"…That's roughly the situation. Any more questions?"
Yoichi explained his plan to the Konoha leadership. It was quite straightforward—overpower the enemy with sheer force. Sunagakure would have no room to resist against the overwhelming might of Konoha's assembled forces.
Inside the village, Pakura was rallying people to merge with Konoha, while outside, Konoha's ninja army was already gathered. Sunagakure, having just been attacked by Uchiha Madara's group, had suffered severe losses, including the capture of the One-Tails. There was no way Sunagakure could stand against Konoha now.
Tobirama crossed his arms and asked, "Fifth Hokage, are you really prepared to unify the shinobi world? Have you thought about the consequences—ninja from the five great villages and the nobility of each nation?"
"More or less. The fact is, I don't need to care about those nobles or the other villages' ninja. Even in Konoha, the number of ninja will be streamlined and improved—only the most exceptional of each generation will become shinobi."
Yoichi spoke bluntly, as he held absolute authority in Konoha.
"As for those who don't make the cut, they'll have to develop other skills. Anyone who can use chakra and ninjutsu is still valuable. But let's leave that aside for now. We need someone to take command. Who wants the job?"
After finishing, Yoichi's gaze first fell on Sakumo, but then he realized there was someone even more suitable.
"Second Hokage, are you interested?"
"Me?"
Tobirama was taken aback but then said, "But I'm in Edo Tensei form."
"That's not a problem. Just make sure you don't get sealed. I doubt Sunagakure has anyone capable of sealing you. Besides, I need to stay in the village to watch over the Nine-Tails and the Two-Tails. We need a decisive commander on the front lines."
When Yoichi mentioned the Nine-Tails and Two-Tails, Tobirama understood that Yoichi was preparing for the possibility of Madara's involvement.
Yoichi continued, "The Fourth Hokage would have been a good choice, but he has grudges against some of Suna's higher-ups. If he leads the frontlines, it'll turn into an all-out war. So, you're the best candidate."
Tobirama didn't decline, saying, "Very well, I'll take on this task."
Back when Konoha had just been founded, he and the Daimyō of the Land of Fire had considered unifying the other ninja clans and smaller nations. However, with Konoha and the Land of Fire setting a precedent, other nations followed suit, supporting the consolidation of various ninja clans.
In just one year, the five great nations and the five great villages were established. By then, unifying the shinobi world had become much more difficult and would have required a significant cost.
Tobirama had once tried to persuade his brother, Hashirama, to continue unifying the shinobi world, believing that it was the only way to achieve lasting peace. But Hashirama, unwilling to sacrifice the lives of hundreds or even thousands of shinobi, abandoned the idea, and the five-village system was solidified.
Now, the opportunity for unification had arisen again, rekindling Tobirama's interest. Even if it was difficult to annex all five great nations, absorbing the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers would make Konoha and the Land of Fire the dominant force in the shinobi world.
At that point, no other village would dare challenge Konoha.
"The ninja corps will take about four to five days to reach the border of the Land of Wind, but Pakura in Sunagakure can't wait that long. We need a powerful force to support her right away."
Yoichi paused, then looked around before continuing, "First Hokage, Second Hokage, Jiraiya, Uchiha Masato, Uchiha Shisui…"
He listed over thirty names, all of them powerful figures within the village. If they clashed with Sunagakure, the destruction they would cause would be far greater than that of Edo Tensei bodies.
Their primary mission was to protect Pakura and the thousand-strong force she had gathered. This group could sway three to four thousand villagers to join Konoha, leading to Sunagakure's eventual collapse.
This was Konoha's best opportunity to annex Suna. If Suna managed to regroup and eliminate Pakura's forces, even if Rasa and his council were severely weakened, Konoha would still have to pay a heavy price.
After Yoichi finished, Sakumo voiced his concern, "Won't this leave the village too vulnerable?"
Mobilizing two-thirds of the village's shinobi to deal with Sunagakure left only about two thousand ninja behind in Konoha.
"Don't worry, I'm still here. No one can harm the village."
Yoichi reassured him. He was now the strongest in the shinobi world, with both Rinnegan eyes evolved into six-tomoe Rinnegan, and the ability to form Truth-Seeking Balls. Even if the Iwa and Kumo villages sent two armies of 20,000 ninja, they would still end up as his nourishment.
Though consuming people would be crossing a moral line, Yoichi had the ability but had never resorted to such measures.
But if the enemy came knocking, he might give it a try.
Once Yoichi gave the order, all the assigned ninja began mobilizing. Yūhi Jinin had received his instructions months ago and had made sufficient preparations.
