176-180

*Chapter 176: Changing Situation*

"He's gone crazy!"

"He's absolutely lost it!"

Konohagakure.

Hokage's Office.

The four great advisors had gathered once again.

Koharu Utatane murmured, her old face filled with disbelief.

"Uchiha Itsuki, what is he trying to do?"

First, he led the Uchiha Clan to defect from the Leaf.

Then he denied the Daimyo's authority.

After being provoked, he directly launched an attack on the nobles!

And instead of backing down after being threatened by the nobles, he went even further, slaughtering them without restraint.

Now he's taken it even further — he's claiming territories, and letting shinobi take control of the nobles and towns.

It's simply unimaginable.

Homura Mitokado was also visibly disturbed.

It was the panic of seeing a long-standing belief shattered.

He could no longer see what the future held.

Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a soft snort, his face darkened, and he remained silent.

Danzo Shimura, on the other hand, let out a cold laugh.

"Crazy? Wrong, he's perfectly sane!"

"Then what's his goal?"

"To break convention!"

Danzo's eyes were filled with jealousy and envy as he murmured, "He intends to break the current system of the shinobi world and create a new ninja village, a new set of rules."

Damn it!

This was what Danzo wanted to do!

To create a new order.

To become a pioneer!

To put his name alongside Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.

Although Madara Uchiha was considered a rogue shinobi and despised by almost all the villages, who knows how many still admired him.

The "Demon of Shinobi World."

The only one who could stand alongside the "God of Shinobi."

Uchiha Itsuki was working towards that path.

He wanted to become a legend!

To become a new legend!

Thinking of this, Danzo could no longer sit still.

"Hiruzen, we must act. Whatever Uchiha is trying to do, we must crush them."

"Of course."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression remained calm as he spoke in an intentionally aged voice, "I'm preparing to initiate a Five Kage Summit."

Koharu and Homura's lips twitched.

The voice was too forced!

This change in Hiruzen... He's just like Danzo. After losing a bit of detachment, why did both their personalities start changing so much?

The two simultaneously thought of a term Itsuki had once used: "feminized!"

"Gathering the power of the Five Kage, huh?"

Danzo, however, seemed unfazed and merely nodded slightly.

Given Uchiha Itsuki's demonstrated power, dealing with him was beyond what one village could manage alone.

Besides!

Uchiha Itsuki had antagonized the entire shinobi world. Why should only the Leaf bear all the losses?

"What about the Chunin Exam..."

"I plan to take action during the Chunin Exam. I don't believe Uchiha Itsuki can stay put."

"That's actually a good idea..."

Danzo murmured.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, a ninja burst in, exclaiming loudly, "Lord Hokage, bad news!"

The Third Hokage suddenly grew furious and shouted, "You're the bad news!"

The Anbu: "..."

"Ahem, Hiruzen!"

Koharu hurriedly coughed.

Since losing his sense of detachment, Hiruzen's temperament had become rather volatile.

He would often get inexplicably angry!

With a reminder, Hiruzen also collected himself, coughed dryly, and asked, "What is it?"

The Anbu hesitated and said, "A city has been attacked by shinobi."

"From the Fire Hidden Village..."

"No, it's not them!"

The Anbu looked somewhat frightened and said with difficulty, "That city is far from Fire Hidden Village and Uchiha Itsuki's current position, and the methods used don’t resemble theirs."

He approached a map and marked a spot on it.

Seeing the mark.

Koharu and Homura were puzzled.

But!

Danzo and Hiruzen both felt a chill.

They exchanged glances and saw the deep fear in each other's eyes.

This city was unlikely to be Uchiha Itsuki's doing — it was too far away.

Itsuki attacked towns systematically, one by one, not with such great distances between.

But!

At this moment, they sincerely hoped this was Itsuki’s work.

If it wasn’t...

Then it meant that some other village or shinobi organization had made a move.

They had begun testing the limits of the nobles' authority!

"No... It can't be..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned pale, muttering to himself.

The long-standing conventions were about to be completely shattered.

Only Uchiha Itsuki could be considered an outlier.

But what if other villages began to imitate him?

What then?

It would be a disaster!

A disaster for the nobles.

Likewise.

It would also be a disaster for the shinobi.

The shinobi world was about to undergo a revolution.

Everything was heading into the unknown.

In his old age, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a sudden surge of fear.

In his position, with his status and age, the thing he feared most was change!

