*Whoosh!* In the next instant, Kazuki vanished from the spot.
When the Nine-Tails comes, ordinary folk steer clear.
That was basic self-awareness for any Uchiha!
If an Uchiha ever got within a hundred meters of the Nine-Tails, that ruthless old guy with an X-shaped scar on his face would undoubtedly start roaring: “You evil Uchiha, how dare you…” Then he’d storm into the Hokage’s office to argue his case!
And naturally end it all with: “Hi…
Hiruzen, you’ll regret this!” Just look at how worked up he gets, as if the Uchiha had committed some heinous crime.
By contrast, that old schemer who touted himself as the “Strongest Hokage” secretly wished all Uchiha would drop dead, yet publicly spoke up for them, suppressing his old comrade with: “Danzo…
I am the Hokage!” *Ah!* Kazuki let out a sigh.
Nobody has it easy.
It isn’t us who are wrong—it’s the world!
*Ptooey!* …
Meanwhile…
Deep inside a pitch-black, sunless room within Konoha, an intelligence report arrived.
A ninja wearing a strange mask knelt on one knee and whispered a few words.
Hearing this, an old man leaning on a cane rose in fury and stormed out with wide strides.
His cane could barely keep pace with his footing!
Just three minutes later, he barged into the Hokage’s office.
“Hiruzen!” Danzo glared with his lone eye at the “Strongest Hokage” sitting behind the desk.
He slammed the intelligence report down onto the desk, his expression fierce.
“This Uchiha brat is extremely suspicious!” Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up the report, glanced through it, and frowned in confusion.
“Kazuki Uchiha?” “If I recall correctly, he’s Shisui’s younger brother, Kagami’s descendant.
While he’s usually a bit…
unruly—” Hiruzen’s expression grew somewhat complicated.
“—overall, he’s quite a peaceful Uchiha, completely unlike the Uchiha radicals.” “Nonsense!” Danzo barked furiously.
“Hiruzen, mark my words: Kazuki Uchiha is an exceedingly dangerous, evil brat!” Hiruzen hesitated.
“Danzo, I know Kazuki is energetic and fond of pranks.
Last time, he made you—*ahem*.” Danzo’s single eye burned with ferocity, his face contorting as though he were ready to devour someone whole.
Even Hiruzen couldn’t help shrinking his neck back a bit.
Best not finish that sentence!
Danzo would surely fight him to the death right then and there.
“Kazuki’s behavior today was completely normal!” Hiruzen summoned an Anbu member to retrieve Kazuki’s track record for the day, then gestured at the document.
“First he met with Jiraiya…
*sigh*…
and then he went to eat ramen.
What’s wrong with that?” As he spoke, his eyes lingered momentarily on a specific line of the report.
*…Tsunade’s departure from the village has been confirmed; her destination is unknown.* *So she left after all…* he sighed in his heart.
“It’s a huge problem!” Danzo said agitatedly.
“The moment he saw the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, he fled immediately!
Don’t you see?!” Hiruzen pondered this.
“And what does that imply?” “A guilty conscience!” Danzo declared with absolute finality.
Hiruzen: “…” Danzo shouted excitedly, “If Kazuki Uchiha doesn’t have a guilty conscience, why did he run away the instant he saw the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?
Trust me, Hiruzen—he’s definitely plotting something shady.
He might even be targeting the Nine-Tails…” “Enough!” Hiruzen rubbed his temples, letting out a weary sigh.
“Danzo, a month ago, Kazuki was eating ramen when Naruto walked in.” “Kazuki was practically finished and preparing to leave.” “The two of them merely shared the space inside Teuchi’s Ichiraku Ramen for a dozen breaths before going their separate ways.” “Yet back then, you told me Kazuki Uchiha was trying to approach Naruto and nearly attacked him, insisting that if you hadn’t taken decisive action, who knows what disaster would have unfolded.” “Now, he sees Naruto and immediately leaves, and you say he has a guilty conscience!” Hiruzen didn’t speak the remaining thoughts, but his expression clearly conveyed: *What on earth do you want from him?* Danzo snapped furiously, “Are you saying I’m wrong?!” “What else?” Hiruzen said helplessly.
“Danzo, you’re overly paranoid.” “Hmph!
‘The Uchiha are inherently evil’—that was our teacher’s own warning!” Danzo spat sinisterly.
“And this Kazuki Uchiha is naturally wicked to his core.
In his eyes lies a bottomless dark power.
