46-50

*Chapter 46: Power and Mockery*

The woman slowly drew her kunai, gripping it tightly in her palm, and stared intently at Itsuki.

Itsuki continued to cover his Sharingan with one hand, and through the gaps between his fingers, flashes of crimson could be seen.

Even just glimpsing fragments of his eyes sent chills down the woman’s spine.

What kind of gaze was that?

Arrogant!

Cold!

Greedy!

…

At the same time, the young man standing before her felt like a human-shaped monster.

Just by standing there, the residual pressure he emitted was enough to suffocate someone.

Even the One-Tailed Shukaku!

The woman had participated in sealing tailed beasts before.

But!

Even the One-Tailed Shukaku would have to bow before this Uchiha.

…I can’t beat him.

Before the battle had even started, the woman already had a realization in her heart.

Facing this man, she felt like she was about to be crushed.

Powerful!

Violent!

Mad!

Itsuki stared at Yagura, his voice gentle, "Are you ready, beautiful back?"

"Of course!"

As soon as the woman’s words fell, Itsuki clapped his hands together.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Boom!!!"

A massive fireball, nearly a hundred meters in diameter, left the woman with no room to dodge.

The dungeon was only so big.

The fireball covered the entire dungeon.

"Damn it!"

Is this a Fire Release?

It's even larger than a tailed beast!

The woman’s face turned pale with fear as she hurriedly formed hand signs.

A sphere of orange flames enveloped her body.

"Boom!!!"

The entire dungeon was instantly engulfed in roaring flames.

The fire seemed to burn everything in its path.

Even some of the wooden doors and walls were destroyed.

All the water in the area evaporated in an instant.

"Hehe, as expected!"

Itsuki smiled in satisfaction.

He could have easily used Kotoamatsukami to control the woman, so why did he choose to fight her?

Because he wanted to test just how strong he had become!

And this woman, with her Kage-level strength, was the perfect opponent.

As the flames lost their chakra support, they gradually dissipated.

The dungeon, ravaged by the fire, became more spacious.

This was an underground dungeon spanning several hundred meters, or rather, an abandoned Uchiha underground warehouse.

The woman’s figure reappeared, her face grim.

"Not bad, not bad!" Itsuki clapped his hands repeatedly, laughing, "As expected of the hero of Sunagakure, Pakura of the Scorch Release. You actually thought of using flames to protect yourself. Indeed, your flames are hotter than mine."

The woman was none other than Pakura.

She had once been the hero of Sunagakure, renowned for her Scorch Release.

During the Ninja World Wars, she had displayed incredible power.

Her unique Kekkei Genkai was extremely effective against Kirigakure.

But.

After the war ended, she became a sacrificial pawn.

Sunagakure used her as a sacrifice to appease the war.

Betrayed by both Kirigakure’s scheming and Sunagakure’s treachery, she met her death.

To Itsuki, this was absurd.

Using your own hero, a powerful Kekkei Genkai ninja, as a sacrificial pawn to end the war?

Are you kidding me?

What idiot made that decision?

If Itsuki were the Mizukage of Kirigakure, he would have demanded another concession from Sunagakure: “Give us your Kazekage's head. If you don't, we won't stop the war.”

Itsuki couldn't help but wonder how the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, would react to all of this.

Knowing that such a beautiful kunoichi was destined to die, Itsuki couldn't bear to let it happen. A ninja as outstanding as Pakura shouldn't meet such a tragic end.

Itsuki mobilized all of his intelligence networks and spent a fortune in gold to monitor both Kirigakure and Sunagakure closely, based on the timeline he remembered. After several days of patient waiting, he finally managed to save Pakura.

Had the timeline not been disrupted, he wouldn’t have had to go to such great lengths.

Meanwhile, Danzo, furious over Itsuki's disappearance, ranted and raved, accusing him of preparing for rebellion.

Itsuki couldn’t resist the urge to toy with him a few more times.

While the two of them were unaffected by this, the Third Hokage nearly had a breakdown.

After rescuing Pakura, Itsuki said nothing and simply brought her back.

If he tried to make Pakura swear allegiance, not only would she likely refuse, but Itsuki himself wouldn’t trust her even if she agreed!

Fortunately, Itsuki had his own plan, and Kotoamatsukami was a key part of it.

So, he imprisoned Pakura in the underground dungeon beneath the Uchiha clan’s territory.

Now, having just fused with Shisui's eyes, Itsuki couldn’t wait to come here.

