Chapter 9: Play

After lunch at noon, a one-hour nap was followed by an hour of swordsmanship and shuriken training. Uchiha Toshirou decided to go for a stroll.

He had promised Uchiha Mika to spend more time playing with his companions, and he didn't intend to break his word. Not for any particular reason, but simply to pass the time. Otherwise, his days would be spent either reading or training, which would be incredibly dull. 

Isn't that even more extreme than the 996 or 007 work schedules from his previous life? 

Balance between work and rest is essential. Otherwise, pushing oneself to the limit with rigorous training would only lead to exhaustion and ultimate ruin. He understood these simple truths: food should be eaten one bite at a time, and the road should be walked step by step.

As for playing with little kids, he had no other choice. Being only four years old, he couldn't hang out with adults. He couldn't participate in adult activities like looking at racy magazines, going to casinos, kabuki theaters, or bars.

"Where there's demand, there's service!" He silently snarked, recalling the fleeting glimpses of those "societal venues" he had seen while wandering around Konoha these past two months. The more something is banned, the more thriving the business becomes. 

Ninja world adult entertainment was indeed plain and unpretentious.

"I'm heading out," he announced habitually, not caring about the empty house. Wearing a deep blue high-neck long-sleeve shirt and loose white pants, with a lollipop in his mouth and his hands behind his head, he swaggered out the door.

"Toshirou～ Over here!" A childish voice called out to Uchiha Toshirou from a distance.

He turned to see a boy about his age, dressed in the characteristic Uchiha attire, waving vigorously for him to come over. Around him, seven or eight other children, both boys and girls of the same age, were gathered. They were all peers who trained together within the Uchiha clan.

It was a period of peace between the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars. Ninja clans and the village weren't in a rush to train the children strictly, allowing them to enjoy their childhood.

The boy calling for Toshirou was Uchiha Ryuuhou, with short brown hair and fairly handsome features, though he seemed slightly reckless.

"Toshirou, you came at the right time. We can play ninja games together."

"Hey! Ninja games again? How about we play Ghost Catcher this time?" A girl interrupted before he could finish.

The girl was Uchiha Yen, with slightly yellowish hair tied into a cute high ponytail, and delicate features. She had the pure, adorable look typical of girls her age. She was known as a prodigy who had successfully extracted chakra overnight during the clan's training. It was said she was the daughter of a prominent figure in the First Division, both her parents being powerful ninjas.

With a different option suggested, the group of eight or nine children quickly split into two camps—some wanting to play ninja games, others preferring Ghost Catcher, creating a noisy hubbub.

This area within the Uchiha compound was specifically designated for clan members to relax and for children to play. All the children here bore the Uchiha fan emblem.

It was reminiscent of his previous life. Places like the provincial government courtyard or military family complexes had an inherent solemnity deterring ordinary people, let alone children. Children from such environments often formed their own circles, rarely mingling with regular kids.

Even if some Uchiha children ventured out to play with ordinary children, the stigma of being enforcers' kids often made parents wary, impacting their children.

Children from other ninja families, due to the village's isolation and ostracism of the Uchiha since the Second Hokage's time, faced further complexities.

Given a choice between the village and the Uchiha, anyone with a sound mind knew what to pick.

"No way! Those games are too childish and outdated. Let's play a new game!" If the goal was to pass the time, it needed to be approached with the right mindset. While he couldn't change the fact that they were a bunch of immature kids, he could steer them away from such babyish games.

"A new game? It's not something like hide and seek or skipping stones, right? If that's the case, we might as well play ninja games." Uchiha Ryuuhou looked at him, puzzled.

The previously arguing sides abandoned their original choices, all turning their attention to Uchiha Toshirou, expecting him to provide a reasonable explanation.

Unfazed, Uchiha Toshirou pulled out a deck of playing cards from his pocket, smiling knowingly at the children's stunned expressions.

"Toshirou～ You're not planning to get us into gambling, are you? At this rate, our families will find out before nightfall, and we're done for!" Uchiha Ryuuhou stared at him, looking around nervously as though he were doing something illicit, fearful of being caught by the adults.

On the other hand, Uchiha Yen had an entirely different expression. Her mouth slightly open, her big round eyes twinkling with curiosity, she seemed eager to try.

Toshirou raised an eyebrow at her expression—was she hiding some peculiar talent? Weren't Uchiha girls supposed to be paragons of intellect and elegance?

The others, like Uchiha En, Uchiha Asahi, and Uchiha Tarou, had various expressions too. Excited, curious, or fearful, most showed signs of eagerness. It seemed that, if they weren't in such a public place, these kids would be down to try it out.

"How about a round of Fight the Landlord to warm up?" He dismissed the absurd idea from his mind, glaring at Uchiha Ryuuhou.

"What are you thinking? How could it be gambling? This is just a prop for the new game."

"Yeah! Because playing cards are definitely not gambling tools?" added the ponytailed girl sarcastically.

"Well! Looks like I was wrong. But Toshirou's new game should be interesting, right?" Uchiha Yen smiled and looked at him, waiting for the answer.

(Chapter end)