After Orochimaru left the Hokage's office, his mind lingered on his recent experiment that had gone quite smoothly—Shin. A twisted smile crept across his face as he licked the corners of his mouth, his tongue flicking out like a serpent's. With a dark chuckle, he disappeared into Konoha's shadows.
Meanwhile, after finishing his conversation with Orochimaru, the Third Hokage remained in his office. By now, the jonin who had left earlier were already busy with their assigned missions or had returned home. Among them was Uchiha Hikaru.
Traditionally, Uchiha clan jonin would lead teams composed entirely of Uchiha members. However, Hikaru believed that the strength of the Uchiha clan could be better honed by mixing with other Konoha shinobi. To ensure the clan's safety, they still assigned a Uchiha jonin to oversee such teams.
After volunteering for this role, Uchiha Hikaru reviewed the team roster earlier that day. Although he had shown no reaction at the time, concern now clouded his face as he reflected on the assignments.
"Hui was only given one teammate," Hikaru muttered, his tone heavy with worry. "Just like Uchiha Obito's team... which means that dangerous man will be leading them." His sigh deepened.
Initially, Hikaru had planned to wait until Hui graduated before passing down the clan's fire release techniques and advanced genjutsu. However, with the new circumstances, he reconsidered.
Determined, Uchiha Hikaru walked into his room and opened a hidden compartment in his cabinet, pulling out a scroll. It was securely sealed, its protective markings indicating its significance. Hikaru gazed at it wistfully, his expression shadowed by memories. His white hair seemed to carry the weight of his past.
After a moment, his resolve returned. Looking through the wall panel in the direction of the ninja academy, he murmured to himself, "It's better to give this to Hui now, along with the fire release scroll."
That evening, the academy had already dismissed its students. Uchiha Hui, having finished his daily training, returned home. As soon as he stepped inside, his father's voice greeted him.
"Catch."
Two cylindrical objects soared through the air. Hui's eyes narrowed as he quickly identified them as scrolls. With swift reflexes, he reached out and caught both effortlessly. Glancing at them, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Are these... ninjutsu scrolls?" he wondered aloud. "Wasn't I supposed to get these after graduation?"
Looking up, Hui respectfully asked, "Father-sama, what are these scrolls?"
Hikaru smiled faintly and gestured toward the scrolls. "All the Uchiha clan's fire release techniques and some genjutsu. I had intended to give them to you in a month, but I'll be leading a team to the battlefield soon. I'm entrusting them to you now."
Hikaru had initially planned to copy only the ninjutsu that Hui's chakra reserves could handle. However, aside from the Great Fire Annihilation, all the Uchiha's fire jutsu were manageable with Hui's current strength. With this in mind, Hikaru decided to pass down even the formidable Great Fire Annihilation technique, hoping it would drive Hui to push himself harder.
Hui's eyes lit up with excitement, but his joy was tempered by his father's next words.
"I trust your talent with fire release," Hikaru said seriously. "But some of the genjutsu techniques are... unconventional. If you must use them, make sure no one who sees you perform them can speak of it afterward."
His voice grew heavier. "You'll understand what I mean when you see them. And if you're sure no one around you can identify the illusion, then it's safe to use. But above all, prioritize your safety. If you're ever in real danger, don't hesitate to use your Sharingan or any of those special techniques. Surviving is what matters most."
Hui met his father's gaze, his face solemn. "Understood, Father."
Hikaru gave a satisfied nod. "Now, go eat."
After dinner, Hui wasted no time returning to his room, scrolls in hand. Hikaru silently watched his son's retreating figure. He opened his mouth as if to say something but ultimately stayed silent. When Hui disappeared behind the door, Hikaru looked up at the ceiling, his eyes filled with both hope and concern.
"I wonder if Hui can..."
His whisper trailed off, too faint to be heard.