Such a beautiful… no, such a powerful ninja—Itsuki couldn’t wait another minute to have her under his control.

Stroking his chin, Itsuki chuckled, "The effect of the Ninjutsu was nice, and it even worked effectively against a Kage-level opponent. Now let's move on to Taijutsu. Are you ready, beautiful back?"

Pakura seemed to realize something, her expression shifting slightly as she said, "You… you’re planning to…"

Whoosh!

In an instant, Itsuki used the Body Flicker Technique, appearing right in front of Pakura, and kicked her.

"Leaf Hurricane!"

Bang!

Pakura raised her arm to block, but her body turned into a mass of orange flames that surged toward Itsuki.

"This is… a Scorch Release clone?"

Itsuki was surprised.

The flames began to spread across his body.

"Heh, heh, heh, take this, and this, and this!"

Itsuki laughed as he continuously punched, his fists moving so fast that they created afterimages.

His speed was so great that the flames couldn’t burn him in time, splitting into smaller and smaller fragments until they were completely dissipated.

Then, he leaped up and kicked to the side.

Bang!

Pakura’s figure reappeared, being sent flying by Itsuki's kick.

"Don't try to be clever!" Itsuki chuckled, "Unless you’ve forgotten that I’m an Uchiha."

"All of your ninjutsu can’t escape my Sharingan."

Pakura pressed her lips together but remained silent.

"That's enough Taijutsu; I don’t really enjoy hand-to-hand combat!"

Itsuki’s eyes began to rotate, the three tomoe slowly connecting.

"This… this is…"

Pakura’s face filled with shock.

"Your eyes… this isn’t just an ordinary Sharingan? No, that’s not right, could it be… who are you?"

Itsuki let out a low laugh.

At that moment, his eyes had already evolved into the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

Itsuki’s Mangekyo was unique, featuring four tomoe.

Shisui’s Sharingan resembled a pinwheel shuriken.

Now, the two pairs of eyes had fused together.

In the crimson depths of his eyes, a large shuriken stood out, with four small tomoe inside. A snake, biting its own tail, connected them in a circle.

It was eerie yet beautiful.

As Pakura stood there in shock, she suddenly heard a strange sound beside her ear.

Looking down, she realized that she was somehow bound.

Several snakes had wrapped tightly around her body, holding her in place.

"Genjutsu?"

Pakura immediately tried to disrupt her chakra flow in an attempt to break free.

It had no effect!

She bit down hard on her tongue.

Still, it didn’t work.

"How is this possible?"

Cold sweat began to form on Pakura’s forehead.

This Genjutsu… is incredibly powerful!

While Pakura grew increasingly tense, Itsuki’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

Because Pakura's current movements were a bit too enticing.

Bound?

That’s nothing!

What’s most unforgettable is when there’s no physical binding, yet it feels like you’re completely restrained!

*Chapter 47: Kneel!*

Itsuki grinned wickedly, staring at the "Silence Speaks Louder Than Words" before him, rubbing his chin as he began to comment.

“No wonder they say you have the most beautiful back in the ninja world. From behind, you're simply mesmerizing.”

“Your figure is also perfect—curves in all the right places, graceful and poised, truly embodying the elegance of a mature woman. This time, I’ve really struck gold.”

“I can already imagine our happy future together.”

“As for your strength, that's secondary.”

“Additionally…”

“How did your hair grow like that?”

Itsuki looked at Pakura with suspicion, a few question marks popping up in his mind.

This was probably his only question.

Your hair is green, but you also have two orange strands. The first half of these strands is green, and only the second half changes color.

How did that happen?

Or did you dye just those parts?

Itsuki was well aware that hair colors in the ninja world come in all shades, thanks to his frequent spying.

But this is just too unique!

He had studied it several times and found nothing unusual.

It seemed natural.

“Bang!”

With a muffled sound, Pakura finally broke Itsuki's illusion.

She opened her eyes and stared at Itsuki in shock and fear. “Who exactly are you?”

She had struggled for so long to break the illusion, yet it was something he had cast with just a casual glance.

The level of this illusion was beyond anything she'd ever seen or even heard of.

Even a tailed beast might be controlled with just one look.

“Since you’ve sincerely asked, I’ll be merciful and tell you!”

Itsuki crossed his arms over his chest, wearing an arrogant expression.

“I’m the man destined to be your king!”

Pakura: “…”

That feeling of encountering a lunatic resurfaced once again.

It had started when Itsuki saved her, and it had only grown stronger since then.

