The border of the Land of Fire was marked by a deep river.
On one side of the river lay the dense forests of the Land of Fire; on the other, the hilly terrain of the Land of Rivers.
White-haired Uchiha Madara appeared on the opposite riverbank at the last moment.
Yōkō's killing intent in this life was far stronger than in the last, putting more pressure on Tobi, which had actually drawn Uchiha Madara himself.
Uchiha Madara threw his long-handled scythe.
So fast!
Yōkō had never seen a blade so swift!
He hurriedly retracted his hand, but even so, the scythe still slashed across his arm.
The Absolute Defense: Copper Light manifested, deflecting the dark scythe.
The Copper Light on Yōkō's arm was now crisscrossed with cracks.
Seeing that the scythe had failed to sever the Konoha ANBU's arm, a glint of interest appeared in Uchiha Madara's eyes.
"So it's you..."
Uchiha Madara remembered. This was the ANBU who had repeatedly gone to the Land of Rain to provoke him.
Not daring to delay, Yōkō retreated while raising his hands to form seals.
"Explode!"
The wooden spear that had pierced through Uchiha Kirika's brow and out the back of his head rapidly exploded, turning his head into a pincushion.
Two of the wooden spikes pierced through Uchiha Kirika's two precious Mangekyō.
The spikes pushed the eyeballs out, making them look like two roasted lamb eyes waiting for the charcoal fire.
Yono Shima was fine; he had the Eternal Mangekyō version, which was stronger.
But the Pillar Leech dōjutsu had to be destroyed.
Yōkō would not allow a dōjutsu in this world that was more resilient than his own.
Uchiha Kirika, relying on Pillar Leech, had protracted the fight with Yōkō for a long time. It was only at the final moment that Yōkō used his trump card, Yono Shima, to find an opportunity.
Dealing with this technique was like dealing with a rebellious son; you didn't dare hit him too hard, and you were afraid you couldn't kill him in one shot.
If Uchiha Madara obtained Pillar Leech, he would be even harder to deal with.
Before his death, Uchiha Kirika had only one thought: both he and his brother had been wrong.
The Clan Head was right. Awakening the Mangekyō didn't mean invincibility...
The events of this past month felt like a dream.
His brother awakening the Mangekyō made it seem like they could immediately trample the shinobi world underfoot.
But his brother died soon after, almost having his Mangekyō taken by Shimura Danzo before death.
Then he himself died, his eyes gouged out.
The Sharingan is a curse... it truly is a curse...
Their brothers' Sharingan were like delicious delicacies, coveted by so many both inside and outside Konoha.
A terrifying sound of something cutting through the air whistled over Yōkō's head; a Susano'o longsword was slashing down at him.
After the long pursuit and intense battle, Yōkō was also at the end of his rope. He used consecutive Body Flickers to retreat into the distance.
Uchiha Kirika was dead. Yōkō breathed an internal sigh of relief. He no longer had to fear dying twice by his hand and facing permanent death.
Tobi detached himself from Uchiha Kirika's body, leaped across the river, and arrived beside Uchiha Madara.
"Konoha's Copper Fox pursued too closely. I didn't even have time to transplant the Eternal Mangekyō for Uchiha Kirika," Tobi said.
"If he had the Eternal Mangekyō, he might have turned defeat into victory. Uchiha Kirika's consumption was too great; in the end, he was weakened beyond recognition.
Lord Madara, I only managed to seize one pair of Mangekyō, Uchiha Mahiru's Mangekyō.
Left eye: Ameno Mihashira, right eye: Yono Shima."
Tobi produced two small wooden cylinders containing the two Mangekyō Sharingan.
Uchiha Madara looked at the Mangekyō Sharingan in Tobi's hand and waved his.
A White Zetsu emerged from the ground.
Without a word, Uchiha Madara gouged out the White Zetsu's eyes. White fluid dripped from the Zetsu's empty eye sockets.
The White Zetsu felt no pain and didn't make a sound.
