Chapter 166 - 167
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22 mars
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Köpt
Chapter 166: Redress is just around the corner
Even when swept by the icy gaze of Lady Tsunade, one of the Sannin, Uchiha Fūyō remained unwavering, steadfastly blocking the target.
If Shimura Rō died, the matter would forever be without proof, and all the Uchiha Clan's efforts to date, their hope of getting justice for Naraku, would all come to naught.
Therefore, he absolutely could not back down.
Tsunade knew Uchiha Fūyō's thoughts, and coupled with the fact that she wasn't impulsive enough to kill Shimura Rō in the first place, she lowered her fist and gestured with her chin for him to restrain the person.
As for whether letting Shimura Rō fall into Uchiha hands would lead to internal strife in Konoha... she had hesitated about this when she chose to contact the Uchiha, but she quickly stopped caring.
If victims seeking the truth are instead condemned and suppressed, then no matter how they retaliate in the future, it is the retribution those people deserve.
As soon as Uchiha Fūyō had the person under control, he noticed another powerful individual rapidly approaching from behind.
He vigilantly glanced at Tsunade, who seemed to have recognized the newcomer. Though her expression showed some impatience, there was no sign of wariness.
So he stopped bothering with it and continued to focus on applying the sealing scroll to Shimura Rō.
Click.
The faint, crisp sound of wooden clogs landing echoed, accompanied by the familiar, hearty greeting of a middle-aged man.
"Long time no see, Tsunade."
"Jiraiya, why are you here too?"
Perhaps her emotions were still unsettled, as Tsunade's tone wasn't particularly friendly. But Jiraiya seemed not to notice, answering frankly.
"I came to investigate someone, but it seems you were one step ahead of me."
Seeing Tsunade's still somewhat displeased expression, Jiraiya understood that the child named "Uchiha Naraku" held a far greater place in Tsunade's heart than just a patient.
However, he still chose to persuade her one last time: "Tsunade, how about you hand him over to me?"
Tsunade gave him a sidelong glance, fully aware of her old partner's thoughts.
He probably wanted to take the person himself to demand an explanation for the Uchiha, to make the old man stop hesitating, to deal with the relevant personnel, to concede to the Uchiha when necessary, and to resolve the matter with the smallest possible cost.
But had Jiraiya considered what deterrent power the evidence would have on that "Shadow of the Shinobi" in the higher echelons if it were in his, the Hokage's disciple's, hands?
The outcome would only be further delays, with no change whatsoever.
"No way. In the end, it would just be swept under the rug."
"But what if there's a..."
"Don't become like them, Jiraiya!"
Tsunade cut off Jiraiya, her brows tightly furrowed. She then realized her tone was too harsh and softened her voice.
"You know what the result will be. Since you feel it's unjust, then stop harboring illusions of peaceful resolution. Whatever the consequences, they deserve them."
Jiraiya tilted his head slightly, looking into the distance, and let out a heavy sigh.
"Alright, fine."
After deciding to support Tsunade's idea, he seemed to shed a burden, cheerfully stretching and inviting, "I know a really great hot spring inn, how about we go—"
Boom!
Bricks and dirt clods showered down from the wall shattered by a single Strength of a Hundred Seal punch. Jiraiya blinked, swallowing the rest of his sentence.
"My mistake, my mistake. Come on, let's go drinking!"
He laughed heartily, about to lead Tsunade to a certain izakaya he knew, when he suddenly remembered that both of them seemed to have children with them.
"Is Shizune with you now? Kakashi is here too, so how about we go for hot pot instead?"
"Alright."
Tsunade turned to instruct Uchiha Fūyō to quickly contact other Uchiha and take the person back to the clan, not to delay on the way, lest things get complicated.
The person who ordered Shimura Rō would not let him go unchecked. Knowing he was captured, they would do everything possible to destroy the evidence. The Uchiha had to safely bring him back before the other party reacted.
Uchiha Fūyō nodded, then used the Body Flicker Technique to leave with the person on his back.
