Meanwhile, Uchiha Renzo arrived at the Hokage's office under the escort of an Anbu member.
With a swift movement, the Anbu disappeared.
"Greetings, Lord Hokage. May I ask why you've summoned me?" Renzo asked politely, bowing slightly.
The Third Hokage chuckled kindly. He stood up warmly and gestured for Renzo to take a seat on the large sofa beside him. With a gentle tone, he spoke, "Your teacher reported your performance during the mission, and I also heard about your Sharingan awakening. Congratulations!"
"Among the Uchiha I've seen, your talent is among the best."
Hearing this, Renzo straightened his back, feeling both shy and proud.
"You're too kind, Lord Hokage. I still have a long way to go! I'll continue to work hard so I can help make Konoha stronger and defeat those enemies who harbor ambitions of invading our village!"
He portrayed the image of a passionate yet rational and intelligent young ninja perfectly.
After saying that, Renzo couldn't help but mentally pat himself on the back. "My acting is improving!"
Sure enough, upon hearing Renzo's words and seeing his sincerity, the Third Hokage smiled warmly, his expression growing even kinder.
He nodded slightly and said, "You're a humble child! That's both a strength and a weakness. But your ambition is admirable. Keep up the effort!"
"By the way, I already spoke to your clan leader, Fugaku, about you. I criticized him for neglecting your potential in the past and got him to agree to provide you with more resources. When you return to the clan, he'll probably discuss this with you."
"Just remember, don't mention that I told you this—it might upset him! Hahaha!"
The Third Hokage truly lived up to his reputation as a cunning old fox.
Not only did he subtly undermine Fugaku, aiming to weaken any efforts to win Renzo over, but he also attempted to take credit for the resources Renzo was already receiving from the clan.
If Fugaku heard this, he'd probably be furious.
Renzo, however, saw right through the Hokage's tactics.
In reality, Fugaku had never mistreated him. Neither had the Uchiha clan.
Since showing talent, he had received a steady supply of resources. As he continued to excel, the clan had only increased its support. Fugaku had even met with him personally twice.
Their sincerity was undeniable.
So, Renzo held no resentment toward his clan—only mild annoyance at a few ignorant individuals within it.
In the Uchiha clan, when you're talented enough, you realize that most of the clan members are actually good people who treat you well.
That's just the reality.
"Got it! I'll keep it in mind!"
Of course, while Renzo understood everything, he had to continue playing along.
So, he nodded obediently and expressed his gratitude. "Thank you, Lord Hokage, for looking out for me!"
The Third Hokage smiled in satisfaction, stroking his beard before continuing, "You don't need to call me 'Lord Hokage.' Just call me Uncle! You and Asuma are teammates, but that kid is a bit rebellious and hard to handle."
"Of course, a large part of that is my fault—I've been too busy and haven't given him enough attention or guidance."
"So, I hope you can look after him for me. This is a personal request from your Hokage Uncle. Can I count on you?"
'What a masterstroke of emotional manipulation!' Renzo was almost moved to tears.
"Of course!" He nodded repeatedly, answering eagerly, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of Asuma! He's actually very hardworking! He performed really well on this mission."
"We've even promised each other that we'll continue to improve together! I believe that, in time, he'll come to understand your struggles. After all, no father doesn't love his own child!"
"Even though my own parents left me early, I know they always loved me!"
As he said this, Renzo's eyes turned slightly red—not because he was activating his Sharingan, but because he was genuinely impressed by his own acting skills.
The Third Hokage, clearly moved, seemed to relate to Renzo's words.
He truly believed that Uchiha Renzo was an emotional, loyal young man.
And such a person was perfect to be molded into a loyal tool.
The Third Hokage suddenly continued, "Even though I've already arranged for your clan to provide you with additional resources, I personally want to give you something extra on behalf of the village. Here, I have a list of jutsu—pick one as my personal gift to you."
With that, he handed Renzo a scroll.
Renzo accepted it with a hint of surprise and thanked him. "Thank you, Uncle Hokage!"
Then, he carefully examined the list.
It contained five jutsu:
Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu
Genjutsu: Bringer-of-Darkness
Lightning Release: Chidori
Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning
Lightning Release: Ground Shock
All of them were well-known techniques.
Interestingly, the list focused on fire and lightning jutsu—clearly, the Third Hokage knew about Renzo's dual affinities.
"Even Kakashi's Chidori is on here? So, he must have officially submitted it to the village. I wonder if that was voluntary or forced… and whether he got proper compensation for it?" Renzo pondered this briefly.
All the techniques were valuable, but he was most interested in the first three.
However, since he could only choose one, he ultimately decided on Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
With his chakra, stamina, and spiritual energy growing stronger by the day, this technique would be incredibly useful in the future.
It was basically an overpowered cheat code!
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu? Good choice!" The Third Hokage nodded approvingly.
He retrieved a large scroll from a nearby shelf and unrolled it, revealing the full instructions for the jutsu. "You have one hour to memorize the training method."
"But remember, this is a forbidden jutsu. It places a heavy burden on chakra and mental strength. Do not create too many clones at once, or you'll risk your life!"
The Third Hokage warned him seriously. Renzo nodded repeatedly in response.
With his enhanced memory, it only took a few minutes for him to memorize everything, including the notes and warnings.
"Got it! Thank you, Uncle Hokage!" Renzo respectfully returned the scroll and bowed in gratitude.
"Oh? That's some impressive memory! No need to thank me! That's all for today—your teacher and teammates are still waiting for you. Go on, now."
The Third Hokage was slightly surprised by Renzo's quick memorization, but he didn't dwell on it. After all, good memory alone wasn't too unusual.
"Yes, I'll take my leave now!"
With that, Renzo exited the Hokage's office and quickly made his way back to the barbecue restaurant, rejoining his team within minutes.