Naruto: Sukuna's Jinchuriki, I am Uchiha

Chapter 86: Sasuke's Birth

"Your stance is unsteady, and your mind is too distracted."

"When you hesitate to strike a vital point, do you think you can harm me? Stop overthinking. In battle, your only concern should be how to kill the enemy as quickly as possible."

In the Uchiha clan district, the sound of clashing blades rang out in the training ground.

Shisui collapsed to the ground after his short sword was knocked away.

"Huff… I can't go on, brother. Let's take a break."

---

Year 50 of Konoha's Founding

The Cold War had dragged on for three years.

Within the Land of Fire, bandits, dangerous beasts, and evil spirits had been eradicated by Konoha's ninja. Underground black markets were also thoroughly purged.

Only in a stable environment could the economy flourish.

Many lives had been lost from Kagami's generation and the one before it, leaving the village with a dwindling population. Over the past few years, Kagami had actively encouraged intermarriage between Uchiha and outsiders. Unlike the policies of the Senju, however, there was a crucial difference:

No matter the spouse's origins or the child's innate talent, all offspring were considered Uchiha. Divorce was not an option—only death could sever the union.

In these few years, even Konoha's civilian ninja began to realize that perhaps Uchiha leadership was the correct path forward.

Although many had initially viewed Minato as a puppet Hokage, it became clear he had authority over all Uchiha members, except Kagami. The Uchiha respected him without complaint.

After all, Minato was undoubtedly stronger than most of them. Issuing orders was only natural.

Though the Uchiha remained difficult to approach, they never exploited others. Mission rewards were distributed fairly, without greed or favoritism.

Even secret techniques previously hoarded by ninja clans were made available as mission rewards. The only exceptions were techniques requiring Byakugan or other specific bloodline abilities, which had no reason to be shared.

Breaking the monopoly on secret techniques achieved what even Hashirama couldn't.

As for the Uchiha? Aside from their Sharingan-exclusive techniques, most of their fire-style ninjutsu had already been shared during the village's founding.

While they held an elevated status, they never used their position to oppress others. Such behavior would tarnish the clan's honor.

Even the previously hostile Hyuga clan was no longer a point of contention.

Previously, the two clans had vied for dominance as the premier dojutsu family. Now, the results were clear: the Sharingan was superior to the Byakugan.

Why waste time squabbling with weaker opponents?

At its core, the Uchiha adhered to one principle: the capable should lead.

In the past, dissatisfaction stemmed from their accomplishments going unrecognized. Now, positions were earned solely through merit. If someone couldn't rise, it was their own shortcoming. Complaining was futile.

---

Minato had even implemented Kagami's offhand suggestion of a dual-leader system.

Previously, the strict separation of light and shadow had been a mistake. Today's Konoha was more than a ninja village; it was the true economic, political, and military center of the Land of Fire.

As Hokage, Minato managed interactions with officials, diplomatic affairs, and external military operations. A newly established role, Shadow Leader, managed internal security within the Land of Fire.

The first Shadow Leader was none other than Sakumo Hatake.

This wasn't a permanent position. Should no suitable successor arise, the Hokage had the authority to dissolve it. After all, the role carried significant power.

Sakumo was trustworthy, but the same couldn't be guaranteed for future candidates.

Under Minato's leadership, the Land of Fire had stabilized in just three years. The country was steadily recovering from the war's aftermath.

Minato felt fortunate that Kagami wasn't a war-monger. If he had chosen to launch an offensive against the Four Nations Alliance, Konoha might have emerged victorious—but it would lack the manpower to manage the aftermath.

Victory would be meaningless if there were no one left to govern.

Minato believed in focusing on population growth. With Kagami's presence, they could build a generation capable of governing the unified shinobi world in 10-20 years.

Minato wasn't a conservative. He didn't shy away from the casualties of unification. He understood that only by imposing order on this fractured world could there be lasting peace.

That was why he had chosen to stand beside Kagami.

---

Meanwhile, in the rest of the shinobi world…

The Land of Fire's progress contrasted starkly with the suffering of other nations.

With most ninja forces stationed in the Land of Lightning, vast territories were left unguarded. Bandits, monsters, and chaos ran rampant.

A year ago, the Hidden Grass Village's Hozuki Castle, which held countless rogue ninja, experienced a massive uprising. Many prisoners escaped.

Where could these rogue ninjas go?

They dared not venture into the heavily guarded Land of Fire or Land of Lightning. Instead, they wreaked havoc in smaller, weaker nations.

Entire countries were swallowed by chaos. Even the Sand and Stone villages struggled to maintain order. Protecting their villages was challenging enough.

Despite the turmoil, the daimyo and kage of the four allied nations refused to leave the Land of Lightning.

They knew that standing together was their only hope. Separating meant certain death.

Kagami was not an enemy who could be overwhelmed by numbers. Hashirama and Madara had already proven that.

Their only hope lay in developing a weapon capable of opposing him.

---

Kagami nudged Shisui with his foot.

"Get up. Your three-minute break is over."

"Two more minutes… Please, just two more minutes…"

Gasping for breath, Shisui begged.

Before Kagami could respond, Yunma appeared at the edge of the training ground.

Glancing at Shisui, Yunma said, "Two more minutes. After that, you'd better practice diligently. Slack off, and I'll beat you to death."

"Alright, alright, I got it!"

Kagami walked over to Yunma.

"What is it?"

Yunma lowered his voice. "The matter you instructed… Uchiha Mikoto has given birth to her second child. It's a boy."

"Have they named him?"

"Not yet."

"Call him Sasuke," Kagami said, a rare smile gracing his lips. "Once he's weaned, bring him to me."

Mikoto's family, including Itachi, were not permitted to leave the Uchiha compound. Fugaku rarely left his home.

Without his eyes, the former clan leader had no reason to show his face in public.

While Kagami had spared Fugaku from any formal punishment, the implications were clear.

Yunma, part of Kagami's personal guard, knew his leader's temperament well. Though Kagami was strict, he was not unreasonable. A slip of the tongue wouldn't cost someone their life.

"Lord Kagami… Fugaku deserves his fate, but this newborn child…"

"Yunma, what are you thinking?"

Kagami chuckled softly.

"This child is the one I've anticipated most. He will be my successor."

"You are invincible, my lord!"

Having witnessed Kagami's journey firsthand, Yunma spoke with unwavering conviction.

"Of course, I won't fail."

Kagami's tone was calm, as though stating an undeniable truth. His confidence was infectious.

"Don't misunderstand. Naming a successor doesn't mean I'll die anytime soon. For now, your duty is to protect that child."

"Yes, my lord!"

---

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