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Yoichi had been away from the village for almost five months, only returning once briefly using the Flying Thunder God technique before heading back to the battlefield.
This time, upon returning, Yoichi and his group of ninjas received a warm welcome. The villagers knew that the heroes who had defeated the Cloud ninjas were back.
Konoha made sure to publicize the achievements of the ninjas on the battlefield, ensuring that the heroes who defended the village were not forgotten.
This was a small way to show the village's appreciation and provide comfort to those who had endured the war.
Yoichi also played a part in this. He sent messages to his clan, urging the Uchiha-controlled newspapers and television stations to heavily promote his own, Sakumo's feets, Orochimaru's, and other Uchiha clan members' heroic deeds.
Other Konoha heroes were mentioned as well, but their contributions seemed minor in comparison to Yoichi's.
Even Mitokado Homura made it into the newspapers, though the coverage focused on the thirteen reprimanding messages he received from the Daimyo's office, highlighting his incompetence since taking over battlefield command.
After enjoying the welcome celebration, Yoichi and the other Uchiha clan members returned to their compound. Nearing his home, Yoichi sensed a familiar chakra. At his doorstep, he saw everyone waiting for him.
Mikoto, dressed in a fitting, elegant outfit, looked serene and composed, her beautiful face lighting up with excitement upon seeing Yoichi.
Beside her was Mina, her belly noticeably larger, waving excitedly and almost wanting to run to Yoichi.
Standing with them were Itachi and Yugito. Mikoto probably didn't want to leave Itachi alone at home, so she brought him along.
Yugito, seeing Yoichi return, pouted but still glanced at him a few more times.
"I'm back."
Yoichi used the Body Flicker Technique to appear at the door, sparing Mina from running to him. Mina, overjoyed, hugged him tightly. "Yoichi-sama!" She hadn't been away from Yoichi this long since the war started, especially now that she was pregnant.
"Be careful, Mina."
Yoichi opened his arms, carefully embracing Mina, who was as lively as ever despite being pregnant.
Mikoto, standing nearby, felt a pang of jealousy. She also wanted to hug Yoichi and bear a child, preferably a son. But with Itachi there, she had to remain composed.
"Let's go inside. Gates, you can go back now."
Yoichi addressed everyone and the bear. Gates grumbled, complaining telepathically to Yoichi about being woken up to welcome him back.
Inside, Yoichi saw a feast prepared, with a large table accommodating everyone.
"Let's eat first. We'll talk later."
Yoichi noticed Mina seemed eager to share something, but he suggested they eat first, knowing the meal could last until evening otherwise.
The spread on the table was exceptional, with magic lamb as the centerpiece, paired with other high-end ingredients, costing around seventy to eighty thousand ryo.
After a few bites, Itachi, sitting across from Yoichi, put down his chopsticks and asked, "Clan Leader, why does war happen?"
"Itachi."
Mikoto gently reminded him, "We can discuss this after we eat."
"It's okay, Mikoto."
Yoichi, understanding Itachi's curiosity, asked, "Itachi, do you know the hand signs for Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction?"
Itachi shook his head, knowing the Uchiha clan was known for Fire Release but unfamiliar with this particular jutsu.
"What about Water Release: Waterfall Basin Technique?"
Itachi shook his head again.
"How many countries are there in the ninja world? Do you know which country lies west of the Land of Demons?"
Itachi continued to shake his head.
Yoichi asked several more questions, all of which Itachi couldn't answer. Mina, feeling bad for Itachi, thought Yoichi was being too harsh. Despite their differences, she never involved children.
"Yoichi-sama, aren't these questions too difficult?"
"They're not difficult. Compared to understanding the causes of war in the ninja world, these are intermediate questions. You can't climb stairs three at a time; you have to grow taller or older first."
Yoichi explained to Itachi, "You know too little and think too much. To understand the causes of ninja wars, you must first travel the ninja world and learn about all the countries. Then you'll understand."
". . . Okay, I understand, Clan Leader."
Itachi nodded thoughtfully and resumed eating.
Mikoto, hearing Yoichi's explanation, felt relieved, realizing she had misunderstood him earlier.
Yoichi's teaching method was thoughtful, and Mikoto's gaze softened, filled with warmth.
"Yoichi-kun, you've worked hard. Try this; I made it myself."
