'He could actually erase the seal on my forehead?'
Yun's words echoed in Tokuma's mind, sounding almost unreal.
Years ago, when Yun first spoke to him about the Caged Bird seal, Tokuma had already resigned himself to fate.
But now…
It felt like fate had opened a new path.
After a moment of thought, Tokuma re-tied his forehead protector.
Yun smiled and asked, "Not removing it?"
Tokuma nodded. "I remember the first time you mentioned it, you said the Caged Bird seal was a form of protection for the weak among the Hyūga branch family. And right now… I am still weak."
Yun added, "With that seal, the blind spot at the back of your head will always remain."
Tokuma replied calmly, "As long as it's not discovered, it's fine. Right now, the branch family isn't strong enough to change the rules."
"Patience, strength, timing, none can be lacking. If I remove the seal now and die on a mission before it activates, all its advantages would be lost."
He looked at Yun. "Besides, with you around, a seal that can be removed at any time no longer binds my fate."
Yun nodded, then asked curiously, "Why didn't you question whether I could remove it? The Hyūga's rules have lasted for generations. The Caged Bird seal isn't something just anyone can undo."
Tokuma smiled and shook his head. "I can't be sure. But with your abilities, I believe you can."
Yun paused, then led the way out of the cave toward the Hokage's office.
Tokuma followed silently.
From calling him by name to respectfully calling him "sensei," it was clear Tokuma's attitude toward Yun had changed.
And the reason he didn't remove the seal now? Tokuma still had reservations. After all, from this moment on, Yun was their team's teacher.
At the Hokage's office entrance, Yun glanced at the guard, who was engrossed in a book.
"'Icha Icha Paradise' What a pervert reading this out in in the open?" Yun teased.
Smack.
Kakashi snapped the book shut and looked at Yun. "Team Ten's exam was the slowest to finish. I heard you returned at noon and figured you'd come by today."
Kakashi didn't seem embarrassed at all.
Yun patted his shoulder. "Heard you're twenty-one now? Still reading this stuff every day instead of finding a wife? Can you even keep up?"
Kakashi gave him a deadpan look. "You're twelve and a half. What do you know? My body's in great shape."
Yun looked him up and down. "Two rounds and you're done. Not bad."
Before Kakashi could respond, Yun and the awkwardly smiling Tokuma slipped into the office.
Kakashi scratched his head, suddenly losing interest in his book.
Before graduation, Yun had requested to become a team leader, and Kakashi had been added to the list at the teacher's suggestion.
Kakashi knew that Minato wanted him to guide energetic newcomers, to help him out of the shadows.
'But those three kids… hadn't passed the bell test.'
'Without teamwork, people who cannot value their partners are not even as good as garbage.'
'Obito… you'd agree, wouldn't you?'
Inside the office, Minato looked up from his paperwork.
He glanced at Tokuma behind Yun and smiled wryly. "Yun, don't tell me Tokuma's the only one who passed? One student doesn't make a Team Ten."
Yun grinned. "Kakashi's students didn't pass his test? All sent back to the academy?"
Minato sighed. "Yeah, all three were returned. Kakashi's a bit too strict."
Yun didn't comment. Instead, he said, "Team Ten passed the exam. And we have intel to report from the survival mission."
He handed over a scroll. "An unexpected discovery. Tokuma confirmed it again today. Most of them are inactive due to age, but… I think this counts as a B-rank mission."
Minato finished reading the scroll and looked serious.
'Explosive tags buried throughout the village nearly thirty years ago?'
'Ten years ago… no, even five years ago, if someone had known and triggered them, Konoha could've been devastated.'
"Yun, you should've reported this sooner. This isn't a small matter."
He turned to Tokuma. "Good work. This map of the tag distribution will make cleanup much easier."
Yun smiled. "They've gone unused for thirty years. A few days won't make a difference."
Minato searched through records, then nodded. "Team Ten's exam will be classified as a B-rank mission. Yun, guide them well. The Hidden Cloud will be attending next year's Chūnin Exams."
'Hidden Cloud?'
'The big exam early next year?'
'A show of strength?'
"Understood. I promised the students a barbecue tonight. Will you join us?"
Minato chuckled, lifting a thick book. "Can't. I hoped to finish early and spend time with my son, but this intel changes things. It's not just about removing the tags, we need to confirm who planted them."
Yun nodded. "Kagero Village is just my guess. The rest is up to you."
With that, Yun and Tokuma left. Tokuma bowed and said nothing else.
But now that the intel was handed over, Tokuma felt relieved.
After they left, Minato picked up the scroll again.
'An accidental discovery?'
'Did the he find traces of it in Uchiha records, suspecting to be Kagero's doing?'
He pondered for a long time, then set the scroll aside.
Bringing the Uchiha back into Konoha's leadership had been the right move, though clearly, some things still needed careful handling.
At the barbecue shop, Team Ten's first celebration.
