136-140

Chapter 136: New Village (Double Chapter)

Nothing!

Nothing!

Absolutely nothing!

One by one, the Konoha shinobi stationed to guard the village searched through all the clan territories.

They found many things that shouldn’t have been there, but no one cared anymore.

As long as it wasn't an act of treason against Konoha, contraband could be ignored at this point.

But!

Explosive tags!

None!

"How can this be?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's whole body went cold.

He frantically turned his head and began searching.

"There's no need to look anymore!"

Shikaku Nara's face was pale as he said, "The Hyuga shinobi who reported to you has left with Uchiha Itsuki."

"Impossible!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi roared in anger, "That was a member of the Hyuga main family!"

Shikaku Nara calmly replied, "Even someone from the Hyuga main family is still human. Everyone has weaknesses, desires, and ambitions. Who knows how Uchiha bought him off?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked dazed.

They had handed over a large sum of money and given away so much chakra metal, only to discover in the end...

The other side had been playing with them!

Konoha managed to retrieve explosive tags from only two small clans.

No third location could be found!

This discovery left everyone in the room silent.

And more than that!

Not only had the Uchiha clan left, but even a member of the Hyuga main family had joined them!

What did this mean?

It meant that from now on, the Uchiha clan would also possess the Byakugan!

The new village they were building would at least have both the Sharingan and the Byakugan!

In time, as the Hyuga shinobi settled down and started families, more Byakugan users would be born.

This was the loss of a bloodline limit!

The impact of this on the village was enormous.

"Sigh," Shikaku Nara sighed, "Hokage-sama, this Uchiha Itsuki is incredibly powerful and deeply calculating. He will inevitably become a major enemy in the future."

If it had been a Flying Thunder God shinobi, they could have quietly evacuated their clansmen, but no, he made as much noise as possible.

He openly threatened the Hokage and the high-ranking shinobi left to guard Konoha.

He stole a large sum of money and chakra metal from right under their noses.

And he got away with it unscathed!

"Hmph, of course, I know how hard he is to deal with!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's face twisted as he looked around the room, seemingly calculating something.

"Hokage-sama!"

Shikaku Nara quickly spoke, "We only have around 5,000 people left, and several outposts that must be defended. We don’t have enough manpower to hunt him down!"

"So, are we just supposed to let him go?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi coldly stared at Shikaku Nara.

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi on the verge of losing control, Shikaku Nara wisely remained silent.

In the end.

Konoha scraped together another 1,500 shinobi to pursue Uchiha Itsuki.

Shikaku Nara led this team.

As a veteran Jonin, Shikaku Nara's strength was undeniable.

But!

Just as they left the village and reached the outskirts, Itsuki's gift arrived.

"Boom!"

A violent explosion rang out.

The leading shinobi were blown to pieces on the spot.

The nearby shinobi were sent flying by the blast.

Once again, the entire village of Konoha began to tremble.

Many villagers cursed under their breath.

What the hell is going on?

Is it ever going to end?

How many times has this happened today?

Are they trying to completely destroy Konoha?

The most confused of all was still Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He had just sent off this group of shinobi and was standing at the village gate, watching them leave, when he witnessed the lead team being swallowed by the explosion.

"Uchiha Itsuki, you @#￥%&"

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but curse out loud.

Hokage dignity?

To hell with that!

All I want to do now is jump around and curse at you.

Shikaku Nara’s face was also grim, his back drenched in sweat.

Just a little!

Just a little closer, and he would have been sent flying too.

For the first time, he was this close to death!

"Hyuga shinobi!"

He shouted.

"Yes!"

A Hyuga clan shinobi stepped forward and used his Byakugan to scan the area underground.

"Nothing!"

After a long time, the Hyuga shinobi responded, "It seems to be just this pile of explosive tags!"

Shikaku Nara's face became even grimmer.

Once again, the other side had seen through them.

This trap was likely something the enemy had set up on a whim before leaving.

Uchiha Itsuki had predicted they would pursue him and even guessed which route they would take.

And!

Because Konoha's shinobi had just finished searching the entire village, they had naturally let their guard down.

This was the best opportunity for the enemy.

Should they keep going?

Uchiha Itsuki was a master at manipulating people’s minds like a devil.

Everyone turned to look at Shikaku Nara.

Shikaku Nara looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Chase!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi roared, "We must kill Uchiha Itsuki and wipe out the Uchiha clan!"

Shikaku Nara remained silent, his gaze somewhat strange.

He didn’t understand—could these 1,500 shinobi really annihilate the Uchiha clan?

It seemed highly unlikely.

Then why had Hiruzen Sarutobi issued such an order?

It almost felt like... he was intentionally sending them to their deaths!

Shikaku Nara wasn’t the only one who thought this; many other shinobi had the same realization.

The shinobi left behind to defend Konoha were not just there to fight; they needed a leader who could give orders at critical moments.

Just like how the Uchiha clan had left behind the cunning Setsuna and the unshakable touji to guard their own.

They had sensed that something was off.

"Mehahaha!"

A wild laugh suddenly echoed through the air.

"Boom!"

The sky exploded with a roar!

Itsuki made a grand entrance!

...There really was an explosion in the sky because Itsuki had used Lightning Style.

He even used Fire Style.

