Showing Off Muscle

Showing Off Muscle

The appearance of Wood Release had made Konoha's higher-ups nervous.

This matter also involved two pairs of Mangekyo.

No matter where they were placed, they would be a force that could not be ignored.

Konoha, already far from peaceful, now had even stronger undercurrents swirling beneath the surface.

Quite a few major ninja clans had begun reducing the number of missions their clan ninjas took outside the village.

Many people were skeptical of Kazuki's words. They unanimously believed that not a single word out of his mouth was true.

Not even a dog would believe him.

Danzo and the Third Hokage: He's hiding something!

The newcomer was none other than Shisui.

Kazuki had originally intended to tease him a little, but seeing Shisui as he was now... forget it!

If he kept messing with him, Shisui was going to break.

Jonin as subordinates—then what about the ordinary Uchiha?

Kazuki smiled faintly and said, "Fine. To be frank, I did it. I won't hide it from you!"

As the sound of a cane striking the floor echoed, the Third Hokage let out a faint sigh.

Danzo and the Third Hokage met each other's gaze, staring deeply into each other's eyes.

Shisui had considered countless answers, but this was absolutely not one of them.

"Go on!"

More than one-tenth of Konoha's total number of jonin!

Shisui fell silent.

Hiruzen Sarutobi said coldly, "Shisui has the Mangekyo, so it's possible for him to have orchestrated this. But what about Kazuki? Which of you knew he had the Mangekyo? Before today, no one knew."

Shisui took a deep breath.

So, could his silence be protecting someone?

That one-eyed man might have several Wood Release ninjas in his hands.

What he loved most was watching them clearly disbelieve him, yet still have no choice but to act according to his wishes.

Kazuki: "..."

The Hokage's office.

That was a disaster capable of triggering a war throughout the entire ninja world!

Kazuki countered, "Shisui, do you think I did it? That I dug out your eyes?"

Kazuki repeated, "For Konoha!"

Kazuki was speechless. "Shisui, don't you think we're both idiots? Two blind men staring at each other—what are we looking at? Can you see me, or can I see you?"

Besides, he was also uneasy about his Mangekyo falling into someone else's hands.

Besides, where there was a presence, there would be traces.

"I'm a genius of the Uchiha Clan. I became an Uchiha jonin at barely over ten years old. As for my current strength, Shisui, you understand."

"For Konoha!"

Danzo rose to his feet and said coldly, "I'm not someone who waits passively."

Jonin?!

Shisui's hand trembled slightly.

Kazuki glanced at Shisui.

Their forces were deeply intertwined. They had survived perfectly well since the Warring States Period, so they naturally had their own methods of survival.

"Hmph!"

Shisui responded with cold indifference.

The Third Hokage's face seemed even older.

"Shisui, you've grown up."

But with such a kingdom before him, how could one not be reluctant to let go?

He had never truly understood his younger brother.

Shisui suddenly felt ice-cold all over, as though even his bones were radiating chill.

Because Kazuki had lost his eyes as well.

"If it wasn't, Danzo, what are you planning to do?"

"Everyone is suspecting it. Is that useful?"

The effects of Kotoamatsukami were simply too astonishing.

Shisui said expressionlessly, "You don't even have eyes now. How are you going to cry? Do you have tears? Want to describe what it feels like for tears to flow from empty eye sockets?"

Never underestimate the ninja clans that had existed since Konoha's founding.

Upon hearing Kazuki admit it, Shisui actually felt relieved.

He had been holding back his anger all this time.

This was the strength of Konoha's strongest clan.

The result was extremely unfriendly to Danzo.

Although the eyes were still in his hands, having them dug out had really hurt.

"Strength brings status, and naturally, followers will gather," Kazuki said with a smile. "So I'm not without a foundation in the Uchiha. On the contrary, I have several jonin under my command. To be precise, six!"

Mitokado Homura said helplessly, "What do we do now?"

"...Go on!"

"Investigate it slowly!"

The protagonist left. Sleeping Dragon and Young Phoenix exchanged glances, then both bade the Third Hokage farewell.

Shisui's voice unconsciously rose. "Why?"