“So, beautiful back, now that you’ve witnessed my power, are you willing to submit? Or do you want to keep playing with me? I don’t mind, but can your body handle it?”

Itsuki's face twisted with a wicked grin.

Pakura sighed helplessly, looking at Itsuki, and slowly said, “Your strength is the greatest I’ve ever seen, and you’ve saved my life…”

The key point is that I'm still your prisoner!

If I don’t agree, will you let me go?

It’s just a matter of getting beaten more or less.

I’m not a masochist.

“Submitting to you isn’t impossible.”

Itsuki chuckled, “Next, you're going to say… ‘but’!”

“But!”

Pakura ignored his teasing and said, “I have a small condition.”

“Let’s hear it!”

“I’m from the Sand Village.”

“You’re not going to say you can’t fight against people from the Sand Village, are you?”

“No!”

Pakura replied calmly, “If there are any future missions against the Sand Village, please leave them to me!”

“I once fought for the prosperity of the Sand Village. From now on, I’ll live to destroy it.”

Her eyes showed an intense hatred.

The more she once loved, the deeper the hatred after betrayal.

“Deal!”

Itsuki clapped his hands lightly, nodding in satisfaction.

Pakura let out a long breath and knelt on one knee before Itsuki.

Seeing this, Itsuki couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

His laughter grew louder and more maniacal.

The fifth of the Uchiha Maniacs had arrived once more.

Who knows if the third, Itachi, and the fourth, Sasuke, would appear again?

Their fates had already been altered by Itsuki.

In the midst of his laughter, one of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan in Itsuki’s eyes grew slightly dim.

Indeed!

Itsuki had used Kotoamatsukami!

Pakura had become Itsuki’s most loyal subordinate in a very "smooth" manner.

As Itsuki had said, from today onward, Pakura’s body and mind would belong to him.

The most terrifying part was that Pakura herself didn’t even realize it.

She believed she had submitted to Itsuki's power, owed him her life, and needed to repay him. Itsuki had also promised to help her seek revenge against the Sand Village.

It all made perfect sense!

She naturally became his subordinate.

The price was one Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, rendering it unusable for five to six years.

Was it worth it?

Of course, it was!

Looking at Pakura, who knelt on one knee, still unable to hide her grace, Itsuki rubbed his hands together.

He could hardly wait!

But!

Even if he couldn’t wait, it wasn’t possible right now.

There were many people outside, and if he didn’t go out soon, they would break in.

Itsuki sighed helplessly and said, “Let’s go, Pakura. From today onward, you are my personal bodyguard, codename: Leaf!”

“In the beginning, you’ll need to hide your identity. After all, your identity is too sensitive. But don’t worry, it won’t be long before you can walk freely.”

“Yes!” Pakura wasn’t concerned about this.

To many, she was already considered dead.

Even in the Sand Village, the official story was that Pakura had died.

Many even vowed to avenge her.

She was prepared to hide in the shadows for the rest of her life.

Isn’t that the fate of a ninja?

She took the large black robe Itsuki handed her and put on the mask he provided.

But...

Veins faintly bulged on Pakura’s forehead.

The mask had a woman's face carved on it.

Anyone who had participated in the ninja wars and fought against the Sand Village’s ninjas was familiar with that face.

It was Pakura’s face!

You’re really something!

Pakura was impressed.

You want her to hide her identity, yet you give her a mask with her own face carved on it.

Are you afraid people won’t connect the dots?

“Master...”

“What?”

“I’m impressed!”

“Remember, following me, there will be many things you’ll have to support, not just me but also tables, chairs, mirrors, trees... even walls!”

Pakura was baffled.

I was complimenting you, and now you're talking about something completely random?

Mirrors? Why would I need to support those?

He always says the strangest things.

Pakura shook her head, looking conflicted as she put on the mask.

The two of them strode toward the exit.

At this moment, a large number of Uchiha ninjas had gathered at the top of the dungeon.

Though this was a remote, abandoned place, it still belonged to the Uchiha.

The commotion from the battle between two Kage-level fighters was not small.

Especially Itsuki's outburst—the intense chakra fluctuations were noticeable even by non-sensory ninjas.

What's more, the Uchiha clan had recently increased their manpower in all areas, with sensory ninjas almost monitoring the entire Uchiha territory around the clock.

A Uchiha with a three-tomoe Sharingan stared coldly at the entrance to the dungeon and said, “First squad, follow me down. Second squad, be ready to support us.”