He didn’t have much time left!

The last time!

If Jiraiya hadn't voluntarily stepped down, leaving the Leaf without a Hokage successor, he might have already been forced to retire.

Even so, right now, the Leaf was still waiting for a new successor.

Once that successor appeared, his position would be under tremendous threat.

The so-called balance would be broken.

Given these circumstances, he didn’t have time to face a revolution.

"We must deal with this immediately!"

Hiruzen’s eyes were cold as he said, "This is treason against the Daimyo, and it cannot be tolerated!"

The other three nodded in agreement.

Their current lives were good; they didn’t need anything new.

The shinobi world as it was now was just fine.

...

The nobles sensed something was wrong too.

Thus, the Daimyos of several countries simultaneously sent stern warnings to the Kages of the five major villages.

They ordered them to deal with Uchiha as soon as possible.

If the situation continued, next year’s funding for each village would be completely cut off.

If they managed to handle Uchiha, their budgets would be increased by thirty percent!

The Leaf was the first to comply with the order, sending emissaries to Uchiha.

At the same time, they actively prepared their shinobi forces.

Even after recently losing three thousand men, they didn’t care.

In their eyes, only Uchiha mattered.

Faced with this situation, it was surprising that Uchiha actually retreated.

Without the need for the shinobi forces, a few emissaries managed to make them pull back.

Everyone was once again stunned.

After showing such madness, did Uchiha really just give up that easily?

Yes!

They retreated!

The Uchiha withdrew from the first few towns, returning to Chisō Castle under the watchful gaze of the town lord who looked like he was forcing a smile.

Were they drunk or what?

Other villages quickly caught on and still dispatched their shinobi forces to beat the Fire Hidden Village down, even to destroy it.

What did the emissaries’ promises have to do with them?

Would Itsuki let them succeed?

Of course not!

Using Flying Raijin, he moved freely, constantly dropping explosive tags.

Although facing the enemy’s shinobi forces, Itsuki’s presence could be seen everywhere.

The shinobi armies sent by several villages were forced to retreat.

Among them, Sunagakure and Iwagakure suffered the least.

Kumogakure lost over a thousand shinobi.

The Leaf lost another two thousand.

The repeated losses were beginning to take a toll on the Leaf.

And it was at this time that the Chunin Exams began.

The other villages also took this opportunity to recall their shinobi forces.

It wasn’t that they were weak; it was that the Fire Hidden Village was too powerful, and they didn’t want to take unnecessary losses, giving others an advantage for free.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 177: The Plot Begins, Intervention!

Little Naruto is about to turn twelve!

This time, for the Chūnin Exam, he will participate as a Genin.

Naruto, with his golden hair, walked out of his house with a somewhat dazed expression.

Lately, he had been a bit distracted.

As in the original series, Naruto is in a team with Sakura, and the third member is Sai, who appears in Part Two of the original story.

Sai is from the Root organization.

Considering Naruto had previously met Itsuki and even been tricked by him, could Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura really be at ease?

Hiruzen Sarutobi assigned Kakashi to be Naruto's team leader.

Danzo Shimura placed Sai by Naruto's side.

As for Sakura...

It wasn't the same as in the original story.

In the original, Sakura naturally ended up in Naruto's team.

Here, her assignment was the result of a compromise between different factions.

A team of four.

Hiruzen Sarutobi chose Kakashi.

Danzo Shimura chose Sai.

The final spot should have been selected by Shikaku Nara.

Unfortunately...

Hiruzen and Danzo were too wary of Shikaku, refusing to let anyone from the Yamanaka clan get close to the Nine-Tails.

If a clan that could manipulate minds stayed close to the Nine-Tails, then who would truly own the Nine-Tails? It might just cause an explosion someday.

Under the strong stance of the two, the helpless Shikaku noticed Sakura—Inoichi Yamanaka's daughter’s good friend, someone Naruto liked.

Thus, Sakura joined.

In fact, the reason Kakashi ended up being the team leader also had something to do with Shikaku.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's original choice was Asuma Sarutobi!

Would Shikaku have agreed?

No way!

Might as well imprison the Nine-Tails!

Might as well rename Naruto Uzumaki to Naruto Sarutobi.

After multiple compromises, Naruto's team ended up the way it is now.

"What is the truth, really?"

Naruto muttered to himself.

Two years had passed!

For the past two years, he'd been trying hard to find the so-called answer.

