Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

"Then don't keep me waiting too long."

Zongxian was not disappointed.

As a friend, he knew Shisui's temperament well, and he hadn't expected to win Shisui over so easily.

Planting a seed is enough for now.

Next, spend time watering and fertilizing, and it will naturally sprout, bloom, and bear fruit.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Shisui, is there anything else you need today?" Zongxian changed the subject.

"Nothing much. I just finished a mission, and the Anbu gave me two days off. I haven't decided what to do with these two days yet." Shisui readily changed the subject. He was already under enough pressure, and some relaxation was necessary. Otherwise, even an iron man couldn't withstand such pressure.

"That's perfect! Come to my house! Practice with me. I haven't been on many missions lately, and I feel like my skills have deteriorated."

"Stop talking nonsense, kid. Don't try to fool me."

Shisui scoffed at this.

He'd rather die than believe such a ridiculous lie as his skills declining. Sogen was a cunning rascal; back on the battlefield, he claimed he'd run out of ninja tools, then casually tossed a shuriken and killed the approaching Mist Ninja, yelling that he was out of chakra and couldn't fight anymore, only to have a fire jutsu burn the pursuing Mist Ninja to a crisp the next second…

There are countless examples like this, but fortunately Zongxian never had any designs on his own people; those little tricks were only used to deal with the enemy.

On the war zone,

Zongxian has an indescribable sense of security.

Perhaps this is why, despite both being geniuses of the Uchiha clan, he didn't have many friends, while Sogen could get along well with everyone.

[5. Chapter Five: The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki (Please add to your favorites! Please invest! Please recommend!)]

Unlike other children his age who rushed to leave home and live alone, Uchiha Sogen still lives with his parents and family. In the end, he is not a real fifteen-year-old boy. Even though he has been reborn and his mentality has become much younger, he is still somewhat different.

Compared to his peers who crave independence, he prefers the lively atmosphere of his family eating together.

"Are your aunt and uncle not here?"

After entering, Zhi Shui looked around.

"They should be at the studio by now and won't be back until tonight." Zongxian's parents are not ninjas. His father is said to have been born weak and not suitable to be a ninja. He is currently a novelist and has published three best-selling books, but he has recently fallen into a slump. His mother is an editor.

My parents met through work.

"What new works does Uncle Zhenshi have recently?"

"The response to my new book last month wasn't very good, and I've been worried about it lately! I didn't even go to see Teng Hua off when she started school, but it's not a big deal. It'll be fine in a while. Anyway, this isn't the first time something like this has happened. With my mother around, it'll be alright."

Uchiha Masashi, that's the name of Sogen's father.

Shisui blinked, pretending not to hear the second half of the sentence, and asked instead, "Elder Genji is not here either?" The Zongxian family consists of five people: his parents, his sister, and his grandfather, Uchiha Genji, who is an elder of the family.

Compared to Zhishui, who is all alone now, this is definitely a large family.

"He probably went to play chess with Elder Ryuji. They've been chess buddies for a long time. But the real reason is probably because Fujika is starting school. Staying at home alone is too lonely. Grandpa has been sulking lately because of Fujika's desire to go to the Ninja Academy. He still feels that the Uchiha clan doesn't need to go to the Ninja Academy and should stay home to study..."

Zongxian didn't delay his work while talking, and immediately served Zhishui tea and snacks.

"Didn't we say we were going to spar?"

Shisui looked at the tea and snacks laid out in front of him, and scratched his head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"It's not too late to have some tea before you go. Anyway, you're fine, and so am I. There's no need to rush."

Zongxian also sat down on the sofa with his tea.

Because of his father's preferences, although the house looks like a typical Japanese house from the outside, the interior decoration is Western-style. Only the room of the old man Uchiha Genji maintains the tatami style. Sogen is happy with this. He prefers a soft sofa that he can sink into rather than kneeling on the tatami.

"Zongxian, you bastard..."

Shisui smiled helplessly.

However, he relaxed and leaned back on the sofa.

It's good to take a break.

······

"Dong Dong Dong!!!"

The loud footsteps startled Shisui awake. He instinctively reached for his waist, but thankfully noticed his surroundings and realized that the mission was over. He was... at the Zongxian family's house.

The brain, which had been idle, started working again, and all the previous events came back to mind.

I ran into Zongxian on the road, then we talked on the rooftop, and then we went to Zongxian's house supposedly to have a friendly spar... but it turns out I'm sitting on the sofa and I've fallen asleep? The dim sunset outside the window casts a yellowish light that's a little glaring.

Time flies, and it's already evening.

Before I knew it, another day had passed in my sleep.

"Ah! Fujika, I told you not to run on the stairs! Look at the noise you're making, you even woke up Shisui." Uchiha Sogen sat on the side sofa with his legs crossed, an open hardcover book on his lap, but he wasn't reading it; he was talking to the girl next to him.

"Mom, my brother bullied me!!"

The energetic girl loudly complained.

