Chapter 18: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes!

This old man didn’t believe it!

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief, silently awarding himself full marks for his reverse psychology tactic.

High-ranking officials like the Third Hokage, often indecisive, tend to overthink things. The more truth you tell, the less likely they are to believe you.

For instance, if he were to claim he had transmigrated from another world and that they were all just characters in a manga, they’d probably laugh their teeth off.

Sasuke understood well that the more he acted like he knew what was going on, the more the Third Hokage would suspect him of pretending. Conversely, emphasizing ignorance would make the Hokage even more suspicious.

This was the power of information.

As someone who had transmigrated into the world of Naruto, Sasuke knew that his strongest asset wasn’t the "acting tough" system given by the Almighty Ding Dong. No, it was his knowledge of everyone’s personalities and technical weaknesses. This knowledge was invaluable.

“What I said is the truth—Uchiha Itachi told me!”

The corners of Sasuke’s mouth curled up slightly. Things were gradually falling into place, and the immediate danger to him had been neutralized.

Before the Third Hokage could figure out who had told him this, the old man would hesitate to take any drastic action against him. Perhaps, in the Hokage’s eyes, Sasuke was nothing more than a pawn being used.

“Sasuke, you may not fully understand the weight of that name. From now on, don’t mention it again. Understood?”

The Third Hokage gave Sasuke a deep, measured look, his tone softening into what felt like paternal advice.

“…”

Sasuke froze for a moment.

The old man’s eyes seemed sincere.

He deactivated his Sharingan—not because he no longer wanted to show off, but because his chakra reserves wouldn’t allow him to sustain it much longer. The brief activation had already served its purpose.

Now, onto the next step.

“Lord Hokage, I can tell you who told me, but you must promise me one thing first.”

Sasuke handed the initiative back to the Hokage, aligning with the rhythm the older man expected. He deliberately injected contradictions into his words, letting the Hokage infer that Itachi wasn’t actually the source of this information.

“What is it?”

A smug expression crept across the Hokage’s face. Experience was a teacher unmatched by time—this young brat was still too green.

He claimed Uchiha Itachi had told him, only to change his story moments later. The boy’s nerves were fraying. Afraid of not gaining any benefits, he was now taking the initiative to bargain.

Still just a child…

The Hokage believed he had unraveled the mystery. Someone had planted the name “Uchiha Madara” in Sasuke’s mind, urging him to use it as leverage for personal gain. If his hunch was correct, this someone stood to gain immensely from Sasuke’s success.

Yes, this had all been premeditated.

The Hokage felt confident in his analysis. Sasuke was merely a pawn in a larger scheme, and the Hokage had a faint idea of who the mastermind might be.

“I want to see the Forbidden Scroll,” Sasuke said seriously. There was no need to feign subtlety—this was his true goal.

“Sasuke, you’re too young to learn forbidden techniques.” The Hokage didn’t answer outright, but his meaning was clear.

“That’s none of your concern!” Sasuke’s expression darkened as he barked, “I have to become stronger!”

“Alright.” The Hokage nodded, observing Sasuke closely. Every outburst, every flash of anger—each detail reinforced his theory: Sasuke’s thirst for power was being manipulated.

“Thank you, Lord Hokage!” Sasuke’s tone softened, returning to a semblance of calm. He marveled at how quickly he’d achieved his goal, crediting it partly to his luck and partly to the Hokage’s excessive leniency.

“However…” The Hokage paused for effect, his calm demeanor exuding authority. “You may only look at the scroll for two hours. And you cannot take it with you.”

“No problem,” Sasuke agreed. He hadn’t planned on taking it anyway—too many in the village coveted the Forbidden Scroll. Mizuki was one such individual. Carrying it around would only invite trouble.

“Now, tell me who told you about this,” the Hokage asked, his kind smile betraying his sharp mind.

“You must promise me not to reveal this to anyone,” Sasuke said solemnly. “I don’t want him to retaliate against me.”

“Rest assured, I won’t tell anyone.” The Hokage nodded, his doubts nearly dispelled.

“That person…” Sasuke took a deep breath, his expression steadying. He allowed his eyes to flicker as though recalling a distant memory. “I don’t know his name.”

“Pfft…” The Hokage nearly spat out his tea. Was this child playing him for a fool?

“But I remember his appearance. He looks about your age, wears a dark green suit, and has bandages wrapped around the right side of his face,” Sasuke said, his tone deliberately slow and thoughtful.

“So, it was him!” A sharp glint flashed in the Hokage’s eyes. He had already suspected this individual, but Sasuke’s description confirmed it.

“Lord Hokage, now that I’ve told you, you won’t go back on your word, right?” Sasuke asked, adding a deliberate challenge to his tone.

“Of course not. I keep my promises. However, did this person ask you for anything else?” The Hokage was keen to unearth the mastermind’s motives.

“This…” Sasuke hesitated, as though reluctant to share further. In truth, he was carefully calculating his next words.

“Go on, Sasuke,” the Hokage urged gently. “You must know I’m on your side.”

“Sorry, I can’t say.” Sasuke shook his head, his hesitation giving way to a firm resolve. “That’s all I can tell you. If you won’t let me see the Forbidden Scroll because of it, then so be it.”

“How could I break my promise? You may look at the scroll.” The Hokage smiled kindly. “But one last question—what did Uchiha Madara tell you?”

“He only gave me the name,” Sasuke replied, his tone steady but solemn. “He said if I mentioned it to you, you’d agree to all my requests.”

Sasuke exhaled softly, the tension finally lifting. This series of manipulations had been exhausting. He couldn’t help but long for the simplicity of dealing with Naruto.

(End of chapter)