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"Regarding the matter of deepening cooperation between the two clans, I vote in favor. Although there aren't many projects the two clans can collaborate on, the Uchiha lack reliable allies. Bringing the Inuzuka clan to our side would only benefit our family, with no downsides. However..."
Kazuki deliberately reminded Itachi and Fugaku:
"While sacrificing for the clan is the duty of every Uchiha, I hope certain matters don't override personal feelings. Itachi, may I hear your thoughts?"
Watching the spectacle had been entertaining enough. If the two clans could cooperate, that would be ideal. But if not, Kazuki wouldn't force it. He still felt Itachi deserved some degree of choice in the matter.
The gazes of Fugaku and the elders shifted to Itachi.
Under everyone's scrutiny, Itachi, who had been silent until now, lowered his head slightly and replied calmly:
"Elders, I abide by the clan's arrangements and trust my father's decision."
Well, that settled it. Kazuki had nothing more to say.
"If that's the case, then the clan head can decide. I won't involve myself further—I have plenty of work to handle as it is."
Itachi had already placed the clan above all else, believing that sacrificing for the family was his duty. Since he had no objections, Kazuki saw no reason to press further, he himself will be married to the Hyuga clan after all. Besides, if the two clans were to form a marriage alliance, the Inuzuka wouldn't just throw anyone at them—that would be an insult to the Uchiha, not an alliance.
Kazuki vaguely recalled that among the Inuzuka clan, Kiba—one of the Konoha 12—had an older sister.
Hadn't she been Itachi's classmate at some point...?
Ah, never mind. Why bother worrying about this? Let Fugaku handle it himself.
After a moment of thought, his memory remained hazy. Kazuki shook his head and stopped dwelling on it. Once Fugaku and the others finished their discussions, he left directly.
"Lord Advisor, the Hokage has summoned you to her office immediately."
The moment Kazuki stepped out of the clan head's compound, an ANBU operative appeared. It was unclear whether they had been waiting there or had just arrived.
The surveillance on the Uchiha had long been lifted, and ANBU operatives were no longer restricted from entering the Uchiha district—though certain critical areas remained off-limits, as they pertained to the clan's heritage.
"I'll head over right away."
After dismissing the ANBU, Kazuki quickened his pace toward the Hokage's office.
Upon reaching the second floor, he made his way straight to Tsunade's office.
But the moment he opened the door, his mood soured—two very punchable faces greeted him.
"Disheveled clothes, bruised faces—excellent. What was the fight about this time?"
"Hmm?"
Circling Naruto and Sasuke, who were still glaring at each other in silent fury, Kazuki was hardly surprised.
At this point, if these two didn't end up brawling and dragged to the Hokage's office every now and then, that would be unusual.
Sasuke, at least, was usually reserved. Even if he disliked someone, his cold demeanor meant he rarely picked fights—let alone started them.
Naruto, on the other hand... Well, out of every ten fights between them, Naruto instigated all ten.
And the reason? Almost always Sakura.
Damn.
Seeing the unstable tomoe flickering in Sasuke's eyes, Kazuki couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
Naruto had actually pissed Sasuke off so badly that he'd awakened his Sharingan.
In the original timeline, Sasuke's Sharingan had awakened due to the trauma of the Uchiha massacre—his rage manifesting as a single-tomoe eye. That plot point had become a meme among fans.
But now, with the story altered, Sasuke was just a normal academy student. The most "traumatic" thing he'd experienced was his scuffles with Naruto.
At nine years old, awakening the Sharingan at this stage wasn't unheard of, but it still placed him among the more talented Uchiha.
For Fugaku, this would be joyous news on top of everything else.
Kazuki had been wondering how Sasuke would awaken his Sharingan now that the massacre had been averted.
And then, just like that, Naruto had angered him into unlocking it.
When Kazuki questioned them, Naruto—having suffered the consequences of his actions many times before—immediately lowered his head.
With Tsunade, he could afford to act carefree. He knew she wouldn't punish him too harshly.
But Kazuki was different. He wouldn't physically discipline Naruto, but the aftermath would be far more painful.
Naruto stayed silent. Sasuke, still fuming, refused to speak as well.
Kazuki turned to Tsunade, who shrugged—I haven't interrogated them yet. I was waiting for you.
Their attention then shifted to the boys' teacher, the one who had dragged them here.
Due to the academy's reforms, Naruto's homeroom teacher was no longer Iruka but a special jōnin named Mizusei.
Under the combined stares of the Hokage and her advisor, Mizusei instinctively stiffened and hurriedly explained:
"Lord Hokage, Lord Advisor, this is what happened..."
He then shot Naruto a death glare.
You little brat, can't you cause me less trouble?! Being your teacher is shortening my lifespan by ten years!!!
"Heh heh..."
Naruto could only scratch his head awkwardly under his teacher's withering gaze.
You dare laugh?!
Clearly, his homework load isn't heavy enough.
Once this mess was resolved, Mizusei would assign Naruto extra assignments. Let's see if he'd still have time to obsess over romance.
What kind of kid thinks about this stuff all the time? At least improve your grades first!
"Sakura from their class invited Sasuke to lunch, but Sasuke coldly refused. Naruto then proceeded to provoke him..."
The situation wasn't complicated—Naruto was at fault, as usual.
He had instigated the fight because Sasuke had rejected Sakura.
The first provocation, Sasuke ignored. The second, he still brushed off.
But as they say, third time's the charm.
So the two had brawled right in the classroom.
At first, Sasuke had the upper hand. But Naruto, like an indestructible cockroach, kept getting back up no matter how many times he was knocked down.
The final result? Naruto turned the tables.
Unable to accept this humiliation, Sasuke's fury awakened his Sharingan.
Before their second round could begin, their teacher arrived.
Mizusei promptly restrained them and hauled them to the Hokage's office like a pair of misbehaving kittens, leaving Tsunade to deal with them.
For ordinary students, the teacher would've handled it themselves.
But these two had complicated backgrounds—neither was someone to trifle with.
Left with no choice, Mizusei had brought them straight to the Hokage.
"These damn brats..."
A classroom brawl was a terrible look for the academy. Tsunade slammed her desk in frustration:
"Naruto, what the hell is wrong with you?! Do you think I won't beat you up just because I haven't before?! Sakura invited Sasuke to lunch, and he refused—that's between them! What does it have to do with you?!"
"I just couldn't stand him making Sakura cry!!" Naruto shouted defiantly.