Adding special effects to his appearance.

After the dramatic entrance.

Itsuki swaggered out, "Aren't you all curious? Don’t you want to know why Hiruzen Sarutobi insists on chasing us?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi roared, "Uchiha Itsuki."

He launched an attack immediately, a powerful jutsu roaring towards Itsuki.

But Itsuki easily dodged, not even fighting back, only mocking, "What’s wrong? Monkey, don’t want me to say it? Trying to silence me? Well, I’m going to say it anyway."

"Your goal is to send them to their deaths, isn't it!"

"Shikaku Nara, and the rest of you guarding Konoha, I’ll give you a clue. See if you can figure out the cause and effect."

Itsuki laughed loudly as Hiruzen Sarutobi glared at him with hatred, "The Sarutobi clan has 3,000 shinobi."

"Three thousand shinobi?"

All the shinobi gasped in shock.

"Impossible."

"That can’t be true."

The Sarutobi clan only began to rapidly expand after Hiruzen Sarutobi became Hokage.

They had always suspected Hiruzen would allocate more resources to his own clan.

But in just a few decades, there was no way it could have grown this much!

Itsuki grinned, "Can't believe it? Too bad, it's the truth."

"I swear on the name of the Uchiha clan, the Sarutobi clan has at least 3,000 shinobi, maybe more!"

"Now, use your brains. Think carefully."

Itsuki’s voice was low, and his expression playful.

"Really think about it."

"Why does Hiruzen Sarutobi want you 1,500 shinobi to chase me?"

"Do you think you can do it?"

"You can’t."

"If you can't, why is he making you do it?"

"What’s his real motive?"

"Mehahahahaha."

With a loud laugh, Itsuki left.

Leaving behind a group of Konoha shinobi with mixed expressions.

"Konoha, you’d better think hard. Otherwise, your clans' shinobi will suffer heavy casualties, and those who survive might end up as slaves."

These damned words echoed in their ears, making the Konoha shinobi clench their fists in rage.

Silence.

A long silence.

Finally.

Shikaku Nara broke the silence.

He turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi and softly asked, "Hokage-sama, should we keep chasing?"

The Third Hokage asked in return, "Shikaku, do you believe Uchiha Itsuki?"

Shikaku Nara's answer was clear, immediate, and without hesitation, "No."

The Third Hokage seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, "Uchiha Itsuki has divided the Uchiha and Konoha, plunged the village into crisis, and continually sows discord among us. He is the greatest traitor in Konoha's history. If we get the chance, we must destroy him."

"Yes!"

Nara Shikaku responded loudly, then, leading the ninja, he strode away.

However, just before he left, his expression was complicated.

Perhaps...

True belief and disbelief don’t require questioning.

Sarutobi Hiruzen—has he ever truly trusted anyone?

Itsuki used Flying Thunder God and returned to the main force.

Itachi, calm as always, asked, "So, Itsuki, will anyone come to hunt us down?"

"No, they won't."

Itsuki smiled happily.

"In the short term, Konoha has to deal with its internal affairs. Well, maybe... if they really make up their minds..."

"Tch, tsk, Saru!"

"Enough, let’s go back to our Uchiha village. Konoha has nothing to do with us anymore."

"And if it does, they are merely our enemies."

"Let’s go."

The other Uchiha shouted in agreement.

...

Fugaku paced back and forth, his face dark with frustration.

No one blamed him.

Everyone else was just as restless.

As they were about to rendezvous with Danzo and had just reached the border of the Hidden Cloud, a message came.

Uchiha Itsuki had led the Uchiha clan in rebellion against Konoha.

When they heard the news, everyone was stunned.

At that moment, they even questioned their ears, wondering if they had misheard.

But then...

Considering that it was Uchiha Itsuki, it suddenly made sense.

Nothing that scoundrel did would ever surprise anyone.

Shortly after, Danzo was the first to take action, rallying Konoha's ninjas to wipe out the Uchiha clan.

He didn’t know exactly what had happened in the village.

He only knew that if he wiped out the Uchiha on his side, the Uchiha clan would essentially be finished in the ninja world.

Fortunately...

The hundreds of Uchiha here were all elites.

Before Konoha’s ninjas could complete their encirclement, two massive Susano'o appeared.

Fugaku and Shisui.

Under their leadership, the Uchiha ninjas broke through directly.

Moreover...

Thanks to the large number of explosive tags Itsuki left for the Uchiha...

They threw tens of thousands of them at once, sending Konoha’s ninjas flying and too terrified to advance.

... Does their family own a mine or something? To be able to spend explosive tags like that!

And so...

Under Danzo’s hateful gaze, the Uchiha clan successfully escaped.

In reality, Danzo had no chance of eliminating 800 Uchiha led by two Mangekyō Sharingan users with just four to five thousand ninjas.

Later, under the guidance of Uchiha Kaima, the Uchiha clan smoothly arrived at their new village, where they began a long wait.

A wait for Itsuki to return, bringing with him the elderly, women, and children of the clan.

The process was torturous.

With only 200 ninjas left to protect two to three thousand clan members, it was already a difficult task.

Not to mention that Konoha still had many ninjas.

They claimed to have left 4,000 behind.

But in reality, it was definitely more than that.

What clan doesn’t have a hidden reserve?

