A year has passed since then, and many things have changed. Samui and Mabui were enrolled in the Konoha ninja academy, taking their first steps on the shinobi path. Sakumo-sensei, for his part, has continued training with Kakashi calmly, and thanks to that, my partner did not end up walking that dark path of the canon, obsessed with missions above all else.
Every time I see them together, I remember the war I waged against Danzō to save Sakumo. At first glance, it seemed like a contradiction: I had sworn it wasn't my problem. But deep down, the answer is simple: I could never sleep peacefully knowing that I could have done something and chose not to. My own conscience would devour me... and I had enough remorse in my previous life to continue carrying nonsense in this one.
Even though I try, those shadows keep coming back.
"I couldn't even bury a body for his family..."
That thought accompanies me even in my daily life. This year, they tried to assign me to different teams, but because of my status as a pseudo-jinchūriki, none of the candidates were suitable.
Perhaps, seeing how the pieces are moving, I'll end up in the same squad as Kakashi when Minato becomes its leader.
By the way, tensions this year have risen so much that anyone can see that a large-scale war is about to break out. Even if I hadn't been reincarnated and was a local, it would be quite obvious given the background.
Whether it's because of unresolved issues between all the major villages or old grudges, it's to be expected that another war will break out as soon as they get the chance.
Luckily, there was no Treaty of Versailles to cause any large village to come up with the idea of radicalization.
As soon as I mention this in my head, I can't help but look away from wherever my eyes have been.
"Young master, is something wrong?"
Maki asked calmly as she prepared some tea.
"No, everything's fine."
Sometimes I think the shinobi world is a pressure cooker about to explode. And yet, while the villages play cold war for now, my day-to-day life is spent between plans, reports, and an uncomfortable silence in my home.
Now I hold a piece of paper mentioning that Samui and Mabui are doing well at the ninja academy, as are some of the servants I sent, so my heart is reassured to have the report that all is well with the futures of my household.
Although the only drawback would be that they seem to have the same problems as me...
"I don't know if I should be happy or sad that they are like me in this respect.
Maki listens to me and turns her gaze towards me.
"What do you mean?
I turn to her and show Maki Samui and Mabui's report.
"They are excellent students and their strength is very admirable, as is their theoretical knowledge, but we regret to mention that they lack social skills, as they do not separate from each other and have not made any friends at all apart from themselves"...
Hearing this from Maki, I feel ashamed and instinctively lower my gaze while cursing in my heart.
It's the same feeling I had when a nephew in my past life imitated a bad habit of mine. I know what he did is wrong, but I don't feel I have the right to reprimand him since I act the same way.
To give an example, I'm not so hypocritical as to reprimand a child for smoking when I'm smoking a cigarette myself at that moment, right?
But all I can do now is teach them the only thing I've learned, like an older brother passing on his little knowledge to his younger brother.
"Young master, what should we do?"
I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose to think, but in the end, I can't come up with anything.
"Let it go. I can't force them to open up socially to others."
Also, considering that they are spies from Kumogakure, it's not like it's a good idea for the mission to make friends in Konoha.
But as for the objective itself, I don't know if it's to gather information, steal ninjutsu, or steal some prodigy that Kumogakure is interested in.
I've also had the thought that Kumogakure knows about my lineage. It's normal for other villages to have spies, but I can't be totally sure since I'm the grandson of their criminals, so I don't know if I'm really their main or secondary interest, or if it's just convenient that I'm one of the few who takes in the orphans they find to keep them as protected servants.
I don't believe that either, as it is common for orphans, whether civilians or shinobi, to be used as test subjects.
That leaves me with the option that I was the spies' target.
But I still can't say with 100% certainty what their real objective was with me. While there is the option of convincing me to switch to Kumogakure, there is also the possibility that they will try to kidnap me as they did with Kushina and Hinata.
-There's also the possibility that they want me dead...
Maki hears that, but she already knows that I have a habit of saying my thoughts out loud.
Once she asked me what I meant, but when I heard her voice, I forgot what I was thinking, so even if I wanted to, I couldn't tell her what I was thinking.
Returning to the previous topic, I can't say for sure what the goal of those spies is, but I know I have something to do with it.
As for the option of wanting me dead, I dismiss the idea immediately, because they would have sent ANBU to hunt me down, not some brats who haven't even gone to ninja school.
But thinking about it doesn't help me right now, so I let out a sigh and turn my gaze back to the plans on the table.
Maybe it's better if I go back to my business to clear my head.
"Maki, go to the blacksmiths and other craftsmen and have them prepare the materials for the scroll I gave you yesterday.
"Understood, young master." She bows elegantly and leaves to place the order.