Unfortunately, he faced countless obstacles.

However!

There were some things that couldn't be hidden.

He was the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze!

The Fourth Hokage sealed the Nine-Tails inside him, full of hope.

He wanted Naruto to be a hero of Konoha!

So why did he end up as the Nine-Tails demon fox?

Thinking of the kind Third Hokage from his memories, Naruto clenched his fists.

He wasn't the sharpest, but he wasn't dumb.

Especially with Itsuki Uchiha stirring the pot.

Naruto couldn't help but have crooked thoughts!

"Naruto!"

Kakashi, with his lazy expression, looked at Naruto and said, "Relax. Maybe the answer will come to you."

Naruto still kept his head low, the air around him heavy.

"Damn it, pull yourself together!"

Suddenly!

A loud thump landed on Naruto's head.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch!"

Naruto held his head, crouching down as tears welled up.

Sakura gritted her teeth and shouted, "Sasuke is still missing, and you're here moping? You idiot, go find Sasuke, and then be sad."

"S-Sasuke..."

"Exactly!"

They were such good classmates back then!

That's how Sakura thought.

"Right, Sasuke!" Naruto perked up immediately, standing up and shouting, "I still have to bring Sasuke back. That idiot left the village—it's too much!"

Not far from them...

Sai was sketching, not even looking at the two.

As long as he monitored the Nine-Tails, the rest didn't concern him.

Sasuke this, Sasuke that. What about Sai?

Do these people even know what respect is?

All of them were from the Sasuke clan; who was really better?

Kakashi sighed silently.

What a troublesome team.

Then again, there weren't many normal ninja.

He himself was once known as the troublemaker of troublemakers.

In that sense, the students in front of him seemed to be doing okay.

As for bringing Sasuke back...

What for?

To finish him off?

How deep was the hatred?!

Damn, if an Uchiha showed up in Konoha now, Hiruzen Sarutobi would probably want to rip their heart out.

Of course...

That was something Naruto and Sakura didn't need to know. It was good that they had motivation.

"Yes, Sasuke!" Kakashi nodded and said, "This Chūnin Exam, the village of Hidden Fire will send people too. Sasuke should be among them!"

"Really?"

Naruto was excited. "This time, once he comes, I won't let him leave."

He clenched his hands, determination clear on his face.

Kakashi looked at him: You'll end up getting locked up.

Did he really think the Nine-Tails was that invincible?

If not for maintaining balance, he’d already be bottled up.

Sakura hesitated, "Kakashi-sensei, I heard things between the Uchiha and the village were bad. If Sasuke shows up, wouldn't it..."

"Don't worry!"

Naruto pounded his chest, saying, "I'll protect Sasuke. No one will hurt him."

I’m amazed you even graduated from school.

The village was desperate to accept anyone these days!

Even someone like Naruto became a Genin!

Sakura didn't even look at Naruto.

"Rest assured on this point."

Kakashi’s voice carried an unusual tone as he said, "After all, Konoha is a great ninja village, with its own pride. We wouldn’t target someone just because they're taking the exam."

This was a lie!

The truth was...

As long as that man was alive, Konoha wouldn't dare to cross his line.

Back then!

If it hadn't been for Jiraiya, who knew what would have become of Konoha.

That man had driven Konoha to the brink using explosive tags.

Sakura sighed in relief. "That's good then!"

...

As the Chūnin Exam approached.

The flow of people within Konoha began to increase, and many people dressed in strange outfits started appearing.

They were obviously from other ninja villages.

Conflicts inevitably arose among them.

Just like now...

"Hiss, hiss, hiss!"

Several black snakes coiled around an arm, preparing to strike.

The arm was holding a child by the collar.

Being attacked by the snake, the person instinctively let go of the child.

"Damn it!"

Kankuro frowned, waving his arm and smashing the snake.

The snake turned into ink, dripping onto the ground.

"Is that... a secret technique?"

Kankuro stared at Sai, smirking, "There are some good ninjas in Konoha."

Sai sat on the roof indifferently, looking down at Kankuro. "Suna, this is Konoha. Get lost."

"You've got guts, brat. Get down here!"

Kankuro's face darkened, a menacing look in his eyes. "I can't stand arrogant people."

"Hey, hey!"

Nearby, Temari frowned and said, "You're not thinking of using 'Crow' here, are you?"

"Hmph!"

Kankuro snorted.