Fugaku estimated that Konoha could easily field 6,000 ninjas.

Konoha is the largest village in the ninja world.

They’re not like the Hidden Mist.

Right now, if the Hidden Mist emptied their entire village, they could field 10,000 ninjas, and that’s with a stretch.

Apart from that...

Itsuki’s plan—was it spontaneous?

If it was...

Then people would be cursing Uchiha Itsuki's ancestors.

Can this scoundrel do anything right?

Can he?

"Fugaku, calm down."

Uchiha Hachidai said seriously, "We need to trust Itsuki. He may be unreliable and unserious, but his strength is undeniable."

Fugaku glared at him. "Is that what I’m worried about?"

"Then what are you worried about?"

"Hmph!"

Fugaku’s expression darkened. Gritting his teeth, he growled, "I’m worried that Mikoto is dead."

Hachidai frowned and scolded, "Fugaku, I have to say, as clan head... Ugh!"

He didn’t finish the sentence.

Suddenly, Hachidai understood what Fugaku meant.

Fugaku’s face twisted slightly, and he said grimly, "Got it? Then shut your mouth."

Hachidai's face grew awkward.

Uchiha Itsuki had been after Uchiha Mikoto for a long time—it wasn’t just a day or two.

Now, Konoha, the Uchiha, and even the entire ninja world were in chaos.

At this critical moment, it would be so easy for Itsuki to arrange for Mikoto to "die."

That way...

Itsuki could easily and effortlessly claim the beauty!

No wonder Fugaku looked like he had swallowed a dead rat. If it were him, he’d be furious too.

This kind of thing is intolerable!

Time passed slowly as everyone waited.

Finally!

The people sent to assist returned.

Surrounded by 600 Uchiha, familiar faces appeared one by one.

The 200 Uchiha left behind to guard the camp were overjoyed.

The heavy burden on their hearts was lifted.

"Well done, Itsuki!"

Someone shouted loudly.

They had been full of complaints about Uchiha Itsuki, thinking he had gone too far this time.

Their families' lives were at risk.

Some had even resolved to teach Itsuki a harsh lesson.

Even if they couldn’t beat him, they couldn’t let him go unchecked.

Now!

The joy of reunion washed away the anger.

None of that mattered anymore—as long as their families were safe, they had the whole world.

One by one, the Uchiha rushed forward to embrace their loved ones, releasing their joy.

Fugaku strode forward, looking left and right. He saw Itachi, then Sasuke, but not Mikoto.

His heart sank.

"Itachi, where’s Mikoto?"

Itachi looked helpless.

"Sigh!" Itsuki stepped forward, speaking softly, "Fugaku, I’m sorry!"

"Buzz!"

Fugaku’s Mangekyō Sharingan appeared instantly. Calmly, he said, "If Mikoto’s not here, only one of us will leave alive."

"Then bring it on!"

Itsuki’s Mangekyō Sharingan flared as well.

He had never backed down from anyone in his life, and he wasn’t about to start now!

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 137: A Happy and Blissful Life! (1)

The tension escalated!

Instantly, everyone’s faces went dark.

Itachi looked helpless.

However!

They all stared at Itsuki, their gazes filled with anger.

They had just breathed a sigh of relief, and now, this guy was stirring things up again!?

Would you only be happy if the Uchiha clan had a civil war?

If you really like Mikoto, just be more assertive and take down Fugaku already.

Bullying men and women isn’t exactly out of character for you.

You like her, but you're not making a move. What kind of nonsense is this?

Thud!

Amidst the speechless crowd, Fugaku made a shocking move.

He knelt!

Fugaku knelt on the ground, bowing before Itsuki.

Of course, to Itsuki, this looked like Fugaku was begging.

“Itsuki, I’m begging you! Please give me my Mikoto back!”

Fugaku touched his head to the ground and pleaded loudly.

“Uh...”

Itsuki felt a bit embarrassed.

Things have gotten out of hand!

I don’t know what to say.

So!

Itsuki fumbled through his clothes, pulled out a hundred ryō, and handed it to Fugaku. "Fugaku, you’re forever 18!"

Fugaku: "..."

Everyone around: "..."

If Uchiha Itsuki ever gets beaten to death on the street, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.

"Fugaku!"

A soft, elegant voice suddenly called out.

Fugaku looked up excitedly.

Mikoto!

Uchiha Mikoto slowly walked out from the back of the group, looking at Fugaku with a helpless smile.

Were you that eager to see me?

Couldn't you have waited just one more minute?

Just one minute!

“Mikoto, you’re back!”

“Where did I go?” Mikoto replied helplessly. “As the clan leader's wife, I was walking at the very back of the group.”

Fugaku’s face stiffened: “So...”

“So, when the group reached the village, I just walked forward.”

Fugaku dumbly turned his head to look at Itsuki.

Itsuki shrugged and said, "Not my fault. You were so quick to kneel; I couldn’t stop you."

"So, it’s my fault?"

Itsuki waved his hand and said, "I forgive you. Besides, I already gave you money. What more do you want?"

...

“This is the new village I’ve chosen!”

“A village that belongs to the Uchiha!”

Itsuki, accompanied by Uchiha's elite shinobi, walked on the new village’s mainland.

“The village is located slightly southeast of Konoha, with a main road surrounded by the sea.”

