The threat Uchiha Yoru spoke of was, of course, Uchiha Madara.
He did not want Madara to find an executor for the Infinite Tsukuyomi Plan. Mangekyō Sharingan users were far too uncertain. Who knew what kind of consequences they might cause?
So Yoru not only kept a close eye on Uchiha Obito, he also ordered Elder Uchiha Ryūnosuke to monitor several other clan members.
Surveillance was difficult work. When the target was a ninja, it became even harder. Several times the number of ninja were needed to keep one target firmly under watch.
Fortunately, strange cases like Obito were rare even within the Uchiha clan.
After removing those with poor talent and those who were too young, then excluding two who were already too old, only two people needed Yoru's attention. One of them was Obito.
The other was named Uchiha Yae.
She was an exceptionally gentle and kind female ninja, currently serving in an ordinary ninja team. Unlike Obito, she had not been sent to the front line.
She was a true saintly type, someone who could sacrifice herself at any time to protect others. For the sake of her team, she was even willing to learn medical ninjutsu.
When Yoru first found this information, he suspected she might be a fellow transmigrator. Thankfully, he ruled out that possibility.
Of course, he could not prove whether she was a transmigrator or not. He merely verified through secret codes that she was not from his homeland, nor Japanese or Korean.
Right, she also did not know English.
Honestly, when the cultural gap had reached this point, even if the girl really were a transmigrator from Earth, she had nothing to do with Uchiha Yoru.
After keeping Uchiha Yae and Uchiha Obito firmly under watch, Yoru finally felt at ease.
But during the banquet, when he clashed with Uchiha Setsuna and first came into contact with the elder's youngest son, Yoru was shocked to discover that although Setsuna's youngest son was unbelievably stupid, his aptitude was excellent, and his emotions were extremely rich.
At that moment, Yoru's heart skipped.
But Fugaku's following attack left him no time to continue paying attention.
For the next few days, he was confined. However, his outside contact had not been cut off. After recalling the situation at the time, the sense of danger from his intuition grew stronger and stronger. So he ordered Uchiha Yūichirō to mobilize people and investigate all the young ninja from the elder households.
The results shocked Yoru.
These direct-line young Uchiha, like Uchiha Itachi, lived in deep mansions and enjoyed luxurious lives where everyone revolved around them.
But unlike Itachi, they almost never went on missions, almost never came into contact with ordinary Uchiha clansmen, and lived lives nearly isolated from the outside world.
So much so that Yoru, who had grown up from the bottom, had subconsciously ignored the existence of these second-generation power holders.
The investigation showed that although these young direct-line Uchiha had different personalities, good and bad, every single one of them was terrifyingly naïve and emotionally rich and sensitive.
For example, Uchiha Shōta, whose face Yoru had slapped so hard that half his teeth fell out, woke up afterward and upgraded from two-tomoe to three-tomoe Sharingan under the emotions of shame and fury.
Even more frighteningly, he had an elder brother from the same parents, Uchiha Hayato. After seeing his younger brother's face swollen like a volleyball, he also advanced to three-tomoe Sharingan in anger.
This was deadly.
These people perfectly matched the Mangekyō Sharingan awakening conditions Uchiha Madara had identified.
This meant that even if Yoru sent Obito, the primary target, to the Pure Land at the critical moment, Madara's Infinite Tsukuyomi Plan would not directly collapse.
He still had backup candidates.
Among them were even blood brothers capable of synthesizing the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
That was troublesome.
The elders' children all lived in deep mansions, with sufficient guards and countless servants surrounding them. There was no way to monitor them.
Yoru could not even arrange surveillance, because his own people were all on the front line. The only people he could use in the village belonged to the two elders.
If he asked them to monitor the children of other elders, they would not only be incapable of doing it, but could also easily develop resentment toward him out of sympathy for their own kind.
After much thought, Yoru finally decided to abandon monitoring these second-generation power holders and instead adopt a harsher method.
After Uchiha Obito, the first target, was dealt with, if Yoru still had not found and killed Uchiha Madara, then he could only turn back and eliminate all the second-generation power holders he could not monitor.
It was cruel, but his ability was limited. He could only use this method.
Because of the cruel topic just now, Uchiha Yoru and Uchiha Nobutada fell into silence. The courtyard became completely quiet, until it was broken by cheerful laughter and cat cries.
Uchiha Shisui had returned from training.
The worry on Nobutada's face immediately vanished. His brows and eyes filled with smiles as he said to Yoru, "Since you went to the front line, you haven't seen Shisui yet, have you? You'll be shocked."
"It hasn't even been a year. How much could he have changed?"
Yoru turned toward the gate in surprise.
The first to dart through the gate was a tiny calico cat. This was Yaeko, a highly talented ninja cat introduced by Miwa Masayo, who had signed a contract with Shisui.
Immediately after, a nimble figure rushed in, grabbed the calico cat, and laughed. "Caught you, Yaeko!"
Yoru was indeed startled. He carefully looked the boy up and down, but could not confirm who it was.
The boy holding the calico cat saw him and shouted in surprise, "Brother Yoru, your confinement is over?"
