A deathly silence enveloped the surroundings. Only the sound of dripping water remained distinctly audible.
"..."
Fugaku Uchiha's body subtly stiffened, almost imperceptibly, but he didn't look at the filth on his shoulder or the residue on his cheek, nor did he even raise a hand to wipe it away.
"You guys!"
Fury reappeared on the faces of Inabi Uchiha and the other two, but Fugaku suddenly raised his left arm, holding it horizontally in front of them, firmly blocking their charging bodies once more.
"Apologize."
The two words, seemingly squeezed through gritted teeth, carried a terrifying, suppressed anger and chilling coldness that made the impulsive Inabi and the others tremble, as if drenched in ice water. Overwhelming humiliation and unwillingness churned in their chests, almost tearing their rationality apart, but Fugaku raised his hand and forcefully pressed down behind the three, bowing deeply alongside them to the people before them.
The villagers, who had just been angrily shouting, were momentarily speechless, seeing the high-ranking and influential Uchiha clan head apologize so solemnly and humbly twice in a row. The others also instantly quieted down, exchanging glances. The anger in their chests was largely extinguished as if doused with cold water, but residual dissatisfaction and resentment were still clearly visible.
"Get back!"
Fugaku Uchiha released the arm pressing behind the three and said coldly.
Inabi and the others' faces burned. They could only clench their teeth, their teeth almost shattering in their mouths, forcing the rage that could ignite the air back down into their stomachs! Under countless complex and varied gazes, they stiffly and slowly withdrew their hands from their sword hilts, turning to leave without looking back.
Only after they had left did Fugaku straighten up. He could clearly feel the gazes of the surrounding people, no longer the reverence of old, but mixed with resentment, disgust, and long-suppressed disdain. The light reflected in their eyes revealed only cold estrangement.
But Fugaku Uchiha was powerless. He could only look at Kakashi Hatake again, maintaining his bare minimum dignity and nodding slightly: "My apologies."
Then, without another word, he walked straight through the crowd, leaving the street with Itachi Uchiha under the varied gazes of everyone.
In a distant alleyway, Hinata Kawa's eyes flickered. He thought, "This Uchiha clan head is quite a clever man, but what a pity..."
Too naive.
Whether it was taking the mere three or four-year-old Itachi to the battlefield to kill, attempting to make Itachi understand the cruelty of the ninja world, which instead shaped Itachi's extreme ideology. Or later, his wavering indecision between Konoha and the clan, even inadvertently pushing Itachi into Danzo Shimura's hands, leading to Danzo indoctrinating him with the twisted idea of "bearing the darkness"...
All of this was enough to prove Fugaku Uchiha's naivety.
However, it no longer mattered. Even if Fugaku Uchiha weren't so naive, nothing would change. Because it wasn't just Hinata Kawa who was eyeing the Uchiha clan now.
"Black Zetsu, let me see what exactly you intend to do." Hinata Kawa's gaze seemed to pierce through the night, seeing a distant tree, and a black-and-white figure instantly merging into it. "Perhaps, what we want to do is the same," he whispered. As he spoke, Hinata Kawa's figure melted into the darkness, a barely audible soft chuckle scattering with the wind.
"Heh, the drama of 'the living die, the dead revive, karma'?"
"As the first act for the 'Hollow Realm's' debut, perhaps, it's not bad."
Meanwhile, Fugaku Uchiha was accompanied by Itachi Uchiha, with Yashiro Uchiha and the other three behind him. The six of them walked onto the secluded path leading to the Uchiha compound. Now, away from the clamor of the crowd, only silence remained. The Naka River flowed beside them, exceptionally clear in the moonlight. This river, where Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha first met, now served as a chasm separating the Uchiha clan from the village.
The oppressive atmosphere was almost suffocating, thick as impenetrable ink. The evening breeze carried the river's dampness and chill.
"Lord Fugaku!"
Inabi Uchiha could finally bear it no longer. He hastened a few steps to catch up with Fugaku, his voice hoarse from suppressed humiliation: "Why, why bow to those guys? Don't you know, what they said was trampling the Uchiha's dignity underfoot! Those guys actually said we don't dare go to the battlefield, only fight amongst ourselves!"
"They also said that we are inferior to that Hyuga branch family brat!"
His voice trembled, his hands clenched into fists, knuckles white from being squeezed.
"Yes, Lord Fugaku!"
Iron Uchiha's eyes still held faint streaks of crimson. He said indignantly, "Our Police Force diligently maintains order, only to become a joke in the end!"
"The Land of the Moon is fighting Cloud Hidden, drawing upon clans like Akimichi, Nara, and Yamanaka. Now, the Land of Rain battlefield is fighting Sand Hidden, even small clans like Inuzuka and Aburame are going!"
"Casualties on the front line are heavy, does the village not need elites? But where are the elites of our Uchiha? Again and again! For all sorts of reasons, we are excluded!"
"This clearly shows that the Third Hokage and those three advisors are inherently wary of us, distrusting us!"
Yakumi Uchiha also spoke: "They are simply afraid of us gaining war merits, afraid of us gaining greater influence, and then..."
"Enough."
Fugaku Uchiha, who had been silent, finally spoke. His calm voice was not loud, but it instantly choked all three's accusations in their throats.
"Do not argue with the villagers anymore. Remember your duties!" Fugaku Uchiha sighed, his tone firm and unquestionable: "Furthermore, Itachi has been allowed to join the ANBU. You should understand what that means."
With that, he no longer looked at the three whose faces had shifted from anger to astonishment. His footsteps showed no change as he walked directly towards his residence.