The new village was different from the Hidden Mist.

Hidden Mist was an island nation built purely on the sea.

“How long have you been preparing for this village?”

Fugaku couldn’t help but ask.

“Almost ten years now!”

Fugaku was speechless. “You really don’t have any hope for Uchiha and Konoha’s relationship, do you?”

“Exactly!”

Itsuki’s response was straightforward: “As long as Hiruzen Sarutobi stays in power, it will be impossible for Uchiha and Konoha to reconcile. And with Hiruzen Sarutobi in control, Konoha has no future.”

“No future?”

“Yes!”

Itsuki smiled. “And, in the short term, they probably won’t be able to cause us any trouble.”

Everyone quietly watched Itsuki, waiting for him to continue.

“The Sarutobi clan, the Shimura clan, the Koharu clan, and the Mito clan—how much power they’ve hidden, I’m not sure, but at least 7,000 shinobi!”

“Reliable information suggests that Hiruzen Sarutobi is becoming restless. He’s planning to rule Konoha by force.”

“Oh!”

Everyone was startled and said, “That’s shocking!”

“This upcoming war is the perfect opportunity!”

Itsuki sneered, “He plans to sacrifice the other shinobi, so there will be no one left to oppose his rule.”

Fugaku muttered, “How could Hiruzen Sarutobi think like that?”

After he spoke, several people looked at him as if he were a fool.

Fugaku finally turned his gaze to Itsuki.

Itsuki shrugged and said, “There’s a good chance it’s because of me!”

“Sigh!”

Fugaku sighed. “Itsuki, stop being so modest. That doesn’t suit you.”

Because of Uchiha Itsuki?

Most likely, yes!

Uchiha underwent tremendous changes due to Itsuki’s presence.

Originally, Hiruzen Sarutobi had planned to gradually weaken the Uchiha clan’s power while trying to divide the clan from within—pull some in, beat down others, ideally splitting Uchiha apart.

But what happened instead?

Both the Root and ANBU divisions suffered heavy losses, and Uchiha, internally, became more stable.

That can’t be allowed!

Moreover!

Thanks to Uchiha Itsuki, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s prestige in Konoha had fallen to its lowest point.

His and Danzo’s faces were repeatedly stomped on by Uchiha Itsuki.

This challenged his patience in every possible way.

Recently, questions surrounding the Third Hokage in Konoha have been unrelenting.

This had only increased Hiruzen Sarutobi’s anxiety.

If a full-blown confrontation erupted, their strength would diminish, while Uchiha’s power continued to rise.

Can that be allowed?

Absolutely not!

Financial losses compounded their psychological distress.

And having been Hokage for decades, with Danzo’s collaboration, Hiruzen Sarutobi had long become Konoha’s absolute ruler.

For someone like him, any challenger was particularly hard to tolerate.

All these reasons led him to make his final decision.

Fugaku suddenly asked, “If Hiruzen Sarutobi doesn’t lose his mind, what would happen to us Uchiha? Could we possibly...”

“That’s probably what worries Hiruzen Sarutobi the most!”

Itsuki replied nonchalantly, “That’s why he’s so eager to strike first.”

Sitting in the Hokage’s chair, many things are no longer under his control.

Sometimes, even if he didn’t want to act, others would push him to do so.

And!

Given everything Hiruzen Sarutobi has done in Konoha, retreat is no longer an option.

Either he succeeds and becomes a great Hokage...

Or he fails and is scorned by all!

Hiruzen Sarutobi, often called a “shinobi hero,” even in his old age and indecisiveness, still has the courage for one final battle.

Thus!

He made up his mind!

He’ll use force to bring Konoha back on track!

“Sigh!”

Fugaku sighed again. “Then why did you say that Hiruzen Sarutobi has no future?”

“If he really does use force to rule Konoha and make it a dictatorship, maybe Konoha will follow a new path.”

“You have to understand, even though he’s been at odds with Uchiha, whether he’s a ‘shinobi hero’ or a ‘teacher of ninja arts,’ those are titles that other villages gave him. Hiruzen Sarutobi is also a capable person.”

Itsuki looked at Fugaku as if he were an idiot.

“Hearing you say that makes me want to give you a few examples.”

“Wasn’t Sakumo Hatake one of Hiruzen Sarutobi’s masterpieces?”

“Him? What a shame, but...”

Fugaku immediately replied, “Strictly speaking, Sakumo Hatake died because of Danzo, right?”

“Wrong!”

Itsuki sneered. “Danzo may not have wanted Sakumo Hatake to die, but Hiruzen Sarutobi absolutely did. Understand?”

“Danzo was just Hiruzen Sarutobi’s scapegoat.”

“Maybe the one who regretted Sakumo Hatake’s death the most was Danzo!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 138: A Blissful and Fulfilling Life! (Part 2)

Everyone was dumbfounded!

The one responsible for Hatake Sakumo's death was Shimura Danzo.

Danzo might not have wanted Hatake Sakumo to die. He might have even regretted it or been angry about it!

But Sarutobi Hiruzen definitely wanted Hatake Sakumo dead!

Do you even realize what you’re saying?

"Don't understand?"

