Shadow Clones Can Use Them Too

After parting ways with Naruto, Zhengye and Shisui took a stroll along the Police Force's patrol route, instilling some of his own ideas into him.

Afterward, Zhengye returned to the clan library.

This world was far larger than he had imagined, and there was much to learn.

Not only did he need to catch up on the Uchiha Clan's history, but he also needed to cram a great deal of geographical knowledge.

Ninjutsu that was exceedingly precious outside was treated like ordinary books within the Uchiha Clan.

After all, the three-tomoe Sharingan could copy ninjutsu.

As long as it was not a secret technique that required special conditions to use, it could be found here.

In reality, though, not every Uchiha could copy and fight like Kakashi.

Most chose a few ninjutsu suited to their own affinities and focused on learning those.

An ordinary ninja had limited chakra. They could only cast a handful of ninjutsu in a battle; the more proficient they were, the faster they could cast, and the better their odds of victory.

Zhengye himself was only skilled in Lightning Spear, Lightning Flow, and ordinary Fire Release.

His original body had belonged to a fairly well-rounded Uchiha clansman, without any especially pronounced specialization.

Since he had inherited all the memories and skills, he was not completely at a loss.

He had come here to look for the most useful functional ninjutsu in this world.

The Shadow Clone Technique and the Multi Shadow Clone Technique.

With my mental attributes this high, even if I can't become a one-man army like Naruto, being able to create a few shadow clones to train would still be a good thing.

Zhengye quickly found the Shadow Clone Technique and began studying it.

It had to be said, having a clan to back you up was wonderful.

This copy of [Shadow Clone Technique] was filled with insights and annotations, as detailed as could be.

As long as one had enough talent, learning the Shadow Clone Technique would be no problem at all.

After several dozen minutes, Zhengye formed hand seals. With a puff, he created a shadow clone.

As if performing a magic trick, the shadow clone pulled out a smoke bomb.

Zhengye relaxed. Shadow clones could use those reward items too!

"Then I'll leave Naruto's side to you. Follow the plan."

Though it was his own shadow clone, Zhengye still gave it instructions.

The shadow clone rolled its eyes and said irritably, "You only bully me because I'm a shadow clone. Otherwise, I wouldn't be your cannon fodder."

As he spoke, he took out a Flying Thunder God Kunai. With a whoosh, he vanished instantly.

The next second, Zhengye took another Flying Thunder God Kunai out of the item space, but it only had two uses left.

Not bad. Saving even a little is still saving.

Konoha Hospital.

From a private ward came a howl like that of a dying beast.

"How could this be... How could it be like this!"

"Damn it!"

Danzo, who had just woken up, clearly could not accept any of it.

He had merely made a move against Shisui, yet the Uchiha had reacted so violently.

Most importantly...

He had been utterly unable to withstand the Uchiha's combat power.

The Mangekyo Sharingan's charge had made his Root members seem like they were made of paper.

They had forcibly captured him right in the middle of Root's encirclement.

He had not even had the chance to activate Izanagi.

And they seemed to know perfectly well what was on his arm.

Now that he had awakened, Danzo had been reduced to a limbless stump with only one eye left. All that remained in him was fury and a trace of regret.

I should have struck first and wiped out the Uchiha directly!

He turned his head, his lone eye sweeping across the room.

The medical ninja had left. Only Yamanaka Fu remained in the room.

As one of his most capable subordinates, Yamanaka Fu had long since been brainwashed by him.

He would not leave just because Danzo had been reduced to a limbless stump.

"Tell me what happened after I fell unconscious."

"Yes!"

"After Lord Danzo lost consciousness, Uchiha Zhengye..."

He began with how Zhengye had used the Sharingan on Danzo's body as an excuse, backed by the military intimidation of five Mangekyo Sharingan experts.

He had forced the Third Hokage to convict Danzo and remove him from office.

"...Root is now under lockdown. Everyone else has been thrown into prison under guard, though they have not yet been interrogated."

"The village held a high-level meeting. The Uchiha Police Force expanded its ranks, and the Hyuga Clan, Ino-Shika-Cho, Aburame Clan, Inuzuka Clan, and other clans have all had quite a few members seconded into the Police Force by the Uchiha. Notices have already been posted on the bulletin boards, but the contents of the high-level meeting..."

The pupil in Danzo's remaining eye gradually contracted. He had fought Sarutobi Hiruzen for so many years. Though his political acumen was inferior to the Third Hokage's, he had some of his own.

He instantly grasped Uchiha Zhengye's brilliance.

This was equivalent to directly tying the other ninja clans to the Uchiha.

In Danzo's eyes, the Uchiha of the past had been nothing more than a bunch of fools with nothing but brute force, and Uchiha Fugaku had not been a particularly forceful clan head.

All he had needed to do was slowly boil the frog, and those Uchiha Sharingan would eventually become his possessions.

But that was no longer possible. The Uchiha had produced a clever man like Zhengye.

"Damn it!" Danzo ground his teeth until they creaked, hating Uchiha Zhengye to the bone!

Click. With a soft sound, the Third Hokage entered the room alone.

He glanced at Yamanaka Fu. The latter tactfully stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

The Third Hokage walked up to Danzo. Looking at the state he was in, reduced to a limbless stump, his eyes were filled with complicated emotions.

For a moment, he said nothing.

Danzo glared at the Third Hokage with his lone eye, his voice icy. "Have you come to laugh at me, Hiruzen?"

Though his tone was unpleasant, the Third Hokage did not take offense.

"If I had come to laugh at you, would I have paid such a price to protect you?"

Danzo stared fixedly at the Third Hokage, and the anger on his face slowly faded.

When he spoke again, his voice had become somewhat hoarse.

"Yamanaka Fu just said that the Uchiha brought people from the other ninja clans into the Police Force."

"What else was said at the high-level meeting?"

The Third Hokage slowly sat beside Danzo's bed, his tone heavy.

"The village granted the Police Force the authority to coordinate internal village defense."

"What did you say!?" Danzo's eyes bulged, and the rage that had just died down surged back up!

"Sarutobi Hiruzen! What the hell are you thinking!?"

"Do you know what 'authority to coordinate internal village defense' means?"

Beep... Beep... Beep... The blood pressure monitor beside the bed let out a piercing alarm.

Danzo felt his vision darken!

The medical ninja waiting outside immediately rushed in.

"Lord Danzo, please calm down. Your current condition cannot handle such agitation."

The medical ninja held a syringe, ready to give Danzo an injection if he could not control his emotions.

"Hah... Hah..."

Danzo trembled with rage, but he could not calm himself at all.

Seeing this, the medical ninja had no choice but to give Danzo an intramuscular injection.

The Third Hokage watched it all expressionlessly and said nothing.

Meanwhile, someone suddenly appeared in Naruto Uzumaki's home.