"Hmph," Danzō said. "If not for Fox's interference, I would have a pair of Mangekyō by now.
I've been constantly vigilant, keeping the Uchiha clan firmly suppressed.
One mission to pursue Uchiha Madara, letting the Uchiha leave the village, actually resulted in the clan gaining two pairs of Mangekyō, and ultimately cultivating another rogue ninja subordinate for Uchiha Madara.
The First Hokage's decision to absorb the Uchiha into Konoha has caused endless future trouble.
The First couldn't even deal with Uchiha Madara, the greatest rogue ninja of the founding era. I've lost much of my respect for him.
Konoha's very foundation is flawed. We must find a way to solve these problems at their root."
Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, "How do you plan to solve them?"
"Exterminate the Uchiha clan!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was taken aback, looking at Danzō's ferocious expression.
"No!" Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately rejected it. "You cannot plan to exterminate an entire clan just because you want their Sharingan!
Uchiha Kane has been very cooperative with the village.
Aside from being close to Tsunade and others regarding the post-war Jōnin recommendations, he hasn't made any major mistakes.
If we suppress Uchiha Kane, the Uchiha Clan Head who replaces him will only be more radical!
Danzo, I permit you to seize some Three Tomoe Sharingan for Izanagi, but extermination is going too far."
"Then what about Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Kirika?" Danzō said.
"Uchiha Madara is over 70. He will eventually die of old age, before us.
The reason we haven't committed large forces against Uchiha Madara is simply in the hope that he dies naturally.
But what about Uchiha Kirika? He's only 18!
Do you think your son can rely on Fox to deal with Uchiha Kirika indefinitely?
Have you forgotten the sight of Uchiha Madara using the Eternal Mangekyō to contract the Nine-Tails and break through Konoha's walls?
Uchiha Kirika will become a second Uchiha Madara!
Does your son possess the First Hokage's means to deal with Tailed Beasts and Susano'o?
Don't forget, sending the Uchiha clan to the Land of Rain to investigate Uchiha Madara was arranged by you and your son!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was left speechless by the questions, filled with deep regret.
His original plan was to use the Uchiha Madara investigation mission to weaken the Uchiha clan, who were getting close to Tsunade.
They were weakened, losing four Uchiha Three Tomoe shinobi, but it also stimulated the awakening of two Mangekyō.
The losses outweighed the gains; the cost was enormous.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked out the window. The situation within Konoha was volatile, not as calm as it appeared on the surface.
The Second Shinobi World War was clearly over, so why did it still feel so precarious?
"Let's solve the problems one by one," Sarutobi Hiruzen said. "First, let's wait for the result of Fox's pursuit..."
"I have little hope for Fox's pursuit," Danzō said. "Fox is as timid as a mouse, specializing entirely in defensive ninjutsu. How could he possibly be a match for Uchiha Kirika?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen said nothing, hoping Fox could complete the mission, or at the very least, gather more intelligence.
The full moon hung like a silver plate.
Yōkō had finally waited for the new night of the full moon.
He had been pursuing for two days. Tobi also knew the Ephemeral Technique; taught by the same master, he couldn't break the technique, making the pursuit very difficult.
The squad led by White Ram had been left far behind by Yōkō.
In the forests of the Land of Fire.
Tobi's spiral mask split open. Uchiha Kirika gasped for air, panting heavily.
After escaping Konoha, he had been running non-stop.
He couldn't go any further today. The journey had consumed too much chakra. If he continued, he wouldn't have enough chakra to handle a potential battle at any moment.
Uchiha Kirika looked back in the direction of Konoha, his mind filled with countless thoughts.
He had completely severed ties with his past 18 years.
The brother who raised him was dead. He could never return to the Uchiha clan.
He slowly closed his eyes, then slowly opened them. A pair of Mangekyō spun in his eyes.
"Tobi, am I like Sarutobi Kanenosuke now, becoming a subordinate of Lord Madara?"
The spiral mask instantly closed, encasing Uchiha Kirika, leaving only two eye holes.
A muffled voice sounded from within the mask.
"Sarutobi Kanenosuke? That's not one of Lord Madara's subordinates. I don't know him."
"Sarutobi Kanenosuke isn't Lord Madara's subordinate?" Uchiha Kirika said, puzzled. "Everyone in the village says the Sarutobi clan produced a rogue ninja who follows Lord Madara and is particularly ruthless towards village members!"
"That little scoundrel commits misdeeds but puts the dirty pot on Lord Madara's head," Tobi said. "Although he's doing what Lord Madara wants, he's gone too far.
If you encounter Sarutobi Kanenosuke, you must capture him and bring him before Lord Madara.
Daring to play games with Lord Madara's name... that man truly deserves to die."
Uchiha Kirika thought to himself, Being Lord Madara's subordinate seems quite desirable; some people want the position but can't get it.
"Let's go, Tobi! I want to see Lord Madara! I want to destroy Konoha!"
"Destroy Konoha?" Tobi said. "What's the use of just destroying Konoha? What should be destroyed is this entire world.
When you meet Lord Madara, he will tell you what this world should become."
As soon as Tobi finished speaking, a wooden spike shot towards them!
"It's the Wood Spikes technique!"
Uchiha Kirika hurriedly rolled backward.
Getting up semi-prone from the ground, Uchiha Kirika saw an Anbu shinobi wearing a fox mask appear on a tree trunk.
"You! You killed my brother!"
Yōkō thought, You guys have no sense of urgency. If you don't complete the Eternal Mangekyō transplant soon, how can I obtain a powerful ocular jutsu?