Then, Uchiha Madara placed Uchiha Mahiru's Mangekyō into the special White Zetsu's eye sockets.
The White Zetsu rolled its eyes, quickly adapting to the new eyes.
Yōkō was incredulous. This is possible?
White Zetsu really are universal tools, usable for Impure World Reincarnation, for replacing missing limbs... having strong vitality is just great.
Uchiha Madara said, "Tobi, from now on, you will inhabit this White Zetsu body and act together.
I originally thought Uchiha Kirika could become my subordinate. However, Uchiha Kirika was never part of our plan, just an unexpected minor interlude. It's fine that he's dead.
With you being stronger, you can handle Konoha's troubles."
Uchiha Madara stared at the cautious Konoha ANBU Copper Fox in the distance and said:
"Konoha's strength is too great; it's not conducive to collecting the Nine Tails later. Before I die, I must weaken Konoha a little."
Tobi spread his spiral wooden vines all over his body, encasing the White Zetsu possessing the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Yōkō frowned in the distance.
There was a benefit to Tobi and the White Zetsu obtaining Uchiha Mahiru's Mangekyō. From now on, any kills he made using his Eternal Mangekyō: Yono Shima could be recorded on Tobi's account.
He and Tobi were too similar – both had Wood Release, both had Yono Shima. Who would think it was him?
Another alternate identity. More identities mean shared risk, making it harder to expose.
Tobi's Wood Release, taijutsu, etc., were very strong, and the White Zetsu had the Mangekyō. They wouldn't be easy to deal with.
The White Zetsu couldn't wield the Mangekyō techniques as freely as an Uchiha.
Next time I encounter Tobi, I can 'die' by Tobi's Wood Release, but I must not 'die' by the White Zetsu's dōjutsu.
A White Zetsu had killed him before, and he obtained the Ephemeral Technique from it.
There are too many White Zetsu to kill them all. To permanently solve the White Zetsu problem, the God Tree must be destroyed.
Yōkō's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
No one is guiding me, yet I seem destined to walk the path of destroying the God Tree.
Am I the Child of Prophecy?
Uchiha Madara took one last look at Yōkō, then turned and walked towards the direction of the Land of Rain.
After Uchiha Madara and the others had gone far away, Yōkō went to Uchiha Kirika's corpse.
The brothers Uchiha Mahiru and Uchiha Kirika, in terms of both strength and temperament, were incapable of handling a dōjutsu like the Mangekyō.
He shrank the wooden spear and spikes until they disappeared, leaving only a dozen or so holes in the head.
He removed the pair of pierced Mangekyō and hid them. Can't even give the broken ones to Danzo.
A long time later, White Ram caught up to the Land of Fire border with the Leaf Monkey Squad.
They saw Lord Fox, and the corpse of Uchiha Kirika at his feet, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sir, you're amazing! Such a powerful rogue ninja ultimately died by your hand!"
Yōkō shook his head and said, "Although I killed Uchiha Kirika, Uchiha Madara appeared. After consecutive major battles, I couldn't fight Uchiha Madara anymore and could only watch him leave."
White Ram was taken aback. He very much wanted to say, Sir, even at your peak, you could only watch Uchiha Madara leave, right?
Sir, are you getting a bit arrogant, like Uchiha Mahiru did?
The group took Uchiha Kirika's body and returned to Konoha.
Passing by the battlefield where Uchiha Kirika and Lord Fox had fought, White Ram sighed with emotion.
The traces left by the Susano'o, Yono Shima, and the Wood Dragon Technique were all too terrifying; this wasn't something ordinary shinobi could participate in.
After returning to Konoha, Yōkō brought Uchiha Kirika's body to the Hokage's office.
"Lord Hokage, I have successfully hunted down the rogue ninja Uchiha Kirika!"
Before Sarutobi Hiruzen could say anything, Shimura Danzo stepped forward and unzipped the body bag.
A pair of eye sockets caked with dried blood made Danzo's expression turn ugly.