Only after hearing this did Yoru ask in disbelief, "Uchiha… Shisui?"
"Hehe, it's me!" Shisui proudly pointed at himself with his thumb and boasted, "Didn't I grow a lot?"
Yoru nodded. He had indeed grown a lot.
Shisui was not yet five years old, yet he had already grown to 136 centimeters. In just nine months, he had grown a full fifteen centimeters. That was definitely a lot.
Yoru immediately asked, "Has your body felt uncomfortable this year? For example, joint pain or muscle cramps?"
Shisui asked in surprise, "Eh? Brother Yoru, how did you know I've had muscle cramps?"
Yoru explained, "That's common sense, all right? When children grow too quickly, muscle cramps are very common."
Shisui stuck out his tongue and secretly glanced at Uchiha Nobutada. The old man's face reddened slightly. Apparently, he had not known this bit of common sense either.
Shisui noticed the awkward atmosphere and quickly shouted, "Grandpa Nobutada, I'm hungry."
"Good, breakfast. We'll eat right away."
"Yoru, you should eat with us too."
"When I came here, I… Mm, fine. I'll eat with you."
Seeing Shisui's expectant gaze, Yoru naturally changed his words. In any case, his stomach was big enough. The breakfast he had eaten on the way here did not count for much.
After being influenced by Yoru, Shisui's breakfast was no longer Japanese-style bland rice, natto, tofu, and seaweed soup. It had become meat and vegetable buns, shumai, potstickers, fried pancakes, and beef soup.
This full Chinese-style breakfast made even Yoru's appetite stir.
But Shisui ate even more than him.
The boy swallowed two steamers of buns, one steamer of shumai, several potstickers, and two large bowls of beef soup with fried pancakes.
Yoru and Nobutada watched him and fully understood what it meant when people said half-grown boys could eat their fathers poor.
Thankfully, Shisui's family was especially wealthy. In an ordinary family, he could genuinely eat them into bankruptcy.
Although Shisui's appetite was still less than one-fourth of Yoru's, Yoru was a special case. As a child, Shisui ate far too much.
So after the meal, the worried Yoru called Shisui over and examined his body in case his digestive system could not bear it.
In the end, he discovered that this child was actually… malnourished?
The confused Yoru examined him again and confirmed the result.
Digestive system: excellent condition.
Blood circulatory system: excellent condition.
Endocrine system: excellent condition.
Bones and marrow: good growth and development, but slightly calcium deficient.
Muscles and organs: poor development, severely lacking nutrition.
Yoru was dumbfounded. He looked at Shisui, who had grown a lot taller but was so thin that every rib protruded, and bitterly thought about how to find the cause.
Nobutada also realized something was wrong and asked with concern, "Is something wrong with Shisui?"
Yoru nodded. "Shisui has severe malnutrition. It has greatly affected the development of his muscles and organs."
The old man looked completely confused and asked in disbelief, "This child eats ten times more than before. How could he be malnourished? Is he lacking something?"
Yoru pointed at Shisui's ribs and limbs. "It is malnutrition. Look, old man. There is no fat on his body. His bones are obvious, and even his muscles are stringy."
"What he lacks are calories and protein. Oh, that means oil, meat, noodles, and rice."
Shisui and Nobutada looked at each other. Shisui ate those things the most. They had thought he was lacking vegetables and fruits, which Shisui had recently disliked eating.
Yoru also knew his explanation sounded absurd, so he added, "Shisui does eat a lot, but for some unknown reason, it still isn't enough. His body is too thin. If this continues, serious problems will occur."
Shisui looked down at his ribs, and he and Nobutada had no choice but to believe something was wrong with his body.
So Shisui looked up and asked, "Brother Yoru, what should I do? Should I eat even more?"
Yoru directly rejected it. "No. Your current appetite is already large enough. Your digestive system is at its limit. If you add more, your stomach and intestines will have problems first."
"We still have to find the specific cause before treating the symptoms or solving the problem."
Nobutada nodded. "Yoru is right. We have to understand the problem first before thinking of a solution. We can't act randomly."
After thinking for a while, Yoru said, "Shisui, I need to conduct a deeper examination on you. If you feel uncomfortable, remember to tell me."
After speaking, Yoru mobilized natural energy and carefully let it seep into Shisui's body.
Through this power he understood most deeply, he sensed the natural energy and chakra that definitely existed inside Shisui's body.
Through the finest feedback of natural energy, he obtained detailed information about the changes in Shisui's body.
The entire process took a long time. It took a full two hours before Yoru finished the complete examination, but the result was an unexpected delight.
He patted Shisui's shoulder and said, "Congratulations, Shisui. Your bloodline has awakened."
Shisui asked in surprise, "Is it the Sharingan?"
Yoru corrected him. "No. You are changing toward the source of the Uchiha clan's bloodline. In other words, you are returning to your ancestor."
Seeing Shisui's expectant yet disappointed gaze, he could only add, "Yes, your Sharingan will awaken very soon."
Shisui happily jumped high. He cheered, pulled Yaeko along, and started dancing in the courtyard.
