Inside the barbecue shop.
Obito kept rambling with his mouth full, making it nearly impossible to make out what he was saying.
Rin Nohara sighed helplessly. "Eat slower. No one's taking your food. Both of you are named Shindai — why do you always act like this when eating together?"
After gulping down a big bite of meat, Obito asked curiously, "Shindai, did you come into some money lately? You're usually so stingy."
Shindai protested, "That's slander! Doesn't the entire Konoha know I'm the most generous person around?"
Hikaku Uchiha suddenly interjected, "It's because the Hokage reimburses expenses."
Rin Nohara and Obito exchanged glances of realization. "Ooooh, so *that's* why! No wonder!"
Shindai frowned and whispered to Hikaku, "You shouldn't answer questions like that! Doesn't that make me look bad in front of them!"
Shindai dry-coughed slightly before declaring, "But still, I'm the one treating everyone. The reimbursement is for me, not them after all. You two are just benefiting from my generosity!"
Obito gave him a disbelieving look. "Right, right, sure, sure. Like we don't even know whose generosity we're supposedly benefiting from, yeah?"
Ever since Hikaku mentioned reimbursement, Obito and Rin Nohara had figured out it must be related to him. After all, why would Minato Namikaze reimburse Shindai for no reason?
Grumbling, Shindai stuffed another piece of meat into his mouth. He really should've known better than to invite *these* two!
What a chaotic duo!
Hikaku Uchiha turned his gaze toward Obito and asked, "Are all members of the Uchiha clan now like you in terms of personality?"
"Wait, what?"
Obito blinked in confusion, not understanding why Hikaku was asking such a question.
Obito looked at Shindai, who simply shrugged. "Look at me for what? It wasn't me who asked."
Obito replied thoughtfully, "Like me... Not exactly, but most of our clansmen are actually pretty decent."
"Is that so? Then indeed, that's quite good."
A faint, barely noticeable smile tugged at the corner of Hikaku Uchiha's lips.
...
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage's office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Fugaku Uchiha had found Minato Namikaze.
"Minato (The Fourth)," they announced, "we've found the records."
Minato immediately asked, "Did you find it? Can we finally confirm her identity?"
Hiruzen nodded. "We believe so. During the Warring States era, under the leadership of Tajima Uchiha, a child of extraordinary strength emerged. This child killed many members of rival clans in battle and was ultimately sealed through a combined effort by the Senju and Sarutobi clans. The sealing site is exactly where Kannabi Bridge stands today."
"Since the seal was broken at Kannabi Bridge by Shindai, and it was a Double Seal, there's no doubt about it. Asu Natsuka is most likely the person who was sealed long ago by the combined efforts of the Senju and Sarutobi clans."
Minato Namikaze's expression immediately turned serious. "It explains why Kushina noticed traces of Whirlpool Country's sealing techniques within the Double Seal Shindai placed on her. The Senju, being distant blood relatives of the Uzumaki, would naturally share some similarities in their sealing techniques."
Fugaku Uchiha spoke, "I've also uncovered the reason why she harbors such hatred toward the Uchiha clan. During the war, after losing both her parents, she awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, along with an extremely powerful dojutsu, which made the other Uchiha see her as a weapon to be cultivated.
Moreover, the Uchiha at that time even transplanted the eyes of deceased Uchiha clan members who had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan into her, further enhancing her strength. So… her power truly is formidable."
Minato took a deep breath.
Everything fits now.
No wonder that day Hikaku Uchiha said she was created as a weapon.
Fugaku Uchiha looked grimly at Minato Namikaze and said, "Fourth Hokage, back then, many in our clan awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, but only she was treated as a weapon due to the dojutsu awakened through hers. Her dojutsu...was simply too powerful!"
Minato asked curiously, "Then what exactly is her dojutsu's ability?"
Fugaku answered, "Because so far only she has ever awakened this dojutsu—and it's extraordinarily powerful—it has been specially recorded in the Uchiha clan's records.
The name of the dojutsu she awakened is [Eight Trigrams Sealing Array]. It can imprint targets and control their minds and chakra from any distance through those imprints.
Back then, the Uchiha used this ability to channel others' chakra to Uchiha fighters, greatly boosting their battlefield performance, or directly control enemy ninja to fight for the Uchiha."
As Fugaku Uchiha described Hikaku Uchiha's dojutsu power, both Minato Namikaze and Hiruzen Sarutobi were deeply shocked.
Hiruzen expressed concern, "This dojutsu of Asu Natsuka's is extremely dangerous, especially its mind-control aspect. Minato, I believe we need to take precautions. Since Asu's current intentions remain unclear, if..."
Minato Namikaze pondered silently for a moment before speaking, "Third Hokage, I think we should give Asu Natsuka a chance. For the past half month, she's been staying at Shindai's house. I've seen her during dinner every evening and sensed that she isn't someone extreme or unreasonable.
Otherwise, after the Uchiha treated her so cruelly in the past, she still gave the Uchiha clan an opportunity, wanting to observe whether today's Uchiha remained the same as they were back then. That means, at her core, Asu remains a kind-hearted person."
"There's also... the reason I'm confident that Asu Natsuka won't threaten Konoha is Shindai."
"Shindai?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Fugaku Uchiha looked extremely puzzled. Is the judgment that Hikaku Uchiha won't endanger Konoha really based on Shindai alone? That seems rather hasty.
Namikaze Minato smiled and said, "Certainly, Asu Natsuka's Dojutsu ability is dangerous, but the same ability could also benefit Konoha. It all depends on how it's used. We shouldn't label her a dangerous person just because of one ability.
"As I mentioned before, Asu listens to Shindai very much. And Shindai is such an optimistic and cheerful child, she naturally lifts the spirits of those around her. That's why I've had them stay together, hoping that through Shindai we can soften her hatred.
"We're already starting to see some results. When I first met her, I did feel a sense of danger coming from her. But now I can clearly feel her changing mentally—occasionally, I even see smiles on her face, making her no different from ordinary children.
"So I believe Shindai can accomplish this. Third Hokage, you could go verify with Shindai yourself. Right now, Asu is always with Shindai, and Tenten sticks close to them too."
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe and nodded. "If you say so, Minato, I'll go have a look later."
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