"The eyes? Where are the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
"My apologies, Lord Danzo," Yōkō said slowly.
"Uchiha Kirika and I fought all the way during the pursuit, and I only managed to kill him at the Land of Fire border.
However, Uchiha Madara personally came to the border.
I very much wanted to seize the Mangekyō Sharingan for Lord Danzo, but in front of Uchiha Madara, I couldn't do it.
I could only settle for the next best thing: destroy Uchiha Kirika's Mangekyō.
Uchiha Madara placed Uchiha Mahiru's pair of Mangekyō into the eye sockets of a White Zetsu.
That White Zetsu merged with Tobi, becoming a powerful enemy mastering both Wood Release and the Mangekyō.
Lord Hokage, I believe the village must take Tobi seriously and treat him as an S-rank assassination target."
Danzo asked sharply, "Were you unable to, or did you do it deliberately?"
"Danzo, don't be agitated. Facing Uchiha Madara, Fox has already done very well." Mitokado Homura sighed and said:
"Uchiha Kirika had Uchiha Madara as support. Yet we failed to provide Fox with sufficient support, causing the village to lose four Mangekyō Sharingan.
Two were destroyed, two were taken by Uchiha Madara. Uchiha Madara is even stronger now."
Yōkō nodded repeatedly. Mitokado Homura had said something fair.
Uchiha Madara becoming stronger had its benefits; these advisors wouldn't dare act recklessly.
Mitokado Homura continued, "And it's fortunate we didn't send support, otherwise the support team would have died at Uchiha Madara's hands."
Yōkō retracted his nod. This old fox Mitokado Homura isn't a good person either.
Am I just supposed to endure all that danger?
You're afraid of Uchiha Madara, but am I not afraid of him too?
Sarutobi Hiruzen asked, "What were Uchiha Kirika's two Mangekyō abilities? Were they difficult to deal with?"
"Extremely difficult," Yōkō said.
"Uchiha Kirika's right eye technique was the same as his brother's, Yono Shima. Anything that touches the Yono Shima black disc instantly collapses.
My Wood Dragon Technique was completely helpless against Yono Shima, collapsing into paper."
The expressions of Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others instantly turned grave.
They all understood the Wood Dragon Technique. Dealing with it themselves would be troublesome.
Such a powerful Wood Release ninjutsu, collapsing without any resistance...
Yōkō continued, "Uchiha Kirika's other Mangekyō ability, Pillar Leech, was even more bizarre.
No matter how severely injured Uchiha Kirika was, he could use Pillar Leech to transfer the injuries to his enemy.
Even when I had opportunities, I didn't dare inflict heavy injuries on Uchiha Kirika. I could only wear him down, looking for a chance to kill him in one strike.
If Tobi hadn't also wanted to obtain Uchiha Kirika's Mangekyō at the end, causing internal conflict between them, it would have been absolutely impossible for me to kill Uchiha Kirika."
Yōkō couldn't possibly reveal that he had the Eternal Mangekyō: Yono Shima.
In his combat report, he had made some embellishments, not explaining the true details of the battle.
The reason that Uchiha Madara wanted to seize Uchiha Kirika's Mangekyō was something the higher-ups wouldn't doubt.
If they wanted to seize them, they would naturally assume others wanted to as well.
The higher-ups all looked solemn, probably each thinking about how they would deal with Tobi if they faced him.
Mitokado Homura said with lingering fear:
"No wonder the Second Hokage-sensei confined the Uchiha clan to the Police Force and didn't want them leaving the village.
Danzo's various arrangements targeting the Uchiha clan make a lot of sense.
With just one carelessness, the Uchiha clan produced so many terrifying dōjutsu.
Ameno Mihashira, Pillar Leech, Yono Shima... how could ordinary shinobi possibly resist these dōjutsu?"
Just then, Yellow Dog hurriedly entered the Hokage's office.
Everyone else looked at Yellow Dog, wondering what urgent matter could make him so flustered.
