Konoha had only been established for a few decades. Just several decades ago, the world was still in the chaotic Warring States era where major ninja clans constantly fought one another.
Because of that, many vastly different cultures still existed.
Jiraiya's Team Six, the team Minato belonged to, actually had a member with dark skin and lips as thick as sausages.
This appeared in Minato Gaiden: The Whirlwind Within the Vortex, a story mainly about how Minato created the Rasengan, as well as Kushina's oppressive life within the village.
"Seiji, you will always be one of us from Kumogakure."
Samodo paused before continuing:
"If you are willing, when you graduate and perform your first mission, we can take you away. By then, you will enter the Hidden Cloud Village and receive the best training we can offer."
The current situation between villages was tense, with signs of the Third Great Ninja War approaching. It wasn't the best time to take Seiji away yet.
They needed to wait until the situation became more chaotic.
"You will become the first clan head of the Uchiha Clan in Kumogakure!"
Samodo said excitedly.
However, Seiji did not share his enthusiasm.
He wasn't moved at all.
Seiji had seen too many empty promises before.
"The Uchiha have treated me well. They even taught me some of their ninjutsu…"
Seiji said meaningfully.
Samodo immediately understood what Seiji meant.
He was asking for a price.
"Lord Raikage values you greatly. He even allowed us to bring some ninjutsu scrolls with us."
Samodo took out a scroll.
Seiji accepted it and opened it.
It was a D-rank ninjutsu scroll titled Lightning Release: Lightning Finger.
The rank of a ninjutsu didn't represent its power, but rather its difficulty to learn.
E-rank techniques could be learned by ninja academy students.
D-rank techniques were techniques a Genin could learn.
Following that logic, C-rank techniques were for Chunin, while B-rank techniques were generally mastered by Jonin.
Beyond that level, higher techniques had little to do with most ninja.
A normal Jonin might only learn B-rank techniques in their entire lifetime.
A-rank techniques were often labeled as forbidden techniques, belonging to the category of extremely advanced ninjutsu.
At that level, it was no longer just about talent.
The ninja's physical condition also mattered.
Forbidden techniques usually consumed enormous amounts of energy or even caused severe damage—or death—to the user.
That meant ninja with little chakra had almost no chance of learning them.
Anyone capable of using an A-rank technique would immediately stand out among ninja of the same level.
Although a technique's rank didn't determine its power, more difficult techniques generally had better effects.
As for S-rank techniques, they were considered ultimate secret arts.
Seiji skimmed through the scroll.
He quickly realized that the technique only activated the cells in the index and middle fingers.
Despite being called Lightning Finger, it only created tiny electric arcs inside the fingers—so small they were invisible to the naked eye.
Seeing the change in Seiji's expression, Samodo smiled slightly and narrowed his eyes.
"We have some informants in Konoha."
"You… haven't actually been taught any Uchiha techniques. Why insist on staying? They don't acknowledge you, but we do. If you want more ninjutsu, come back to Kumogakure."
His tone was extremely tempting, as if missing this chance would mean losing the opportunity to change Seiji's life forever.
"I'll need some time to think about it."
Seiji said calmly as he took the scroll and left.
Kumogakure wasn't stupid.
There was no way they would simply give him valuable things all at once.
They would only try to tempt him little by little.
"Lord Samodo."
After Seiji left, Samodo walked out of the secret room and went up to the third floor of the shop, looking down at the pedestrians passing by outside.
There were almost no customers left.
Their shop only operated during the day and closed early in the evening.
The remaining staff were cleaning up while the few remaining customers left.
"Yotsuki Seiji probably has no intention of returning to Kumogakure."
Samui spoke calmly.
She was always the type of woman who preferred rational analysis.
Just now, Samodo said the Uchiha didn't acknowledge Seiji and hadn't taught him any ninjutsu.
But she could easily predict that this was only temporary.
Once the Uchiha believed Seiji had proven his worth, they would definitely teach him.
She didn't think Seiji would give all that up.
Most likely, she and Samodo were simply wasting their time.
"No. Sooner or later, he will."
Samodo smiled.
It didn't matter if Samui doubted him.
His brother belonged to the militarist faction of Kumogakure, so he knew many inside secrets.
The entire ninja world was filled with undercurrents.
People in the village were no longer satisfied with the current situation.
The militarists were waiting for an opportunity.
Once the right moment appeared, war would break out again.
Far away, Seiji stood on a street corner, blending into the crowd.
His expression was hidden in the night.
Calm and unreadable.
When no one was paying attention, his left eye slowly opened.
A single-tomoe Sharingan quietly appeared.
The special chakra known as ocular power began to circulate.
From a distance where the sushi shop had previously looked like nothing more than a black dot, Seiji could now clearly see the employees closing the shop.
Even with only one tomoe, the Sharingan had increased his vision to a terrifying level.
Everything looked as if it were right in front of him.
Samodo and Samui's conversation—even their subtle expressions—were all captured by his eyes.
In Boruto, Sarada with a three-tomoe Sharingan could even see viruses floating in the air when focusing her ocular power.
Seiji's single-tomoe Sharingan allowed him to clearly observe objects one to two hundred meters away.
By reading their lip movements, he understood what they were saying.
Lowering his head slightly, he shook it.
"The Uchiha don't acknowledge me… but when did Kumogakure ever acknowledge me either?"
His gaze slowly lifted.
It passed over the sushi shop before settling on Samui's beautiful figure standing on the third floor.
Neither the Uchiha nor Kumogakure were Seiji's true destination.
The Uchiha handled his situation cautiously only because they wanted to avoid more cases like him.
If they handled it poorly and damaged their reputation, people outside the village with Uchiha blood would simply stay far away from Konoha.
The Uchiha were unwilling to take that gamble.
As for Kumogakure…
Their intentions were even clearer.
They only wanted to control the Uchiha bloodline limit and strengthen their village—treating him like a breeding tool.
They would squeeze everything out of him.
According to The Jin no Sho and other official databooks, Kumogakure functioned like a mafia-like family structure, and they strongly advocated military expansion.
Seiji rubbed the edge of the scroll, feeling the rough texture of the paper beneath his fingers.
His gaze fell again on Samui's figure.
A dark glint appeared in his eyes.
If that was the case…
Then using a few small tricks to gain more benefits for himself was only reasonable.
For the next few days, Seiji lived a simple routine.
Ninja academy.
Training after school.
Then home.
Until the sixth day, when Seiji returned to the sushi shop once again.
"Yo—customer, would you like squid sushi again?"
Samui asked.
But this time, Seiji gave a different answer.
"Miss Samui… you wouldn't want me to become enemies with Kumogakure because of you, right?"