Chapter 75: You Hold Them Off, I'll Take Out the Hokage
However, after completing the latest life simulation, his injuries were completely healed, and his chakra reserves had even surged, touching the threshold of Kage-level strength.
So, Uchiha Akira finally had a good night's sleep!
When morning came, he had Keiko prepare a wheelchair for him, and she wheeled him around the streets of Konoha, making sure his presence was felt.
"Is that Uchiha Akira? Konoha's greatest genius? Why is he suddenly in a wheelchair?"
"Shh, don't talk too loudly. Last night's commotion was huge, wasn't it? The ground was shaking, almost like the night of the Nine-Tails attack. I heard it was Uchiha Akira fighting!"
"What? No matter how much of a genius he is, he's still just a seven-year-old child, right?"
As Uchiha Akira made his appearance on the streets of Konoha, looking weak and frail, people around him began whispering in low voices.
"Master Akira..." Hearing the murmurs around them, Keiko looked at Uchiha Akira with concern.
After all, Master Akira was just a seven-year-old child. Could he handle such widespread speculation?
"It's fine, cough, cough..." Sensing Keiko's worry, Uchiha Akira shook his head slightly.
As he spoke, he even coughed weakly twice, seemingly without strength.
If he weren't worried about overacting, Uchiha Akira thought he might have pulled out a white handkerchief to cover his mouth, and maybe even coughed up a bit of blood for dramatic effect, just like in those old TV dramas.
But regardless of Uchiha Akira's internal musings, his weak appearance, combined with the fact that he had put his life on the line the previous night to open the Eight Gates and kill Danzo, made Keiko feel a mix of gratitude and guilt.
"Master Akira, it's all my fault. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be like this. I'm just a servant..." Keiko said softly, filled with endless guilt.
"Keiko, you know that I've only had my grandfather as my family, and no other relatives. So, in my heart, you're not just a servant; you're family!" Uchiha Akira replied, his expression serious.
These words were not just an attempt to win Keiko's favor.
After countless life simulations, Uchiha Akira had come to realize that Keiko was someone he could truly trust.
In the most recent simulation, she even awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan because of his death!
Given how much he meant to her, Uchiha Akira really couldn't see her as just a servant.
"Master Akira!" Keiko's eyes filled with deep emotion as she listened to Uchiha Akira's heartfelt words.
After a long moment of silence, she finally smiled and said, "It's a good thing you're only seven years old now, Master Akira. If you were ten years older, you'd probably have all the girls in the ninja world wrapped around your finger."
"So, my 'mouth jutsu' is pretty strong too, huh?" Uchiha Akira thought to himself with a smirk as he glanced at Keiko's expression. Indeed, if he were seventeen now, Keiko might have been ready to fall to her knees for him.
After making his rounds on the streets of Konoha to make sure everyone noticed him, Uchiha Akira returned to the Uchiha clan's compound.
Three days passed in a flash.
During these three days, Uchiha Akira focused all his energy on training with the Eight Gates.
His goal was clear: to open the Eighth Gate.
However, breaking through that final gate was unbelievably difficult.
Three simulations in a row, and he still hadn't succeeded.
Even so, Uchiha Akira continued to choose the ninjutsu option among chakra, jutsu, and bloodline after each simulation.
As a result, his combat experience grew, and his mastery of ninjutsu became more refined.
Though he hadn't yet reached the Eighth Gate, he could feel himself getting closer with each attempt.
It was like training to master the Rasengan.
Even though bursting water balloons and rubber balls didn't mean you'd learned the Rasengan, they were still significant steps in the process.
After three simulations, Uchiha Akira heard that Clan Leader Fugaku had come to visit his grandfather at their home.
Uchiha Akira wheeled himself to Fugaku's side.
"Grand Elder, in the past few days, the village's leadership hasn't made any moves to oppress or suppress us Uchiha. It seems Itachi was right; the two Mangekyō Sharingan have made the Third Hokage somewhat apprehensive."
As soon as Uchiha Akira arrived, he overheard Clan Leader Fugaku speaking casually with his grandfather.
"Clan Leader, have you considered that this might be a ploy by the Third Hokage to lull us into a false sense of security?" Uchiha Akira couldn't help but interject.
To be honest, if it weren't for the life simulator, Uchiha Akira might have thought the same thing.
That the Uchiha's strength had made the Third Hokage cautious?
But from the life simulator, Uchiha Akira knew that not only would the Night of the Massacre not disappear, but it would also happen even sooner!
