The qualifiers for the final test of the Chunin Exam had officially come to an end. Among the participants in the preliminary selection, only ordinary ninjas advanced to the final assessment. In this era of peace, it was quite difficult to be promoted to Chunin. To achieve this rank, one had to rely on accumulating experience through the Chunin Exams and completing missions.
With the qualifiers concluded, the official final test would take place in a week. By then, dignitaries and officials from all over the ninja world would gather in Konoha to observe the assessment. The ninjas who successfully passed the preliminaries dared not relax, immediately focusing on recovering their fatigued bodies.
The Next Day
Early in the morning, Uchiha Itachi took his younger brother to visit Uzumaki Raiden's home. When the two brothers arrived, Raiden was still asleep. The housekeeper, Sakura Uehara, led them to the living room, prepared hot tea, and asked them to wait.
"Brother, why are we here?"
"Is this Dean Raiden's home?"
Uchiha Sasuke knelt beside the tea table, curiously observing the furnishings in the room. He had woken up early intending to train, but Uchiha Itachi had stopped him before he could leave. At first, Sasuke assumed his brother wanted to train together, but he hadn't expected to be brought here.
"It's my master's home. He wants to see you this time."
"Don't be nervous. Master is a very easygoing person."
Noticing Sasuke's unease, Uchiha Itachi reassured him gently. Sasuke had heard a lot about Uzumaki Raiden's exploits, but he had never interacted with him much. Meeting such a renowned figure so suddenly made him nervous, even if the man was his brother's master.
"Dean Raiden wants to see me? Why?" Sasuke asked, turning to Itachi in confusion, hoping for some insight.
"You'll find out soon." Itachi didn't answer directly. Instead, he took a sip of tea and lowered his head in thought.
Sasuke, seeing that his brother wasn't going to explain, fell silent, staring at the tea in his cup.
The two brothers waited for nearly fifteen minutes before the living room door finally opened. Uzumaki Raiden appeared, dressed in a black nightgown. It was clear he had just woken up—his eyes were still drowsy, and his right hand lazily scratched at his ribs as he greeted them.
"You're here early."
"Have you been waiting long? Have you had breakfast?"
Raiden didn't bother adjusting his clothes after scratching himself. He sat down in front of the brothers, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it casually.
Sasuke was taken aback. He hadn't expected the strict and dignified principal of the Ninja Academy to be so informal in private. The difference between Raiden's public and private demeanor was striking.
At that moment, Sasuke sensed a warm chakra radiating from Raiden, enveloping the room.
"This chakra... it's so warm. I can feel it even without using my Sharingan," Sasuke thought, momentarily dazed.
"Master." Unlike Sasuke, Itachi was composed. The moment Raiden entered, he immediately stood up and bowed respectfully. As he did, he tugged at Sasuke's sleeve, signaling him to do the same.
Sasuke, unsure of what was happening, followed Itachi's lead and bowed as well.
"Sit down, no need for formalities," Raiden said, gesturing for them to relax.
"I didn't call you here for anything serious—just to chat."
After the brothers sat down, Raiden's gaze fell on Sasuke, studying him carefully.
"Sasuke, did you pass the qualifiers yesterday?" Raiden asked, his eyes still scanning Sasuke, making the boy unconsciously check his own clothes, wondering if something was out of place. Just as Sasuke started feeling self-conscious, Raiden finally spoke again.
"Yes, I did. Luckily, my opponent wasn't very strong," Sasuke replied modestly. At this moment, the usual arrogance associated with him was nowhere to be seen—he seemed like an obedient child.
"I watched your match for a while. It was pretty good," Raiden acknowledged.
"But I heard that your team faced some difficulties during the Forest of Death trial before the qualifiers."
"Can you tell me about it?"
Hearing Raiden's words, Sasuke immediately understood why he had been summoned. His mind flashed back to what he had seen in the genjutsu, and he silently lowered his head.
Seeing Sasuke's reaction, Itachi frowned slightly. He didn't know what his brother had witnessed, but it was clear Sasuke was reluctant to share it.
Raiden, however, did not press him. He simply continued sipping his tea. Sunlight filtered through the window, casting a warm glow onto the table.
"Dean Raiden... no, Hokage-sama," Sasuke suddenly spoke.
"What do you think of the Uchiha clan?"
Rather than answering Raiden's question, Sasuke posed one of his own. He deliberately addressed Raiden as "Hokage-sama," indicating that he wanted an answer from the leader of the village, not the headmaster of the academy.
"Hokage-sama?" Raiden tapped the table lightly, raising an eyebrow at Sasuke before murmuring to himself.
"Heh. Sasuke-kun, what do you think of the Uchiha clan?"
Instead of answering directly, Raiden threw the question back at Sasuke, genuinely curious about his perspective.
Sasuke was taken aback. He hadn't expected Raiden to turn the question around. After a brief pause, he replied:
"The Uchiha clan is the strongest in the ninja world. It is the hidden blade of Konoha Village, a clan feared by those in power."
As he spoke, Sasuke stole a glance at Itachi's expression before finishing his statement. Ever since that genjutsu experience, he had begun to question the nature of ninja and the existence of the village itself.
His words were bold, but they were his honest thoughts. Sasuke knew that if the higher-ups of Konoha heard this, they would be displeased—especially the Fourth Hokage sitting in front of him. Yet, for some reason, Sasuke felt comfortable speaking openly with Raiden.
"Sasuke!" Itachi called his brother's name in a reprimanding tone, clearly displeased with his words.
"It's fine, Itachi," Raiden interjected calmly.
"In a conversation like this, you don't need to hold back with me."
