Fourth Hokage wouldn't have died young.

Namikaze Minato was not only exceptionally talented but also an upright, radiant figure, completely unlike Hiruzen or Danzō, those old, scheming politicians.

More importantly, Minato had no prejudice against the Uchiha. He had even taken an Uchiha as his disciple.

But now, he was dead.

In the single year that Minato served as Hokage, tensions between the village and the Uchiha had eased significantly, giving Fugaku hope of bridging the gap.

Yet that hope was shattered in a single night, and things only worsened afterward.

Now, not only did he have to contend with Hiruzen, Danzō, and the other village elders' suspicion and hostility, but he also had to manage the growing radicalism within his own clan, balancing both sides in an increasingly impossible position.

Still, the appearance of Yami and his close bond with Izumi gave Fugaku a sliver of hope.

Danzō had no relatives left in this world aside from Yami. If Fugaku could extend Uchiha's goodwill through Yami and use him to establish a connection with Danzō…

With that thought, Fugaku glanced at Itachi with newfound expectations.

Meanwhile, Yami, who was accompanying Izumi, had no idea that Fugaku was setting his sights on him.

He simply assumed that Fugaku's earlier show of friendliness was just to save face for Danzō.

But even if he had known, he would have laughed it off, it wasn't something worth worrying about.

At this point, no one in the world could resolve the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha.

The only one who could have—Namikaze Minato—had died last year.

The seeds of this discord had been planted long ago during the reign of Senju Tobirama. The students he mentored had inherited his distrust of the Uchiha.

Even if Yami was Danzō's grandson, it wouldn't change anything. Not even Danzō himself could reconcile with the Uchiha.

Hiruzen may have seemed like a weak-willed pacifist, but he was actually the one who feared the Uchiha the most.

An independent, powerful armed force was the biggest threat to any leader lacking true control.

Then there were the two old geezers, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura—Tobirama's former students, deeply influenced by his teachings. They, too, had no fondness for the Uchiha.

There was no one in Konoha's upper ranks who had a positive view of them.

And the Uchiha themselves had their own issues. Their arrogance, cultivated over years of managing the village's security, made it impossible for them to lower their heads and compromise.

Fugaku was indeed a capable leader, but without overwhelming strength or the courage to act decisively, what could he really change?

All he could do was quietly wait for the day his "dutiful son" would bring about change.

"Izumi, Yami, it's time to eat," a gentle female voice called from outside the room.

The two children exchanged smiles, put down their pens, and walked out.

Izumi's mother, Uchiha Kiyomi, was naturally a kind and gentle woman—after all, she had raised such a thoughtful, black-haired, straight-laced little girl like Izumi.

As they entered the dining area, Kiyomi urged them to wash their hands first. Meanwhile, she set the table with grilled fish, sushi, and three bowls of miso soup.

When Yami returned from washing up, Kiyomi smiled warmly at him.

"I didn't know you'd be coming today, so I didn't prepare anything special, just some home-cooked dishes."

"Not at all! These smell amazing, I'm starving!"

Yami played up his childlike charm, flashing a bright grin.

Sure enough, Kiyomi's expression softened even more.

Mischievous kids could be troublesome, but polite and sensible children were always endearing.

"Then eat plenty. You're at an age where you need to grow," she said kindly, pushing a plate of fried fish toward him.

In truth, she was deeply grateful to Yami, not only had he helped Izumi out of her grief last year, but he had also taken extra care of her ever since, helping her gradually overcome the loss of her father.

"I want to grow taller too! Time to eat!" Izumi declared enthusiastically.

The two children exchanged amused glances, breaking into small smiles.

Indeed, nothing was as heartwarming as a cheerful little girl.

Yami felt quite pleased. Today had been a productive day, not only had he reaped plenty from Itachi, but Kiyomi had also given him an unexpected gift.

[Host establishes a bond with Uchiha Kiyomi: "My Son-in-Law Gets More Appealing Over Time"—Reward: 'Mother-in-Law's Expectation.']

[Mother-in-Law's Expectation: When the Host and Uchiha Izumi are within 500 meters of each other, both of their training speeds increase by 100%.]

A training buff.

Its value was no less than inheriting Uchiha bloodline talent.

The system didn't restrict the type of training it affected, meaning whether it was ninjutsu, taijutsu, or chakra refinement, his growth rate would double.

It seemed like he should start considering how to "steal" Izumi away from the Uchiha clan.

Yami's thoughts raced.

Of course, it wasn't just a matter of whether Izumi was willing, Danzō would be a significant obstacle on his own.

He would have to plan carefully.

By the time dinner was over, night had already fallen.

Yami stayed a little longer, sparring with Izumi in taijutsu to test the effect of his new buff.

Feeling its clear benefits, he eventually bid farewell and left.

When he returned home, he was surprised to find Danzō waiting for him.

"Old man, why are you back?" Yami asked in surprise.

Danzō practically lived at Root. Even when Yami was younger, Danzō had spent more time at the underground base than at home.

Yami had used his need for sunlight as an excuse to avoid staying there.

Danzō chuckled.

"I was in such a hurry last time that I forgot to give you your birthday present."

He pushed a simple, long wooden box toward him.

"Open it and take a look."

(To be continued.)

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