Chapter 27 Respect for the Third Hokage "Speaking of which, inviting everyone to dinner is just the Uchiha clan head's personal act, it shouldn't affect the mission, right?" Hyuga Kenya also sided with Uchiha Touhuan at this moment.
Gekko Hayate, Uzuki Yugao, and the two commoner ninjas, though silent due to their clan backgrounds, stood beside Uchiha Touhuan, a form of silent support.
In just one night, they became the protagonists of American-style bullying.
And the instigator of all this, to this day, hasn't uttered a single word.
After the commotion, the group entered the town. Utatane Itsuki and Mitokado Hayato, as if in a fit of pique, went straight to the low-end inn that most mission-bound ninjas would choose without even saying hello.
Uchiha Touhuan, on the other hand, led everyone in another round of dinner.
"Speaking of which, are we really going to ignore them? What about the mission?" Kuroki Ryūtai, one of the four Jonin on this mission, still had some concerns and couldn't help but ask after finishing a drink at the table.
"Brother Kuroki, don't worry, it doesn't matter whether they come or not this mission." The oldest among them, Nagai Seiichi, knew perfectly well what was going on. "That's Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin. One more or one less Jonin like us won't make a difference. In crucial moments, it'll depend on the Uchiha clan head and Captain Kakashi. We just need to provide support. Didn't you see that Inuzuka and Hyuga didn't object?"
"Thank you for Clan Head Touhuan's generosity, allowing us to enjoy the delicacies of the Land of Fire during our mission. I propose we all toast Clan Head Touhuan." Nagai Seiichi raised his glass heartily.
"Brother Seiichi, you can't say that. This is what I should do." Uchiha Touhuan also raised his glass. "When I was just a ninja academy student, I was bathed in the brilliance of the Will of Fire sown by the Third Hokage. Being able to help you all is the best embodiment of the Will of Fire, isn't it? If you want to thank someone, you should thank our Third Hokage, thank the Will of Fire!"
"Clan Chief Touhuan is right; my thinking was shallow," said Nagai Seiichi. "However, according to what Lord Touhuan said, a ninja with such a profound understanding of the Will of Fire as you is, in my eyes, an incarnation of the Third Hokage."
"Eh?" Uchiha Touhuan laughed. "What you said makes some sense. Actually, I am an incarnation."
"We all made achievements and earned merit in this mission. We must not forget the Third Hokage, nor the Will of Fire."
"Everyone, to the Third Hokage! To the Will of Fire!" After saying this, Uchiha Touhuan raised his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.
"To the Third Hokage! To the Will of Fire!" After Uchiha Touhuan finished speaking, besides him, the youngest members present, Gekko Hayate and Uzuki Yugao, were also a little excited and drank their wine as well.
The others echoed in agreement.
...
After several rounds of drinks, the group, having become more familiar with each other since yesterday, were more relaxed at the table, and by this point, everyone's faces were flushed with a hint of drunkenness.
At this moment, Nagai Seiichi suddenly sighed.
"Why are you sighing, Seiichi-nii?" Uchiha Touhuan asked, noticing this. "I apologize, Clan Chief Touhuan. I was being presumptuous. I'll punish myself with three cups later," said Nagai Seiichi. "After drinking, I can't help but think of my good-for-nothing son."
"Brother Seiichi, what are you saying? You're a Jonin in the village, a pillar of the village. I imagine your son must also be exceptionally talented," said Uchiha Touhuan.
"If only that were true," Nagai Seiichi sighed. "Although I became a Jonin in the village by luck, all my ninjutsu was obtained through village exchange. While the village won't hold Jonin accountable for teaching a few low-level ninjutsu to their relatives or disciples, my son inherited the chakra attribute of my deceased wife who sacrificed herself six years ago. I want to teach him, but I'm not up to the task. What if he graduates next year and doesn't get a good instructor?"
"Forget it, let's not talk about that," Nagai Seiichi waved his hand. "I've disturbed your fun, so I'll punish myself with a drink."
"Well, you can't say that. It's only natural to think about your son. Your son must be very happy to have a father like you," Uchiha Touhuan said, as information about Nagai Seiichi surfaced in his mind.
Seiichi Nagai, ninja ID: 009841, mission count: D-rank 472, C-rank 617, B-rank 391, A-rank 122, S-rank 4. He was promoted to Jonin during the Third Shinobi World War. He is skilled in Water Release, but due to limitations in his talent, his strength is among the weakest in Konoha's Jonin squad. Furthermore, being of commoner origin, he has no room for further improvement.
His most likely fate is to die in a dangerous mission in the future, or to voluntarily retire.
However, it seems he's not one to stay put. After sensing that the Uchiha clan might be making a big move, he realized the opportunity and, eager to improve, decided to take a gamble.
"Brother Seiichi, have you considered having your son join the Security Forces? Although they recently recruited a batch of new members, they'll likely expand again after the new ninja academy students graduate next year. If your son is interested, I'll ask Captain Fugaku to keep an eye out."
Uchiha Touhuan naturally extended an olive branch. He wasn't afraid of his subordinates having ambitions; as long as they were loyal to him, Uchiha Touhuan, he could offer far more than they imagined.
"Really?" Nagai Seiichi exclaimed in surprise. "Then thank you very much, Uchiha Clan Chief! I'll toast you!"
After Nagai Seiichi downed a glass of wine, Inuzuka Fu laughed beside him, "Brother Seiichi, you've found a good path for your son! The Security Forces' benefits are much higher than for ordinary ninjas. Several kids in our clan want to join the Security Forces."
"Really? But why don't I see any Inuzuka clan children on the application list?" Uchiha Touhuan asked curiously.
"It's just that the elders in the clan wouldn't allow it," Inuzuka Kaze said. "Our ancestors followed the Senju clan, and our relationship with your Uchiha clan isn't exactly good. Besides, most of your clan's summoning beasts are ninja cats, so after those kids got a beating, the matter was dropped."
"However, our clan leader has considered selling a batch of our newly bred police dogs to the police force. After all, ninja dogs are more useful than ninja cats when it comes to catching criminals, aren't they?"
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(End of Chapter)