When Tsunade called out Jiraiya's name just now, he knew the other party was indeed one of the Sannin, the famous Toad Sage.
Then he heard Jiraiya ask for the person, and his heart sank halfway. He was already prepared to resist the other party even if it meant doing so, to protect the witness.
Fortunately, Lady Tsunade was reliable, and in a few words, she dispelled the other party's idea.
With Shimura Rō in hand, as long as they used some interrogation methods, or directly extracted his memories, the mastermind behind Naraku's death would have nowhere to run.
Justice for the wronged was within reach.
By the time Uchiha Fūyō was out of sight, Jiraiya looked at the ruined buildings and roads around them, starting to worry about how to clean up the mess.
Then he saw Tsunade casually pull out a wad of banknotes from her pocket and call over the tavern owner.
Wait, something isn't right, is it?
Tsunade actually had that much money on her???
Perhaps Jiraiya's gaze was too direct. Tsunade shot him an annoyed look, then lowered her eyes and explained in a low voice, "I made a big gamble before, and I won."
For Tsunade, the notorious 'Legendary Sucker,' to win money meant something had happened.
Perhaps her constant gambling was just to repeatedly confirm that those around her were still safe and wouldn't leave her.
Jiraiya quickly hid the trace of pity in his eyes, reverting to his carefree demeanor.
"Come on, come on, my treat this time."
As he spoke, he used the Shadow Clone Jutsu to call Kakashi. Tsunade did the same, using a Shadow Clone to bring Shizune.
"Oh, right," Jiraiya remembered Kakashi was still in the dark, and quickly coordinated with Tsunade, "Kakashi doesn't know about the investigation. I told him leaving the village was for training and research."
"Got it, I'm aware."
Tsunade crossed her arms, tapping her fingers on her arm.
Jiraiya's approach was understandable. Kakashi was too young and shouldn't be struggling in the abyss of hatred so early.
But paper cannot forever wrap fire.
"This matter won't be hidden for long. By the time he returns, Konoha will probably be in an uproar."
"Sigh, let's find a suitable opportunity to tell him."
... Kakashi sat up from the bottom of the pond. Even though his chest ached faintly from prolonged lack of oxygen, and his heart felt like it was about to leap out of his throat, his breathing was calm and steady, completely disregarding the physical pain.
The vibrations of the distant battle were already very faint here, drowned out by the gurgling of water, turning into a subtle hum.
But as if by telepathy, he tilted his head in that direction.
Never mind, I should go find out where Lord Jiraiya is.
He stood up, left the hot spring pool, and entered the changing room to get dressed.
As soon as he was fully dressed, Jiraiya's Shadow Clone arrived.
"Yo, done soaking?"
The Shadow Clone slung an arm around the child's steamy shoulder, completely disregarding that the other party had just thoroughly cleaned himself.
"Come on, I ran into an acquaintance. Let's go have hot pot."
Kakashi half-opened his eyes in exasperation: "The smell will linger for a long time."
"It's fine, just wash again when we get back."
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Chapter 167 This journey will not be smooth
In this extravagant, bustling, and chaotic city, the Uchiha also had their own secret outposts.
Uchiha Fūyō, carrying the human witness, evaded most of the surveillance and quickly darted into the contact point.
Upon arriving at the secret room, the Uchiha Clan Members on duty were about to act when a seal was thrust before their eyes.
"Quick, gather everyone west of Kusunagi City to provide support along the way. The goods are already in hand."
"That's great."
The Clan Member immediately pulled out Ninjutsu tools and began forming hand signs, while channeling Chakra and asking for the specific plan: "Sir, when do you plan to depart?"
"In fifteen minutes."
Uchiha Fūyō unfurled a sealing scroll and wrapped Shimura Rō into a stiff "mummy," which would make it easier to transport him during a rush or battle.
He had a premonition that this journey would not be too smooth...
"Sir."
A figure abruptly appeared before the one-eyed, cane-wielding old man, bowing respectfully on one knee and delivering a message in a stiff voice: "Today, we did not receive Shimura Rō's timely report."
