176-180

Chapter 176: Causing a Scene

A few hours later, Itachi interrupted Arima's training.

"Arima, it's time. Shall we go get something to eat?"

Arima emerged from his immersive training, responding, "Sure, what are we having? Three-color dango?"

As he spoke, he manipulated the quinque in his hand, melting it into a slime-like substance that retreated back into the briefcase beside him.

Itachi considered for a moment. "Well, if Arima wants to eat something else, that's fine too."

"Come on, don't overthink it. Let's just have three-color dango!"

After spending this time together, Arima had come to understand Itachi, the genius of the Uchiha clan, a little better.

Although he was usually calm and gentle, when it came to three-color dango, he always displayed a hint of inexplicable tsundere behavior.

Was it because he was afraid of being judged for liking sweets as the young master of the Uchiha clan?

Regardless of Itachi's inner thoughts, Arima made the decision with an air of finality.

"Itachi, wait for me. I'll take a bath first."

Arima, having just finished training, was covered in sweat. He didn't want to eat in this state; it would be disrespectful to the food.

Without another word, he stripped naked in front of Itachi and jumped straight into the lake beside the training ground.

"Itachi, the lake water is very refreshing. Do you want to come down and soak for a bit?"

Itachi's brow twitched slightly at Arima's invitation.

"I think I'll pass."

He was the son of the Uchiha clan leader, after all. If others knew he was swimming naked in the wild, he would probably lose face for his father as well.

Come to think of it, Arima was also from a noble family, but he was surprisingly unconcerned about such things.

Although he was only a noble from a small country, a noble was still a noble.

Itachi had once visited the capital of the Land of Fire with his father and knew very well how the nobles there lived.

A noble family of only five or six people often had hundreds of servants attending to them! Each meal could cost as much as an ordinary person's annual expenses.

They were even more demanding when it came to etiquette, as if these so-called manners could distinguish them from ordinary people.

That's why Itachi found Arima's carefree attitude so unbelievable.

Perhaps this was the impact of that accident on him.

Thinking of the tragedy that occurred in Yugakure, Itachi's eyes dimmed.

Bearing such hatred, Arima must be suffering a lot.

Arima, however, had no idea what was going on in Itachi's mind. After cleaning himself, he came ashore naked.

Startled, Itachi quickly averted his gaze, which made Arima laugh.

"Itachi, I didn't know you were so shy!"

After drying his clothes with fire jutsu, Arima finally got dressed again.

He patted Itachi on the shoulder and said, "Let's go, let's get some three-color dango."

"Yeah."

Itachi nodded, his face a little unnatural. But the thought of soon being able to eat his favorite three-color dango lifted his spirits.

The two left the Uchiha clan grounds and headed to the center of the village, where they successfully bought the three-color dango Itachi had been craving.

Seeing Itachi swallow it down in one gulp, a blissful expression like a kitten's spreading across his face, Arima couldn't help but sigh, "It seems you really like three-color dango, Itachi."

"Hmm?"

Itachi quickly restrained his expression and looked at Arima questioningly.

Arima casually swallowed a skewer of three-color dango and explained, "You only make that blissful expression when you eat three-color dango."

"Is that so?"

Itachi thought about it and then shook his head slightly. "Besides eating three-color dango, there's actually one more thing that makes me even happier."

"Oh?"

Arima seemed quite curious. He wanted to know what else could pique Itachi's interest.

A woman?

Itachi didn't seem like that kind of person.

"It's my little brother."

Itachi didn't keep him in suspense; it wasn't something worth hiding after all.

As an older brother, it seemed natural to dote on his younger brother.

"Itachi's little brother?"

Arima seemed a little surprised.

He had thought that for someone like Itachi, what would bring him joy would be 'the glory of the family' or 'world peace', or some other grand ideal.

Itachi nodded slightly, the corners of his mouth turning up in a smile.

"His name is Sasuke. If you have time to visit my house, Arima, I can introduce him to you."

Arima readily agreed, "A younger brother that Itachi cares so much about must be a very cute child."

Itachi didn't refute this statement; in fact, it increased his favorable impression of Arima.

Anyone who praises my brother's cuteness is a good person.

However, Itachi's good mood didn't last long.

A noisy crowd blocked their way back to the clan grounds.

"What's going on?"

Itachi frowned slightly. The dense crowd in front of him seemed incredibly chaotic, with all sorts of noisy arguments and curses coming from the center.

Due to the obstruction of the crowd, Itachi couldn't see what was happening, so he formed a few hand seals, and a crow flew out from his sleeve to observe from the sky.

"My brother ate the soldier pills he bought from your company and died on the battlefield! You have to give us an explanation!"

"That's right! My brother too! Your soldier pills have no effect at all! Liars! You're all liars!"

The disputes and noise below were continuously transmitted to Itachi's mind through the crow, and the words "Higanbana Trading Company" also appeared before his eyes.

Through the crow's investigation, he roughly understood the cause of the incident.

Apparently, several people had bought soldier pills from the Higanbana Trading Company, and after using them on the battlefield, they didn't have the desired effect, leading to their deaths.

So their families had gathered to demand an explanation from the Higanbana Trading Company.

"I remember this Higanbana Trading Company has been quite popular since it opened, right? And the soldier pills are supposed to be quite effective. I didn't expect something like this to happen."

Arima was now considered half a Konoha resident and had heard about things happening in the village.

The headquarters of this Higanbana Trading Company seemed to be in the Land of Wind. Because of its powerful medicinal effects and good cost performance, it had become very popular as soon as it opened a branch in Konoha, with long lines often forming at the door.

