The Truth, Let the Enemy Feel Pain

"Lord Hokage, who is it?"

The Mangekyo spun, and a visibly agitated Fugaku instinctively pressed for an answer.

Sitting at home, yet the pot fell from the sky!

For years, a pitch-black pot—a stain on their reputation—had been welded onto the Uchiha clan like a pile of filth, causing the entire clan to be isolated, suspected, and suppressed for six whole years.

So much so that he, as the clan head, had endured immense pressure; now, the hatred had accumulated to its breaking point!

"I have wanted to settle this account for a long time."

"Obito."

Under the gaze of Konoha's new generation of leadership, the information Xiu threw out was like a heavy bomb: "That rogue ninja wearing a spiral mask, capable of controlling the Nine-Tails and phasing his body, is Kakashi's former teammate, the Konoha hero who sacrificed himself at the Battle of Kannabi Bridge... Uchiha Obito."

Hyuga Hiashi was filled with shock and suspicion.

In his view, the name was not unfamiliar—an ordinary ninja who had been proactively brought into the Fourth Hokage's mentorship system and held in high regard.

That's right, Obito had never displayed any praiseworthy talent while alive; his light was completely overshadowed by his classmate, Kakashi.

According to the younger members of the clan, he was always late for school, and the reason never changed:

Helping an old lady cross the street.

"Fifth, the intelligence—is the intelligence certain?"

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

He had met the boy Obito; he was a theoretical grand-student who often appeared at Minato's home, where Kushina would gently serve him food as he fawned over a little girl named Rin and bickered with Kakashi.

The scene had been exceptionally warm.

He was a carefree, sunny Uchiha.

Why?

How could such a beastly person exist in this world, killing the teacher and his wife who had treated him like their own son!!

It was said that after the masked man grabbed the infant Naruto, he had even stuck several Explosive Tags onto his swaddling clothes.

"No, that's impossible."

Tsunade, who had helped repair Kakashi's eye injury, leaned forward, bracing herself firmly against the table. Even though her hemophobia had worsened, she forced herself to stay upright, staring straight at Uchiha Xiu:

"The Fourth and his wife were clearly so kind..."

Facing the gaze of the blonde woman, Uchiha Xiu did not respond immediately; he cleanly plucked out his own original eyeball and inserted the fresh, warm Kamui eye.

Thanks to his familiarity with such procedures and the regenerative power of the Hashirama Cells, not a drop of blood sprayed out.

"..." Tsunade.

To perform such a crude eyeball transplant in front of a master-level medical ninja—only the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Xiu, would do such a thing.

"According to the intelligence I have gathered... through some special channels."

Xiu never detailed his sources, but everyone knew it was definitely related to his unfathomable strength and mysterious golden resources:

"After being struck by Earth Release: Rock Lodging Destruction and having half his body crushed, he encountered Uchiha Madara, who indoctrinated him with the twisted philosophy of the Eye of the Moon Plan."

Across from the desk, Hatake Kakashi, who had been entrusted with such heavy responsibility, sat slumped on the floor like a defeated dog.

Madara?

Wasn't that man dead? He had been cut down by the First Hokage at the Valley of the End long ago.

Hyuga Hiashi, who felt he could never repay the Hokage's kindness, was dazed; the more he heard, the less he understood.

"I must be under a genjutsu," Hiashi muttered.

"One by one, Uchiha who were correctly recorded as dead have all become the masterminds targeting Konoha. It's truly troublesome, and it sounds like there's an organized succession to it, too."

The strategist Nara Shikaku frowned, muttering to himself: "The Fifth wouldn't joke about this. Looking at it this way, to some extent, Lord Tobirama wasn't wrong—the naturally evil Uchiha..."

Subconsciously, everyone, desperately digesting the information, looked at Uchiha Xiu once more.

"This!"

They saw that the Three Tomoe, which had been stuck in Kakashi's eye socket and impossible to deactivate, began to spin violently in the Fifth's hand, extending and fissioning in an instant to become a unique pattern resembling three scythes.

An unknown Mangekyo Sharingan.

There was no better proof than this.

"If Obito were truly dead, this eye, gifted to Kakashi as a Jonin present, could never have evolved."

Fugaku, the new generation Uchiha clan head, recovered from his numbness and provided an authoritative confirmation.

An outsider evolving a non-native Sharingan into a Mangekyo through training? What kind of joke was that.

The cruel truth was that it could not be deactivated, and while it provided dynamic vision and copying abilities, it was constantly draining chakra at a high rate!

Uchiha Xiu, having laid out the facts, let out a long sigh:

"To push Obito completely into the darkness, Madara implanted the Three-Tails into Rin's body and placed a seal on her heart, making her a Jinchuriki. He then arranged for Kirigakure ninjas to pursue her, intending for Rin to go berserk and destroy the village upon her return to Konoha."

"After discovering the conspiracy, Rin chose to protect the village. Unwilling to be used by the enemy, she chose to throw herself into the Chidori that Kakashi was using to attack the Kirigakure ninjas, preventing the tragedy through self-sacrifice."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I failed to protect Rin, I'm sorry."

