Chapter 101: Uchiha Weapon Ceremony, Fugaku & Kagami's Envy, Hiruzen's Secret Materials, and Naraku's Confession About Danzō's Wood Release
Uchiha Min watched eagerly as Naraku pulled out weapon after weapon, but the Uchiha gunbai he wanted was nowhere to be seen.
Seeing that all the weapons Naraku had forged were already laid out, he asked: "Where's the Uchiha gunbai?"
Naraku casually replied that something as symbolic as the Uchiha gunbai couldn't just be an ordinary vassal-grade item. He needed to plan it carefully and gather some better materials.
Seeing how seriously Naraku was taking it, Uchiha Min didn't say anything outwardly, but inside he felt quite moved. This kid really takes after me—always putting the clan first.
He silently made up his mind: in the future, he must push Uchiha Naraku to become the Uchiha clan head.
Make Uchiha great again! This all depends on Naraku.
The next day, the Uchiha shrine held a grand weapon distribution ceremony.
For the clan's internal members, the ceremony was extremely grand—every ninja of the Uchiha clan came to watch.
Random Uchiha A: "Who's that handsome guy standing next to the Great Elder?"
Random Uchiha B smacked Random A on the head and said: "That's our Uchiha clan's forging genius—Uchiha Naraku!"
Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Kagami stood like ants. Although Uchiha Fugaku was the clan head's son, he was ultimately a junior and had no right to stand on the main stage. The two watched Uchiha Naraku, the ceremony's protagonist, work the crowd with ease and grace.
Beside Naraku stood Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Hiiro. Uchiha Mikoto's love for Naraku practically overflowed from her eyes.
Uchiha Kagami saw a trace of sadness in the eyes of his most admired big brother Uchiha Fugaku.
Uchiha Kagami quickly comforted him: "Big brother, I believe you will definitely become a great Uchiha in the future. Our Uchiha clan values strength above all!"
In the eyes of a kid like Uchiha Kagami, it was simple: whoever is strongest gets to be clan head. He completely didn't understand Naraku's strategic importance.
Or perhaps he understood a little, but as a loyal little follower unconditionally supporting his big brother, he could only talk tough.
Uchiha Fugaku looked at Uchiha Kagami beside him and thought: That's right! Although he no longer has Mikoto, and his contributions to the clan may not compare to Naraku's, he still has such a loyal little brother!
Plus he himself had awakened his Sharingan at a young age, and now it's already three-tomoe. He's also a squad captain in Konoha's Police Force!
As for mere Uchiha Naraku—he probably hasn't even awakened his Sharingan yet.
In fact, Naraku might not even be able to awaken it.
As long as he gets one big battle opportunity, he can definitely earn great merits and ultimately surpass Uchiha Naraku.
Although Uchiha Mikoto is probably out of reach now, a real man can't spend all his energy on romance.
After thinking this, Uchiha Fugaku patted Uchiha Kagami's shoulder. Uchiha Kagami and Uchiha Fugaku shared a deep, affectionate look.
Naraku accidentally caught sight of the two and felt a chill. He never expected Uchiha Fugaku, after being hit so hard by him, would start liking men.
Looks like he'll have to be careful in the future—his viewer-lord-level handsomeness might accidentally attract his attention.
Soon it was time for weapon distribution. As Uchiha Min slowly announced, from the first to come up—the clan head Uchiha Sengoku—to the last, Uchiha Mikoto, every single person received one vassal weapon.
Naraku thoughtfully prepared an instruction manual for each person to help them master their weapon properly.
This way he could shear the wool even more comfortably.
Naraku looked with satisfaction at the people below the stage. If there were a favorability system, there would probably be constant +1 favorability signs popping up over everyone's heads.
Naraku thought: when I leave Konoha, if any of these people aren't willing to leave with me, don't blame me for taking back the weapons. Let them stay and live with the decaying Konoha.
...
That night, an Anbu found Naraku and said the Hokage wanted to see him.
Naraku followed the Anbu, wondering what good materials Sarutobi Hiruzen would bring—First Generation cells? Or something else good?
When Naraku met Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage frowned and said to him: "Naraku, can I trust you?"
Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen starting another loyalty test, Naraku felt a bit speechless.
He could only say firmly: "Lord Hokage! You can trust me! For Konoha! Loyalty!"
"I'm gratified that you understand this. If it weren't for Konoha, I wouldn't bring out these materials. Konoha has reached its most dangerous moment. One misstep and the village could fall into the hands of that ambitious Danzō! Naraku! Konoha's future is entrusted to you! Come with me."
With that, Sarutobi Hiruzen led Naraku to a hidden chamber.
Naraku looked at the secret room before him. He really hadn't expected that Sarutobi Hiruzen—this seemingly upright and righteous guy—also had a secret room like Danzō.
Naraku looked at the few items on the table and fell into deep thought. Sarutobi Hiruzen began introducing them one by one: "The first is the corpse of the previous Monkey King of the monkey clan. I requested it from the monkey clan. The second is Nine-Tails chakra, collected by the village during the previous jinchūriki replacement. The third is the Thunder God Sword once used by the Second Hokage. The last one… never mind, this material won't be used!"
Naraku was completely shocked by Sarutobi Hiruzen's generosity. No wonder he could become Hokage—his hand was far bigger than that stingy Danzō.
Naraku never expected the Nine-Tails chakra he'd been craving for so long would come to him on its own—and delivered personally by Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen.
The other two materials weren't simple either. The monkey clan's body was terrifying—that thing, when transformed into the Adamantine Nyoi Staff, could clash head-on with Orochimaru's Kusanagi Blade.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had fought many tough battles with the Adamantine Nyoi Staff. The corpse the Hokage mentioned was probably his own summoning beast's body. If so, Naraku could only say: humans are like this. Rest in peace, Monkey King.
The Thunder God Sword was Tobirama's personal weapon. In the original story, it was picked up by some random ninja fodder and shattered after being hit multiple times by Chidori and Rasengan.
As for the last covered-up material—it was probably the Hashirama cells Naraku had guessed earlier.
Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen somewhat reluctant to use this material, Naraku decided to add fuel to the fire.
He twisted and hesitated before saying to Sarutobi Hiruzen: "Lord Hokage, I have to confess something to you. Previously Lord Danzō threatened me to forge him an armor. When I finished forging it, I discovered it was made from Second Generation cells cultured from First Hokage cells. And that chest armor possessed Wood Release power! Afterward Danzō threatened me that if I told anyone, you would kill me directly. Now, for Konoha's sake, I can no longer hide it! If you kill me for this, I accept it!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen instantly flew into rage. He understood. He understood everything. No wonder previously—even when Danzō had lost nearly half his Hachifusa puppets and consumed massive chakra—he still harbored killing intent toward him.
It turned out Danzō had grasped Wood Release power!
As for the truth of Naraku's words—Sarutobi Hiruzen could only say this was exactly Danzō's style. Danzō loved grabbing people's weaknesses to threaten them! The classic "you don't want this to happen, do you?"—that's pure Danzō.
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