161-165

Chapter 161: Wood Style Awakening 

"Clan Head, the Senju clan has sent a secret message." 

After Uchiha Tajima had reviewed some documents and eaten dinner with Tobirama, a Dead Squad member appeared in his study. Kneeling on one knee, he respectfully presented a letter, reporting softly. The Dead Squad member's words made Uchiha Tajima pause, his teacup suspended midway to his lips. It wasn't brought to his mouth, nor was it placed on the table; he just stared blankly at the unremarkable letter in the Dead Squad member's hands. 

... 

Silence filled the room. 

"Let me see it." 

After a long moment, Uchiha Tajima slowly took a sip of tea, placed the cup on the table, and looked at the Dead Squad member. 

"Yes, Clan Head-sama..." Once Uchiha Tajima finished speaking, the Dead Squad member tore open the envelope, inspected it thoroughly for any poisonous powders, and then respectfully handed the letter to Tajima with both hands. Tajima said nothing about the Dead Squad member's caution; his eyes were completely focused on the yellowed letter. Intricate characters, like dragons and snakes, were densely written across the aged paper. 

... 

"Senju Butsuma... Masked Man... Mysterious cloaked figure..." 

Waving his hand to dismiss the Dead Squad member, Tajima placed the letter on the table, pressing it down firmly with one hand, murmuring to himself. Moments later, a flame ignited in the study, and wisps of smoke curled upwards. 

"What are you up to, my old rival? What kind of scheme are you brewing...?" Tajima rubbed his brow, muttering. It turned out this letter was personally written by Senju Butsuma. And the content of the letter greatly surprised Tajima. The letter proposed that the Senju and Uchiha clans ally to eliminate foreign enemies. As the dominant powers of the Warring States period, they couldn't tolerate anyone daring to attack their sons right in front of them. It was utterly lawless, a complete disregard for order. Of course, this was only after the Senju clan had investigated for a long time and couldn't find any trace of the two mysterious individuals, prompting Butsuma to hastily write the letter and send it to him. 

... 

"Who exactly are these two people, and where did they come from...? Even the Senju clan's intelligence network can't find them...?" In the room, Tajima's tone was complex. His mind was racing; Senju Butsuma's invitation this time gave him no reason to refuse. 

"Twelve, go tell the messenger to relay that we'll talk once the people are found." A moment later, Tajima lightly tapped his palm on the table, then spoke to the outside of the door. There was no reply from outside, only the sound of rushing wind. 

... 

"What happened...?" Hashirama slowly sat up from his bed, rubbing his throbbing head, then murmured as he looked at the scene before him. Without him realizing it, many trees had grown around his bed. And he felt that he could control these trees... These trees subtly connected to him. When he channeled his chakra, the once vibrant little trees quickly withered and turned to ash... This startled Hashirama, and he immediately channeled chakra again. Tiny green sprouts appeared in the tent and grew at a visible rate... 

"This is..." 

"Oh no..." Just as Hashirama was still trying to figure out what was happening... his tent was unwittingly torn to shreds by the rapidly growing trees... 

... 

"Who dares to act so presumptuously in the Senju clan's camp?!" Just as Hashirama was about to channel chakra to destroy the trees, a thunderous shout rang out. It was Butsuma, whose heart was always with Hashirama. Even if he outwardly seemed displeased with Hashirama, they were still father and son, so inwardly he was very worried about him. His sensory abilities would often sweep over Hashirama's tent, to prevent any scoundrels from harming his son. 

"Where's the person?" Butsuma, who had arrived, asked, looking at Hashirama standing amidst the trees, like a child of the forest. 

"Father, there's no one..." Butsuma's unconscious display of concern warmed Hashirama's heart, and his eyes welled up. He spoke softly, without much conviction... 

... 

"Then what's all this?" His son's somewhat childish demeanor displeased Butsuma, but remembering that his son was recovering from a major injury, he didn't get angry, speaking gently. 

"Are you talking about these trees, Father? I don't know why. When I woke up, I found that I could control the growth and decay of trees..." Hashirama replied, while pressing his hands together and channeling chakra. The trees rapidly receded, turning into nothingness... 

