Konoha, the Uchiha Clan Compound.
"Itachi, why didn't you come to the clan meeting last night?" Fugaku questioned.
"Sorry, I'm on a mission."
"The reason we initially assigned you to the Anbu was to serve as a link between our clan and the village, and to reduce unnecessary misunderstandings."
With Shisui's death, this rift is deepening, and a force is forcing our clan toward the abyss.
You should know what I'm talking about!
"Since this path leads to the abyss, why not stop?"
The original purpose of the clan association was to promote emotional exchange, mutual assistance, and problem-solving among clan members.
This custom, which has been passed down since the Warring States period, has enabled our clan to remain united.
You should be glad you were born into the Uchiha and not the Hyuga.
What are you trying to say?
"The patriarch represents the will of the clan, not his own. We are not an authoritarian family."
Itachi, if you were me, what would you do?
The Sharingan is the eye that reflects the soul; only a free will can Sharingan true power.
In the current situation, it won't make a difference who becomes the clan leader.
Shisui's death only bought time; the discontent among the clansmen would resurface.
Submitting to the village? It's useless. The village will only take advantage of the situation and weaken the Uchiha.
Unable to defeat them in a fight, they could only remain in this stalemate, watching helplessly as their entire clan marched towards its demise.
Itachi certainly understood this principle. Shisui's last wish was to protect the village and the name of the Uchiha. Perhaps he had already made his choice.
Helplessly, we wait for that day to arrive.
The father and son ended their conversation in silence, and Itachi returned to his room and closed the door.
Uchiha Mikoto said, "This child has become increasingly quiet since joining the Anbu. She must be facing some difficulties."
"I understand him less and less. Maybe I shouldn't have let him join the Anbu in the first place..." Fugaku sighed.
No matter how precocious Itachi is, he is still a child after all, and it is far too dangerous to place the hopes of the clan on a child.
Fugaku then arrived at the Uchiha Police Force to begin his day's work.
No matter how dissatisfied they are with the village, the Police Force still have to do their job: arresting criminals and mediating disputes.
Nobody likes urban management officers; it's a job that's destined to be disliked.
As Fugaku's right-hand man, Uchiha Yashiro took on most of the mundane tasks of the Police Force. After arranging the work assignments...
"Captain, this is some specific information we've compiled about 'Akatsuki'."
"Hmm." Fugaku took it and started reading.
"They are a newly emerging assassination organization in recent years, which has absorbed many well-known rogue ninjas from various villages. They are willing to do any mission for money."
They are indeed very efficient; many organizations will privately delegate difficult tasks to them.
"Is ' Azure Dragon ' the only core member? Where are the others?"
"Judging from the code names, they definitely exist, but their whereabouts are more secretive. Only this Azure Dragon is relatively high-profile, and is suspected to be a high-ranking member of the Jashin Cult."
He used to be active in the Land of Lightning, but disappeared after being ambushed and killed by the Fourth Raikage and his men. Now he has come to the Land of Fire.
I've heard that Danzo has been demanding more spots from various clans lately, and the Anbu must have suffered heavy losses.
"Has Naoto we sent to the Ninja Cat Clan, returned?" Fugaku asked.
"Just returned, Azure Dragon appeared with the Ninja Cat Clan, reaching a weapons supply agreement with them."
The appearance of the Azure Dragon among the Ninja Cat Clan indicates that the Anbu's operation has failed once again.
"He actually found it?"
Fugaku was secretly surprised. He had never heard of the Ninja Cat Clan cooperating with other forces in all these years. One reason was their secluded location, and the other was that they were difficult to communicate with.
Aside from a few Ninja Cat that can speak, the other cats can only meow and require special headphones for translation.
Uchiha Yashiro replied, "Yes, this Azure Dragon is very powerful. He should be a key figure in the Akatsuki, but they are ultimately a terrorist organization."
It would be very risky for us to use them; if they find fault with us, it would be very troublesome.
"This is just a backup plan; don't tell anyone else about it," Fugaku instructed.
"Clear."
At this point, Yashiro suddenly lowered his voice and said, "Actually Naoto also unexpectedly found out something about a clansman related to ours..."
"What... you're saying some of our clansmen have joined Akatsuki?!"
Fugaku almost jumped up; he had just said he would keep his distance from Akatsuki.
Yashiro explained, "Based on the information provided by the Ninja Cat Clan, I did some reverse research and found that her mother was just an ordinary clan member who married out of the clan. She was bedridden for many years and died Nine-Tails' Disturbance."
She never awakened her Sharingan until adulthood, and disappeared shortly after the Second Shinobi World War.
"Did she have an eye-opener when she heard the news of her mother's death?!" Fugaku made his judgment.
Once they awaken their Uchiha clan. We must not allow our bloodline to be lost to the outside world. Moreover, if the village discovers that the Uchiha have joined Akatsuki, the situation will deteriorate even further.
"Have Tekka and Naoto secretly negotiate with Azure Dragon and find a way to bring her back."
"Hi!"
Ancient Tanzaku Castle is located in the southwest of the Land of Fire.
As a cultural city, it boasts a thriving entertainment industry, with izakayas, brothels, hot spring hotels, and casinos being its main pillar industries.
Inside a private room of an izakaya (Japanese pub) in Tanzaku Town.
Aoki Tsuki met with the core members of the Jashin Cult here. Kikuno Momo, dressed in a business suit, sat next to him taking notes on the conversation, and was in charge of finances and served as his secretary.
Butsushura is currently in charge of planning the activities of the Jashin Cult and is secretly directing Akatsuki's intelligence gathering efforts.
Kojima Sakae presided over rituals related to the worship of Jashin and was responsible for brainwashing new followers.
The two served as Aoki Tsuki's right-hand men, and the other was ' Doru, ' who had recently made outstanding achievements in preaching and spreading the word.
