Chapter 8: Digesting the Results, Planning the Next Move!

Chapter 8: Digesting the Results, Planning the Next Move!

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After being betrayed and dismissed by Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura was left feeling deeply frustrated, with a growing sense of resentment simmering within him.

At that moment, a masked ninja from the Root organization appeared before Danzo with a body flicker technique, kneeling on one knee.

"Lord Danzo, the number of corpses doesn't match up!"

The masked ninja reported, prompting Danzo to snap out of his thoughts and focus on the situation.

"What?"

Danzo's interest was piqued as he turned his attention to the messenger.

"Several bodies are inexplicably missing," the ninja continued, his voice calm and measured. Then, raising his head to reveal his crimson Mangekyō Sharingan, he added, "I saw it all myself."

"And I will keep watching. If you dare harm Sasuke, I will leak every secret of the village to enemy nations."

With that ominous warning, the masked ninja dissolved into a swarm of crows, their cries echoing in the air before dispersing.

"Damn it!"

Danzo clenched his fists in frustration. He understood that this was Itachi Uchiha's way of issuing a warning. While Danzo was tempted to take action against Sasuke, he found himself hesitating in the face of Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan and its immense power.

Ultimately, Danzo decided it wasn't worth provoking another powerful Uchiha, especially when the Sharingan he had already collected that night was sufficient for his plans.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Yi had successfully secured the bodies of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha and retreated to a civilian inn within Konoha. Using his Sharingan, he hypnotized the inn's residents to ensure he could stay there undisturbed.

Although his Fire Elemental Escape Technique allowed him to travel up to 300 miles (around 482 kilometers), Yi's current chakra reserves were far too limited to utilize the ability to its full potential. Furthermore, he understood that leaving Konoha was fraught with its own dangers.

Sometimes, the safest place was the most obvious one.

"Now, it's time to consume the bloodline of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha!"

Yi began by carefully extracting Fugaku's Sharingan, placing the eyes into a test tube filled with a special preservative liquid. Then, a dark flame manifested in his palm—a flame that seemed almost alive.

This wasn't Amaterasu, but rather the Void Swallowing Flame, an extraordinary flame with the power to devour anything and enhance the user's abilities. Its eerie, life-like movements made it both fascinating and unsettling to behold.

"Even among the Heavenly Flames from Battle Through the Heavens, this one is extraordinary," Yi mused as he examined the flame. "It might be ranked second, but its potential to grow is unparalleled. It could easily surpass the Emperor Flame and Lotus Flame someday."

After admiring the flame for a moment, Yi directed it toward Mikoto's corpse. The Void Swallowing Flame leaped eagerly onto the body, consuming it entirely within seconds, leaving behind only a pile of blackened ash and the faint scent of charred flesh.

"...This is a bit grotesque," Yi muttered, momentarily unnerved by his own actions. But he quickly shook off the hesitation.

"I don't have the luxury to let morality hold me back. I'm just a small player trying to survive in this world. Strength comes first; everything else is secondary."

Resolving himself, Yi repeated the process with Fugaku's body. The Void Swallowing Flame consumed it just as quickly, and Yi felt a warm, soothing sensation spreading through his body as the bloodline power was absorbed.

The feedback was gradual but noticeable. His Sharingan's ocular power grew stronger, and his chakra reserves expanded slightly, akin to a game character leveling up.

Additionally, consuming the bloodlines of Fugaku and Mikoto created a subtle connection between Yi and the Uchiha lineage. This would make it significantly easier to merge Fugaku's Mangekyō Sharingan in the future to achieve the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

Having escaped the immediate threat of the Uchiha massacre and made significant gains in power, Yi finally felt a semblance of security.

However, the next pressing question arose: Where should he go now?

Staying in Konoha was out of the question. Sasuke had only survived because of a deal between Itachi and the Konoha higher-ups. Yi had no such protection. If he showed himself, he would undoubtedly be hunted down.

"The Leaf's leadership will never allow another Uchiha to live freely. Dead Uchiha are good Uchiha, as far as they're concerned."

Leaving Konoha was the only option, but the other villages posed their own challenges:

Sunagakure (Sand Village): The harsh desert environment made it an unappealing choice.

Iwagakure (Stone Village): With Ōnoki, who had been humiliated by Madara Uchiha in the past, still in power, Yi doubted he would be welcomed there.

Kirigakure (Mist Village): The ongoing Blood Mist policy, coupled with Obito's manipulations behind the scenes, made it a dangerous and unstable destination.

Kumogakure (Cloud Village): Yi didn't dismiss it outright, but its militaristic nature and history of trying to capture bloodline users made it risky.

The answer was not yet clear, but Yi decided he would prioritize increasing his strength before committing to a long-term plan.

"System, how long do souls remain in the living world after death?" Yi asked, thinking about harvesting more resources through the system's abilities.

The system quickly replied:

The duration varies depending on the soul's strength, willpower, and attachment to the living world. Ordinary souls typically dissipate after seven days. However, powerful or resentful souls may linger longer, while summoned souls (e.g., through Edo Tensei) require special conditions to absorb. In such cases, they must first be defeated to become absorbable.

Yi nodded, summarizing the answer:

"Most souls last up to seven days unless they're particularly strong or have special circumstances."

With this knowledge, Yi set his sights on potential opportunities to grow stronger while avoiding immediate danger.

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