221-225

Chapter 221: Shindai's New Discovery 

Shindai was pressed against the window, intently watching a spider in a potted plant. 

Obito, Kakashi, and Rin Nohara felt like Shindai had probably lost his mind again, studying how a spider could "fly" on flat ground. 

How could a spider possibly fly? And even if it could, so what? 

Shindai watched as the spider's tail released more web, and then it "flew" from one leaf to another. 

"It flew again!" 

Obito and the others also saw that the spider did indeed fly. 

Kakashi asked, confused, "And then?" 

Shindai rubbed his chin, a pained expression on his face. "It's so close, like food stuck in your throat, can't go up, can't go down. What's the principle?" 

Obito scratched his head. "I have no idea what you're doing. Let's go check out the notice first, it's about Minato-sensei becoming Hokage!" 

Shindai looked at Obito, about to say he wasn't going, when he noticed the hair on Obito's head standing up from him scratching it. 

Shindai felt like he'd been hit with a club, and suddenly everything clicked! 

Shindai's face lit up with wild joy. "So that's it! I get it, I get it!" 

Obito frowned. "Get what? Tell us!" 

Shindai exclaimed excitedly, "Spiders can fly by relying on the electric field around us! Opposites attract, and like charges repel, just like how a few strands of your hair float up after you scratch your head, it's the same principle! 

So, as long as the repulsive force between the spider and the ground is greater than its gravity, the spider can use the repulsion of like charges to fly into the air. And spitting out web is the key to the spider flying. 

When a spider spits out web, it's accumulating negative charges, and then it takes off by the repulsive force of negative charges repelling other negative charges!" 

Yahura and the three Genin were completely lost. 

What in the world was he talking about?! 

Shindai became even more excited as he spoke. "Although an electric field doesn't necessarily mean a magnetic field, and a magnetic field doesn't necessarily mean an electric field, a changing electric field produces a magnetic field, and a changing magnetic field also produces an electric field. 

A constant electric or magnetic field doesn't produce a magnetic or electric field. A uniformly changing electric or magnetic field produces a stable magnetic or electric field, and a periodically changing electric or magnetic field produces a periodically changing magnetic or electric field. 

This means that by using this, and the magnetism of my Magnet Release, I can fly freely without needing my Iron Sand Wings!" 

Obito was speechless. "So, you watched a spider for ages, just to figure out how to fly? You can already fly! How is this helpful?" 

Shindai sighed. "See, I knew you wouldn't understand. My Iron Sand Wings consume a lot of chakra. But if I fly this way, the chakra consumption will be negligible because I'm just changing the electric charges by altering the magnetic field, essentially flying by external force. 

And this is just the most basic application. If I can really master this characteristic, I'll be able to do so many things that were impossible before. Anyway, I'm not talking to you guys anymore. One look at the clear stupidity in your eyes, and I know you won't understand anything. 

I'm going to find Lord Orochimaru! Only Lord Orochimaru will understand me, and I also need his support with experimental equipment. For the first time, I feel like my Magnet Release kekkei genkai is truly amazing!" 

Shindai told Yahura, "Yahura, I won't be having lunch or dinner. I'll be home tonight." 

Yahura reminded him, "Okay, don't be out too late." 

Shindai lifted his foot, walked out the door, and left home. 

Obito, Kakashi, and Rin exchanged glances. 

They really didn't understand what he was talking about, but they understood that Shindai called them stupid. 

The three of them followed Shindai. 

"Shindai, look!" 

Obito excitedly pointed to a bulletin board ahead. 

Shindai walked over and read the notice. 

"Effective today, the current Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, has resigned from the position of Hokage. The Fourth Hokage will be Minato Namikaze, and the inauguration ceremony will take place in three days! - Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi" 

Seeing the announcement, Shindai asked, "So, Lord Minato is Hokage now? Where is Lord Minato? Come to think of it, I haven't seen him today, he wasn't even at breakfast." 