"Lord Hokage, Lord Danzo, after the Captain of the Guardian Ninja in the Land of Grass, Shimura Heiya, was assassinated, the village sent Shimura Kōrin to serve as the Guardian Ninja Captain.
I just received news that Shimura Kōrin was assassinated two and a half days ago!
According to Guardian Ninja Hyūga Shin, the perpetrator acted mysteriously, leaving no clues.
Many Iwa-nin have appeared around the Land of Grass capital. He suspects Captain Shimura Kōrin was killed by Iwa-nin.
Hyūga Shin sent an urgent message requesting village support. The Daimyō is in a panic. The village is very likely to lose the Land of Grass's mission share!"
Yōkō thought, Who did this? Is someone trying to frame me?
I, Sarutobi Kanenosuke, did not kill Shimura Kōrin. Are you trying to pin this on me?
Wait... Yōkō reconsidered, even if it's pinned on Sarutobi Kanenosuke, what does that have to do with me, Yōkō?
Sarutobi Kanenosuke was always meant to be a scapegoat; who he takes the fall for doesn't matter.
He himself has a solid alibi.
Who exactly killed the Shimura clan's Guardian Ninja Captain? They didn't even leave a name; we could have been friends.
If I emphasize it was Sarutobi Kanenosuke now, wouldn't that help muddy the waters?
Yōkō said, "Sarutobi Kanenosuke! It must be Sarutobi Kanenosuke! Uchiha Madara and his subordinates are too rampant!
Cultivating the Uchiha Mahiru brothers within Konoha, and simultaneously targeting our Guardian Ninja in the Land of Grass."
No one else in the office responded. Silence fell.
One wave subsides, another rises.
Before the rogue ninja issue was resolved, conflict erupted in the Land of Grass.
The position of Guardian Ninja Captain in the Land of Grass had always been held by a Shimura clan jōnin.
Shimura Kōhi, Shimura Heiya, Shimura Kōrin – three consecutive Guardian Ninja Captains assassinated.
Any Daimyō would find it hard to trust Konoha after this.
Danzo's expression was extremely grim.
He had done so much for the village, made enemies everywhere, and now enemies were targeting the Root and the Shimura clan for assassination. To the point where he couldn't even dispatch a powerful jōnin anymore.
Shimura Kōrin's strength was that of an average jōnin. In the Land of Grass, surrounded by rogue ninja, protecting himself was difficult, let alone protecting the Land of Grass Daimyō.
Danzo grew increasingly irritable and angry. He and the Shimura clan could not bear the blame for losing the Land of Grass missions.
The Land of Grass mission share accounted for about 10% of Konoha's missions.
Many Konoha shinobi would direct their criticism at the Shimura clan and Danzo, saying the reduced income was due to the Shimura clan Guardian Ninjas' insufficient strength.
Eventually, their other life dissatisfactions would also be vented on the Shimura clan.
Danzo could kill anyone who dissatisfied him, but he couldn't stop the gossip of thousands of Konoha shinobi.
After a long silence, Danzo said:
"We must send someone to the Land of Grass to probe the Daimyō's true attitude. Either regain the Daimyō's trust and preserve the mission share, or... replace the Daimyō!"
"Danzo!" Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "Assassinating a Daimyō must never be done recklessly!
Otherwise, even the Land of Fire Daimyō will no longer trust us!"
Danzo calculated internally. If killing the Daimyō wasn't allowed, and regaining the Daimyō's trust was difficult, the best solution for him and the Shimura clan was to find a scapegoat.
Mitokado Homura asked, "The key is, who do we send to the Land of Grass?
Uchiha Madara, his subordinates Sarutobi Kanenosuke and Tobi , all three are immensely powerful. Who can go to the Land of Grass and complete the mission under the targeting of so many enemies?"
The four higher-ups naturally wouldn't go themselves.
Among the middle generation – Tsunade, Orochimaru, Hatake Sakumo, and others around thirty years old – each had their own issues.