Uchiha Kirika wanted to charge forward, but Tobi stopped him.
Tobi covered Uchiha Kirika's entire body like armor, controlling him to sink into the ground.
The two used the Ephemeral Technique and disappeared into the earth.
Yōkō placed his hand on a tree trunk, sensing the cluster of organic matter fleeing into the distance.
After emerging over ten kilometers away, Uchiha Kirika questioned Tobi:
"Get off me! Get out of my body! I've awakened the Mangekyō! Why won't you let me avenge my brother? I want to kill that Anbu!"
Tobi said, "You don't actually think that just because you've awakened the Mangekyō, you're a match for Konoha's Copper Fox, do you?
If the Mangekyō were truly that powerful, why did your brother die?"
Uchiha Kirika was stunned. Yes, why did his brother die?
Clan Head Kane was right. The village was too powerful. Even awakening the Mangekyō was fraught with danger.
Tobi said, "Lord Madara possesses a power stronger than the Mangekyō: the Eternal Mangekyō. Don't be impatient. Once you have the Eternal Mangekyō, you will be able to kill Konoha's Copper Fox!"
A regular White Zetsu appeared on a tree near them.
Tobi said to the White Zetsu, "Report to Lord Madara. The conditions for the Eternal Mangekyō transplant are met. Please ask Lord Madara to prepare."
Uchiha Kirika and Tobi continued their flight through the forest.
After fleeing for half an hour, Tobi said, "We can't escape like this! Copper Fox knows Wood Release; he can sense my Ephemeral Technique!
I'll use the Ephemeral Technique to create distance. Kirika, you change direction using taijutsu!"
They fled for a long time more. Uchiha Kirika leaned against a large tree, panting.
They had been fleeing non-stop for a full day since leaving Konoha.
Exhaustion plagued both Uchiha Kirika and Tobi.
Yet, they still hadn't shaken off Copper Fox.
Uchiha Kirika asked between gasps, "Tobi, what's the difference between the Eternal Mangekyō and the Mangekyō?"
Tobi said, "Do you remember how your brother's eyes streamed with bloody tears after using his ocular jutsu?"
"I remember. What was wrong with my brother?"
Tobi said, "The chakra of the Mangekyō's ocular jutsu contains far more spiritual energy than physical energy.
This immense spiritual energy places a heavy burden on the eyeballs.
The more you use the ocular jutsu, the worse your eyesight becomes, until you go completely blind.
Your brother's eyes streamed with bloody tears precisely because his eyeballs couldn't bear such immense spiritual energy and were damaged."
Uchiha Kirika's expression turned sorrowful. So his brother had endured that kind of pain?
The White Zetsu continued, "The Eternal Mangekyō, however, involves transplanting and fusing the two Mangekyō Sharingan of blood brothers.
This results in more robust eyeballs that can handle Mangekyō ocular jutsus without strain.
You can use Mangekyō ocular jutsus recklessly, no longer needing to worry about side effects or fear blindness.
No enemy can withstand the continuous use of powerful Mangekyō ocular jutsus."
Uchiha Kirika nodded. He understood. Uchiha Madara, as the last Clan Head of the Warring States period, knew many of the Uchiha clan's secrets.
He had never even heard of these things within the clan.
Another wooden spike shot towards them. Uchiha Kirika was startled and quickly turned to continue fleeing.
Tobi said, "I feel something's not right. Konoha's Copper Fox is stronger than I imagined! We must prepare a backup plan!"
"What plan?"
"The plan for a mid-journey transplant to fuse the Eternal Mangekyō! I suspect Copper Fox won't let us reach Lord Madara! He seems to have the strength for it!"
Tobi summoned a regular White Zetsu and said, "Report the situation here to Lord Madara! Ask Lord Madara to find a way to perform the Mangekyō transplant mid-journey!"
The White Zetsu disappeared, relaying the message towards the Land of Rain.
There were many White Zetsu along the way; they could relay messages in succession without worrying about stamina or chakra.
Uchiha Kirika and Tobi eventually reached the border of the Land of Fire.
A White Zetsu came to them and handed over a scroll.
"Tobi, Lord Madara says to follow the steps on this scroll to perform the transplant and fusion of the Mangekyō!"
The spiral mask burst open, turning into sharp wooden vines.
The agile wooden vines opened the scroll, scanning it back and forth. It was unclear how the eyeless Tobi was 'reading' it.
"Oh! I see!" Tobi said. "Send all nearby White Zetsu to intercept Konoha's Copper Fox! We begin the transplant now!
After the transplant, the eyes need to be bandaged for several hours to recover. White Zetsu, you must delay him for at least 6 hours!"
The regular White Zetsu looked pained. "Us? Stop Konoha's Copper Fox for 6 hours?"
Yōkō, thinking of the river terrain of the Land of Rivers, decided the forests of the Land of Fire were his Wood Release's home turf. He couldn't let Uchiha Kirika reach the Land of Rain.
If Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Kirika joined forces to attack him, it wouldn't be good if he died at Uchiha Madara's hands.
At the edge of the Land of Fire's forest, Yōkō body-flickered into place, blocking Uchiha Kirika's path.
He raised an eyebrow slightly.
Tobi's spiral mask was writhing incessantly; the wooden vines seemed to be operating on Uchiha Kirika's eyes.
Yōkō thought, Is Uchiha Kirika starting the transplant?
That's perfect.
Then I should also put on an act and play along.
***
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(End of Chapter)