Konoha’s Five-Element Ninja

Chapter 69: White Fang's Invitation

The reason behind Sakumo Hatake's invitation was unclear, but one thing Hayama was certain of—this wasn't just a casual New Year's gathering. Ever since their ideological disagreement on the Wind Country battlefield, the two had never met privately again. Even in public encounters, they merely exchanged nods without speaking.

Now, dissatisfaction with Sakumo Hatake was growing throughout Konoha and even across the Fire Country. It had escalated to the point of outright insults, with uninformed civilians, misled by rumors, staging daily protests outside the Hatake Clan compound. Hayama was aware of all this but had no way to help him.

In Hayama's mind, the public's memory was short. Sakumo Hatake only needed to endure for a while, hold on to his position as the de facto leader of the civilian ninja faction, and wait for public attention to shift to another event before making his return.

Mistakes in missions leading to casualties were common in the shinobi world. What happened with Sakumo Hatake was simply a matter of the death toll being higher than usual. But the dead were dead—wasn't it the living who dictated the course of events?

A sense of unease crept into Hayama's heart. He ground his foot against the ashes of the burnt note, scattering them into the air before forcing a smile at Fugaku.

"Let's go eat."

Fugaku patted his friend's shoulder. "If you need help, just ask. Seiji and I will be on duty at the Police Force tonight."

Hayama was genuinely touched. Ever since he had openly aligned himself with the Uchiha, the support and assistance he had received were immeasurable. He simply nodded firmly in response.

Fugaku smiled slightly and gestured for Seiji to follow. The three of them vanished into the dark alley in an instant.

Since he had an appointment later, the cautious Hayama refrained from drinking. Fugaku, noticing this, didn't insist. Instead, he invited a few charming hostesses to lighten the mood, making the meal lively rather than awkwardly silent.

After finishing their meal, Hayama was the first to pay the bill. The three of them, arms draped over each other's shoulders, leisurely strolled toward the Naka River.

The Naka River ran through Konoha, its swift waters providing a vital source of drinking water. But to the Uchiha, it was more than just a river. Following the river south for about 400 kilometers would lead to the ancient homeland of the Uchiha, passed down through generations. In a way, the Naka River was the Uchiha clan's mother river, bearing witness to their rise and fall over thousands of years. Even the legendary Uchiha Madara had grown up drinking its waters.

As Fugaku gazed at the rushing river, he suddenly asked, "Hayama, you don't have a student yet, do you?"

Hayama was momentarily taken aback before shaking his head. "I'm not even twenty yet. Why would I need to take a student? If I'm still alive in ten years, I'll consider it."

"That's not how it works. Powerful ninjas always take students—it's both a form of legacy and an investment."

Hayama smirked. "Just say it—who in the clan do you want me to teach?"

He had no objections to Fugaku's suggestion. Aside from his unique training methods and the secret Lightning Release techniques taught by Sakumo, there were no jutsu he was unwilling to pass down. In fact, the Uchiha already possessed a vast arsenal of techniques; they simply distributed them based on merit.

Fugaku walked to the riverbank, scooping up water to wash his face and shake off the lingering effects of alcohol. "A recent clan report highlighted a child named Uchiha Obito. Based on our bloodline analysis, he has a high chance of awakening a space-time Mangekyō Sharingan."

"A space-time Mangekyō Sharingan?"

Hayama was surprised. Since the death of the Second Hokage, space-time ninjutsu had nearly disappeared. Just when the world thought it was lost forever, Minato Namikaze had revived the art, mastering it to a terrifying degree. This talent had positioned him as a direct candidate for Hokage, a rising star with limitless potential.

"Of course, this is just a prediction. Even if the boy has the potential, whether he can actually awaken the Mangekyō is uncertain. Throughout our clan's history, even the most gifted rarely reached that stage. The future is unpredictable."

Fugaku's words made Hayama ponder. The Uchiha's bloodline abilities weren't exactly a secret in Konoha. Any ninja could give a rough explanation, let alone Hayama, who was deeply familiar with the clan.

"So the Uchiha plan to counter Minato with him?"

Hayama's keen intuition immediately grasped the clan's intent. As an ancient and prestigious family, the Uchiha wouldn't sit idly by and let the political landscape shift unfavorably. Space-time jutsu were renowned for their speed and versatility, developed specifically to counter the Sharingan's predictive abilities. If no Uchiha could master them, then finding someone within the clan who could awaken such abilities became the next best strategy.

Fugaku made no effort to hide it, openly confirming Hayama's deduction. "The clan intends to maneuver things so that Obito becomes Minato's student, but the cost will be enormous. You know how the village leadership treats the Uchiha. For now, I want you to oversee his training. If he eventually becomes Minato's apprentice, so be it."

Hayama nodded without hesitation. Fugaku's arrangement was sound, and Hayama even felt a bit grateful. Clearly, Obito had shown exceptional potential, making him worthy of significant investment from the Uchiha. Given the clan's numerous high-ranking jonin, they could have chosen anyone to mentor him. That the responsibility had fallen to Hayama was undoubtedly Fugaku's doing.

That said, certain boundaries had to be set from the start to avoid misunderstandings later. Hayama made it clear that he wouldn't teach Obito the Hatake clan's secret Lightning Release techniques or his unique training methods.

Fugaku waved dismissively. "That's fine. He's just a kid. He doesn't need high-level techniques yet—just enough to build rapport."

Hayama agreed. Fugaku was paving the way for him, ensuring that once the new generation grew up, he wouldn't be sidelined as an outsider.

The three of them remained by the Naka River until around 11:30, discussing the future—and, inevitably, women.

No matter how powerful a ninja was, they were still human. Or rather, a ninja had to be a person first. If three grown men gathered and didn't talk about women at least once, they were either eunuchs or pretending. Hayama and the others were neither. They were energetic, high-quality men, and a little playful banter was natural.

When it got late, Fugaku and Seiji headed to their Police Force shift, leaving Hayama alone by the river.

He couldn't guess Sakumo's intentions for the meeting, nor did he waste energy trying to figure it out. The answer would reveal itself at 12:30.

As midnight struck and Konoha slowly settled into sleep, New Year's Day came to an end. Hayama, on the other hand, quietly arrived outside the Hatake clan compound.

It was still early—half an hour before the meeting time. Hayama decided to observe from the shadows before making his move.

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