The Truth-Let the Enemy Feel Pain

"Lord Hokage, who was it?"

Fugaku's Mangekyō spun as he pressed for an answer, his face alight with excitement.

He'd been sitting at home when the blame came raining down from the sky!

Back then, a huge, pitch-black accusation had been welded onto the Uchiha like a shit bucket, isolating, suspecting, and suppressing the entire clan for six years.

As clan head, he'd endured far too much pressure. Now his hatred had reached its limit!

"I've wanted to settle this score for a long time."

"Obito."

Under the watchful eyes of Konoha's new generation of leaders, Xiu dropped a bombshell. "The rogue ninja who wears a spiral mask, can control the Nine-Tails, and can make his body intangible was Kakashi's former teammate, a Konoha hero who supposedly died in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge... Uchiha Obito."

Hyuga Hiashi stared at him in disbelief.

The name wasn't entirely unfamiliar. Obito had been an ordinary ninja whom the Fourth Hokage had personally taken under his wing, bringing him into his line of succession and placing great hopes in him.

That was right: in life, Obito had shown no remarkable talent to speak of. His classmate Kakashi had completely overshadowed him.

According to the younger members of his clan, Obito had always been late to school, and he never changed his excuse:

Helping an old lady cross the street.

"Fifth Hokage, is the intelligence... is it reliable?"

The Toad Sage, Jiraiya, who prided himself on being a hero, was trembling.

He'd known Obito. In theory, the boy was his grandstudent. He'd often visited Minato's home, where Kushina would kindly serve him food. Jiraiya had watched him try to impress a little girl named Rin and bicker with Kakashi.

Those scenes had been so warm.

Obito had been a sunny, easygoing Uchiha.

Why?

How could there be such a monster in the world, someone who'd killed the very teacher and wife who'd treated him like their own son?!

They said that after the Masked Man grabbed baby Naruto, he'd even slapped several Explosive Tags onto the infant's swaddling cloth.

"No. No, that's impossible."

Tsunade, who'd repaired the injury to Kakashi's eye, leaned forward and gripped the desk. Her fear of blood had worsened, yet she still forced herself to stay upright, staring straight at Uchiha Xiu.

"The Fourth Hokage and his wife were such good people..."

Meeting the golden-haired woman's gaze, Uchiha Xiu didn't answer at once. Instead, he neatly plucked out his original eye and popped the fresh Kamui eye into its place.

He was used to the procedure, and Hashirama Cells helped him heal. Not a drop of blood sprayed out.

"..." Tsunade.

To perform such a crude eye transplant in front of a top-tier medical ninja... Only Fifth Hokage Uchiha Xiu would do that.

"According to the intelligence I've gathered... from certain special channels."

Xiu never explained where his information came from, but everyone knew it had to be connected to his unfathomable power and mysterious golden resources.

"After Earth Release: Rock Lodging Destruction crushed half his body, he encountered Uchiha Madara, who indoctrinated him with a twisted version of the Eye of the Moon Plan."

Across the desk, Hatake Kakashi, who'd been entrusted with an important role, sat slumped on the floor like a beaten dog.

Madara?

Wasn't he dead? The First had killed him at the Valley of the End.

Hyuga Hiashi felt his head swim. He owed the Hokage a debt of gratitude he could never repay, but the more he learned about this mess, the less sense it made.

"Am I under a genjutsu?" Hiashi murmured.

"Every Uchiha who was correctly recorded as dead turns out to have been a mastermind targeting Konoha. What a nuisance. And it sounds like they've been passing things down in an orderly fashion, too."

Nara Shikaku, the strategist, frowned, muttering inwardly, The Fifth wouldn't joke about something like this. So, in a way, Lord Tobirama wasn't wrong, either. The Uchiha really are born evil...

As they struggled to absorb the revelations, everyone instinctively looked back at Uchiha Xiu.

"This!"

The half-useless Three Tomoe eye that had been stuck in Kakashi's socket, unable to shut, spun violently in the Fifth Hokage's hand. In an instant, its pattern stretched and transformed, splitting into a unique design that looked like three sickles.

An unknown Mangekyō Sharingan.

Nothing could have been more convincing.

"If Obito had really died, the eye he gave Kakashi as an upper-rank promotion gift couldn't have evolved."

Fugaku, the new head of the Uchiha clan, came to his senses and gave his authoritative confirmation.

An outsider evolving a non-original Sharingan into a Mangekyō through training? What a joke.

The cruel truth was that it couldn't be shut off. It granted enhanced dynamic vision and the ability to copy techniques, but consumed chakra at a terrifying rate every second!

After laying out the facts without hesitation, Uchiha Xiu let out a long sigh.

"To make Obito fall completely into darkness, Madara implanted the Three-Tails inside Rin and placed a curse seal on her heart, making her a Jinchuriki. He also arranged for Kirigakure Ninja to pursue her, hoping she'd lose control and destroy the village after returning to Konoha."

