After closing the System window, I moved straight to the kitchen, filled my stomach, and looked outside the window.
"You can report now," the Jōnin who had been maintaining the guard outside finally came into the house.
He bowed slightly. "Clan Leader, everything was done according to the plan. The higher-ups do not suspect that we were fighting that boy. The official report attributes the destruction and the death of that boy to an accidental gas explosion."
I nodded in relief. "Good." I then took out a scroll. This scroll recorded the Izanagi improved by the System and handed it to him.
"This is a very important Ninjutsu. Make copies of it and distribute it to all those having a three-tomoe Sharingan."
He nodded and then disappeared. I then started to walk outside, and using the Body Flicker Technique, quickly moved straight to the Grand Elder, who was the former Clan Leader of the clan.
As I knocked on the door, a beautiful girl around thirteen years old opened it.
"Good morning, Clan Leader," she said, bowing slightly.
I smiled faintly and said, "There is no need for that, Mikoto. Is the Grand Elder inside?"
She nodded, but I knew that she would still call me Clan Leader. I followed her inside and then spoke.
"I hear that yesterday you were crying for some reason." Her steps paused, and I, too, stopped, looking at her curiously.
Will the brainwashing effect be gone, or will she still have some feeling for the boy? But soon I realized I was thinking too much.
She lowered her face and said softly, "I am sorry. Yesterday, I ruined my image."
"It's okay. There is no need for that. I just wanted to know what happened yesterday because two of the clansmen were beaten."
"Are you here to complain about that, Clan Leader?" she asked, and I shook my head.
"No, I am not here for that. I want to talk to the Grand Elder, and the question I asked you was just out of my curiosity." She nodded and spoke in a soft voice.
"Yesterday, I heard my brother died on the battlefield. That's why I lost my emotions. And regarding that boy—I don't know his name—there was very little interaction in the class, but yesterday he dragged me to the Hokage Cliff and told me that my brother died to protect the peace of the village." Hearing her, my heart ached, and I spoke up.
"Sorry for bringing up this topic." She shook her head, stating it was okay.
Soon, we entered the study where a man in his 50s sat. His face was sharp, worthy of someone who was once a Kage-level powerhouse.
"Good morning, Clan Leader. I want to talk to you about something important." He nodded and signaled Mikoto to leave. She followed his instructions.
I then told him everything about the Izanagi I improved and my plan to give it to all the Jōnin. As I spoke, his face became uglier and uglier.
"Fugaku, don't you know doing this might end our clan!" he said.
His outburst was reasonable. During the civil war which happened because of Izanagi, many Kage-level clansmen died. I knew that my proposal was very risky, but despite the risk, it was the only way to gain strength quickly and preserve the clan's vitality.
"Grand Elder, I know it is risky, but if we do not do this, our clan will end up like the Senju in a few years," I argued. At my words, he did not say anything and looked into my eyes. A tense standoff was between us at this point. Then, he finally sighed and spoke up.
"If you can convince me, then I will consider it." I nodded and began to speak.
"In this war, our clansmen were distributed across many different battlefields and performed exceptionally. Although there were heavy casualties, it's still better than the Senju, who are almost gone. And this success scares me."
"How does performing great on the battlefield scare you?" he asked, puzzled.
"Just think about it, Grand Elder. Only the Senju were capable of suppressing us in the number of elite ninjas. But because ninja villages feared another Hashirama, they targeted the Senju clan in the First and Second Ninja Wars.
As a result, they are gone. I am afraid that the higher-ups in Konoha will surely fear our power." I paused for effect and continued my analysis.
"I am afraid if another war breaks out, we will be sent to the battlefield without much support from the village." His face changed for a moment, and then he spoke.
"Surely you are overthinking it," he said, but his eyes clearly showed that he was convinced. I needed only a slight push now.