One second later,

"Sōgen, don't mess with your sister!" Uchiha Saki shouted as she was helping her husband cook in the kitchen.

Zongxian shrank back, not daring to argue with his mother.

He could only glare at his tattletale sister and mutter under his breath:

"Little tattletale."

"Hmph! Coward!"

Uchiha Fujika proudly raised her chin and called to her followers, "Naruto, I'm taking you to see my pets. We won't play with this annoying guy." The two little ones dashed off like the wind, leaving Shisui dumbfounded, staring at Sogen as if he'd seen a ghost.

Shisui reached out and pinched his thigh.

The intense pain made him gasp; this was reality, not a dream, nor an illusion.

"Zongxian, that... that kid who played with Fujika... what's he doing here?"

"That's Fujika's new underling at the ninja academy."

"But...but...he's that..."

"that?"

"Zongxian, don't play dumb. That's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Contacting the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki... you're playing with fire, do you know that?" Shisui was furious. The Nine-Tails' chaos was caused by an unknown Uchiha manipulating the Nine-Tails, and they actually brought the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki to the Uchiha clan's territory.

This is simply... simply... Shisui didn't know what to say. It was like dancing on a knife's edge.

He could easily guess that the village would use this as a reason to criticize the Uchiha clan.

"What? Shisui, do you think I ordered Fujika to bring the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki back?"

Zhi Shui frowned deeply and remained silent.

However, his attitude was quite clear: you sly little devil, who knows what kind of bad ideas you're up to now?

"...Don't wrong people, okay?" Zongxian rubbed his nose. Was his reputation in Zhishui really that low? "If it were really about doing this, I wouldn't involve Tenghua in it, no matter who she asked. Whether you believe it or not, it's Tenghua's business who she hangs out with. Stop with the conspiracy theories."

Shisui's lips twitched. Who was it on the rooftop who was saying they wanted to replace the Fugaku clan chief?

He forced himself not to spit out a mouthful of saliva, and simply said, "Then can you guarantee that you don't plan to use the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki for anything?"

Zongxian blinked.

He lowered his head and looked at the hardcover book resting on his lap.

To be honest, he really didn't expect that Fujika would bring Naruto back. He was also quite surprised when he saw the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki following Fujika like a little shadow.

At the time, I was thinking that the Third Hokage was ripping people off again. There were so many Anbu around Naruto that they could be counted in "fights." Fujika managed to bring the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki back to the Uchiha clan's territory under the watchful eyes of several dozen Anbu... Who would believe that without the Third Hokage's approval!

At first, he was thinking about how to deal with the criticism that was about to come from that old man, the Third Hokage.

However, on second thought, looking at Naruto, who was shorter than Fujikasa, he felt this was a good opportunity. If the Third Hokage really used Naruto as a reason to make trouble... he could take this opportunity to see Fugaku's attitude and, at the same time, help Shisui clear his head. His mind was full of the Will of Fire, and it should be lightened.

Therefore,

He was indeed planning to use that brat Naruto.

[6. Chapter Six: The Ultimate Technique - Talk-no-Jutsu]

"Zongxian, you..."

Shisui pointed at Zongxian, opening his mouth several times as if to speak, but not knowing what to say.

His mind was in complete disarray. The fact that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki had appeared at Sogen's house was incredibly shocking. This was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki! A unique weapon of war in Konoha, and the exclusive possession of the Third Hokage and other elders!

What kind of trouble will this bring to the family? What will the village's attitude be...?

It's all so complicated and confusing that it's driving me crazy.

"Don't point that finger at me. I've already said, I'm not the one scheming. It's the Third Hokage who's scheming. Shisui, you're an Anbu member. Don't you know how many Anbu protect the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? If the Third Hokage hadn't given his approval, do you really think Fujika would have been able to bring the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki back?"

"This was an accident. I'm afraid no one expected that Fujika would bring back the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki." Zongxian said slowly, "The Third Hokage most likely chose to go with the flow and planned to use this opportunity to continue to suppress our clan. After all, such a legitimate opportunity is rare."

"And what about you? What are you planning to do?"

Shisui took a deep breath and regained his composure. "What do you plan to achieve by using the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"

Zongxian did not answer.

the reason is simple--

Dinner is ready, time to eat.

"Fujika, dinner's ready!" Zongxian shouted from the side of the corridor. In just over ten seconds, Fujika and Naruto rushed out of the bamboo forest one after the other. However, upon seeing Zongxian standing on the corridor, Naruto, who was following behind, clearly slowed down his pace with some fear.

"Why do you seem a little afraid of me? Isn't that smile friendly enough?"

Zongxian pinched his chin and began to reflect on himself.

But he didn't forget to press his sister's head down and spin her around like a top, saying, "Wisteria, look how dirty you are! Did you go wrestling with a toad?"

"Ugh! You're the one who wrestles with a toad!"

In a fit of anger, Teng Hua kicked Zong Xian in the shin.

The brother and sister were playing and bickering on the corridor, making a lot of noise and their footsteps echoing loudly.