The Fifth village Hokage:Uchiha Douhuan

Chapter 21: The Bow and the Shuriken

After reporting the investigation findings to the Hokage, Uchiha Douhuan's days finally settled into a rare period of calm.

The Police Force's efforts to recruit civilian ninjas proceeded relatively smoothly. Ever since word spread about Douhuan publicly rebuking the two village advisors at the Police Department gate, the impression of the Uchiha among civilian ninjas had improved. And once they heard that the current head of the Uchiha—who advocated "smiling law enforcement"—was none other than Douhuan, they laid aside their concerns and came to apply in droves.

There were even a few fresh graduates from the Academy who hadn't been assigned to a squad; they simply showed up, hoping to secure a placement in the Police Force.

In less than a week, the Police Force fulfilled Douhuan's directive to double its personnel.

At the same time, following Douhuan's lead, the entire Police Force adopted his "smiling law enforcement" policy.

As for Douhuan himself, under the clan's arrangement, he moved into a luxurious residence located in the heart of the Uchiha compound. Once he settled in, the first thing he did was set up an archery range in his new home's courtyard.

With his schedule temporarily eased, Uchiha Douhuan's daily routine consisted of having tea, checking in at the Police Force, writing additional evidence of Danzo's crimes (to which the Shimura clan members in the interrogation room would affix their fingerprints), and then returning home to practice archery.

One afternoon, after returning from the Police Force, Douhuan changed out of his ninja vest, donned a haori, and began training with his bow and arrows in the courtyard.

He focused his mind and launched two consecutive arrows, both hitting the center of the target.

At that moment, the steward the clan had assigned to him—Uchiha Keiko—entered the courtyard. "Clan Leader, Hatake Kakashi is here."

"Please, show him in," Douhuan replied without even turning around.

"Yes, sir."

Uchiha Keiko bowed and departed. Shortly afterward, she returned with Kakashi in tow. After showing Kakashi to the courtyard, she courteously withdrew and shut the door leading to the rear yard behind her.

"The Hokage's orders: the operation to capture the rogue ninja Orochimaru will officially begin the day after tomorrow," Kakashi said.

Douhuan gave no response. He simply focused on the target before him, drawing his bow and releasing another arrow, which thudded cleanly into the bullseye.

Seeing that Douhuan wasn't inclined to speak, Kakashi simply found himself a pillar to lean against. From his pouch, he took out his favorite little book, Make-Out Paradise, and flipped it open.

For a while, the only sounds in the courtyard were the swish of arrows slicing the air.

When the quiver was empty, Douhuan finally paused his practice and spoke. "About the White Fang matter—my apologies. For now, I can only get this far."

Regarding that, Kakashi put his book away and said earnestly, "Thank you. It's more than enough."

These past few days, the village had launched a flurry of "Will of Fire" educational campaigns, during which Kakashi's father—Sakumo Hatake—was repeatedly hailed as a hero embodying the Will of Fire. Children in the village had only just learned that the village had once had such a heroic figure.

"Care to give it a try?" Douhuan said, handing the bow to Kakashi.

"A bow? I'm not really good with that," Kakashi replied, shaking his head. "Besides, for a ninja, isn't using shuriken more appropriate?"

"Shuriken, is it?" Douhuan murmured. Then his right hand grazed his tool pouch, and four dark blurs whizzed out, each colliding midair before angling off in seemingly impossible arcs—only to hit dead center on a target about fifty paces away.

"As expected of the Uchiha clan's shurikenjutsu," Kakashi remarked in admiration.

"Nothing special—just lots of practice," Douhuan commented, wiping his hand before picking up the bow again. "Kakashi, whether we're talking about bows or shuriken, they were forged for killing."

Douhuan launched another arrow, again striking dead center. "But I still prefer the bow."

Kakashi's expression showed puzzlement. Wasn't the bow an obsolete weapon used by samurai long ago? If you wanted convenience, shuriken would be a ninja's first choice.

"Though shuriken are convenient, once thrown, you typically can't recover more than a fraction of them. Even if you have top-grade steel, all that really gives you is a better feel during use. But with a bow, as long as it remains intact, you can replenish the arrows any time."

"Moreover, the bow always decides where the arrow is aimed."

A piercing whoosh cut through the air as Douhuan infused chakra into his next shot, obliterating the shuriken that had been stuck in the target's center.

Kakashi pondered Douhuan's words in silence.

"So how about it, Kakashi—want to give it a try?" Douhuan turned toward Kakashi with a smile.

"Alright…I'll try," Kakashi agreed after a brief hesitation.

"Keiko-nee, bring another bow for Captain Kakashi," Douhuan called toward the courtyard door.

Before long, the steward—Uchiha Keiko—returned, carrying a second longbow in both hands. She presented it with a respectful bow and then departed.

Kakashi accepted the longbow and examined it curiously, though it felt quite unfamiliar in his hands.

The Hatake family might have originated from a samurai lineage, but by his father's generation, they'd become pretty much pure ninja, aside from the continuing tradition of kenjutsu. Kakashi himself had never once used a bow.

Awkwardly, Kakashi nocked an arrow on the bowstring and drew it, aiming at the target fifty paces away.

"Straighten your posture. Let your spirit and energy connect the arrow to the target. Even before you shoot, your mind must already be at the mark," Douhuan's voice guided him. Kakashi, somewhat stiffly, adjusted his stance, lining up with the bullseye.

He held the posture for a long moment, reluctant to fire.

"Kakashi, calm your mind," Douhuan advised, noticing his hesitation.

Kakashi took a deep breath, stilling the flutter of tension inside, and let the arrow fly.

Watching the arrow soar through the air, Kakashi knew at once that it was veering off course. A fleeting twinge of disappointment crept over his face.

But just then, he heard the twang of another bowstring.

Startled, Kakashi looked around to see Douhuan's longbow still trembling from the shot, the faint echo of the release lingering in the air.

Glancing upward, Kakashi spotted a second arrow behind his own. Incredibly, Douhuan's arrow caught up to his in mid-flight—colliding with it and propelling both arrows toward the target.

Thud! Thud!

Two successive thumps sounded, and both arrows lodged themselves—one after the other—squarely in the target's center.

Kakashi stared in astonishment at Douhuan, who returned only a subtle, inscrutable smile.

…