Chapter 9

Toshiro failed to recognize him; with such a large clan, it was simply impossible to be familiar with every single person. Nevertheless, to steer clear of any potential awkwardness, he flashed a smile and gave a nod in greeting.

"This is Uncle Testsu, an old acquaintance of your father's. If you ever need custom equipment in the future, he's the one to seek out," Mei said cheerfully, noticing his silence.

"Hi Uncle Tetsu! Nice to meet you." Toshiro said it with a friendly smile.

"Ah, I remember seeing you at one of our gatherings back in the day when you were just a wee one." "So, I hear you've already started your ninja training. It looks like you're on your way to becoming quite the formidable ninja and bringing honor to the Uchiha clan." Uncle Tetsu said it with a warm smile.

Uchiha Tetsu, a retired ninja from the Uchiha clan, was widely celebrated for his heroics during the Second Ninja World War. Regrettably, he was forced to retire due to a serious injury. His biggest disappointment stemmed from his inability to unlock the Sharingan. Nowadays, he's focused on crafting ninja equipment and overseeing family affairs.

Right on one of the most crowded commercial streets and next to the edge of the clan compound, he has a shop of his own. His family and he make a living by selling everyday items and ninja tools.

At the same time, he's part of the branch family of the Uchiha clan. As per family tradition, those clan members who haven't unlocked the Sharingan are seen as members of the Uchiha's branch family. This is not strictly enforced, like in the Hyuuga clan, but members who have unlocked sharingan are given much more respect than those who have not.

In contrast to the Hyuga family's treatment of their branch members, the Uchiha clan, often referred to as a fanatic clan known for their caring towards their loved ones, did not impose oppression on the branch members. Not even Uchiha Fugaku, the patriarch. He would never look down on any of the branch members of the family.

On the other hand, the Hyuga clan's main branch always enjoyed the privilege of royalty. While the members of the branch family were assigned servant roles to the Main family.

As Toshiro's mind wandered, he noticed that the two men next to him had finished their work and were now using a unique tool to measure the smooth side of the slate. Mei nodded, indicating that the installation was complete.

"Make sure to let the cement under the slate dry overnight." Once we put this stone ball back into place, Mei-san's commission will be considered complete." Mei was pleased after giving Uncle Tetsu 100,000 ryos and seeing them off.

"Now I'm happy!" "I really hope the meditation method you mentioned works; otherwise, we'll have wasted those 100,000 ryos," Mei said, gently patting Toshiro's head with affection.

The so-called meditation method was entirely a copy of the way Naruto practiced senjutsu. Basically, at the base was an adult sized semi-circular rock. I am going to balance my body while meditating, sitting on a plank similar to Naruto.

It was very much necessary to convince Mei of the results of this meditation, given that Mei held the family's financial reins. Without her approval, customizing such a thing would be impossible.

(Next morning)

After finishing his early morning workout, Toshiro returned home for a brief rest before heading to the corner of the courtyard. I saw that the stone slab was set, and I can start to use it for the meditation process. As I was starting to lift the slab, Mei's voice came -

"While cultivation demands perseverance and diligence, there's no need for you to rush. We can start after breakfast," Mika advised.

"I've been waiting for days already. If I wait any longer, the opportunity will slip away," I insisted, adamant that his training was of utmost importance.

Reluctantly, Mika acquiesced.

"It's a really unconventional way of training. Are you sure this kind of meditation will be effective?" She asked, recalling Toshiro's description with some uncertainty.

Undeterred, I returned to the stone ball and slab, saying, "Trust me, Neechan."

Upon hearing his words, she pursed her lips, refraining from further comment. Instead, she remained in place, silently observing his next move.

She watched as he placed the plank atop the round stone ball, then stood upon it. Balancing himself, he gradually assumed a cross-legged position on the board.

In his training plan, mastering the mangekyo and senjutsu took precedence, as they were pivotal to many of the future battles.

If successful in mastering both senjutsu and mangekyu, he could try to alter the tragic fate that befell the Uchiha family. Being an Uchiha himself, he couldn't escape his ties to the clan.

Should he only succeed in mastering one of them, he would rely on the outcomes of his power to determine whether to save the family or escape with a select few clan members.

If he failed to awaken the mangekyo, or master senjutsu, he would have no choice but to devise a plan to fake his death and flee, seeking refuge in a tranquil locale amidst lush landscapes, preparing to live out his days in peace.

When it came to finding a way to avert the impending tragedy, Toshiro pondered deeply on this. Ultimately, he decided to bide his time, refraining from rashly intervening. Despite Konoha's incessant talk of the "will of fire," he knew well enough that there was no absolute rule as such. Haphazardly meddling could only lead to unforeseen consequences, potentially resulting in his demise.

Look at what happened to Sakumo the White Fang. He followed the 'Will of Fire' but got burned by it.

As for seeking refuge with the Third Hokage, similar to Itachi, it was a matter worth considering. He recalled how, in the original story, Uchiha Itachi swiftly returned to Konoha following the Third Hokage's death, using it as a means to intimidate those who harbored ill intentions towards Sasuke, who was keeping Danzo at bay till his death.

However, seeking refuge without careful consideration could backfire. The Hokage would undoubtedly scrutinize his motives, and without the Mangekyo, he wouldn't even qualify as a pawn in the larger scheme of things. Even if he possessed the eye, he couldn't ignore the fate of Uchiha Shisui, whose plan was thwarted by Shimura Danzo's interference.

Though Toshiro acknowledged the inherent risks in his plan to mediate the conflict between his clan and the village, he remained determined to try, even if it meant relying solely on his eyes to effect change.

As for his pursuit of senjutsu, he approached it with cautious optimism, ensuring his safety remained paramount. Whether he would succeed or not remained uncertain. To start taking in senjutsu chakra, I would need to have huge amounts of chakra, or else I would turn to stone.

Nevertheless, as someone who had witnessed the entirety of the manga, he couldn't help but cling to the hope of success. After all, what harm was there in dreaming?

"Bang dang!"

"Aaah!"

Oops, that was the sound of him tumbling down the stone ball.

Meanwhile, Mei couldn't help but burst into laughter, throwing caution to the wind.

There was no one to blame but himself. The contraption he had designed was simply too difficult to balance, and he had unwittingly set himself up for failure.

Any slight movement and the lack of balance could set off the fall, making it challenging to control.

"Well, I'm not sure if this training method will yield results, but seeing your disappointed and grumpy expression unexpectedly brings joy to my heart," remarked his mischievous sister.

Brushing off his aunt's mockery, Toshiro retrieved the fallen stone slab, determined to continue his 'Senjutsu' practice.

He refused to believe that he couldn't achieve what even a group of toads, snakes, and slugs could. After all, he was a distinguished college student with a 20th-century education.

In the original story, only Senju Hashirama and Naruto Uzumaki, the reincarnations of Asura, succeeded in mastering the technique. But with characters like Jiraya, Kabuto, and Boruto, as well as Orochimaru's perverted experiment as his son Mitsuki achieved the feat, why couldn't he, a descendant of Indra, do the same?

AN : Apologies for hiatus and the lack of chapters. It would be great to see your support with power stones.

AN 2 : You can read chapters published ahead on my p@treon account - p@treon.com/noviceauthor777