Konoha: This Uchiha is extremely sneaky

Chapter 9 Playing

After lunch, I took a one-hour nap. I then practiced swordsmanship and shuriken throwing for an hour.

Uchiha Toshiro decided to go out for a stroll.

Having promised Uchiha Mika that he would spend more time with his companions, he didn't intend to go back on his word.

Not for any other reason than simply to pass the time. Otherwise, every day would be so boring, filled with either reading or practicing meditation.

Isn't that even more outrageous than the old 996 and 007 work schedules?

Hmm... It's really necessary to balance work and rest. Otherwise, if someone trains so hard at such a young age and ruins their body, wouldn't everything be for naught? You have to eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time. He understands this simple principle.

As for playing with little kids, he had no choice. A four-year-old couldn't possibly mingle with adults. He couldn't participate in those risqué magazines, casinos, Kabukicho, bars, or anything like that.

"Where there is demand, there is service!" Recalling the occasional glimpses I'd caught while wandering around Konoha over the past two months, those "social venues" I'd seen seemed to thrive on whatever was banned.

As if he had thought of something, Uchiha Toshiro silently retorted.

The pastimes of adults in the ninja world are so simple and unpretentious.

"I'm going out." Ignoring the empty house, he said habitually. Uchiha Toshiro, wearing a dark blue turtleneck long-sleeved shirt and loose white trousers, with a lollipop dangling from his mouth and his hands behind his head, staggered out the door.

"Toshiro~ Over here!" A childish voice reached Toshiro Uchiha's ears from afar.

Turning his head, he saw a little boy about his age, dressed in Uchiha-style children's clothing. The boy was calling out to him loudly and waving his arm, gesturing for him to come over quickly.

Around him, some sitting and some standing, were seven or eight children of similar age, both boys and girls. These were all peers who had participated in the clan training at the same time as Uchiha Toshiro.

It was a period of peace between World War II and World War III. Necromancer clans and villages weren't in a rush to raise their children, mostly adopting a laissez-faire approach. This allowed these kids to experience the joys of childhood.

The one who called out to Toshiro was Uchiha Ryuka. He had short brown hair and was fairly handsome, though a bit of a tomboy.

"Toshiro, you've come at the perfect time. You can play ninja games with us."

"Hey! Another ninja game? How about we play something different? Let's play ghost hunting this time." Before he could finish speaking, a little girl next to him interjected.

The one who interrupted Uchiha Ryuka's speech was a little girl named Uchiha Homura. Her slightly yellowish hair was tied into a cute high ponytail. She had bright, clear features and a delicate, upturned nose. Her appearance possessed the pure and lovely charm unique to girls her age.

This little girl is the genius who successfully refined chakra in just one night during the clan's training. I heard she's the daughter of a prominent figure in the First Division, and both her parents are powerful ninjas.

Upon hearing that there were different options, the eight or nine children gathered there quickly split into two factions. Some wanted to play ninja games, while others wanted to play ghost-catching. They argued back and forth, creating a lively and noisy scene.

This place is a recreational area within the Uchiha clan compound, specially designated for clan members to rest, stroll, and for children to play. The children gathered here are all young Uchiha children bearing the clan crest of the Flame Fan.

At this time, the relationship between the clan and the village had not yet reached the freezing point it had after the Nine-Tailed Fox Night. However, while there was some interaction between the clan members and the villagers, it was very limited.

Just like the world he lived in his previous life.

Whether it's the provincial party committee compound or a military dependents' community, these places, with their guards and somewhat solemn atmosphere, always seem to subtly deter ordinary people, let alone children. These so-called children of high-ranking officials often form their own faction, with very little interaction with ordinary children.

Even if there are occasional Uchiha children, they are willing to leave the clan's residence and play with ordinary children.

However, as the children of law enforcement officers, this label is firmly attached to them as well. This makes many parents hesitant to become law enforcement officers, which in turn affects the children.

Some children from ninja families were isolated and ostracized by the village starting with the Second Hokage.

After all, one side is the village, and the other is the Uchiha clan. Anyone with a sound mind knows which choice to make.

"No! These games are too childish and outdated. Let's play a new game!" Since we're out killing time, we should act like we're killing time. We can't change the fact that they're a bunch of childish kids, but we can change them and get them to stop playing such childish games.

"A new game? It's not going to be hide-and-seek or skipping stones, is it? If so, I'd rather play a ninja game." Uchiha Ryuka looked at him with a puzzled expression.

At this moment, both sides in the argument abandoned their original goal. They turned their heads simultaneously, staring intently at Uchiha Toshiro, demanding a reasonable explanation from him.

There was no tension. Uchiha Toshiro pulled a deck of cards from his pocket, looked at the dumbfounded expressions on the faces of the children around him, and smiled knowingly.

"Toshiro~ You bastard! You're not going to gamble with us, are you? In this place, our families will find out before nightfall. We'll all be dead then!" Uchiha Ryuka stared at him dumbfounded, glancing around as if he were doing something wrong and was afraid of being discovered by the adults.

On the other hand, Uchiha Homura had a completely different expression. Her small mouth was slightly open, and her round eyes darted around, looking eager to try something.

Looking at her expression, Uchiha Toshiro raised an eyebrow. What was with that eager look? Had she awakened some strange talent? Weren't Uchiha girls supposed to be paragons of intelligence and elegance?

The remaining characters, such as Uchiha En, Uchiha Asaka, and Uchiha Taro, each had a different expression.

Some were excited, some curious, some scared—the restless ones all seemed eager to try. It seems that if they weren't in such a public place, these kids wouldn't mind giving it a shot.

"How about we play some Texas Hold'em with them first!" He suppressed this nonsensical thought. Uchiha Toshiro glared at Uchiha Ryuka.

"What are you thinking? How could it be gambling? It's just a prop for a new game."

"Indeed! This deck of cards is just a gambling tool?" The blonde girl with a ponytail next to her squinted and added.

"Well! It doesn't seem to be what I thought. But Toshiro's new game should be quite interesting, right?" With a slight smile, Uchiha Homura looked at him, waiting for the answer to be revealed.

(End of this chapter)