"Smells delicious. Thank you, Mikoto."
Mina, seeing this interaction, felt a twinge of jealousy. Cooking wasn't something she had learned, but she was sure her dishes would be the best if she did.
After dinner, Mikoto sent Itachi home, saying she had something to discuss with Yoichi.
Yugito, seeing this, also prepared to leave, knowing what was likely to happen next. However, as she reached the door, she saw Yoichi gesturing with his hand, reminding her of the promise of foot massages.
Her face turned red as she realized he was referring to the twenty foot massages she owed him, one for each week of his absence. She glared at him like an angry kitten before rushing back to her room.
A moment later, she sat up, listening at the door, but heard nothing and lay back down, wondering why there was no sound.
Yoichi had no intention of doing what Yugito imagined, especially with Mina being pregnant.
With Mina over five months along, they knew she was carrying a daughter.
Hearing this, Yoichi thought of Karin Uzumaki but knew his daughter wouldn't face the same hardships.
He also discussed clan matters with Mikoto. The war had impacted their businesses, especially during the Cloud ninjas' sabotage in the Land of Fire, affecting all business.
Even the clan's businesses were attacked by Cloud ninja squads, but thanks to Uchiha Shunsuke's two Edo Tensei guards and clan ninjas, they managed to kill the attackers.
Despite the impact, the losses were minimal, merely reducing profits.
Post-war, the ninja games industry was booming. Uchiha Yūto planned to release a game version of the Third Ninja War, complete with promotional ads inviting players to follow Konoha heroes in repelling invaders.
Hearing Mikoto's report, Yoichi could only admire Yuto's natural talent for this business.
After discussing serious matters, Mikoto's eyes grew tender as she held Yoichi's hand, whispering, "Yoichi-kun. . ."
Mina, not to be outdone, clung to Yoichi's arm, looking up pitifully. "Yoichi-sama, it's been five months since I've seen you."
Mikoto, feeling a pang of jealousy, softened her tone. "Mina, it's not suitable for you to engage in strenuous activities while pregnant."
"Well, Tsunade-sama isn't here, and I seem to be the best medical ninja in the village. Thanks for your concern, Mikoto~"
The two women still hadn't reconciled.
Yoichi intervened, "Let's rest today. Tomorrow, the ninjas from the Grass Country battlefield will return, and we'll likely have a long meeting."
He gave Mikoto a knowing look.
Understanding, Mikoto, though slightly upset, conceded, realizing Yoichi's point.
The war in the Grass Country had ended. With Kannabi Bridge destroyed, Iwagakure's logistics were strained, forcing them to withdraw. The Raikage's mysterious death further deterred Onoki, despite his desire to continue the fight.
Grass and Taki villages, seeing no benefits and only losses, chose to withdraw, leaving Iwagakure isolated. Without support, Iwagakure's leadership convinced Onoki to retreat before their supplies ran out.
With the war over, Hiruzen would soon return to Konoha, likely initiating the selection of the next Hokage.
Yoichi's maneuvering had discredited Homura with the Daimyo, indirectly affecting Hiruzen's standing.
As one of Tobirama's students, Homura often represented Hiruzen in dealings. Now, with Homura's trust compromised and Hiruzen accountable for the war's losses, stepping down was his best option.
Yoichi planned to use the newspapers to build public support for Sakumo as the next Hokage.
With his impeccable mission record and reputation as the White Fang, Hatake was an ideal candidate.
Spreading this expectation widely would make Sakumo the default choice, and any deviation would likely cause public dissatisfaction.
After setting these plans in motion, Yoichi anticipated a period of rest.
He then visited the police force, handling some matters before checking on Uchiha Kenji.
Since stepping down from his position as the second elder, Kenji enjoyed a relaxed life, his only wish being to see the Uchiha clan become the foremost in the ninja world. With Yoichi leading, Kenji believed this dream was within reach.
(End of Chapter)
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"Mikoto."
"Yoichi-kun, why are you here? What about Mina?"
"Mina is asleep. I missed you. Besides, weren't you waiting for me? So here I am."
"Yoichi-kun, you're just making things up. I was just about to go to sleep."
Mikoto blushed as she spoke. She didn't want Yoichi to think she was a woman who only thought about such things.
However, Yoichi lay down beside Mikoto, his hand resting on her leg.