“Yes!” The Uchiha ninjas responded in unison.

“Let’s go!” The Uchiha leader shouted, jumping down first.

As the others were about to follow, the Uchiha who had just jumped down was suddenly kicked out.

“What’s going on?”

“What’s going on?”

A grumbling voice rang out.

“You evil Uchiha, what are you planning now?”

As he spoke, Itsuki swaggered out with Pakura, glaring at the gathered Uchiha.

“Gathering so many people—tell me, what evil plan are you up to this time? Let me tell you, you won’t succeed!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 48: The Rampaging Fugaku*

The arrogant words made the Uchiha clan's faces darken.

Daring to be so arrogant in front of the Uchiha? Other than a dead person, who else would dare?

When they fully understood the content of those words, they all wanted to lose control.

Daring to call them the "evil Uchiha" to their faces? You must die! Unless Hashirama Senju were alive, no one could save you!

But!

When they saw who it was, they were left speechless.

Their anger dissipated instantly, and their gazes softened.

It was Uchiha Itsuki!

Alright then!

One of their own!

That notorious troublemaker Itsuki.

If it's him, then there's no problem.

This guy—what words wouldn't he dare say?

What wouldn't he dare do?

Initially, everyone couldn't bring themselves to like this troublemaker and even felt a bit of disdain towards him.

But now, things were different.

No matter how they looked at him, he seemed handsome!

Some of the women even wanted to take a photo with him.

Why?

Because Itsuki beat up Danzo.

They had all heard about it—how Itsuki slapped Danzo twice in front of many jonin.

Is there anything more satisfying than that?

It was so satisfying it felt like one's soul could leave their body.

Not to mention, Itsuki also took out more than ten Root ninjas.

A hero!

Itsuki was a hero of the Uchiha!

The tense atmosphere instantly dissipated.

"You bastard, what are you doing?"

The Uchiha who had just been kicked couldn't help but roar when he saw Itsuki.

"Huh, it's actually you, Brother Kaima!"

Itsuki said in surprise, "What happened to your face? Did someone beat you up? Come on, tell me whose bed you snuck into this time."

"Get lost!"

"What do you mean 'again'? When did I ever sneak into someone else's bed?"

The Uchiha looked angry and glared hatefully at Itsuki.

This was Uchiha Kaima!

A newly promoted jonin in the Uchiha clan.

He had some family ties with Itsuki as well.

As Itsuki would say, his grandfather and Kaima's grandfather shared the same grandfather.

Their families lived close to each other.

So, the two had always gotten along well, and Itsuki had helped Kaima a lot on his path to becoming a jonin in his twenties.

Itsuki smirked and said, "What are you pretending for? Didn't you sneak into a man's bed last time? I saw it with my own eyes! You looked all shy, kept saying 'No, I don't want to...'"

"Shut up!" Kaima shouted angrily, "It was you who stripped me and threw me onto that bastard's bed! And I think you knocked him out too."

"'No, I don't want to...' If I didn't say 'No, I don't want to,' should I have said 'Yes, I like it'? If I didn't say 'No, I don't want to,' should I have said 'Yes, I want it'?"

Itsuki sneered, "Ha, so you put your pants back on and pretend it didn't happen? Well, you did get what you wanted, after all."

"Itsuki, you bastard!"

The other Uchiha silently watched and listened, winking at each other.

Especially the women, their eyes were sparkling.

*So interesting!*

*So fascinating!*

Keep going!

Don’t stop!

When Uchiha Itsuki isn’t causing trouble for them, it’s quite enjoyable to watch the drama unfold.

Uchiha Kaima is also a proud man, usually very arrogant.

It's rare to see him in such a miserable state!

And these are all jonin!

Seeing jonin in such a situation, these chunin couldn’t be happier.

“What’s going on?”

“What are you all doing?”

A stern shout rang out.

Fugaku walked over with a frown, glaring at a few people before turning to Itsuki, clearly hesitant to speak.

He was just short of directly saying: It’s you again!

Can’t you behave for just one day?

Itsuki frowned at Fugaku and said, "It's you again. Can’t you just behave for one day? Why are you always hanging around in front of me?"

Fugaku: "..."

Damn it, do you have mind-reading abilities or something?

Do you have Yamanaka blood in you?

Or maybe the Mangekyō ability you awakened is related to mind-reading?

Fugaku took a deep breath and gritted his teeth, saying, "I don't want to see you either, so Uchiha Itsuki, could you please not cause any trouble?"