"To Team Ten's official formation, and to you becoming full-fledged ninja! Cheers!"
All four raised juice glasses, Yun included.
Izumi chatted excitedly with Hana, while Tokuma remained a bit reserved.
Yun patted his shoulder. "A young sprout shouldn't worry too much. You've made your choice, now walk your path."
Tokuma nodded and joined in.
As the meal went on, Yun realized he'd become the center of their conversation.
Among their generation, only Yun had become a legend. Even Itachi, now a jōnin, hadn't earned that title yet.
"My mom was shocked when she heard Yun was my team leader. She only found out from Tokuma that Yun was our classmate."
"Same here. Lord Hizashi will probably talk to me tomorrow, Yun has special meaning for the Hyūga."
"Hey Izumi, living with a brother like that must be tough, huh?"
Izumi blinked, then smiled. "Not at all. He's always been good to me. Everything he says is right."
Hana leaned on her hand. "I've got a little brother starting school in September."
Izumi perked up. "You have a brother? Is he well-behaved?"
Hana snorted. "Six-year-old boys are chaos incarnate. Our ninja dogs are traumatized, he pulls their fur and hugs them way too hard."
She was talking about her brother, Inuzuka Kiba.
"Is Uchiha Yun inside?"
A voice came from outside the curtain.
Yun peeked out and waved to Itachi. "Just finished a mission? I'm here."
Itachi thanked the server and approached with a young boy.
"Yun, mind if Sasuke joins us?"
Yun blinked. "I'm hosting a student dinner. You don't like crowds."
Itachi scratched his head and looked at his brother. "I want Sasuke to meet his seniors. He's been… off lately."
Yun was surprised. He glanced at Sasuke, cold, silent, avoiding eye contact.
Even Itachi, though aloof, had always been gentle. Sasuke, though… was already showing signs of emotional rigidity.
"Sure, join us. Sasuke's starting the academy next year, right?"
They sat down, and Team Ten lit up.
"I thought I recognized that voice, Itachi, it's really you!" Tokuma grinned.
Hana added, "Two Uchiha becoming jōnin before age twelve? Your clan's full of prodigies."
Itachi smiled modestly. "You're all ninja now. Becoming jōnin is just a matter of time."
He turned to Izumi. "Didn't expect you to be Yun's student. I got the message you sent, but Yun warned me ahead of time."
He was referring to Izumi's summoning technique, using ninja cats to send intel. Yun had clearly anticipated it.
Izumi nodded, then glanced at Sasuke. "Just your brother tonight? Where's Sister Shinko?"
Itachi looked awkward. Sasuke's face darkened.
"She had something to do. Sasuke's been upset, so I brought him out to eat. Then we ran into you."
Suddenly, Sasuke shouted, "That woman wants to marry my brother, I won't allow it!"
??? x4
Even Yun paused mid-bite, stunned.
Tokuma, Hana, and Izumi stared at Itachi.
Tokuma asked, "Itachi… you're getting married? You're only twelve!"
Flustered, Itachi waved his hands. "Don't listen to Sasuke. I'm not even an adult, how could I get married now?"
But Sasuke stood up, eyes red with anger "You are! I heard you! You promised her! Once you're grown up, you'll marry and move out, and I'll be alone with Mom!"
"Don't lie to me!"
He glared at his brother, tears in his eyes. "I heard it all! You said yes, didn't you?!"
Itachi fell silent, and the longer he stayed quiet, the angrier Sasuke grew. He turned and ran out.
"Wait, Sasuke!"
Yun caught Itachi's arm. "Don't panic. Just send a shadow clone after him."
He did, and the real Itachi sat down again, clearly uneasy.
Yun sighed. The whole scene felt like something out of a soap opera.
Then again, after Fugaku's death, Sasuke had become far more emotionally dependent on his brother.
Shinko's appearance, though it filled some void, had clearly triggered something else, Sasuke's fear of losing his brother.
'Classic brother complex meets brother complex.'
"…Where's Shinko now?" Yun asked.
"Because Sasuke was a little upset, I sent a shadow clone to escort her back." Itachi replied sheepishly.
Yun smirked inwardly. 'Steel-hearted brocon, no wonder he'll die single.'
Itachi continued, "We were eating together earlier, but Sasuke got upset. I thought bringing him along would help, but…"
Yun nodded. "At his age, he's still selfish. He probably thinks Shinko's trying to steal you from him."
Itachi gave a wry smile, then leaned closer. "By the way… I've been investigating that name from a year ago. I think I've found traces of it. Could it be its influence?"
'Its?'
Yun froze, he realized Itachi meant the chakra of Indra.
He'd given Itachi that intel through Uzumaki Ku… but how had he traced it? Even the stone tablet shouldn't have mentioned Indra outright.
Maybe the former clan head's records had something more.
"We'll talk privately later," Yun said quietly. "Some things aren't meant for them to hear."