Chapter 352: Uchiha Problem

"Academy Teacher, I Get Stronger Just by Teaching" Chapter 270: Uchiha Problems. Tsunade and Muyue's exchange left Rin Nohara even more confused—how did they suddenly jump to eating? Had she unconsciously spaced out for a few minutes?

"Ahem, that's quite good chakra control." Tsunade cleared her throat twice and put on a serious expression as she commented.

The key to the Strength of a Hundred Seal is chakra control. Rin Nohara's ability to use that kind of strength had already proven her chakra control skills.

After seeing Rin Nohara's medical ninjutsu and the Strength of a Hundred Seal, Tsunade had roughly figured out the curriculum Rin would study next.

"Then I'm leaving Shizune in your hands. I don't care how you teach her, but I want to see improvement in half a year." Tsunade continued.

The reason Tsunade, in her slacker state, was willing to teach Rin was because she had made an agreement with Muyue—they would temporarily swap students, so her total workload remained unchanged.

Of course, it was also because Tsunade felt that Muyue actually had some way with teaching, and Shizune could learn something from him.

"No problem. I'll teach Shizune seriously." Muyue nodded in agreement.

He couldn't match Tsunade in medical knowledge, but when it came to helping people improve their strength, he was more than capable.

"Then… do I have to move into Muyue-sensei's house?" Shizune asked in confusion.

Shizune knew she would be learning from Muyue; Tsunade had already told her.

Since Shizune's parents had died and her close uncle, Nawaki, had also fallen in battle, she was currently living at Tsunade's house. When Tsunade said that, Shizune thought she was being handed over entirely to Muyue.

"If Muyue agrees, that works too. Then you can bring me meals every time." Tsunade rubbed her chin, thinking the idea was pretty good.

Although she had gotten used to being taken care of by Shizune, if it meant mooching off Muyue's cooking every meal, she could manage on her own.

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune puffed out her cheeks, a little annoyed. She was clearly being used just to get free food.

"That's probably not a good idea." Muyue shook his head and refused.

He and Shizune weren't related. Even if she was just a nine-year-old girl, it wouldn't be appropriate—especially since Shizune had a place to stay.

Moreover, Muyue had too many secrets. Staying for a few days was fine, but living together long-term required absolute trust.

Tsunade looked disappointed and said, "Muyue, you just missed out on a good thing. Shizune is very good at housework."

Muyue smiled but said nothing.

"Tsunade-sama is different from what I imagined." Rin Nohara's mental image of Tsunade gradually changed.

Although she had come once before, that time she only had a meal and didn't interact much with Tsunade. So Rin's impression of Tsunade had come entirely from outside rumors.

People generally wouldn't deliberately badmouth the Sannin of Konoha, Tsunade, for fear of offending her. So Rin had always seen Tsunade in an extremely positive light.

"What is the real Tsunade-sama like?" With that question in mind, Rin began her studies under Tsunade.

…………

"Grandma, you have no idea how urgent that situation was. If not for me, the Snow Country's daimyo and that little brat princess would have been in big danger."

During dinner, Obito was still excitedly recounting his story of becoming a hero in the Snow Country.

Although the truth was that he and Kakashi had together blocked Kazahana Doto's attack, Kakashi wasn't present, so Obito added a bit of dramatic embellishment—turning himself into the main player while Kakashi was just support.

"Mm, good, good. Our Obito is amazing, saving an entire country." Grandma said with a smile, praising him.

Even though she couldn't understand most of the things he said, it was easy enough to grasp that he had protected the daimyo and the princess.

"Hehe." Grandma's direct praise made Obito squirm unconsciously, a sheepish grin on his face. "Actually, the real credit goes to Muyue-sensei. He took care of most of the enemies."

He might stretch the truth, but he wouldn't outright steal Muyue's achievements—he definitely didn't have the strength to beat hundreds of ninja.

Just then, a knock came at the door.

As Grandma was about to get up and open it, Obito jumped ahead and said, "Grandma, I'll get it."

