"Clang!"
The two Kunai clashed again, and the powerful force sent the heavily-expended Chishimo flying backward, plowing the ground for dozens of meters before he finally managed to stabilize himself.
"That's enough!" a serious voice interrupted Chishimo, who was about to charge forward again.
Chishimo looked at Fugaku with a slight daze, apparently still not having recovered from the recent battle.
Fugaku slowly approached Chishimo, a rare expression of praise and admiration in his eyes.
"Even with the Uchiha Clan's pride, I have to admit, to be able to contend with me to this extent, you are indeed a truly rare talent!"
Hearing Fugaku's appreciative tone, a faint smile subtly appeared on Chishimo's slightly pale face.
Chishimo knew that for Fugaku to even offer praise, it meant he had completely gained Fugaku's approval, and at this point, the matter of becoming his disciple was practically set in stone.
Sure enough, the next moment, Fugaku resumed his serious demeanor and solemnly stated, "Uchiha Qianshuang, are you willing to become my disciple and follow me in cultivation!"
Upon hearing this, Chishimo knelt on one knee without hesitation, and said reverently, "Disciple Chishimo, greetings, Teacher!"
Watching this scene, even the stern Fugaku couldn't help but slightly curve his lips, looking at Chishimo with satisfaction and reaching out to help him up.
"Chishimo, I must tell you upfront, my training is very rigorous. If you regret it now, it's still not too late!"
Feeling the change in Fugaku's attitude towards him, Chishimo grinned at Fugaku, "I'm not afraid of hardship, bring it on, Teacher Fugaku!"
Fugaku nodded, patting Chishimo's shoulder, "That's enough for now. You've expended a lot of energy, go back and rest, then come to my place tonight."
"I understand, Teacher!"
With that, Fugaku turned and walked towards the exit of the training ground.
He hadn't walked two steps when Fugaku's forward movement paused, and his stern voice came again, "Don't sneak in again this time."
Then, he resumed his steps and walked out of the training ground, leaving only Chishimo to smile helplessly to himself.
After a brief rest, and taking out two Military Rations Pills to eat, Chishimo began his training for the day.
He was now the Uchiha Clan Head's disciple, barely considered an internal member of the Uchiha, so he no longer needed to specifically run to the forest where Might Guy and Might Duy trained their taijutsu.
Plus, he seemed to have been regarded by Might Guy as an existence on par with Kakashi, so it was better to avoid him as much as possible.
Chishimo stated that he had just taken a beating and couldn't handle it at all.
…
Naka Shrine, located at the edge of the Uchiha Clan territory, was considered a corner even for Konoha Village.
What deity was enshrined here, probably no one could answer that question anymore.
Apart from the ancient temple in the very center, which still vaguely retained some grandeur, the rest of the shrine had long since fallen into disrepair with the passage of long history.
But what outsiders didn't know was that in this seemingly abandoned place, Fugaku was talking with six old and decrepit Elders in an underground secret room.
"Clan Head, is that child trustworthy?" Uchiha Gen, sitting at the left head seat, asked Fugaku with an aged voice.
"I have already investigated thoroughly. Although Chishimo has unique ideas, his heart is with the Uchiha Clan, and furthermore, he has a grandmother within the Clan," Fugaku replied calmly.
"Clan Head, although that child's words have some merit, you cannot entrust the entire future of the Clan to him! Moreover, whether this child is truly trustworthy still needs to be deliberated…"
Uchiha Gen wanted to say more, but he was interrupted by a crude voice.
"Bah, you old man, all you ever say is 'consider it at length' and 'needs deliberation'! By the time you make a decision, the yellow flowers will have long withered! I think this kid is pretty good; he dares to speak and act, and he's not arrogant or impatient. He's a good seedling!"
Fugaku turned his head to look, only to see Elder Uchiha Homura, sitting in the second seat on the right, glaring at Uchiha Gen opposite him, his beard bristling and eyes wide.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that the two seemed to be at odds, and indeed, that was the case.
Uchiha Gen was a member of the Dove faction among the Clan Elders, advocating for resolving conflicts through moderation, while Uchiha Homura, whose personality was the opposite, was true to his name, having a very fiery temper. He had long been displeased with the Konoha higher-ups and was a typical representative of the Hawk faction.
The two, who had always been at odds, naturally had a disagreement on the matter of Chishimo.
"You!" Being pointed at and cursed, how could Uchiha Gen, a dignified Clan Elder, ever endure such humiliation? Just as he was about to formulate a retort, Fugaku, who was seated at the head of the table, spoke up.
"Alright, Elder Gen, Elder Homura, both of you calm down. We are here today to discuss opinions, not to argue!"
"Yes, it's better to calm down first and listen to what the Clan Head has to say."
"That's right, arguing won't solve anything!"
The other Elders on the side also chimed in, and the two belligerent old men finally quieted down, though they still pouted at each other and turned their heads away.
Seeing that the Elders had quieted down, Fugaku promptly continued his speech.
"I believe Chishimo's viewpoint has a certain degree of merit, and I think no one here can deny that!"
The Elders looked at each other and all nodded in agreement, indicating their affirmation.
Seeing this, Fugaku nodded slightly and continued, "Since it makes sense, we might as well give it a try, but we must still be careful not to let Clan members discuss or spread this matter carelessly. Elder Homura, I'll entrust the supervision work in this area to you, is that alright?"
"Leave it to me. I also want to see if this kid's plan is effective!" Uchiha Homura readily agreed.
"As for the later mention of joining the Anbu and monitoring the Konoha higher-ups, I've thought about it, and among the younger generation of the Uchiha, only Chishimo and Shisui are capable of bearing such a heavy responsibility. However, this matter should not be rushed; we need to wait for them to grow stronger. I have already taken Chishimo as my disciple, and during this time, I will personally instruct Chishimo until he is capable of bearing this important responsibility. What do the Elders think?"
"One more thing, to be on the safe side, Chishimo's matter must be kept secret for now, including from those within the Uchiha Clan, until he has sufficient strength!"
In Fugaku's calculations, if he directly announced his discipleship, the Elders would label Chishimo as the Clan Head's disciple in their minds. Then, upon hearing Chishimo's series of viewpoints, everyone would probably attribute the credit directly to Fugaku, and they wouldn't have any profound opinion of Chishimo himself. This was not what Fugaku wanted to see.
Therefore, at the beginning of the meeting, he first explained Chishimo's views, and then announced his discipleship. This not only showed his support for Chishimo but also allowed these Elders to gain a deep understanding of Chishimo as a person, which would be greatly beneficial for Chishimo's future actions within the Clan.
Seeing that their Clan Head clearly supported it, which Elder would dare to say no? Furthermore, everyone's original intention was for the Clan, and now that there was an optimal solution, no one would jump out to sing a different tune.
"With the Clan Head personally instructing him, we are naturally at ease."
"We all abide by the Clan Head's words."