After Minato left, Matsukata Seigou looked at Kakashi and Naraku, who were exchanging glances, and said calmly, "You don't need to be reserved. Stay here for the next few days and practice more with Ishikawa. That unmotivated fellow, it's time to give him some pressure."
Ishikawa protested, "No, Fourth Young Master, you don't understand ninja matters. My—"
He was cut off before he could finish. "Who cares what you think? It's decided." Matsukata Seigou glanced at Kakashi and Naraku. "The two of you will team up and fight him once a day to stretch your muscles. No problem, right?"
"Yes."
Naraku nodded, taking the returned shuriken from the attendant and putting them back in his pouch.
Kakashi subtly eyed Ishikawa, likely wanting to test his skills against him immediately.
The few days they stayed there passed without incident.
Besides his daily training, Naraku's job each day was to survey the layout of the estate and, along with Kakashi, spar with Ishikawa. He had now forced Ishikawa to go all out, no longer moving with the casual grace of their first encounter.
Every time Ishikawa was put in a difficult position, Matsukata Seigou would always mock him from the sidelines—a true bad friend.
On this day, just after sparring with Ishikawa, Naraku saw a samurai quickly approach and whisper to Matsukata Seigou.
After hearing the message the samurai brought, he sneered, said, "Understood," and waved the person away.
Looking at Naraku and Kakashi, he said, "It's tonight."
Ishikawa finally showed the respect due to the Clan Head's son, saying, "Then I must go to the Master's side, Fourth Young Master. Naraku and Kakashi are very strong; you don't need to worry."
Naraku sheathed his blade and said, "After dark, please ensure you and your attendants do not move around, and instruct the other servants to wait in their rooms. Kakashi and I will set up traps around the area, just in case."
"Mm."
Matsukata Seigou nodded, then suddenly asked, "What if the enemy breaks through the traps?"
Kakashi said, "If they want to harm you, they must step over our dead bodies."
"Hmph hmph~"
Seemingly satisfied, he hummed in acknowledgement and then began to instruct the surrounding maids to prepare the things he would need for the night, as he would be staying in his room all night and would require many items.
Naraku and Kakashi split up, working until dusk, setting up dense, overlapping traps all over the entire large courtyard of the Fourth Young Master's quarters.
Only they, who knew the safe spots, could move freely; anyone else entering would not survive the explosions, even if they had ten lives.
Late at night, the surroundings were silent. In the innermost room, Matsukata Seigou sat casually on the tatami mat, with Naraku standing before him. Kakashi was not in the room; he was hidden in a dark corner of the outer corridor.
"How boring."
After a long silence, he suddenly spoke again. "Naraku-kun, do you know why the Tamai Family betrayed us?"
Naraku shook his head. "I don't know."
"Actually, the Tamai Family and our Matsukata Family didn't have any deep-seated grudges."
He looked up at the ceiling and murmured, "The Tamai Family produced many generations of samurai. Over several hundred years, they can be said to have made immense contributions in various wars."
"Unfortunately, one improper action can lead to suspicion, and over time, suspicion turns into distrust."
"The distrusted party feels anxious, which in turn causes further chaos."
"In the end, both sides fall into madness over non-existent issues, and it won't stop until one side is completely annihilated."
Matsukata Seigou no longer looked at the dark ceiling but directly at Naraku's back, saying meaningfully, "What do you think?"
"You can feel all of this slowly happening, right?"
"Uchiha Naraku."
Naraku felt a chill down his spine, his hairs standing on end.
Was Matsukata Seigou talking about the Tamai or the Uchiha?
Did he really know so much?
While most Uchiha clan members were still dreaming of becoming Hokage, this noble young master, far away in the northern part of the Land of Fire, saw things more clearly than any of them.
It turned out there were so many intelligent people in the ninja world who, to varying degrees, sooner or later, had guessed the Uchiha's fate. Only the Uchiha themselves were lost in the fog, unable to see anything clearly.
The Uchiha Clan never lacked talented ninja; what they lacked was a qualified politician.
Naraku turned to face Matsukata Seigou, meeting his eyes without fear.
"Very good eyes."
Knowing that Naraku had understood his hint, Matsukata Seigou sincerely praised him, his dissolute air vanishing and his gaze becoming inscrutable.
"You are truly intelligent, Uchiha Naraku. You are so intelligent that you don't seem like an Uchiha."
Naraku knew that in his shock, he had revealed a weakness to this fox, so he could only feign ignorance, trying to keep his voice as calm as usual.
"I don't understand. Why are you telling me this?"
"Because our Matsukata Family will be the next Tamai."
Naraku's breath hitched slightly, and he instinctively tightened his grip on his sword hilt.
After his startling statement, Matsukata Seigou sighed. "My father is old; he suspects this and suspects that, but he doesn't realize he is also a thorn in someone else's side."
Someone higher than a great noble like Matsukata... wouldn't that be...?
"Did you guess? Hehehe..."
"..."