Among the younger generation, only Fox had the ability to ensure his own survival in the Land of Grass.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Danzo.
Seeing Danzo's furrowed brow, Sarutobi Hiruzen first said to Yōkō:
"Fox, take Uchiha Kirika's body into the Uchiha clan compound. Warn them not to follow in this brother's footsteps."
Yōkō cursed inwardly. You make decisions behind closed doors without me, but make me do the dirty work that offends people. You old foxes, my patience has a limit too!
Closing the Hokage office door from the outside, Yōkō's eyes turned cold.
Sometime in the next few months, I'll find an opportunity to give the higher-up advisors a harsh lesson, or they won't know what pain is.
Who should I target...
After Fox left with the body, the higher-ups in the office fell into silence.
The assassination of the third Guardian Ninja Captain, Shimura Kōrin, was an extremely bad look.
Once or twice could be called accidents, but three times was inexcusable.
If the Land of Grass Daimyō questioned Konoha's strength, even the Land of Fire Daimyō couldn't smooth it over.
It was possible that a formal letter of inquiry from the Land of Fire Daimyō would soon arrive in Konoha.
The Daimyō wouldn't dare to break openly with Konoha, but that didn't mean he had no bottom line.
Safety was the Daimyō's most basic requirement.
Mitokado Homura once again acted as Sarutobi Hiruzen's mouthpiece: "Danzo, you and Fox had some misunderstandings before, which led to you failing to obtain the Mangekyō Sharingan. But in this situation, Fox is the most suitable candidate for the Land of Grass."
"No! Fox must absolutely not go!"
If Fox achieved significant merits in the Land of Grass, his position as Vice Minister would be solidified, something Danzo was unwilling to see.
"If Fox doesn't go, then who? Send Hatake Sakumo?"
Danzo's expression was cold and stern as he pondered incessantly.
If they lost the Land of Grass mission share, he and the Shimura clan would become village pariahs.
He needed to find a suitable scapegoat, one with sufficient status.
Fox couldn't go. If Fox failed the mission, most people in the village wouldn't even know who Fox was.
After thinking it over, Danzo said, "Convene a Jōnin Platoon meeting! Publicly select a suitable candidate at the Jōnin Platoon meeting!"
Mitokado Homura was somewhat puzzled. If they selected someone at the Jōnin Platoon meeting, the eager Hatake Sakumo would inevitably volunteer.
He looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen, and they immediately understood Danzo's scheme.
They knew each other too well. If Danzo grunted twice, they knew who he wanted to deal with.
Making Hatake Sakumo bear the blame for losing the Land of Grass mission share was most appropriate.
His status was suitable – Hatake Sakumo had served as a Deputy Battlefield Commander.
His strength was suitable – the fame of Konoha's White Fang was widespread.
His stance was suitable – he didn't belong to the Hokage's direct lineage; he was a minor clan shinobi who had risen on his own.
"Good. Then let's convene the Jōnin Platoon meeting as soon as possible to discuss the recent situation."
--
Yōkō was followed by the Leaf Monkey Squad.
The four members of the Leaf Monkey Squad carried a body covered by a white sheet to the entrance of the Uchiha compound.
I wonder what the Uchiha clan will think when they see Uchiha Kirika's body.
They just declared Uchiha Kirika a rogue ninja, stating that any clan member who sees him must fight him to the death to kill the traitor, and then they turn around and see the ANBU Vice Minister delivering the rogue ninja's body back.
It's one thing for the ANBU to kill Uchiha Kirika, but delivering the body to the Uchiha compound? Isn't this adding insult to injury?
Why does this unpleasant task fall on me?
Being the Hokage's black glove is not easy.
Sometimes Yōkō could understand Danzo. Danzo used to take the fall for Sarutobi Hiruzen like this too
***
Dive deeper into the story with 50+ advance chapters, available now on Patreon!patreon.com/CNBLUE
If you're enjoying the novel, please consider leaving a review. Your support is crucial and helps the story grow immensely. Thank you!