Itachi rubbed his chin and said with some doubt, "To ensure the safety of the ninja, the village has very strict control over soldier pills. Every day, they randomly inspect a certain percentage of soldier pills from each pharmacy. If any unqualified pills are found, the pharmacy's sales are immediately suspended."

"Coupled with the reputation of the Higanbana Trading Company, they have no motive to damage their own brand."

"As for the Higanbana Trading Company being instructed by the Land of Wind to harm Konoha's ninja, they should be targeting famous Jonin, right? It wouldn't make sense to target these few ordinary ninja."

"Or is this just a simple accident? Did the Higanbana Trading Company neglect to properly check the quality of their medicine?"

"Or..."

Itachi's eyes narrowed slowly because the crow circling in the air spotted someone in the crowd.

An employee of the Military Supply Store.

Before the Higanbana Trading Company opened a branch in Konoha, the Military Supply Store and several other companies had almost monopolized the entire Konoha military supply trade.

And behind these companies were the major families of Konoha.

Since the Higanbana Trading Company opened in Konoha, it had indeed dealt a heavy blow to the other companies in Konoha with its powerful medicine.

Therefore, from the perspective of industry competition, the incident in front of him could also be explained.

However, it was inherently difficult to find evidence and deal with such matters.

After all, who could prove that the soldier pills used on the battlefield were from the Higanbana Trading Company? Even if they were, how could one prove that their death was due to the soldier pills and not their own operational error?

Because of this, the two sides were arguing endlessly.

Just as the agitated crowd was escalating, preparing to rush into the Higanbana Trading Company to "reason" with them physically, the Konoha Military Police Force, responsible for maintaining order, finally arrived.

"Everyone, stop!"

A loud roar momentarily silenced the scene.

Seeing the arrival of the Konoha Military Police Force in their green uniforms, several Uchiha ninja surrounded the troublemakers.

Some people's eyes showed fear, while others showed disdain.

"What happened?"

Uchiha Inabi, the leader of the team, swept his cold gaze across the crowd and asked in a stern voice.

Those causing the trouble immediately explained the reason for the incident.

After listening, Uchiha Inabi also frowned. Matters like this, with no evidence and based solely on subjective conjecture, were the most difficult to handle.

But it wasn't just one or two people causing trouble; it was a large group. If they weren't given an explanation, they probably wouldn't give up.

Seeing this, Uchiha Inabi could only call for the person in charge of the Higanbana Trading Company.

"Hello, sir. I am the head of the Higanbana Trading Company's Konoha office. My name is Toki."

The person in charge, Toki, gently pushed up his glasses, his face incredibly calm, with no sign of tension from being surrounded.

Seeing this, Uchiha Inabi didn't waste any time and got straight to the point: "Since there have been complaints, I hope your Higanbana Trading Company will accept an inspection by the Konoha Military Police Force."

Toki nodded decisively, somewhat unexpectedly: "Of course, we are very willing to cooperate with the inspection."

This cooperative attitude was completely different from his previously firm stance against the troublemakers!

(End of chapter)

Chapter 177: Lord Danzo Was Right, The Evil Uchiha Clan

It was clear that Uchiha Inabi was also taken aback by the cooperative attitude of the person in charge, Domu.

After all, a large part of the reason why their Uchiha Guard Platoon was notorious in Konoha was due to the uncooperative nature of some villagers, forcing them to take some compulsory measures.

These compulsory measures, fueled by those with ulterior motives, naturally aroused resentment among the villagers.

Moreover, the Uchiha clan was generally arrogant, priding themselves as the number one ninja clan in Konoha, and they disdained to explain trivial matters to others.

They even felt dissatisfied with these unfounded accusations, and in turn, intensified their law enforcement efforts.

In this vicious cycle, the Uchiha clan's reputation became worse and worse, and it became natural for them to grow increasingly dissatisfied with the village.

This also led to most villagers subconsciously resisting the Uchiha Guard Platoon when they were enforcing the law.

Therefore, Domu's cooperative attitude at this time seemed somewhat unique.

However, it was always a good thing that people were willing to cooperate. Uchiha Inabi immediately gave the order, "Go in and search, bring out all the soldier pills sold in the store, and see if it's really like what they said."

"Yes."

With Domu's cooperation, the guards swarmed in and quickly brought out all the soldier pills that were being sold by the Higanbana Trading Company.

Uchiha Inabi stared at Domu, the person in charge, and asked seriously, "Mr. Domu, are you sure there is nothing wrong with your soldier pills?"

A faint smile appeared on Domu's face, and he gently pushed his glasses, "Naturally, our Higanbana Trading Company is known for its integrity, and the relevant departments in Konoha will conduct regular inspections. There can't be any problems with our soldier pills."

Seeing Domu's confidence, Uchiha Inabi nodded slightly, "Then let's check it out."

The inspection method was very simple, which was to randomly select some soldier pills for consumption to see if there would be any problems.

For the sake of fairness, Uchiha Inabi asked the members of the guard platoon to each select a few soldier pills and consume them separately.

As the Yang Release Chakra in the soldier pills began to release, every Uchiha ninja felt a warm sensation in their bodies.

Uchiha Inabi even felt that his eyes, which were sore from overuse due to missions, felt a lot more comfortable.

Could it be that this soldier pill also had the effect of helping to restore ocular power?

Uchiha Inabi felt that perhaps he could go and talk to the clan leader about purchasing these soldier pills in bulk from the Higanbana Trading Company in the future!

Returning his thoughts to the present, Uchiha Inabi had already finished testing the soldier pills in his hand, and he looked at the other clan members.

"Have you all finished testing?"