Uchiha Nobutada leaned closer and asked, "Yoru brat, what will happen after Shisui's bloodline returns to its ancestor?"
Yoru answered, "He will smoothly awaken the Sharingan, upgrade it without any obstacles, and directly open the Mangekyō Sharingan."
The old man asked in surprise, "Smoothly awaken the Mangekyō?"
Yoru explained, "Let me use an analogy. After Shisui's bloodline returns to its ancestor, it will become a towering tree. An ordinary Uchiha ninja's bloodline is only a short shrub. The Sharingan is a large fruit."
"For a short shrub to bear a large fruit is a life-and-death trial. But for a large tree to bear a large fruit is only natural."
Nobutada nodded repeatedly, but still asked worriedly, "Then what about his malnutrition?"
Yoru answered, "The consumption required for bloodline atavism is too great. Although Shisui's appetite is already quite exaggerated, it still cannot make up for the consumption gap."
Seeing the old man grow anxious, he quickly said, "Don't worry. I can solve this problem."
"Do you remember the dried fish I gave you last year?"
"I remember. Very clearly."
"I will allocate some dried fish to Shisui. As long as he eats one every four or five days, it will be enough to make up for the energy gap."
"His appetite may even return to normal."
"That's wonderful. Now I can relax."
In the afternoon, Shisui brought Yoru to identify the Study Group's location. Yoru met with several squad leaders in charge of specific management, then spoke a few words with several younger veteran members.
Finally, he left behind one sentence, "Everything remains as usual for now," then took Shisui and left.
There were no three fires from a newly appointed official, because he judged that now was not the right time.
Although the contact was brief and Yoru only chatted with the twelve squad leaders for a few moments, he could already see that none of these people were simple.
Those whose eyes held provocation and full confidence likely had the backing of an elder or the clan head.
Those whose eyes drifted and whose words were sickeningly sweet were definitely rare smooth talkers in the Uchiha clan.
Not only was every squad leader troublesome, Yoru also discovered that they had secretly formed an alliance against him.
If he barged into a battlefield someone else had prepared without finding a suitable handle first, the result would definitely not be good.
So after obtaining the financial authority promised by the clan head, he left, leaving those people hanging there and letting them play among themselves.
Yoru was certain these troublesome fellows could not possibly have harmonious relationships. As long as he did not get involved, after losing their greatest threat, they would absolutely start making trouble among themselves.
Only when the trouble became unbearable, and only when they discovered that the Study Group had no money left, would it be the right time for Yoru to intervene forcefully.
For now, the most important matter was still Shisui's problem.
Supplementing nutrition was not difficult for Yoru, but understanding why Uchiha Shisui's bloodline was returning to its ancestor was very important.
Extremely important to Yoru himself.
After returning home, Yoru solemnly taught Shisui the Hundred-Tempering Body Forging Method, the Cyclic Refining Method, and the Calm Mind Soul-Tempering Method.
Uchiha Shisui was a true genius. After watching Yoru demonstrate the Hundred-Tempering Body Forging Method once, he learned it directly. Every movement was done without the slightest mistake.
After practicing only twice, Shisui grasped all the essentials and achieved the maximum training effect.
At this moment, Shisui's sweat had already soaked through his clothes and flowed down his trouser legs onto the ground, gathering into a small puddle.
Shisui said excitedly, "Brother Yoru, this body-tempering method is amazing. In such a short time, I can already feel fatigue and muscle soreness. The training effect is incredible."
Yoru was delighted to discover that in just two practices, Shisui had unconsciously improved three movements. The effect was clearly better than what he had figured out himself.
He secretly noted those three points down, then had Shisui sit properly and practice the Cyclic Refining Method while his body was fatigued.
Generally speaking, it was extremely difficult to refine chakra when the body was fatigued, but it was the best time to establish the meridian cycle for the first time.
As long as the cycle was established, it would greatly reduce the difficulty of chakra refinement. It would also allow the refined chakra to remain in the body longer, which was very beneficial.
This time, Shisui simply followed Yoru's teaching in a standard manner and successfully established the chakra cycle. He did not make any improvements.
Once the chakra cycle was established, he could begin practicing the Calm Mind Soul-Tempering Method.
This time, Yoru personally guided him step by step into the state, allowing Shisui to experience perfect tranquility once and soothe his tense and uneasy heart.
During the practice of the Soul-Tempering Method, Shisui's mind relaxed.
Then, under heavy drowsiness, he fell asleep.
Yoru picked Shisui up and brought him to the guest room, letting him sleep properly.
Miwa Masayo asked curiously, "Why did Shisui fall asleep during cultivation, meow?"
Yoru sighed. "He was too tired."
"Tired? He's still a child, meow."
"Uchiha Shisui has too strong a sense of responsibility. He knew something was wrong with his body, but he was afraid Old Man Nobutada would worry too much, so he endured it silently by himself."
"Only after I gave him enough confidence did he finally put his heart at ease."
"Once he entered the calm-mind state, the fatigue he had accumulated burst out. Of course he fell asleep."
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