With that, Obito dashed to the door and opened it, revealing Uchiha Hachidai standing outside.

"Obito, there's a clan meeting tonight at eight. Make sure you're on time at the Naka Shrine." Seeing it was Obito who answered, Uchiha Hachidai didn't step inside and said directly.

Normally, he wouldn't have to deliver such a notice himself, but he thought highly of Obito. Besides, Obito had missed previous clan meetings for various reasons—this would be his first attendance—so Uchiha Hachidai came personally.

"All clan ninja not on missions will attend the meeting. Take this opportunity to interact with other members of the clan." Uchiha Hachidai reminded him.

The Uchiha clan valued strength above all. Obito had no problem being absorbed in training, but Hachidai still hoped Obito would spend more time with the clan to strengthen his sense of belonging.

"Eight o'clock, right? Got it." Obito thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

After all, he had never participated before, so Obito thought he'd go once and see, and if it was boring he wouldn't go again.

Being suppressed by Kakashi now made him very unhappy; he trained almost whenever he had free time, so if something was meaningless he really didn't want to waste that time.

"Obito, who came?" his grandmother asked when she saw him return to the table alone.

"It was Elder Yashiro. He notified me to attend the clan meeting," Obito summarized.

"A clan meeting... your father attended many times back then..." his grandmother said, falling into memories.

After dinner, Obito once again took the initiative to clear the dishes from the table, then washed and put them away.

"Obito, you've really become mature. Your father wouldn't have voluntarily washed dishes at your age," his grandmother subconsciously spoke of the past again.

Once an old person starts talking about memories, it's hard for them to stop. Obito kept listening, occasionally humming in acknowledgment. When it was almost eight o'clock, Obito had to interrupt, because the clan meeting was about to start.

"Obito, you go ahead. I'm getting sleepy anyway," his grandmother said with a tired smile.

"Then rest well, Grandma." Obito waved at his grandmother and headed toward the Naka Shrine.

On the way to the Naka Shrine, Obito wasn't thinking about the clan meeting, but rather how to persuade his grandmother to go to Konoha Hospital for a check-up.

Obito felt that his grandmother was ill, because since he returned this time, he noticed her energy was not as before, her movements had become slower, and she looked older.

But his grandmother thought she wasn't sick and refused Obito's suggestion to go to the hospital, leaving Obito with no choice. He couldn't use his Sharingan genjutsu on his grandmother and force her to go to the hospital, could he? The old lady couldn't handle that kind of trouble.

"I'll ask Instructor Muyue tomorrow if there's a way," Obito decided to consult the all-knowing Muyue Sage during practice tomorrow.

While thinking this, Obito unknowingly arrived near the Naka Shrine.

"Obito, long time no see." Uchiha Inabi, also attending the clan meeting, greeted Obito when he saw him.

After being defeated last time, Uchiha Inabi had isolated himself for a while. After all, he was somewhat famous in the Uchiha clan, but ended up being defeated by Obito like that.

However, Uchiha Inabi didn't dwell on it for long—strong is strong, weak is weak. He lost to Obito simply because he was weaker than Obito, so he needed to train more.

"Uh, are you Inabi-san from that day?" Obito recalled the other's name after trying hard to remember.

After all, Uchiha Inabi had helped him obtain a high-level Fire Release technique.

"Forget 'senpai', just call me Inabi. If you have time, give me some pointers on my Fire Release," Uchiha Inabi said with a smile.

He had watched the Chunin Exams and seen Obito's powerful Fire Release and taijutsu, so he understood Obito's current strength.

Uchiha Inabi could not be considered Obito's senpai anymore, because the gap in their strength was too large. If Obito fought him with the performance he showed in the Chunin Exams, Inabi would definitely be one-shotted.

"Haha, if I have time, no problem." Obito was quite pleased and couldn't help but smile.

When the two entered the Naka Shrine, many Uchiha had already taken their seats. Obito glanced around, spotted Shisui, and walked directly to sit beside him. Uchiha Inabi saw there was plenty of space there and sat down next to them.