At the very least, Kazuki had no intention of hiding it from him. Unlike when facing the Third Hokage, he had not made up an excuse to brush him off.

"Have you never considered that this was all a show directed and performed by Uchiha Kazuki himself? He treated all of us like fools and played us for laughs!"

They did not trust Shisui, but they acknowledged his love for the village.

I sacrificed my Mangekyo. You can't refuse to pay a price.

The Third Hokage, however, believed that if Danzo could create one Wood Release user, could he not create a second?

At this moment, while Shisui had been dealt such a blow, it was time to show him just how impressive Kazuki was!

At that moment.

After a long while.

Not to mention that this Wood Release user had previously gone out on missions. It was impossible for him to have avoided everyone's eyes.

"Besides, Kinoe! His Wood Release was aimed not only at tailed beasts, but also at the Uchiha. Everyone had deliberately or unconsciously concealed this from the Uchiha. Would Uchiha Kazuki, that kid who never did proper work, know about it?"

Danzo and the Third Hokage also began suspecting each other.

The hospital room door opened. Someone entered, walked to the bedside, and silently looked at Kazuki.

Kazuki raised his head slightly and met his gaze.

That would be impolite!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression darkened.

And more importantly!

Kurenai went to see him off.

When he woke up.

This concerned the entire ninja clan!

This was precisely the line of thought Kazuki wanted.

No one spoke.

...Shisui's attitude was also strange!

He seemed to be hiding something.

Setting those aside, where had six jonin appeared from to serve as Kazuki's subordinates?

Some people vaguely knew that such a Wood Release ninja did exist, though they did not know much about him.

After chatting with Kazuki for a while, Jiraiya left behind the words, "If you need help with anything, just come find me," then turned and left.

He was already over sixty. Among ninjas, he was unquestionably advanced in age; his physical functions and mental state had long since failed to keep up.

Only after he was alone in the room did the Third Hokage mutter to himself.

"Is this a scheme? There are flaws everywhere. If it is a scheme, how can it be this crude?"

Say a few truthful words and let him relax a little.

But who would dare gamble on it?

Kazuki possessed a system and had long since used it to become a sensory ninja. Shisui's every movement was impossible to escape his senses.

Kazuki usually enjoyed fooling around too, but this time, it had gone far too far.

"What?"

The only response he received was a cold snort.

"Why did you do this?"

Danzo's voice grew increasingly sinister.

Yesterday, after Uchiha Kazuki awakened, Konoha's higher-ups, the major ninja clans, and representatives of the civilian ninjas had gathered for a meeting.

What if it was real?

Kazuki's voice was light and airy, as though it could scatter into the air at any moment.

He sighed.

Danzo believed Hiruzen Sarutobi had taken the Mangekyo, because the Wood Release ninja had already been taken by him.

But!

"They are scattered throughout the Uchiha, gathering intelligence for me."

"Oh, heavens!" Kazuki sniffled softly and muttered, "My older brother actually suspects me? Boohoo! I don't want to live anymore."

Shisui spoke in a low voice.

Konoha's Four Guardian Beasts gathered once again.

These forty jonin included Kazuki, Shisui, even Fugaku, and elders such as Sōgi and Setsuna!

The clan head and elders also had their own direct subordinates.

Six Uchiha jonin, led by Kazuki—this was a powerful force that could not be ignored anywhere.

They had to take the path of sustainable development. They could not treat Shisui as a disposable tool, the kind you threw away after using once.

After learning what had happened from Itachi, he had nearly lost control.

The Uchiha had nearly thirty jonin, with some more hidden in the shadows. Altogether, there were roughly forty.

"As for that Uchiha Muto, hehe, he isn't among the Uchiha jonin registered by the village. No one knows where he came from."

"Danzo!" the Third Hokage rebuked. "You'd better not act recklessly. The current Uchiha are a powder keg. If something happens, even I won't be able to protect you."

Before coming here, he had not been certain whether Kazuki had truly done this.

Without realizing it, Kazuki had become the fourth force within the Uchiha faction, alongside the clan head's faction, the Dove Faction, and the Hawk Faction.

How laughable. He had always regarded him as nothing more than a brat who liked to fool around!

Yet the other man had already become a king.