Challenge Invitation

Arata's voice was not loud, nor did it carry the righteous certainty of an angry idealist. He simply spoke the words calmly and naturally.

Yet that simple sentence left Yashiro Uchiha speechless for a long while.

"Arata of the Uchiha."

He had merely wanted to use the Nine-Tails incident to probe the young man's attitude toward the village, but he had never expected such an answer.

An answer that not even Itachi had given him!

"Go back and get some rest. Report to the Police Force tomorrow."

Only after a while did Yashiro say this.

Turmoil surged within him, but his face showed nothing unusual.

The Konoha Military Police Force was a security organization established by the Second, Tobirama Senju. Its members all came from the Uchiha Clan. Entering it required not only formidable individual strength, but more importantly, loyalty to the clan.

Letting an eight-year-old who had only just graduated join was indeed too early, and without precedent, it would be difficult to convince others.

But this also showed just how highly Yashiro regarded Arata and that he intended to cultivate him as one of the Uchiha's future leaders.

However, Arata had already formed his own plans before coming here.

"Uncle Yashiro, I want to join the Anbu."

This was the first time Arata Uchiha had directly rejected the arrangements of the elder before him. In the past, he had always been quiet and obedient.

"The Anbu?"

Hearing that answer, Yashiro Uchiha's voice abruptly rose, and a strange gleam flashed through his eyes.

He truly had not expected the child who had just brought him such comfort to give him another fright so soon.

The Anbu had likewise been established during the Second's era. It was a special division directly under the Hokage, responsible for reconnaissance, assassinations, and many other covert operations. Those who entered either possessed special talents or were exceptionally strong.

"Did Itachi say something to you?"

After suppressing the agitation in his heart, Yashiro Uchiha spoke coldly.

Only Shisui and Itachi from the clan had currently joined the Anbu. The former had just returned victorious from fighting the Mist Ninja and had no chance to meet Arata.

As for the latter—

At the thought of that boy, an invisible fury burned within Yashiro.

He had joined the Anbu only a few months ago, yet he had already begun acting willfully, even skipping clan gatherings.

If Fugaku had not kept protecting him, Yashiro would have recalled him long ago.

Now Arata was showing interest in the Anbu as well. The most likely explanation was that Itachi had secretly planted some idea in his head.

"No."

"Uncle Yashiro once said that Itachi was no longer suited to remain in the Anbu."

"And I would be more suited than he is."

Arata Uchiha calmly met the elder's gaze.

He could sense the other man's agitation and completely understood his feelings as well.

The Uchiha had fallen into their current situation partly because the clan head was not decisive enough and lacked a sufficiently firm hand; the other half was due to the increasingly excessive underhanded moves of Konoha's upper ranks.

And the Anbu answered directly to the Hokage. They were the Hokage's private army.

Stating his desire to join them outright would inevitably invite misunderstanding.

But Arata did not care. If he could join, it would mean he had grasped an opportunity to get close to Itachi, the two councilors, and even Shimura Danzō.

Shisui and Itachi both wanted to resolve the conflict from within the clan and change their clansmen's minds.

But Arata intended to start with the village and directly eliminate the source of danger. His priority in learning Nurarihyon's abilities had been for precisely this move.

Faint killing intent spilled from the boy's body.

That killing intent even made Yashiro Uchiha, who had fought in the Third Shinobi War, feel a slight chill in his heart.

At that moment, he finally understood what the boy before him was thinking.

That declaration—Arata of the Uchiha—was the best explanation for it!

"The Anbu isn't so easy to enter. Even if you do get in, don't treat those higher-ups as fools. They have controlled Konoha for this long, and who knows how many hidden methods they possess."

"Minato Namikaze, Hatake Sakumo—who among them was not a powerhouse who dominated an era? Yet in the end, they still did not outlive those four old men."

"Besides, the Anbu does not remain in Konoha every day."

Yashiro Uchiha did not spell everything out, but this information alone was enough to make Arata wary. He had thought about things too simply.

Joining the Anbu would theoretically bring him closer to Konoha's upper ranks, but a single deployment order could send him to infiltrate another faction and ensure he never returned!

If it truly came to that, he would be completely out of options.

Compared to his own little schemes, those old foxes would surely see more clearly and further ahead.

Still, though his plan had been rejected, Arata was not overly disappointed.

If assassination would not work, then he would resolve it head-on.

"Uncle Yashiro, everyone in the clan says I am a second Itachi."

"I refuse to accept that. I want to have a match with him."

The boy looked at the elder before him with bright eyes, his words resolute. The meaning he concealed was equally clear: no matter what, no matter what method he used, he would push this matter forward.

This was the Plan B he had spent the entire afternoon considering.

The Mangekyō was out of the question for him. He could not awaken it, nor did he wish to.

Then on the Night of the Clan Massacre, trying to face Obito and Itachi alone would be nothing but a fantasy.

Therefore, the only opening was now.

Before Itachi and Obito joined forces, before that ungrateful traitor could awaken the Mangekyō, he would use this match to kill him!

Then none of what followed would ever happen.

Itachi's blood would surely awaken Clan Head Fugaku from his endless hesitation!

"You are not his opponent yet. There is no need for such a match."

Yashiro Uchiha refused decisively.

Arata was impressive now. He could crush youths of the same generation, and Yashiro had even heard that he had beaten up the older Ino-Shika-Cho today.

But that was still far from enough.

Itachi had gone to war at four, graduated from the Academy at seven, passed the Chūnin Exams in first place at ten, and after joining the Anbu, had gone through countless battles large and small.

Such a record was not something a genius who had only just graduated from the Academy could compare to.

Not even with two Kekkei Genkai!

The Three-Tomoe Sharingan also held an absolute advantage over the Single-Tomoe. This was a match without suspense.

Moreover, he feared that failure would leave an insurmountable shackle in Arata's heart.

"Please, Uncle Yashiro."

"I do not want to live behind someone else's name."

Arata Uchiha bowed as he pleaded, his words earnest.

He knew perfectly well that if he delivered the challenge himself, Itachi would absolutely ignore him.

The only force he could rely on now was the elders' dissatisfaction.

Their dissatisfaction with Itachi, forcing the matter through!

"I'll give it a try."

In the end, as he looked at the boy before him, Yashiro Uchiha softened.

He had watched Arata grow up.

Arata's Fire Release techniques and shuriken skills had also come from him. Their bond as teacher and student was by no means weak.

Just as Fugaku would protect Itachi, Yashiro now only wanted to fulfill one wish for his disciple.

However, this time, Yashiro failed to see through Arata's true intentions.

Arata had hidden them too deeply.

And he had already prepared himself for the consequences that might follow.