Itsuki rolled his eyes and said, "What trouble did I cause? Did I beat up your son, or... Mikoto-nee?"

Fugaku felt his fist clench instantly.

Damn it, why do you keep bringing up my wife?

If you dare make a move on my wife, I swear I’ll kill you!

Even if you’re Kagami’s grandson, even if you were Kagami himself, I’d still kill you.

He turned his head away, no longer looking at the infuriating Itsuki, and instead focused on Kaima, saying, “What’s going on?”

Kaima, who still had respect for Fugaku, slightly lowered his head and said in a deep voice, “There was a very strong chakra fluctuation here, so I brought people to check it out.”

Recently, things had been unstable.

So!

Uchiha Fugaku had ordered all jonin to lead a team and patrol the clan grounds.

After all, the duties of the Konoha Police Force could not be neglected.

Deploying a large number of personnel had already significantly impacted the Uchiha.

They could only rely on those outside the police force now.

Kaima continued, “You should remember, this is an abandoned underground warehouse. During the Shinobi World War, it was temporarily used as a dungeon to hold prisoners. It’s not important, but it’s easy to hide people here.”

Fugaku nodded slightly and was about to speak when Itsuki interrupted.

“How could he not know!”

Itsuki said with a playful smile, “Wasn’t this location chosen by his father? By the way, where was our old clan grounds again?”

Silence!

The area fell silent.

People who had been secretly laughing.

People who had been whispering.

Now, everyone was quiet.

Because Itsuki’s words touched on a forbidden topic.

As one of the original founding clans of Konoha, how could the Uchiha be located on the outskirts of the village?

It was because of the Konoha Police Force!

After the Second Hokage created the Konoha Police Force, it was almost as if he openly forced the Uchiha to the outskirts.

At that time, the one who agreed to the Second Hokage’s decision was none other than Uchiha Fugaku’s father!

Fugaku turned his head, coldly glaring at Itsuki. At this moment, he truly felt a murderous intent.

Itsuki’s words were almost a direct accusation against Fugaku’s father.

As a son, how could Fugaku tolerate this?

“Angry?”

Itsuki continued to smile warmly at Fugaku.

“Huff!”

Fugaku forcefully suppressed his anger, exhaling sharply before coldly saying, “I know everyone is unhappy, so…”

“So, I hope we can bring about change!”

Itsuki spoke up, cutting Fugaku off.

He looked at Fugaku, then at the other Uchiha present, his voice calm.

“We all hate the fact that our clan grounds were relocated. But what about the old clan leader?”

“Everyone, when you’re angry at the old clan leader, I hope you’ll also think about this: Did the old clan leader really want to take the Uchiha and leave the grounds where we lived for so long?”

“If he didn’t want to, then why did he do it?”

“Because he had no choice!”

“Huh?”

Fugaku was taken aback, looking at Itsuki in surprise.

Was this… an attempt to excuse his father?

Itsuki’s voice became gentle as he continued, “Everyone, think about it carefully. Sometimes, the person who makes the decision needs the most courage, and at the same time, they’re also the one who suffers the most!”

“As the clan leader, he knew full well that what lay ahead was humiliation, yet he still had to lead everyone forward.”

“In this regard, I admire the old clan leader.”

“If it were me, I couldn’t have done it!”

Seeing the thoughtful expressions on the faces of many Uchiha and Fugaku’s softened expression, Itsuki thought for a moment, then leaned in close to Fugaku’s ear and whispered, “You didn’t actually believe that, did you? Did you really think your dad was that great?”

Fugaku’s expression stiffened instantly!

He was wrong after all!

Uchiha Itsuki is infuriating!

(End of this chapter)

*Chapter 49: So, Your Father Deserves a Beating! (Part 1)*

Fugaku's face darkened to the extreme.

Uchiha Itsuki!!!

He almost wanted to grab this guy by the neck and shake him to death!

Is there anyone like this?

First, Itsuki brought up his father, which enraged Fugaku, making him think Itsuki was about to publicly denounce his father.

Then, he started to feel it wasn’t like that; it seemed Itsuki was defending his father.

Fugaku's impression of Itsuki began to change.

He started to think that this kid might actually be worth getting along with.

But then!

Itsuki threw out that last line.

What’s the deal?

What on earth are you trying to do?

Fugaku stared at Itsuki with a face as dark as pitch.

Bite him!

Don't hesitate, just pounce on him and bite him to death!