"Deputy Captain, there's no problem with these soldier pills."

"Deputy Captain, neither do mine."

"Me neither..."

Uchiha Inabi's question received a unanimous answer, that is, there were no problems.

As soon as these words came out, the faces of those troublemakers suddenly became ugly, and they retorted, "Your testing method is not accurate at all. You only selected the good soldier pills, and you didn't test the inferior ones at all!"

Uchiha Inabi frowned and let out a sneer, "In that case, we'll test all these soldier pills. If no inferior products are found, how about you pay for all of them out of your own pocket, according to the price of these soldier pills?"

How could Uchiha Inabi not know the other party's little thoughts now?

As the deputy captain of the guard platoon, he knew these little thoughts all too well. It was nothing more than seeing their own industry being hit, and they just found some excuses to make trouble.

It was these filthy bugs that made their guard platoon have endless things to deal with every day.

Thinking of this, a trace of disgust appeared on Uchiha Inabi's face.

The other party was also speechless because of his words.

After all, with so many soldier pills, even if he sold himself, he wouldn't be able to pay them off!

What's more, this matter was originally fabricated by them, and he didn't know if there were any inferior products in these soldier pills.

Uchiha Inabi's eyes narrowed slightly, and he made the final decision, sternly saying, "We have already checked, and there is no problem with the soldier pills of the Higanbana Trading Company. All of you disperse. If you continue to block the road here, don't blame our guard platoon for being rude!"

As soon as these words came out, the troublemaking crowd seemed to finally think of something and shouted loudly, "It must be that your Uchiha clan colluded with the Higanbana Trading Company and used those good soldier pills for testing! Deliberately favoring them!"

"What did you say?!"

Uchiha Inabi instantly glared angrily.

As everyone knew, the Uchiha were a proud clan, and every member regarded the Uchiha's glory as their own life.

With the pride of the Uchiha, it was absolutely impossible for them to collude with others.

This person's words were completely insulting the Uchiha!

It was tarnishing the glory of their clan!

Not only Inabi, but also other Uchiha clan members exuded a terrifying anger.

Seeing this, the guy who framed the Uchiha started screaming, "The Uchiha clan is恼羞成怒and started hitting people!"

Hearing this, Uchiha Inabi could no longer suppress his anger and shouted sharply, "Disrupting public order, bring them all back to me!"

Since the officer had given the order, all the Uchiha ninjas swarmed forward, preparing to capture all these troublemakers and take them back for interrogation.

The scene immediately fell into chaos.

Unexpectedly, there were actually several ninjas with rich combat experience among the troublemaking crowd, who directly fought with the Uchiha Guard Platoon.

Even both sides had already drawn their ninja swords and taken out kunai to confront each other.

"If you continue to resist, we will not be responsible for any casualties."

Uchiha Inabi's eyes were cold, although he knew that such a conflict would only make the Uchiha clan's reputation in Konoha worse.

But if they were just let go like this, how would the guard platoon continue to operate in the village?

Could everyone use force to resist the guard platoon?

Facing Uchiha Inabi's warning, several of the troublemaking ninjas fought back without showing any weakness, "You Uchiha colluded with this black-hearted merchant in secret, and you still want to bully us civilians by relying on your Uchiha clan?"

Hearing these words, Uchiha Inabi gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, his eyes almost bursting with anger.

It was clearly these guys who, for their own selfish interests, attacked others and disrupted order, but in the end, they actually shifted the blame...

Unbearable!

His eyes instantly turned scarlet, and two black tomoe kept revolving, releasing powerful ocular power.

Just as he was about to take action to subdue these guys and capture them for trial, a voice interrupted him.

"Wait! Stop it, everyone!"

Uchiha Itachi hurriedly stuffed a box of three-color dango into Arima's hand, then rushed forward, trying to stop this conflict from happening.

"Itachi?"

Uchiha Inabi recognized the person in front of him at a glance, it was the son of their Uchiha clan leader.

He was also a new generation genius who was highly regarded by the clan.

The only flaw was that he joined Anbu, and his stance had a tendency to gradually lean towards the village higher-ups.

Itachi came to Inabi and said in a negotiating tone, "Brother Inabi, maybe there's some misunderstanding here. We don't need to resort to such a crude method."

Before Inabi could speak, the person opposite shouted, "Uchiha Itachi? You, the young patriarch of the Uchiha, don't pretend to be compassionate here. You Uchiha are all a bunch of arrogant people..."

He had only spoken halfway when Uchiha Inabi's figure vanished from the spot.

In an instant, a knee as hard as steel slammed into his abdomen. Uchiha Inabi raised his ninjato and, under the shocked gazes of everyone present, brought it down ruthlessly.

Just as Uchiha Itachi was about to intervene, Inabi shifted his aim and slammed the pommel of his sword into the man's back.

The sheer force knocked the man unconscious, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Murder! The Uchiha are murderers!"

Uchiha Inabi's sudden attack reignited the chaos that had momentarily subsided.

This time, Uchiha Inabi, the vice-captain of the guard, was done holding back. He barked, "Arrest them all!"

At his command, the Uchiha ninja, who had been itching for action, surged forward and pinned the troublemakers to the ground.

Their heads and faces were truly introduced to the 'ground' this time.

They could cause a ruckus, but in a real fight, these ordinary ninja were no match for the Uchiha.

Observing the Uchiha apprehending the villagers, the onlookers' eyes held a hint of fear and loathing.

Uchiha Itachi could only sigh deeply.

This incident would undoubtedly reinforce the villagers' perception of the Uchiha as arrogant and domineering.