Kakashi replied matter-of-factly, "He's definitely at the Hokage's Office. There must be tons of things to do with the Hokage handover." 

Shindai nodded. "That's true. Well, I'm going to find Lord Orochimaru. Are you coming?" 

"You go ahead, we're not coming." 

Orochimaru always gave them the feeling that he was plotting something, and they never knew when he might suddenly "bite," so Obito and the others were still a bit afraid of him. 

"Alright, then I'll go by myself." 

Shindai arrived at Orochimaru's research base. 

This research base was prepared for Orochimaru by Danzo, and even though they had a falling out, the base still belonged to Orochimaru. 

"Lord Orochimaru! Lord Orochimaru! Where are you?" 

After entering the underground research base, Shindai yelled at the top of his lungs. 

Shindai entered and didn't see anyone; it was empty. 

"Huh? Is he not here?" 

As Shindai was about to leave, Orochimaru appeared behind him like a ghost, startling Shindai. 

Shindai patted his chest. "Lord Orochimaru, could you please not appear and disappear like that? It's really scary!" 

Orochimaru ignored Shindai and just stared at him. 

From Orochimaru's eyes, Shindai saw... resentment? 

Shindai gave a dry laugh. "L-Lord Orochimaru, why are you... staring at me like that?" 

Orochimaru finally spoke. "Follow me." 

Shindai followed Orochimaru into a laboratory. 

The laboratory was a mess, and a wire was still sparking. 

Shindai exclaimed, "What happened here? Did your experiment not go well, Lord Orochimaru, and you got angry and smashed everything?" 

Orochimaru almost always had a poker face, but now, the veins on his forehead were very clear. 

"Go, clean this up." 

"Huh? Why?" 

"If a certain someone hadn't come in here yelling so loudly, it wouldn't be like this." 

Orochimaru glared at Shindai. 

Shindai immediately understood. No wonder he thought he saw resentment in Orochimaru's eyes at first; it was because he had interrupted Orochimaru's experiment, causing this mess! 

Shindai immediately stood up straight and promised, "I'll definitely do a perfect job helping Lord Orochimaru!" 

Shindai started cleaning, but he wasn't exactly good at it. 

Before Yahura came, Shindai used to trick Obito or Rin into cleaning his house for him, or Kushina Uzumaki would clean up if she couldn't stand it anymore. As for Kakashi... he was harder to fool and never fell for it. 

Even when he was in the Hidden Sand Village, Shindai would just collect his trash into a pile and secretly throw it out. 

Shindai, who was terrible at cleaning, was now practically causing more destruction. 

Orochimaru watched as Shindai knocked experimental materials off the shelves one by one, his eyelid twitching wildly. 

Chapter 222: The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze 

In another room, Shindai and Orochimaru were sitting face-to-face at a table. Shindai hung his head, looking embarrassed. He had promised to help clean up, but he just couldn't get it done because Orochimaru simply couldn't stand it anymore and told him to stop. 

Orochimaru looked at Shindai and said, "Alright, spill it. Why are you here? No small talk, let's get straight to the point." 

Shindai hesitated for a moment, then began to explain his discoveries and his hypotheses. Orochimaru's expression turned interested as he listened to Shindai's findings and ideas. 

"It seems you and I are on the same wavelength," Orochimaru mused. "I believe that all objects in the world, from basic particles to celestial bodies, possess a certain degree of magnetism. I think this planet itself is a giant magnetic field, and all living creatures and human bodies on this planet are constantly affected by this geomagnetic field. The geomagnetic field is an indispensable environmental factor for maintaining normal life activities in living organisms." 

"Magnetic field changes can create an electric field, which is an electromagnetic field. You could then use your Kekkei Genkai to control the positive and negative charges within it. If your hypothesis is proven, the potential of your Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai would be immeasurable, no longer limited to crude methods like manipulating Iron Sand. However, this isn't my primary area of research, so the help I can offer you is limited. You'll need to conduct the experiments yourself." 