Sai gave a fake smile. "You dare to cause trouble in Konoha? Looks like I'll have to teach you some Konoha rules."

Kankuro and Temari stood side by side, mockingly looking at Sai.

"Hey, hey, hey!"

Naruto shouted from nearby, "Don't ignore me, you jerks!"

"Big brother Naruto!"

The younger Konohamaru pulled on Naruto, whispering, "I think you should stay out of it, or you'll get beaten!"

Naruto: "..."

Suddenly!

Kankuro's and Temari's faces froze.

Sai's body also stiffened.

Someone had suddenly appeared next to Sai.

"Stop it, Kankuro!"

"Don't make a fool of yourself here."

This person had short red hair, the character for "love" carved on his forehead, and a large gourd on his back.

Gaara!

The demon who loved only himself!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 178: Uchiha Nishiki!?

“You…”

Sai’s body stiffened, turning his head in horror.

When did this guy get behind him?

Sai’s whole body tensed up.

“Gaara…”

Cold sweat started to form on Kankuro’s forehead as his fearful eyes darted around. He instinctively took two steps forward and stammered, “S-sorry, I-I…”

“Shut up!”

Gaara's eyes were cold, devoid of any emotion.

“Or I'll kill you!”

"Stop~"

A voice suddenly appeared beside Temari, whispering softly in her ear, "Whoever disobeys gets their butt kicked!"

"Ahhh!!!"

Temari screamed and leaped to the side in terror.

Someone had appeared next to her without her noticing. If they had launched an attack…

Cold sweat ran down her back as she dared not think further.

Even Gaara was left speechless.

He had just tried to act tough but was completely overshadowed.

Even he hadn't noticed this person’s presence.

It was as if this person had always been there.

But just a moment ago, they hadn’t been!

In other words, in the blink of an eye, this person had appeared.

What kind of speed is that?

If this person had attacked him, he could’ve been gravely injured in the first round.

Could his sand defense block it?

The answer made him uneasy.

He knew his ultimate defense all too well.

Gaara stared coldly at the man and said in a chilling voice, “Are you a ninja from the Fire Village?”

Fire Village?

The other ninjas present had varying reactions.

Naruto shouted even louder, “You’re from the Fire Village! Where’s Sasuke? Hand him over now!”

The man smiled calmly at everyone present.

“That’s right. I’m from the Fire Village!”

With that, he took out a headband and placed it on his forehead.

The Konoha ninja’s faces twitched.

Even though some of them were only genin or not even ninjas, they had all heard about it.

The Fire Village was formed by the Uchiha clan, which had split from Konoha.

And recently, the Fire Village had been in constant conflict with Konoha, resulting in several clashes. Many Konoha ninjas had died at the hands of the Fire Village.

Leaving everything else aside, just the name of that village alone was something Konoha couldn’t let slide.

Even young Konohamaru’s eyes were filled with hatred.

The same went for the Sand Village ninjas.

Their village had been thrown into chaos by this man.

Pakura!

The hero of the Sand Village!

Why didn’t she die?

And what’s more, she claimed to have been betrayed by the Sand Village, which is why she began seeking revenge.

As a hero of the Sand Village, Pakura had her supporters within the village.

Originally, if she had died, that would have been the end of it, but now she was alive and openly accusing the higher-ups of the Sand Village.

This was a big deal!

Especially after so many people in the Sand Village had been killed, the situation had only worsened.

Although the Kazekage and Chiyo had intervened several times to stabilize the situation…

Still!

No one knew what might happen next.

The entire Sand Village was like a volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.

The people at the bottom had started to question those at the top.

And that’s why!

The Sand Village was filled with hatred for Nishiki as well.

Because Pakura was now in the Fire Village.

The Fire Village had been helping Pakura in her revenge against the Sand Village.

When everyone saw the headband, they were momentarily stunned.

Nishiki had spent quite some time thinking about the design for the Fire Village headband.

He had initially designed a giant figure.

This represented Susano’o.

An Uchiha, with the Mangekyō Sharingan, without Susano’o? That wouldn’t make sense, right?

Then.

As the founder of the Fire Village, it made sense to add a personal touch to the design, right?

So, he added Sage Mode!

Not many people could use it!

At present, it seemed only Jiraiya could, and combining that with Susano’o made it his unique mark.

And so!

He added tattoos to the giant figure.

Finally, what is the most iconic thing for the Uchiha clan?

The Sharingan!