But now that things had escalated, he couldn't stop Uchiha Inabi. Doing so would only lead to greater chaos.

Just as the Uchiha guards were about to escort the troublemakers back to the Uchiha clan's guardhouse, a nonchalant figure appeared.

"Such brutality towards your own people..."

"Lord Danzo was right. The Uchiha are truly an evil, violent clan."

Shikamaru, or rather, Eto, with his hands in his pockets, blocked the Uchiha guards' path with a casual air.

"What did you say?"

His words clearly struck a nerve with Uchiha Inabi.

He was already furious, and now, seeing this kid and hearing the name "Danzo" only fueled his rage.

"That Danzo, how dare he judge our Uchiha clan?" Uchiha Inabi scoffed.

He had always harbored a strong dislike for the so-called "Darkness of the Shinobi."

Or rather, most Uchiha did.

Because that man was the biggest hawk among the village elders regarding the Uchiha clan.

After the Nine-Tails incident, it was Danzo's proposal that led to the Uchiha clan being relocated to the village's outskirts, far from the political center.

But upon hearing Uchiha Inabi's words, the young man before him displayed even greater fury.

"Lord Danzo, you dare call Lord Danzo 'that man'?"

"Then let me see what you Uchiha are truly capable of!"

Shikamaru's expression suddenly contorted. Without hesitation, he formed hand seals, gathering water chakra in his mouth and unleashing it as a ferocious water dragon.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

"This guy... actually used a jutsu..."

A sense of foreboding washed over Itachi.

The previous commotion could be dismissed as a minor squabble, but the use of jutsu, especially a large-scale jutsu like this in the middle of the street, changed everything.

Seeing the opponent initiate the attack with a jutsu, Uchiha Inabi couldn't hold back any longer.

"Fire Style: Great Fire Dragon Technique!"

Both sides unleashed powerful jutsu from the get-go.

The blazing fire dragon and the raging water dragon collided violently in the street!

The roaring flames and surging water clashed, evaporating into a thick fog that enveloped the scene.

Uchiha Inabi frowned. The fog obscured his vision completely.

As a precaution, he immediately activated his Sharingan.

As expected, his instincts were right. The moment he activated his Sharingan, he sensed a surge of air from behind.

It was that kid!

Chakra surged through Uchiha Inabi's arm. With a twist of his waist, he spun around like lightning, his arm slashing out like a sword.

The powerful gust of wind generated by his swing tore through the fog, revealing the young man hidden within.

Indeed, Shikamaru had used the fog as cover to get behind Inabi, but he was still discovered.

His eyes locked onto Shikamaru's, and a smirk played on Inabi's lips.

This kid was still too green.

There was a saying on the battlefields of the ninja world: never face an Uchiha ninja alone, and if you do, never look them in the eye.

Otherwise, you've already lost.

This saying stemmed from the Uchiha clan's terrifying mastery of genjutsu.

The moment you saw the Sharingan, it meant you were already caught in their illusion.

Therefore, Uchiha Inabi was confident in his victory.

Overwhelming ocular power surged from his spinning Sharingan, carrying genjutsu chakra that forcefully invaded Shikamaru's mind.

Then, Uchiha Inabi witnessed a scene that would be forever etched in his memory.

An indescribable creature resided calmly in the endless darkness. Then, countless tentacles, like a surging tide, emerged from the shadows. Crimson blood and the stench of decay flowed through Uchiha Inabi's pores and into his body.

He felt the suffocating despair.

He was about to succumb.

At that moment, amidst the endless darkness and gore, the creature opened its eyes.

Its eye was beautiful, like a gem with countless facets, each one smooth as a mirror, shimmering with a myriad of colors, some of which Inabi couldn't even recognize.

The disgusting blood and filth vanished instantly, replaced by fluttering butterflies, iridescent rays of light, crystal-clear trees, and oceans...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 178: How About I Wipe Out the Uchiha?

The glassy world released a dreamlike glow, enveloping Uchiha Inabi. In this state, he had forgotten everything, even who he was.

"This...is this the land of gods?"

He slowly closed his eyes, savoring this incomparably peaceful moment.

Outside, the mist that had filled the entire street slowly dissipated. Uchiha Inabi, the vice-captain of the Uchiha Guard, was lying on the ground. Standing beside him was the boy who had appeared out of nowhere, suspected to be a subordinate of Elder Danzo.

Seeing this scene, all the Uchiha ninjas placed their hands on their weapons and shouted excitedly, "Let go of Brother Inabi!"

They were all members of the Uchiha clan, how could they tolerate their clansmen being humiliated like this?

Just as they were about to rush forward to avenge Uchiha Inabi, Itachi suddenly appeared in front of them, stopping them.

"Don't be impulsive, leave it to me."

Itachi's calm voice made all the Uchiha stop their movements. Then he looked at Kaneki and said, "You're from the Root, right?"

Kaneki raised his chin slightly and said proudly, "I am a subordinate of the great Lord Danzo!"

Hmm... Although Itachi could roughly confirm that Kaneki was Danzo's man through his various actions, it was indeed a bit surprising to say it in such a proud tone.

Of course, this was not the point.

"I wonder if you could please let go of Brother Inabi first?"

Itachi looked at Uchiha Inabi, who was being stepped on by Kaneki, with some sympathy.

Kaneki frowned and flatly refused, "That's not possible. This guy dared to disrespect Lord Danzo! Anyone who disrespects Lord Danzo must die!"

Hearing these words, even Itachi, with his good temper, couldn't help but frown.

"Sir, please give the Uchiha clan some face."

