When she snatched the book from Azula's hand, Mito was carefully observing the reaction of Azula and Hiruzen's clone.
Her objective was simple: observe.
This wasn't about a lack of respect for the Hokage—the man had earned his title and her deference a thousand times over, nor was it some power play to control the most powerful shinobi in the village.
It was a fundamental test. Power, as sure as the sun rises, changes people. It warps perspectives and inflates egos. She needed to know if the Hiruzen of today was still the man she remembered, or if the Hat had slowly molded him into something… stuffier.
Sure, her little stunt might cause the Hokage to lose a sliver of face, but the Hiruzen Sarutobi she knew wouldn't use his good china for a face-saving ceremony.
This was the man who possessed a free-spirited, almost mischievous soul, the same genius who, as a youth, had risked the apocalyptic wrath of Tobirama for a chance to peek at the women's hot springs.
He'd known the Second would skin him alive if he was caught, and he'd done it anyway. That was the benchmark for 'unrestrained' she was working with.
Fortunately, the clone—because of course the real Hiruzen was probably busy signing paperwork or napping—reacted perfectly.
A faint, almost charming blush of embarrassment touched his cheeks, but it was completely devoid of any genuine offense. Even through the chakra construct, she could feel a wave of warm, familiar respect. Good. The Hat hadn't crushed his spirit.
Then her gaze shifted to the real wild card: Azula Uchiha. This was the true test. The Uchiha clan's reputation for pride was not unearned; interrupting one of them mid-gesture was a fantastic way to get a Fireball to the face as a conversational rebuttal.
But it never came. Instead of fury, Azula's face held… respect? And was that… excitement? The girl looked less like someone who'd just been publicly slighted and more like a kid who'd just been told the secret to infinite free dango. Mito was, for a rare moment, completely stunned.
How could she not be excited? Azula's inner monologue was practically buzzing.
For the past month, this moment had been her personal carrot on a stick. Thanks to Tsunade's not-so-subtle hints, she'd been 99% certain she could lure the legendary Mito Uzumaki here.
And now, seeing the grand mistress of fuinjutsu in the flesh, looking regal and utterly unimpressed by social niceties, Azula was thrilled. This was a woman who got things done.
Her own progress was the reason for her eager anticipation. It had been over a month since she'd finally conquered the Shadow Clone technique.
No more embarrassing, brain-rattling poofs after thirty minutes. Now, like her prodigious cousin Itachi, she could maintain a clone for a full five-hour school day and absorb the memories without so much as a headache.
This monumental achievement had freed up her actual body to push her physical conditioning to the absolute limits of her five-year-old frame.
And frankly, she was bored. She'd devoured the Uchiha clan's texts on Yin chakra until her eyes crossed. There was nothing left to study that would give her a significant, immediate power boost.
Seeing Mito was the ultimate confirmation: the path to true, monstrous strength was paved with complex, world-altering seals.
But to learn from the best, she needed to wait until Hiruzen left before starting to seduce Mito. Who knew how the well-meaning but meddlesome Hokage might try to 'guide' her?
Playing the perfect polite student, Azula bowed slightly, a picture of Uchiha decorum.
"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Mito! Tsunade told me that while she herself isn't particularly... interested in my work, she was certain you would be. She said your tastes were far more refined." Azula didn't hesitate to dig a playful pit and push her new benefactor, Tsunade, right into it.
It was all in good fun—just a little white lie exposed to humor the venerable kunoichi. Tsunade would understand. Probably.
An amused chuckle escaped Mito's lips.
Oh, Tsunade, you terrible liar. She knew for a fact her granddaughter had a secret place where she would take the manga every time she was bored to read while hiding.
The tense, amusing standoff was broken by the return of Tajima Uchiha. The clan head looked like a man who had spent a small nation's GDP on a concept he didn't fully understand but was committed to seeing through.
"Lady Mito, Hokage-sama," he said, his voice a gravelly baritone. "It is time."
He still didn't quite grasp this strange 'ribbon-cutting' ceremony his daughter had insisted upon. It seemed like a frivolous tradition.
But when you've already invested hundreds of millions of ryo into a building that sells illustrated stories, you might as well grab the scissors and play along.
The momentous duty of slicing the ceremonial ribbon fell, as all momentous duties do, to the Hokage. It wasn't just about who had the sharpest scissors; it was about status.
In Konoha, if something needed official inaugurating, and you wanted it to stay inaugurated, you got the guy with the big hat and the profoundly patient expression.
And to Azula's credit, Hiruzen found the whole 'ribbon-cutting' concept bizarrely fascinating.
A single, flimsy piece of fabric, stretched taut as a tripwire, whose destruction signaled not an alarm but… commerce? He made a mental note to consider it for the next Academy graduation. Perhaps slicing a ribbon could replace the tedious written exam on border patrol logistics.
But a Hokage does not merely cut. A Hokage must also… orate. It was an instinct buried deep in his political DNA, a compulsion as undeniable as the need to stroke one's beard thoughtfully when making a terrible decision.
He cleared his throat, the sound echoing with the gravity of a man about to declare war or, in this case, declare a bookstore open. The crowd leaned in, expecting wisdom.
