Kumogakure Arrives, Drawing Hatred

Jinghuo Uchiha looked at Uchiha Shisui and asked, "Ge, don't you want to be Clan Head?"

Uchiha Shisui was slightly taken aback.

A few seconds later, he gave a faint smile, ruffled Jinghuo Uchiha's little head, and said nothing.

Seeing this, Jinghuo Uchiha dropped the subject.

He actually knew that Uchiha Shisui wasn't suited to be Clan Head either—after all, he was still being gaslit by Sarutobi Hiruzen.

But at least after Shimura Danzō gouged out his eyes, he didn't go running to Sarutobi Hiruzen, which showed he wasn't completely foolish.

Plus, his Mangekyo held the strongest genjutsu capable of altering another's will—Kotoamatsukami.

Under those circumstances, if he became Clan Head, the Konoha higher-ups would never dare to oppose him, nor would they dare to mess with the Uchiha Clan so recklessly.

Even if Shimura Danzō wanted to strike first, Sarutobi Hiruzen would stop him, because the fallout would be enormous.

After all, if it came to a fight to the death, Konoha would be destroyed, and everything would be over.

Unfortunately, Uchiha Shisui still placed his hopes on Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Tch."

As usual, Jinghuo Uchiha went to train at the Back Mountain after eating.

His main purpose in doing this was to endure pain.

He didn't want to die in a fight because the pain made him slip up.

That kind of death would be too frustrating.

Moreover, training strengthened his physical body and improved his agility.

Killing two birds with one stone—for the sake of the future, Jinghuo Uchiha was happy to do it.

Today, however, his routine changed slightly.

He wanted to test how much he could boost his rewards by drawing hatred.

He hadn't tried it in the past three years, mainly for four reasons.

One, he was Uchiha Shisui's younger brother.

Two, he never left the Uchiha Clan Land.

Three, even if he didn't reveal his Mangekyo, it still gave off a faint, oppressive aura.

Four, the system was too aggressive.

Because of the first three reasons, some Uchiha brats still came to provoke him, but the system immediately demanded he kill those brats.

Jinghuo Uchiha couldn't actually kill them just to complete a system quest.

If he killed them, even as Uchiha Shisui's brother, the Clan Members would kill him.

So he kept putting it off until now.

Today was the first time Jinghuo Uchiha stepped out of the Uchiha Clan Land.

Since he wasn't wearing clothes with the Uchiha clan crest, only the Anbu watching in the shadows knew he was an Uchiha.

But their surveillance of a kid was cursory at best—their focus was on Fugaku Uchiha, Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Hachidai, and the others.

On the street, Jinghuo Uchiha saw many faces brimming with hopeful smiles.

They strongly supported the Armistice Agreement and praised the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, even calling him the "Strongest Hokage in History."

[Quest Name: You Call Yourself the Strongest Hokage?]

[Quest Content: Kill Sarutobi Hiruzen!]

[Quest Reward: Immortal Body + Water Transformation Technique + Orochimaru's Substitution Technique]

Jinghuo Uchiha's disdain for Sarutobi Hiruzen was perfectly reflected by the system.

But actually killing Sarutobi Hiruzen was something Jinghuo Uchiha couldn't do yet.

His Mangekyo ability was strong, purely boosting combat power.

But as he was now, he could at most trade his life for Sarutobi Hiruzen's.

That was a terrible deal for him.

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In front of the Envoys' Inn.

The Jonin Squad leader, Nara Shikaku, stood behind a few Chūnin.

Beside him, the Kumogakure Envoy leader was followed by several fellow envoys.

Both sides had the same presence, but the Kumogakure Envoy leader's stern, almost impatient expression made every word Nara Shikaku spoke seem like he was trying to curry favor.

The two sides parted ways, and a chūnin behind Nara Shikaku couldn't hold back, speaking up: "Captain, I think Kumogakure has no intention of signing the Armistice Agreement at all!"

The others, unable to contain their frustration, chimed in one after another.

"Exactly! This is no way to negotiate a truce!"

"If someone didn't know better, they'd think we Konoha were their subordinates!"

"Are they here to act like lords over us?"

Nara Shikaku glanced at their expressions, which screamed "about to die from anger," and gave a slight smile.

But a few seconds later, after hearing them still grumbling, his expression turned stern: "Alright, a couple of complaints is enough. Don't let them hear you and affect the agreement's signing."

At that, the chūnin's faces tightened immediately: "Yes, sir!"

Just then, a voice came from behind them.

"Uncle, do you know how to get to the Hyuga Clan?" It was the voice of a little boy, a few years old, very soft and young.

"Get lost!" This was from another envoy in the Kumogakure Envoy Group.

"Ouch!"

Amid the little boy's cries of pain came the sound of liquid splattering against clothes.

"You bastard! Are you asking for death?" That was the voice of the Kumogakure Envoy leader.

Nara Shikaku turned to look, and saw a delicate little boy shoved to the ground, the takoyaki box in his hand now empty of any octopus balls.

Looking at the Kumogakure Envoy leader's clothes, several takoyaki balls coated in thick sauce slowly slid off.

The Kumogakure Envoy Group stepped forward, surrounding the little boy.

"Damn Kumogakure!" Nara Shikaku's subordinates were about to rush in, but he stopped them.

"Captain?" his subordinates asked in confusion.

"Don't act rashly. If we go up now, we'll give them an opening. Besides, this is Konoha. Would they dare lay a finger on a child of our village?" Nara Shikaku's tone was very gentle, but it carried a dangerous, smiling-tiger feel that made his subordinates shiver, their hearts uneasy, unable to meet his eyes.

As it happened, looking down, they noticed the shadow beneath Nara Shikaku faintly rippling.

Subordinates: "...Captain, you're so sneaky! I love it!"

Then, they subtly shifted closer to Nara Shikaku, gathering together, layering their shadows over his, as if ready to transform into a massive, terrifying shadow monster at any moment.

The Kumogakure Envoy leader's face turned extremely ugly.

The surrounding onlookers had already lost their earlier expressions of anticipation, even fawning smiles.

Most looked pained and began to shout.

"What's this kid running around for? Come here!"

"Are you lost, child? Come over here!"

"Quick, just apologize to the Kumogakure Envoy, and it'll be fine!"

The rest slightly bent their legs and bodies, hands resting on the ninja tool bags at their waists, like leopards poised to strike.

Though they desperately hoped for the war to end, if a child of Konoha was bullied by Kumogakure right before their eyes, then even if Konoha was weak, they would keep fighting!

This was their bottom line—a line not even the Hokage could cross!

But for the Kumogakure Envoy, none of this mattered most.

What mattered most was the group on the other side, Nara Shikaku and his men, and the gathered monster shadow that gave him an immense sense of threat.

"They didn't take the bait!" He had wanted to use this as a pretext, but Nara Shikaku had directly cornered him.

"Hmph!" He could only glare at Jinghuo Uchiha, then turn to enter the envoy inn.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Jinghuo Uchiha revealed a faint smile.

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