Chapter XXVIII

"Then, what are your thoughts?" Hiruzen's voice broke the silence as all those present gathered in the room.

"Hokage-sama, those kids are unbelievable!" one of them exclaimed. "Their combat aptitude, tactical acumen, judgment, and field knowledge make you forget that they're only six years old. They are seasoned shinobi in every sense!"

The man turned to Katou. "It's understandable if Itachi possesses such skills, but how does Nobuyuki manage it, Katou-san?"

Katou crossed his arms and addressed the question. "No, I didn't teach him anything beyond the basic curriculum. However, we've received reports that they often train together every other evening with one of the Genin. Who was it? Ah, Uchiha Shisui. It seems they are close friends."

"Shisui? Ah, I remember the last genius, he made quite a wave in the last war. So, perhaps Shisui imparted his knowledge to the kid?"

"No, Shisui only provided some pointers during their sparring sessions. That's all."

"He's an orphan, right? Has there been any investigation to find out who his birth parents are?"

"None. He was one of the survivors from the entertainment district during the Kyuubi's attack."

"Entertainment district?" He asked, a lightbulb lit up in his head as he murmured, "If it's that place... I suppose it's understandable." That's where most of the brothels are located.

"What's certain is that his blood doesn't match any of the clans. He's of civilian birth."

"Like Minato-sama."

"Now that you mention it, he's just like that knucklehead. It makes me want to smash his head for dying so early."

"Setting that aside, Itachi has certainly caught our attention with his fireball jutsu. Not only that, he excels in close-quarter combat and managed to awaken his Sharingan in the midst of the fight. I would understand if this were wartime, but such a feat in itself is praiseworthy."

Hiruzen turned to the white-haired man leaning against a wall. "So, how many jutsu did you observe from that kid?"

"Apart from a C-rank Fūton Jutsu, Rotating Shuriken, and essential jutsu like shunshin, I couldn't discern any other techniques. His clone is most likely some kind of chakra-infused doll created through a modified shadow clone jutsu. There's also an unknown Genjutsu at play, which Itachi broke with his Sharingan. It seems these jutsu don't require hand seals."

Hiruzen nodded, aligning with the reported documents so far. He had assigned an Anbu team to safeguard and observe the kid, especially considering his close relationship with Naruto. It was like having two eggs in one basket. He can't be too careful about their security.

Despite his old age, Hiruzen could see perfectly well how the gauntlet had crumbled into stone. Only a few people seated there truly understood the significance of such a transformation.

While Hiruzen had never personally witnessed the Shodai Sage's transformation, he had learned about it through his summon and student, Jiraiya.

Because of that knowledge, Hiruzen knew he needed to keep a close eye on Nobuyuki's development. The boy's excellent fūinjutsu aptitude might have given Jiraiya the impetus to train him, and Hiruzen understood the potential importance of nurturing such talent.

"Um... may I add my observations?" a man in a lab coat raised his hand.

Hiruzen looked at him and nodded.

"Did you notice the green circuit-like lines on his arm? It appeared during the battle and gave Nobuyuki an advantage in Taijutsu against Itachi. Without a doubt, it's an Iryō jutsu, most likely strengthening the chakra-infused limbs or body parts, similar to how Tsunade-sama uses her Iryō chakra for offensive techniques."

"So, we have Genjutsu, Iryōjutsu, Fūton, Shadow Clone, that strange device, and numerous seals he has developed. Is that all?"

"The Ninja Research and Development Division claimed dibs on Nobuyuki," an old man shouted from his seat.

"Please don't rush into conclusions, old man. Nobuyuki's talent clearly lies in the medical field!" another man retorted.

"What?! You want to fight me, you bloody vampire!"

"Go hide in the corner of your damn lab and harass more women, you damn useless egghead!"

"Please calm down," another man interjected, wearing a mask. "This is clearly the domain of the Anbu. Both of them meet the prerequisites and will be trained to become exceptional Anbu." He turned his head, "Hokage-sama, you just need to give the word."

Hiruzen let out a sigh, puffing on his pipe. "I don't care who claims dibs. What is your assessment so far?"

They looked at each other and nodded. "They pass!" they said in unison.

He blew another puff from his pipe before continuing, "With this, the shinobi rebuilding initiative has begun. We cannot waste such budding talent. As agreed, Nobuyuki will be assigned to a specialized program and an instructor, while Itachi will be given to Fugaku-dono for his own training regimen. He will receive additional resources from the village if requested."

"Any objections?" He scanned each of them and received silence. "Fugaku-dono, do you have any?"

Fugaku calmly listened to the assessments so far and replied, "None."

In addition to funding from the village, the Uchiha clan would receive additional concessions and material gains from the village. Offering his son to the village's enlistment was a gesture of goodwill, fostering a healthier relationship between the clan and the village. Fugaku was playing the long game, hoping the future generation would mend the estranged relationship.

With the arrival of yet another genius, someone undoubtedly destined for great heights, and who also happened to be a close companion to his own son, Fugaku's hopes soared higher than ever before. The young man was particularly close with his clan in recent times.

He saw in this young prodigy the potential to forge a powerful bond, one that could bridge the gap between the Uchiha clan and the rest of the village. All he needed to do is just to hold the bridge until the time comes.

In the end, the discussion revolved around Nobuyuki, as his presence overshadowed the others. When thinking of Itachi, being of Uchiha descent, it was understandable for their thought processes to lean in that direction as it was normal when compared to Nobuyuki who has no resources of his own.

Fugaku wasn't sure how he felt about such notions. On one hand, they recognized that his clan was the birthplace of geniuses, but on the other hand, if everyone is a genius, then no one is truly exceptional.

The feelings of the Uchiha patriarch were complex and mixed.

Seated on the opposite end of the room was Danzo, one of the village elders known for his counsel and advisory role to the Hokage.

From the moment he heard the news about the boy entrusted with the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki, he had begun his investigation.

While there was nothing overtly suspicious about the child, except for a peculiar excursion to the sealed sewer where Orochimaru's lab was once located, Danzo dismissed him as an oddity and assigned one of his agents to monitor the Jinchuuriki.

However, as reports started flooding in, Danzo couldn't help but be intrigued. The boy was touted as a genius on par with the late Fourth Hokage, which stirred a deep-seated hatred within Danzo towards the Namikaze boy. Yet, poetic justice had been served with Minato's demise.

Danzo glanced at the file before him, realizing he should have taken action earlier. But it was too late now. Hiruzen, undoubtedly, would tighten security around the boy, given the growing interest from high-ranking shinobi and village personnel.

Dark thoughts swirled in Danzo's mind as he pondered the fleeting nature of geniuses. He contemplated the untimely demise of his own sensei, Tobirama Senju, who died without leaving an heir, and the tragic fate of the White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, who succumbed to suicide, leaving his son Kakashi to walk a similar path.

The examples were plentiful, including Minato Namikaze. Danzo believed that Nobuyuki would not be an exception, and if not, he would simply conspire and orchestrate the boy's demise at a later date, as he had done many times before.

The flame that burns Twice as bright burns half as long.

For now, he preferred not to attract attention but instead observed the boy closely, searching for the opportune moment to exploit his vulnerabilities.

As Shimura Danzo, the shadow of Konoha, he knew that patience and manipulation were his greatest weapons.