Itsuki looked speechlessly at the Uchiha Jonin and said, "Your brains… sigh, no wonder you all were played by Sarutobi Hiruzen. No surprise, you deserved it!"

"Let me remind you of something: the Will of Fire… never mind, I'll just say it outright!"

Itsuki said helplessly, "When Hatake Sakumo died, he was in his prime. He was at the peak of his power as a ninja, and at the same time, his prestige and popularity in Konoha were enough for him to become Hokage."

"Coincidentally, Sarutobi Hiruzen was getting old. He was over fifty, and as a ninja, his power was beginning to decline. Normally, he should have started grooming a new Hokage."

"Yeah, we know that!"

Fugaku said, "Danzo also wanted to become Hokage, so he used Hatake Sakumo’s ‘abandoning the mission for his comrades’ against him, attacking him with public opinion and forcing him to commit suicide."

Itsuki sighed softly and said, "Do you really think Danzo is that useless?"

"Let me tell you, Danzo may be ruthless, selfish, devious, and shameless, and yes, he may look scary, but he's definitely capable."

"..."

"Danzo only tarnished Hatake Sakumo’s reputation. That was enough to make him lose his eligibility to become Hokage. That was Danzo’s goal."

"Danzo wanted to be Hokage; he wouldn’t want to lose a sharp blade like Hatake Sakumo."

"The 'White Fang of Konoha' earned his fearsome reputation through battles!"

"If Danzo became Hokage, he would need such a sharp blade."

Fugaku frowned and said, "How is that different for Sarutobi Hiruzen?"

"It’s completely different!"

Itsuki said without hesitation, "Totally different."

"Danzo was in the shadows at the time, plotting to become Hokage."

"Sarutobi Hiruzen was already Hokage. His task was to maintain his rule over Konoha."

"Their approaches to dealing with Hatake Sakumo were fundamentally different."

"That’s why Hatake Sakumo had to die."

Itachi suddenly spoke up, "The Will of Fire?!"

Itsuki looked at Itachi and sighed, "Itachi, you really are something, understanding Hokage affairs at age seven..."

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Itachi quickly interrupted, "Can you stop with the sarcasm, brother Itsuki? I always feel like you’re biased against me."

Biased?

If I weren't so kind-hearted, I would have already beaten you to death!

I’d have scattered your ashes by now.

Itsuki gave Itachi a sideways glance.

Knowing the original story, he really couldn’t feel much affection for this brat who ruined his whole clan.

Fortunately, Itachi had started to change under his influence. Otherwise, Itsuki might have had to kill him with a smile.

"Hatake Sakumo gave up the mission to save his comrades. Isn’t that the essence of the Will of Fire?"

Itsuki shrugged and said, "If the mission is more important than comrades, where does the Will of Fire stand?"

"So, Hatake Sakumo had to die!"

"As long as he lived, Konoha’s ninjas would question what was more important: comrades or the mission?"

"If everyone abandoned missions for the sake of their comrades, Konoha might as well be marked with an 'X'!"

Fugaku disagreed and said, "Even if Hatake Sakumo dies, won’t the things he did remain?"

Itsuki shrugged again and said, "It’s better if he dies than lives."

Makes sense!

Hard to argue with that.

"Fine, Hatake Sakumo might be Sarutobi Hiruzen’s failure, but you can’t conclude that Konoha has no future under Sarutobi’s rule because of this, right?"

Fugaku seemed to get serious.

In truth, he was determined to thoroughly discredit Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Although the Uchiha had left Konoha, they were somewhat forced out.

The bitterness lingered, which wasn’t good.

That’s why Fugaku and Itsuki were working together to erase any lingering feelings the Uchiha might have for Konoha.

Including the moment at the village gate when Fugaku kneeled in front of Itsuki.

That was also a clear statement.

Fugaku was showing the Uchiha that everything here was centered around Itsuki.

"The Sannin!"

Itsuki sighed and said, "My three teachers—one betrayed, one ran away, and one disappeared—doesn’t that say something?"

"And my grandpa, Uchiha Kagami, his death was so mysterious."

"Can’t believe the Senju Clan is only the brothers Hashirama and Tobirama. Where are the other skilled ninjas? Senju Nawaki died too, damn it!"

Itsuki shrugged again and said, "So many people who could’ve become Hokage were lost. Now Konoha is struggling to even find a Fifth Hokage. Are you telling me there’s a bright future under Sarutobi Hiruzen?"

"Get lost!"

"Whether you believe it or not, I don’t!"

This was a Konoha altered by Itsuki's actions.

Without Itsuki, Shisui would have died, Itachi would have betrayed the clan, and Fugaku would have perished.

The Uchiha would have been wiped out!

Tsk tsk!

If all these people had survived and supported Konoha, unifying the ninja world wouldn’t have been a problem.

Itsuki shook his head, not wanting to talk about it anymore, and said, "Alright, let’s talk about the future development of the Uchiha clan."

The Uchiha were still thinking about Hatake Sakumo’s fate, but when they heard Itsuki’s words, they were taken aback, their expressions growing tense.

On a large scale, this concerned the entire clan.

On a smaller scale, it concerned their individual families.

Itsuki pointed at the ground and said, "This used to be a forest. I’ve spent ten years transforming it."

Everyone looked at the village and couldn’t help but marvel.

Even those who had grudges against Itsuki couldn’t help but praise his work.