Shindai quickly replied, "Understood, Orochimaru-sama. But I don't have a place or equipment to conduct experiments. Could you... could you support me?" 

Orochimaru readily agreed. "Yes, you can use all the equipment. But I have only one condition for you." 

Shindai's face lit up with a brilliant smile upon hearing Orochimaru's agreement. "Thank you, Orochimaru-sama! Forget one condition, I'll agree to ten!" 

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Since you put it that way, then it's ten conditions." 

Shindai's smile instantly froze. He was just being dramatic, why did Orochimaru take him seriously? But the words were out, and he couldn't take them back. Shindai could only steel himself and say, "Please, Orochimaru-sama, tell me." 

Orochimaru enunciated each word clearly: "Once you step into this research facility, and it's the same for future scientific departments, you are not allowed to speak any nonsense unrelated to research!" 

Shindai pouted. Was he really that chatty? For Orochimaru to specifically make such a demand... he was quite quiet and reserved when he was alone. 

Orochimaru continued with his second condition: "Second, while you can use the experimental equipment freely, you must not damage it. Return everything to its original place when you're done. If you break something, fix it yourself. If you can't fix it, figure out a way to resolve it." 

"Third, you are not to disturb me when I am conducting experiments!" 

"For now, these are the only three conditions. The remaining seven will be added later as needed. If you fail to meet them, you may be penalized or even directly prohibited from entering the research facility." 

Shindai mumbled his agreement, pouting. "Okay~" 

Orochimaru stood up from his chair. "I don't think I need to introduce the equipment here; you'll figure out how to use it on your own. Do as you please. When you're experimenting, close the door and keep the noise down. I'm going back to my experiments. These conditions are now in effect, so pay attention." 

After Orochimaru left the room, Shindai began to explore the research facility. It was incredibly well-equipped. However, he didn't know what most of the functions were, so Shindai didn't rush into experimenting. Instead, he first studied the equipment to see which ones would be useful for his experiments. 

Three days passed in a flash. Today was Minato Namikaze's inauguration day. The area below the Hokage Residence was packed with people, almost everyone in Konoha had gathered to witness the changing of the Hokage. Shindai, Pakura, and Obito stood among the crowd, looking up at the roof of the Hokage Residence. The handover ceremony had already begun. 

Minato Namikaze stood opposite Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado. Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Tsunade, Kushina Uzumaki, and the heads of various ninja clans were also present. Danzō, however, was absent. It was already a miracle he wasn't causing trouble; asking him to witness Minato Namikaze becoming the Fourth Hokage would be worse than death for him. 

Jiraiya was grinning like he'd won the jackpot. His disciple becoming Hokage brought him immense pride as a teacher. Kushina Uzumaki's expression was equally proud; such an excellent man was her future husband! 

Koharu Utatane reminded them, "The time is almost up, Hiruzen. Let's proceed with the Hokage handover ceremony." 

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, solemnly removing the Hokage hat from his head. He held it with both hands and walked seriously toward Minato Namikaze. "Konoha is now in your hands, Fourth Hokage." 

Minato Namikaze accepted the Hokage hat with both hands, placed it on his head, and said with conviction, "Leave everything to me, Third Hokage! For Konoha, I am willing to give my life!" 

Minato Namikaze walked to the edge of the Hokage Residence roof, removed his hat, and announced, "I am the Fourth Hokage! From this day forward, I will lead Konoha!" 

A wave of cheers erupted from the crowd. 

After Minato Namikaze became Hokage, his schedule exploded with things to do, and he was out from dawn till dusk every day. Shindai, too, was now mirroring Minato's schedule, spending his days at the research facility. 

Kushina Uzumaki and Pakura were together. Kushina sighed, "Minato's been so incredibly busy since becoming Hokage. I only get to see him late at night." 

Pakura offered comfort, "Since he just took over, there must be a lot of things to handle. It should get better after a while." 

Kushina then asked, puzzled, "By the way, where's Shindai? He hasn't been around much lately either." 

