The Uchiha Clan's Blind Swordsman Chapter 44

What limited Chiba's chakra was his physical energy.

Did this mean?

Once Chiba completed the mission and received the reward of doubled chakra.

Would his physical constitution also increase exponentially?

Such a reward.

Chiba was looking forward to it.

However, the Battle of Kannabi Bridge had already ended, which meant the Third Shinobi World War was also drawing to a close.

Presumably, Iwagakure and Konoha would soon sign a truce agreement.

And with Iwagakure withdrawing its troops.

Kirigakure was even less likely to rashly assault the front lines guarded by the Uchiha Clan.

What remained was to focus on dealing with the most aggressive Kumogakure.

The Third Shinobi World War was coming to an end.

And if Chiba wanted to complete his mission, he had to catch the last train before the war concluded.

Furthermore, even then.

Slaughtering three hundred enemies would not be easy.

It was not because Chiba couldn't do it.

It was because the conditions to do so were lacking.

He was only six years old.

Even if he graduated and became a ninja, it was highly unlikely he would be dispatched to the front lines.

Because the period when Konoha needed manpower the most had already passed.

However, regardless of anything else.

Chiba had his reasons for heading to the battlefield.

If there was an opportunity, Chiba would not let it slip by.

Regarding matters at the Ninja Academy, neither Chiba nor Itachi actually cared much.

With their current strength, the Ninja Academy was merely a path to becoming a ninja.

In Konoha, one needed a ninja status to operate on the battlefield regardless of the circumstances.

Otherwise, given the extent of Sarutobi Hiruzen's control over the Uchiha, he could pin countless charges on you.

The reason one had to go through the Ninja Academy to become a ninja was to gather all the geniuses of the village.

Especially the geniuses of the Uchiha Clan.

Precisely because of this, Konoha's high-ranking officials knew almost everything about the geniuses of the Uchiha Clan.

Once a genius emerged.

The first thing Konoha's high-ranking officials would do was to "snatch" that Uchiha genius away.

Whether they were taken into the Anbu or Root, in their eyes, it was far more reassuring than leaving them with the Uchiha.

Therefore, Chiba knew.

This time, graduating from the Ninja Academy would likely not be so smooth.

But, for the sake of the mission and for the sake of becoming stronger, Chiba had to go through with it no matter what.

And then—

Two applications for early graduation from Chiba and Itachi were submitted to the Hokage's office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen calmly browsed through the contents, his expression unruffled.

"Is it early graduation for Chiba and Itachi...?"

Even though he had just had friction with the Uchiha a few days ago.

However, this did not affect Sarutobi Hiruzen's desire to obtain these two geniuses.

No matter how strained the relationship between Konoha and the Uchiha had become.

Itachi and Chiba were, after all, only five years old.

A five-year-old child's outlook on life and the world had not yet been fully established.

As long as they could be won over, these geniuses would sooner or later be subordinates of Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Itachi might be a bit difficult at this stage, but as for Chiba, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt he was within his grasp.

"Someone, come!"

As his voice fell.

An Anbu ninja appeared and knelt on one knee.

"Lord Hokage!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen handed two graduation applications to the Anbu ninja.

"These are the graduation applications for two Uchiha children. Go and make the arrangements; the graduation ceremony will be held in one day."

"Yes!"

Whether it was enrollment or graduation, Sarutobi Hiruzen attached great importance to them.

No matter how busy he was, he had to be present for such occasions.

After all, these were the fresh blood of Konoha's future.

The Anbu's summons were extremely swift.

Chiba and Itachi received a response very quickly.

Therefore, on the morning of the next day, both Chiba and Itachi arrived in front of the Hokage's office building.

"Itachi... if the Hokage invites you to join his [Anbu], how would you answer?"

Hearing this, Itachi tilted his head.

"Chiba-kun, do you--hope that I join?"

"This is your life, after all."

"I cannot make a decision based on that."

Itachi thought for a moment, hesitated for a second, and then spoke.

"I really want to truly understand the Hokage, and the Anbu would likely be a good way to do that... but I don't think I would agree."

"Why?"

"Because, Chiba-kun... I believe in you."

Itachi was not oblivious to Chiba's caution.

He was a deep thinker, and he could understand most of the subtext in what was said.

Precisely because of this, he gradually realized that if he truly joined the Anbu, his future might become very dark.

The village was not as simple as he had imagined.

Even if he truly wanted to understand the Hokage and the entire village.

"Is that so? In that case, then... let's go meet them."

"Who?"

"Konoha's Four Heavenly Kings, who are also the true source of the conflict between Konoha and our Uchiha clan."

After saying this, Chiba leaned on his cane and calmly pushed the door open.

Inside the spacious room, a long table was set up.

And sitting before the long table were four figures.

They were the darkness of Konoha and the true enemies of the Uchiha.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura.

Konoha has always been a place of outstanding people and divine spirits.

The land nurtures its people.

And Konoha occupies what can be called the most fertile soil in the entire ninja world.

On this land, a large number of excellent clans have gathered.

At the time of its founding, it even had the two gods, Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, in power.

In that era, it is no exaggeration to say that Konoha was invincible.

If Senju Hashirama had even a shred of ambition, either he or Uchiha Madara could have swept across the entire ninja world, and there wouldn't have been so much trouble later on.

Unfortunately, the opposition between Hashirama and Madara was ultimately unavoidable.

At the same time, it was only after the two gods passed away that the Great Ninja War was able to break out.

And even after the Great Ninja War erupted, Konoha's status as the strongest remained unshakable.

Until... the official appearance of Konoha's Heavenly Group.

Sometimes, Chiba couldn't help but wonder.

Was Konoha's Heavenly Group actually a team of undercover agents sent by the other four villages?

Every time a genius appeared in Konoha, they were stifled.

Those who committed suicide did so, those who left departed, and those who defected fled.

As of now, the only top-tier combat power Konoha could rely on was Namikaze Minato alone.

The once-strongest village had been reduced to the bottom of the barrel.

Whether it was Orochimaru or the Uchiha clan, neither could gain the trust of the higher-ups.

The decline of a village never happened without a reason.

The corruption of the leadership was the primary culprit.

The appearance of Chiba and Itachi instantly drew the attention of the four.

"Are these two children the top geniuses of this year's Uchiha?"

"Uchiha Fugaku's son and that blind Uchiha."

Even though educational matters were not under the jurisdiction of Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, they still knew everything about Chiba and Itachi.

The decision to use Chiba's blindness as a pretext to strike at the Uchiha clan had been the result of their four-way deliberation.

They were well aware of the strength Chiba and Itachi possessed.

Graduating from the Ninja Academy would be absolutely no problem for them.

The real issue lay in where their loyalties would ultimately fall.