"This is... Haha, Hashirama, you survived this ordeal and gained such an amazing ability! Research it well, it might be very useful!" Seeing the seemingly strong, chakra-infused trees quickly disappear, Butsuma laughed. He suddenly felt that his troublesome son seemed a lot more agreeable... 

... 

It turned out that Obito's Wood Style chakra-infused splinters had pierced Hashirama's body. The lingering chakra, combined with Hashirama's inherent Water and Earth chakra affinities and his Asura's will and chakra, caused a change within him... The Wood Style Bloodline Limit awakened during Hashirama's unconsciousness, without him even realizing it... As for whether the process truly happened like that? No one knows... 

... 

"Get some good rest. And get the young clan head a bigger tent!" Seeing his son still looking dazed, Butsuma spoke to Hashirama and the people around them. 

"My son, Hashirama, possesses the qualities of a Clan Head..." On his way back, Butsuma walked with his hands behind his back. The gloom in his heart had dissipated, and he spoke leisurely. As a top-tier clan head in the Warring States period, he naturally recognized the extraordinary nature of this ability. He just didn't say it out loud, fearing he might put too much pressure on Hashirama. 

Chapter 162: Daily Life, A Fishing Tale 

"I've found the energy hub! It's not super abundant, but it should be enough to take us back." 

It was the next day, with the sun blazing high. Orochimaru held a clunky, ugly, ancient-looking instrument. The device emitted a piercing sound. After sensing something, Orochimaru spoke to Kakashi, who was carrying a huge bag on his back. As for why they weren't using sealing scrolls, it was because the bag contained another instrument that needed to be used in conjunction with the one in Orochimaru's hand. 

"How do we operate it then?" Kakashi asked, looking at Orochimaru with admiration. Although he had spent most of his time looking for Itachi and hadn't been involved in Orochimaru's tinkering, the speed with which Orochimaru had put together such an impressive device, his hands-on ability, left Kakashi in awe. 

"Once we find Itachi, he should understand." To Kakashi's question, Orochimaru calmly pulled an object from his pocket. After manipulating it, it emitted a faint glow. Orochimaru didn't stop, burying the instrument in the ground. 

"This is a locator, so we can find it quickly next time." Noticing Kakashi's red, embarrassed face, wanting to ask but not speaking, Orochimaru smiled slightly and explained softly. Kakashi looked at Orochimaru, his eyes a bit dazed. This Orochimaru really has the aura of a leader. If Orochimaru hadn't defected, he might have been an excellent Hokage. Konoha, with him as Hokage, would surely become incredibly prosperous... Kakashi's mind drifted, imagining the scene of Orochimaru as Hokage. 

Seeing Kakashi's dazed eyes, Orochimaru shook his head slightly. "Perhaps you should stop reading those novels Jiraiya writes. You're spacing out too much at such a young age; it's not a good sign." Orochimaru walked past Kakashi. His slightly teasing words reached Kakashi's ears, making Kakashi's old face flush slightly with embarrassment. He ran a hand through his hair, then, realizing Orochimaru had already walked off, turned and chased after him. 

"Lord Orochimaru, what are we doing now?" The sun was scorching. Along a deserted path, the two walked, one in front of the other. Kakashi asked Orochimaru about their next move, showing complete trust, looking to Orochimaru for guidance. It was quite harmonious, like an uncle and nephew. 

"You?" Izuna looked at the person holding a bamboo fishing rod by the river ahead, speaking with some surprise. 

"We meet again, young man." The voice from behind made Itachi, who was in a tug-of-war with a fish, lose focus for a moment. The fish took Itachi's fishing line and swam away triumphantly. 

"Get back here!" After answering Izuna's question and seeing the fish make off with his line and bait, Itachi said unhappily. His chakra flared, and his fingers curled slightly. His advanced chakra control was exposed to Izuna's eyes. The mischievous fish seemed to be under Itachi's "Soul Steal Jutsu" – its tail thrashed constantly, but it was held by an invisible large hand, lifted out of the water, and flew backward, landing at Itachi's feet. The fish's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, as if trying to say something. 

"You little rascal," Itachi chuckled, retrieving the rather crude fishhook he had managed to make, and tossed the fish back into the water. 

"Are you fishing?" Itachi's actions left Izuna a little dumbfounded, especially Itachi's "sore loser" attitude. He dragged the fish out of the water; that fish's psychological trauma must be as wide as a river... 