Itachi's voice lowered, and a hint of anger could be faintly felt. Although he hoped that the clan and the village could coexist peacefully, Itachi would not allow the clan's honor to be trampled on.

Unexpectedly, Kaneki was still acting nonchalant.

"The Uchiha's face? How much is it worth?"

"Damn you!"

This time, even if Uchiha Itachi could endure it, the other Uchiha couldn't.

Just as they were about to make a move, a hoarse voice sounded.

"Otsu, that's enough!"

Kaneki, who was about to beat these evil Uchiha to the ground, suddenly stopped.

Because this voice was...

Everyone looked towards the source of the voice. An old man with bandages wrapped around half of his body appeared quietly, leaning on a cane.

He was also followed by several masked Root ninjas.

"Great Lord Danzo!"

Kaneki immediately released his foot from Uchiha Inabi and pointed at him, saying, "Lord Danzo, this guy dared to disrespect you, I have already taught him a good lesson!"

Danzo's eyes swept over Kaneki. Seeing the sincere expression on his face, he suddenly sighed and said, "You go back to the base first."

"What about this..."

Kaneki pointed at Uchiha Inabi on the ground, as if asking whether to kill him.

Danzo had a headache. "Leave this to me. You go back immediately. This is an order!"

"Yes!"

Kaneki didn't delay any longer and immediately disappeared from the spot with a Body Flicker Technique.

Uchiha Itachi did not choose to stop him, but instead set his sights on the high-ranking official of Konoha in front of him.

Since he chose to appear here, it meant that he was going to help the boy clean up the mess.

"Elder Danzo, if that person just now was your subordinate, shouldn't you give us an explanation?" Uchiha Itachi asked straightforwardly.

After all, the Uchiha Guard was performing official duties and maintaining law and order. This was the right given to them by the village! Even if the Anbu and Root had any dissatisfaction, there was absolutely no reason for them to suddenly attack and injure their Uchiha clansmen.

Danzo also knew that this matter could not be avoided. After all, that guy Otsu was indeed a bit...reckless.

Therefore, he said decisively, "You are Fugaku's son, Uchiha Itachi, right?"

"Yes."

Itachi's gaze met this "Darkness of the Shinobi" without any retreat, still firm and calm.

Danzo took a deep look at Itachi. This was the reason why he was wary of the Uchiha clan.

This clan could always produce some terrifying geniuses.

Unfortunately, the more talented the Uchiha were, the more likely they were to...go astray.

"This matter is my fault. I didn't restrain my subordinates well. Don't worry, I will give Fugaku an explanation."

Danzo lightly dismissed the matter, then had someone check Uchiha Inabi's body. After finding that the latter was fine, he immediately left the scene.

Those Uchiha ninjas still wanted to chase after him, but Itachi stopped them.

"Brothers, let my father handle this matter."

Since Itachi had said so, they could only give up, but they still complained, "That damned Root, actually dared to bully our Uchiha clan! Sooner or later, I will wipe them all out!"

"Not only the Root, haven't you noticed? Even the villagers look at us differently, as if we are some kind of monsters."

"It's clearly their fault. If they hadn't caused trouble, how could we have arrested them?"

"Exactly!"

"I think the village higher-ups are deliberately targeting us. I say we just..."

"Ahem!"

Uchiha Itachi coughed, interrupting their dangerous train of thought.

"Um, brothers, I'll leave Brother Inabi to you. I'll go home and report what happened today to my father."

With that, Itachi walked straight home.

After Itachi left, the team members started talking again.

"That Itachi kid is a member of the Anbu now. Be careful what you say in front of him!"

"I don't think it's a big deal. After all, Itachi is the clan leader's son. He wouldn't betray the Uchiha clan, would he?"

"You can't be so sure..."

Amidst the discussion, Uchiha Inabi was finally sent to the infirmary.

After some treatment, he woke up.

"Where am I?"

He looked around in a daze.

"Vice-captain, you're finally awake!"

Inabi felt a sharp pain in his head. It took him a while to remember who he was.

Uchiha Inabi, one of the vice-captains of the Konoha Military Police Force.

Seeing him like this, the surrounding team members hurriedly asked with concern, "Vice-captain, are you alright?"

Uchiha Inabi shook his head. "I'm fine. I just had a dream, a... very wonderful dream."

"A dream?"

All the team members looked at each other.

You were just knocked out by a little kid, and you're talking about a dream? Are you still asleep?

"Could it be genjutsu?" one team member guessed.

But this guess was quickly dismissed.

"What kind of genjutsu could be stronger than the Sharingan?"

"That's true."

The Uchiha clan's ninjas were second to none when it came to genjutsu.

Not to mention that Uchiha Inabi's Sharingan had reached three tomoe.

Although he might not have activated his three tomoe during the battle, his ocular power was undeniable. No ordinary genjutsu could affect him.

As the old saying goes, only a stronger Sharingan can defeat a Sharingan in genjutsu.

"I used my Sharingan to cast genjutsu, wanting to easily take him down with it. But unexpectedly, after I activated the genjutsu, I fell asleep and had a wonderful dream."

Uchiha Inabi couldn't quite remember what the dream was about, but even after waking up, he still felt a lingering sense of satisfaction.

Hearing Uchiha Inabi's words, the Uchiha ninjas fell silent. After a while, one of them said gravely, "If what you're saying is true, Vice-captain, then I'm afraid that old geezer Danzo has developed a new way to counter Sharingan genjutsu."

"Perhaps Danzo is already planning to make a move against our Uchiha clan!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's expression changed drastically.

"We must tell the clan leader about this..."

"No, we must not only tell the clan leader, but also explain everything clearly to all the elders at the clan meeting!" Uchiha Inabi said coldly.