Within half a day, the ninja squads had gathered, though those named earlier had already set off. They needed to reach Sunagakure within a day, so time was tight.
"Lord Madara, Konoha seems to be on the move. About thirty-four strong shinobi have left the village, led by Tobirama and Hashirama, though it appears Hashirama has also been resurrected."
Black Zetsu reported to Madara after receiving intel from a White Zetsu clone. White Zetsu clones could relay information quickly through Mokuton roots underground, using chakra to transmit what they saw.
"Hashirama has been revived?"
Madara's interest was piqued upon hearing Hashirama's name. In the shinobi world, only Hashirama could truly intrigue him. Perhaps another Uchiha descendant who had awakened the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan might as well.
If Hashirama were still in Edo Tensei form, Madara's interest might wane. But with Hashirama revived, Madara felt the urge to battle again.
"Is Hashirama coming for me?"
Bringing that many capable shinobi—it seemed like they were coming for him, knowing he had been revived.
"It doesn't seem so, Lord Madara."
Black Zetsu replied, "It appears they're headed for Sunagakure. Konoha has sent several ninja squads, around four or five thousand in total. It looks like they're trying to wipe out Sunagakure."
"Wipe out Sunagakure?"
Madara was taken aback. This massive force wasn't coming for him but rather Sunagakure?
"Heh, Hashirama, you fool."
Instead of feeling relieved, Madara was somewhat enraged by this. Did they think he was irrelevant?
"Lord Madara, perhaps our intel hasn't been leaked yet. Even if Hashirama wanted to find you, he wouldn't know where you are. Besides, Konoha's current leader is the Fifth Hokage. According to Fugaku's intel, this is likely his order."
Seeing that Madara was contemplating going after Hashirama, Black Zetsu quickly devised a plan to dissuade him. Kaguya's resurrection was within reach, and Black Zetsu couldn't afford for Indra's reincarnation to create more trouble now.
"Isn't this better, Lord Madara? With so many of Konoha's elites gone, Fugaku can return to the village and gather information on Yugito. He can even persuade Itachi. If they manage to capture the Two-Tails, it will be a harsh lesson for Hashirama and Konoha."
"Lord Madara, this brings you closer to your dream. If you're exposed now, the other villages will hide their Jinchuriki, making it harder to achieve your goal."
Their focus on the Two-Tails was because of Yugito's young age. The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki resided near the center of Konoha, making her difficult to approach. Fortunately, Yoichi's family lived on the outskirts, as they preferred a quieter environment.
Madara considered Black Zetsu's words. The Eye of the Moon Plan was his true goal, a direct contradiction to Hashirama's dream of a false peace.
Now wasn't the time to reveal himself. The Four-Tails and Five-Tails had yet to be revived, and he had only recently sealed the Six-Tails in Kirigakure. The Seven-Tails and Eight-Tails were still on his list.
"Very well, let's go with that plan. Black Zetsu, you'll accompany Fugaku this time."
Madara turned to Fugaku and added, "You've mastered Yin-Yang Release. Even without the Mangekyō Sharingan, few can oppose you. With White Zetsu's help, capturing the Two-Tails Jinchuriki should be manageable."
Fugaku nodded, then seemed to recall something. "Lord Madara, I'd like to bring my son along. He's a genius, and being with me is the best way for him to grow."
"Do as you please. Let White Zetsu assist you."
Madara responded indifferently. He had seen many geniuses in his time. Both he and his brother, Izuna, had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, making them rare prodigies within the Uchiha clan.
For the Uchiha, the Sharingan was the ultimate measure of strength. Without the Mangekyō, one could never reach the pinnacle of the shinobi world.
"Let's go, Fugaku. Now that Konoha's forces are greatly diminished."
Black Zetsu suppressed his excitement as he addressed Fugaku. Each captured Tailed Beast brought Kaguya's revival closer.
Soon, Kaguya would return.
Filled with anticipation, Black Zetsu slipped underground, planning to wait for Fugaku outside Konoha while gathering intel.
...
"Mother, I'm off to school."
"Wait a moment, Itachi. Did you take your lunch?"
Seeing the lunchbox still on the table, Mikoto hurried to grab it and handed it to Itachi at the door. Recently, she had been waking up early every day to check on him.
"Kimimaro and Haku both took theirs, but you always seem to forget."
Itachi looked at the three-layered deluxe bento with a slight frown. It was far too flashy. Every time he ate lunch, he was surrounded by curious classmates, forcing him to eat in secret lately.
