Changes in the Uchiha Clan

Whoosh!

A figure appeared atop Konoha's Hokage Rock.

Itachi quietly gazed down over the entire village.

In the past, whenever he stood here, his blood would boil, and his heart would be filled to the brim.

For the peaceful and beautiful village below, he had been willing to give everything. Even if it meant becoming enemies with his father, Fugaku Uchiha, he would not hesitate.

He had even once thought of making the Uchiha Clan vanish completely, just like the Senju Clan.

But Kazuna told him that if he had decided not to limit himself to the narrow perspective of one clan, then why not broaden his gaze to encompass the entire village—and even the whole Shinobi World?

From that moment onward, Itachi felt that he had truly awakened his Sharingan.

He had seen the real world!

A world utterly different from the one he had known before.

The Three Tomoe slowly turned, linking together and transforming into a Mangekyo as it coldly watched the village.

The Mangekyo's astonishing Dojutsu allowed him to clearly see the children running and playing in the village, lovers gazing tenderly at one another, youths training diligently, and the ninjas tirelessly rushing about for their missions.

Itachi's eyes were filled with complicated emotions.

This was Konoha in the open. What about in the shadows?

The Sarutobi Clan was like a Sarutobi Village situated within Konoha, steeped in nobility and pride.

Four ugly-faced elders greedily sucked the village dry. Their faces bore smug, vicious grins as they endlessly spoke of the Will of Fire.

...Those without the Will of Fire were unworthy of being shinobi.

The ugly faces of those four constantly surfaced in his mind. They kept roaring loudly, shouting about the Will of Fire.

Itachi covered his eyes.

"As long as you remain in power, Konoha will have no future!"

He murmured to himself, somewhat unable to understand what he was truly thinking at this moment.

Melancholy?

Sorrow?

"Why am I thinking about all this?" Itachi sighed. "I currently have no power to change any of it. Still, Brother Kazuna, let me see just how blazing your Crimson Flame can be."

Whoosh!

He vanished from the spot.

He went to carry out Danzō's mission—a mission Kazuna had anticipated.

Monitor the Uchiha Clan!

Danzō had never trusted Itachi.

He trusted no Uchiha.

No!

Other than himself, he trusted no one.

Therefore, he would not allow Itachi to participate in the operation to surround and kill Kazuna, unless Uchiha Itachi was the only one carrying out that mission.

Thus, Danzō would certainly give the order for the Uchiha to monitor the Uchiha.

None of that mattered!

Kazuna had only one objective: to keep the Uchiha from participating in the siege against him, because he was worried that he might kill himself into a frenzy.

Whoosh!

Itachi appeared before Kazuna. Looking at him slurping his tea, he said solemnly, "Brother Kazuna, everything is proceeding according to your plan. Danzō ordered me to monitor the other Uchiha and stop concerning myself with you."

"Mm!" Without even raising his head, Kazuna continued slurping his tea. "The Uchiha will monitor one another, while he sends Root to monitor the Uchiha as well. That is Shimura Danzō—the eternal Darkness of Shinobi. He trusts no one, yet wholeheartedly wants to become Hokage. Heh heh!"

Itachi ignored Kazuna's mockery and merely frowned. "Are you still going to act alone? This time, Danzō will certainly deploy many powerful fighters. I already told him that you are stronger than my father."

"I was already stronger than Clan Leader Fugaku. As for powerful fighters, the more he sends, the better, because I am the strongest of them all!"

Kazuna smiled faintly.

The next day, Kazuna did not take action. He continued wandering the streets.

The atmosphere in the village grew even stranger.

Not only did the Uchiha wear strange smiles every day, they also muttered under their breath.

The sight made many people uneasy, unable to understand what the Uchiha were plotting.

Kazuna was also quite surprised.

He called over a member of the Uchiha Clan, and only after asking did he understand: the Uchiha had received the ninjutsu Kazuna had given them, but lacked the time to practice it. So, while patrolling, they thought over the ninjutsu.

It was not that the Uchiha were truly obsessed with power to such an extent; they simply had no time.

Normally, they had to patrol. It was an indispensable duty.

After the patrols, they also had to follow Kazuna's orders and help the Uchiha widows and orphans.

They were their clansmen too.

Their parents, husbands, wives, sons, and daughters had died on the battlefield or while carrying out missions. The surviving Uchiha had a responsibility to look after them.

For various reasons, they had not offered help before. Now, things were different.

Kazuna provided money and ninjutsu. Land, houses, and the like could also be arranged.

All he asked was for the Uchiha ninja to put in some effort and lend a hand. If they could not even do that, there was no excuse.

The Uchiha had always charged at the very front of the battlefield or carried out the most dangerous missions. There was no shortage of widows, orphans, and people with physical disabilities.

And since this poverty-relief effort had only just begun, the Uchiha truly could not squeeze out time to practice ninjutsu.

Thus, some clever people suggested that they use their patrol time to think over and analyze ninjutsu. When they practiced later, they would naturally get twice the result with half the effort.

Besides, Kazuna had said not to worry about trivial matters. They were simply obeying orders.

"Hehe!"

Kazuna smiled.

This was exactly what he wanted!

He personally watched two people from Konoha arguing loudly, nearly coming to blows, while the patrolling Uchiha merely glanced at them before turning and walking away.

They did not interfere!

Farther away, someone was shouting about catching a thief.

Yet the patrolling Uchiha turned their heads and headed in another direction.

Still not interfering!

Kazuna smiled.

Not bad!

This was exactly how it should be done!

Looking at the dissatisfied villagers, Kazuna sneered inwardly. Didn't you all think the Uchiha loved meddling in other people's business?

Just like before, when the Uchiha caught a thief, the thief's family would be deeply dissatisfied. They would loudly berate the Uchiha, and some elderly people would even kneel on the ground and wail as if they had suffered some terrible injustice.

Then came the classic scene.

Countless people began condemning the Uchiha, claiming that their law enforcement was too harsh and lacked all human feeling.

Even the person who had been robbed would say that they did not want to pursue the matter, coldly demanding that the Uchiha release the thief.

In the end, it became the Uchiha's fault.

Kazuna understood that someone was secretly steering things this way.

But the villagers were not children who understood nothing. Could they really not tell right from wrong?

Fine, if they could not understand, then they would do things according to the villagers' wishes!

The Uchiha belonged to Konoha. They respected the wishes of Konoha's villagers!

After thinking for a moment, Kazuna waved over an Uchiha and said quietly, "Find me a few clansmen who are good with words. Preferably the kind who can talk the dead back to life."

"Th-this..."

That Uchiha was dumbfounded on the spot and asked reflexively, "Someone like you?"

Kazuna looked at him expressionlessly. "Do I look like that kind of person?"

"No!" The Uchiha answered without the slightest hesitation.

Then he hesitated and said, "Do you want me to find clansmen who are the opposite of you?"

Damn it!

Kazuna stared at the Uchiha for a long moment, then gritted his teeth. "Just use my standards. And what's your name, kid?"

The Uchiha grinned. "Minister, this subordinate is Hyōmaru. Uchiha Hyōmaru!"