"Yeah, fishing..." Itachi re-tied the retrieved line to his bamboo rod, looking at Izuna, his thoughts drifting a little. Izuna's face, so similar to Sasuke's, still took some getting used to. 

"Then why did you let it go?" Seeing Itachi bait his hook again and throw it back into the water, Izuna asked softly, as if afraid of disturbing Itachi's fishing. 

"Fishing is fun. I don't really like eating fish, so why wouldn't I let it go?" Itachi rolled his eyes at Izuna's question, saying with annoyance. 

"Uh... can you grill fish, though? My older brother's grilled fish is super delicious. When we were kids, our favorite thing to eat was Big Brother's grilled fish..." Izuna looked at Itachi, and the warmth subtly radiating from Itachi made him ask without thinking. But after speaking, he remembered his brothers, all of whom had suffered terribly except for Madara, and a wave of sadness washed over him. 

"So, do you want to eat grilled fish? Want to try my cooking?" Seeing Izuna's melancholy, Itachi fell silent. After a moment of silence, Itachi smiled and said seriously. 

"Forget it. Fish you just grab aren't as fun to eat; the ones you catch are better, more satisfying." Itachi's warm words brought Izuna back to reality. He felt Itachi's kindness but didn't quite want to accept his goodwill, so he gently refused. 

"Heh, that was just an accident you saw earlier. My fishing skills are solid..." Itachi thought Izuna didn't trust his skills, so he quickly began to explain. Itachi's appearance warmed Izuna's heart, so he nodded, agreeing with Itachi's statement. 

"Then let's get started..." Itachi, seeing Izuna's expression, instinctively reached out and ruffled Izuna's hair, then said seriously. 

Half an hour later... 

"Maybe we should come back later? The sun's a bit strong right now..." Izuna said considerately, looking at Itachi's sweating forehead. He was using chakra to resist the heat and still felt hot. Itachi hadn't been using chakra for immunity and was sweating. 

"Uh, it's fine, this is the fun of fishing." Izuna's words made Itachi chuckle awkwardly, then he forced out an explanation. 

Another hour later... 

"Maybe we should wear hats? Look, your face is all red from the sun..." Izuna still gently advised. 

"I..." 

"I know, there are too few fish here, none of them are biting the hook..." Itachi hadn't finished speaking before Izuna completed his sentence. 

"Heh, uh..." Itachi rubbed his head, speaking a little awkwardly. He was feeling quite embarrassed at this point. He muttered to himself, wondering if he had offended that fish earlier, and it had gone to warn all its friends away... Otherwise, this was just too unlucky! 

Chapter 163: Izuna's Brainstorm 

"Izuna, how is it? My grilled fish tastes good, doesn't it...?" The sun was setting. 

Itachi-sensei, who had been busy for most of the day, finally caught a small fish, about three fingers wide. After preparing and grilling it, Izuna got to eat a warm, delicious grilled fish... 

"Mmm..." 

To Itachi's question, Izuna continued gnawing on the fish without looking up. 

"Delicious..." 

Izuna carefully placed a pile of fish bones down, then reluctantly threw them into the fire. 

"Big Brother Itachi, your grilled fish is really good. I wonder if I'll have a chance to eat your grilled fish again..." Izuna wiped the oil from his mouth and said with a touch of melancholy. 

Izuna's words softened Itachi's expression. Itachi ruffled Izuna's hair, messing up his neat hairstyle. 

"Little guy, how about I teach you a ninjutsu?" Itachi chuckled and said softly, as Izuna pouted. Unbeknownst to him, Itachi had already made plans for both Madara and Izuna in this era... As for Tobirama and Hashirama, he hadn't had time to check on them. Although he respected Hashirama, in this world, his surname was Uchiha. There was no way he'd betray his own clan. Besides, he had already hurt the Uchiha once... 

"Ninjutsu, huh? That's boring... I have tons of it at home. Big Brother is always sneaking off to steal ninjutsu scrolls and then making me learn them. It's exhausting..." Hearing Itachi, Izuna's expression looked troubled. Ninjutsu was just too much trouble... He wanted to be a swordsman, an unblemished swordsman... A swordsman who performed noble deeds and eradicated evil... Alas, it was only a dream, and a motivation for when he was practicing his sword... 

