Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

then,

They've been sanctioned.

Uchiha Saki slapped her son hard across the back, who showed no sign of being an elder brother. As for her daughter, who showed no ladylike manners whatsoever... she grabbed her ear and dragged her into the kitchen for a good scolding. The sound of Fujika's fake screams terrified Naruto, who stood trembling in the corridor.

The noisy family finally quieted down at 7:10.

After washing their hands, the brother and sister sat obediently at the dining table, one on the left and the other on the right, facing each other. Shisui also stayed and sat next to Sogen. Naruto also stayed, sitting next to Fujika, opposite Shisui as well.

"Dad, dinner was amazing tonight!"

Fujika's eyes lit up as she looked at the huge pile of fried chicken nuggets on the large plate on the table. Naruto, standing next to her, also secretly swallowed. Kids love fried food like this... Well, adults do too.

"Eat more if you like it. I made a lot today, and there's more if you're still hungry!"

Uchiha Masashi said with a smile.

That face is about 80% similar to Sogen's. But that's not quite right. Sogen looks a lot like his father, inheriting the sharp black hair and black eyes of the Uchiha clan. As for his sister Fujika, perhaps because she is a girl, her appearance is closer to her mother, Uchiha Saki, but she also has black hair and black eyes, and did not inherit her mother's brown eyes.

"Naruto, eat up! Dad's fried chicken is super delicious!"

Teng Hua greeted his first and currently only little brother with great enthusiasm.

Life at the ninja academy was not quite what she had initially imagined.

Her dream of recruiting a group of followers to dominate the ninja academy suffered a major setback. Apart from Naruto, she was unable to recruit a second follower. For some reason, everyone would avoid her and Naruto from a distance, except for Sasuke, an acquaintance who was not afraid of her.

However, she didn't think much of this clingy guy who kept calling her "onii-san." She hated the idea of ​​him being a brother, and for some reason, the girls in her class were always surrounding Sasuke, chattering away like hens in a henhouse.

Fortunately, Naruto, her little brother, didn't avoid her like the other classmates did.

to this end,

Miss Fujika specially invited Naruto to her house to play.

She even shared her favorite fried chicken nuggets.

"······Thanks!"

Naruto shrank back, cautiously picked up his chopsticks, and glanced at Sogen across from him, making Sogen puzzled. Was he really that scary? Why was Naruto so afraid of him? Could this be what they call a stupid person's intuition? Had he sensed Naruto's intention to use him?

"good to eat!"

Naruto was amazed by the taste of the fried chicken nuggets, and his beautiful sapphire eyes lit up.

"Dad's fried chicken is the best in Konoha."

The wisteria flower proudly raised its chin.

Uchiha Masashi was also very happy. He was not a ninja and did not know some things about his family. In addition, due to the influence of his profession as a novelist, he did not know that the blond-haired, blue-eyed child in front of him was the village's demon fox. He just thought that his daughter had made a friend at the ninja academy.

The meal was quite lively.

It was mainly Zongxian and the Fujika siblings who were causing trouble.

Even after being scolded by their mother, they still kept fighting, with chopsticks clashing on the table and kicking each other repeatedly under the table.

After dinner,

Zongxian and Shisui sat down on the side corridor to digest their food. From there, they could see the starry night sky.

"Did you see that?"

"what?"

Shisui stared blankly at the densely packed stars.

“I didn’t say we were looking at the stars.” Zongxian rolled his eyes. “I meant the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, that brat… didn’t you notice something was off?”

"······No."

Shisui thought about it carefully and didn't see any problem.

"That kid... he's having a tough time! He's the same age as Fujika, but he's shorter than her. It's just fried chicken, but he acts like he's never eaten it before... Don't you think our Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is having a really hard time?"

"What are you trying to say by saying all this?"

Shisui frowned.

"Don't tell me you don't know that brat's identity." Zongxian sneered. "The orphan of the Fourth Hokage, who is practically the great-grandson of the Third Hokage. As a descendant of a hero, instead of receiving preferential treatment, he became a demon fox feared by the villagers. He's never eaten anything good in his life. Despite inheriting the Uzumaki bloodline, he's so much shorter than other children his age... Don't you think the Third Hokage was a bit too heartless?"

This time, Zongxian didn't mince words and directly criticized the Third Generation in front of Shisui.

Shi Shui remained silent.

This matter—

He... had nothing to say.

There were some things he wasn't unaware of, but he instinctively chose to avoid them, to turn a blind eye, and to pretend he knew nothing, just like the other clever people in the village who knew the truth. Naruto's identity was no secret to many people. Did they really think that those acquaintances who knew the Fourth Hokage were all blind?

Of course not.

Everyone just chose to pretend to be blind.

Some people might criticize the Third Hokage's methods, but that's all they do; no one dares to openly voice any objections.

"Even the child of a hero has fallen to such a state, how can you expect the Third Hokage to really accept us Uchiha?" Sogen pressed his advantage, not giving an inch.

