NOVEL WEB Chapter 5: Conflict
"Denji, the purpose of this shuriken training class is to improve your throwing accuracy. Using explosive tags just defeats the purpose," Kazama Shuichi said, unable to keep himself from lecturing his student despite Denji's notable background.
Explosive tags weren't cheap—about 300 ryō each—and wartime shortages only drove the price higher. For that amount, you could buy three bowls of Ichiraku ramen. Most shinobi didn't carry more than a handful of tags on missions, and outfitting every shuriken with one would be outrageously extravagant. No mission payment could sustain that kind of expense.
Denji waved off the concern. "Teacher, the end justifies the means. It's just an explosive tag. I could afford tens of thousands of them."
Kazama Shuichi was left speechless, and Denji's classmates stared at him, stunned by his blatant display of wealth.
[Host establishes a bond with Kazama Shuichi, "I have a rich student," and receives the reward "Earth Release chakra (good)."]
[Host establishes a fear bond with Classmate A, receiving the reward "0.1 standard Genin chakra."]
[Host establishes a speechless bond with Classmate B, receiving the reward "swordsmanship talent (average)."]
"…."
Denji smirked as the system notifications rolled in. Of course, his shuriken throwing skills were already excellent. But to grow stronger and make an impression, he needed to stand out.
Nearly every classmate had already given him a bond reward. There was only one exception.
Denji's gaze fell on Uchiha Itachi, who stood calm and composed as usual. Itachi's stoic demeanor betrayed none of the emotions that his classmates displayed. Denji narrowed his eyes. No wonder they called him a prodigy—even at a young age, Itachi carried himself like a seasoned shinobi.
...
When the school day ended, Denji and Izumi walked out of the gates together, chatting and laughing. No one paid any mind to Itachi, who followed quietly behind.
Denji knew the Uchiha family's situation wasn't great. Izumi's father, who was an outsider to the Uchiha clan, had married in but died protecting her during the Nine-Tails attack. Her mother, a low-ranking Uchiha, had never awakened the Sharingan. In a clan that valued bloodline purity, Izumi's family was often ostracized.
"Hold it! The Uchiha clan grounds are off-limits to outsiders!"
Two Uchiha guards stepped forward, their expressions arrogant and stern as they blocked Denji and Izumi from entering.
"Denji is my friend," Izumi protested, but the guards only shook their heads. "Rules are rules. He can't come in."
Denji chuckled. "From the way you're acting, people might think Konoha belongs to the Uchiha instead of the other way around. I walk into the Hokage's office whenever I want. Are you trying to declare independence or something?"
The guards' faces darkened. Even Itachi looked uneasy at the remark.
Before anyone else could respond, a calm, authoritative voice came from the gate.
"This young man must be joking. The Uchiha are, of course, loyal members of Konoha, and friends are always welcome."
The guards turned and immediately bowed their heads. "Lord Fugaku."
Itachi's father, Uchiha Fugaku, appeared, his presence commanding and his tone polite. He ignored the guards entirely, walking directly toward Denji and Izumi. His expression softened as he greeted Denji with a warm smile.
"You must be Denji. I've heard a lot about you from Itachi. Welcome to the Uchiha compound."
"Really?" Denji replied, his voice laced with childlike curiosity. "Then why were those uncles so mean to me?"
Fugaku's smile faltered for a split second, but he quickly recovered. "They misunderstood my instructions. The guards are here to identify spies, not to turn away friends."
"Hmm." Denji tilted his head and sighed. "What's the point of having subordinates who can't even follow orders? You know, my grandfather is excellent at training people. It's better to let my grandfather train them for a few days. I promise they'll be perfectly obedient afterward."
Fugaku's smile froze entirely.
Let Danzo train them?
He couldn't imagine a worse suggestion. If Danzo "trained" them, the guards might not return at all—or worse, they'd come back missing vital body parts.
"Thank you for the suggestion, but I'll handle it myself," Fugaku replied quickly. He shot a warning look at the guards, who paled visibly.
Ding!
[Host and Uchiha Hiro establish a hostile bond, receiving the reward "Yin Release chakra (good)."]
[Host and Uchiha Takashi establish a hostile bond, receiving the reward "Yin Release chakra (good)."]
[Host and Uchiha Fugaku establish a bond, receiving the reward "Yin Release chakra (genius)."]
[Host and Uchiha Itachi establish a bond, receiving the reward "one-on-seven combat talent."]
Denji's mind reeled at the influx of new abilities. Keeping his expression neutral, he made a mental note not to merge the talents right away. He smiled at Fugaku and turned to Itachi, his gaze shifting slightly.
A valuable opportunity… Denji thought to himself.
If Kakashi is the great equalizer who can go head-to-head with anyone, Itachi is the opposite extreme: someone who obliterates weaker opponents instantly and uses strategy and intelligence to outmaneuver stronger ones.
Mangekyō Sharingan was a big part of Itachi's strength, but Denji knew better than to overlook Itachi's raw talent. The fact that Itachi could wield such power for years, while others, like Sasuke, struggled after only a short time, was proof of his extraordinary skill.
Even if Denji didn't agree with Itachi's choices, he had to admit the Uchiha prodigy had reached the pinnacle of what a Kage-level shinobi could achieve.
...
Once the two children had gone, Fugaku's smile slowly faded. His expression darkened as he fixed a cold stare on the two guards.
"I will double your workload next week," he ordered sharply. "Inform everyone—Denji is to be allowed entry without question."
The guards trembled, bowing their heads in acknowledgment, and quickly resumed their duties.
Turning to Itachi, Fugaku began walking home. As they moved through the quiet streets, he spoke with a low, deliberate tone. "Itachi, I want you to maintain a good relationship with Denji at school. His opinion of us is crucial for improving the relationship between the Uchiha clan and the village leadership."