If they only told the clan leader, he might tolerate it for the sake of the so-called "bigger picture."

But if they told those elders... Hmph, with the temper of those Uchiha elders, they would never allow that old man Danzo to mess with the Uchiha!

Back at Root, Kaneki was immediately questioned by Yūhi Kurama: "Otsu, do you know how much trouble your actions will cause Lord Danzo?"

Faced with Yūhi Kurama's questioning, Kaneki shrugged, indicating that he didn't care.

"If you want to criticize or punish me, you'd better wait for Lord Danzo to tell me himself, or you might be killed before you finish speaking."

Kaneki said this in a very frivolous tone.

But the killing intent emanating from him made even the battle-hardened Yūhi Kurama tremble with fear.

"Otsu, don't think you can do whatever you want just because Lord Danzo favors you."

As soon as he finished speaking, several thick tree roots burst out of the ground, entwining him with lightning speed and erupting with terrifying force!

This kid, he really wants to kill me!

Yūhi Kurama finally realized this, but it seemed a little too late.

Even though the kikaichū bugs on his body were frantically gnawing at the tree roots wrapped around him, the pressure from the roots grew stronger and stronger, and they tightened more and more until his bones creaked.

"Stop, Otsu!"

Danzo's hoarse voice rang in Kaneki's ears once again.

Since Kaneki joined Root, it seemed like he had been saying "stop" more and more often...

Danzo suddenly felt a little tired.

Fortunately, although Kaneki was unruly, arrogant, and wicked...

He was still "loyal." He obeyed almost all of Danzo's orders. Apart from being a bit extreme and violent, he was quite good.

This time was no exception.

Upon hearing Danzo's order, Kaneki immediately released the tree roots.

Yūhi Kurama, who had almost been crushed by Kaneki's roots, fell to the ground, gasping for air.

At that moment, he really thought he was going to die.

This kid, he's truly terrifying!

At this time, the terrifying kid in Yūhi Kurama's mind was turning around with a grin and greeting Danzo. "Lord Danzo!"

Danzo's head hurt again.

But he had to reprimand Kaneki properly, or he didn't know how much trouble this kid would cause him in the future!

"Why did you attack the Uchiha?"

Danzo stared at Kaneki. With his years of experience, he could easily detect any flaws in Kaneki's eyes.

But Kaneki obviously had no flaws. He said sincerely, "Because they tarnished Lord Danzo."

"Tarnished?"

Danzo's expression turned ugly.

He had lived for decades, and many people hated and cursed him, but no one had ever used the word "tarnish" to describe him.

Kaneki also seemed to realize that he had said the wrong thing and quickly corrected himself. "Uh, not tarnished, they insulted Lord Danzo's name!"

Hearing Kaneki's explanation, Danzo's expression softened a little. He didn't want to dwell on such trivial matters, so he continued to ask, "How did they tarnish and insult me?"

The corner of Kaneki's mouth twitched, wanting to laugh, but seeing Danzo's expression turn ugly again, he quickly held it back.

"They said 'that guy Danzo.'"

"That's it?"

Danzo was a little surprised. They just said that, and you almost killed them?

Kaneki's face was filled with pride and righteousness.

"Of course! They can say whatever they want about me, but if anyone dares to say a bad word about Lord Danzo, I'll kill them!"

Yūhi Kurama, who was standing nearby, fell into deep self-doubt after hearing this.

What did he mean by "they can say whatever they want about me"?

What did that even mean?

Almost getting crushed to death by tree roots?

At this moment, Danzo looked into Kaneki's eyes and found that they were filled with sincerity.

How could he bear to scold his subordinate when he was so loyal?

However, Danzo was not fooled by Kaneki. He continued to ask, "What about before they badmouthed me? Why did you stop the Military Police?"

This time, Kaneki scratched his head with some embarrassment and explained, "Lord Danzo always says that the Uchiha are an evil clan, so I wanted to see how strong they really are. If they're just average, I'll help Lord Danzo eliminate the Uchiha."

Ah, this...

Both Danzo and Yūhi Kurama fell silent.

Good heavens, he wanted to eliminate the Uchiha clan all by himself? The most prominent clan in Konoha, and even the ninja world?

After another moment of silence, Danzo asked, "So, what do you think of their strength?"

Kaneki curled his lip. "Average."

Then he added, "If Lord Danzo agrees, I'll go and eliminate them tonight!"

"No need!"

Danzo hurriedly stopped Kaneki's idea.

Let's not talk about whether he could actually eliminate them. If Danzo didn't give the order to stop him, he felt that this guy would really go to the Uchiha compound and cause a bloodbath tonight!

After pondering for a moment, Danzo could only let out a heavy sigh.

"You're confined for three days. Without my orders, you're not allowed to have any conflicts with anyone!"

(End of chapter)

Chapter 179: My Shadow, Your Regret

Faced with Danzo's punishment, Kaneki had no objections.

After all, being confined meant little to him—it was barely a punishment at all.

Once the matter had been dealt with, a Root ninja quickly approached Danzo.

“Lord Danzo, the Hokage wishes to see you.”

“I understand.”

Danzo’s face showed no sign of surprise.

After all, the public clash between his subordinates and a member of the Uchiha clan, with large-scale ninjutsu involved, had left a massive impact. Especially with Hiruzen, that decaying old man, still striving for balance, Danzo had every reason to believe that Hiruzen wouldn’t dare make a decisive move against the Uchiha—unless the Uchiha were truly to rebel.

But if they waited until the Uchiha were fully prepared and launched an official rebellion, Konoha would suffer devastating losses.