He wasn't sure about Kimimaro and Haku, but he wasn't keen on bringing such an extravagant lunch, especially since the portions were too large.
"Mother, this is too much. Next time, something simple like rice balls will do."
"This is based on how much you eat at home on your days off. You're practicing breathing techniques now, right? With that and your ninjutsu training, you'll need plenty of energy."
Mikoto smiled warmly as she placed the bento in Itachi's bag, filling it to the brim.
"Your father used to eat a lot too. He could eat enough for ten people. The more you eat, the stronger you'll become, Itachi."
Itachi sighed inwardly but smiled at Mikoto, "I understand, Mother."
After saying goodbye, he headed out the door, where Haku and Kimimaro were already waiting for him.
Haku, noticing Itachi's stuffed backpack, chuckled, "Itachi-niisan, you brought it again. You could always trade lunches with your classmates. They seem to enjoy that."
"I'll try."
Itachi sighed, preferring to eat lunch alone. Eating in groups was too much trouble for him.
"Haku, Kimimaro, I'll find you at lunch."
"Alright, Itachi-niisan."
"Sure, I'll join you both at lunch."
With that, the three headed toward the ninja academy. Although all three were already stronger than most genin, there was still much to learn at the academy. Without knowledge, even a powerful ninja would be no more than a giant infant.
Now, there was no such thing as early graduation, unless someone was so exceptional that Yoichi personally granted them permission.
As they made their way to the academy, Itachi suddenly spotted a mark on the roadside, which caused his eyes to flash with recognition. He stopped in his tracks.
Seeing this, Haku and Kimimaro also halted and turned back, asking, "What's wrong, Itachi-niisan?"
"...I just remembered something. I need to go back. You two go ahead to school."
Itachi hesitated for a moment before smiling at Haku and Kimimaro. The two exchanged a glance before Haku replied, "Alright then, Itachi-niisan, don't be late."
"I won't."
After Haku and Kimimaro left, Itachi stood there, pondering for a moment, then darted down a nearby alley. With his current strength, even a jōnin would have a hard time keeping up with him. He easily avoided detection as he weaved through the streets.
Following the mark, he arrived at a secluded construction site. After scanning his surroundings, Itachi realized there were no more marks to follow.
"As expected of my son, Itachi. You were able to notice such a subtle code."
A voice suddenly called out. From behind a pile of construction materials, a figure emerged, and as he approached, Itachi's memories flooded back, recognizing the familiar face immediately.
"F-Father?"
"It's me, Itachi. It's been a long time."
Fugaku gazed at his son, who had grown so much. It stirred emotions in his heart. When he had left, Itachi had been only about three years old. Now, he was seven or eight.
(End of Chapter)
====
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"Father, why have you come back?"
Itachi hesitated before asking. He had grown older now, and although his memories of the past were vague, he still recalled the accusations from the clan, calling him the son of a traitor.
"I came to see you, Itachi. It seems you've grown. Your skill in genjutsu is impressive."
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Fugaku flicked a stone, which passed straight through Itachi's body. Itachi's expression turned to shock as his form dissolved into a shadowy ink-like substance and disappeared.
A moment later, the real Itachi emerged from another direction, his emotions complicated as he looked at his father, who had just used his three-tomoe Sharingan. "Father."
It had been a test, but seeing the Sharingan confirmed that this was no impostor.
"Itachi, your vigilance is commendable. It seems you're now a skilled shinobi. I've always believed you would surpass me. Come, sit and talk."
Fugaku sat on a pile of steel rods, gesturing for Itachi to join him.
Itachi hesitated momentarily but eventually sat next to his father. As he sat down, he recalled what Yoichi had told him—that studying was to gain wisdom, to better handle situations, or else one would be like a fool who didn't know what to do in the face of a challenge.
Now, Itachi found himself at a loss. When encountering a rogue shinobi, one was supposed to report it immediately. But this rogue shinobi was his father.
"Itachi, what have you been up to lately? Have you been training your ninjutsu properly?"
Fugaku started with small talk, wanting to first connect as a father before getting to the more serious matters.
Itachi replied, "I'm still attending the ninja academy, but I've already mastered all the ninjutsu courses, so the teacher allows me to read other books during class."
"That's a waste of time. With your talent, you should graduate early and become a real ninja to gain experience."
Fugaku shook his head in disapproval, sighing inwardly. He hadn't been able to take Itachi away before, leaving him in the village. But Itachi's growth hadn't disappointed him, even though they had lost Hachidai as a result.
Itachi had used his genjutsu well just now, and if Fugaku hadn't been so sensitive to it, he might not have noticed.
