Was the Uchiha clan dangerous?
By common sense, yes. Very. Extremely.
But for Konoha as a whole, it was also… not that big a deal.
Ever since Itachi had taken charge, his vantage point changed, and so did what he could see.
Konoha's upper brass had never, not once, treated the Uchiha with anything resembling warmth.
That was bad.
Very bad.
Itachi was loyal to Konoha.
But the Uchiha were also part of Konoha.
He wanted a solution that could satisfy both sides.
That was why he'd come to find Kangetsu.
He could tell.
Kangetsu's attitude toward the Uchiha had a subtle difference compared to the rest of the higher-ups.
At least, it did from the way he treated them.
Itachi didn't have the old Uchiha obsession with power, the kind that demanded the Hokage's chair, the kind that wanted the Uchiha to become Konoha's one and only.
He just wanted the Uchiha to settle down.
Like the other clans.
Konoha's leadership didn't want that.
They only wanted to guard against the Uchiha and weaken the Uchiha.
Including the Third Hokage. Same story.
But Kangetsu… felt different.
"Kangetsu-sama, the Uchiha aren't the kind of people who forget kindness," Shisui said calmly, while saying something that was anything but calm. "To our benefactor we'll repay with everything we've got."
"Easy," Kangetsu said with a smile, stopping him before he went too far. "You can't talk like that."
If you want to say it, say it the right way.
Say…
"It's all for Konoha. The Uchiha will also give everything for Konoha."
Itachi's eyes brightened for a split second.
So Kangetsu-sama accepted it.
Accepted the Uchiha drawing closer.
Not quite "pledging themselves," but… the scent was there.
"For now, we leave it at that. Some things are better understood than spoken," Kangetsu said.
"Understood!" the two of them answered in unison.
"Oh, right."
Kangetsu's gaze flicked—deliberately casual—across Itachi.
There was something else, and he didn't want them blaming him for it later.
At the start, he'd actually been planning to take care of the Uchiha a bit with the tobacco business.
The cultivation side, especially. He'd intended to use Uchiha land. That way, even if they didn't get a formal cut, they'd still profit.
But Konoha's higher-ups had land too.
More land.
Better land.
"Can you understand?" Kangetsu asked.
Understand what?
Understand the higher-ups' painstaking "intentions."
Itachi's hand trembled slightly around his teacup.
His expression didn't change, but his body went taut.
Shisui didn't have that kind of control. His face tightened on the spot, hard to look at.
Understand?
Of course the Uchiha understood.
They'd finally gotten a chance to ease the clan district's finances—and it vanished in a blink.
Especially the Third Hokage.
Itachi had heard plenty: a whole ugly scene, all because certain people wanted to keep eating alone.
Itachi's "leadership stereotype" just gained another layer.
This wasn't gossip.
He was watching it happen with his own eyes.
With vermin like that in the room… how was Konoha supposed to grow?
"Go back," Kangetsu said. "Remember: today, we only discussed Uchiha matters."
"Yes," Itachi replied.
He took it to heart.
As for pushing benefits for the Uchiha…
Not yet.
Outside in the yard, Itachi shook his head at Shisui.
Don't rush.
And it also couldn't be Kangetsu-sama bringing it up.
Since taking power, Itachi had clearly grown sharper.
After all…
This "filial son" had thoroughly sidelined his own father. With clan business, he stuck his hands into everything. Growth was inevitable.
"I get it," Shisui said, realization dawning. He nodded firmly.
Go back and keep sidelining the old clan head.
Only when Konoha's higher-ups truly felt "at ease" about the Uchiha would things move forward.
At last, the trouble was gone.
Only then did Kangetsu finally relax—grinning as he pulled Sae snug against him.
Haruno's eyes looked… strange as she watched his hand.
So that was the "technique," huh.
Yukine kept a blank face as she worked the tea, but her earlobes flushed a soft cherry pink.
Seriously.
Her man was as shameless as ever, with zero intention of hiding a thing.
"I am hiding it," Sae protested faintly, flustered even as she tugged her skirt down with shaking fingers, trying not to let Haruno get a good look.
Everyone gets their turn, okay? What's there to stare at?
Haruno lifted her chin like she owned the place.
What, I can't look?
I'm the main wife.
Kangetsu couldn't stand that smugness. He reached out, decisive—one arm for each of them, pulling them in close at once.
Haruno's bravado faltered.
Sae's face went even redder.
Yukine's grinding slowed, then stopped. Without a word, she gathered up her hair with practiced calm.
Fine.
If they were going to be like that, she was going to get her own "turn" too.
For a rare, quiet stretch, the house finally felt like it belonged to them.
And then—right when things were settling—
There was a knock at the door.
No.
Two visitors.
"Hinata? And you are…"
A slit cheongsam, those signature twin buns—
Ah.
Tenten.
Tenten walked in behind Hinata like she'd just discovered treasure, eyes shining the moment she saw Kangetsu.
Such a cool big brother!
From the first glance, she'd decided one thing.
This friend of Hinata's?
She was absolutely keeping her.
That look… wasn't right.
Kangetsu felt a little stiff.
Getting openly inspected by a kid was bad enough.
Getting openly inspected by a kid while Hinata was watching made it worse.
Hinata was still soft-spoken and sweet, standing there with her hands folded, looking nervous but earnest.
Someone had picked out her outfit with… enthusiasm.
Tenten's attitude, though, was oddly easy to understand.
Konoha had a reputation for kids who grew up fast.
In the shinobi world, people were forced to mature early. Life moved at a different speed, with different expectations.
Even so, Kangetsu wasn't in any hurry.
Good things didn't spoil just because you waited.
Tenten, bold as ever, greeted him like they'd known each other for ages and introduced herself with zero hesitation.
She didn't even make it two minutes before she'd climbed right up beside him, leaning in far too comfortably.
Big eyes blinking.
Like she didn't understand a thing.
Hinata looked like she was about to cry.
This wasn't right…
She had a future husband-to-be, and she had a new friend.
It should've been double happiness.
So why did double happiness feel like… not happiness at all?
Kangetsu quickly deployed a tactical move: he patted Tenten's head.
Cute.
Ridiculously cute.
And for the record—he was not, absolutely not, doing anything weird.
Konoha simply had its own… "national conditions."
(End of Chapter)
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