A voice inside Fugaku's head kept urging him, and he was getting more and more tempted.

Seeing Fugaku’s annoyed face made Itsuki feel satisfied.

You know what your father did, right?

And you believed me after a few words?

Pah!

Itsuki shouted loudly, "Everyone, at that time, Senju Tobirama allied with many shinobi clans. Even though they didn’t openly target the Uchiha, you all know the precarious situation our clan was in."

"Do you think the old clan leader had a choice?"

"Moving the clan grounds was inevitable."

"However, in some sense, the old clan leader didn’t completely disappoint us."

Seeing the silent Uchiha around him, Itsuki slowly said, "While losing our clan grounds, the old clan leader fought for us to have the Konoha Police Force."

"With that position, other shinobi clans have to think twice before ganging up on us."

"But!"

"In my view, that’s not enough!"

Itsuki's voice grew passionate, shouting wildly, almost hysterical.

"In my view, even if we got the Konoha Police Force, we should never have lost our clan grounds, because we are the proud Uchiha!"

"We should only advance, never retreat!"

Yes, we are like the mythical creature, Kirin!

An Uchiha who doesn’t aspire to be a Kirin is not a true Uchiha!

Many of the Uchiha's eyes began to shine.

As absurd as Itsuki's words were, they were also incredibly bold.

The crazy Uchiha loved such words and actions.

Simply put: It’s their style!

The Hyuga clan, in terms of the number of jonin alone, isn’t much less than the Uchiha. Moreover, with their main family and branch family system, their control is even stronger.

The main family rules over everything!

But ask yourself, do the Hyuga dare to rebel?

Have they ever even considered it?

No!

Never!

If people say that Konoha has oppressed the Uchiha to the point of rebellion, then what about the Hyuga?

Damn!

The head of the Hyuga branch family was used as a sacrificial lamb; isn’t that enough oppression?

And don’t start with “if Hizashi wasn’t sacrificed, then Hiashi would have been.”

Where's your so-called Will of Fire?

Why didn’t you protest to the Hokage?

What would the Third Hokage do if someone publicly objected at the jonin meeting?

Would he insist on sacrificing Hizashi and humiliate himself in public?

Or would he stand firm against the Hidden Cloud?

Ultimately, it was the Third Hokage and his advisors who pressured the Hyuga into making that choice.

And the Hyuga had to willingly make that choice.

The Third Hokage and his people would never allow a stain on their reputation.

Itsuki had checked, and while the Hyuga had people in Danzo's Root organization, Danzo dared not have any Uchiha there.

The Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal!

Once it’s placed, no matter who you are, you must obey Danzo. So, is it possible that Danzo never considered targeting the Uchiha?

The Hyuga and the Uchiha are Konoha's two strongest clans on the surface, yet it’s always said that the Uchiha were oppressed. The truth is, the Hyuga suffered even more!

In the end, the Uchiha dared to rebel, while the Hyuga didn’t dare utter a word!

Why?

In Itsuki’s words: "Can I endure this humiliation? Who the hell do you think you are?"

Crude words, but they struck a chord deep in the Uchiha’s hearts.

So!

When Itsuki said these things, the Uchiha became fired up.

They began to reveal their Sharingan, their breathing growing heavier.

In the blink of an eye, the place was filled with the glow of crimson eyes.

Exactly!

We are the proud Uchiha!

We can demand, but you cannot refuse!

You can give, but you cannot ask from us!

This is Itsuki’s logic, and it fits perfectly with the Uchiha mindset.

Itsuki says: "I had the mindset of the Uchiha clan leader since I was seven!"

*Pakura Felt Cornered, a Chill Running Down Her Spine.*

Oh, great!

Being surrounded by all these people with red eyes didn’t feel good at all.

She couldn’t help but recall the fear of being dominated by those same red eyes on the battlefield.

Fugaku was completely exasperated.

Why did he come here again?

Oh, right, because there was an immense outburst of chakra, so he came to check it out.

But then, how did the conversation end up here?

Uchiha Itsuki, are you planning a rebellion right now?

This is starting to feel way too much like a pre-battle rally.

“Everyone, I have two requests for you, and for myself!”

“Stop! Stop! Stop!”

Fugaku quickly interrupted, saying, “Itsuki, you’re tired. It’s time for you to rest.”

If he let this guy keep talking, who knows what else he might say.

He had to stop him!

No joke, Itsuki was getting caught up in his own words.

He almost felt the impulse to summon a white snake, cut it down, and then shout, “Everyone, follow me!”