"Hmm."
The old man opened his only remaining eye, a sinister glint flashing in his expression.
"The time has come. Go deal with him."
"Yes."
His subordinate vanished instantly. Danzo stood up, leaning on his cane, and slowly walked to the door, looking at the dim and dilapidated Root base that was gradually being repaired and restored.
Sakumo Hatake had decimated Root, and when Danzo awoke and took inventory, he found only a few useful subordinates remaining, along with those who had been on missions outside and had not returned, thus escaping the massacre.
Losing military strength was equivalent to losing power.
Fortunately, he had a chance to regain power and return to being a figure of real influence.
Shimura Rō's successful assassination of Uchiha Naraku, while catching him off guard, also meant he had to deal with the aftermath. He remained the head of Root, and his request for additional personnel was supported by Hiruzen Sarutobi, who assigned him thirty Ninja.
However, it was still far from enough.
So he went to the various Ninja Clans for more people, and under threats and inducements, he finally managed to gather about half the number Root used to have.
To fully return to its former strength would likely take some more time.
Danzo couldn't help but sneer as he recalled how, in the past two months, Uchiha Fugaku, relying solely on the hope of catching a human witness, had stubbornly argued at the Konoha High Council meetings.
When the Uchiha Clan learns that Shimura Rō and the escorts have died at the hands of "Anbu," and several young, talented children have gone missing in the Village, they will likely riot collectively, won't they?
At that point, Hiruzen Sarutobi would have no choice: either Konoha would fight a civil war, or he would preemptively eliminate the Uchiha's fighting force, crushing the crisis in its infancy.
As long as he wasn't foolish, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew what to choose.
As for whether he would be held accountable afterward?
The matter had already occurred; what good would accountability do?
Moreover, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no one to use for many tasks and didn't want to get his hands dirty, so he could only leave them to me, Danzo Shimura!
He couldn't do without me, so he couldn't do anything to me...
A team of Uchiha moved through the dense forest, advancing in alternating shifts, every one of them on high alert, ready to face any potential enemies.
Suddenly, the Clan Member at the front heard the sound of a projectile cutting through the air, swiftly drew a Kunai, and blocked it against his chest, deflecting a shuriken flying from his front-left.
"Alert!"
Shortly after he issued the warning, a dozen or so hired Ninja, disguised as rogue Ninja, emerged from all directions, launching a barrage of various Ninjutsu and exploding tags.
Half of the Uchiha in the squad had activated their Sharingan, easily handling attacks of this intensity. However, they needed to protect the human witness and dared not stray too far from the team, leaving them somewhat passive and constrained.
The enemy had precisely targeted this vulnerability, directing all their attacks towards Uchiha Fūyō in the center, forcing them to contract their defensive line and gather in the middle of the battlefield.
Uchiha Fūyō, with his Two-Tomoe Sharingan active, searched for a breakthrough point.
The second wave of supporting Clan Members hadn't arrived yet. If this dragged on, the situation would become very unfavorable. He had to break through and shake off the pursuers as quickly as possible.
Otherwise, all Clan Members in this squad—including himself—would be exhausted and killed here.
His lips moved, uttering a secret code only Uchiha understood.
[There's an opening in the northeast corner.]
The other Clan Members understood immediately, each unleashing their widest-range Ninjutsu. Lightning Release and Fire Release intertwined to form a large net, repelling another wave of enemy assaults.
He seized the opportunity to approach the opening. Even with a person on his back, it didn't hinder his agile movements. He swiftly eliminated an enemy and broke out of the encirclement.
The Clan Members would hold off the majority of the pursuers for him. His most urgent task now was to quickly rendezvous with the second support team.
As for the few fellow Clan Members covering the rear, whether they survived was up to fate.
Uchiha Fūyō kept moving, twisting and turning through the dense ancient trees, and successively killed two more pursuing Ninja. One of the Ninja even used a Secret Technique from his clan at the last moment.
He clearly remembered that there would be no more bloodline of that clan outside of Konoha.
