Chapter 89: What's the Difference Between Him and Uchiha Itachi?
Konoha Military Police Force Headquarters building.
Inside the office.
"...Is the news true?"
When he heard a member of the Uchiha Military Police Force report the news that "the Daimyō's envoy sent to Konoha was killed by Uchiha Ikeizumi,"
Fugaku remained silent for a full five seconds before finally processing the information.
He never expected that Uchiha Ikeizumi, who had caused a huge incident just last night, would give him another big surprise today!
The Daimyō's envoy!
The Daimyō's offspring!
Fugaku felt a bit dizzy. This meant that the Uchiha clan was not only on bad terms with Konoha, but even the Land of Fire Daimyō would likely have a negative opinion of the Uchiha clan!
It was well known that the Military Police Force's funding for many years had come from the Land of Fire Daimyō.
This meant that more than half of their Uchiha clan's income was linked to the Land of Fire Daimyō.
Ikeizumi killing the Daimyō's offspring was equivalent to completely offending the Daimyō.
It would also drag the entire Uchiha clan down with him!
After all—could he tell the Daimyō, "It's all Ikeizumi's problem, and it has nothing to do with the Uchiha clan"?
Even if that were true—
Would the Daimyō believe it?
The reporting Military Police Force member replied: "That's what everyone outside is saying, and many eyewitnesses also saw it. It's said that the Third Hokage was also at the scene. If the news weren't true, it probably wouldn't have spread like this."
Fugaku stiffened.
His heart immediately tightened, and he sternly asked: "Did Ikeizumi clash with Lord Hokage at the time?!"
"I heard not," the Military Police Force member replied.
Fugaku listened.
He let out half a breath of relief.
But the "death of the Daimyō's second son" hung over him like a sharp sword, making Fugaku feel extremely uneasy.
He had to stand up, beneath the Uchiha clan's emblem.
As if this could give him some confidence.
To feel a little more at ease.
"However—"
The Military Police Force member added: "Uchiha Ikeizumi seemed to have a verbal conflict with the Third Hokage. People in the village are spreading that the Daimyō's envoy group committed crimes, so Uchiha Ikeizumi killed all fifteen or so of them. It's said that only one person was left alive out of the group."
"When the Third Hokage arrived, he said that Uchiha Ikeizumi's actions were wrong. That's when the verbal conflict began."
Fugaku let out a heavy sigh.
He furrowed his brow and said: "Ikeizumi indeed did wrong. According to the laws of the Land of Fire, top-tier nobles enjoy special exemption rights. Moreover, even without this law, the Land of Fire Daimyō's offspring absolutely cannot be killed."
Fugaku's tone already carried an ill-concealed dissatisfaction.
The problem was that it had already happened, and even Lord Hokage couldn't stop Ikeizumi.
Fugaku began to get a headache thinking about how the Uchiha clan should handle the pressure from the Daimyō's side after this incident?
And how should they give the Daimyō an explanation?
"Ikeizumi—he's too reckless!"
Fugaku didn't know how many times he had been vexed recently.
And each time, it seemed to be related to Ikeizumi. The consecutive huge messes he caused left him mentally exhausted.
Fugaku had a splitting headache: "This time, he has crossed a line that cannot be touched—"
A ninja from the Land of Fire's own village killed the son of the Land of Fire's Daimyō.
What would happen if this spread to other countries in the ninja world?
"Lord Fugaku."
The Military Police Force member hesitated before asking: "Did Uchiha Ikeizumi—do something wrong? He said the Daimyō's envoys committed crimes. Crimes that would lead him to execute them directly must have been utterly heinous, reaching a level of unforgivable outrage."
"And everything Uchiha Ikeizumi did was merely upholding his ninja way, which he calls [Absolute Justice]. Furthermore, isn't one of our Uchiha Military Police Force's duties to uphold justice?"
Fugaku glared at the other party and said in a deep voice: "His actions have damaged the relationship between the Uchiha clan and the Land of Fire Daimyō, which will indirectly lead to the deterioration of the relationship between the village and the Uchiha."
"His justice is only his personal justice. The Uchiha Military Police Force needs to uphold Konoha's justice! This is the foundation for the Uchiha to continue to exist in Konoha."
The Military Police Force member heard this and hesitated to speak.
Was Uchiha Ikeizumi's justice truly his personal justice?
That man had once said he would purge all evil in the ninja world.
This was clearly a justice not limited to Konoha Village.
This was clearly a ninja way that was noble to the extreme.