It was seeing Itachi's potential that made Fugaku consider taking him away. This village wasn't worth staying in, and that woman didn't deserve to be Itachi's mother.
Fugaku firmly believed that once Itachi knew the truth, he would stand by his side.
After talking about daily matters, which Itachi answered one by one, two hours had passed. The construction site was closed for the day and was in a remote area that the police force only patrolled once a day.
"Itachi, it's been almost four years. I think it's time I told you the truth about what happened back then."
Fugaku began slowly. This had always been a painful subject for him, but if it could help convince Itachi, he was willing to talk about it.
"The reason I became a rogue shinobi was entirely due to being framed by Uchiha Yoichi, with the help of Mikoto."
As Fugaku recounted the events from his perspective, Itachi's eyes filled with shock, confusion, and disbelief. This was all unfamiliar to him.
Some parts, however, rang a bell. He vaguely remembered being taken to live with Hachidai, then to Shinji's home, before eventually being brought back to his mother.
From then on, Itachi had lived with his mother, though she had been busy, she had started spending more and more time with him.
Itachi lowered his head in silence, unsure of how to process everything.
Fugaku gritted his teeth and continued, "Itachi, I actually left something important for you, but that bastard Yoichi stole it!"
"What?"
Itachi asked instinctively.
"My Sharingan—my Mangekyō Sharingan was meant for you. But that bastard took it. He killed Hachidai for those eyes and then used them to evolve his own eyes into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan."
Fugaku's voice was filled with hatred as he recounted the events to Itachi.
He had pinned all his hopes on Itachi, but they had been destroyed, only to elevate Uchiha Yoichi's reputation. Thinking back, Fugaku regretted giving away his Mangekyō Sharingan so early.
"How… how could that be?"
Itachi's heart was full of disbelief. Yoichi had been nothing but kind to him. Apart from opposing Itachi's early graduation, Yoichi had treated everyone in the family equally. Deep down, Itachi had already accepted Yoichi as his father, and Yoichi was also the Hokage of the village.
Learning so many shocking things in such a short time had been a severe mental blow to Itachi.
"It's true, Itachi. You probably don't even know about the Uchiha clan's forbidden techniques because Yoichi has been keeping you in the dark. You are my son, and he won't allow you to gain power."
Fugaku gripped Itachi's shoulders and was surprised to see that Itachi had awakened his Sharingan—two tomoe in his left eye.
As expected of his son, the strength of their bloodline was truly remarkable.
"Itachi, I am your father. I would never harm you. If you wish, I can teach you the Uchiha clan's techniques, ones that Yoichi will never pass on to you."
"Every day, I will leave a new code for you. When you notice it, follow it to meet me. Now that you've awakened your Sharingan, it should be easy for you."
"I must leave now, Itachi. This village is not safe for me."
With that, Fugaku disappeared using the Body Flicker Technique, leaving Itachi alone to process everything. It was a long time before Itachi stood up and made his way to the academy.
When he finally arrived at school, it was already noon. His classmates were having lunch, and upon seeing him, they informed him that the teacher was looking for him.
Itachi nodded and headed to the teacher's office, where, as expected, his teacher asked why he hadn't shown up in the morning.
Itachi had already prepared an excuse and calmly explained himself. The teacher let him off with just a question—after all, he was the son of the Hokage.
In the afternoon, Itachi's mind wasn't in the lesson. After school, he quietly walked home, only stopping to briefly greet Haku and Kimimaro.
His strange behavior didn't go unnoticed by Haku and Kimimaro. Upon learning that Itachi hadn't attended the academy in the morning, Haku gave Kimimaro a look, hoping he would subtly find out what was wrong.
Kimimaro noticed Haku's signal, nodded, and quickly caught up to Itachi, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Something's off. Did something happen?"
Seeing this, Haku sighed and facepalmed, thinking he should have asked himself.
"It's nothing. I just feel weak and want to train harder."
Itachi smiled faintly, noticing their concern. If even his two younger brothers could tell something was wrong, there was no way he could hide it from his parents or Sasuke and Karin when he got home.
"The teacher said your strength is already close to that of a chūnin. You think that's still weak?"
"Mm, there are too many unknowns in the shinobi world. Without great strength, you can't handle them. So I need to focus on training."
Itachi smiled as he explained.
Haku and Kimimaro accepted his explanation and followed him home.
When they arrived, Sasuke immediately ran up to Itachi, grabbing his leg and complaining, "Nii-san, Karin's been bullying me!"