But, of course, that was just a thought.

He couldn’t actually do it!

The time wasn’t right!

Itsuki leaned in close to Fugaku’s ear and whispered, “Don’t get in the way, or I’ll dig up your father and keep flogging his corpse!”

“Clan Leader Fugaku, you don’t want anything to happen to your father, do you?”

You bastard!

Fugaku almost lost control, nearly revealing his Mangekyō Sharingan.

You’re a real piece of work!

He had seen people threaten others before, but threatening with a corpse?

“Everyone!”

Itsuki continued loudly, “First, while we hold onto our current land, we must find a way to reclaim our original territory.”

The Uchiha silently nodded in agreement.

That land was rightfully ours; taking it back is only natural, isn’t it?

No problem there!

“And second!”

Itsuki held up two fingers.

Fugaku stared at him intensely.

The first point had already made his heart race; now there’s a second?

Please, spare me!

How about you become the clan leader!

I’ll follow your lead!

“Second, I hope that we can develop our current territory!”

Itsuki said seriously, “If possible—no, it’s a must! We, the proud Uchiha, must turn this outlying area of Konoha into its very center, making it the most prosperous part of the village.”

“Let’s show them the true power of the Uchiha!”

Itsuki raised his hands and shouted loudly.

Huh?!

Everyone else was stunned for a moment, not fully grasping what just happened.

Itsuki, serious?

Fugaku, however, let out a long sigh of relief.

Damn it, although the second point was still a bit wild, at least it wasn’t completely off the rails. He had imagined Itsuki would say something like, “Brothers, charge with me! Take down Hiruzen Sarutobi, kill Danzo, wipe out Homura Mitokado, and capture Koharu Utatane alive.”

Don’t be surprised—Itsuki could actually pull off something like that.

*(End of Chapter)*

*Chapter 50: So, Your Father Deserves a Beating! (Part 2)*

The Uchiha clan members left, filled with excitement.

They felt that this kid, Itsuki, was really something special!

He was more inspiring than Fugaku as a leader!

And he was strong too!

Hmm!

In a few years, maybe they could consider making him the clan leader!

After all, who else would dare publicly beat down Danzo?

Following Itsuki, things were bound to be more exciting; at least, Fugaku had never given them such a passionate speech.

With Itsuki, there was always this feeling that sooner or later, they'd be going after the Third Hokage.

Fugaku stood there, glaring at Itsuki with a dark expression.

In the clearing, there were only four people left.

Fugaku, Itsuki, Haima, and Pakura!

Fugaku turned his head toward Pakura and frowned, "Pakura?"

Pakura was about to respond when she suddenly realized something was off.

Fugaku was likely referring not to her, but to the mask on her face.

Although, she was the mask.

She couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

Uchiha Itsuki, the mask you gave me is really something, huh?

Why do I feel like I’m in some kind of nested doll situation?

"Yes, this is Pakura! My very own Pakura!" Itsuki said with a playful grin, pulling Pakura into his arms. "Clan Leader Fugaku, you should know how much I like this Pakura."

Fugaku snorted coldly. "Putting that mask on her—you’re really not afraid of causing trouble, are you?"

Pakura was a hero in Sunagakure.

Even though she was dead, her influence in the village was still significant.

For Itsuki to have a woman wearing her likeness as a mask—Sunagakure wouldn’t remain silent, would they?

They’d surely express their dissatisfaction.

The Third Hokage and his supporters would undoubtedly use this as an excuse to attack the Uchiha.

"That’s none of your concern," Itsuki waved dismissively. "Don't worry. They’re too busy to care about this. But you—what do you think of my two proposals just now?"

“Nothing much!” Fugaku replied coldly. “Uchiha Itsuki, I don’t know what you’re planning, but to me, you’re simply insane.”

“You should understand that the Uchiha attempting to reclaim our former territory would be extraordinarily difficult. As for turning our current land into the most prosperous part of Konoha—that’s impossible as well.”

The old territory had long been divided up among various ninja clans in Konoha.

If you try to take it back, where would those clans go?

This is practically no different from staging a coup!

And as for boosting the economy, making the current land the wealthiest area—well, good luck getting the Third Hokage to agree to that.

The Uchiha already possess power that makes the Third Hokage wary. If they also become economically powerful, they’d become unstoppable!

There’d be no need for the Uchiha to stage a coup; the other clans would overthrow them first!