Who sleeps in black stockings? And Mikoto's blushing face was truly adorable.
"Yoichi-kun, Itachi is still upstairs."
"Mikoto, then you should be quieter. If you're too loud, the people outside will hear."
Yoichi whispered in Mikoto's ear, his hands beginning to roam.
A rustling sound followed as excess clothing was quickly removed. Mikoto, in her black knee-high stockings, looked like a perfect gem in the dim moonlight.
"Mmm, Yoichi-kun."
A weak muffled moan escaped into the quiet night. Mikoto's hands covered her mouth tightly, trying not to make a sound. Eventually, she bit into her pillow, burying her face deeply.
...
The Third Hokage and his ninja troops had returned, and the village held a welcome ceremony. Villagers lined the main streets, clapping in celebration.
Although these two wars were considered victories, with the invaders suffering significant losses, the battles were costly for Konoha as well.
The Cloud Village lost their Third Raikage and dozens of high-ranking ninjas in the Grass Country battlefield. In the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water, nearly a thousand Cloud ninjas were killed or wounded, failing to achieve their objectives.
Despite Konoha's considerable casualties, Cloud Village suffered more, and they still hadn't reclaimed their Two-Tails Jinchuriki.
The pressure they tried to exert on Konoha through the Land of Fire Daimyo was disrupted by the sudden death of the Third Raikage.
The losses for the Stone Village were also significant, with nearly six hundred ninjas killed, including fifty elite ninjas in the Cloud Village camp, along with two Jinchuriki.
Both of these major villages did not admit defeat or sign peace treaties. They merely withdrew their troops, potentially planning to attack the Land of Fire again in the future.
For now, Konoha needed to recuperate. The recent battles with these two major villages cost Konoha over fifteen hundred ninja lives. Including the previous battles with the Cloud Village and the Battle of Kikyo Castle, the death toll in the Third Ninja World War surpassed that of the Second.
Following the return of the Third Hokage's troops, the Uchiha clan held a clan meeting. They had lost dozens of clan members in these intense battles, and there were discussions about compensation and a matter of great concern to the clan: the sharing of the Sharingan.
Obito had died in battle, and before his death, he entrusted his two-tomoe Sharingan to Kakashi. The Uchiha clan, proud of their heritage, was particularly sensitive about the Sharingan being given to outsiders.
"Let me handle this," Yoichi said at the clan meeting. "You shouldn't be too focused on a single Sharingan. Without the Uchiha bloodline, the Sharingan is of limited use and can even be detrimental. You're all well aware of this."
Yoichi explained that the Sharingan, unlike the Byakugan, didn't have a protective seal. The strain on the body from the Sharingan was immense.
For non-Uchiha, using the Sharingan constantly drained their chakra and couldn't be turned off, even when the eye was closed.
Having two Sharingan would exponentially increase chakra consumption, and each additional tomoe would further increase the burden.
A non-Uchiha with two three-tomoe Sharingan would likely die from the severe chakra depletion after an intense battle.
After discussing other matters at the clan meeting, such as encouraging capable clan members to take the Chunin exams and the clan's future development, Yoichi left to visit the Hatake family.
On his way, he encountered Minato and Kushina.
"Clan Leader Yoichi," Minato greeted.
"Minato-senpai, do you need something?"
Minato smiled and said, "I wanted to discuss Kakashi and Obito's situation. I'm sorry we couldn't save Obito."
"It's not your fault, Minato-senpai. Being a ninja means facing death. The Uchiha clan understands that they died protecting the village. We won't blame their teammates or the leading Jonin, and I won't be like those people."
Yoichi referred to the ninjas who had previously blamed him for mission failures. Those two were no longer ninjas.
"Thank you for your understanding, Clan Leader Yoichi," Minato said. Then, with some hesitation, he asked, "About Kakashi's Sharingan..."
"I was just heading to the Hatake residence to talk to Sakumo-senpai and Kakashi. I'll handle it, Minato-senpai."
"Alright, I understand."
With that, Yoichi left. After he was gone, Kushina couldn't help but ask, "Minato, how did Kakashi get a Sharingan?"
Minato explained, "Obito entrusted it to him before he died. But the Uchiha clan values the Sharingan highly. During the battle, some Uchiha approached Kakashi, so I was a bit worried."