Actually, the entire village had only four buildings.

One was a proper residence in the center, where Itsuki had lived before.

The other three were simple residential areas, each able to house a thousand people.

These didn’t seem like much.

But!

Itsuki had laid the foundation for the entire village.

He built a wall enclosing the village, setting its structure for future development.

Moreover, a large protective barrier was operating.

This provided the Uchiha with basic protection.

As long as Uchiha ninjas started patrolling and standing guard, it wouldn’t be much different from the old clan grounds.

Also!

Although Itsuki hadn’t built many houses, he had constructed roads.

Several main roads crisscrossed the village in a grid pattern.

The Uchiha just needed to build homes in the planned residential areas, and they could settle in.

"Food? We have it!"

Itsuki added, "Enough for five thousand people for a month. This is just the first batch. More caravans will bring in supplies, including fruit."

The Uchiha immediately asked, "Caravans? Itsuki, you have ties to caravans? Which ones?"

Itsuki calmly said, "I own two large caravans: the Full Moon Caravan and the Gemini Caravan. Plus, I collaborate with three other major caravans."

At this, everyone was stunned.

Itsuki had practically done everything he could.

And!

He actually owned large caravans?

Was he that amazing?

(Chapter ends)

*Chapter 139: A Happy and Fulfilling Life! (3)*

Starting and maintaining a caravan is no easy task.

Behind every caravan, there is support from nobles.

Some even directly answer to lords!

The Full Moon Caravan and Gemini Caravan that Itsuki mentioned are top-tier caravans, usually only accessible to the retainers of the five great nations.

And Itsuki has them!

Two of them!

Moreover, he also collaborates with three large caravans.

Everyone exchanged astonished glances.

At that moment, they felt like Itsuki had gone over the top.

Even the Leaf Village doesn't have this level of connections!

"What did you expect?"

Itsuki rolled his eyes and said, "Did you think I'd just do nothing, ignore everything, and take you away from the Leaf? Let the entire Uchiha clan, thousands of people, just starve and freeze in the wilderness?"

The Uchiha were silent.

Many of them had really thought so.

Itsuki's antics were well known to everyone.

Fugaku sighed and said, "Itsuki, I admit defeat."

Itsuki's eyes lit up. "Then how about..."

"No way!"

"I didn't even say anything!"

"No means no!"

Itsuki huffed in frustration.

This sly dog, getting smarter by the day.

But one day...

Fugaku looked up at the barrier and asked curiously, "The barrier consumes a large amount of resources daily. How long can you sustain this?"

Itsuki casually replied, "A few months, I guess."

Cough, cough!

Fugaku almost choked on his own saliva.

A few months?

Where on earth did you get so many resources?

Maintaining a large barrier consumes an astronomical amount of resources daily.

Is this something a single person can sustain?

Did you rob the Leaf Village or something?

Fugaku smiled bitterly. "I won’t ask anymore. There are still some resources left in the clan treasury. Let's use all of it."

Itsuki lazily replied, "We’ve got the caravans, so we won’t lack food or drink."

"We’ve got the barrier, so we don’t need to worry about safety!"

"As for housing, you’ll have to build that yourselves."

"Now, it's just about ninja missions. I suggest the Uchiha form a few elite squads to complete some high-profile missions and boost our clan's reputation."

"Where are we going to find such high-profile missions?"

Fugaku sighed.

A ninja village's income mainly comes from various missions.

In the original story, why did the Sand Village initiate the plan to destroy the Leaf?

It was because the Leaf took away too many mission commissions from the Sand, pushing them to their breaking point.

Without enough missions and income, the Sand Village had to reduce the number of ninjas they employed. Fewer ninjas meant fewer missions, which in turn led to even fewer ninjas.

This is a vicious cycle.

It wouldn’t be long before the Sand Village would become a fragile fortress of sand, ready to collapse at the slightest touch.

That’s why they agreed to Orochimaru’s proposal, taking the risky step of launching the plan to destroy the Leaf and initiating war.

Even though Orochimaru disguised himself as the Fourth Kazekage at the time, the Sand Village itself was leaning toward war!

Itsuki helplessly said, "You guys are too rigid. If there aren’t any missions, can’t you just create one?"

"Create a mission?"

The Uchiha were dumbfounded.

"I'm issuing an S-rank mission right now: Destroy the Cloud Village’s frontline forces."

Itsuki lazily added, "Five million ryo. Itachi, Shisui, will you take it?"

"This..."

"We’ll take it!"

Fugaku spoke up first. "The Uchiha will accept this mission. I’ll personally lead Itachi and Shisui to complete it."

"Father!"

"Clan leader!"

The Uchiha were all stunned.

Itsuki is being ridiculous, and you’re joining him?

Assigning a mission to yourself, and then completing it?

Wait…

Some of them suddenly seemed to catch on.

As the clan leader, Fugaku knew very well that this was the moment for the Uchiha to flex their muscles to the outside world.

Whether or not there are real missions, the Uchiha need to show their strength.

Taking down the Cloud Village is undoubtedly the best way to do that.

"For this mission, I’ll lead Shisui and Itachi. I’ll need ten Jonin to join me!"

Fugaku said seriously, "I will complete it beautifully, to show the world the power of the Uchiha."

