Chapter 208: Itachi's Konoha Comeback

All the shinobi in the room raised their heads in bewilderment.

Itachi returning to Konoha? Hang on a minute! Wasn't Itachi a missing-nin?

Oh, he said that he was sent as a spy by the Third Hokage to infiltrate the Akatsuki organization.

But he clearly killed the Uchiha clan!

How could someone like him become a spy sent by the Third Hokage?

"Itachi, you didn't eliminate the Uchiha clan?" A Jonin stood up and asked Itachi. "How come you're still a Konoha shinobi?"

Itachi replied calmly: "The fact that I eliminated the Uchiha clan and my loyalty to Konoha as well as my role as a spy are not mutually exclusive."

"But you killed our Konoha people!" The Jonin shouted.

Itachi remained unfazed. "As a spy, staining your hands with the blood of the people of your own village isn't particularly surprising, is it?"

"The people who were killed by the spies were all those the village considered to be spies from other countries or shinobi who could endanger the village!" Another Jonin couldn't help but scream. "How can you kill the entire Uchiha clan at once for a spy mission?"

At this, Itachi responded: "I'm sorry, this is a secret mission ordered by my superiors, I can't answer any of your questions."

He said seriously: "But I can guarantee that I have always been a loyal shinobi to Konoha in this matter."

"Then..." The shinobi wanted to ask something else.

But before he could say anything, he was reprimanded by a nearby Jonin.

The expressions of some of those present also showed confusion and complexity. Especially since everyone who can gather in this conference room has access to much more information than the average shinobi.

After Itachi made such a clear statement, how could they not remember the conflict between the Uchiha clan and Konoha back then?

So...

"It was Danzo who identified the Uchiha clan as a danger to Konoha and ordered Itachi to kill the entire Uchiha clan, while the Third Hokage simply watched the whole situation unfold!" Natsuo intervened.

Everyone was shocked upon hearing that, even the shinobi who were good at hiding their emotions couldn't keep their expressions calm.

Danzo, Sarutobi Hiruzen did an amazing job! Completely destroy a shinobi clan. In the world it seems that something similar had only been seen during the Blood Mist in Kirigakure.

As everyone pondered the situation, they looked at Itachi in surprise. This man actually followed Danzo's orders and exterminated his own clan.

No matter male, female, old or young, regardless of parents and friends, kill them all...

Simply unimaginable! Should it be said that he is infinitely loyal to Konoha, or that he is insane?

"Now, I have completed the task that the Third Hokage gave me, and I request to return to the village." Itachi repeated again, with a calm and gentle voice.

The shinobi in the room were stunned. Is Uchiha Itachi one of yours? Is it the village's mission to exterminate the Uchiha clan?

"Shut up!" Homura and Koharu couldn't take it anymore and screamed in unison. After they and their clan were suppressed by Tsunade they did not dare to cause any more problems, but they could not allow Itachi to further tarnish their reputation.

"Itachi, as a missing-nin, what are you doing at the Konoha Jonin meeting?" Homura's cold voice sounded.

"I'm Konoha's shinobi." Itachi replied calmly.

"No! You're a missing-nin!" Koharu shouted angrily. "A missing-nin disturbing the peace of Konoha!"

At the same time Natsuo simply looked at her calmly and a red glow passed through his eyes. Itachi naturally recognized that chakra fluctuation, it is a Genjutsu Mangekyo Sharingan.

"How dare you reveal the village's secrets in front of so many people?!"

Koharu was speechless. She knew the truth about Itachi, and she was even present during the entire incident, she now regrets having let herself be carried away by her anger and fears and having confirmed the truthfulness of Itachi's words.

Everyone became even more agitated when they heard those words. Originally when Itachi and Natsuo explained the situation, they only half believed it, but Utatane Koharu's slip of the tongue directly confirmed the fact.

Itachi, was he really sent as a spy by the Third Hokage? Instantly, their gazes changed, filled with anger directed towards the Third Hokage.