This meant that not all of the enemies were rogue Ninja; there were also Ninja from their own Village mixed in.
--Good, Konoha isn't even pretending anymore; they dare to openly intercept and kill us!
Just as he secretly gritted his teeth, he noticed several more enemies gradually encircling him, and they were much stronger than the rogue Ninja from before.
He had already anticipated that the opening he used to break through was actually a trap, but he had no choice but to take the risk.
Sheathing his sword and forming hand signs, a Great Fireball Jutsu blasted forth, forcing two enemies to retreat and dodge. Simultaneously, he threw dozens of shuriken, making the other few stop to defend.
Uchiha Fūyō seized the chance, pulled out a Kunai, turned, and lunged, plunging it fiercely into the chest of the nearest attacker.
Blood splattered on his face, making his crimson Sharingan appear even more eerie, faintly glowing with a bloody light.
Another person had circled behind him. He pushed off the corpse impaled by the Kunai, using the momentum to leap into the air, flip, and land in the opponent's blind spot.
Lightning Release: Lightning Stab!
A lightning spear glowing with an ethereal blue light instantly formed in his hand, transforming into an arc of light that shot out, piercing the enemy's back and abdomen below.
In the instant he was airborne and unable to gain leverage, five or six sharp earth spikes rapidly grew from the ground, stabbing at his vital points from different directions.
The tomoe spun rapidly in his iris. He used a Kunai to block the first spike, used the leverage to flash to the left, and narrowly turned his body to let the second and third spikes graze past his ribs.
This downward trajectory had deviated too much, preventing him from returning to the more advantageous position on the treetops for combat, and he fell straight to the ground.
The moment he landed, a wide-area mud swamp had already formed. Even though he activated Lightning Release upon contact, he was still grazed on his waist by the enemy who had been waiting in ambush.Chapter 168 - 169
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23 mars
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Köpt
Chapter 168 Who is he? Why doesn't he kill me?
Only after backhanding the nearby enemy did Uchiha Fūyō get a moment to breathe.
Blood seeped from between his fingers covering the wound, but he had no time to bandage it.
Water Release: Water Needle was spread in the air, falling at extremely high speed, the dense sound of air tearing severely interfering with his judgment.
Uchiha Fūyō retreated while defending, but was still pierced by two needles.
His Two-Tomoe Sharingan was enough to see all attacks, but his injured body was insufficient to mobilize the corresponding speed to react.
--This can't go on...
Seeing that the remaining three enemies were still eyeing him menacingly, Uchiha Fūyō gripped his ninja sword, a look of determination on his face.
Just as he raised his Chakra activity to its highest, preparing for a desperate fight, he suddenly felt a chill, a fear from the depths of his soul that went straight to his brain from his back.
It was like prey encountering a famished predator, all it could do was tremble in the latter's bloodthirsty and brutal gaze, helplessly waiting for death to descend upon it.
The three surrounding enemies also froze in place; if one looked closely, they would find that their fright was even greater, their chests heaving violently, and their hands gripping their weapons trembling.
If he didn't know these people were professional Ninja who had undergone rigorous training, Uchiha Fūyō would have suspected they would immediately turn and flee.
The jungle became deadly silent, even the sound of everyone's breathing disappeared.
An invisible wave of air seemed to come from afar, ancient trees swayed in the storm, startling flocks of birds perched among the branches and leaves one after another.
The birds let out sharp, chaotic cries, like withered leaves caught in a whirlwind, gradually gathering above the entire forest, forming a dense, dark cloud.
Sunlight already struggled to penetrate the dense canopy, and now the forest was even darker.
It seemed as if some monster was slowly approaching, lurking in the darkness. Uchiha Fūyō could even feel its footsteps, and its warm breath, reeking of blood, had almost reached the back of his neck.
Thump... The sound of a shoe sole colliding with a tree trunk was like a clap of thunder in the silence.
Uchiha Fūyō turned to look, only to see a black-robed figure standing on a tree.