At this very moment, Kakashi Hatake revealed a fragility he had never shown to outsiders.

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

Seeing this, Jiraiya reached out and hoisted him up.

Uchiha Xiu, who had forced Kakashi to relive his pain and learn the cruel truth, spoke with a hint of acknowledgment:

"At that time, in extreme agony and for the sake of protecting the village and Rin's own will, Kakashi ultimately pierced her chest with his Chidori."

"It was a difficult decision Kakashi made under the circumstance that Rin had to die."

Next, Uchiha Xiu briefly explained the abilities of the Kamui eye.

--Before his master's wife gave birth, Kakashi was about to witness the arrival of a new life and step out of the shadows of his past, but unable to contain his joy, he ran to Obito's cenotaph and spilled a heap of top-secret intelligence.

--He happened to run into Obito, who loved using the Kamui eye to sneak back into Konoha and stalk his old acquaintances.

"..." Kakashi looked even more withered.

Rin's death, and the sacrifice of Master Minato and Uzumaki Kushina, were all because of me.

Glancing at Kakashi, whose worldview had collapsed once again and who had grown increasingly gloomy, Uchiha Xiu did not offer any comfort.

This guy wasn't that fragile.

His resilience was no less than that of the Sasuke who had wiped out his own clan in the original timeline.

"Obito grew desperate with the world and subsequently came to identify with Madara's ideals. He hopes to collect the nine Tailed Beasts and release the Infinite Tsukyomi to control everyone on earth, unify the world, and reunite with Rin within a genjutsu."

"To achieve so-called eternal peace."

"For this, he even established an organization called Akatsuki, with its headquarters in Amegakure. Its members wear black trench coats embroidered with red clouds and wear rings bearing their codenames."

Akatsuki?

Jiraiya, who wandered the Ninja World while writing Icha Icha Paradise and searching for the Child of Prophecy, was stirred by this keyword.

Recently, he had just set his sights on that organization!

He had heard that someone had joined Akatsuki.

"Biwa Juzo, Orochimaru, Kakuzu—such Kage-level rogue ninjas, all gathered together, tsk tsk."

"Is that stinking snake actually willing to submit to others?" Tsunade asked, looking listless.

"The nominal leader inside is called Pain, and he could crush Orochimaru with his gaze alone." Xiu shook his head, unwilling to say more.

"Obito, lurking behind the scenes of Akatsuki, launched the Night of the Nine-Tails precisely because under the governance of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, Konoha was the undisputed strongest nation. He saw no other opportunity and had to weaken and retaliate against Konoha."

The Uchiha had produced a Judge Bao, impartial and incorruptible in distinguishing loyalty from treachery!

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

Jiraiya clenched his fists. "How could he, how could he... Minato... Kushina."

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

Added to that was the lonely little Naruto, who suffered cold glares because he had lost his parents and had to hide his identity.

"That night, because of the Nine-Tails Rebellion, many outstanding ninjas were sacrificed, including Yuhi Shinku, the father of Kurenai, Biwako, Torifu Akimichi, Umino Ikkaku, and Kairi..."

Shikaku Nara spoke in a heavy voice.

Not to mention the civilians.

The death toll was too terrifying; even though six years had smoothed over many wounds, Konoha had never completely emerged from the gloom.

In an instant, the atmosphere in the Hokage's office plummeted.

The imminent problems of the Four Great Nations remained unresolved, and the Fifth had coldly pointed out an even more insidious enemy behind the scenes.

"I would rather not have known these things." Hyuga Hiashi, the newly promoted Hokage advisor, felt exhausted to the extreme.

Blame the Uchiha?

No, Obito was cultivated by the old Hokage's faction.

Passing the buck wouldn't solve the problem either.

"Then... what about that old ghost Madara? He was clearly killed by the First Hokage at the Valley of the End!" In a fit of agitation, Tsunade, who had sat directly on the desk, gritted her teeth.

"Izanagi, to deny the fate of death."

Watching the woman who dared to sit on his desk, Uchiha Xiu was not annoyed, saying concisely: "He took a bite of the First Hokage's flesh, awakened Wood Release, utilized the unique properties of Hashirama Cells to balance Yin and Yang, furthered his strength, and lived for a few more years."

"Madara's so-called Eye of the Moon Plan is similar to Obito's—using a super-genjutsu to control the Ninja World and create a peaceful illusion. Except... he, having died of old age, will break free from the Pure Land and use the power of all the Tailed Beasts to reach the level of the Sage of Six Paths."

One bombshell after another.

Looking at the stunned crowd, Uchiha Xiu did not continue to elaborate or speak of the backstabbing that would involve everyone—

Above the second layer, there was actually a third:

Black Zetsu, the savior of his mother.

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

Anyway, as long as I'm playing at the atmospheric level, it's all good~

The Six Paths, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, the Rinnegan, the Otsutsuki—there is no need for those present to know about such concepts.

