Tearing Off the Mask

Although he had been controlled by Shisui earlier, Uchiha Fugaku, who also possessed the Sharingan, still knew what had happened before him.

"Lord Ye Liang, please, save the Uchiha clan! We never intended to betray the village!"

Had he really never intended to?

Ye Liang felt nothing for him. Having read the original story, he had long known the Uchiha clan's hidden schemes. But he was mainly here for Uchiha Itachi.

Although Itachi had killed his own family for the greater good, his later life had been far too miserable. First, he was misunderstood by his younger brother and hunted every day. Later, he sacrificed his own life to help his brother grow stronger.

That was not what Ye Liang wanted to see.

Therefore, whether the Uchiha clan had betrayed Konoha or not, Ye Liang would protect them today, no matter what!

With Ye Liang's current 541 physique!

Ninjutsu Level 5!

Taijutsu Level 4!

Ninja Tools Level 1!

Screw Danzo. Even if the Anbu deployed in full force, he could still lead the Uchiha clan safely out of Konoha. With his Night Guy, no one could stop him!

"Don't worry. With me, Ye Liang, here, no one will dare touch you today! Oh, and by the way, I've already eliminated the other Anbu along the way."

"Then thank you very much, sir."

Uchiha Fugaku immediately dropped to his knees in salute.

At that moment, a stern shout suddenly came from outside.

"Who dares interfere with Anbu business!"

An old man, surrounded by Anbu members, entered the Uchiha clan's shrine.

"Shimura Danzō! I'll kill you!" Uchiha Fugaku charged at him in fury, but Ye Liang stopped him with one hand.

"Let me handle it," he said calmly.

"Itachi, aren't you coming over?" Danzō said coldly, but Uchiha Itachi still hesitated.

"Stay with your family. This is a matter between adults; it has nothing to do with you," Ye Liang replied blandly.

Itachi really was still a child at this point, only eleven or twelve years old, not even as old as Kakashi.

"Ye Liang, what are you doing?! I give you some respect because you are Konoha's adviser, but protecting the Uchiha clan now means opposing Konoha! I can fully regard you as a Rogue Ninja of Konoha!"

"A Rogue Ninja? Are you talking about me?"

Ye Liang laughed. "You old bastard, Danzo, have you forgotten? I'm not from Konoha at all! I'm from Otogakure. Konoha merely hired me!"

"Calling me a Rogue Ninja? What kind of joke is that!"

Ye Liang's face was full of mockery.

"You!"

Danzō was momentarily speechless.

But he suddenly realized that Ye Liang was right.

Ye Liang was not from Konoha. He had only stayed from the beginning because Hiruzen Sarutobi had asked him to, so Danzō could not really say anything now.

"Hmph! Then don't interfere with Konoha's business!"

With a cold snort, he immediately signaled for the Anbu behind him to spread out. But before they could fully disperse, the phantom of a red serpent suddenly appeared in the sky!

Sage Art: White Rage Technique!

A piercing hum instantly filled the entire Uchiha compound, and the surrounding Anbu members froze in place!

The White Rage Technique used vibrations in the air to restrain everyone's blood, leaving them unable to resist its effects!

"Are you still going to make a move now?" Ye Liang asked coldly.

The Sage Art lasted for around ten seconds, and Shimura Danzō was terrified.

Although he could break the technique just now, it would take at least five seconds. In that time, Ye Liang would have been able to kill them a thousand times over!

Uchiha Itachi behind them was stunned as well.

Ye Liang had entered Sage Mode in an instant. Even Itachi had never seen such an ability before, and he now felt nothing but deep admiration for Ye Liang.

"No matter what, this incident was an unauthorized action by your Anbu! Whether the Uchiha betrayed Konoha or not must be approved by Hiruzen Sarutobi. What right does your Anbu have to speak for the Hokage? If you know what's good for you, get lost!"

Ye Liang issued another order to leave, and Danzō no longer knew what to say.

He had anticipated Ye Liang's return, which was why Danzō had personally come to oversee the operation. Never had he expected Ye Liang to openly defy him, much less threaten him with force.

This was something Danzō had never anticipated!

At last, Danzō truly wanted Ye Liang dead!

Simply because Ye Liang was not from Konoha!

Having relied on Ye Liang for so long, Danzō had forgotten Ye Liang's identity. Now that it had been brought up, endless irritation surged within him!

"Leave!"

He angrily gave the order to retreat and led all the Anbu away from the scene.

Uchiha Itachi silently looked at his father, not knowing what to say.

"No matter what choice you make, I will always be proud of you, my son!"

Uchiha Fugaku looked at Itachi but said nothing more. He walked past him and came before Ye Liang.

"Mr. Ye Liang, thank you so much for this time. Please rest assured! As long as I, Fugaku, draw breath, the Uchiha clan will forever be loyal to you, Ye Liang, even if you are not from Konoha!"

Uchiha Fugaku spoke those words solemnly to Ye Liang, then went to assess the losses from this incident.

Ye Liang nodded.

He understood Fugaku's meaning. From this moment on, the Uchiha would be loyal only to Ye Liang, no longer to Konoha.

"What is this? Are they expecting me to build a village?" Ye Liang shook his head.

He carefully looked at Itachi. His face was still childish, and he had not matured at all.

In the original story, Itachi took part in the clan massacre when he was fifteen or sixteen! There were clearly still several years to go!

"Did the incident happen early because of me?"

Ye Liang guessed.

In his previous life, the Uchiha clan had also been ostracized because of the Nine-Tails incident! But the one who had led the Nine-Tails in attacking the village back then was the corrupted Obito Uchiha. This time, however, it was the Uchiha clan's ancestor—Uchiha Madara!

That difference naturally led to entirely different results!

That was Uchiha Madara!

Even he had led an attack on the village. Could the other Uchiha possibly be any better?

Naturally, that was what the villagers thought!

And the rebellion originally planned by the entire clan had also changed because of Madara!

Uchiha Fugaku, the Clan Head who had originally agreed to betray Konoha, somehow no longer intended to defect!

So while the course of events seemed similar, it was actually completely different. Things had already begun moving down another path.

At some point, Uchiha Itachi had left.

Ye Liang watched his retreating figure, then silently opened a wardrobe inside the house.

"Brother's daughter-in-law, are you in there?"

A tiny child who looked only three years old was carried out. The child kicked desperately but could not break free!

"Let go of me! I'm not your daughter-in-law!"