Judging from his posture, he was undoubtedly watching this small battlefield of desperate struggle.
Watching them, who had become trapped beasts.
The three enemies seemed unable to bear such an excessive amount of fear any longer; their minds plunged into chaos, yet they broke through their physiological reactions and gained the strength to attack.
"Die!"
One of them unfolded a scroll, and various projectiles shot out towards this Mysterious Person.
The next moment, the Mysterious Person had already appeared beside the Ninja who had launched the attack.
Uchiha Fūyō saw or heard no movement or sound, yet the Ninja had already died quietly and without resistance.
The body, devoid of life, began to tilt, rapidly withering into "rotten wood" before it hit the ground, shattering into dark, charred fragments.
The Mysterious Person did not continue to move, but instead tilted his head, as if waiting for his opponents to display some more trivial tricks to entertain him.
The remaining two Ninja, seizing the opportunity to attack, immediately formed hand signs.
Earth Release Barrier: Earth Dome Prison!
The surrounding ground rapidly rose, earth and stones stacking into a hemispherical Barrier prison, trapping the Mysterious Person within it, continuously absorbing his Chakra.
But the indestructible, heavy earth prison had just formed when it instantly began to collapse and shatter; no matter how much Chakra was poured into it, its shape could not be maintained, ultimately leaving only a ring of dust at the Mysterious Person's feet.
"Boring."
The Mysterious Person spat out two cold words; it seemed the mask he wore made his voice somewhat deep, with a strange vibrating quality at the end, making it impossible to discern his true vocal pitch.
He extended his right hand, and the lightning flickering in his palm condensed into a sharp shape.
Uchiha Fūyō's Two-Tomoe Sharingan could barely perceive it: his figure vanished for a moment and then reappeared.
The only two remaining enemies fell one after another without even a chance to resist, their deaths exactly the same as the previous one.
A cold wind blew, and the withered, carbonized bodies disintegrated little by little with the air currents, making a light rustling sound that made Uchiha Fūyō's scalp tingle.
The Mysterious Person noticed there was still one person on the scene and looked in his direction.
--Is it my turn?
Uchiha Fūyō tightened his grip and slightly adjusted his stance.
Even if he was likely no match for the opponent, he had to choose to fight.
An Uchiha would never surrender!
To his surprise, the Mysterious Person did not use that strange Ninjutsu, and after two breaths, he disappeared.
Uchiha Fūyō did not relax his guard for a long time.
Several footsteps approached from afar.
"Fūyō-senpai!"
The faint call allowed him to loosen his grip; looking at his Clan Member, all injured but with no casualties, he realized the opponent had truly left, and he gasped for air to calm his racing heart.
Then he realized his back was drenched in cold sweat, and the palms of both hands were clammy, his gloves almost able to be wrung out.
--Who was he? Why didn't he kill me?
Uchiha Fūyō was puzzled, but this was no place to linger. He signaled his Clan Member to follow him and quickly withdraw... Naraku, using the alias "Kage," hid in the shadows, listening to White Zetsu provide him with information.
"The second group of Uchiha is in the southwest direction, about a hundred kilometers from here."
"Mm."
Naraku responded perfunctorily, then his body tensed, and he bent down, removed his mask, and coughed violently several times.
He only felt better after spitting out blood. He casually wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, enduring the dull pain in his chest as he straightened up to breathe.
"Lord Madara said that using the Mangekyo will only shorten your lifespan; you don't have many days left, you know."
White Zetsu, like a tree root, spoke a reminder.
Naraku said coldly, "I know."
"Such a willful child, aren't you~"
White Zetsu shook his head in an exaggerated manner, completely forgetting his past lessons, and dared to tease with an impudent tone, "Kage, why did you save them? Do you still care about the Uchiha?"
"You might as well stop calling yourself White Zetsu and just call yourself Idiot."
Naraku's expression seemed to indicate an intolerance for stupidity. He raised his hand, swung his ninja sword, and chopped off one of the other's arms, a smile still on his face.