He added two eyes to the figure, each with three tomoe.

In the end!

Although the Fire Village was mainly composed of Uchiha, there were other clans as well.

Konoha might not acknowledge them, but Nishiki thought it was important to include them.

So.

He added a few small stars around the figure, representing the other clans of the Fire Village.

But!

This made the design too busy and chaotic.

Just looking at it gave Nishiki a headache.

But!

By this point, it was impossible to decide what to keep and what to remove!

Using just a flame symbol felt too simple.

The Uchiha crest alone didn’t feel significant enough.

After a few more days of thought, Nishiki got frustrated and just drew an “X”!

And with that!

The Fire Village symbol was born.

Decades ago, Madara Uchiha had gazed at the leaves drifting by and named the village Konoha!

Today, Nishiki Uchiha had added flair to the Fire Village’s symbol!

An “X”!

God knows!

Itachi’s fists clenched in frustration.

You’re even more nonchalant than Madara Uchiha!

Do you even take this seriously?

If Itachi was like that, it was easy to imagine how the others felt.

At the very least, at this moment, everyone was staring at the “X” on Nishiki’s headband, their eyes twitching uncontrollably.

A wave of disrespectful energy hit them!

Gaara coldly stared at the ninja, “You from the Fire Village, state your name.”

The man smirked arrogantly, “Uchiha Nishiki.”

Nishiki?!

Everyone’s expressions shifted.

“What’s your relation to Uchiha Itsuki?”

Nishiki replied in surprise, “You figured it out? Impressive, I’m his younger brother.”

Younger brother?

“Liar!”

Naruto shouted, pointing at him, “Uchiha Itsuki only has one older brother, Uchiha Shisui! Where’d this younger brother come from?”

Nishiki arrogantly replied, “There’s a lot you don’t know.”

Everyone fell silent again.

There was something odd about all of this.

Temari couldn’t hold back her anger, “You jerk! What did you do just now?”

Nishiki gracefully smiled, “Beautiful lady, you’re so stunning I couldn’t help myself. Please forgive me.”

Temari’s lips twitched, and she said no more.

This guy is strong!

And also...

Kind of handsome!

At this moment.

Inside the Hokage’s office.

The crystal ball showed everything that had transpired.

Mitokado Homura’s expression was strange, “Nishiki? Uchiha Itsuki has a younger brother?”

Everyone looked at him like he was an idiot.

You seriously believe that?

What did you grow up eating?

This guy, from any angle, is clearly Uchiha Itsuki!

Though there are slight differences from what they remembered of Uchiha Itsuki.

But.

Don’t forget.

Uchiha Itsuki left the village when he was only 15.

In two years, it was normal for him to grow taller and change slightly in appearance.

“This bastard.”

Sarutobi Hiruzen’s face darkened as he coldly said, “He didn’t even bother to disguise himself.”

Shimura Danzo remained calm, “That’s because he thinks we can’t hurt him. He doesn’t care about exposing his identity.”

Sarutobi sneered, “The dignified leader of the Fire Village, coming to take the Chunin Exams in Konoha, doesn’t he fear being mocked?”

Danzo sneered as well, “If he cared about such things, he wouldn’t have led the Uchiha to defect two years ago.”

What could be worse than the title of rogue ninja?

Indeed.

The Third Hokage didn’t dwell on that and instead asked, “So, what do we do now?”

Danzo’s eyes gleamed with malice as he stared at the crystal ball and said through gritted teeth, “Wait. Wait for the other village leaders and experts to arrive and ambush him. Destroy him completely.”

“Until then, let him do as he pleases.”

After all, they couldn’t stop him.

Everyone was ready to give up!

But!

With the leader of the Fire Village participating in the Chunin Exams, what kind of chaos would this bring to the exams this time?

Just thinking about it gave everyone a headache!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 179: The Great Tree Clan!*

The thought of a village's kage participating in the Chūnin Exams—what a scene that would be!

If Naruto and his group figured out who this person was, they'd probably be overjoyed and shout, "Now we don't have to worry about the exam anymore!"

Worried about what?

Is worrying even useful?

If it’s not, then why bother worrying?

That guy will do whatever he wants. Just go with the flow!

He has the power to put you in whatever position he pleases.

"Hmph!"

Gaara let out a cold snort, leaving under the protection of his sand.

"Gaara!"

Kankurō and Temari quickly chased after him.

But...

Before leaving, Temari turned her head and glanced at Itsuki.