Pakura replied helplessly, "Him? He's at the research facility every day. When he comes home, he's mumbling to himself, like he's possessed, but he's been like that since he was a kid, so it's normal." 

Kushina propped her chin up and muttered, "I wonder when Minato will finally be less busy." 

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Nonō Yakushi were in discussion. Since Minato had just become Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi was temporarily assisting him in getting familiar with the Hokage's administrative procedures. The three of them were discussing matters concerning charity activities. Minato Namikaze fully supported the entire orphanage plan, and they were now discussing the details. 

Chapter 223: Minato and Fugaku 

Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Nonou Yakushi were discussing the details of a charity event. 

Since this was their first time organizing such an event, none of them had much experience. 

So, Hiruzen Sarutobi brought over the blueprint for wartime mobilization. 

It seemed pretty good. 

After all, Konoha's wartime mobilization was based on the Will of Fire; everyone in the village was family, so it was only natural to donate to the children in the orphanage, who were also family. 

After Nonou Yakushi left, Hiruzen Sarutobi said to Minato Namikaze, "Fourth Hokage, the entire plan was thought up by Shindai. He might have even better ideas. When you go back, ask him about it." 

Minato Namikaze nodded. "Yes, Shindai spends all his time in Lord Orochimaru's research base these days, but we often see each other at night. I'll ask him for his opinions then." 

Hiruzen Sarutobi continued, "Minato, the next focus will be the Uchiha clan." 

Minato Namikaze replied, "I plan to go to the Uchiha compound tomorrow to meet Fugaku." 

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked Minato Namikaze, "Do you want me to come with you?" 

Minato Namikaze shook his head slightly. "No, Kushina and Mikoto are very good friends, so I want to rely on that connection to meet with Fugaku and have a good talk." 

Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed. "That's fine. Let's see what Fugaku's attitude is like first." 

That Night 

Shindai walked home with a smile on his face. 

"Tsk, tsk, genius? What is a genius? The word 'genius' is synonymous with me, Shindai! Thanks to Lord Orochimaru's equipment, the progress has been incredibly significant. There's just one downside: you can't talk freely during breaks. Why is he so serious?" 

As Shindai was thinking about the experiments he'd conduct tomorrow, Minato Namikaze appeared before him. 

Shindai exclaimed, "Oh, Lord Minato, you just got off work too?" 

Minato Namikaze smiled and said, "That's right. You've been working hard lately, Shindai." 

Shindai unconsciously puffed out his chest. "Of course! I've always worked hard. If I didn't, I'd become a lone wolf, you know." 

"Huh?" 

Minato Namikaze looked at Shindai blankly. How would not working hard make him a lone wolf? 

Shindai waved his hand. "Never mind that. Lord Minato, you must have something to tell me, right? Our paths home shouldn't cross until we're almost there." 

Minato Namikaze said, "Yes, there is something regarding the charity event. Today, the Third Hokage, Nonou, and I discussed the details. Since you proposed the entire plan, I wanted to ask for your input." 

Minato Namikaze then relayed the details of their office discussion to Shindai. 

After listening, Shindai replied, "That's great! Actually, how you run the charity event isn't that important. After all, Lord Minato and the Third Hokage, one the current Hokage and one the former, will both be attending. The villagers of Konoha will have to show you respect, and most of them will definitely attend. 

The important thing is the content of the speech. Just have Sister Nonou make it sound a bit more tragic. Aren't there many war orphans in the orphanage? So, focus on those children. For example, talk about how their parents sacrificed themselves for Konoha, and say something empathetic like 'don't let these heroes shed blood and tears.' However, these empathetic words should come from Lord Minato. It wouldn't be appropriate for Sister Nonou to say them." 

Minato Namikaze nodded thoughtfully upon hearing Shindai's words. "I understand." 

Shindai then recalled his "ambition." "Lord Minato, you know I want to open a shop. Can you arrange a good location for me?" 

