Chương 544: Chapter – 537 A true ‘Coincidence’

Whoosh… Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh…

Five figures, as fast as ghosts are engaged in a game of run and chase as they are passing by the forest… Their speed is so fast that except for afterimages, nothing can be discerned.

If those with good eyes and insight are to look at these people engaged in a cat-and-mouse game, they would instantly realize that three of these five figures are the elites of the Konoha Military Police Force that are heavily armed with all kinds of Shinobi gear, and are chasing after someone under the leadership of their Patriarch Uchiha Fugaku.

The person they are chasing after is dressed in the traditional Akatsuki Black Turtle-neck Cloak with Red cloud prints, and from his scarlet eyes with three black tomoe spinning in them, it can be discerned that the person they are chasing after is also a member of the Uchiha Clan.

"Shinichi, how long are you going to keep running away from the Clan?" Uchiha Fugaku who was closely following Shinichi shouted at him in a stern tone, beckoning him to stop and face them…

It's just that this Uchiha happens to be a 'traitor' of the Uchiha Clan who has 'defected' from Konoha and 'joined' the terrorist Akatsuki Organization… hence the cat and mouse game…

"..." – Uchiha Shinichi turned his head slightly and glanced at the three Uchiha elites as well as the Uchiha Patriarch behind him, then continued to move forward without answering Fugaku's question.

As the perpetrator who started this 'Chase'… oh sorry, the Cat and Mouse game, Shinichi, of course, has his own considerations…

It happened before Nagato used Tendo of the Six Path of Pain to release Super Shinra Tensei over the sky above Konoha, in order to completely destroy the strongest Shinobi Village. At that time, Nagato instructed all the Akatsuki Organization members present inside the village to retreat and escape far away from Konoha.

Initially, Shinichi was surprised by such an instruction, and a little sceptical, because the instruction obviously sounded absurd, and contrary to Akatsuki Organization's objective tonight (Akatsuki's Objective tonight is to destroy Konoha, eliminate the Gokage, and capture the Kyuubi's Jinchuriki), but Shinichi soon came to the conclusion that Nagato probably intends to use one of his super destructive moves to completely destroy Konoha in a single move.

Shinichi didn't doubt whether Nagato can do so or not, because he knows that Nagato is perfectly capable of such a feat, therefore, Shinichi deliberately appeared in front of the members of the Konoha Military Police Force and 'conveniently' led them outside the Village just in time to escape the effects of the Super Shinra Tensei Nagato used to flatten the Village.

The members of the Uchiha Clan were shocked by the sight of the village that no longer existed, then under the orders of the Uchiha Patriarch, most of them went back in order to help in rescuing the wounded, while the Patriarch, himself led three Uchiha elites, and chased after Shinichi.

While Shinichi recalled the event that happened not long ago, Uchiha Fugaku's persuasive voice sounded from behind, "Shinichi, I understand that you are dissatisfied with the Clan and the Village for not giving Kurumi's killer a fair judgment, and I also accept that I was incapable of bringing justice to Kurumi, but that's no reason for you to join a terrorist organization like the Akatsuki…! You have also witnessed the scene back in the village… I don't think I need to make it clearer to you that the members of the Akatsuki Organization are all lunatics… If you stay with them, you will not end well either…"

When Tendo used the Super Shinra Tensei to flatten Konoha, all the Uchiha who had chased and fled out of the Village in order to catch Shinichi also witnessed the shocking scene, and for a moment, none of them could believe their eyes.

It happened in an instant…

Just a moment ago, the village, which was built by the joint alliance of the two greatest Shinobi Clans during the Warring States Era, the village which has been standing in place for more than five decades, and had witnessed three Great Shinobi Wars and the change of four Hokage, the very same village was reduced the ruins at the next moment.

And when that shocking scene took place, Fugaku thanks to his Sharingan keenly discovered the surprised expression on Shinichi's face as he looked in the direction of the Village and the relieved expression as Shinichi looked at the Uchiha Clansmen who survived that calamity, so Fugaku came to the conclusion that for some reason Shinichi was aware of the incoming danger and tried to help the Uchiha Clan by leading the clansmen outside the danger zone.