"Looks like the clan has high expectations for you, Shisui. This is the first time I've seen someone attend a clan meeting before becoming a ninja," Uchiha Inabi couldn't help but exclaim.

But then he thought of Shisui's strength and felt it wasn't surprising. After all, even though Shisui was still in the Ninja Academy, his strength was already enough to defeat a chunin; the only difference from a ninja was not having a headband.

"Just a coincidence. I happened to meet the clan head on the way," Shisui explained.

Unlike Obito, Shisui had some interest in the Uchiha clan meeting, so he readily accepted Fugaku's invitation.

Because he felt that if he wanted to solve the Uchiha problem, he needed to have a sufficient understanding of the Uchiha, so Shisui was very willing to attend both the young Uchiha exchange meetings and the clan meetings.

When nearly all the Uchiha had arrived, Uchiha Yashiro nodded to Fugaku, and then announced that the clan meeting officially began.

"What do you all think about how the Uchiha should develop and grow stronger in the current situation?" Fugaku stated the main theme of this clan meeting.

"I think we should apply for more funding!" an Uchiha of about twenty years old spoke up.

"Our Police Force bears such important responsibilities; we have every reason to apply for more funding to train clan members."

An uproar immediately arose in the shrine, with many Uchiha expressing agreement.

"I think this is feasible. If it weren't for the hard work of us Uchiha, spies from other ninja villages would have already infiltrated Konoha."

"This suggestion is very good. Only by becoming stronger can the Uchiha better protect Konoha."

Most Uchiha ninja worked in the Police Force; only a small number of Uchiha served in normal squads. More funding meant they could get higher pay, and no one complained about too much salary.

"I will try to apply for the funding, but it may not pass," Uchiha Fugaku replied, feeling the gazes of the many Uchiha.

In fact, Fugaku thought it was a one hundred percent certainty it wouldn't pass; he just didn't say it to avoid discouraging the clan members.

Konoha is currently at war, and the police force doesn't need to go to the front lines. How could the Konoha higher-ups increase the police force's budget at such a time? Moreover, the police force hasn't achieved any new results; submitting such a request without reason would never get approved.

"We must have an Uchiha become Hokage and grasp the core power of Konoha." Immediately another Uchiha spoke up.

Fugaku Uchiha subconsciously nodded. This was indeed the key to the Uchiha's development.

The other Uchiha in the shrine also voiced their agreement one after another.

"Everyone knows it's important to become Hokage, but how to become Hokage is the problem," said an Uchiha.

As soon as these words were spoken, the shrine fell silent.

Although the words stung, they were the truth. Currently, the Sannin were the hot candidates for the Fourth Hokage, and there wasn't a single ninja in the Uchiha clan who had achieved the fame and strength of the Sannin.

"Wouldn't it be fine if we just become excellent enough to earn everyone's recognition?" Obito, seeing that no one was speaking, gave his answer.

Since Obito was the only one talking, the Uchiha could easily spot the speaker. Many Uchiha looked at Obito as if he were an idiot. If they were that powerful, would they still need to stay silent?

"Good, our Uchiha clan must have such ambition!" Yashiro Uchiha looked at Obito with appreciation and said.

Some Uchiha found it strange. The usually stern Elder Yashiro should have criticized such nonsense, but instead he praised it.

"Didn't you watch the Chūnin Exams? Uchiha Obito can be considered the most talented ninja of the younger generation in our Uchiha clan. Of course, that might change after Shisui graduates," reminded an Uchiha who had watched the Chūnin Exams.

Obito's participation in the Chūnin Exams had made him somewhat famous within Konoha. Many Uchiha learned that their clan had a young prodigy.

The Uchiha who had been reminded immediately understood. In the Uchiha clan, strength was paramount. Since Obito was talented enough, he had the right to say such things.

"I think we should relax the restrictions on the police force and allow other Konoha ninja to join it," Shisui said after thinking for a while.