Compared to Lord Fugaku, who was preoccupied with "maintaining the balance between the Uchiha and the village," and even always avoided mentioning the future "destruction of the Uchiha clan by Uchiha Itachi," Uchiha Ikeizumi dared to verbally clash with the Third Hokage and kill the Daimyō's wicked son because he believed in [Absolute Justice].
Lord Fugaku seemed a bit too weak.
Even if he didn't agree with Uchiha Ikeizumi's ninja way, as a fellow clan member, he shouldn't criticize Uchiha Ikeizumi, should he?
At this moment...
This member of the Uchiha Military Police Force, who was also a moderate like Uchiha Fugaku.
Felt a slight rift forming in his heart towards Fugaku.
On the other side.
Several radical Uchiha elders gathered together.
And Uchiha Setsuna, who held great animosity towards Uchiha Ikeizumi, fell into a strange silence after learning about the major incident that occurred in Konoha this morning.
The others were the same.
Finally.
A radical Uchiha elder wearing a black eye patch hesitated before breaking the silence with a complex tone: "That young man named 'Ikeizumi'—his actions today, weren't they a bit too extreme—"
Another person chimed in: "I heard that this second son, Gyōen'in Kyūsuke, was Lord Daimyō's most beloved child. With him dead in Konoha Village, those four old high-ranking officials must be in a terrible fix, right?"
Uchiha Setsuna's mouth twitched, and he finally broke his silence, interjecting: "Isn't the Uchiha clan also in a fix? Can we withstand the pressure from the Daimyō's side?"
The others were immediately speechless.
Indeed...
No matter how radical their Uchiha clan's radical faction was, they only planned to stage a coup within Konoha's limited territory, seize Konoha's political power, and replace the Hokage.
They had never thought of laying hands on the "Daimyō," Konoha Village's biggest financier.
Moreover.
If the Uchiha clan's coup succeeded, they would still need the Daimyō to validate the legitimacy of their coup for the Uchiha clan. The result, to everyone's surprise, was that...
Uchiha Ikeizumi's [Absolute Justice] was even more extreme than their years-long coup plans!
"Now, you finally understand why I've always said that Uchiha Ikeizumi is the most extreme anomaly, right?"
Uchiha Setsuna's eyes were clouded with gloom. He said in a deep voice: "In that kid's eyes, if we were evildoers, even we would probably be killed by him! And when he swings his blade at us, he would absolutely not hesitate."
"What's the difference between this kid, who might turn his blade on his own clan members, and that little beast Uchiha Itachi?!"
Nara Clan Compound.
Inoichi Yamanaka, who was temporarily staying there with his family, was playing Go with Shikaku Nara, the head of the Nara clan.
"I still can't beat you—"
Inoichi Yamanaka looked at the chessboard, which had become a dead end for him, and shook his head helplessly. He said to Shikaku Nara: "For the next while, we might need the Nara clan's care. Otherwise, I don't know how to settle so many of our clan members."
Shikaku Nara looked at his dear friend's face, which showed even more complex fatigue than his own.
He pondered for a moment.
Shikaku Nara asked: "Inoichi, are you sure Uchiha Ikeizumi can be a backer for the Yamanaka clan? You must have heard a little about what he did today, right?"
Inoichi Yamanaka shook his head and said: "I never thought of Ikeizumi as a backer for the Yamanaka clan."
Shikaku Nara was taken aback.
He saw Inoichi Yamanaka's stern face force a slight smile, and heard him say: "I just made a choice that I believe is correct for the future of the Yamanaka clan."
"That's not like you," Shikaku Nara shook his head and said: "Inoichi, you're not the type of person to gamble an entire ninja clan."
Inoichi Yamanaka said: "Uchiha Ikeizumi is the most special Uchiha I have ever seen. Although he also has the extreme personality of the Uchiha clan, his extremism is based on his absolute justice. And the blade in his hand will only be aimed at the evils of the ninja world."
He picked up a Go stone, lowered his eyes, and said seriously: "Shikaku, Ikeizumi will make the entire ninja world completely different from what it is now. I've known him for ten years, and I've understood him for ten years."
"He's usually very aloof, and he always gives off a feeling I can never quite pinpoint. Until last night, during his conflict with Danzō, his efforts to avoid affecting the Yamanaka clan's compound—made me finally realize."
Shikaku Nara frowned: "Realize what?"
"Shikaku, if you truly understand him, you'll know too."
Inoichi Yamanaka did not elaborate.
Shikaku Nara did not press further. He gazed at the chessboard, his tightly furrowed brows relaxing.
This Konoha strategist gave a helpless smile.