"When Rin realized she'd been caught in a plot and refused to let the enemy use her against the village, she deliberately ran into Kakashi's Chidori as he attacked the Kirigakure Ninja, sacrificing herself to prevent a tragedy."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry... I couldn't protect Rin. I'm sorry."

At that moment, Kakashi showed a weakness he'd never revealed to anyone else.

As the son of the White Fang and a student of the Fourth, the Copy Ninja had carried too much darkness throughout his life.

Seeing this, Jiraiya hurried over and helped him up.

As Xiu made Kakashi relive his pain and learn the cruel truth, a note of approval entered his voice.

"In that moment, overwhelmed with grief and determined to protect the village and Rin's will, Kakashi finally drove his Chidori through her chest."

"With Rin certain to die, Kakashi made the difficult choice."

Next, Uchiha Xiu briefly explained the Kamui eye's ability.

—Before his wife gave birth, Kakashi was about to witness a new life coming into the world and leave the shadows of his past behind. Unable to contain his joy, he'd run to Obito's memorial and poured out a pile of top-secret information.

—By chance, Obito had been there, using the Kamui eye to sneak back into Konoha and spy on his old friends.

"..." Kakashi looked even more dejected.

Rin's death, and the sacrifices of Minato-sensei and Uzumaki Kushina, had all been because of me.

Uchiha Xiu glanced at Kakashi, whose worldview had once again collapsed and whose whole demeanor had grown even gloomier. He didn't offer any comfort.

The man wasn't that fragile.

His tolerance for pressure was no worse than Sasuke's in the original story, after his clan's massacre.

"Obito despaired of the world and came to agree with Madara's ideas. He wanted to gather the Nine Tailed Beasts and unleash Infinite Tsukuyomi, controlling everyone in the world and uniting it so he and Rin could be reunited in a genjutsu."

"To create so-called permanent peace."

"To that end, he also established an organization called Akatsuki. Its headquarters are in Amegakure. Its members all wear black cloaks embroidered with red clouds and rings bearing their code names."

Akatsuki?

Jiraiya, who wandered the Ninja World writing Icha Icha Paradise and searching for the child of prophecy, was struck by the name.

He'd recently set his sights on that very organization!

He'd heard someone had joined Akatsuki.

"Biwa Juzo, Orochimaru, Kakuzu... rogue ninja at Kage Level, all gathered together. Impressive."

"Would that snake really agree to serve under someone else?" Tsunade muttered, dispirited.

"The leader on the surface is called Pain. He can nearly crush Orochimaru just by looking at him." Xiu shook his head, unwilling to say more.

"Obito, hiding behind Akatsuki, launched the Night of the Nine-Tails because, under Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze's leadership, Konoha was the undisputed strongest nation. He couldn't find an opening, so he had to weaken and take revenge on Konoha."

The Uchiha had produced a Bao Zheng—fair and impartial, with an iron face that could tell the loyal from the treacherous!

"This fool, who only dares to live in a delusion..."

Jiraiya clenched his fists. "How could he? How could he... Minato... Kushina."

The faces of his beloved student and his wife flashed before his eyes.

And there was lonely little Naruto, who'd lost his parents, had his identity hidden, and was treated coldly by others.

"That night, the Nine-Tails' rampage claimed the lives of many excellent ninja, including Kurenai's father, Yuhi Shinku, Biwako, Torifu Akimichi, Umino Ikkaku, and Kairi..."

Nara Shikaku spoke heavily.

There was no need to mention the civilians.

The death toll had been horrifying. Even after six years had eased much of the pain, Konoha still hadn't fully emerged from the gloom.

The mood in the Hokage's office sank at once.

The pressing threat from the four great nations remained unresolved, and now the Fifth Hokage had coldly revealed an even more insidious enemy lurking behind the scenes.

"I'd rather not know any of this." Hyuga Hiashi, newly promoted to Hokage Assistant, was mentally exhausted.

Blame the Uchiha?

No. Obito had been raised by the previous Hokage's faction.

And shifting the blame wouldn't solve anything.

"Then what about that old ghost Madara? The First killed him at the Valley of the End!" Tsunade snarled, her emotions running high as she sat right on top of the desk.

"Izanagi. It denies the fate of death."

Xiu didn't mind the woman who'd climbed onto the desk. He answered briefly, "He also bit off a piece of the First, awakened Wood Release, and used the special properties of Hashirama Cells to balance yin and yang. His strength improved further, and he lived a little longer."

"Madara's Eye of the Moon Plan was much like Obito's: use a super-genjutsu to control the Ninja World and create peace in an illusion. But... after dying of old age, he would escape the Pure Land and reach the level of the Sage of Six Paths with the power of all the Tailed Beasts."

One bombshell followed another.

Looking at the stunned faces around the room, Uchiha Xiu didn't go any further. He didn't tell them that everyone had been betrayed—

There was a third layer above the second:

Black Zetsu saving its mother.

And above Black Zetsu was the Rabbit Goddess, Otsutsuki Kaguya.

