"Not that I don't want to, but that I can't?" Kaze repeated Tanzō's words, looking puzzled.
"Yes, it's that I can't." Tanzō gave Kaze a deep look.
Now that his son had grown up, in order to broaden his horizons and train his thinking, Tanzō no longer concealed many things from him.
"Tobirama dared to appoint Uchiha clan members because he could keep them in check."
"Even though they held important positions, as long as Tobirama was around, they wouldn't have ill intentions, or rather, they didn't dare to."
Kaze nodded, thinking that it was really true.
Tobirama Senju was extremely ruthless when dealing with the Uchiha clan. He had been killing them from the war years until the establishment of Konoha, never stopping.
If Tobirama Senju hadn't died, the Uchiha clan really wouldn't have dared to have second thoughts, unless another tyrant or power - hungry warlord comparable to Madara emerged.
"But, neither I nor Hiruzen can do it," Tanzō said quietly, with a rare look of exhaustion in his tone.
Kaze was stunned. Since his rebirth, he had never thought that his sly old fox father would also have moments of helplessness.
Tanzō's gaze wandered as he fell into memories. "Even when Tobirama was in power, there were still people like Setsuna Uchiha who attempted to rebel."
"Do you know how many Uchiha clan members Hiruzen and I killed when he was entrusted with a crucial task to ensure he could secure the position of Hokage? These Uchiha were trying to seize power!"
Speaking of this, Tanzō's tone became cold and his eyes were extremely icy.
"It was a long - planned rebellion. Those Uchiha were almost successful. If I hadn't led people to capture their family members as hostages at the critical moment, Konoha would have been under the control of the Uchiha clan by now."
"Our friend Kagami Uchiha never expected that he wouldn't die in The First Great Ninja War, but in an internal strife, at the hands of his own clan members!"
(According to the "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ninja World": Kagami Uchiha died at the age of 25.)
Listening to these past secrets, Kaze thought in shock, "Damn, so that's how Kagami Uchiha died?"
To be honest, he used to think that Tanzō had killed Kagami Uchiha for his Sharingan.
But now that he thought about it, so many Uchiha had died in the war at that time. His father didn't need to kill his old friend just for a pair of eyes.
After all, his father wouldn't want to make Little Hiruzen sad.
"When the main trunk is weak and the branches are strong, trouble is bound to occur!"
Tanzō didn't know that his son was secretly criticizing him. The more he talked, the more his killing intent boiled.
"Now, the Uchiha clan doesn't obey orders and stays behind closed doors. They've become a state within a state in the village! A sharp sword pointed at Konoha's heart!"
"Arrogant and uncontrollable, this clan will surely cause trouble again sooner or later!"
"Rather than waiting, it's better to cut off the trouble while Konoha is still strong and get rid of them as soon as possible!"
Well...
Kaze smacked his lips. From Tanzō's perspective, it seemed reasonable to think so.
If you had a subordinate who was disobedient, had his own forces, and even had a history of rebellion!
If this were in ancient China, the Uchiha clan would have been exterminated several times in a fun - like way (a meme referring to repeated clan extermination).
"Father, what if someone could suppress the Uchiha clan? Like your son here?"
Kaze confidently patted his chest and asked.
As a fan of Naruto, he wanted to protect the diversity of Kekkei Genkai. So he didn't want the Uchiha clan to be on the verge of extinction.
"You?" Tanzō was amused by his son, and the killing intent on him disappeared instantly.
He shook his head and said with a helpless smile.
"No matter how strong you are, can you surpass the two Hokages? They couldn't do it. Do you think you can?"
Kaze nodded as a matter of course: "It all depends on one's efforts, father."
As long as he worked hard... to choose the right answers, surpassing the Hokage was not a dream. At least Kaze thought so.
"Hehe, then I'm looking forward to that day." Tanzō patted his son's shoulder and insincerely encouraged him.
...
The next day.
Taking advantage of the three kids' vacation, Kaze got up early to visit them.
"Brother Kaze!"
As soon as Kaze entered the door, Konan trotted over with an eager smile on her face.
"Konan, what do you want again?"
Kaze shivered and subconsciously covered his wallet.
"Well, Brother Kaze," Konan said with a beaming smile.
"Recently, the Ninja tools shop is having an event. One hundred Explosive Tags only cost fifty thousand Ryo! If you buy today, you can save ten thousand Ryo!"
Kaze shook his head: "Don't buy, and you'll save fifty thousand Ryo."
Konan pouted and shook Kaze's arm.
"Brother Kaze, I'll be having my birthday in 10 months. Can't you buy them as my birthday present?"
Kaze still shook his head.
"You said the same thing a month ago. I'll be dead in a few decades. Can't you just pretend I'm already dead?"
Kaze was a cold - blooded Root Ninja. How could he fall for Konan's tricks?
"Brother Kaze~ But I really want them~"
Konan jumped directly onto Kaze, put her arms around his neck, and gave him a light peck on the cheek.
"Ah, this." Kaze was completely stunned.
"Damn it!" Yahiko beside them gritted his teeth and shed envious tears.
"Why isn't Brother Kaze reacting? That's not right!"
Seeing that Kaze didn't move, Konan blinked her eyes and pecked him twice more.
"Was one peck not enough? Then Konan will give two more~"
Boom!
Kaze's mind went blank.
In this world!
No older brother!
Can resist a younger sister's coquetry like this!
"Buy! Buy as many as you can!"
Kaze immediately took out a silver banknote worth one hundred thousand Ryo from his bosom and slapped it into Konan's hand.
"Thank you, Brother Kaze~"
Konan took the silver banknote, happily got off Kaze, and skipped towards the Ninja tools shop.
"Brother Kaze, you're spoiling Konan too much."
As soon as Nagato stepped out of the house and witnessed this scene, he shook his head helplessly.
"Stop talking, Nagato. My heart aches already," Kaze said, as his rationality returned. He let out a deep, heavy sigh and forced a bitter smile.
This girl was so well - behaved when she was a kid. Who would have thought that as she grew up, she'd become so expensive to raise.
Kaze couldn't stand Konan's terrifying money - burning ability anymore and felt he could barely afford to raise her.
Thinking of this, he pointed at Yahiko and Nagato beside him and said fiercely, "If either of you wants to marry Konan in the future, pay me back all the money she's spent first!"
Yahiko and Nagato trembled, knowing that they couldn't save up enough money even if they combined their savings.
They couldn't afford to marry her, not to mention support her after marriage.
"Brother Kaze, you can't spoil Konan like this anymore," Yahiko complained.
This was just making it even harder for him to court Konan!
"I support Yahiko's opinion on this," Nagato whispered in agreement.
The sun was already high in the sky (indicating it was late morning).
Kaze had spent the whole morning playing with the three kids.
Just as he was about to take them out for lunch, a figure jumped over the courtyard wall and landed in front of him.
"Good noon, everyone!"
The figure greeted everyone politely.
Then, turning to Kaze, he said, "Kaze, there's an urgent mission!"
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