Was he ordered by his superiors to destroy his own clan? And the Third Hokage giving his acquiescence by simply watching the situation unfold without trying to stop Danzo. Finally, use the incident to make him infiltrate one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations in the world...

Although from a shinobi's perspective, one is expected to obey superior orders without question, they were all human after all.

Who would be willing to accept such an order?

The Third Hokage...

Was it really like that?

Koharu was a little flustered. Although her strength dropped sharply, she could also feel the anger of the shinobi around her.

Mitokado Homura took a deep breath and said, "Itachi, I won't say if this is Hiruzen's order, but even if it is Hiruzen's order, you should avoid causing disturbances at the Jonin meeting, right?"

"Does tarnishing the name of the late Third Hokage really accord with the code of conduct of a Konoha shinobi?"

"If you truly love the village more than your own clan, why would you perform actions like this in the first place?"

With these words, the crowd's expression calmed down a bit. They realized that this is a confrontation between the Third Hokage's former faction and the Uchiha clan. Everyone is not stupid, they had realized that the genocide of the Uchiha clan as well as Itachi's defection had many loopholes.

Looking at Natsuo next to Itachi, those present realized that it was inevitable that Itachi would return to the village, so they decided to just be spectators.

However, Itachi simply replied: "I am only here to declare my return to the village, I am not questioning the Third Hokage's actions."

"Then why do you do this kind of thing!" Homura, without giving in, asked: "Don't you know that your actions will shame Third Hokage?"

However, as soon as he spoke, he only got a strange and contemptuous look from Itachi. "Homura-sama, have you forgotten that I am a spy."

"I have returned as a spy and the Third Hokage had been assassinated before finishing my mission."

Homura's expression suddenly changed, she had forgotten that detail. As a high-ranking spy, usually only the Hokage could confirm his identity, and he would have to undergo interrogation at the village Jonin meeting. But now the Hokage who is supposed to be the only one who knew about his mission has been killed. He can only explain the nature of his mission and betrayal at the Jonin meeting, plus he must be backed up by high-level personnel.

"Enough! Natsuo, Itachi... you really gave me a lot of trouble!" Tsunade finally spoke and gave the two an angry look.

Tsunade allowed Itachi to say all those things, to affect the faction led by Homura and Koharu behind her. If she doesn't metaphorically hit them every once in a while, they will start jumping around her to cause trouble.

But he also cannot allow this situation to get out of control. So it was time for her to intervene.

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama, for the trouble caused." Itachi apologized, he always respected Hokage very much, even if it was the cheating Third Hokage...

Furthermore, Tsunade is now part of the Uchiha clan, she had even had children with Natsuo. For Itachi, who had a deep sense of guilt towards his clan, he has a lot of respect for Tsunade.

"There's nothing to apologize for!" Tsunade waved his hand. "Compared to my own problems, you've had a harder time than me."

Saying that, she extended a hand with a smile. "Welcome home, Uchiha Itachi!"

Itachi was silent for a moment, bowing his head slightly as he took the Hokage's hand. "Hokage-sama, I'm back."

His voice was a little breathy, as if he was holding something back, and his eyes were red.

It was so strange. It really was so weird!

The time he spent outside the village made him realize his mistakes. About how much he was affected when his father made him go to war at age 4, about how Danzo and the Third Hokage manipulated him, taking advantage of his naivety. And how his father, in his recklessness, wanted to lead the entire clan to rebel. Which led him to make one of the decisions he will regret most in his life.

But while Itachi was touched to finally be accepted by Konoha, the Jonin present were not so thrilled.

"Even the Hokage accepted Itachi's return... Does that mean he really is a Konoha spy?"

Those present were surprised.

Because that meant...

The thin layer of paper on the genocide of the Uchiha clan has been torn.

For a moment, Konoha trembled.

...

The residence of the Uchiha clan.

"Natsuo, you Uchiha really know how to cause trouble for people." Tsunade said with a resigned expression. "Now the village is in chaos."

