The successive changes had led Shimura Danzō to set his sights on a top spy who had retired to become the head of an orphanage, and he had also conveniently picked up a promising-looking prospect.
However, even with the Fourth Hokage dead and Orochimaru, one of the three rogue Sannin, having defected, Konoha's combat strength remained formidable.
In the following year, the third year after Jinghuo Uchiha was born, Iwagakure saw that the situation was hopeless and quietly withdrew.
Kumogakure sent an Envoy Group into Konoha to sign an Armistice Agreement.
The Konoha villagers were all delighted.
"This is great! My son can come home!"
"The war is finally over!"
"These past two years haven't been easy!"
"When we run into Kumogakure people, we should treat them better. At the very least, we can't make things harder for the Third Hokage."
"Right, right, right! I'll put up a sign right now—Kumogakure people get half off!"
"Nice! I'll put one up too!"
In contrast to their jubilation, the Uchiha Clan Land was steeped in oppression.
"The neighbor's son didn't make it..."
"My friend's father died too."
"My boyfriend never came back either..."
"Why are we Uchiha the only ones who have to die on the front lines!"
"You can't say that..."
"Why can't I say it?! The ones dying are all from the Uchiha Clan! Everyone else is celebrating, so are we Uchiha supposed to deserve losing the most people?!"
"Shisui, tell us! Are we Uchiha supposed to deserve going off to die?!"
The surrounding Uchiha Clan Members had reddened eyes as they all turned to look at Uchiha Shisui, the dango-nosed youngster.
Konoha's Body Flicker, Uchiha Shisui.
Both his strength and his ideals commanded the respect of his clan members.
Faced with their complaints, Uchiha Shisui opened his mouth, yet could not say a single word.
What could he say?
That it had been arranged by Konoha's higher-ups, that it was an opportunity for the Uchiha Clan to earn War Merit?
That trading the lives of clan members for War Merit would eventually earn the goodwill of the villagers?
Even though it had not yet been announced, he still could not say such things even if it were.
"I should go pick up Jinghuo." Uchiha Shisui used this as a tactful way to avoid answering.
Along the way, he acted as though he fit right in, comforting Uchiha Clan Members who had lost sons and husbands while heading toward the forest behind the clan land.
Forest.
A flat-top little boy in a tight black sleeveless T-shirt was doing crunches on a tree branch two meters above the ground.
Quests kept flashing through his mind.
[Quest name: Are You Really This Easy to PUA?][quest content: Kill Uchiha Shisui!][quest reward: Eternal Mangekyo + Fire Release Chakra Mode] [Quest name: Do You Really Like Stealing Children That Much?][quest content: Kill the Kumogakure Envoy Leader!][quest reward: Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet] [Quest name: And You Call That the Will of Fire?][quest content: Kill Sarutobi Hiruzen!][...] [Quest name: Hinata, I'll Protect You!][quest content: Kill Hyuga Hiashi!][...] [Quest name: Do You Really Like Taking Other People's Things That Much?][quest content: Kill Kumogakure...][...] [Quest name...] [...] [...]
At that moment, a figure walked over.
"Jinghuo, it's time to eat."
"Okay." The little boy jumped down. At one meter and three centimeters tall, he was somewhat taller than children his age and looked about four or five.
The two walked side by side toward home.
The Uchiha Clan Land had already been relocated, no longer situated in the center of the village.
Back then, after the Nine-Tails Attack erupted, at the village reconstruction meeting, under Shimura Danzō's proposal and the tacit approval of the higher-ups, the Uchiha Clan had been required to relocate to a remote corner at the village's edge, away from the central gathering area, and submit to twenty-four-hour surveillance by the village.
Fugaku Uchiha had naturally opposed it fiercely, just like the rest of his clan members. But with the impending war against Kumogakure and Shimura Danzō's vague verbal promise of compensation, Fugaku Uchiha ultimately chose to let the matter rest.
At the time, more than a dozen quests had appeared, five of which told Jinghuo Uchiha to kill Fugaku Uchiha, that huge idiot.
So you're the one who sees the bigger picture?
So you're the one who understands everything?
So you're the one who thinks taking a step back opens up a whole new world?
Although Jinghuo Uchiha had known the plot long ago, being in the middle of it and seeing it with his own eyes still made him want to activate Susanoo and beat him to death.
Damn it! I'm so pissed!
Fortunately, he held himself back.
After all, even if he activated it, he still could not beat Fugaku Uchiha.
After the Uchiha Clan moved to the edge of the village, Fugaku Uchiha went to Shimura Danzō to demand the promised compensation.
The first few times, he had been placated with the excuse that "the war with Kumogakure is ongoing." Later, Shimura Danzō began berating the Uchiha Clan for being selfish, caring only about their own interests, and still pestering him over such petty profits while the village was at war!
Fugaku Uchiha's face turned livid. He was no fool, and he could naturally see that Shimura Danzō intended to renege on his word.
But he still trusted Sarutobi Hiruzen, so he went to him for an explanation.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked troubled. "Fugaku, you've seen the village's situation. Our finances are extremely tight. And Danzo made that promise to you personally. If you ask me to handle it, I also... Sigh, I'll try to talk to him for you."
At Sarutobi Hiruzen's words, Fugaku Uchiha could only bow. "Then I'll trouble you, Lord Hokage."
When he returned from the Hokage Building, many clan members waiting for that money immediately surrounded him.
"Clan Head, when will the money be distributed?"
"Clan Head, my son is waiting for that money to get treatment!"
"Clan Head, my shop's rent is about to be due. If I don't pay them, they'll shut my shop down!"
"Clan Head..."
"Clan Head..."
Not every Uchiha could awaken the Sharingan.
The Uchiha Clan of old might not have been exceptionally wealthy, but they had certainly never lacked money. After all, the Uchiha had been one of the great shinobi clans standing alongside the Senju of the Forest.
But now, after being placed under surveillance, Uchiha Clan Members rarely had opportunities to leave the village for missions. Their only income came from the Police Force.
And because the Police Department was often penalized over complaints, its funding was frequently withheld and delayed.
Fugaku Uchiha had also gone to Sarutobi Hiruzen over this matter.
But it was not just the Police Department. Root, the Medical Department, the Barrier Department, the Education Department... All of them had suffered tight finances due to the war, and their funding was often delayed.
But!
No one from the other departments kept coming to ask for money like he did!
After Fugaku Uchiha had come four or five times, Sarutobi Hiruzen began showing some displeasure.
"Fugaku, if it truly doesn't work, then give up the Police Department."
Those words left Fugaku Uchiha with no choice but to grit his teeth and swallow his anger.
Inside the village: doubts from the higher-ups, alienation from the villagers, and discontent from his clan members.
Outside the village: Kumogakure's greed, Iwagakure's covetousness, and the casualties among his clan members.
Even with Mangekyo that could see the future, Fugaku Uchiha felt utterly despairing about his current circumstances.
Thus, he chose the easiest path—forcefully suppressing the discontent of his clan members.
That only made his clan members feel even more stifled.
As for Jinghuo Uchiha, other than being shocked by Fugaku Uchiha's naive ideas the first time, he had no particular reaction. He simply felt that Fugaku Uchiha was unfit to be Clan Head, far too weak.
The system would occasionally refresh quests telling Jinghuo Uchiha to kill him.
Before you continue