Fugaku is not sure why exactly did Shinichi help the Uchiha Clan survive and foiled the plans of the Akatsuki Organization, but Fugaku understood one thing, and that is the fact that in Shinichi's heart, the Uchiha Clan is still more important compared to Akatsuki. This is also the reason why Fugaku is trying to persuade Shinichi and not directly eliminate him.

"Hahahaha…" Shinichi laughed upon hearing Fugaku's words…

Of course, whether this laugh is mockery, self-mockery, or despair cannot be understood by anyone except for Shinichi.

When Kurumi was killed, the Clan did not help bring justice to her, and the Village did not punish her killer, at that time, Shinichi's heart was filled with nothing except hatred, and he felt betrayed. This feeling of betrayal was further stimulated because of awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan…

For Shinichi, the Mangekyou Sharingan represented the hope of avenging Kurumi.

'If the Clan cannot bring justice to Kurumi then I would do it myself, if the Village did not punish Kurumi's killer, then I would do it myself…' With these intentions, Shinichi sneaked into the Root Base and killed Kurumi's murderer…

After the death of that Root member, Shinichi was focused on the next target, after all, the masked man was also behind Kurumi's death, and Shinichi had to figure out a way to kill that bastard, therefore, he escaped the Village, looking for an opportunity to kill the masked man.

But there was something left that he had to complete before he say goodbye to Konoha forever, and that was to defeat Hyuga Kuroto, this was important to Shinichi, as his defeat at the hands of Hyuga Kuroto was the primary cause of why everything happened. Even if Hyuga Kuroto wasn't personally involved with the events related to Kurumi's death, Shinichi had to defeat Hyuga Kuroto.

Unfortunately, that didn't do as planned, instead of defeating Hyuga Kuroto quite easily, he, himself was ruthlessly defeated by the other party.

The defeat was so thorough, that Shinichi couldn't see himself winning any time soon, so he was suddenly lost. At that point when Shinichi was emotionally overwhelmed and frustrated, Hyuga Kuroto talked to him and gave him the hope of bringing Kurumi back to life in exchange for being a subordinate for 15 years.

Shinichi was so taken aback that he immediately agreed and became Kuroto's subordinate. Shinichi didn't know why he believed Kuroto of being able to do something so absurd, he just did so…

If Kuroto really brings Kurumi back to life, then let alone 15 years, even if it is lifetime subordination, Shinichi is willing to do so.

The hope of seeing Kurumi back to life again cleared Shinichi's heart from despair and hatred, and with his heart cleared, Shinichi felt complicated towards the Clan and the Village, of course, there was also anger towards the masked man.

Knowing that the masked man who claimed to be Uchiha Madara was behind everything, Shinichi obviously wanted to kill him and willingly became a spy within the organization and periodically reported all his findings to Kuroto.

Working in the organization also gave Shinichi some time to calm his, mind and recollect his thoughts.

By now, Shinichi no longer has any hatred towards the Clan and the Village, nor is there any hatred towards the masked man.

If someone were to ask what he feels towards the masked man, then the answer would only be a single term 'Pity'.

Shinichi doesn't know what exactly has the masked man experienced in his life, but the fact that he has been pushed into such depths of despair, and has come to the conclusion that nothing except for Project Tsuki no Me can bring peace to this Shinobi World, makes Shinichi really feel pity for him.

Shinichi doesn't know whether the masked man is right or wrong, and frankly speaking, he doesn't really care anyway…

As Kuroto's subordinate, Shinichi only needs to do what he was asked for at the beginning, and that is to lurk within the Akatsuki Organization as a spy.

Shinichi knows that Kuroto doesn't want the masked man's plan to succeed, so Shinichi doesn't plan to let the masked man succeed.

And since his hatred for the Clan is no longer there, Shinichi doesn't want the Uchiha Clan to be destroyed either, after all, Kurumi would be sad if the Uchiha Clan were to be destroyed…

This is also the reason why he was 'conveniently' chased out of the Konoha Village by several Uchiha Clansmen. As a result of this, the Uchiha Clansmen 'coincidently' 'happened' to have 'avoided' the catastrophe that struck the village just in the nick of time, and survived.

That's right it's truly a 'coincidence' that the Uchiha Clansmen escaped…

But, it's just that Shinichi can't say it out loud and clearly because of being monitored by the White Zetsu clones.

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