"Heh, this ninjutsu is super cool, you know? If you master it, you'll discover a whole new world..." Izuna's reluctance to learn ninjutsu was something Itachi hadn't expected. He remembered that Izuna was ultimately killed by the Flying Raijin. So, he planned to teach Izuna the Flying Raijin. As for whether Izuna had talent for it, he didn't know... 

"What kind of ninjutsu is it?" After hearing Itachi's words, Izuna looked up at Itachi with curiosity. He then noticed Itachi's gentle expression and froze, followed by a look of horror... This guy, could he possibly... be into men...? Izuna's mind began to recall Itachi's appearance from when he first saw him... 

Seeing Izuna's pupils constrict and his body slightly recoil, Itachi was puzzled. Why did this little guy suddenly get so wary? Did I not get the essence right? Itachi wondered. He remembered films he'd watched before; didn't older brothers always treat their younger brothers in such ways...? 

Seeing the confusion in Itachi's eyes, Izuna's brainstorm stopped. 

"I'm still a kid..." Izuna blurted out instinctively, then his face flushed crimson... This had to be an accident, not what he was actually thinking... 

"What's wrong with being a kid? That's precisely when you should start cultivating them..." Itachi heard Izuna's words and thought Izuna was rejecting his kindness. Itachi, who had traversed the ninja world, had never suffered such indignity—having his good intentions pushed away... So he immediately chimed in... 

"Damn it!" Itachi's words instantly made Izuna's hair stand on end. He jumped up, crossing his arms over his chest to shield himself... This guy was actually a pervert... And here I was, treating you like a big brother, but you're actually... trying to "bang" me...? Wait... Can two guys... "bang?" Izuna, who had secretly peeked at the erotic scrolls in his father's study, fell into deep confusion... 

Itachi looked at Izuna's expression, completely speechless. What is this kid thinking? His face changes every second. Is he putting on a Sichuan opera performance...? 

"The ninjutsu I'm going to teach you is called Flying Raijin. Flying Raijin is a space-time ninjutsu. As long as your perception and chakra are strong enough, it's not impossible to instantly travel from one side of the ninja world to the other..." Itachi was a bit speechless seeing Izuna's reaction. So, he began explaining the details of the Flying Raijin, hoping to see the kid comply... 

Itachi's words indeed made Izuna's eyes light up... Sure enough, this guy... he just wants to make a move on me... Why else would he teach me ninjutsu for no reason...? Damn it, the stakes for this move are so tempting... Izuna, Izuna, you absolutely have to resist the temptation! You can't let this perverted jerk succeed... Izuna's mind conjured an image of Itachi's insidious, cunning, and lewd smirk... 

Chapter 164: Itachi's Frustration Leads to "Darkness" 

"I won't give in!" Seeing Itachi's "creepy uncle" expression, Izuna mumbled... 

Izuna took two steps back, ready to escape from this dangerous man... He was just a kid; why was he going through all this...? 

??? 

Izuna's actions completely baffled Itachi. What in the world is this little guy thinking? 

"Little guy, are you learning it or not?!" Seeing Izuna about to bolt, Itachi couldn't sit still. This kid was actually going to run! He couldn't let the little guy leave before he'd even given him the gift. And so, a familiar scene unfolded once again... 

Under the setting sun, a gentle breeze rustled their clothes and slightly messy hair. It was a picturesque scene. Of course, that was only from Itachi's perspective... 

... 

Meanwhile, Izuna felt the sky darken. An ominous wind began to howl. The bad guy in front of him was finally showing his true colors, with chakra-infused hands poised at his forehead, ready to finish him off at any moment... Beads of sweat streamed down Izuna's brow. 

"Just kill me! I won't surrender!" Izuna had the expression of a hero preparing for sacrifice... But facing life and death, his young legs trembled slightly... 

"Little guy, what are you doing? I'm just trying to teach you a ninjutsu..." Seeing Izuna's look of grievance and anger, Itachi was utterly bewildered. He felt like he had the wrong script; what kind of show was this...? 