Itsuki winked at her.

He was quite interested in Shikamaru's future wife.

Also...

Itsuki wasn’t some older guy chasing after younger women.

Temari was around his age, probably about sixteen or seventeen.

Itsuki guessed that Temari and Kankurō were holding back their advancement. Otherwise, with their abilities, they would’ve already been promoted to Chūnin.

Their real goal was the "Konoha Crush" plan.

They wanted to play their part in the plan.

"Orochimaru-sensei, where are you now?"

Itsuki chuckled softly. "I’m doing my part as promised, keeping everyone's eyes on me. Don’t let me down!"

In the original storyline, Konoha wasn’t destroyed. What about now?

"Hey!"

A loud shout rang out.

Naruto!

He glared at Itsuki and yelled, "Where’s Sasuke? Why isn't he here? Aren’t you from Hōkage Village, taking part in the Chūnin Exams?"

Itsuki looked at the blond-haired boy, blinked, and smiled, "Did you find out about your parents? And what about that little fox inside you, do you know about that?"

Naruto froze.

Whoosh!  

A figure suddenly appeared in front of everyone.

Kakashi!

He looked at Itsuki seriously but said nothing.

Not because he didn’t want to.

But because he didn’t dare.

His appearance was just Konoha’s way of saying they knew about Itsuki.

But!

Angering Itsuki... the consequences would be unimaginable for Kakashi.

"Heh!"

Itsuki only glanced at him before ignoring him completely. Smiling, he focused back on Naruto and said, "Hey, blondie, have you found your answer yet? And is it the answer you’re satisfied with?"

"Ha-ha!"

He turned and walked away.

Naruto’s previously low energy returned.

For the first time, his face darkened.

He didn’t know...

Inside him...

In the sealed space...

The Nine-Tails slowly stood up, staring coldly at the figure before it.

"This dark, ominous chakra... Uchiha?"

"Exactly!"

Itsuki stood before the Nine-Tails, smiling. "I’ve got a little something I want you to do."

"You..."

Buzz!

Itsuki merely looked at the fox.

The Nine-Tails' eyes immediately reflected a pair of Sharingan.

Genjutsu!

If Obito could control the Nine-Tails with just one glance, there was no reason Itsuki couldn’t do it too.

As a top-tier villain, he wasn’t interested in wasting time.

Villains die from talking too much.

Plus, it’s a fox—why waste words on it?

"Alright, everything's in place. Now we wait!"

Itsuki smiled, ready to leave, but suddenly stopped.

An evil grin spread across his face.

He began drawing out portions of the Nine-Tails' chakra, manipulating it to spread through the sealed space and slowly merge with Naruto's body.

Outside, Naruto's aura grew colder, and his expression became even darker.

"Dark Naruto... ha-ha-ha!"

With a loud laugh, Itsuki’s figure vanished from the Nine-Tails' sealed space.

The Nine-Tails remained standing like a statue.

But part of its dark chakra had now completely become a part of Naruto.

...

"Hey, I..."

Sakura, watching Itsuki's back, was about to speak when, in the blink of an eye, he had disappeared.

"Huh?"

Sakura's eyes widened. "He’s so fast!"

Kakashi, on the other hand, grew more serious, even starting to sweat.

"Space-Time Ninjutsu?

As expected, Uchiha Itsuki!

So strong!"

Just a glance from Itsuki felt like being a frog staring into the eyes of a snake.

No wonder his true strength was still a mystery.

He was known as the second coming of Uchiha Madara, having founded a new ninja village and gaining recognition from the Five Great Shinobi Villages through sheer power.

If he was an enemy, how many moves would it take for him to kill Kakashi?

Would it be an instant kill?

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Sakura shouted.

"Huh?"

Kakashi raised his head, smiling. "Sorry, I was just thinking about something else. Let’s go!"

"But, Sasuke..."

"He’ll come."

Kakashi replied softly, "I saw Sasuke’s name on the list."

"The list?"

"Yeah, Hōkage Village provided a list of participants for the Chūnin Exams."

Kakashi’s eye twitched.

Hōkage Village, Chūnin Exam participants: "Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Nishiki, Uchiha Sanki!"

Uchiha Itsuki!

Are you seriously naming them after trees?

Even from the names, you could feel his mischievousness.

...

In the Hokage's office...

"Any news?"

"No, we’ve completely lost track of him!"