Shisui had been studying history with Muyue for over a year. He felt that the Uchiha should not be thinking about how to become stronger, but rather how to break out of their predicament.

Currently, the Uchiha were still being monitored by the ANBU, feared by fellow villagers from the same village, and disliked by residents. Without first solving these problems, merely pursuing greater strength would only deepen the conflict.

Shisui couldn't yet come up with a solution on his own, but he could ask Muyue. In Muyue's vision, the police force was the first issue that needed to be resolved.

Because the Uchiha's current predicament was largely a direct or indirect result of the police force.

It was only natural that a single clan controlling such a powerful department would be regarded with suspicion. Under the influence of power, the Uchiha holding that authority would become more arrogant. At the same time, since most of the clan's ninja worked in the police force, they would have less interaction with other ninja, mostly associating only with clan members.

Shisui's words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly causing an uproar throughout the shrine.

"How can we let others join our police force? Remember, the police force's emblem is our Uchiha clan's crest! If they don't do their jobs well, wouldn't that tarnish the Uchiha's reputation!"

"Our Uchiha ancestors earned the police force through great efforts. We can't let their contributions go to waste."

"If we let outsiders join the police force, what if someone uses tricks to seize the captain position? Then the Uchiha would lose the police force forever."

"Having only clan members in the police force makes things easy. Outsiders would break the atmosphere of the police force."

Voices of opposition filled the entire shrine. Almost everyone was refuting Shisui's "rebellious" statement.

"Shisui, how could you have such an idea? This is very harmful to the Uchiha's development," said Uchiha Inabi next to him, shaking his head in denial.

He almost wanted to say, "Don't say things that are detrimental to unity."

Shisui hadn't expected to encounter so much opposition. He had thought there might be a few Uchiha who would understand his point.

"Shisui, your thinking is very dangerous. At your age, you need to read more of the clan's history!" said a Uchiha jōnin who knew Shisui, directly calling him out.

It was precisely because he knew Shisui was a genius that he said this; otherwise, what use would a powerful Uchiha who wasn't loyal to the clan be?

Feeling the disapproving gazes of many Uchiha, Shisui showed no fear. He opened his mouth to explain his viewpoint.

"Isn't the clan meeting supposed to be for ninja only? Hasn't Shisui not graduated yet?" Hanyu, noticing that Shisui didn't have a ninja forehead protector, interrupted.

"If you're not a ninja, you're still a child. What is a child doing at a clan meeting?"

Even Shisui couldn't help but frown slightly at being looked down upon like this. He knew that some of those speaking couldn't even defeat him.

"What's wrong with not being a ninja yet? With Shisui's strength, becoming a ninja is a matter of minutes," Obito couldn't help but speak up when he saw his friend being ganged up on.

"Isn't the clan meeting a place for discussion? So if you say something others don't want to hear, it's not allowed?" Obito retorted, using the same arguing skills he had used against Kakashi.

Obito's words were too sharp, leaving some Uchiha momentarily speechless.

"It's not about the words; it's that it doesn't conform to the rules," an Uchiha jōnin said flatly.

Those chūnin and genin might have been afraid to respond to Obito due to strength issues, but a jōnin didn't have that concern. A talented junior was still a junior.

"It was my mistake. I thought to let Shisui experience the atmosphere of the clan meeting a bit early." Seeing that Shisui's words had stirred up public anger, Uchiha Fugaku stood up and said.

"Fugaku, even if Shisui shows extraordinary talent, the rules still must be followed." A middle-aged Uchiha said in a deep voice.

"This won't happen again." Fugaku had to back down. Being in the wrong, he couldn't refute those elders.

Shisui was not stupid. After calming down, he walked out of the shrine himself to avoid further embarrassment for Fugaku.

As for Obito, he had already found the clan meeting boring. Seeing that Shisui, the only person he got along with, had left, he showed no regard for face and directly followed Shisui out.

I'm home. I'll update a bit more recently. Today I wrote 1k more than yesterday. Tomorrow I'll try to add another 2k.