"The clan indeed has some matters to handle in the Land of Lightning," Tajima Uchiha said, looking down at his eldest son, Uchiha Ryo. "As you know, the Uchiha's ancestral land lies in the Land of Lightning. When the clan first moved to the Land of Fire, we were eager to establish a foothold here, leaving behind some cumbersome matters there that we haven't had time to take care of. Now that the clan has firmly established itself in the Land of Fire, it's time to settle those complicated affairs in the Land of Lightning."
Uchiha Ryo pondered for a moment before speaking. "Are you referring to those in - laws who were left behind in the Land of Lightning when the clan first relocated?"
"Yes, but this matter is rather complicated. You can't handle it alone. The chief elder will lead a team. After handling the matters in the Ancestral Land in the Land of Lightning, they'll go to the Land of Iron for supply lines. If you really want to go, form a team during this time."
Tajima Uchiha's gaze was somewhat complicated. "Tell the chief elder what you want to do and then you can leave by yourself. Just remember to return to the clan territory in the Land of Fire with us in the end."
"Yes, thank you, leader of the Uchiha clan."
"Alright, if you have nothing else to say, wait for me outside. There's no urgent matter today. I'll have a short discussion with the elders and then come to you."
Uchiha Ryo paused and smiled. "Yes, Father."
After leaving The Meeting Hall, Hiro left first and went to find Uchiha Akihiko, who was still idle at home, with the [Supervision Transfer Order] approved by the elders.
Uchiha Ryo, who was left behind, didn't have to wait long. Soon, Tajima Uchiha walked out of The Meeting Hall. "Let's go home."
Uchiha Ryo replied and slowly followed behind his father.
"You did a good job this time, Uchiha Ryo."
"Yes, thank you for the praise," Uchiha Ryo lowered his head slightly. "But this is just what I should do as a member of the Uchiha clan. You don't need to overpraise me."
"No, Uchiha Ryo, there's no such thing as someone being supposed to give for others in this world. Even between clan members and the clan, or between Mother and Father and children, no one is obliged to give without conditions." Tajima Uchiha slowed down and looked at Uchiha Ryo with concern in his eyes. "Of course, I'm not denying your contributions to the clan, nor saying that your actions for the clan are wrong...
But Uchiha Ryo, I'm your father. I've watched you grow up and know your personality. You're pushing yourself too hard. Unlike me, you're still young. With your talent, you should be able to achieve great things even without relying on the Sharingan. Your current actions are a bit too radical and impetuous..."
"Uchiha Ryo, even in this increasingly tense situation, I never want to see my child enter the Pure Land before me, especially not because of self - doubt and impatience."
"So Father has noticed this for a long time..." Uchiha Ryo looked up. The smile on his lips was a bit bitter, but also full of frankness. "I'm really ashamed. In fact, I only realized these things when I came into contact with The Bead of the Wraiths during this mission.
As you said, I might have been a bit anxious and impatient after going blind... But when I try to calm myself down, I really can't suppress the negative emotions surging in my heart. Only by filling my mind with one thing after another can I find some peace.
Since you can see my Mondai, you must also notice that Madara has more Strength and talent in combat than me. Even if no one guides him, he will surely awaken his Sharingan and gain Strength in a few years. But gaining Strength also means facing more dangers and more opponents...
Maybe one day in the future, Madara will grow into an invincible strongman. But he's really kind - hearted and naive. He might be easily deceived and get badly hurt.
And then there's Izuna. That kid is always considerate of others and prone to sympathy. If Madara becomes the leader of the Uchiha clan in the future, Izuna will definitely force himself to do things Madara dislikes, even if he's not good at them.
But if it were just these, I wouldn't be so worried now. After all, this is part of their growth, and they'll support each other without major Mondai. However, there are strange records on the stele about the Mangekyo Sharingan. The supreme Strength requires the sacrifice of blood - relatives, and the way to awaken the Kekkei Genkai is inhumane...
Every time I think about these, I can't feel at ease. So I want to lay a better foundation for them while I can still think and fight, so that their future will be smoother.
Maybe I'm just worrying about unfounded things, but like you, I love Madara and Izuna. It's already certain that I'll spend the rest of my life in darkness. So I want to find ways to spare them from the tragic trials.
If I could live to see a peaceful era, perhaps I could find another way to soothe my soul. But for now... Please just let me go on living like this, okay?"
Both father and son fell silent. After a long time, Uchiha Ryo spoke up again, "Please don't worry, Father. I vented my emotions properly during this trip to the Country of Demons. I've noticed these Mondai myself. I promise I won't act recklessly."
Tajima Uchiha looked at the somewhat noisy civilian market in front of him, then reached out and patted Uchiha Ryo's shoulder. "Yes, indeed. You've grown up. I'm sure you've already got a plan for these things even without me telling you...
The wine sold in the civilian market today smells good. Let's go and buy some. You'll have a drink with me tonight."
"Uh?" Uchiha Ryo was taken aback and couldn't figure out why the topic suddenly changed. "Father, I'm not really good at drinking..."
"You're my son."
"...Then, just one cup?"
Tajima Uchiha looked at his eldest son with a slightly guilty look on his face. "...Uchiha Ryo, you know I've watched you grow up."
Uchiha Ryo just scratched the hair on the side of his face, looking a bit embarrassed. "Well... then I'll follow your advice, Father."
"Good. Have you encountered any Mondai in your cultivation recently?
"
"There is indeed a bit of a Mondai, but I've already arranged a fight with an opponent in the Land of Lightning. I should be able to master it through more actual combat..."
Tajima Uchiha and Uchiha Ryo chatted about cultivation topics. The originally somewhat heavy atmosphere gradually dissipated. However, during the evening sake - drinking session, Tajima Uchiha was annoyed by Ryo's state while drinking.
Even when drinking, Ryo remained proper. After Tajima Uchiha himself started to feel a bit drunk, Ryo's complexion remained unchanged.
If there was any difference between now and his normal state...
Tajima Uchiha looked up at his eldest son, who had given up the cup and was now drinking boldly from the sake flask. Then he looked at the more than a dozen empty sake bottles beside Ryo. Even though Ryo was still speaking coherently, he must be drunk, right?
[Looks like I don't need to tell Ryo about this anymore in the future...]
Taking another sip of the sake from his cup, Tajima Uchiha looked at Madara, who had also just returned from a mission and was on a break, currently looking at Ryo in shock, and Izuna, who had eaten and drunk his fill and was sitting obediently on one side, counting the patterns on the sake bottles over and over out of boredom. He felt a bit worried.
[One always keeps self - restraint, one shows his feelings openly, and another does silly things for no reason... Is there something wrong with my way of raising children?]
Tajima Uchiha sighed and poured himself another cup of sake.