That was something Danzo, the “Root” of Konoha, could not allow.

Before leaving the Root base, he glanced at the room where Kaneki was being confined.

*[The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen,] may not dare to act, but I, [the Shadow in the Dark, Shimura Danzo,] will!*

---

Arriving at the Hokage's office, Danzo was unsurprised to face Hiruzen’s stern gaze.

“I didn’t expect you to have such promising talent in your Root division,” the Third Hokage said slowly, his tone calm and emotionless.

But Danzo, familiar with Hiruzen, knew this village leader was deeply displeased with his secretive actions.

To prevent his research on Hashirama’s cells from being discovered, Danzo had kept the existence of his two Wood-Style ninjas, Kai and Yi, hidden from Hiruzen. Their names weren’t even listed in the records submitted to the Anbu.

If not for Kaneki exposing himself today, Sarutobi Hiruzen might never have known about them. This revelation had clearly made the Third Hokage feel like things were spiraling out of his control.

The Root had become Danzo’s domain, where Hiruzen's influence could not penetrate—not even to identify its members.

More concerning was that today’s incident had made Hiruzen pay attention to the immense talent of this Root recruit.

Indeed, during the confrontation between Kaneki and Uchiha Inaho, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been observing the entire event through his crystal ball. He had even dispatched Anbu ninjas to watch in secret, though they had refrained from intervening as long as no villagers were harmed.

“To take down an Uchiha jonin in a single move... such talent is terrifying,” Hiruzen muttered while puffing on his pipe.

Danzo nodded, his expression unsurprised.

From the moment the incident occurred, he knew Hiruzen would take note of it immediately.

This “old friend” wasn’t as pristine as he seemed on the surface—after all, it was Hiruzen who often hinted at Danzo to carry out the village’s dirty work.

“Kai is indeed an exceptional talent. He will become a sharp blade for the Root—and for Konoha,” Danzo declared, his words a gesture of loyalty toward Hiruzen as Hokage.

He implied: Yes, I kept this genius hidden, but the Root is part of Konoha. There’s no need to make such distinctions.  

But Hiruzen clearly wasn’t satisfied with this explanation.

“Danzo, I hope you understand the role of the Root. Don’t overstep your boundaries.”

After all, conflicts between villagers fell under the jurisdiction of the Police Force, not the Root. The Root's duty was to eliminate unstable elements that could threaten Konoha’s safety.

Danzo, however, had a response ready.

“Hiruzen, the Uchiha clan is an inevitable threat to Konoha’s stability.”

As he spoke, Danzo placed a prepared intelligence dossier on Hiruzen’s desk.

For someone in power, the best way to pacify their anger is to demonstrate your value. If your value is significant enough, certain mistakes can be overlooked.

That’s exactly what Danzo was doing now.

The intelligence report contained internal information about the Uchiha clan.

As Hiruzen finished reading, his expression turned grave.

The report detailed instances where certain Uchiha clan members had expressed extreme dissatisfaction with the village, including a suggestion made during a clan meeting to stage a coup. While Fugaku had suppressed the idea and privately punished the instigator, he hadn’t informed the village leadership about the incident.

Such leniency raised questions. Could this mean that Fugaku himself entertained similar thoughts?

Hiruzen felt a headache coming on.

The strained relationship between the village and the Uchiha clan had always been a thorny issue. As tensions between villagers, shinobi, and the Uchiha continued to escalate, the problem only worsened.

The Nine-Tails incident years ago didn’t help matters. Everyone had seen that massive Sharingan, and to this day, many believed the Uchiha were responsible.

Among those voices, his “old friend” Danzo was the loudest advocate.

Now, by presenting this dossier, Danzo was likely hinting: If the Uchiha rebel, you’ll need the Root’s help.  

As Hokage, Hiruzen needed to find the right balance.

“Make a decision, Hiruzen. If we wait until the Uchiha are prepared, the village will suffer even greater losses!” Danzo pressed.

As a master manipulator, Danzo knew that in situations like this, swift and decisive action—right or wrong—was better than doing nothing.

But Hiruzen, predictably, wasn’t ready to agree immediately.

“This matter requires careful consideration,” he said.

“Moreover, two of the Uchiha’s rising stars, Shisui and Itachi, have shown loyalty to the village leadership. I believe that with young men like them, the Uchiha clan can still change.”

Seeing his old friend’s indecisive stance, Danzo could no longer hold back.

“Hiruzen, if this continues, the village will plunge into civil war!”

Sarutobi Hiruzen shot Danzo a cold glare and said sternly, “Danzo, I am the Hokage!”

There it was again!

Every time they argued, the old man shut him down with that same line.

Damn it!  

Why am I not the Hokage?!  

Danzo couldn’t help but recall his dream: If he had possessed overwhelming power back then, wouldn’t Konoha be completely different now?

If he were Hokage, the “evil” Uchiha clan would have already been reduced to a collection of Sharingan in his possession.

But reality was cruel. All he could do now was leave with a final, bitter remark:

“You’ll regret this, Hiruzen!”

With that, he slammed the door and stormed out.

(End of Chapter)  

*Chapter 180: For Lord Danzo, I’ll Take on the World!*

“Tsk, tsk, Konoha sure is a complicated place. No wonder it’s the largest village in the ninja world,” Kaneki murmured, marveling at the information relayed by his black beetles while confined in the dark room.

Over this period, Kaneki had used his black beetles to gather a considerable amount of intelligence within Konoha's borders.

Having also operated in Sunagakure before, he couldn’t help but compare the two ninja villages.