Itachi, though only six years old, had always shown maturity far beyond his years. Fugaku treated him not as a child but as a young adult capable of understanding the gravity of their situation.
"Yes, Father," Itachi replied respectfully, already grasping the importance of his father's words.
Fugaku allowed himself a small smile, feeling a glimmer of reassurance from his son's obedience. Yet, it wasn't long before his usual grim expression returned. The weight of the Uchiha's circumstances bore down on him once again.
The isolation of the Uchiha clan had grown worse over time. Village officials kept constant surveillance on their compound. Fugaku wasn't certain whether the directive came from Danzo or Hiruzen himself, but he had no choice but to feign ignorance. He harbored a deep-seated hatred for the shadowy figure who had manipulated the Nine-Tails.
If not for that night, they wouldn't be under such heavy suspicion. The Fourth Hokage would still be alive. Minato Namikaze had been an exceptional leader—bright, fair, and untainted by the underhanded politics that plagued others. Unlike the manipulative Sarutobi or the ruthless Danzo, Minato had shown no prejudice toward the Uchiha. In fact, he had even taken on an Uchiha disciple.
But now, Minato was gone, and the progress he had made in easing tensions within the village had been undone.
Fugaku was left juggling two fronts: dealing with the distrust and hostility of the village leadership while also curbing the Uchiha's own extremist factions. It was a thankless and exhausting task. Still, when he thought about Shimura Denji—his close friendship with Izumi, his strong family ties, and his potential influence—Fugaku saw a faint glimmer of hope. Perhaps through Denji, the Uchiha could extend an olive branch to Danzo.
This thought gave Fugaku new resolve. He looked at Itachi with a mix of expectation and determination.
…
Meanwhile, Denji, who was walking with Izumi, was completely unaware of Fugaku's plans. To him, Fugaku's friendly demeanor was simply a gesture to preserve Danzo's reputation. Even if Denji had known, he likely would have shrugged it off. He had no intention of involving himself in the never-ending conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha.
In Denji's mind, the only person who might have been able to mend the rift—Minato—was already gone.
The roots of the division had been sown long before, during Tobirama Senju's leadership. His students, who now sat at the helm of Konoha, bore no love for the Uchiha. This included Sarutobi, who, despite his seemingly lenient nature, harbored deep fears about the Uchiha's unchecked power. It also included his longtime advisors, Koharu and Homura, who had inherited their teacher's mistrust. Not a single senior figure in Konoha had a favorable view of the Uchiha.
At the same time, the Uchiha had their own faults. Years of dominance within the village's police force had fostered arrogance, making reconciliation even more difficult. Fugaku might have been a capable leader, but without the necessary power and resolve, he was powerless to shift the status quo. He could only wait for Itachi to grow into his potential and lead the clan into a new era.
…
"Dinner's ready!" Izumi's mother called from the next room. The two children set their pens down and exchanged cheerful smiles before heading out.
Uchiha Kei, Izumi's mother, welcomed them warmly. A kind and gentle woman, she was the reason Izumi had grown into such a polite and thoughtful child. Kei ushered them to the table, urging them to wash their hands first. She served grilled fish, sushi, and three bowls of steaming miso soup.
When she saw Denji, she greeted him with a kind smile. "I wasn't expecting you tonight, so I only made something simple."
"These look delicious," Denji replied with an innocent grin. "I'm starving!"
Kei's expression softened even more. There was something irresistibly charming about a polite and well-mannered boy like Denji.
"Eat up, then. You're still growing," she said, pushing a plate of fried fish toward him.
Kei felt genuinely grateful to Denji. Since that fateful day when he helped Izumi escape the chaos of the Nine-Tails' attack, he had been a consistent and positive presence in her daughter's life. His friendship had done wonders for Izumi's healing process, helping her gradually overcome the grief of losing her father.
"Me too! I want to grow taller!" Izumi chimed in enthusiastically. Her mother and Denji both smiled at her energy.
There was something about Izumi's optimism that was truly heartwarming. For a moment, the troubles of the village and the clan seemed a world away.
...
Denji was in high spirits. Today turned out to be more rewarding than expected. Not only did he collect valuable insights from Itachi, but Uchiha Kei had gone above and beyond by offering a significant gift.
[Host and Uchiha Kei established a bond of "Son-in-law growing on me," granting the reward "Mother-in-law's Favor."]
[Mother-in-law's Favor: When the Host and Uchiha Izumi are within 500 meters of each other, both parties' training speed increases by 100%.]
It was a rare training boost, arguably as valuable as possessing the Uchiha bloodline itself. This system enhancement meant that no matter the type of practice—ninjutsu, taijutsu, or chakra refinement—his progress would effectively double.
Clearly, keeping Izumi close was crucial. Denji began to consider how to convince her to leave the Uchiha clan entirely. Of course, this wasn't a simple task. Izumi's own feelings aside, Danzo's involvement complicated everything.
No, this wasn't something to rush. A long-term strategy was necessary.
…
The dinner went on into the evening. Afterward, Denji spent some time practicing taijutsu with Izumi in the garden. He could feel the effect of their shared training buff, his progress noticeably faster than usual. When it grew late, he said his goodbyes and headed home.
When Denji arrived, he was surprised to find Danzo waiting for him.
"Old man, you're back?" he asked, genuinely curious.
Danzo rarely left his Root headquarters. Danzo spent most of his time there, overseeing its operations. Denji himself had only managed to escape that dreary underground environment by using the excuse that he needed sunlight.
Danzo's smile was subtle. "I left in a hurry last time and forgot to give you your birthday present."
He gestured to a long, plain wooden box sitting on the table. "Open it and take a look."