Dodai maintained respectful deference toward the Raikage—or more accurately, toward the office itself.The uniqueness of the Hidden Cloud Village lies in its distinct power structure.
They essentially lack the so-called ninja clans that divide authority—the Raikage holds absolute power.
But to put it bluntly, the Raikage is merely a symbol of brute strength, while Dodai serves as the strategist behind the scenes.
For most political schemers, this situation is like a dream come true.
A compliant leader and a nation with immense centralized power—what more could one ask for?
From his youth to now, Dodai has dedicated every step of his life to the Hidden Cloud's development.
Truth be told, if he had a choice, he wouldn't want to bother with such mentally taxing affairs at all.
Occasionally, when faced with particularly stubborn matters, he even had to coax the Third Raikage like a child.
Fortunately, the Third Raikage wasn't just a leader who listened to advice—he also had some brains of his own.
This at least lightened Dodai's burden somewhat.
It just goes to show that every village has its own unique circumstances. If this were the Hidden Leaf, Danzō would be laughing with joy.
With the differing strategies of the four major powers, the foundation for the future of the shinobi world was set.
It also meant that before long, a storm would brew—though no one knew what the spark would be this time.
...
Back in the Hidden Leaf.
Morning.
After waking up today, Uchiha Yato began his usual training regimen.
The strain on his body from Uzumaki Mito's funeral had been considerable, but now he could finally resume his training and push his limits further.
At the same time, he planned to visit Uchiha Kei today.
It would be somewhat impolite not to pay respects to the clan head after returning.
Of course, Uchiha Kei wasn't particularly rigid about such formalities—unlike Hyuga Hinata, who was a different story altogether.
Once, Uchiha Yato had made a joke—
Saying that Hyuga Hinata "couldn't get it up"—and nearly sparked a full-blown war between their two Eye Technique clans.
In the end, the Third Hokage had to step in to mediate.
Just when things had settled down and Uchiha Yato had apologized, he muttered under his breath—
"Tch, so petty!"
"Lies don't hurt—truth cuts like a knife…"
Well, damn. The moment those words reached the ears of those nearby, expressions shifted instantly.
Both Uchiha Kei and Sarutobi Hiruzen, for once, wore identical looks of exasperation.
And they couldn't help but glance at Hyuga Hinata's reaction.
Hinata, meanwhile, was so enraged that he fainted on the spot.
He didn't know what to do.
Punish Uchiha Yato? That would just prove Yato right—confirming he really did have… that problem.
Let it slide? It gnawed at him, like an itch he couldn't scratch.
In the end, Uchiha Kei had to personally visit and apologize, explaining it away as some underhanded provocation.
Only after a series of other incidents did the matter finally fade.
So, to say that Uchiha Kei had cleaned up after Uchiha Yato countless times would be an understatement.
Because of this, there had even been a period when, after Yato awakened his Mangekyo, some urged him to become the new clan head.
Among those pushing for it weren't just the battle-hungry Second Elder, but even the dovish Third Elder.To say Uchiha Kei felt no inner turmoil would be impossible.
However, after his wife returned home and carefully explained the pros and cons to him, Uchiha Kei realized this might not be such a bad thing after all.
Uchiha Yato acted even faster than Uchiha Kei, rushing straight to Naka Shrine to declare he had no intention of becoming clan head.
At first, he spoke with righteous conviction, making all the right points.
How the clan head was the spiritual pillar of the Uchiha Clan, and strength alone shouldn't determine leadership.
How the clan head was a crucial decision-maker, and he was still too young for the role.
Listening from below, Uchiha Kei was deeply moved.
He never imagined he held such a lofty place in Uchiha Yato's heart.
That is, until Yato muttered as he left:
"If I were clan head, who'd clean up my messes? The elders?"
Perfect. The moment those words left his mouth, not a single Three Tomoe-wielding Uchiha below dared speak.
The elders immediately shut their mouths.
Uchiha Kei froze in place, suddenly realizing he'd been duped.
With no room left for refusal, all the elders came forward with solemn advice, urging Uchiha Kei to accept his fate gracefully.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Ren, who had been sidelined the entire time, was laughing his head off behind the scenes.
After all, the entire Uchiha Clan couldn't just let Uchiha Yato keep targeting him—Ren wasn't the only one who could be screwed over.
Later, due to various incidents and trivial matters, no one ever brought up the idea of making Uchiha Yato the clan head again.
At the time, Yato had still worried the elders might repeat their mistake.
So he thoughtfully "checked in" on them—just to be sure.
Indeed, the Second Elder, Yato's first and most vocal hater, stormed up to Uchiha Kei and ranted:
"If you dare make Uchiha Yato the clan head, I swear I'll leave the Uchiha Clan!"
Then, slinging an arm around Kei's shoulders, he added:
"Making that shameless brat clan head? How would any Uchiha ever show their face in public again?"
His eyes bore into Kei's.
"If that happens, the Uchiha Clan will no longer have a Second Elder!"
From that moment on, Uchiha Kei's position as clan head was set in stone—barring his death in battle, it was his for life.
Arriving at Uchiha Kei's doorstep, Yato once again skipped the doorbell, opting for his usual method of entry.
The Kei household was happily enjoying lunch when a sudden voice came from the window:
"Sis, you home?"
"I'm here to fix the pipes!"
The entire family froze mid-bite, unsure whether to swallow.
Especially Uchiha Fugaku, who watched his father's face darken.
His mother, meanwhile, twitched at the corner of her eye, at a loss for words.
As head of the household, Uchiha Kei flung open the window, yanked Yato inside, and dragged him into the room.
Such an embarrassing spectacle couldn't be left for others to witness—it'd just fuel more gossip.
Not giving Yato a chance to speak, Kei cut in first:
"Don't say a word—let me ask you first!"
"What pipes are you fixing for my wife?!"This instantly made Uchiha Kei's wife blush crimson.
Yet, she couldn't very well say anything about the situation.
Uchiha Yato wore an expression of innocent curiosity as he said, "But in that book Fugaku had, this was exactly how you're supposed to greet someone."
"You're supposed to call out 'sister-in-law, open the door,' then say you're the plumber, and then they let you in, right?"
Hearing Yato's words, Uchiha Fugaku's expression went from suppressed snickering to shock, then horror, and finally sheer terror.
"That's slander!" Fugaku immediately shouted in protest. "He's defaming me! He's defaming me!"
Seizing the opportunity, Uchiha Kei's wife promptly dragged Fugaku away.
This also conveniently left Kei alone to have a proper conversation with Yato.