Raiden then turned back to Sasuke with an intent gaze and sighed.
"Interesting. So this is how you perceive the Uchiha clan."
"I won't say whether your answer is right or wrong—it's your own judgment."
"But Sasuke-kun, before you finalize your opinion on the Uchiha clan, I'd like you to listen to a story."
As he spoke, a distant look appeared in Raiden's eyes, as though he were recalling something from long ago.
"Sasuke-kun, have you ever heard of the Uzumaki clan?"
At the mention of that name, Sasuke immediately thought of the man in front of him and his teammate, Uzumaki Naruto. The surname was unmistakable.
"I've never heard much about their history. Is the Uzumaki clan where you come from, Lord Raiden?" Sasuke asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Yes... and no," Raiden replied.
"I am indeed from the Uzumaki Clan, but the Uzumaki Clan is not just a family—it was a nation!"
"A true nation in every sense!"
"The Uzumaki Clan is an ancient ninja lineage dating back to the Warring States Period. Thousands of years ago, the Uzumaki, Senju, Uchiha, and Hyuga clans all shared the same origins!"
"You should already know that Konoha was founded by the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, and Uchiha Madara. The other families and populations in the village joined later, after these two established its foundation."
"While Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara created Konoha, the Uzumaki nation was also born."
"Almost all the inhabitants of the Uzumaki nation were members of the Uzumaki Clan, and the ninja village of this country was Uzushio Village."
Uchiha Sasuke's attention was immediately captured by Uzumaki Raiden's words. He had never heard of a connection between the Senju and Uchiha Clans, except that they had been bitter rivals since the Warring States Period. This claim about a shared origin was completely new to him.
However, Sasuke did not believe Raiden was lying. With his strength, status, and influence, there was no reason for him to deceive someone like Sasuke.
"Judging by your expression, you are familiar with Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara," Raiden continued.
"Then you should be able to imagine just how powerful a clan must be if it shares the same roots as the Senju and Uchiha—powerful enough to establish an entire nation independently."
"When Konoha was first founded, Hashirama did not invite the Uzumaki Clan to join. At that time, the Uzumaki Clan was too strong, and their numbers were too great. If they had joined, Konoha would not have been a village for everyone—it would have been a village dominated by the Uzumaki Clan."
"Because of this, the Land of Whirlpools was born."
"A nation built by a single ninja clan."
"The Uzumaki possess a unique trait—they are born with an enormous chakra reserve far beyond that of ordinary people. Their secret art, passed down for generations, is the sealing technique."
"The sealing jutsu you know today? Nearly all of them originated from and were derived from the Uzumaki Clan's techniques."
At this point, Sasuke couldn't suppress his skepticism and interrupted, "Dean Raiden, if the Uzumaki Clan was so powerful, why have I never heard of it?"
"A clan that strong couldn't just disappear without a trace!"
Sasuke's doubts were answered—not by Raiden, but by Uchiha Itachi.
"Sasuke, the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed decades ago, and Uzushio Village was completely wiped out," Itachi explained.
"The members of the Uzumaki Clan either perished in that war or were scattered throughout the ninja world, forced to hide their identities."
"Anyone who still dares to bear the Uzumaki name…" Itachi trailed off, glancing at Raiden.
"Those who still carry the Uzumaki name must either be powerful or under the protection of a great village," Raiden said, finishing the thought.
"My sister and I arrived in Konoha before the fall of the Land of Whirlpools. After its destruction, we were granted asylum by the village."
"That is the only reason I survived."
"Sasuke, in this world, no one survives on their own—not even me."
"The Uzumaki Clan was powerful, and its sealing techniques were feared. But because of that strength, during the Second Ninja War, the isolated and vulnerable Uzumaki became a target for every major ninja village."
"In this world, the most common thing is ambition."
"Mist, Cloud, Stone, Sand… along with other smaller ninja villages, all participated in the war that annihilated the Uzumaki Clan."
Even just hearing about the fall of a nation was enough to send chills through Sasuke. He could sense the weight of the tragedy in Raiden's voice.
"The Uchiha Clan, with their Sharingan, is indeed strong," Raiden continued.
"But bloodline limits like the Sharingan attract many who seek to obtain them."
"The Uchiha Clan has always been small in number—too small to protect its own bloodline inheritance without external support."
"Whether or not the Uchiha Clan is the strongest in Konoha is debatable, but one thing is certain: even the Uchiha are protected by the village."
"A clan and a village are mutually dependent."
"I don't know what you experienced in the Forest of Death, Sasuke, but I can say this with confidence—no one understands the Uchiha Clan better than I do."
"The Uchiha were at their strongest when they stood alongside the Senju to create Konoha. Their greatest glory was when they fought to protect their village and their families."
"The true strength of the Uchiha comes from their desire to protect their loved ones."
"Sasuke, one day, when you truly become a worthy member of the Uchiha Clan, you will understand what I mean."
Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke spent a long time talking with Uzumaki Raiden. Aside from discussing the Uzumaki Clan, Itachi took the opportunity to ask Raiden many questions—about the village, about the Uchiha, about the world, and even about history.
Sasuke didn't understand everything they talked about, but he could tell from Itachi's expression that his brother had gained a lot from the conversation.
By the time they left Raiden's home, it was nearly noon. As the two brothers walked home, neither spoke—they were both deep in thought, reflecting on what had been said.
As they neared the village gates, Sasuke suddenly broke the silence.
"Brother, what is your dream?"
"My dream?" Itachi repeated, pausing for a moment.
"Probably… to become someone like Master."
"To become Hokage."
(End of Chapter)