By accepting Itachi's return, it also means that the person who orchestrated the genocide of the Uchiha clan is Sarutobi Hiruzen himself.

All the Jonin who were at the meeting were surprised by the shocking revelation. Who would have thought that the real culprit was the Third Hokage all this time and not Danzo?

Outrage gripped everyone, with fear growing in their hearts. They always thought there were problems with the genocide of the Uchiha clan, but they never expected that it was the Third Hokage who orchestrated everything. Who could have imagined that they were living under the leadership of someone who could kill them at any moment?

All the major shinobi clans looked at the Sarutobi clan with strong hostility in their eyes. After all, apart from the Root shinobi who participated in the extermination of the Uchiha clan, it is obvious that the Sarutobi clan should have also been involved to prevent information leaks.

Although in reality, the shinobi of the Sarutobi clan have no idea about this. Few in the clan know the details, after all, the only ones who really acted were Itachi and Obito, while Danzo only took care of the small fish that escaped from the net.

But no one thinks that way! Almost everyone agreed that they must have been involved.

"Damn Hiruzen, why would I do something like that!" The elders of the Sarutobi clan curse the late Third Hokage in anguish.

In fact, it wasn't the first time they scolded Hiruzen in their minds. After Natsuo really showed his strength, everyone was worried.

Worried that if one day Natsuo learns the truth of how they brought the Uchiha clan to the brink of rebellion, including the truth about the night of the genocide, he will decide to take revenge on them.

Danzo, who coveted the Sharingan, his fate is unknown. But it's obvious that he is dead, or he would prefer to be.

The elderly lived full of anxiety. At that time, they quietly arranged for some clan members to leave Konoha, hoping that even if Natsuo acted, he would not completely exterminate the Sarutobi clan...

Fortunately, Natsuo seems to have not delved much into the investigation of these internal matters, and they were only suppressed by Tsunade, forced to go to the front lines during the War and have permanently shinobi of the Sarutobi clan stationed at the borders.

Eventually, the elders of the Sarutobi clan, who thought the problem was not that serious, called back the members they had sent away.

But now Itachi is back!

"What a disaster..." The elders of the Sarutobi clan sighed heavily. If you are going to exterminate the Uchiha clan, why did you miss Natsuo?

And you, Natsuo, how can you show mercy towards the criminal who eliminated the Uchiha? Why not attack him ferociously instead of giving Itachi a chance to explain himself? Why didn't you kill him directly?

Yes, everyone assumed that Natsuo was planning to attack the Akatsuki organization and take revenge on Itachi, and that was when Itachi willingly revealed his identity as a spy.

Otherwise, why wouldn't Natsuo act against his enemy, Itachi?

And now...

"What are we going to do?" The elders of the Sarutobi clan were desperate. They took out the contingency plan they had prepared.

The Sarutobi clan feared that Natsuo would attack them. While the shinobi were furious with the Sarutobi clan, they were also afraid that the village leader, who was supposed to protect them, would attack them.

For a time, Konoha became chaotic. Naturally, all the pressure was on Tsunade.

"I'm so busy now that I don't even have time to bet!" Tsunade whimpered, with a dissatisfied expression on his face.

But despite complaining, Tsunade didn't hesitate to accept Itachi.

In fact, Natsuo had explained Itachi's situation to her in advance. Leaving aside the trauma of the war that she had when she was 4 years old, or the manipulation by Danzo and Hiruzen, the fact of opening the Sharingan at a very young age as well as the Mangekyo. This impacted his mind in a negative way which made him extreme in his actions.

That is why Natsuo is attentive to his children so that they do not open the Sharingan through negative emotions. Rather, he hopes that they will do so through the connection they share with him, as well as with the potions from the Revival series since both methods increase his mental strength. This will not cause a negative impact on their personalities.

Tsunade, understanding the situation, in addition to not wavering in her decisions, during the village's Jonin meeting openly accepted Itachi's return. Completely ignoring the hints in the eyes of the two retired elders, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.

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