Hiruzen, you had better remember my words!” Hiruzen’s expression turned solemn as he said gravely, “Danzo, I know you harbor a deep hatred for Kazuki because of *that incident*.
However, I hope you will keep the bigger picture in mind.
Kazuki is Kagami’s descendant, Shisui’s younger brother, and a key figure among the Uchiha moderates.
He is extremely important to us.” “No, Hiruzen, you’re wrong!
You’re fundamentally mistaken!” Danzo’s gaze turned chillingly cold.
“When dealing with the Uchiha, we must use ruthless force to eradicate them completely!” “And then what?” Hiruzen shot back angrily.
“Leave behind a battered and broken Konoha?
What do you think the other villages would do then?
How many days has it been since the war ended?
Can Konoha withstand another war right now?
And how would you answer to the Daimyo?” “Besides, the Uchiha haven’t done anything wrong.
What justification could we possibly have to strike at them?
Do you want to destroy Konoha, Danzo?!” The Uchiha Clan was Konoha’s famous, prominent clan—the strongest ninja clan in Konoha!
Even if many ninja clans didn’t like them, none could deny that they were a pillar representing the village’s shinobi clans.
If the authorities attacked them without cause, how would the other shinobi clans react?
Ever since Tobirama Senju implemented policies to integrate shinobi clans into the civilian population, Konoha’s clans had already harbored wariness toward the village leadership.
If it was the Uchiha Clan today, who would be next tomorrow?
If the leadership dared to move recklessly, the other clans would inevitably react!
It was the classic case of “grieving for one’s kind.” In the original story, why was it Itachi Uchiha who slaughtered his entire clan?
Because his surname was Uchiha!
An Uchiha killing Uchiha made it an internal feud!
All Konoha did officially was execute a traitor and avenge the Uchiha.
Although everyone knew that the claim of Itachi Uchiha wiping out the entire clan single-handedly was absurd—no matter how genius he was, Anbu and Foundation operatives were definitely involved behind the scenes—it was sufficient on the surface.
Furthermore, the Uchiha Clan’s intention to stage a coup was not only known to the Hokage faction; other shinobi clans had also heard rumors of it.
It was only when no one could tolerate them anymore that the Uchiha met their total demise.
Yet Danzo said coldly, “It is merely short-term pain.
Compared to the threat posed by the Uchiha, these side effects mean nothing.” “Enough!
It is time for you to rest!” Hiruzen’s gaze grew icy.
“Danzo…
I am the Hokage!” “Hmph!
Hiruzen, you will regret this!” *Tap, tap, tap!* The sound of his cane striking the floor slowly faded into the distance.
Silence descended upon the office.
Hiruzen’s brows remained tightly furrowed.
*It feels like…
something isn’t right…* He carefully recalled his conversation with Danzo.
He couldn’t pinpoint any flaw.
“Forget it.” He picked up a dossier once more.
*Kazuki Uchiha!* Detailed information about Kazuki was recorded within: Proficient Ninjutsu…
Weaknesses…
Personality flaws…
Upbringing…
Interpersonal relationships…
Even his daily activities were documented.
Much of Kazuki’s public information, as well as secret details known only to the Uchiha high command, was included in this dossier.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the report.
During the Third Shinobi World War, countless outstanding shinobi had emerged, led by the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze, and Shisui of the Teleportation.
Among them, while Shisui of the Teleportation was undeniably brilliant, he was also an Uchiha shinobi whom Hiruzen and the executives had deliberately elevated into the spotlight.
The Uchiha Clan’s performance on the battlefield had been too stellar to suppress completely.
Therefore, they chose to promote Shisui—who was friendly to the Hokage faction—as a war hero!
This served as an answer to the Uchiha Clan as well.
Yet throughout this process, there was one person they had deliberately or unconsciously overlooked.
Kazuki Uchiha!
Shisui’s biological younger brother!
He was someone who gave Hiruzen headaches in every conceivable way.
His personality was eccentric and unreadable, yet his natural talent faintly surpassed even Shisui’s.
During the Third Shinobi World War, had he not been intentionally suppressed, his name would have echoed across the Ninja World long ago.
Back then, he had been merely ten years old!
There was one statement from Danzo that the Third Hokage thoroughly agreed with: Kazuki Uchiha was an extremely dangerous individual.
“Shisui Uchiha…
Kazuki Uchiha…” Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured under his breath, a sharp glint suddenly flashing in his eyes.
“Shisui…
are you the ‘king’ I’ve been searching for?” “If so…
prove it to me!”