Anyway, this time I'm the one who's on a whole other level~

There was no need to tell those present about the Six Paths, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, the Rinnegan, or the Otsutsuki.

It would hurt morale.

These bosses could be dealt with gradually. They wouldn't all swarm in at once to fight my Konoha.

"Akatsuki is a mercenary organization that belongs to no country. It likes to stir up local wars. Last month, it monopolized missions in two small countries at low prices, and some of its members have been active at the Bounty Station."

Jiraiya now instinctively wanted to find somewhere to sit. The meeting had only just begun, but he was already exhausted from listening. "That's all I can confirm for now."

—The Ninja World's waters ran too deep. The Toad Sage couldn't handle them.

"Almost forgot."

Seeing this, Xiu formed Hand Seals, and vines and wooden planks appeared out of thin air.

"Sit down, everyone."

Among the leaders, the least motivated one—Kakashi, who'd rather be in a wheelchair—found armrests added to both sides of his seat.

After taking care of this little detail, Uchiha Xiu leaned forward and looked around at everyone present.

"All right. I brought up this old wound today not to watch you all sit here looking dejected, but to help everyone prepare themselves."

"If the sky falls, I, your Hokage, will hold it up!"

"Now, let's move on to the second topic."

"The key is to strike before the enemy does!"

"Please give us your instructions, Lord Hokage." Nara Shikaku took over.

"Of the four great nations, the Land of Water and the Land of Wind are weak, with insufficient national strength. They'll be the slowest to react, so we won't consider them for now."

"The Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning are formidable foes. The Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, is especially hot-tempered, despite being a three-inch bean. So we'll send an elite squad to infiltrate Iwagakure."

Nara Shikaku, Konoha's great administrator who'd coordinated the Shinobi Wars, considered it briefly. His gaze passed over Princess Tsunade, who couldn't take part in the front line, and he nodded.

"Striking first is the key, then. That's workable. Lord Hokage... do you have a list of personnel for the mission? Ideally, they should be highly mobile ninja like the Fourth Hokage."

"Shisui Uchiha."

"Here!"

Shisui, who'd been out of sight for a long time and was famed for his Body Flicker Technique, hurried to his feet.

"Good. His speed, combined with a genjutsu-type Mangekyō that naturally counters Tailed Beasts, will let him release the Four-Tails Son Goku and Five-Tails Kokuō. We'll let the Land of Earth experience the pain Konoha endured six years ago."

Shikaku narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable.

"Jiraiya."

"Here."

As soon as Uchiha Xiu, exercising the Hokage's authority, called his name, the Pervy Sage immediately stood up.

"When I enter Sage Mode, I can use Sage Art: Demonic Illusion: Toad Confrontation Singing. My genjutsu skills aren't bad."

The thought of Konoha constantly teetering on the brink of destruction lit a fire in Jiraiya's heart.

I can't run away anymore.

Until the crisis clearly improves, I have to stay by the Fifth's side and follow his orders...

"Hiashi."

"Please give me your orders, Lord Hokage." The Hyuga clan head rose, ready to offer his loyalty, and bowed slightly.

"Send a Main Family jonin along. They'll be responsible for scouting Iwagakure. I'll ensure their safety."

?

His words raised two questions.

Sending a Main Family jonin out of the village on an S-rank mission that could decide the fate of the country risked their bloodline being exposed.

—During the Third Shinobi World War, a Byakugan had even fallen into the hands of Kirigakure in the Land of Water.

Still, the Hokage had given the order. The Hyuga couldn't refuse.

But... why did Lord Xiu have to put himself in danger?

"Please reconsider your decision to go into battle personally."

Nara Shikaku, speaking for the group, disregarded the difference in rank and simply dropped to one knee as he made his plea.

"That's right, Xiu—Lord Hokage, let me go to Kumogakure. The power of one complete Mangekyō is enough to control a Tailed Beast!" Fugaku said anxiously.

The Uchiha had finally revived, and produced a Fifth Hokage with boundless potential. Even if your achievements were all on record—

You'd killed Danzo and fought the Third Hokage and Monkey King Enma to the death, facing both Kage Level opponents at once. You still absolutely couldn't go deep into an enemy nation, where it was more dangerous than the front lines.

That was too reckless!

If you were assassinated, Konoha might as well surrender land and pay reparations.

Hyuga Hiashi knelt as well. "Please reconsider."

"Fifth Hokage, as the precious one bearing the burden of an entire nation, you can't act rashly." Jiraiya saw his resolve, but found it hard to accept. "Send Fugaku. You should remain in the village and oversee things."

"Enough. It's time to make the nations recognize Konoha again—and get to know a powerful new face in the Hokage's office."

"Let them relive their fear of Wood Release."

A Tailed Beast?

It was nothing but a giant battery.

"The most dangerous part of the second half of the plan is the evacuation... I'll plan it myself. I won't leave a single person behind."

Uchiha Xiu waved a hand, indicating there was no need to say more.

The sunlight blazed outside the window, spilling into the room and seeming to gild the handsome young Fifth Hokage.