Chapter 137: A Happy and Blissful Life!

The tension escalated!

Instantly, everyone's faces went dark.

Itachi looked helpless.

However!

They all stared at Itsuki, their gazes filled with anger.

They had just breathed a sigh of relief, and now, this guy was stirring things up again!?

Would you only be happy if the Uchiha clan had a civil war?

If you really like Mikoto, just be more assertive and take down Fugaku already.

Bullying men and women isn't exactly out of character for you.

You like her, but you're not making a move. What kind of nonsense is this?

*Thud!*

Amidst the speechless crowd, Fugaku made a shocking move.

He knelt!

Fugaku knelt on the ground, bowing before Itsuki.

Of course, to Itsuki, this looked like Fugaku was begging.

"Itsuki, I'm begging you! Please give me my Mikoto back!"

Fugaku touched his head to the ground and pleaded loudly.

"Uh..."

Itsuki felt a bit embarrassed.

Things have gotten out of hand!

I don't know what to say.

So!

Itsuki fumbled through his clothes, pulled out a hundred ryō, and handed it to Fugaku. "Fugaku, you're forever 18!"

Fugaku: "..."

Everyone around: "..."

If Uchiha Itsuki ever gets beaten to death on the street, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.

"Fugaku!"

A soft, elegant voice suddenly called out.

Fugaku looked up excitedly.

Mikoto!

Uchiha Mikoto slowly walked out from the back of the group, looking at Fugaku with a helpless smile.

Were you that eager to see me?

Couldn't you have waited just one more minute?

Just one minute!

"Mikoto, you're back!"

"Where did I go?" Mikoto replied helplessly. "As the clan leader's wife, I was walking at the very back of the group."

Fugaku's face stiffened: "So..."

"So, when the group reached the village, I just walked forward."

Fugaku dumbly turned his head to look at Itsuki.

Itsuki shrugged and said, "Not my fault. You were so quick to kneel; I couldn't stop you."

"So, it's my fault?"

Itsuki waved his hand and said, "I forgive you. Besides, I already gave you money. What more do you want?"

...

"This is the new village I've chosen!"

"A village that belongs to the Uchiha!"

Itsuki, accompanied by Uchiha's elite shinobi, walked on the new village's mainland.

"The village is located slightly southeast of Konoha, with a main road surrounded by the sea."

The new village was different from the Hidden Mist.

Hidden Mist was an island nation built purely on the sea.

"How long have you been preparing for this village?"

Fugaku couldn't help but ask.

"Almost ten years now!"

Fugaku was speechless. "You really don't have any hope for Uchiha and Konoha's relationship, do you?"

"Exactly!"

Itsuki's response was straightforward: "As long as Hiruzen Sarutobi stays in power, it will be impossible for Uchiha and Konoha to reconcile. And with Hiruzen Sarutobi in control, Konoha has no future."

"No future?"

"Yes!"

Itsuki smiled. "And, in the short term, they probably won't be able to cause us any trouble."

Everyone quietly watched Itsuki, waiting for him to continue.

"The Sarutobi clan, the Shimura clan, the Koharu clan, and the Mito clan—how much power they've hidden, I'm not sure, but at least 7,000 shinobi!"

"Reliable information suggests that Hiruzen Sarutobi is becoming restless. He's planning to rule Konoha by force."

"Oh!"

Everyone was startled and said, "That's shocking!"

"This upcoming war is the perfect opportunity!"

Itsuki sneered, "He plans to sacrifice the other shinobi, so there will be no one left to oppose his rule."

Fugaku muttered, "How could Hiruzen Sarutobi think like that?"

After he spoke, several people looked at him as if he were a fool.

Fugaku finally turned his gaze to Itsuki.

Itsuki shrugged and said, "There's a good chance it's because of me!"

"Sigh!"

Fugaku sighed. "Itsuki, stop being so modest. That doesn't suit you."

Because of Uchiha Itsuki?

Most likely, yes!

Uchiha underwent tremendous changes due to Itsuki's presence.

Originally, Hiruzen Sarutobi had planned to gradually weaken the Uchiha clan's power while trying to divide the clan from within—pull some in, beat down others, ideally splitting Uchiha apart.

But what happened instead?

Both the Root and ANBU divisions suffered heavy losses, and Uchiha, internally, became more stable.

That can't be allowed!

Moreover!

Thanks to Uchiha Itsuki, Hiruzen Sarutobi's prestige in Konoha had fallen to its lowest point.

His and Danzo's faces were repeatedly stomped on by Uchiha Itsuki.

This challenged his patience in every possible way.

Recently, questions surrounding the Third Hokage in Konoha have been unrelenting.

This had only increased Hiruzen Sarutobi's anxiety.

If a full-blown confrontation erupted, their strength would diminish, while Uchiha's power continued to rise.

Can that be allowed?

Absolutely not!

Financial losses compounded their psychological distress.

And having been Hokage for decades, with Danzo's collaboration, Hiruzen Sarutobi had long become Konoha's absolute ruler.

For someone like him, any challenger was particularly hard to tolerate.

All these reasons led him to make his final decision.

Fugaku suddenly asked, "If Hiruzen Sarutobi doesn't lose his mind, what would happen to us Uchiha? Could we possibly..."

"That's probably what worries Hiruzen Sarutobi the most!"

Itsuki replied nonchalantly, "That's why he's so eager to strike first."

Sitting in the Hokage's chair, many things are no longer under his control.

Sometimes, even if he didn't want to act, others would push him to do so.

And!

Given everything Hiruzen Sarutobi has done in Konoha, retreat is no longer an option.

Either he succeeds and becomes a great Hokage...

Or he fails and is scorned by all!

Hiruzen Sarutobi, often called a "shinobi hero," even in his old age and indecisiveness, still has the courage for one final battle.

Thus!

He made up his mind!

He'll use force to bring Konoha back on track!

"Sigh!"

Fugaku sighed again. "Then why did you say that Hiruzen Sarutobi has no future?"

"If he really does use force to rule Konoha and make it a dictatorship, maybe Konoha will follow a new path."

"You have to understand, even though he's been at odds with Uchiha, whether he's a 'shinobi hero' or a 'teacher of ninja arts,' those are titles that other villages gave him. Hiruzen Sarutobi is also a capable person."

Itsuki looked at Fugaku as if he were an idiot.

"Hearing you say that makes me want to give you a few examples."

"Wasn't Sakumo Hatake one of Hiruzen Sarutobi's masterpieces?"

"Him? What a shame, but..."

Fugaku immediately replied, "Strictly speaking, Sakumo Hatake died because of Danzo, right?"

"Wrong!"

Itsuki sneered. "Danzo may not have wanted Sakumo Hatake to die, but Hiruzen Sarutobi absolutely did. Understand?"

"Danzo was just Hiruzen Sarutobi's scapegoat."

"Maybe the one who regretted Sakumo Hatake's death the most was Danzo!"

(End of Chapter)