"When the tree leaves dance," he began, his voice a low, resonant rumble that promised profound truths, "one shall find flames. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village, and once again, tree leaves shall bud anew..."
He paused, allowing the poetic weight of the village's creed to settle over the assembled shinobi and civilians. They stood in respectful silence, contemplating the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
Then he grinned, the serious mask dropping instantly. "I hope this new enterprise burns bright and helps new ideas blossom!"
The crowd chuckled, disarmed. It was the perfect Hokage speech: deeply profound for those who wanted profundity, and mercifully short for those who just wanted to see the inside of the weird new store. A politician with a conscience and a sense of timing.
Snip.
The ribbon fell. The doors opened. And like a well-trained platoon storming a beachhead, approximately two hundred people flowed inside—a testament to Konoha's vibrant curiosity and chronic lack of weekend plans.
The first thing to assault their senses wasn't a smell or a sound, but an image of almost militant cuteness. Lined up in perfect formation was a squad of children, decked out in crisp black-and-white uniforms.
They stood with a discipline that would make a Chunin instructor weep with joy. The effect was immediately undercut by the chorus of parental voices piping up from the crowd.
"Shin? Is that you? You told me you were going to train! You look like a tiny, very serious waiter!"
"Tsunade! Oh, my heart! Stop it, you're too adorable! Are you blushing? You're blushing!"
This last exclamation came from Mito Uzumaki, who was experiencing a critical hit to her emotional defenses.
She rarely left her residence, her status as the former First Hokage's wife and the current Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails making her a permanent resident of Konoha's 'See But Do Not Approach' list.
But her granddaughter Tsunade had pleaded, and Mito was weak to two things: devastatingly powerful sealing jutsus and devastatingly cute grandchildren in adorable uniforms. She'd even pawned little Nawaki off on a sitter for this. It was worth it.
Their guide for this strange new experience was none other than the mastermind herself, Uchiha Azula. She stepped forward, a vision of entrepreneurial zeal.
"Welcome, everyone, to the grand opening of Konoha's Manga Heaven!" she announced, her voice cutting through the parental cooing. "The first and only establishment of its kind in the entire world! A place dedicated to the glorious, revolutionary, and—frankly—addictive art of storytelling known as Manga!"
She paced like a general addressing her troops. "What is Manga, you ask? It is a symphony of words and pictures! An epic tale told in panels! It is, I predict, the future of entertainment, and it starts here, today, in this very room! Our current library is… curated. We have one. A single, magnificent title to launch a thousand dreams!"
She gestured grandly to another section. "But fear not! We also offer a selection of the finest literature from across the nations. And for our first featured exhibit…"
She paused for dramatic effect. "We present the Uchiha Clan's most cherished treasures: the stories and legends of the Warring States Period, now available for the first time to the public! Yes, you! For the low, low price of a few ryo, you can finally learn what really happened on those legendary battlefields."
This was a masterstroke. She wasn't just selling books; she was selling prestige.
She could already see the gears turning in the heads of the Aburame and Akimichi clan members in the crowd. The Uchiha were putting their glory on display? Unacceptable!
Their clan's history was way more glorious and definitely involved more interesting bugs/recipes! They'd be pounding down her door by week's end to get their own histories published. The store's diversity would grow through sheer, competitive vanity.
As Azula finished her pitch, her tiny, well-drilled army of child employees snapped into action. They broke formation and began greeting visitors with a terrifying, professional politeness.
Mito watched, her heart doing little flip-jutsus, as a fiercely blushing Tsunade marched up to her. "Grandmother. Welcome to Manga Heaven. May I… interest you in our premier biographical section?"
Tsunade recited, the words clearly memorized and delivered with the grave seriousness of a soldier reporting a border incursion.
Mito could only nod, utterly defeated by the cuteness. She allowed herself to be led away, her curiosity genuinely piqued.
The Uchiha's most cherished treasures? Every clan had their dusty scrolls of history, but they were usually about crop rotations and border disputes. What made the Uchiha's so special?
She soon found out. There, displayed with reverence, was a book with a cover that depicted two legendary figures locked in a dramatic clash. The title was not a dry historical account. It was a headline. It was a promise. It was:
[A Rival Worth Dying For: The Epic Struggle of Uchiha Izuna vs. Senju Tobirama, by Uchiha Azula.]
(END OF THE CHAPTER)
Some ideas about the book, Uchiha Izuna vs. Tobirama, you know, some anecdote that would be funny to add, things that would elevate Uchiha status in the book and all your imagination ya know? And don't forget to vote.
By the way, I'm having another fanfic idea. I don't know if it's good or not: [Naruto: Reincarnated as Toph, as a Hyuga from the Same Generation as Kushina]. I can already imagine Konoha's big three (Toph, Mikoto, and Kushina), a girl team, friendship, and love. And of course, I want to write a Hyuga story. I feel that the Byakugan is one of the most underdeveloped things in Naruto. It was something that even the Otsutsuki had. I feel like with just the Byakugan, one could really be as strong as a Mangekyou Sharingan user if 60% of its potential is developed.
If you want to discuss the idea, you're welcome to my Patreon. The chat is free even if you aren't paid members, and there's an advanced chapter now.
patreon.com/Melonlord