Itsuki smiled slightly. "I’ll give you ten more Jonin, including four from the Hyuga clan. That should be enough, right?"

The Uchiha were once again silent.

Fugaku looked at Itsuki, his voice trembling. "You... have that many Jonin under you? And Hyuga..."

What the heck is going on?

Fugaku was on the verge of losing his mind.

Does this new village of theirs even have Hyuga members?

Itsuki, you’re too impressive!

Shall I call you ‘Dad’?

Mikoto, I’ll even give her... wait, no, that’s too much!

They had already noticed that some people were living in this new village.

But since they were newcomers, and Itsuki was the host, they didn’t want to inquire too much and risk offending anyone.

But who would've thought...

Itsuki smiled and explained, "There were already seven hundred ninjas here, including thirty-three from the Hyuga clan. The Yagumo and Kurama clans from the Leaf have also joined me."

Yagumo...

Kurama...

Over seven hundred ninjas!

More than thirty from the Hyuga clan!

Itsuki Uchiha, please accept my respect!

Even the most rebellious Uchiha were now looking at Itsuki with deep admiration.

They were just short of kneeling down in reverence!

In this new village, the number of ninjas was close to two thousand!

And most of them were Uchiha.

Led by multiple Mangekyo Sharingan users, they were truly bold enough to challenge the Five Great Ninja Villages.

They had the caravans!

They wouldn’t lack resources!

It felt like a max-level character entering a beginner village.

No need to work hard anymore!

"Itsuki Uchiha is the leader of this new village. No one is allowed to oppose this!"

Fugaku declared firmly.

"Anyone who dares oppose him, I’ll kill them!"

All the Uchiha nodded emphatically.

Itsuki hadn’t led them in a rebellion, but had given them a glorious future.

They had the strength!

They had the strategy!

It was only natural for him to become the leader!

"Oh, right!"

Itsuki suddenly said, "What should we call this new village? Do you guys have any suggestions?"

"Whatever you say!"

Fugaku immediately responded. "You could even call it 'Itsuki Village,' and we’d have no objections."

"That’s not necessary, that’s not necessary!"

Itsuki chuckled, waving his hands. "But I do have a little suggestion."

The Uchiha, now utterly convinced, immediately replied, "Please, tell us!"

"How about calling it ‘Fire Hidden Village’?"

The smiles on the Uchiha's faces froze.

"What? You don’t like it?"

Itsuki looked at them with feigned caution.

"No problem!"

Fugaku, practically echoing Itsuki's every move, immediately supported the idea. "From today onward, this new village will be called 'Fire Hidden Village!'"

Itsuki nodded with satisfaction. "As the first leader of Fire Hidden Village, I’ll call myself the Wood Shadow."

This time, even Fugaku couldn’t help but twitch.

The Wood Shadow? That has a nice ring to it!

Better than Leaf Shadow, for sure!

"Sigh!"

Many sighed deeply.

Fire Hidden Village, Wood Shadow?

This was a direct challenge to the Leaf Village!

Itsuki really had a serious grudge against the Leaf, didn’t he?

But could their new village really hold up to the level of having a ‘Kage’?

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 140: Emissaries from All Sides*

When Itsuki is in charge, it doesn’t matter if something’s doable or not—if he says it is, then it is!

“I give the orders, and you all follow them!”

Right or wrong, that's my problem.

Itsuki went all-in on enforcing this: pushing an unreasonable stance to the very end!

None of the Uchiha dared say "no" to him.

Why?

They’re living off him.

Using his resources.

Even living on his land.

What right do they have to complain?

What, do they have no shame?

No, we’re proud Uchiha—we don’t stoop to that level.

Itsuki had spent nearly ten years preparing for the new village.

He had seen the original story.

He compared it to life in Konoha.

He knew very well.

Unless an Uchiha became Hokage, the only way out for the Uchiha was to leave Konoha.

Once, Fugaku had placed all his hopes on Minato Namikaze, hoping this savior could save the Uchiha.

But then, the Fourth Hokage died.

Whether due to conspiracy or fate.

He was gone.

On top of that!

Itsuki was a man of absolute dominance. He wouldn’t put his fate in someone else’s hands.

He was an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan wielder. Relying on others to live? Embarrassing, isn’t it?

So, over the past few years, not only did he choose the location for the new village, but he also planned out its future development.

Money!

Food!

People!

All of it was ready!

Of course!

Plans never keep up with changes.

Suddenly, a few thousand more Uchiha clan members and a few hundred Uchiha ninjas showed up.

Each person has their own personality.

Chaos was inevitable!

But Itsuki held absolute power.

The development of the new village would dance on his fingertips.

And he had supporters.

Among the hundreds of ninjas in the new village, and the thousands of their family members, they were his biggest support.

Anyone Itsuki had brought from Konoha was fully committed to him.

Like the Hyuga clan.

These branch Hyuga members followed Itsuki with unwavering loyalty, living with hope.

What, would they go back to Konoha to be slaves to the main family again?

Who’s that low?

…

The news started to spread.

The Uchiha had severed ties with Konoha.

The Uchiha had founded a new village.

This news instantly rocked the entire shinobi world.

Even the struggles between the Five Great Shinobi Villages came to a halt.

Many were so shocked that they lost composure.