It would only crush their morale.

These bosses will be tackled slowly; they won't all swarm out at once to oppose my Konoha.

"Akatsuki, a mercenary organization that belongs to no nation, enjoys inciting localized wars. Last month, they monopolized commissions in two small countries at low prices, and their members are active at the Bounty Station."

Right now, Jiraiya instinctively wanted to find a seat; the meeting had only just begun, yet he was already exhausted. "That is all I can confirm for now."

--The waters of the Ninja World are too deep; the Toad Sage cannot grasp them.

"Almost forgot."

Seeing this, Uchiha Xiu formed hand seals, and vines and wooden bars sprouted from thin air:

"Everyone, sit."

Among the high-ranking officials, Kakashi, who had the least motivation and wished he could be in a wheelchair, even had armrests added to both sides of his seat.

After finishing this small task, Uchiha Xiu leaned forward, his gaze sweeping over every person present.

"Alright, I didn't take the initiative to rip open this scar today to watch you all pull long faces; it's to ensure everyone has a psychological expectation in advance."

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

"Now, let's move to the second agenda."

"Striking the enemy first is the way of the king!"

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

"Among the Four Great Nations, the Land of Water and the Land of Wind are weak, and their national strength is insufficient; their reactions are the slowest, so we won't consider them for now."

"The Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning are formidable rivals, especially that three-inch bean sprout, the Tsuchikage Ōnoki, whose reaction will be the most intense. Therefore, we shall dispatch an elite squad to infiltrate Iwagakure proactively."

Shikaku Nara, the chief strategist of Konoha who had overseen the Ninja Wars, pondered slightly. His gaze swept past Tsunade, who could not participate in the front-line battlefield, and he nodded in response:

"Striking the enemy first is the way of the king, indeed. It is feasible. I wonder, Lord Hokage... do you have a list of personnel to execute such operations? It would be best to prioritize high-mobility ninjas like the Fourth Hokage."

"Shisui Uchiha."

"Present!"

Having been in hiding for a long time, Shisui, who bore the title of the Body Flicker, stood up immediately.

"Very well. Your god-like speed combined with your Mangekyo's genjutsu is naturally effective against Tailed Beasts. Release the Four-Tails Son Goku and the Five-Tails Kokuō; let the Land of Earth also experience the pain Konoha felt six years ago."

The cunning Shikaku narrowed his eyes.

"Jiraiya."

"Yes."

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

"Once I enter Sage Mode and use Sage Art: Demonic Illusion: Toad Confrontation Singing, my genjutsu capabilities will be formidable."

Thinking of Konoha, which was constantly in a state of existential crisis, a fire began to burn in Jiraiya's heart.

I cannot run away anymore.

Before the crisis clearly improves, I must remain by the Fifth's side and follow his orders...

"Hiashi."

"Please, Lord Hokage, give your orders." The Hyuga clan head, ready to offer his loyalty at any moment, stood up and bowed slightly.

"Dispatch one jonin from the main branch to accompany them, responsible for scouting Iwagakure. I will be responsible for his safety."

?

One sentence brought about two problems.

Sending a main branch jonin out of the village to execute an S-rank mission that would determine the fate of the nation carried the risk of leaking their bloodline.

--During the Third Ninja World War, a Byakugan had already leaked to Kirigakure in the Land of Water.

However, since the Hokage had given the order, the Hyuga dared not disobey.

But... why must Lord Xiu risk his own life?

"Please retract your decision to go into battle yourself."

Shikaku Nara, acting as the mouthpiece for the group, disregarded the hierarchy and knelt on one knee to advise him.

"That's right, Xiu—Lord Hokage, let me go to the Land of Lightning. A pair of complete Mangekyo eyes is enough to control a Tailed Beast!" Fugaku said, his face full of urgency.

The Uchiha had finally revived and produced a Fifth Hokage with a limitless future. Even if your battle record is verifiable—

Having killed Danzo and fought the dual-kage-level combination of the Third Hokage and Monkey King Enma to the death—you absolutely must not go into the heart of an enemy nation, which is even more dangerous than the front lines.

That is too reckless!!

If you were to be beheaded, Konoha might as well just announce its surrender and pay reparations.

Hyuga Hiashi followed suit and knelt: "Please retract your decision."

"Fifth, as the King who shoulders the weight of an entire nation, you cannot afford to be impulsive." Jiraiya saw the resolve, yet found it difficult to accept, "Let Fugaku go, while you remain to oversee the village."

"Enough. It is time for the nations to recognize Konoha once more, and to recognize a brand-new, formidable Hokage."

"It is time to revisit the terror of Wood Release."

Tailed Beasts?

They are nothing more than oversized batteries.

"The latter half of the plan, the most dangerous extraction... I have orchestrated it myself, and I will not leave a single person behind."

Uchiha Xiu waved his hand, signaling that no further words were needed.

Outside the window, the blazing sunlight poured into the room, making the young, refined-looking Fifth Hokage appear as if he were gilded in gold.