"The Ino–Shika–Chō, are originally an inseparable unit of Konoha. Since you've already made your decision, staking the entire Yamanaka clan, then I will also seriously get to know Uchiha Ikeizumi. To understand his [Absolute Justice]."
"As for the means of understanding—"
Shikaku Nara paused, then said: "It will depend on how Uchiha Ikeizumi establishes his justice amidst this turmoil."
Just then.
Footsteps, heavier than an ordinary person's, came closer.
Chōza Akimichi, the head of the Akimichi clan, also arrived.
At the same time.
Ichiraku Ramen stand.
"Naruto, is it not Lord Hokage who came with you today?" Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, smiled at Naruto.
He was one of the few people in Konoha Village who didn't discriminate against Naruto.
But soon, Teuchi noticed that Naruto's expression today was a bit unusual.
Normally, when Naruto came to eat ramen with the Third Hokage, he would have an enthusiastic expression.
But today, the child seemed exceptionally reserved, constantly tugging at the corners of his clothes, looking very nervous and uneasy. If one looked closely, one could even see two tear marks on his cheeks, as if he had cried for an unknown reason not long ago.
Sigh...
Poor child.
Teuchi sighed slightly in his heart. He knew Naruto's situation in the village. He guessed that perhaps Naruto had encountered some rude people today who would speak ill of a child.
Just as Teuchi was about to say, "Today, the basic ramen is half price," to try and cheer the child up a bit.
He suddenly noticed two people following Naruto inside.
From their attire, they were Uchiha clan Military Police Force ninjas.
"Welcome..."
Before he could say "to Ichiraku," Teuchi's gaze was drawn to Uchiha Ikeizumi's face.
"The same as before, but make it four bowls."
Uchiha Ikeizumi said.
"...Okay." Teuchi naturally recognized Uchiha Ikeizumi; he was one of his regular customers at Ichiraku Ramen.
Even though Uchiha Ikeizumi had given him so much business, every time he saw this "famous" man in Konoha—
Teuchi always felt an unavoidable nervousness.
The reputation of "Uchiha Plague God" was actually far more resounding than that of "Demon Fox Brat."
Although the latter had caused irreparable trauma to Konoha Village, at least that was several years ago.
The former was different; Teuchi heard about Uchiha Ikeizumi's "glorious deeds" in the village every day, whether it was how many people he caught yesterday or how many he killed today. Many times, the name Uchiha Ikeizumi was more terrifying than the Nine-Tails.
However, Teuchi also vaguely heard that Uchiha Ikeizumi's reputation in the village seemed to have improved slightly recently.
Of course.
An improved reputation did not diminish his power.
Naruto seemed to be with Ikeizumi. How did they end up together?
Two questions popped into Teuchi's mind, but he didn't ask further. Instead, he quickly turned to make ramen.
"Meow, kid, Lord Ikeizumi isn't some man-eating monster, why are you shrinking your head like a turtle?"
Kijirō jumped onto Naruto's head.
Clearly, it had no idea of its own weight. Its jump directly caused the unsuspecting Naruto to fall headfirst to the ground.
Naruto, who had bumped his forehead, also recovered from his daze. He didn't dare to cry out in pain and scrambled up hastily.
His dirty little face held a bewildered expression.
Naruto, for some unknown surge of courage, turned his head to look at Uchiha Ikeizumi beside him, his lips trembling slightly as he asked: "Am I—am I going to die—if I'm the Nine-Tails, if I've harmed many people in the past—then I'm one of those big bad guys you'll kill, right?"
"Is this bowl of Ichiraku Ramen my last meal?"
Uchiha Ikeizumi glanced at the blond kid.
Kijirō jumped onto the table and, on behalf of Uchiha Ikeizumi, replied: "Kid, didn't I tell you? You're just a vessel, and Lord Ikeizumi isn't some mass murderer."
"Don't worry! If you were that kind of evildoer, you would have already died the first time Lord Ikeizumi saw you. How could he possibly let you live peacefully until now?"
"And how could he invite you to eat Ichiraku Ramen?"
"Huh?!"
Kijirō suddenly reacted.
Oh right! Why would Lord Ikeizumi invite this Jinchuriki kid to eat ramen?
"His future holds no evil," Uchiha Ikeizumi slowly said: "He has potential."
"Potential—"
Izumi, who was beside them, suddenly widened her clear eyes. She looked at Naruto Uzumaki, who was bewildered and confused about the situation.
Hiss!
Is Senior Ikeizumi trying to poach Lord Hokage's talent?
.....
For 70 advanced chapters:
Get early access to 70 advanced chapters before anyone else!
Join now: patreon/Chaos_God