On the riverside path, only two figures remained, one tall and one short. Moonlight filtered through the treetops, casting dappled shadows on Fugaku's gloomy face, and illuminating Itachi Uchiha's thoughtful expression.
To maintain law and order in Konohagakure, the Konoha Military Police Force was established, primarily composed of the Uchiha clan, working day and night for the village. In other words, the Military Police Force was Konoha's "police agency."
However, there was another law enforcement body in the village: the ANBU.
As the Hokage's direct unit, the ANBU handled almost all important missions both inside and outside the village. Major crimes occurring within the village would also be transferred from the Military Police Force to the ANBU for handling. There was no clear line defining the jurisdiction of the Military Police Force or the scope of the ANBU's investigations. In the current situation, the Hokage often made the judgment, and the investigation methods would vary each time. Therefore, the Military Police Force and ANBU frequently clashed. Each time, Fugaku would stand in front of the Military Police Force and negotiate with the Third Hokage and the ANBU. Thus, the person most aware of the friction between the Military Police Force and ANBU was Fugaku, as both the Uchiha clan head and the Military Police Force captain.
But he couldn't change it. The only solution he could think of was to have Itachi join the ANBU. He hoped his son could become a bridge between the village and the clan. The Third Hokage agreeing to this application also brought a sigh of relief to Fugaku Uchiha. "I hope everything goes smoothly," he sighed inwardly.
The ANBU was, after all, the Hokage's personal guard. In his view, since the Third Hokage agreed to this request, it meant he still had a favorable disposition towards the Uchiha clan. Fugaku even harbored a hint of extravagant hope. If his son, Itachi Uchiha, could be favored by the Third Hokage, perhaps even taken as a disciple like Kagami Uchiha and Tobirama Senju once were, then perhaps... he could aim for the position of Hokage that he himself had once yearned for but never reached?
However, at this moment, Fugaku Uchiha did not notice the change in Itachi's eyes behind him.
"..."
Itachi Uchiha followed his father by half a step, looking up at his father's broad but tense back. He knew that the words of Inabi Uchiha and the other two reflected the sentiments of many clan members today. But at the same time, a different thought churned within Itachi's heart, unlike those of his clan. Clan members, focused solely on clan interests, could only see disadvantages for their own clan, completely unaware that the village's stability and security were the prerequisites for all decisions. Drawing a large number of ninja, especially large-scale mobilization of elite clan members, involved a delicate balance. But the currently weakened Konoha truly could not afford to lack the Military Police Force.
Moreover, trust was always mutual. If the clan members constantly harbored the worst suspicions about the higher-ups, perpetually displaying such distrustful and resistant attitudes, how could they possibly earn the absolute trust of the higher-ups? Always focused on immediate gains and losses... completely disregarding the safety of the entire village... always distinguishing so clearly between the clan and the village...
Deep within Itachi Uchiha's black eyes, a profound heaviness, unbefitting his age, flickered. The thought that "the clan members don't understand the bigger picture," like a tiny thorn carrying a hint of ill-timed resentment, pierced Itachi Uchiha's heart.
"Everyone is clearly a comrade in the same village," he thought to himself. "If you look at things from the perspective of 'which side are you on,' you can't grasp the overall situation at all."
As he thought of this, he recalled the man named Danzō Shimura and the question he had asked him not long ago.
"On a sinking ship, there are ten of your comrades, one of whom is afflicted with a malignant infectious disease. If he is allowed to live, the other nine will also fall ill and die later. If you are the captain of this ship, how would you decide?"
At that time, Itachi Uchiha wondered why the other person would ask such a question to someone he was meeting for the first time. However, in the very next instant, he subconsciously answered.
"The sick person will die regardless; this is his destiny. If I were the captain, I should prioritize how to save the lives of the other nine, choosing to kill one to save nine."
And so, Itachi Uchiha saw that the man smiled. "Your answer is clear and concise," he said. "Itachi Uchiha, I look forward to the day we meet again."
(The above content is from Itachi Shinden: Book of Bright Light, a light novel co-authored by Masashi Kishimoto & Takashi Yano, so some content has reference value.)
Meanwhile, in a place unbeknownst to Itachi Uchiha and Fugaku Uchiha.
Black Zetsu emerged from underground, its upper body exposed. A distorted vortex appeared in the air beside it, and Obito Uchiha also materialized.
"Black Zetsu." Obito looked at Itachi Uchiha in the distance, frowning. "Is that guy, as you call him, Madara Uchiha's reincarnation?"
In fact, Black Zetsu couldn't be 100% certain now. This was because the time of Madara Uchiha's death didn't match Itachi Uchiha's birth. However, with the Senju clan having abandoned their surname and integrated into Konoha, finding Asura's chakra reincarnation was like searching for a needle in a haystack. They could only target the most likely candidate first.
So, Black Zetsu nodded, its voice hoarse: "That's right. I can feel that he possesses the potential to awaken the Rinnegan, just like Lord Madara."
At this, Obito Uchiha's eyes flickered. After a moment, he spoke: "Then do as you say."
At the same time, in Amegakure in the Land of Rain.
Rain, never-ending rain, still shrouded this ravaged land. Tall spires pierced the lead-grey sky. The main structure of the tower was grotesque and terrifying, like a demon sticking out its tongue.
Currently, at the highest point in Amegakure, two figures stood silently in the rain, on the crimson, elongated tongue protruding from the demon's mouth.
"Has the time not come yet?" Hanzo asked coldly. "I've had enough of those bastards from Konoha and Sunagakure!"
"I really want to kill all those damn guys clean!"
I only share the most exquisite and beautiful novels. Don't forget to check out my other novels!
p@treon DaoistWujinzi