"If I don't let them take the witnesses back, how will Konoha have an internal conflict? With Uchiha Fugaku's cowardly nature, would he dare to turn hostile without concrete evidence?"
White Zetsu was accustomed to losing limbs. He picked up his intact arm and surprisingly felt a surge of emotion, thinking, "He's so gentle today; he didn't even chop my arm into pieces."
Just as he reattached his arm, he heard Naraku issue a cold command.
"Let's go, Idiot."
"Alright!"
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Chapter 169 I don't want to have the face of the First Hokage
Rushing all the way back to Mountain Prison, Naraku had barely entered the underground area when he received some relatively good news from Black Zetsu.
Uchiha Madara planned to inject him with Hashirama cells.
Not bad, not bad. This is a good opportunity to awaken a new Bloodline Limit and gradually awaken the main personality.
A thought flashed through Naraku's mind, and then he showed a happy smile.
"Really? Lord Madara has finally finished the adjustments?"
His movements were exaggerated, his hands clasped beside his face, and he spoke in a very cheerful tone words that were incredibly cruel to himself.
"I thought I wouldn't live to see that day."
Black Zetsu couldn't help but close his eyes.
-- He's truly insane, Uchiha Naraku's sub-personality.
The thought of having to continue to put up with this guy for many years after Madara died made him feel dizzy.
-- Uchiha Madara, maybe you shouldn't die yet...
Ignoring what Black Zetsu was thinking, Naraku scurried into Uchiha Madara's laboratory.
Sure enough, Madara was already waiting for him, and on the operating table lay a syringe filled with a strange liquid.
Naraku deliberately walked a large circle around Madara before coming to the other side of the table, leaning forward with his hands propped on the surface, muttering all the while.
"Lord Madara, are we starting now?"
"Do I need to do any preparations first? Like praying?"
"Don't I need to fast from food and water for eight hours before the surgery?"
He looked around and found no strange instruments or medical equipment, indicating that Madara only intended to give him an injection.
A slight aggrieved curve appeared at the corner of his brow.
"It feels so casual, so sloppy, even though it's an important moment in my life..."
"Shut up, you stupid brat." Madara rubbed his throbbing temples, his finger tapping the operating table: "Hurry up and get on."
"Alright, alright."
Naraku puffed out his cheeks, jumped onto the operating table, and lay down, letting Madara manipulate his arm.
This posture showed either 100% trust in Madara, or a complete disregard for his own life, or perhaps both.
The needle pierced his skin and entered the vein, and the cold liquid spread, quickly numbing his entire arm.
After the injection, Madara pulled out the syringe and told Naraku to stop the bleeding himself.
Naraku placed his glowing green palm over the needle mark, and at the same time, expressed strong condemnation: "I'm the patient, you know... I have to stop my own bleeding, Lord Madara doesn't care about me at all..."
He smiled, his empty, hollow eyes fixed on Uchiha Madara, and imperceptibly, his entire left arm turned pale and eerie.
Faint pricks of pain came from his arm, followed by his shoulder and chest, and then his internal organs; the range grew wider, and the pain grew heavier.
Naraku coughed twice softly, his consciousness hazy, his eyes vaguely looking at Madara's chest, still not forgetting to joke around.
"Speaking of which, I..."
"I don't want the First Hokage's face to grow on my body..."
"I don't even like him..."
Uchiha Madara's eyebrow twitched, just about to curse, but saw that this guy, Naraku, had already completely fainted.
-- Damn stupid brat, it's not like I wanted it to grow either!
He suddenly thought that if others saw Hashirama's face growing on his body, who knows what strange rumors would spread.
The almost octogenarian Uchiha Madara frowned deeply, worried about his reputation in this regard for the first time.
"Cough... cough..."
The brat on the table coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood, and even in his coma, his limbs occasionally convulsed from being unable to bear the excessive pain.
Finally, he turned onto his side and curled up slightly, the blood flowing from his mouth trickling to the edge of the table, sliding down the stone wall in several blood trails of varying lengths.