In terms of ninja numbers and jutsu variety, Konoha far surpassed Sunagakure.

This was largely due to national differences. After all, the Land of Fire boasts the best terrain in the ninja world. Its abundant resources and harmonious climate gave the Land of Fire a massive population advantage over the Land of Wind, whose desert-dominated landscape limited settlements to areas near oases. The contrast in living environments couldn’t be starker.

The Land of Fire’s large population meant more farmland could be cultivated, providing its daimyo with more taxes and grain, which, in turn, funded Konoha generously.

Moreover, the relatively comfortable life within the Land of Fire meant more missions, further boosting Konoha’s financial resources.

Sunagakure, on the other hand, was likely still struggling with reduced financial support from its daimyo.

In terms of finances, the two were not even in the same league.

With its abundant funds, Konoha could train far more ninjas than Sunagakure.

On top of that, as the first ninja village ever established, Konoha attracted numerous clans with kekkei genkai and secret techniques.

Just the Uchiha and Hyuga clans alone made a significant difference.

The Uchiha clan needed no further explanation, and the Hyuga clan's Byakugan was an invaluable scouting tool on the battlefield. A bloodline limit capable of spotting enemy traps and ambushes at a glance was something other villages could only dream of.

In addition to kekkei genkai, Konoha also had an absurd number of secret techniques.

Techniques involving mind control, shadows, physical enhancement, insects, dogs, and even crows—Konoha had it all.

It was almost overwhelming for Kaneki to process.

Thus, in terms of jutsu variety, Konoha was far ahead of Sunagakure.

Next came high-level combat power.

In the younger generation, there were Kakashi, Shisui, and Itachi.

In the previous generation, there were Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Hiruzen Sarutobi as Hokage—not to mention those elders working behind the scenes.

If the Fourth Hokage hadn’t died during the Nine-Tails’ attack a few years ago, if Orochimaru hadn’t defected, and if the legendary Konoha White Fang hadn’t taken his own life, Konoha would truly be invincible.

Even now, despite those losses, Konoha remained the strongest in the ninja world.

However, Kumogakure had been making significant progress in recent years and was beginning to pose a threat.

As for Sunagakure, aside from its Kazekage, Rasa, it seemed to lack any standout ninjas.

Perhaps the two village elders and elite jonin Baki could be considered noteworthy?

In terms of high-level combat power, Sunagakure was completely outclassed.

And let’s not even mention the fact that their tailed beast had been stolen.

Granted, I was the one who stole it.

Sunagakure’s only saving grace might be the individual strength of its ordinary ninjas.

This was due to reduced funding and the harsh natural environment, which forced Sunagakure to prioritize quality over quantity in its ninja training. As a result, Sunagakure’s average ninja might be more well-rounded than Konoha’s.

But that didn’t really matter. On the battlefield, a single top-tier fighter could shift the tides of war.

Take someone like Nagato, for example. A powerhouse like him could simply step onto the battlefield, use Shinra Tensei a few times, and wipe out hundreds or even thousands of enemies. Who could maintain morale after that?

Fortunately, under the benevolence of the Evil God, Sunagakure was steadily improving.

Kawanishi, despite his young age, had developed several secret techniques and even created a biological army through the mother hive.

They had also developed specific techniques to complement these new creatures, such as Scorpion Jade, Poison Blade, and Sand Hounds.  

Sunagakure’s power was greatly enhanced.

Of course, Rasa wasn’t planning to reveal these trump cards just yet. For now, they only showcased the Scorpion Jade, biding their time to make a dramatic impact.

Everything was progressing steadily.

Kaneki stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Konoha is still too strong. If it doesn’t weaken a bit, there’s no way for Sunagakure to compete.”

As he spoke, his stomach growled loudly.

Due to the sensory barrier surrounding Konoha, Kaneki’s clones within the village couldn’t replenish their energy from outside sources.

Not only that, but they also had to sustain the black beetles used for reconnaissance.

Thankfully, the Dumu clone could use the guise of a trading company to purchase large quantities of meat to maintain the beetles' daily consumption.

After all, it was perfectly normal for a trading company to stockpile meat for making soldier pills, right?

As for the clone named Yi, he had to fend for himself.

Thinking of this, Kaneki kicked open the door of the confinement room without hesitation.

The Root ninja guarding the door jumped in alarm, immediately on guard. “Lord Danzo ordered that you’re not allowed to leave.”

Kaneki scoffed. “I’m not leaving. I’m just hungry. Get me something to eat—pork cutlets, Ichiraku ramen, barbecue, anything will do.”

“Uh... but Lord Danzo ordered us not to give you food.”

The ninja hesitated, clearly conflicted.

After all, the person before him was someone bold enough to attack even Torune Aburame.

Kaneki raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?”

The Root ninja trembled but resolutely shook his head. “I don’t want to die, but I absolutely can’t disobey Lord Danzo’s orders.”

Tsk. Another one brainwashed beyond repair.

Say what you will about Danzo, but his brainwashing techniques were top-notch.

Most of his subordinates were willing to die for him.

As for me? I’m even more loyal—I’d take on the entire world for Lord Danzo!

What if Danzo doesn’t want to take on the world?

Then I’ll help him do it anyway!

Still, there wasn’t much I could do if someone didn’t even fear death.

Fine.

Genjutsu, activate!  

The ninja’s vision blurred, and before long, he returned with a large pile of food for Kaneki.

“That’s more like it,” Kaneki said, satisfied, closing the door behind him as he chowed down on pork cutlets.

By the time the Root ninja snapped out of it, he looked at the door in confusion, scratching his head.

Had he forgotten something?

(End of Chapter)