Itsuki eyed Fugaku disdainfully. "Fugaku, as clan leader, if all you ever say is 'this won’t work' or 'that won’t work,' then what good are you?"

"You—"

Fugaku nearly choked on his anger, almost spitting blood.

If it weren't for the fact that Uchiha Itsuki was stronger than him, he would have surely gone up and smacked the brat.

How could he say such things?

I'm the clan leader! Could you show a little respect?

The way you talk, it's like you're scolding your grandson—what the hell!

If Itsuki had heard Fugaku’s thoughts, he would have laughed out loud.

Respect?

How much does that cost per pound?

Thinking back to the original story, if it weren't for Fugaku's inaction, how could Itachi have possibly wiped out the entire clan on his own?

At that critical moment, why didn’t you think of yourself as the clan leader?

Your non-resistance led the rest of the clan to their deaths!

If not for you, they wouldn’t have died such miserable deaths!

Just for that, no amount of scolding would be too much!

"Fugaku, why are you so worked up?" Itsuki drawled lazily. "Aren’t these two things your responsibility as clan leader?"

"Don’t forget, the reason the Uchiha were moved here in the first place was because of your father’s doing. As his son, shouldn’t you be doing everything you can to make up for it? You, the filial son!" Itsuki snorted. "By the way, you didn’t actually take those excuses I made for your father seriously, did you?"

Fugaku’s face turned even darker, and he didn’t respond.

Itsuki’s earlier words had indeed sugar-coated the actions of his father.

The truth was, the old clan leader wasn’t forced to relocate the clan or cleverly secured the Konoha Police Force.

He was merely arrogant and was played like a puppet by Tobirama Senju.

The offer of the Konoha Police Force was just a ploy to manipulate the Uchiha, and the old clan leader foolishly surrendered their prime land in the heart of the village.

Now, Fugaku realized that the Konoha Police Force was more of a curse than a blessing.

The position brought immense power but also made the Uchiha a constant target.

Unfortunately, the clan was already too deeply entrenched in it.

"Unless…"

Fugaku sighed deeply.

His father's mistakes were his to correct, but the two tasks Itsuki mentioned—reclaiming the old land and turning the current territory into Konoha’s most prosperous area—were impossible without a coup.

"Can’t you think of another way? You’re a man, aren’t you?" Itsuki sneered.

Fugaku was speechless.

Itsuki tilted his head and smirked. "If you can't, maybe we should let Itachi have a try. The Uchiha need change, and maybe the young have fresh ideas."

"You..." Fugaku was stunned.

Was all this talk from Itsuki just a setup to pave the way for Itachi?

Did he really think so highly of Itachi?

Sensing Fugaku's thoughts, Itsuki was a bit exasperated.

Admire Itachi? Not a chance!

I just want him to stir up some trouble.

The speech I just gave—that was all to create chaos!

Without stirring things up, how could he implement his plans?

With everyone watching him, he couldn’t get anything done.

Chaos would divert attention!

"Oh, by the way!" Itsuki suddenly remembered something. "I’ll be leaving the village for a while. It could be as long as a month, or as short as seven days."

"You’re leaving? At a time like this?" Fugaku’s face showed his displeasure.

The Uchiha were in such a delicate position, and you still want to go out?

Are you trying not to draw attention or what?

Itsuki rolled his eyes. "I’m going to get some explosive tags. Do you want them or not? If not, I won’t bother going."

"Yes!" Fugaku said excitedly. "Go ahead, leave whenever you need to. If the Third Hokage asks, I’ll handle it. Don’t worry, I’d rather fight him than let anything delay you."

As he spoke, the usually stern Fugaku even managed a friendly smile.

What the—!

Haima, standing nearby, was completely dumbfounded.

This is Fugaku?

So gross!

"That’s more like it!" Itsuki, still holding Pakura, turned to leave. Halfway, he looked back and added, "Remember, don’t be like your father. Think things through before you act."

"Ugh!"

Fugaku exhaled a long breath and forced a smile. "I can’t beat him, and I need his explosive tags. I can’t lose my temper—definitely can’t!"

"If I rush at him now, I’ll just get beaten!"

Itsuki added, "Itachi would do just fine! He’s been thinking like a Hokage since he was seven. How great is that?"

Fugaku turned and walked away.

He couldn’t listen anymore.

First, he insulted his father, now he’s mocking his son!

No wonder Danzo is so eager to get rid of you.

You deserve it!

If I were the dark side of the village, I’d have taken action long ago!

(End of Chapter)