Aoki Tsuki remembered that this person was just an ordinary rogue ninja from the Land of Hot Water. Even after he worshipped the Jashin, he performed mediocrely. However, after arriving in the Land of Fire, he seemed to have suddenly become enlightened.
Not only has his strength greatly improved, but his mental outlook has also been completely renewed. He has been promoted to captain and has shown the same ambition he had in his younger days.
This is the leadership team he built in the Land of Fire.
"My lord, we have recruited a total of 283 believers so far. They are all outstanding individuals who have passed the tests of the Jashin and have unwavering faith in the Lord Jashin."
"Yes, you've worked hard. You should tell them more stories about the Jashin, War and Peace, greatness and revival, and our mission."
"Understood, thank you for your guidance, sir," Kojima Sakae said gratefully.
Butsushura then began his report.
"My lord, the people of the Land of Fire live too comfortably and are very resistant to our ideas, which has greatly hindered our work."
Furthermore, Konoha Ninja Village's manhunt against us across various regions has caused considerable trouble. Please provide guidance on the next steps, sir...
Aoki Tsuki reached out and touched his chin. Konoha's awareness of fraud prevention is quite strong.
It's alright, the devil is always one step ahead of the saint.
"We will adopt a roundabout strategy, targeting the bandits and robbers within the Land of Fire, and punish them with the Jashin's punishment, so that the people can personally experience our goodwill."
Targeting those facing family difficulties and life setbacks, we conducted on-the-ground outreach efforts, offering them support and winning them over.
Advertising campaigns are a must, including giving away eggs, Jashin -branded water bottles, and Jashin figurines in the name of Jashin...
Don't be rigid in your thinking; use your imagination and broaden your perspective.
The ninja world is rife with injustice, which breeds darkness and provides fertile ground for the growth of Jashin.
It has a strong base of support among the masses.
"As for the trouble caused by the Konoha Ninja, the situation will soon change..."
It seems we still need to increase the strength of Konoha.
Upon hearing this, Doru immediately responded, "Please give your orders, High Deacon."
"Arrange for a suicide squad to launch an attack on Konoha and its surrounding villages and towns, to appropriately demonstrate our strength. The attack location must be carefully chosen to have a deterrent or demonstrative effect."
The Land of Fire's capital's Anbu suffered heavy losses last time, so their surveillance of the village won't be as tight.
This is the opportunity.
"We've already sent people to scout out the area around Konoha. It's relatively loose, so there shouldn't be any problems. However, it might be difficult to get into Konoha."
After all, the Uchiha Clan is responsible for defense.
"I'll find an opportunity to negotiate with the Uchiha. You can arrange for a few people to disguise themselves as travelers and blend into the caravan..."
"Hi! Thank you, High Deacon," Doru replied.
This kind of thing needs to be done by fanatical followers of Jashin, and he already has a suitable candidate in mind.
"Haha... I only gave a few words; the real hard work is done by you grassroots workers. I remember all your efforts."
"You're too kind, sir. It's nothing more than what we should do."
Aoki Tsuki waved his hand, signaling the meeting to adjourn.
"Sister Mimoto, please draft the financial budget for each project according to the plan we just discussed, and then allocate the funds to them later."
"Knew."
Most of the followers of the Jashin Cult are unemployed vagrants; relying on them for donations is futile.
Most of them still rely on operating casinos and lending money at exorbitant interest rates to make a living.
"Thank you for your hard work. Are you getting used to the job? Don't keep any difficulties to yourself; let me know."
While offering words of comfort, Aoki Tsuki casually reached out and patted Kikuno Momo's beautiful legs clad in black stockings, taking the opportunity to grope her.
He also plays favorites; when faced with an easy target, he would relentlessly test her with the mentality of "a fool wouldn't pass up a bargain."
If Konan were sitting next to him, he wouldn't dare to reach out even if he had ten times the courage.
Kikuno Momo glanced down at the groping hand on her leg and sighed inwardly.
When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head; she had to endure it!
"It's alright. I've had these basic training courses before, so I can handle it. Don't worry, darling."
Aoki Tsuki's lips curled into a smile; the other party was reminding him, as the younger brother, that he had overstepped his bounds.
"Sigh, as your older brother, how could I not know you? You're so sensible, it breaks my heart."
Snap... Snap...
He then slapped his thigh twice more.
Kikuno Momo's forehead veins bulged involuntarily.
"Hehe... You know I've forgotten a lot of things. Has anything major happened in Konoha in recent years? Tell me about it."
Aoki Tsuki nodded and introduced, "There are indeed a few things, one of which is the suicide of Shisui Uchiha that happened in the last few months."
The other one is the Nine-Tails' Disturbance that happened five years ago, which I've told you about before.
So he recounted the Nine-Tails Incident.
"You're saying the Nine-Tails' Disturbance was orchestrated by the Uchiha? That's impossible, the Uchiha are..."
"Of course the Uchiha wouldn't do that. During the Nine-Tails' Disturbance, the Uchiha suffered the greatest losses. They had the Fourth Hokage's deep trust and had finally seen a turning point."
With the death of the Fourth Hokage, the Uchiha was relegated to the edge of the village, monitored like prisoners, and even Body Flicker Shisui, was forced to commit suicide.
Who could it be?
Aoki Tsuki shook his head. "Anyway, many people saw the Sharingan in Nine-Tails's eyes that night, but we don't know exactly who it was. That person is very well hidden."
Kikuno Momo fell into a long silence upon hearing this.
"By the way, I'll be going into seclusion to study Genin for a while, so please take care of these daily chores for me."
We must accelerate the transformation of the Thousand-Armed Kannon, using it as a foundation to research even more powerful techniques.
"Knew."