Unfortunately, after opening the book, it wasn't a manga type but just a normal book, which was normal since Azula said there was only one manga in the store, which was Demon Slayer, and she had already read it.
With a silent sigh for the lost cause of entertainment, Mito took the book anyway. And it was absolutely, one hundred percent not because she was wildly, insatiably curious about the Uchiha clan's internal gossip about her brother-in-law.
Who wouldn't want the official scoop on how they viewed the Second Hokage? Or, say, whether he and his best frenemy Izuna shared a secret handshake or perhaps just a mutual desire to stab each other in a slightly more respectful manner? Purely academic interest. Obviously.
What Mito didn't know was that her 'choice' was about as accidental as a pre-planned trap door. This was all part of Azula's master plan.
If you want to get Konoha's attention, you don't just wave a shiny thing; you wave their shiny thing. And what's shinier to a Konoha citizen than the hidden history of their legendary leaders?
It's the ultimate gossip, wrapped in historical significance, and tied with a bow of clandestine knowledge.
Of course, Azula had another trump card not yet revealed. The story she was saving for her second manga release—the one that would really make the village explode—was the epic bromance-turned-tragedy of Madara and Hashirama.
She was certain that tale, told right, would single-handedly rebrand the Uchiha as the ultimate misunderstood heroes. People would see Madara not as a madman, but as a grieving brother who chose peace!
They'd learn the foundational truth: that Konoha was built not by one man, but by two clans who decided protecting their kids was more important than perpetuating a centuries-old blood feud. It was going to be a propaganda masterpiece!
But that blockbuster was for later. For now, the civilians in the store were having their minds gently blown by the book Mito held.
Their eyes were shining like newly polished kunai. In the shinobi world, information isn't just power; it's a currency more valuable than gold ryo, hoarded and protected more fiercely than a secret ramen recipe.
The average civilian knew the Hokage were strong… in the same way they knew the sky was blue. They'd heard the First Hokage could grow forests with a flick of his wrist—cool party trick.
They knew the Second Hokage was a stern man with shock-white hair who probably smiled once a decade, and only if someone told a truly exceptional joke. But ask them what the 'Flying Thunder God Technique' was? You'd just get a blank stare and a guess like, "A… very fast, strong Lightning Release?"
But this book was a backstage pass to history. It was the kind of real, juicy intel they'd never, ever have access to in their ordinary lives. It was like finding your big sibling's super-secret diary.
Unsurprisingly, guided by the impeccable and demanding taste of the younger generation, the most popular picks were still the dazzling Demon Slayer manga, followed closely by The Epic Struggle of Uchiha Izuna vs. Senju Tobirama.
A few other titles, like The Man Who Set the World on Fire and the tragically titled Burning Brighter Than the Sun: The Short Life of Uchiha Arata, were also generating some somber, intrigued looks.
However, for the shinobi from the major clans, the scene was… underwhelming. This was the biggest store in Konoha? This was the source of all the buzz? A bookstore?
They looked around, unimpressed. How much money could one possibly make selling paper and dreams? It seemed like a questionable business model at best.
Azula, meanwhile, was subtly taking notes on every raised eyebrow and excited whisper.
She knew the store was currently more "humble beginnings" than "commercial empire."
But Rome wasn't built in a day, and Konoha's premier entertainment hub wouldn't be either. She had a secret weapon: Konoha was, at its heart, a giant, gossipy family.
All it would take was for these stories to become popular in one small circle—a few chunin, a handful of bored housewives, some curious kids—and the hype would spread like a particularly juicy rumor.
Once that happened, every shinobi with idle time between missions would wander in out of curiosity. And that, she knew, would be her payday.
For now, she just had to play the waiting game. Her focus shifted to Mito and Hiruzen. Fortunately, the Sandaime—or his clone, rather—had important Hokage-ing to do and left after buying a modest stack of four books.
Azula breathed a sigh of relief. One complicated variable down. Now, she could finally wait for Mito to finish her reading… and then make her official move.
Azula had done her homework.
Weeks ago, actually. She'd sifted through scrolls and asked enough questions to piece together a key fact about the legendary Uzumaki Mito: the woman could allegedly sense a fly blinking from three villages away. The intel pointed to one conclusion—Mito possessed the fabled Kagura Mind's Eye.
Naturally, Azula, being a tactical genius, immediately dug deeper. She expected to find details on some all-seeing, always-active superpower, like Observation Haki nonsense—think of Kagura Mind's Eye as a perpetual radar.
Reality, as it often did, was a lot more… convenient. The Kagura Mind's Eye wasn't a passive buff you just got to enjoy.