For my part, I continue making other plans as well as some notes to try out later when I go to train with Kushina and Tsunade.
General POV
While Kenji reviewed plans and let the afternoon pass, the routine at the Furukawa house continued.
In the courtyard, Samui and Mabui trained under the sun, oblivious to the affairs of the head of the household.
Even though it was the home of a civilian ninja, the Uchiha adopted him as one of their own, both because of his status as the adopted son of an Uchiha and because he was a bearer of the Sharingan.
But since several orphans and other civilians arrived at the house as servants, it has gradually begun to gain some importance within the Uchiha district, both because those servants were educated to work outside the house and because those same servants began to open their own establishments.
It is also true that there were Uchiha who opposed this, who were from the hardline faction, but nothing that a bottle of odorless liquid couldn't fix. Although it was odorless to humans, it was not a problem for the paraponera clavata, so after a while, they reluctantly gave in.
It wasn't that they couldn't get rid of or kill the ants, but more and more arrived every day, and they attacked at the most inopportune moments, so it was easier for them to simply step aside than to protest, as their bites left no evidence and there were apparently no ants in sight.
Thanks to Kenji's investment using the resources left to him by his mother and the pension from the Hokage and the missions he has done, all these businesses have been successful, as they even sell things that did not exist in this world, such as food that Kenji remembers from his native country, like tacos al pastor and many others.
Author's note: Real tacos and Mexican food, not that crap they sell at Taco Bell or in "Mexican food" restaurants in the United States.
The reason the Hokage himself gives him a pension is more like a bribe to keep him in the village due to his status as a pseudo-Jinchuriki and as a half-apology for what Danzo did to him, only disguised as a pension for his orphan status.
Meanwhile, the two mentioned above have been slowly learning about these conditions, as they have also been trained by Kenji and other Uchiha ninjas, only that because they are civilian ninjas with no legal or blood relationship to the Uchiha, they were forbidden from teaching them Uchiha fire ninjutsu and had to focus only on some of the more common ones.
Even so, training under Uchiha supervision has somehow changed the way some Uchiha behave, as they have begun to be more open with the rest of the villagers and the typical Uchiha arrogance has gradually diminished.
This has led to a more relaxed modus operandi within the military police, which the villagers appreciate, and as a result, tension within the village has decreased.
Of course, Danzo does not like this at all, so he has tried to stir up trouble, but each time he has been thwarted by Kenji's agents, who have been acting as mediators.
Kenji, for his part, has been killing or capturing some root agents who were trying to infiltrate his home or commercial district, so now he has several prisoners to experiment on.
This has Danzo on edge, but due to the nature of his operations, he can't exactly go to Hiruzen and complain that his agents are being killed or captured after sending them against Kenji or his associates, so he has no choice but to grit his teeth in anger.
With the backing of the Uchiha clan, Kenji built a commercial district that changed the village. What began as a refuge for orphans and servants became a vital economic center, making it more difficult for the Hokage and Danzo to touch them, since without that commercial district, the village's economy and other areas would plummet.
So this new district is both beneficial and harmful, but it is too late to act, as several merchants have already settled there. Even agents of the daimyo and other nobles visit the district for its extravagant goods.
Among the Hokage's circle, it is mentioned that they cannot touch that district no matter how much they want to, because if they do, it is as if they are challenging the daimyo's authority, so they had no choice but to let it go, although that would be on the surface, because Danzo does not care, so he continues to try to cause trouble.
And just as merchants arrived in search of opportunities, so did spies from other villages, among which Kumogakure and Iwagakure, the most hostile to Konoha, sent the most spies.
But these spies are immediately located and begin to spread false information to confuse the leaders of the other villages, because ten known spies are better than one hidden and lurking.
And so it has been this past year. Kenji is now 7 years old, but thanks to his reasoning and the support of some people, he has been able to ensure his survival and avoid becoming a guinea pig or a brainless soldier from the root.
A/N
Sorry for the long delay, I've been feeling unwell for quite a while, but I'm recovered now.
To the point, I honestly have no idea how to write about certain things like relationships with other people or interacting with other people, because I've been a loner my whole life, although back then it wasn't because I wanted to be, but as such, I wouldn't know how to describe Kenji's social and emotional environment if I don't have any experience with it myself, but I'm trying because I want to learn, and that's why I'd like you to leave your comments, so you can give me feedback and correct me if I did something wrong, so I can fix it.
I am Mexican, so I will include references to my country, as I cannot write about places I do not know (I do not know what real German food or customs are, for example).
Anyway, I have a small guide that I will try to follow to bring you this story. Thank you for your attention.