"Fine, I was going to teach you hand-to-hand, make sure you learned it, but since you're so against learning ninjutsu, I won't force it. Perhaps fate has its own path..." Itachi complexly lowered his chakra-infused fingers. Then, slowly, under Izuna's wary gaze, he pulled a scroll from his cloak. He had prepared this scroll after seeing Izuna. 

"If I teach you ninjutsu and you don't learn it, that's your business." 

"But since I'm giving you ninjutsu, you must take it." 

"Whether you throw it away, burn it, or give it to someone else, it's none of my concern. This ninjutsu, I have to give it away..." Itachi shoved the scroll into the wary Izuna's arms, then turned and walked away. His back seemed slightly forlorn. The wind rustled, and a few fallen leaves swirled behind him... 

... 

Izuna stared at the retreating Itachi, utterly confused... He began to wonder if he had misunderstood something... By the time he came to his senses, Itachi's figure had vanished without a trace... 

"Did I misunderstand him? Big Brother Itachi! Wait for me!" Izuna first mumbled softly, then, as if waking from a dream, shouted. Space-time ninjutsu, if he had to figure it out himself, who knew how long it would take? How much better it would be to have someone guide him... 

Unfortunately, Itachi no longer heard Izuna's voice; he had already used the Flying Raijin to teleport far away... Itachi was now leaning against a tree trunk, idly drawing with a dry branch. He looked up blankly at the fiery red clouds. 

"Is being an older brother this difficult? My first attempt failed. My past self didn't even do anything like this, did he? Is it true that 'a big brother is like a father,' and little brothers are meant to be beaten, not treated too well?" Itachi murmured, pondering how to deal with his "foolish little brother." 

Just as Itachi was muttering about how to discipline his brother, Sasuke, who was currently sparring with Naruto, sneezed. He felt enveloped by a shadow, and had a strange feeling that something not-so-good was about to happen... 

"That's right, a big brother is like a father, and little brothers are meant to be beaten." Itachi stood up from the tree trunk, his gaze fixed on the distance. Unbeknownst to him, he had awakened a new ability... 

Do you want to delve deeper into Itachi's newfound "ability" or perhaps see what happens next with Izuna and the Flying Raijin scroll? 

Chapter 165: Night 

Izuna, in high spirits, practically skipped back to the clan compound. Not long after, a shadowy figure limped back in tow. 

"What happened? Why are you in such a sorry state?" In the study, Tajima said with displeasure, looking at the miserable state of his bodyguard. In this condition, how is he supposed to protect his son? This is ridiculous! 

"Clan Leader, today the second young master met with that mysterious person. Just as I tried to get closer... I was controlled by a single glance from that mysterious person... and then I fell from the tree, which is why I'm in such a mess..." The bodyguard's expression was a little awkward, but he reported truthfully. After all, Tajima Uchiha was the person he needed to be loyal to; he had no secrets in front of him. 

"Which mysterious person?" Tajima was startled by his subordinate's words. He had always been very curious about the masked man's identity. When the masked man used his mysterious ability, Tajima had a subtle feeling of familiarity. And when the masked man's eye was gouged out, there was a fleeting, somewhat familiar pattern. But it was just a quick glance, and he didn't get a chance to look closely again. After more than a day of thinking back at the clan, he finally figured out what it was... Those eyes, aren't they the Mangekyo Sharingan? Aren't they the same level as the eyes in his own eye sockets? That supernatural method of avoiding damage, that hot yet cold black flame... 

He even suspected that the masked man might be a contingency plan made by previous clan leaders. Although he, as clan leader, had control over all information concerning the Uchiha clan, it wasn't impossible for one or two individuals, or one or two couples, to be secretly sent out to expand the family tree. In fact, it was highly probable. For example, a secret child from an elder's affair... 

"Clan Leader, it was another young man... That man's eyes are problematic; he just glanced at me, and I was controlled..." Just as Tajima Uchiha was brainstorming his suspicions, his bodyguard's words startled him awake. 

The bodyguard's words made Tajima Uchiha slightly stunned, followed by deep skepticism. Impossible! As experts in eyes, the Uchiha clan cannot possibly be surpassed by eyes outside the clan. How could there be a Dojutsu capable of controlling an elite Jonin with just a glance? Even he couldn't do that... So, this was absolutely impossible... Tajima Uchiha's eyes were a bit dazed. He kept reassuring himself that the bodyguard must have been mistaken, or perhaps he was under a Genjutsu... After all, if there really were such powerful eyes, Dojutsu, and Kekkei Genkai outside, then his Uchiha clan... 