The impact of this was massive.

Spies from all the nations were activated.

Even the daimyo of the Five Great Nations issued orders demanding first-hand information.

Konoha, the number one shinobi village in the world.

Uchiha, the number one shinobi clan in the world.

Which one doesn’t make people nervous?

Back in the day, during the Great Ninja War, Konoha stood alone against four villages!

The Uchiha, during that war, practically fought the entire Hidden Mist on their own.

It could be said that the Uchiha clan alone was nearly half the strength of one of the Five Great Villages.

As more details emerged, the truth about Konoha and the Uchiha became clear.

At first, some thought it might be a plot between Konoha and the Uchiha.

After all, at this point, Konoha might face an attack from three other villages, and the pressure was immense.

But!

The way the Uchiha had been treated in Konoha showed that this was no scheme.

Damn it.

They blew up the Hokage Rock, wiped out small clans multiple times—there’s no way Hiruzen Sarutobi had the guts to pull that off.

The Raikage, Tsuchikage, and Kazekage all made the decision.

They would make contact with the Uchiha!

…

“Are you kidding me?”

Tsuchidai stood there, dumbfounded, staring at the towering walls before him.

This is a new village?

Are you joking?

It even surpasses the Hidden Leaf Village, doesn’t it?

“Who goes there?”

A deep voice sounded.

A group of ninjas appeared, glaring coldly at Tsuchidai’s group.

Those crimson Sharingan eyes told them all they needed to know.

Uchiha!

“Ahem!”

Tsuchidai cleared his throat and said, “Greetings, Uchiha! I am Tsuchidai, representing the Hidden Cloud Village, here to pay a visit!”

His posture was quite humble.

Mainly because those walls had intimidated him.

The Uchiha had left Konoha less than a month ago.

How could these walls be built in just three months?

Had the Uchiha been preparing all along?

And the ninjas in front of him were also a bit intimidating.

The leaders of this patrol group had fully matured Sharingan.

The patrol itself had five or six Jonin. This village was that well-off?

“So it’s Lord Tsuchidai!”

The patrol leader’s expression softened and said, “We’ve already been notified. Please follow us.”

With that.

They led the group into the village.

As they passed through the gates, Tsuchidai felt something strange.

“Wait!”

Tsuchidai suddenly shouted, “A barrier? Your village has a barrier?”

The Uchiha ninja looked at him like he was an idiot and said, “Doesn’t your village have a barrier?”

It’s just a barrier, why the fuss?

They had the same reaction the first time they walked through the village gates.

Itsuki had scoffed at them back then.

It felt... so satisfying!

Tsuchidai opened his mouth, but didn’t say anything.

Of course our village has a barrier, that’s normal.

But this tiny new village of yours? How does it have a barrier?

Where did you get the resources?

You must’ve known we were coming and put it up just for show.

Yeah, that must be it!

Tsuchidai comforted himself with these thoughts as they entered the village.

Once inside, he was stunned again.

There weren’t many buildings.

But the roads?

They were so wide and perfectly paved!

Unable to contain himself, he asked, “These roads of yours...?”

The Uchiha ninja was clearly growing impatient. “Though this is a new village, Lord Itsuki began preparations ten years ago. The basic infrastructure was long finished.”

Ten years ago?

Itsuki would’ve been four or five years old!

Even for a ninja, that’s way too early to start planning, right?

A four or five-year-old Uchiha plotting rebellion?

Impressive!

Tsuchidai was speechless.

Suddenly, he realized.

Trying to use resources to threaten or bribe them was pointless.

Cooperation.

They could only cooperate!

The Uchiha ninja led them to a platform where several chairs were arranged, each bearing the symbol of a different village.

Tsuchidai and his guards sat down and scanned the area.

Ninjas from other villages had already arrived.

In a corner, Tsuchidai even spotted some Konoha ninjas.

Those guys couldn’t help themselves, could they?

After all, the Uchiha founding a new village was like cutting a piece of Konoha’s territory away.

And.

Their new village was way too close to Konoha.

Konoha was already on the verge of fighting three other villages. Adding the unpredictable Uchiha could make it four.

If the Mist Village stopped its isolation, it could become five!

Who could stand that?

They’d be beaten to the point of... well, you get it.

Of course.

Everyone present looked grim.

All the thoughts they had before arriving had been thrown out the window.

The Uchiha had been preparing to build this village for ten years. Every assumption they made was wrong.

Konoha’s envoy, Nara Shikaku, looked like he’d just swallowed something bitter.

The thought that the powerful, proud Uchiha had been preparing to leave Konoha for ten years made it impossible for him to be happy.

Even though everyone had kept an eye on the Uchiha, no one had expected this. Who knows how much intel and resources they’d taken from Konoha over ten years?

Just thinking about it made his chest tighten!

Damn Danzo!

Damn Hiruzen!

Look at the mess you’ve made!

We weren’t asking you to do much, just not to stir up trouble. How could you mess up something so simple?

The name Sakumo Hatake flashed in his mind.

Nara Shikaku felt even more frustrated.

Idiots!

Everyone sat down.

Then the Uchiha hosts for the meeting arrived.

And when people saw who they were, they were dumbfounded.

What the hell, it’s them?

Are we in the wrong place?!

(End of chapter)