"Sōgen, the matter of the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki... is different. These are two separate matters and cannot be confused..." Shisui's rebuttal was so weak and powerless that he truly did not know how to explain for the Third Hokage.

"What's the difference? It's just that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki has immense value. The Third Hokage probably wanted to play a game of feigned indifference, portraying himself as the only one who would help that kid in his time of need, and thus gain control of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki through this method."

Zongxian got more and more excited as he spoke, relentlessly smearing the Third Generation.

And it may not necessarily be dirty water.

The discrimination and emotional abuse that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki has suffered so far is the best evidence, isn't it?

"Shisui, think about it carefully! Perhaps you respect that Shinobu, but to be honest, I don't like that old guy at all. If it had been that old man, the Third Hokage, instead of the Fourth Hokage who sacrificed himself back then, how much better it would have been!" Sogen's sigh was like a stone falling into a mirror lake, disturbing Shisui's peace of mind.

"Zongxian, you're quite the talker!"

Zhi Shui's smile was bitter.

He knew that Zongxian's words must contain falsehoods, but even after removing the slanderous parts, the remaining facts were indeed... disheartening.

That's right!

Even the orphan of the Fourth Hokage was living such a hard life, so how could he really be willing to accept the Uchiha?

"It's not that I can say it, but the Third Hokage and his group really dared to do it. If it weren't for what they did, what use would it be if I talked until the end? Shisui, are you the kind of person who would waver because of a few words from others? You are actually very clear about these things in your heart, but... because you can't see any other hope, you have been pretending to be stupid all along."

Looking at Shisui's pale face, Zongxian suddenly felt a little impressed with himself. Could it be that he had unknowingly mastered the strongest talk-no-jutsu in the ninja world?

but,

These words truly reflect Zongxian's honest opinion.

“I won’t force you to make a decision now. You can take advantage of these two days to go around and see what the people of your tribe are thinking. After that… please give me an answer. I have to go help take the children home now.”

Zongxian stood up.

There's no way Naruto could stay overnight on Uchiha territory. If he dared to stay... the Third Hokage would probably come with the village's higher-ups overnight.

"I'll be with you..."

"No need. My silly little sister caused all this trouble, so of course I have to clean it up myself. Besides, it's just taking a child home. Are you worried about anything going wrong? You wouldn't send someone to kill me over this, would you?"

"How is that possible!"

Shisui chuckled to himself, thinking that the conflict between the village and the family should never escalate to the point of armed conflict.

That's what he thought.

[7. Chapter Seven: Naruto's Journey Home]

The Uchiha clan's residence is located northeast of Konoha Village, on the banks of the lower reaches of the Naka River, quite a distance from the village center. This means that Naruto's journey home is quite long, and it would be very irresponsible to let a five-year-old child walk such a long way home alone.

Not to mention that Naruto is the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki.

If something happens on the way, the Uchiha clan will have no way to explain themselves, even if they had a hundred mouths.

For safety reasons, Sogen personally escorted Naruto home.

"Zongxian, be careful on the road."

The nearly seventy-year-old man was remarkably spry, his back ramrod straight, as unyielding as a blade forged through countless trials. Standing at the doorway, looking at his eldest grandson who had surpassed his father in talent, he earnestly cautioned him, "It's getting dark, be careful walking at night!!!"

"I will, Grandpa."

Zongxian chuckled softly, "I've brought out all the treasures I've been hiding for so long." He was wearing a traditional Uchiha blue-black robe with the Flame Fan emblem on the back and a long sword slung across his waist. However, what was most eye-catching at the moment was the huge thing wrapped in bandages on his back, which looked like a door panel.

"······That's good."

Uchiha Genji didn't say anything more and turned to walk into the door.

For those who have survived the battlefield, a word of advice or a reminder is enough; there's no need to waste words.

"Naruto, see you at school tomorrow."

Fujika also came out to see off her only junior, or rather, friend, from the ninja academy.

He waved goodbye to Naruto.

"Okay, see you at school."

Naruto nodded vigorously; he was quite happy at that moment.

It was the first time he had ever sat at such a lively dining table, and the food wasn't instant noodles or ramen. He was happier than ever before... Even when facing Zongxian, he no longer felt the fear and wariness he had before. Of course, he still seemed a little bit close to her.

When Uchiha Masashi and Uchiha Saki, a married couple, entered the house with their daughter,

Only Zongxian and Naruto remained at the door.

"Alright, Naruto, it's time for you to go home."

Zongxian reached out and grabbed Naruto's head, rubbing it. His messy hair grew wildly, and despite looking malnourished, his hair quality was surprisingly good. Was this the effect of the Uzumaki clan's bloodline power?

On his way home, Naruto kept glancing up at Sogen beside him, and after walking about a hundred steps, he finally mustered up his courage and said, "Um, Fujika's brother... I um..."

"What's wrong? Need to use the restroom? Poop or pee? Didn't you bring any toilet paper?"

"Not at all!"

"Ha ha!"