"You must have been caught in a Genjutsu. You've been running around protecting my son lately; you must be tired. Go down and rest," Tajima Uchiha said, feeling irritated by his bodyguard, waving his hand to dismiss him. Even if the bodyguard had said he was knocked out in one blow, Tajima wouldn't have thought anything of it. After all, there was also the Hyuga clan, whose eyes also had significant abilities, but they belonged to a different category. Tajima Uchiha never thought the Byakugan could threaten the Sharingan. After all, the Sharingan could still evolve... A Three-Tomoe Sharingan could already match the Byakugan, plus the Sharingan's inherent Genjutsu... 

"Izuna, what are you doing?" Tajima, feeling restless in his study, decided to go ask his son, or rather, try to get some information out of him... Guessing wasn't going to work. Tajima spoke as he pushed open the door... And then he saw his son frantically tidying up a scroll... He had been so engrossed in looking at the scroll that he hadn't even noticed his father coming in and opening the door. 

"Father, why are you still awake so late?" Tajima's uninvited entry and pushing open the door left Izuna feeling a bit helpless. 

"Couldn't sleep, so I came out for a walk and unintentionally ended up here, so I thought I'd check on you." Tajima looked at Izuna's flickering gaze, understanding somewhat. But he didn't intend to speak it aloud. 

"Father, please sit," Izuna casually tossed the scroll onto the nearby bed, then tidied up the table, picked up the teapot, gestured for Tajima to sit, and prepared a teacup, pouring tea for Tajima. 

"What's that?" Seeing his son throw the scroll onto the bed, Tajima asked in confusion. At the same time, Tajima speculated in his heart, Could it be some kind of "enlightenment" material on that scroll, which is why Izuna is so flustered? That's right, Izuna was also of marriageable age; it was time for him to get married... It's just some enlightenment material, is there a need to be so secretive about it? Tajima took the tea, sat down, and shook his head slightly, thinking helplessly. There's a rift between us after all... Unbeknownst to him, his thoughts had drifted off track. 

"Nothing, just some miscellaneous books..." Hearing Tajima's question, Izuna's heart tightened, and his eyes began to wander. He wanted to say it was military strategy, but if he did, his father would surely insist on taking it to study and lecture him. Seeing Izuna's uneasy look, Tajima understood. His son is very smart. But he had a flaw since childhood: his eyes would wander when he lied. Izuna probably hadn't even noticed this problem. 

Although he knew it in his heart and had already guessed most of it, Tajima didn't intend to press further. His son had grown up and needed some space. Of course, except for Madara, who was seventeen or eighteen and still wouldn't get married... 

"Izuna, I heard you went out today. Can you tell your father where you went to play?" Tajima put down his teacup and asked kindly. 

"I'm sorry, Father, I shouldn't have snuck out." Hearing Tajima's words, Izuna felt a sigh of relief, but also a slight tightening in his heart. After all, his father could be quite strict sometimes. 

"Don't sneak out again next time. It's wartime now, and it's easy for things to go wrong. Don't make your father worry, okay?" Izuna's answer left Tajima feeling helpless. But since the topic had already drifted, he could only sigh and place his large hand on Izuna's head, stroking it. However, seeing that his son was alright, he felt relieved. He was afraid that his son might have been secretly harmed by that mysterious person. Now that he had seen with his own eyes that his son was perfectly fine, he felt a slight ease. It seems that person isn't an enemy after all... 

Of course, these were just Tajima's thoughts. They weren't enough to convince him. However, his plan to extract information had clearly failed. Izuna was clearly not being cooperative now... And he didn't want to make their father-son relationship too strained, so he didn't resort to forceful questioning. 

"Alright, get some rest early. Your father is going to check on your good-for-nothing older brother." 

Seeing the awkward expression on Izuna's face, Tajima felt a silent pang. Without realizing it, busy with matters, his son had grown up, and their relationship had grown distant... 

It seems being a clan leader means dealing with troublesome sons and mysterious strangers! What do you think Tajima will find when he goes to check on Madara?