Minato Namikaze agreed, "Yes, I can, but it has to follow proper procedures. I can't just let you use it for free." 

"No problem! Money is the easiest thing for me to solve. I'll just go and drum up some investments!" 

Shindai flashed a money-hungry grin. He'd have to pause his current experiments for a bit to sort out the puppets he planned to sell in the future. He needed to make a sample to attract some investors. 

He was just so, so busy! 

The Next Day 

Minato Namikaze arrived at the Uchiha compound and met with Fugaku Uchiha. 

"Fugaku-dono, I've wanted to see you since the inauguration ceremony, but I've been swamped with duties and didn't realize it had dragged on until today." 

Kushina Uzumaki and Mikoto Uchiha were friends, so even though Minato Namikaze and Fugaku Uchiha weren't exactly friends, their relationship was still quite good. 

Fugaku Uchiha bowed slightly. "I haven't had a proper chance to congratulate the Fourth Hokage on his succession either." 

Just then, Mikoto Uchiha brought in two cups of tea, placing one in front of Minato Namikaze and the other in front of Fugaku Uchiha. 

Minato Namikaze smiled at Mikoto Uchiha. "Kushina always talks about you, Mikoto. I'm planning to marry Kushina, and I'll only be inviting close friends and family. I hope Mikoto and Fugaku-dono can attend my wedding." 

Mikoto Uchiha happily replied, "Really? I will definitely attend the Fourth Hokage's and Kushina's wedding!" 

Fugaku Uchiha looked at Minato Namikaze with a hint of surprise. He understood Minato inviting Mikoto to his wedding, given her friendship with Kushina Uzumaki, but he didn't expect to be included as well. 

Fugaku Uchiha took a deep look at Minato Namikaze and said to Mikoto Uchiha, "Mikoto, the Fourth Hokage and I need to discuss some things privately. Why don't you go spend time with Itachi? I'll host the Fourth Hokage." 

"Alright." 

Mikoto Uchiha left the room, thoughtfully closing the door behind her. 

Minato Namikaze thanked Fugaku Uchiha, "Fugaku-dono, during this war, the Uchiha clan's heroic performance made a tremendous contribution to Konoha. I want to express my gratitude to you." 

Fugaku Uchiha shook his head. "There's no need for thanks. Konoha is our home, and when Konoha is in trouble, it's only natural for us to give our all." 

Fugaku Uchiha paused, then asked, "Fourth Hokage, you came to see me this time, not just to invite Mikoto and me to your wedding, right?" 

Minato Namikaze's expression grew serious, and he began, "I want to ask, Fugaku-dono, how do you view the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha?" 

Fugaku Uchiha's hand, which had just picked up his teacup, paused. 

However, Fugaku Uchiha immediately pretended nothing was wrong and took a sip of tea. 

When Fugaku Uchiha placed the teacup back on the table, he had already thought of how to answer Minato Namikaze. "The Uchiha clan is one of Konoha's many ninja clans, and we are a part of Konohagakure." 

Minato Namikaze sighed. "Fugaku-dono, I'm asking how you view the relationship between the two parties. You haven't directly answered my question. I came here hoping we could have an open and honest discussion." 

Minato Namikaze directly stated the purpose of his visit. Otherwise, Minato felt that Fugaku Uchiha would just keep evading the topic from beginning to end. 

Chapter 224: Improving Relationships 

Minato Namikaze immediately told Fugaku Uchiha that he had come today to have a frank and open discussion with him. Fugaku stared at Minato and asked, "So, Fourth Hokage, what do you want to ask me? Do you just want to know about the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha?" 

Minato looked directly back at Fugaku and replied, "More than that. It's about various issues. I've found that the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha is quite complex, intertwined with power, trust, and misunderstandings. Clan Head Fugaku, I'm sure you're aware of this too. As Hokage, I want to resolve this complicated relationship. If there are any problems, we can work together to fix them, instead of letting division and misunderstandings fester until conflicts escalate beyond control." 