Besides, what kind of person is the Third Hokage?
He excels in internal conflicts and is weak in external ones!
If another village displayed power that threatened Konoha, the Third Hokage would be the first to back down.
But if the Uchiha showed power that threatened Konoha?
Sorry, he'd do everything in his power to eliminate it as quickly as possible!
That's the kind of person the Third Hokage is!
"Akira, are you saying the Third Hokage might be trying to deceive us?" Fugaku's expression changed slightly as he looked at Uchiha Akira sitting in his wheelchair.
If the Third Hokage really was trying to deceive the Uchiha, then it wouldn't be hard to guess what his next move would be.
"I can say with certainty that the Third Hokage will take action against the Uchiha, and soon. Because if he plans to act, he won't wait for my injuries to fully heal!" Uchiha Akira nodded, speaking with conviction.
"This possibility can't be ruled out," the Grand Elder agreed after some thought, nodding in agreement with Uchiha Akira's assessment.
Fugaku's expression grew darker, and he fell into deep thought.
Yes, what if Akira was right?
What if the Third Hokage really was planning to act against the Uchiha?
The fate of the entire Uchiha clan was at stake, and Fugaku couldn't afford to take this lightly.
"Clan Leader, I have something I want to discuss with you," Uchiha Akira said, noting Fugaku's expression and realizing that his words had hit home.
"What is it?" Fugaku's expression turned serious as well.
Even though Uchiha Akira was only seven years old, no one would dare treat him like a child anymore, given his strength and wisdom.
Especially after the point he just raised, something everyone else had overlooked!
Fugaku was well aware that the clan members had been feeling invigorated lately, as if they'd already won a major victory against the village leadership's oppression.
"First, the village leadership will definitely take action against the Uchiha, and it will be in the next few days!"
"So, when the time comes, I hope the Clan Leader will lead our people to hold them off for as long as possible!" Uchiha Akira said to Fugaku.
"What do you plan to do?" Fugaku's expression changed as he heard Uchiha Akira's request for the Uchiha to delay the village's forces.
If Akira was asking them to buy time, it meant he had something important to do, right?
But, given that he'd recently opened the Seventh Gate, shouldn't he be unable to fight for quite some time?
What could he possibly do?
"Decapitation strategy!" Uchiha Akira said calmly.
"You mean..." Fugaku's eyes widened in shock at Uchiha Akira's words.
"Grandson, you're not..." The Grand Elder couldn't help but speak up as well.
After all, having killed Danzo, it wasn't as if his grandson was incapable.
But wasn't he unable to fight right now?
However, before they could say more, Uchiha Akira stood up from his wheelchair.
Nothing speaks louder than action!
Seeing Uchiha Akira stand up, Fugaku, the Grand Elder, and even Keiko were all visibly shocked.
The Eight Gates technique... After Might Dai opened the Eight Gates and single-handedly faced the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, all the Konoha leadership knew of its power. They also knew of its terrifying costs.
It's a technique that harms both the enemy and oneself—if you injure the enemy by 1,000 points, you harm yourself by 800!
But to open the Seventh Gate and recover in just three days?
Everyone in the Uchiha clan had checked Uchiha Akira's condition after he opened the Seventh Gate, and it was clear he was in a crippled state. They thought it would take at least two months for him to recover!
But now, only three days had passed!
"Clan Leader, when the time comes, do your best to hold off all the elite forces!"
"I'll open the Eight Gates and carry out the decapitation strategy!"
"If we can take down the Third Hokage, then victory will be ours!" Uchiha Akira said seriously to Fugaku.
"Do you think you can do it?" Fugaku asked, staring intently at Uchiha Akira.
Although Clan Leader Fugaku had never wanted the Uchiha to stage a coup or see things escalate to this point, he did not oppose Uchiha Akira's plan.
Why?
Was it because Uchiha Akira's words carried weight?
No!
It was because Uchiha Akira's plan was based on the assumption that Konoha would act against the Uchiha.
If Konoha were already making a move against the Uchiha, even a fool would know it was time to fight back!
"Hmm, with the Clan Leader and Itachi's two pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan, delaying for time shouldn't be an issue. Grandson, you must also be careful. I'm proud of you, so very proud!" The elder beside them didn't try to stop Uchiha Akira.
"Uh, pardon me for saying this, but when it comes time for Konoha to act against the Uchiha, Brother Itachi... may not necessarily stand with the Uchiha," Uchiha Akira hesitated slightly but ultimately spoke up, offering a warning.