"What about the barrier? Didn’t they say the barrier would work?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was losing his patience, his voice filled with anger.

"The barrier did work!"

Sarutobi Shinnosuke patiently explained. "It restricted his use of the Flying Thunder God technique, but with other movement jutsu like Body Flicker, the barrier can’t stop that. He used the Flying Thunder God to cover a distance and then escaped using Body Flicker."

Hiruzen let out a sigh of relief.

As long as the barrier could limit the Flying Thunder God, that was enough!

At his age, he’d lost too many nights of sleep worrying about Uchiha Itsuki suddenly appearing out of nowhere to kill him.

Body Flicker was much easier to handle!

"Expand the barrier as much as possible. We must block all space-time ninjutsu!"

"Yes!"

Hiruzen turned his gaze to Danzō. "When are the other villages’ teams arriving?"

"Very soon!"

Danzō replied with a hint of annoyance. "But none of the kage are coming."

"That’s not surprising!"

Hiruzen nodded in agreement. "A kage can’t just leave their village easily."

Danzō shot him a glance.

Was this his way of justifying his own reluctance to go to the front lines?

"The other villages agreed to send some top-tier fighters, especially the Sand Village. Chiyo herself is leading fifty Jonin here."

"That many?"

Even Hiruzen was taken aback.

"That’s not surprising."

Danzō sneered, "After the whole ordeal with Rasa, the Sand Village hates the Leaf with a passion. Given the chance to destroy us, they won’t hesitate."

Hiruzen frowned. "Danzō, be careful. With so many high-level ninjas entering Konoha, things could easily get out of hand."

Danzō laughed coldly. "Hiruzen, you’re as indecisive as ever. Uchiha Itsuki is in Konoha right now. This is a rare opportunity. If we let this slip, do you think there’ll be another chance?"

"I believe... there will be!"

Hiruzen thought for a moment and then firmly stated, "Uchiha Itsuki is just that kind of unpredictable person!"

Danzō: "..."

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 180: The Insane Sand Ninjas*

Danzo was speechless!

He couldn’t argue back because what the other person said actually made sense.

Was Uchiha Itsuki even a normal person?

What kind of normal person, at the level of a Hokage, would still take the Chunin exams?

Isn’t he embarrassed?

And not just that.

He even came with that ridiculous name of his.

One Tree, Two Trees, Three Trees…

Do you have a grudge against trees or something?

And that forehead protector representing the Fire Village…

What the heck!

×!

What kind of insane mind could come up with such a symbol?

You’re even crazier than Uchiha Madara!

Danzo and the Third Hokage remained silent.

They had no idea what to say.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado were also speechless.

All they could do was prepare silently.

Prepare for what?

Uchiha Itsuki had come to Konoha, so what exactly should they prepare for?

Who knows what kind of chaos this guy would stir up?

This time, Konoha had paid a huge price just to plan to eliminate Uchiha Itsuki within the village.

This guy brought Uchiha traitors with him.

Although he solved Konoha’s biggest internal threat, the powerful Uchiha clan would now forever be their enemy.

They were furious!

Even if Uchiha died in Konoha, they must never be allowed to leave.

How many Konoha ninjas had died at the hands of the Uchiha in the ensuing war?

The losses were far worse than simply destroying the Uchiha clan outright.

Afterward came the daimyo’s orders...

There were just too many reasons to wipe out the Uchiha.

Uchiha Itsuki must die!

With these thoughts, Konoha appeared calm on the surface, but under it, a storm was brewing.

And Itsuki?

He strolled down the streets of Konoha, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar roads.

Suddenly, it all seemed pointless.

Familiar, because there was a hint of the old village.

Unfamiliar, because Konan’s thousands of paper bombs had flattened it.

This was the newly rebuilt Konoha, different from before.

Konan really knew him well.

She had completely severed his ties to Konoha.

Itsuki sighed inwardly.

Even though he had read the original series and knew this ninja world wasn’t fair…

Still.

He held a desire deep inside.

He longed for Konoha to not be as twisted as he understood it to be.

But to be a village truly embodying the Will of Fire.

After all!

In his previous life, most of his childhood had been dedicated to Naruto!

But in the end, it was a great disappointment.

If this was a game...

Then everyone should play together.

If the people of the ninja world didn’t want to make his life easy, then nobody would have it easy.

Once I beat everyone into submission, everything will naturally be fine for me.

Itsuki smiled slightly.