Fugaku remained silent, and Minato wasn't in a hurry. He waited patiently for Fugaku to speak again. After a while, Fugaku finally broke the silence. "How do you view our Uchiha clan, Fourth Hokage?" 

Minato answered, "I actually have a good impression of the Uchiha clan. Mikoto is Kushina's good friend, and my student, Obito, is also a member of the Uchiha clan." 

Hearing Minato say this, Fugaku's stern and rigid expression softened slightly. 

Minato continued, "I've delved deeply into the history. From a historical perspective, during the Second Hokage's tenure, the Konoha Military Police Force was established, with the police department and prison built together, responsible for maintaining village security. The Uchiha clan had strong opinions about this, believing that the Second Hokage isolated and marginalized the Uchiha, hating and targeting them. However, I believe the Second Hokage neither hated nor targeted the Uchiha." 

"Because before this, many Uchiha clansmen were dissatisfied with the Second Hokage's administration, believing that Konoha was jointly founded by the Uchiha and Senju, and therefore, the Second Hokage should have been an Uchiha. There were multiple attempts to seize power, and even during the Konoha Military Police Force's era, there were instances of inciting Uchiha clansmen to rebel and cause trouble. If the Second Hokage truly hated the Uchiha, he wouldn't have refrained from pursuing their responsibilities, or established the Konoha Military Police Force, nor would he have nurtured Uchiha clansmen. During his time as Hokage, he personally trained many Uchiha, and one Uchiha member was even part of his elite guard. So, I believe the Second Hokage's original intention wasn't to target the Uchiha, but to consider all ninja clans. That is, no matter which clan, if it posed a potential threat to the village, the Second Hokage would take note and make appropriate arrangements." 

Fugaku stated, "The Second Hokage is now deceased, so dwelling on historical issues is pointless. Since the Fourth Hokage has researched this deeply, you should also know that our Uchiha clan's situation in Konoha hasn't been easy; we've been targeted." 

Minato nodded. "Indeed, but this wasn't the Third Hokage's wish. The Third Hokage always hoped to improve the relationship between Konoha and the Uchiha clan. However, Danzō, as the former Hokage's aide, misunderstood the Second Hokage's intentions and pursued extreme measures against the Uchiha. Even when the Third Hokage wanted to improve things, he was powerless." 

Fugaku frowned. "Why powerless? Couldn't the Third Hokage simply stop Danzō?" 

Minato shook his head. "Change requires both sides to work together. As the Konoha Military Police Force, the Uchiha clan has shown partiality and resorted to violent enforcement in handling disputes. Such incidents are not uncommon, Clan Head Fugaku, and as captain of the Konoha Military Police Force, you should be well aware of this." 

"Because only members of the Uchiha clan can join the Konoha Military Police Force, it has become a private department of the Uchiha. This unfair handling has exacerbated the villagers' dissatisfaction with the Uchiha clan. This made it difficult for the Third Hokage to improve things. As Hokage, how could the Third Hokage side with the Uchiha clan under such circumstances? Clan Head Fugaku, am I wrong?" 

Fugaku lowered his head slightly, his expression somewhat grim. Indeed, as Minato said, some members of the Konoha Military Police Force were arrogant, conceited, and stuck in past glories. 

Minato stood up and said, "Clan Head Fugaku, I truly hope to improve the relationship between the Uchiha clan and the village. I want there to be no gaps, no animosity between us, so we can work together for the village's development." 

"As I said, improving this complex relationship requires effort from both sides. It's something I can't do alone, and so I need your support, a chance to mend this relationship. It's getting late today, so I'll head back. I hope you'll give this some careful thought, Clan Head Fugaku. I'll await your answer." 

Minato left the Uchiha compound. Fugaku remained seated in the same posture on the tatami for a long time, lost in thought. Improving the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha was something Fugaku had always dreamed of. But before, he had been helpless because of Danzō's presence, which made communication with Hiruzen Sarutobi difficult. 

