Heh…
The will of fire is burning brightly!
If I had rambled on just now, I feared I would have been hit by Kotoamatsukami, even if it didn’t kill me…
And it would most likely be the former, because trash like me isn’t worth wasting Mangekyo pupil power on.
Over the years, he had tried all sorts of methods to reveal the truth and persuade Shisui and the Clan Leader, but the consequence was usually being locked up like this, or even nearly being silenced…
He had originally thought that telling them some of the truth would be enough to break the deadlock.
But the lessons learned from repeatedly crashing and bleeding made Tianti realize that words were meaningless…
They couldn’t shake Shisui’s or the Clan Leader’s will in the slightest, and the strength of the main war faction within the clan was too weak.
Tianti knew very well that the Konoha higher-ups of the Hokage faction would absolutely never let the Uchiha Clan go!
The strength and potential of the Uchiha Clan were simply too great!
And they could even directly meddle with, or even control, the Nine-Tails that they cared about most!
The Uchiha Clan, possessing the powerful Sharingan, had become a thorn in their side; as long as it wasn’t pulled out, they would never be at ease…
“Sigh, in the end, I’m just too weak… As the saying goes, ‘low status means words carry no weight’; the ancients never lied to me.”
[Ding]
[Detected host’s intense desire for power]
However… fortunately, there is a system.
But, this system is actually a “Dual Cultivation System”, requiring dual cultivation to become stronger…
Given the current situation where the Uchiha are practically under house arrest, where is he supposed to find resources?
…
In the 55th year of Konoha, the autumn wind of September swept up the fallen leaves beneath the Hokage Rock, brushing past the newly carved names on the Memorial Stone.
More than six years had passed since the Nine-Tailed Incident.
The sacrifice of the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki Uzumaki Kushina had once made the entire Ninja World hold its breath—waiting for the moment when the towering tree that was Konoha would fall!
However, the expected war did not break out; the borders of the Land of Fire were unexpectedly peaceful for a full six or seven years.
Logically speaking, after Konoha had experienced such great chaos and the consecutive loss of its most critical combat forces—the Fourth Hokage and the powerful Nine-Tails Jinchuriki—it was the perfect time for other great nations to attack.
But the expected war did not arrive; instead, peace continued for six or seven years…
This was naturally not because everyone loved peace.
It was because Konoha was still strong!
In the three or four decades since the Third Hokage took power, although other families had withered one after another, only a dozen or so of the original dozens of ninja clans remained in Konoha.
But the power of the Hokage faction was at its zenith, especially the ninja army of the Sarutobi Clan and the influence of the Shimura family!
Konoha was located on the most fertile land in the Ninja World; not only was the environment excellent, but the resources were the most abundant!
All the great nations, including many small ones, coveted this land!
What were the wars, large and small, in history fought for?
It was all to compete for this central land!
But… this peace made ‘smart people’ like Uchiha Itachi feel increasingly uneasy.
He stood by the Naka River, watching the murmuring water, but in his mind, the arguments from last night’s clan meeting surfaced.
The dissatisfaction of the clansmen was almost overflowing the walls of the Uchiha Clan Grounds…
They questioned why the Uchiha, who had achieved such illustrious military exploits, were instead being marginalized, and even the authority of the Konoha Military Police Force was being eroded step by step.
“That is because of the Sharingan in the eyes of the Nine-Tails.”
A cold voice sounded behind Itachi.
Itachi did not turn his head, only nodding slightly:
“Shisui.”
Uchiha Shisui walked to his side, also looking at the river, his voice lowered:
“Anbu received news that the Kumogakure delegation will arrive next month; on the surface, it is a routine exchange.”
“In reality?”
“In reality, Kumogakure has been in secret contact with Sunagakure and Iwagakure for half a year.”
A flash of worry crossed Shisui’s Sharingan.
“They are testing; testing whether Konoha is truly as unbreakable as it appears.”
“Does the Third Hokage know?”
“Of course, that is why there is this delegation visit.”
Shisui paused.
“Itachi, you were chosen as one of the guards to receive the delegation; this is not a coincidence. Danzo recommended you to the Hokage.”
Hearing the name “Danzo”, Itachi’s brows furrowed imperceptibly.
Danzo Shimura, the leader of Root, his methods were completely different from the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Over these years, the expansion speed of Root’s influence had been astonishing, having already infiltrated every corner of Konoha.
“Is he testing me, or testing the Uchiha?” Itachi asked calmly.
“Both.”
Shisui turned to face Itachi.
“Be careful, Itachi. The balance must be maintained, and I have a premonition that change is coming.”
…
Inside the Hokage Office, the smoke from the pipe swirled.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before the window, looking down at Konoha Village bathed in the sunset.
Six years of peace had allowed the Village to recover its vitality; the newly built structures were sturdier than before, and the sounds of Ninjutsu explosions on the training grounds were endless.
On the surface, Konoha was stronger than ever!
But only the person sitting in this position knew what kind of undercurrents were surging beneath this strength.
“Hiruzen, you are too soft.”
Danzo’s voice came from the shadows.
He leaned on his cane, his right eye and right arm bandaged.
“Kumogakure’s ambition is self-evident; they sent the delegation just to spy on our true strength.”
“That is why we need to show strength, not direct conflict.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around, his gaze like a torch.
“This is why I agreed to let Uchiha Itachi participate in the guard work. He is not only a genius of the Uchiha, but also one of the few Uchiha who understands the true meaning of peace.”
Danzo snorted coldly.
“You know that is not what I meant! So what if Kumogakure is strong? The only thing we need to do right now is to eliminate the Uchiha threat and completely secure the trump card that is the Nine-Tails!”
“There is no evidence that the Uchiha participated in that incident.”
Hiruzen’s voice carried unquestionable authority.
Danzo’s single eye widened.
“The Uchiha have conspired multiple times to seize power by force, and the Sharingan is the bomb that detonates the Nine-Tails! We must take action first!”
Hiruzen Sarutobi calmly exhaled a puff of thick smoke, his Hokage hat slightly tilted.
“Danzo, I am the Hokage!”
Bang!
Danzo slammed his cane against the floor.
“Hiruzen, you will regret this!”
Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado calmly sipped their eight-million-ryo tea, watching the daily ‘flirting’ between their two old friends.
Danzo was silent for a moment, then suddenly changed the subject.
“How is Uzumaki Naruto?”
Mentioning this name, Hiruzen Sarutobi showed a hint of satisfaction.
“As a Jinchuriki, his growth is quite stable; Minato’s sealing jutsu is indeed exquisite.”
“Hmph! Your method is too risky; using the will of fire to guide a Jinchuriki is still unstable, especially now that the Uchiha Clan is still restless!”
A sharp glint flashed in Danzo’s eyes.
“In my opinion, it would be better to hand Naruto over to Root!”
“I will train him into an absolutely loyal weapon; that is the most secure plan!”
Hiruzen Sarutobi remained unmoved.
“Naruto is a good child; we have all seen his growth. A Jinchuriki who truly loves the Village is the most reliable.”
The two were like yin and yang; one advocated nurturing with love and sunlight, while the other advocated control through power and jutsu.
But their goals were shockingly consistent…