Shimura Danzō gave a soft "hmph," seeming to agree while also expressing his displeasure as he turned and left.
Sarutobi Hiruzen watched quietly without saying anything.
Uchiha Clan Land.
"Shisui!"
"Shisui, you're back!"
"Shisui, come eat at my house this afternoon!"
Amid the greetings from the clan members, the troubled Uchiha Shisui smiled gently as usual and returned their greetings.
He made his way home, but after taking two steps forward, he stopped in front of his neighbor's door.
This was the home of Seifu Uchiha, Seiya Uchiha, and Jinghuo Uchiha, a family of three.
Now...
Uchiha Shisui's face was filled with guilt and anguish.
He knew that Seifu Uchiha and Seiya Uchiha could not possibly have betrayed the village. Not only did they, like him, want the village and the Uchiha Clan Members to coexist peacefully, but they had only just welcomed the fruit of their love into the world. How could they abandon Jinghuo Uchiha and leave?
The only possibility... was that they had met with disaster.
This was supposed to have been his mission.
Even if someone had to go missing, it should have been him.
So he had taken Jinghuo Uchiha's parents away from him.
He was the reason Jinghuo Uchiha no longer had parents!
Whenever he thought of this, it felt as though sharp claws were gripping his heart, twisting it in unbearable pain.
Still, he hid it well. He smiled and greeted the wet nurse. After she left, he stood beside Jinghuo Uchiha's cradle, at a complete loss for what to do.
Jinghuo Uchiha stared at him with wide eyes, puzzled. What is this idiot doing?
He was not worried that Uchiha Shisui might have ill intentions toward him.
Although Uchiha Shisui was also a double agent, he valued his clan members more than the village. Otherwise, before his death, he could have used Kotoamatsukami to control Fugaku Uchiha and make the Uchiha surrender. Why would he instead entrust Uchiha Itachi with protecting the village and the Uchiha Clan before killing himself?
Besides, Jinghuo Uchiha was Uchiha Shisui's cousin.
They shared the same great-grandfather. Of Kagami Uchiha's bloodline and relatives, only the two of them remained.
The newborn Jinghuo Uchiha could not speak yet. When Uchiha Shisui stood there for three minutes without saying a word, Jinghuo Uchiha simply started doing push-ups by himself.
Calling them push-ups was generous. He looked more like a newborn fawn—his whole body trembled just from supporting himself on all four limbs.
Though his constitution was weak, his recovery ability was excellent.
So Jinghuo Uchiha exercised for a while, then rested for a while.
In just five minutes, he had completed ten sets!
At this rate, he would probably be able to crawl in a few days, walk in a few weeks, take on quests in a few months, and beat Danzo to death in a few years!
A bright, wonderful future awaited him!
Suddenly, two hands lifted Jinghuo Uchiha under the arms and placed him back in the cradle, facing the guilt-ridden Uchiha Shisui.
Jinghuo Uchiha bit down on his pacifier and silently watched him without crying or fussing.
Uchiha Shisui's heart ached even more.
"Jinghuo, your parents... they... they may already be dead..."
Saying those words did not make Uchiha Shisui feel much better.
What reaction could a three-month-old baby possibly have?
So why had he told Jinghuo Uchiha?
Uchiha Shisui froze for a moment.
"Am... am I seeking redemption...?" Realizing this, Uchiha Shisui felt even more self-blame.
Jinghuo Uchiha's reaction was calm.
"Oh."
So that's why they still haven't come back.
Looks like Danzo set them up.
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Although he had no evidence, the title of Pot Kage was enough for Jinghuo Uchiha to unconditionally dump all the blame onto Shimura Danzō.
He even had the leisure to joke to himself, As expected, transmigrators are always orphans. Web novels truly never lie to me.
At that moment, the quest refreshed.
[Quest name: You're the One Who Killed My parents?] [Quest content: Kill Shimura Danzō!] [Quest reward: Immortal Body + Dead Demon Consuming Seal + Mosquito Summoning Beast + Life Destruction Rebirth]
"Hm? The reward increased?" Jinghuo Uchiha immediately realized. "Does drawing aggro increase the reward?"
This pleasantly surprised him.
Delighted, he crawled up and patted Uchiha Shisui's hand. "Waa~ waa~ waa~" It's fine. Once I grow up, I'll just revive them. You don't need to worry so much.
Of course, Uchiha Shisui could not understand this encrypted baby language, and he felt even guiltier.
But Jinghuo Uchiha's babbling also stirred up his desire to speak.
"Although the Third Hokage did not say he would investigate, and Danzo does not trust the Uchiha Clan, the Third Hokage will definitely send someone to investigate. Maybe they're still alive. The Third Hokage is a good man. With him around, the Uchiha can..."
Suddenly.
A faint sound came from his face.
It was the sound of a tiny palm making contact with his cheek.
It did not hurt. It even tickled a little. But Uchiha Shisui stared blankly at Jinghuo Uchiha, who was struggling to hold onto the cradle railing, utterly bewildered.
Because he could tell that the little baby before him... was angry.
"Why?" He was stunned.
Jinghuo Uchiha wailed furiously.
"Waa!" Why do you trust that bastard Third Hokage so much!
"Waa!" Even after stepping down, he still fucking controlled the Anbu!
"Waa!" If you can't see through him, can't you at least see what kind of people Shimura Danzō, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu are?!
"Waa!" What good people could possibly come from the same circle?!
Uchiha Shisui truly did not understand. His mind was blank as he stood there in incomprehensible confusion.
Jinghuo Uchiha knew, but knowing something and seeing it with his own eyes were two different things.
Especially since it concerned him, he was naturally furious at Uchiha Shisui's stupidity.
Yet mixed in with that anger was a trace of excitement.
Because he had just completed his first quest.
[Quest name: You Still Believe Sarutobi Hiruzen?] [Quest content: Give Uchiha Shisui a Big Slap!] [Quest reward: Mangekyo]
Mangekyo! How wonderful!
There are still more than five years, Jinghuo Uchiha muttered to himself.
He wanted to kill Danzo before the Night of the Massacre!
If possible, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, Uchiha Obito, Black Zetsu... he did not want to let a single one of them go.
The sun rose and set, and spring gave way to autumn.
The death of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, gave Kumogakure, which had been developing its military strength, an opportunity to exploit.
After the Nine-Tails Attack broke out, Kumogakure immediately launched a war against Konoha.
The war was intense. Even Yakushi Nonō and Yakushi Kabuto from the orphanage went to help earn money and support the household.
Two years later, Orochimaru, who had remained in Konoha, was exposed for conducting human experiments. Sarutobi Hiruzen led people in pursuit, but failed.
Orochimaru escaped and became a rogue ninja.
Seeing this, Iwagakure, which had always coveted Konoha, finally entered the fray and went to war with Konoha.
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