Chapter 29: Countdown to the Uchiha Clan Massacre?
With a move of Tai Chi, Haruko threw the question back.
"Of course, this isn't a multiple-choice question where you only have two options. You can choose both, neither, or even find other options."
"Other options?"
"The Third Hokage, Danzo, Fugaku, Uchiha Ninjas, Uchiha civilians... Do you really understand what all the parties involved in this matter are thinking?"
Itachi was silent, his eyes wavering.
"You still have time; talk to others more, and perhaps you'll find other ways of thinking. This has never been a one-man show; whatever ending you want, you need people to cooperate."
The world of the genjutsu seemed half-submerged in water; the colors and sounds collapsed back into reality. Haruko glanced at the teacup—it was ice cold.
Itachi said nothing more, simply eating his bowl of hot noodle soup quietly. The confusion in his eyes seemed to have dissipated a little.
"Thank you."
Itachi left a banknote on the table, stood up, and vanished into the night.
'If you could find a few more people to talk to and then stay away from me, I'd really be grateful."
Haruko looked at the banknote on the table and shook his head.
After coming out of the genjutsu world, Haruko clearly felt a certain power within his body stir.
Perhaps because the Sharingan's genjutsu is Yin Release, his body had recorded some sensations after coming into contact with a large amount of Yin Release Chakra.
'I remember Itachi likes to leave genjutsu backdoors for people? I'll have to ask Hinata to check for me when I see her next time. I need to prepare countermeasures for genjutsu too..."
Just as Haruko was brainstorming, the door curtain was lifted again.
"Sorry, the shop is closed... oh?"
The person who entered this time was a middle-aged man wearing plain cloth clothes. He was ordinary-looking, the type you couldn't find if thrown into a crowd.
"Have some mercy, boss; all the restaurants on the road are closed."
The man wore an apologetic smile but sat down at the counter directly, looking like he was determined to eat.
Haruko's eyes narrowed slightly, then he immediately reverted to his lazy clerk persona.
Although this man was trying his best to conceal his aura and pretending to be a salaryman off work, there was a faint, lingering scent of blood on him—the unique aura of someone who had walked in the shadows for years.
" Anbu, or Root?"
Haruko was certain this guy was here to scout for information about Itachi.
Although he really wanted to kick him out immediately, doing so would only bring more trouble. It was better to satisfy his curiosity.
"No more ramen. Just simple hot noodle soup. Eat up and leave."
Haruko sighed and began preparing the food for him.
"Okay, thank you very much."
The Ninja appeared to be waiting for his noodles, but his gaze was intentionally or unintentionally scanning the shop. He spoke as if casually: "That young man who just went out looks quite familiar. His complexion was so poor; was he heartbroken?"
A blatant probe.
"Hey, don't mention it. He's a regular here, the young master of the Uchiha clan, under a lot of pressure. He was just pouring his heart out to me, saying a friend of his passed away."
Haruko slammed a bowl of noodles down in front of the man, taking the opportunity to switch into chatterbox mode, looking completely annoyed.
"Shouldn't he be talking to his family about things like this? I'm not his mother; what's the point of him always coming here? Don't you think?"
"He probably thinks you're easy to talk to, boss." The Ninja picked up a chopstick of noodles. "Are you two close?"
"Not bad, but I wouldn't say we're very close; just the relationship between a shopkeeper and a regular customer. We were classmates, but he graduated in a year and went off to do missions."
After saying that, Haruko leaned in closer, lowered his voice, and asked mysteriously:
"Hey, big brother, do you think he's stupid? What's the point of living a life of constant fighting at such a young age?"
"Oh, and what did he say?"
Haruko rolled his eyes and scoffed: "What else could he say? Responsibility, bonds, and all that. I don't get it anyway. Like me, just cooking noodles and counting money every day—that's the life!"
The face of an unambitious commoner was portrayed to perfection.
The Ninja stared at Haruko for a few seconds.
Having confirmed through his gaze, he was just a piece of trash who couldn't stir up any trouble.
The Ninja chuckled and lowered his head to eat his noodles: "It's good to be stable; you live longer if you're stable."
After finishing the bowl of noodles, the man paid and left as silently as he had arrived.
Haruko washed the bowls and chopsticks with Water Release, sighing lightly.
"I managed to fool him this time... but I need to prepare an escape route."
Even a conversation of this level is being monitored; it shows that the water in Konoha has become extremely murky.
Shisui is dead, so the Uchiha Clan Massacre Night is not far off.
Itachi has been guided by him a few times, but judging from Shisui's outcome, it's hard to say how effective it was.
When that time comes, Konoha will undergo a major reshuffling. He has already been dragged into it and needs to prepare for the worst.
As a "commoner" with no background who just wants to lie flat, caught between these behemoths, one slight misstep and he would be crushed into powder.
'It seems I need to find a time to go to the northern part of the Land of Fire."
Haruko doesn't know if they will accept him, but after all, they share the same bloodline, so there is still a chance.
If he really can't stay in Konoha, that might be a good safe haven.
Of course, before that, there are still some things to do.
...
"The above is the account of the contact with the target."
"Understood, you may leave."
In the Hokage Building, the office was filled with smoke.
"Cooking noodles and counting money every day... Hmph, an unambitious, worthless commoner."
Danzo Shimura snorted coldly. "Itachi associating with someone who only knows how to drift through life will shake his resolve."
Danzo turned to look at his old friend opposite him: "I suggest we immediately eliminate this variable named Haruko. At the very least, forbid Itachi from stepping into that shop ever again."
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, slowly exhaled a puff of smoke.
"Danzo, you've pulled the string too tight. Itachi is still just a child. If we deprive him of even the last bit of breathing room, then this blade... I'm afraid it will snap in our own hands before it ever hurts the enemy."
"Weak excuses! Although that Haruko appears to be a loser, the fact that he can shake Itachi's resolve with just a few words makes him a liability! For the sake of the Village, we must eliminate all uncontrollable risks!"
"He is just a Genin Ramen Shop clerk. Letting him exist as a listener is beneficial and harmless to stabilizing Itachi's Spiritual state."
The Third Hokage tapped the ash out of his pipe. Although his tone remained calm, it carried an unquestionable firmness:
"As long as Itachi is still executing missions and living in this Village, he needs a place that makes him feel like he is'still alive." This matter is not up for further discussion."
Danzo's chest heaved a few times. After a long while, he slowly stood up.
"Hiruzen, you will regret this."
The Third Hokage did not look up and simply replied indifferently:
"Danzo, I am the Hokage."
Bang!
Danzo flicked his sleeve and slammed the door as he left.
The room returned to silence. The Third Hokage took out the report sent from the border and the returned Chunin Exams application form.
"Talented, but lacks drive, huh... Let's observe for a while longer."
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