It was a dazzling smile.

And that wasn’t an exaggeration.

Itsuki was indeed very handsome, just like the way Temari had looked at him not long ago…

If she could eat him with her eyes...

Speaking of which, it seemed like there were hardly any ugly people in the Uchiha clan.

Except for Fugaku!

Other people can have looks that make up for their flaws, but his stare destroys everything.

Fugaku’s menacing gaze had earned recognition from the entire ninja world.

Waiting could be so long and boring.

I need to find something to do.

Itsuki chuckled to himself.

“You’re my lover, a woman as beautiful as a rose…”

Each ninja village had its own designated rest areas.

In the Sand Village area...

Itsuki held a drum, banging on it loudly while singing terribly.

The Sand ninjas in the resting room, one by one, clenched their fists, veins bulging on their foreheads as if they were about to explode.

They had come all this way and gathered just to immediately start a meeting.

After finally coming to a conclusion, they were ready to rest.

But right then...

Itsuki’s voice howled, followed by the booming of drums.

A few of the more timid ninjas were almost scared out of their minds.

Hearing this horrendous noise pollution, the Sand ninjas didn’t even care about the lyrics. They just wanted to kill the person singing.

“Temari!”

At that moment, another sharp voice called out.

It sounded almost brainless!

“I’ve come to keep our appointment.”

Huh?

The Sand ninjas turned their heads to stare at Temari in confusion.

Unbelievable.

Just, unbelievable.

Was it really her who brought him here?

Even as the daughter of the Kazekage, you couldn’t have chosen this guy, right?

Can you even handle him?

Temari’s forehead veins bulged, and she clenched her teeth. “It’s not me, this guy has nothing to do with me.”

“Exactly!” Kankuro chimed in. “This guy is a lunatic. No way my sister has any connection with him.”

“Enough!”

Baki, who had been staring out the window, suddenly spoke. “Temari, go and engage with that guy.”

“What?”

Everyone in the room was stunned.

Temari let out a sharp cry, “Sensei, you want me to engage with him?”

Baki turned his head and gave her a glance. “You don’t want to?”

“If it’s your order, Sensei…”

“Speak honestly!”

“…Fine, I’ll do it.”

Kankuro: “...”

The Jonin: “...”

The Chunin exam participants: “...”

Only Baki looked indifferent.

That guy down there, even though his actions were odd, was extremely handsome.

What girl wouldn’t be drawn to him?

Temari wasn’t an exception.

He knew his disciple well.

In the brief pause just now, she had stolen glances down there several times.

Kankuro couldn’t help but protest, “But he’s from the Fire Village.”

Baki thought for a moment and then said, “Everyone, I have a new plan.”

...

Temari looked away, but her eyes couldn’t help glancing at Itsuki.

Itsuki smiled, unbothered, walking forward purposefully with Temari in tow.

“You... don’t seem surprised?”

As they left the village residence, many people were wide-eyed.

She actually agreed to meet him?

Sand ninjas, seriously?

But Itsuki stayed calm, smiling as he led Temari away.

This puzzled Temari even more.

“Surprised? Surprised about what?”

Itsuki replied casually, “I’m so handsome. Of course, you’d accept my invitation. If you didn’t, that would be strange.”

Temari: “...”

What a confident lunatic!

Suddenly, Temari sensed something was off and stopped.

“Where are you taking me?”

Itsuki pointed ahead.

Temari’s face turned dark.

Seeing the red lanterns hanging in front of the building, she almost bit her tongue in rage.

“You’re dreaming!”

She snarled and turned to leave.

“You sure about that?”

Itsuki, still smiling, said softly, “So many of you Sand ninjas have gathered here. What’s your purpose?”

Temari froze, then turned back with a fierce expression. “Shut up!”

“To deal with Uchiha Itsuki?”

Itsuki kept smiling. “But are you guys really planning to...”

“Stop! I’ll go with you!”

Temari quickly shouted.

Who knows how many enemy spies were around?

Saying something like that here was absolute madness!

Temari stormed into the small shop.

Itsuki followed with a grin and told the shopkeeper, “We’ll take a couple’s room. Oh, and give us all the fancy tools the nobles like.”

Temari’s eye twitched.

If she could, she would kill him!

But who knew...

Itsuki leaned down and whispered into her ear, “Temari, you don’t want the Sand’s plans to get exposed, do you?”

Temari: “...”

(End of chapter)