Kushina, surprised and saddened, said, "So Obito died too? That guy promised to be careful."
Minato sighed, "That's war, Kushina. There's nothing we can do."
Kushina sighed as well. If she could fully control the Nine-Tails, she might have been able to help earlier and reduce the casualties.
However, today's outing wasn't for this matter. Kushina wanted to ask Minato about their relationship. Mina was already five months pregnant, and she and Minato were still just dating. Now that the war was over, there should be fewer missions.
"Sakumo-senpai, sorry to intrude. Is this..."
"Magic lamb, right? Yoichi-kun, your gifts are predictable, but this is a gift everyone in the ninja world would want."
Sakumo said with a smile as he welcomed Yoichi inside.
He had a good personal relationship with Yoichi and didn't think Yoichi was here to cause trouble over the Sharingan. Other people's worries didn't concern Sakumo.
"Wait a moment, Yoichi-kun, I'll prepare some refreshments."
"Just regular tea and snacks are fine. Thanks, Sakumo-senpai."
Yoichi reminded him not to serve red bean soup again. Since mentioning he liked sweets, every visit had been met with red bean soup.
While Sakumo prepared refreshments, Kakashi came downstairs. Seeing Yoichi, he greeted him.
"Yoichi-senpai, you're here."
"Kakashi, you seem to be doing well."
Yoichi noted that Kakashi looked better, though Obito's death and his final gift still weighed on him. Kakashi quickly recovered and rescued Rin, fulfilling Obito's wish.
"Kakashi, push up your headband and let me see."
Yoichi had already activated his Sharingan and saw the slow chakra drain from Kakashi's left eye.
When Kakashi lifted his headband and opened his two-tomoe Sharingan, the chakra drain increased, more taxing than for a normal Uchiha.
"Do you understand why I'm here? I discussed this with the Uchiha clan, and we won't reclaim this Sharingan."
Yoichi said, "Whether you want to keep it is up to you. The Sharingan constantly drains chakra. If you keep using it, it will pose a significant risk in battles. And that's just a two-tomoe Sharingan. If it were a three-tomoe, you'd be at even greater risk."
Sakumo returned with refreshments, having overheard the conversation.
"My Sharingan... Obito entrusted it to me."
Kakashi said after a moment of silence, "He was always striving to unlock the Sharingan and grow stronger. I always thought he was just talking big, but he saved me. He wanted me to use his eye to see the world."
"I understand. Inheriting his will is good, but it doesn't need a specific item to remind you. Anyway, let's leave it at that."
Yoichi said, "Kakashi, I'll leave Obito's Sharingan to you. The Uchiha clan won't object. But if the chakra drain becomes too much, come to me. I'll help you manage it."
That was Yoichi's original intent. Reclaiming the eye now would mean storing it, potentially missing an evolution opportunity.
When Kakashi sought help due to chakra depletion, Yoichi could quietly replace the eye with a three-tomoe version and transplant some Hashirama cells to compensate for the loss of Kamui.
"Thank you, Yoichi-senpai."
"It's nothing. The Uchiha clan values the Sharingan more for honor than for fear of others wielding its power. It's fortunate you only inherited one eye. Two would drain your chakra to the point of death in a single battle."
Yoichi waved it off, but Kakashi understood. Even one two-tomoe Sharingan was slightly burdensome. A three-tomoe would require careful chakra management.
The White Fang's swordsmanship required maintaining the cells' activation with Lightning Release, and he often used Wind Release for attacks, both chakra-intensive techniques. Adding the Sharingan increased the strain.
But this was no longer Yoichi's concern. He had made his point, and a two-tomoe Sharingan wasn't worth reclaiming, potentially missing out on an evolution to the Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Hmm, Madara has already acted on Obito. I should prepare too, maybe place some safeguards on Rin."
Yoichi thought to himself. After discussing some other matters with Sakumo, he took his leave.
After he left, Kakashi spoke up, "Father, I was worried Yoichi-senpai would take back the Sharingan."
"Taking it back would be for your own good."
Sakumo said, "As a family member, I'd prefer you give up the Sharingan because it doesn't help you much. But since you've decided, as your father, I'll support your choice."
"If the Sharingan causes you trouble, I'll ask Yoichi-kun for help."
Kakashi, moved, said, "Thank you, Father."
(End of Chapter)
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