Now, Minato Namikaze's appearance offered Fugaku a glimmer of hope. Minato held no prejudice against the Uchiha clan; his wife was best friends with Kushina, and Obito was even his student. Obito's standing within the Uchiha clan was now incredibly high, skyrocketing since he awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan. Fugaku had initially wanted Obito to join the Konoha Military Police Force, but Obito refused. He wanted to be with Kakashi, Rin Nohara, and Shindai. Moreover, Obito was somewhat displeased with the arrogant behavior of some of his own clansmen. 

Minato's immediate desire to build a closer relationship showed his genuine sincerity. It seemed Minato wanted to invite him to solve the Uchiha clan's problems together. However, Fugaku still had a headache. He knew exactly what some of his clansmen were like: aggressive, arrogant, and extremist. Minato had made it clear that improvement required both sides to act, meaning the Konoha Military Police Force would definitely need to change. Just as Minato said, the Konoha Military Police Force had become a private department of the Uchiha. If it were to change, there would certainly be strong opposition from some of the clansmen. 

Fugaku's eyes flickered as he murmured, "If this is a chance... I absolutely cannot let it slip away." 

Shindai was at Minato's house, and on the sofa opposite him sat Pakura, Kushina Uzumaki, and Obito. 

Kakashi asked, puzzled, "Shindai, why did you call us over so urgently?" 

Shindai waved the paper in his hand. "This is a speech I just wrote. Listen to it and give me some feedback." 

Pakura asked, confused, "A speech? What are you giving a speech about?" 

Shindai declared with high spirits, "The charity event, of course! I'm going up on stage, too, to get the villagers to donate some money to me!" 

Chapter 225: The Sealing Jutsu 

When Pakura, Kushina Uzumaki, and Obito heard that Shindai planned to crash the charity event and ask the villagers for donations for himself, their eyes instantly filled with contempt. 

Pakura scoffed, "You've got some nerve! This charity event is for the children in the orphanage who live difficult lives. You? You eat well and sleep well every day. Why do you need donations? Please, I'm begging you, it's okay to have a little shame!" 

Shindai "hmphed." "What do you mean my life isn't difficult? Back in the day, before I even had all my teeth, I had to gnaw on bread harder than a rock, and my drinking water had sand mixed in. Why should I be ashamed?" 

Rin Nohara puzzled, "But didn't you just say that was when you were little? Your life now is pretty comfortable, isn't it?" 

Shindai argued stubbornly, "Does my comfortable life now erase the hardships I endured before? Don't bother trying to persuade me; I've made up my mind. I absolutely have to attend this charity event. I'll get some starting capital for my shop from the donations, find some investors, and then I'll be ready to open for business. 

Now, your mission is to listen carefully to my speech and then give me your feedback. Just tell me if it's touching, moving, or sympathetic enough." 

Obito and the others were about to speak, but Kushina Uzumaki stopped them. 

Kushina Uzumaki leaned back on the sofa, arms crossed, looking at Shindai with a mix of three parts sarcasm and seven parts disdain. "Let him finish his performance first." 

Shindai coughed and cleared his throat, then began to read. 

"Ahem, I'll skip the self-introduction part and go straight to the story. My parents were the elites of the elite in the Hidden Sand Village. They loved me very much and always brought me delicious food when they returned. Our lives were very happy. However, good times don't last. Five years later, my parents sacrificed their lives for their village, protecting the entire village..." 

Kushina Uzumaki quietly asked Pakura next to her, "Didn't Shindai say his parents sacrificed themselves on a mission when he was less than two years old? Where did 'five years later' come from?" 

Pakura was also confused. "I have no idea." 

The rest of Shindai's story was simply a modified version of Naruto Uzumaki's story. 

Things like him having a kekkei genkai and being treated like a monster, even stray dogs kicking him, and then how he used pranks to try and gain recognition, but it didn't work, and everyone disliked him even more. 

Although life beat him down, he still loved life and wanted to contribute to the village. 

