Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

The Uchiha Clan Grounds

"Shirou-kun, I'm sorry!"

Uchiha Fugaku stepped out of the house, his face full of guilt, and bowed at a 90-degree angle to apologize once again. However, Shirou smiled and moved forward to help him up.

"Brother Fugaku, there's no need to apologize. You and I are both acting for the sake of the clan."

Despite Shirou's magnanimity, Fugaku felt even more ashamed. The task of visiting the great clans had been entrusted to him by his father, but it essentially meant wielding the authority of the clan leader.

It made him feel as if he had stolen credit that rightfully belonged to Shirou, filling him with a heavy sense of guilt.

"Shirou-kun…"

Before Fugaku could say more, Shirou raised the gift box in his hand with a smile and teasingly said,

"Brother Fugaku, I'm very satisfied with this gift. There's no need for such formalities between us."

Seeing Shirou's generosity, Fugaku took a deep breath and buried his guilt deep inside. He nodded solemnly.

"Shirou-kun, I understand."

With a look of comprehension, Fugaku respectfully bowed again before turning to leave. Yet, as he departed, he silently resolved to find a way to repay Shirou in the future.

Just as Fugaku walked away, a dissatisfied voice rang out from behind.

"Shirou, this was your idea. How can the clan leader's son just steal credit from others so casually?"

Mikoto's usually gentle smile carried an undertone of displeasure. It was obvious she wasn't happy about Fugaku, the young heir, being tasked with visiting the other clans—a job that had originally been Shirou's suggestion.

In her eyes, since Shirou had come up with the plan, it was only right that he should have been the one to carry it out.

Looking at Mikoto, who was angry on his behalf, Shirou couldn't help but smile. Slowly, he opened the gift box, revealing a finely crafted chakra metal weapon.

"Our young clan leader didn't hold back at all. So much chakra metal, along with rare and special materials. Sister Mikoto, why don't you give it a try and see how it feels?"

Shirou tactfully avoided the topic and instead took out the chakra blade from the gift box, leaving Mikoto with no choice but to suppress her frustration.

But when she saw the long, straight ninja sword, Mikoto's eyes couldn't help but flash with amazement.

"Shirou, this chakra metal sword—it's yours?!"

The weapon in the box was strikingly similar to the Kusanagi blade hanging at Shirou's waist. Both were straight swords, identical in size and shape.

The only difference was the color. The new blade was white, exuding an air of elegance and nobility.

Noticing the admiration in Mikoto's gaze, Shirou smiled.

"This time, when we head to the Land of Rain, it looks like you'll be coming with me, Sister Mikoto. Didn't Brother Fugaku say he'd use the clan's chakra metal to forge me a sword? Since Lord Orochimaru recently gifted me a divine weapon, I figured I'd have Brother Fugaku forge a matching one. While it's not quite as sharp, it's still an exceptional blade."

As Shirou explained, Mikoto's eyes sparkled with delight, her expression softening.

"A matching pair, huh?"

To Mikoto, the value of the chakra weapon didn't matter. What she saw was the symbolic significance of the black and white pair of swords.

Indeed, men and women often view things from entirely different perspectives.

"Shirou, I love it."

Accepting the straight blade, Mikoto's face lit up with a smile as she lovingly ran her hands over it.

Two identical swords, clearly a pair—it was as if they were subtly declaring her bond with Shirou.

"Sister Mikoto."

Suddenly, a cheerful voice came from outside the door. It was none other than Uzumaki Kushina.

"Kushina?"

Mikoto looked at the unexpected visitor with a puzzled expression. When Kushina noticed Shirou was also present, a flicker of awkwardness flashed through her eyes.

However, in the next moment, she broke into her trademark hearty grin and pulled out two larger chakra blades resembling short swords from her pouch.

"Since you're both here, I've got great news. I'll be joining you on the battlefield this time, and these are special weapons for dealing with Hidden Sand's puppeteers."

Holding the short, chakra-infused blades, Shirou was momentarily stunned. Weren't these the special chakra weapons from the original story used by Konoha against the Hidden Sand's puppet masters in Roran?

But seeing Kushina casually hand them over with her usual big smile, Shirou couldn't help but grin as well. She was like a rich heiress.

After all, chakra metal weapons were incredibly rare and valuable. Yet Kushina was giving them away as if they were nothing. Truly, a generous little princess.

"Oh, and this is to thank you for teaching me the Rasengan."

In front of Mikoto, Kushina feigned a tsundere attitude, but a hint of unease flickered in her eyes. She pulled out a green scroll from her ninja pouch and tossed it to Shirou.

"This is a sealing technique from the Uzumaki Clan called the 'Self-Cursing Seal.' Think of it as a trade for your Rasengan."

With that, Kushina quickly masked her awkwardness and joined Mikoto, chatting and laughing as if everything was normal. Meanwhile, Shirou stood at the doorway, examining the scroll and the chakra blades in his hands, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He had almost forgotten—this Uzumaki Kushina wasn't just any kunoichi. She was a princess of the Land of Whirlpools, heir to the Uzumaki Clan's sealing arts. In terms of wealth and heritage, she was no less of a rich lady than Mikoto.

"Self-Cursing Seal, huh?"

Looking at the sealing technique scroll in his hands, Shirou's thoughts wandered to its potential uses.

In the original story, Danzo used this very technique to fight Sasuke. Once activated, the victim's body would be covered with intricate curse marks, rendering them immobile and completely restrained.

"Kushina, why are you going too?"

Inside the room, Mikoto looked at Kushina in surprise and asked the question on her mind.

As for Mikoto's own decision to go to the frontlines, it was purely because the Uchiha had finally seized an opportunity, and she couldn't afford to miss it.

Even the clan leader's son, Fugaku, was heading to the battlefield to earn merit. If she didn't go, the influence passed down to her by Elder Setsuna would diminish significantly.

The Uchiha Clan was a family that revered strength. If you were weak, how could anyone follow you?

"Well, Sister Mikoto, it's like this…"

Kushina began chattering away, the two friends engaging in lively conversation. Meanwhile, Shirou remained engrossed in studying the sealing scroll.

As Kushina chatted with Mikoto, her peripheral vision caught Shirou's focused expression as he examined the sealing technique she had gifted him. A faint, almost unconscious smile curved her lips.

"So that's how it is."

Mikoto nodded in understanding. Kushina hadn't hidden anything from them, especially since the two of them were essentially part of the Uchiha's leadership now.

With the Senju and Uchiha alliance still fragile, this was precisely the time to build trust.