From now on, he could only rely on himself. Madara was about to leave when he suddenly heard a faint murmur from behind him.
"..."
The syllables were too faint, even Madara couldn't hear them clearly.
And rather than a murmur, it sounded more like noise from breathing.
In any case, there was no chance to hear it again. Uchiha Madara turned and left the laboratory, waiting for this foolish brat to survive on his own...
Naraku, having blocked all pain, huddled in his mental space, watching his body twitching and clicking his tongue.
"Tsk tsk tsk... How miserable."
"Two episodes of the anime have been updated."
Hearing the system prompt, Naraku stopped staring at his pathetic body and opened the website.
He had saved up several episodes and now was a good time to catch up.
Since awakening as the 'Naraku' personality, the White Zetsu intelligence system was also open to him.
With the stealth capabilities of the monstrous White Zetsu, if he wanted to, he could know most things in the Ninja World, even what time Kakashi went to sleep at night while training with Jiraiya outside the village.
So for him, the anime's function of providing information had clearly diminished; nowadays, it was primarily valuable for gaining popularity points.
Of course, watching for fun when he had nothing else to do was also a very important use for the anime.
— —
After 'Naraku' rescued Yun Muyan, the opening scene of the next episode returned to where Naraku had fallen off the cliff.
Uchiha Endou and Uchiha Fūyō arrived, each using different methods to investigate, and soon reunited.
Through scrolls and Ninja Cats, the two roughly reconstructed the final part of that battle.
When Entō realized the truth and prompted Fūyō, the latter's expression first turned horrified, then quickly transformed into anger, accompanied by heavy, terrifying sound effects, once again clutching at the audience's hearts.
[Hiyori is so cute, I want to pet her]
[Detective Entō, reporting for duty]
[Finally! The Uchiha finally know Naraku was framed by someone from his own village! Wuwuwuwu!]
[The Uchiha Clan is about to explode]
[More than just explode, they finally got a Mangekyo, but Konoha killed him? This grudge is irreconcilable!]
[This hatred, this animosity, is impossible to quell!]
Affected by the residual Chakra traces of Naraku, the scroll changed again. Uchiha Endou looked at the strange patterns, and even with his vast knowledge and calm mind, his voice trembled slightly.
"This is...!"
Bang—
The scene shifted, and Uchiha Fugaku's hand slammed hard on the table, almost making him jump from behind his desk.
"What did you say?!"
Listening to Entō repeat the bombshell news that "Uchiha Naraku is suspected of having awakened the Mangekyo," he took half a step back, both heartbroken and shocked, his eyes burning with fury.
[Fugaku's world just crashed down]
[It's the Uchiha's world that crashed! That's the strongest weapon!]
[What are you waiting for, send people to find Naraku's remains!]
[Since Shimura Rō is still alive, Danzo will definitely know about Naraku awakening the Mangekyo, and that old geezer must be frantically sending people out to find the body now]
[Holy crap! If Danzo finds it, the Uchiha are completely finished!]
On the other side, the atmosphere in the Hokage Office was even heavier.
After the Anbu reporting the news left, Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped out his cigarette ash and helplessly asked Danzo why he couldn't wait, his cold-blooded words drawing curses from countless viewers.
Danzo was still denying it, but he had no credibility with Hiruzen Sarutobi or the audience; his defense was just stubborn refusal to admit guilt.
Then the two argued and began discussing how to handle the aftermath, finally deciding on a cold approach.
Whether it was waiting for the Uchiha to quiet down, or suppressing them if they caused a ruckus, they certainly wouldn't actively compensate the Uchiha.
[Hiruzen Sarutobi! Do you hear yourself? Is that a human thing to say?! (Roars)]
[The 'Ninja God' is dead; now sitting in the Hokage's seat is a gradually aging politician]
[Konoha's leader isn't saddened by an innocent child dying at the hands of a comrade, but rather angry because his old friend wasn't thorough enough in his actions]
[It's truly too absurd, wuwuwuwu...]
[Destroy it! It's beyond saving!]
...