Finally, he was betrayed by the village, utterly disappointed, thinking his life was over. 

However, a new path emerged; he was saved by the current Hokage, Minato Namikaze, found salvation, and joined the loving family of Konoha. 

Shindai declared with an impassioned voice, "Therefore... I am determined to repay Konoha! To repay the Hokage! To repay Konoha Village! To repay all the villagers! To shine brightly and contribute all my strength to Konoha! If I can receive your kind donations, then I'll be able to serve Konoha even better! 

How is it? Isn't it powerful and full of manly spirit? Doesn't it make you want to donate?" 

Pakura, Kushina Uzumaki, and Obito all had extremely strange expressions. 

If they didn't know the truth, they might have actually believed him. 

The five of them exchanged glances. 

In that moment, they seemed to have a telepathic connection, all realizing what the others were thinking. 

All five nodded simultaneously, coming to a shared decision. 

Kushina Uzumaki looked at Shindai with a fake smile. "Shindai, it's really great that you asked us to listen to your speech first." 

Shindai asked eagerly, "Was my speech good? Is there anything I need to change?" 

Pakura also said, with a knowing smile, "Your speech was absolutely fantastic! It was powerful and showed true manly spirit. I was truly moved. No changes needed." 

Shindai scratched his head. "Was it really that good? This is just my first draft. I can't believe the first draft is this amazing. It seems I have talent as a great writer too!" 

Kakashi scoffed, "Your genius truly manifests in all aspects, doesn't it?" 

Obito also spoke in a sarcastic tone, "If Shindai is going to be a great writer, wouldn't getting your autograph now be quite valuable for a collection?" 

Rin Nohara covered her mouth, trying her best not to let Shindai see her stifling laughter, barely squeezing out words through clenched teeth: "Shindai... good luck." 

Shindai tilted his head and muttered, "Am I really that great? Hmm... I am that great. Why would I doubt myself on that? So..." 

Shindai opened his pocket. "How about you all donate a bit first, and I'll give each of you an autograph? How's that?" 

"Oh, the dinner ingredients aren't ready yet, I need to go get them." 

"Sister Kushina, I'll help you." 

"I need to go train." 

"Me too. Rin, want to come along?" 

"Sure." 

In the blink of an eye, Kushina Uzumaki and the other five had all gone about their own business. 

Shindai's mouth twitched. 

So stingy! They could have at least given him something! 

"Hmph, I don't care about your paltry donations anyway. I'll go revise it again, make it even more pitiful, and then I'll collect more donations." 

Shindai returned to his own house next door, shut himself in his room, and prepared to thoroughly revise his speech. 

The day of the charity event quickly arrived. 

"Pakura, how do I look?" 

Pakura looked at Shindai, and her face immediately crumpled. "What? Did someone beat you up?" 

Shindai was wearing torn, dirty clothes, looking absolutely like a refugee. 

Shindai said confidently, "That's exactly the effect I'm going for! After all, someone who needs donations shouldn't look well-dressed, right? Also, I revised the speech three times, and I even added your storyline to make it even more tragic. Now, watch my performance!" 

Pakura pursed her lips and said to Shindai, "Shindai, everyone's waiting for you next door. Let's go meet them there first." 

Shindai was currently immersed in thoughts of his upcoming speech and nodded. "Okay, let them critique my outfit too." 

Pakura led Shindai next door. As soon as they entered, Pakura shot a meaningful look at Kushina Uzumaki. 

Then, Pakura used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished. 

"Huh?" 

Shindai was stunned, not understanding why Pakura suddenly used the Body Flicker Technique. 

Meanwhile, Kushina Uzumaki used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in front of Shindai, a cryptic smile on her face. "Sorry, Shindai." 

"Sealing Jutsu!" 

Kushina Uzumaki pressed her palm against Shindai's abdomen. Sealing Jutsu formulas appeared on Shindai's body, instantly immobilizing him and preventing him from gathering chakra. 

Shindai fell straight to the ground.