It was a technique that required actual effort. You had to actively open your mind's eye, focus your chakra, and concentrate. Some amateurs even had to close their physical eyes.
This discovery bred in Azula a dangerous and, as it turned out, utterly misplaced sense of confidence. If it's not always on, she reasoned, then I can probably get a peek. A little covert surveillance. What's the harm?
The harm, apparently, was to her ego.
Almost the moment she tried to subtly tune into Mito's chakra signature, she was met with a gentle but unmistakable psychic poke.
It was the spiritual equivalent of Mito turning around, raising a single, unimpressed eyebrow, and waving directly at the bush Azula was hiding in. So much for covert ops. The old woman knew. She knew Azula was watching, and more pointedly, that Azula was interested.
It was then that Azula facepalmed so hard she probably left a mark.
Of course! Uzumaki Mito wasn't just some sensor-type ninja with a fancy trick. She was the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki.
Even an imperfect partnership meant she could tap into that beast's bottomless well of foul-tempered chakra. Pair that monster's energy with the Kagura Mind's Eye?
She wasn't just a sensor; she was Konoha's living, breathing, and probably all-seeing security system. Trying to spy on her was like trying to sneak up on a guard dog… by setting off firecrackers.
The entire endeavor was not only nonsense but also deeply against Azula's nature. Sneaking around was for lesser beings. She preferred to be direct and accompanied by well-placed lightning.
Abandoning the futile stealth mission, she made a show of inspecting the 'youngsters' running the shop. They were, to her immense surprise, actually doing their jobs.
The cashier wasn't slacking. Everything was intolerably… efficient. With a sigh of resignation, she strode outside to wait for her target the old-fashioned way: by waiting with the intent of I know you know I want to talk to you.
Meanwhile, inside, Uzumaki Mito let out a soft sigh that carried the weight of centuries.
"Tsk, children nowadays." It truly felt like just yesterday she was the one sneaking out of her clan's compound to play hero on the battlefields of the Warring States era.
Now she was a grandmother of two, and the new generation of prodigies seemed to think subtlety was a suggestion.
If you asked Mito what her greatest skill was, she wouldn't say her legendary Uzumaki fuinjutsu. Sealing techniques were complex, powerful, and as natural to her as breathing, but they were just… tools.
No, her true pride and joy was her sensory ability. It had evolved beyond mere detection into something that bordered on premonition.
It was this sense that told her a young Hiruzen Sarutobi would one day make a fine Hokage. Reciprocally, it was this same sense that felt the unique, chilling signature of the Uchiha clan's chakra. Or, to be more precise, their overwhelming Yin chakra.
As a master of the Yin Seal (the Byakugou) and a scholar of chakra nature theory, Mito understood the balance of Yin and Yang better than most.
Her observations had led to a personal theory: the Uchiha were natural conduits for Yin chakra—the mental, spiritual, and imaginary energy. The more powerful their Sharingan, the denser the Yin.
In contrast, her Uzumaki clan and the Senju possessed immense Yang chakra—the physical, life-giving energy—which explained their frankly absurd vitality and resilience.
This, to her, was the core of the 'Uchiha problem.' They weren't a 'clan of hatred'; they were a clan of profound, uncontrolled emotion.
Ironically, those with strong Yin affinities, like the Uchiha or the Nara, were usually masters of their emotions, their minds cool and logical. But for the Uchiha, a deep personal loss could shatter that control.
The resulting tsunami of grief and hatred would violently stir their Yin chakra, unlocking the Sharingan in a painful, traumatic burst. They were essentially emotional pressure cookers with a fancy ocular release valve.
She'd never understood why they didn't just… study it. If they embraced chakra theory instead of their own drama, they could probably awaken their Sharingan through meditation and get a group discount on eye drops.
But it was a moot point. Most were too consumed by pride or bitterness to listen to reason. Talking to them was like trying to explain to Hashirama he shouldn't gamble.
But today… today was different. As she actively focused her Mind's Eye on the peculiar young girl waiting outside—a girl blazing with a chakra signature that was unmistakably Uchiha, yet somehow more—Mito made a shocking discovery.
This girl's spirit wasn't just strong. It was a fortress. Her emotional control was ironclad, her will a honed blade like someone who had seen all that the world had to offer.
The raw, refined strength of her Yin energy was unlike anything Mito had ever felt in someone so young. The thought was so startling it almost made her drop the books in her hand. That little girl out there, if she didn't implode first, was going to be the strongest Uchiha the world had ever seen.
(END OF THE CHAPTER)
What do you think of the pace of the story—too slow or too fast? I think there should probably be a small time skip in the next 20 chapters if I don't have any new ideas. 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