"Hmph, even if you're holding onto Nii-san, you still have to spar with me. Come on!"
Karin caught up, grabbing Sasuke by the collar and, after greeting Itachi with a sweet smile, prepared to drag Sasuke away.
Itachi noticed Sasuke's pleading look but could only give him an awkward smile. Internally, he apologized to Sasuke: Sorry, Sasuke, I'll save you next time.
If he helped Sasuke now, Karin would latch onto him, and Itachi had learned firsthand how energetic his little sister could be. Better to stay out of it.
However, Sasuke and Karin's antics did lighten Itachi's mood. The warmth of family companionship brought him some peace, and he hadn't even taken off his shoes when he realized his mother was in the kitchen preparing dinner.
The family now had a dedicated chef, who delivered the meals, leaving Mikoto with only minor tasks to handle. Otherwise, she would have been cooking all afternoon for their family of nine.
Itachi wandered into the kitchen and saw his mother's smile, completely unfeigned and genuine. For a moment, he didn't know what to believe anymore.
"Mother."
"Yes, what is it?"
"Nothing, you just seem really happy these days. Did something good happen?"
Mikoto smiled gently. "Just being with family makes me happy every day. Itachi, why would you ask such a thing?"
"Nothing, just curious. I'm going to wash my hands."
Itachi left the kitchen.
...
Elsewhere…
Yoichi, having left a clone in the office, made his way to Kushina's home.
He had been visiting frequently ever since hearing news about Minato. Whenever any updates came in, Yoichi would personally deliver them to Kushina.
As Hokage, he was quite dedicated to the wellbeing of the village's widows.
Pop!
A sound similar to a cork being pulled from a wine bottle echoed as Yoichi withdrew, thinking to himself, The time was too short. I should take Kushina to Turtle Island for training soon. That way, we can enjoy ourselves properly.
He set down the cold drink in his hand.
"You jerk…"
Kushina muttered weakly. She was completely spent this time. In a soft, unusual tone, she asked Yoichi, "Help me… get the medicine from the drawer~!"
He always went overboard, leaving her nervous afterward.
"I guess I have no choice. But you know, taking that medicine too often isn't good for your health, Kushina."
Despite his words, Yoichi retrieved the 'vitamins' from the drawer, gently propping her up and feeding her the medicine.
After she took it, Kushina huffed, "Hmph, if you did it outside, I wouldn't have to take this stuff."
"What if you get pregnant? Would you keep it?"
"In your dreams! I'd just…"
"You'd what? Kill your own child? Even if it hasn't been born yet?"
Yoichi's words left Kushina silent. In the shinobi world, passing on one's lineage was a significant matter.
Perhaps it was because shinobi life expectancy was so low, with the average life span during the Warring States period being around 30 years. Even in the era of the villages, long-lived shinobi were rare.
If a child could be born, it would be born. Every life was precious. Kushina hadn't even considered saying the word 'abortion.' In the ninja world, the idea of terminating a pregnancy was hard to accept.
"Rest well. I'm heading back."
Yoichi placed the exhausted Kushina on the bed, covering her with a blanket before heading to the bathroom to take a shower.
A quick workout at Kushina's before dinner always left him with a hearty appetite.
As for Kushina, she'd take care of herself once she recovered.
After returning home, Yoichi had dinner with his family. Meals at their house were always lavish, and today's menu was roast lamb and a seafood feast.
After they had eaten, Yoichi swiftly scooped up Karin, saying, "You're planning to bully Sasuke again, aren't you? Looks like I need to send you to school early, Karin!"
"Daddy, I want to stay home with you~"
"I'm not home during the day, Karin, so that's a poor excuse."
Seeing Karin's pout, Yoichi couldn't help but laugh.
At that moment, Itachi suddenly spoke up, "Father, can you help me with my training today?"
"Training?"
Yoichi was a bit surprised but nodded. "Of course. Let's go outside to the courtyard."
Itachi's request piqued Karin's and Sasuke's interest, so they followed along.
When they reached the courtyard, Yoichi asked, "Itachi, what made you suddenly want training advice? Are you thinking of graduating early again?"
"No, Father. It's just that I feel too weak compared to others. I want to become stronger, so… please help me."
Itachi's true thoughts remained hidden, known only to him.
"You want to get stronger? Alright. If I'm satisfied with your progress, I'll teach you a new technique. But if not, you'll have to keep training step by step."
Yoichi continued, "There are no shortcuts to power. It's all about hard work and sweat. Now, attack me. Let's see how much you've improved recently."
(End of Chapter)
====
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