Chapter 36

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"Hey, did you hear? Patriarch Uchiha won the battle."

"I thought it was just another small skirmish, but it turns out he's really impressive."

"We've been fighting in Konoha for years, and all we've seen before are people dying, but this time, we actually won. It's amazing!"

"What are you talking about? When have we Konoha ever lost?"

"Oh, right, the Third Hokage always had us paying respects to fallen heroes. It feels strange to see a living one for once."

"Huh, haven't the legendary Sannin and the Fourth Hokage also been heroes?"

"You're not wrong about that."

"Huh?"

...

Meanwhile, in the Land of Hot Water, Uchiha Toki spoke with a meaningful tone to Shisui.

"If the Uchiha clan wants to regain a foothold in Konoha, they must break the old cycle and stand tall again."

"Do you think this is just a conflict between the Uchiha clan and the villagers?" Toki asked.

"Many of our brothers have died, so Konoha's leadership has been suppressing and squeezing us out for years. The heart of the village leadership is small."

"However, Tobirama Senju, as the younger brother of the First Hokage, did have strength. Although he distrusted the Uchiha, he didn't attack us outright. Instead, he tied us to the Konoha Police Force to weaken our influence."

Toki glanced at Shisui before continuing. "Of course, there are also Uchiha members who prefer peace, dividing the clan."

Shisui blinked, realizing that Toki was referring to his grandfather, Uchiha Kagami.

Toki added, "Things truly changed when the title of Hokage passed to Sarutobi Hiruzen."

Shisui was confused. "How did things change?"

Toki explained, "You have to understand, Sarutobi Hiruzen is just an ordinary man. He eventually developed proficiency in all five nature transformations by studying the Sealed Scroll and through painstaking research, but he's still just an ordinary person."

"Among the five Kage, Sarutobi is undoubtedly the weakest. That's why he stays in Konoha all the time and avoids the frontlines. He can't compete."

In other villages, the Kage either possess unique bloodline abilities or are jinchūriki, at the very least, wielders of secret techniques. But Sarutobi? Apart from his ability to combine several nature transformations, there's nothing exceptional about him.

Toki sneered. "He calls it 'combination ninjutsu.' On the battlefield, real geniuses fuse chakra natures and create bloodline limits, eliminations, or snares. What Sarutobi does pales in comparison."

"The Sarutobi clan specializes in fire release, and some members may have two chakra natures, but that's it. Having multiple chakra attributes is just the basic requirement to be a Jōnin."

"As Hokage, Sarutobi learned to use five chakra natures, but only because he had access to the Scroll of Seals. He isn't useless, but he's nothing special. Sure, he's at Kage level, but only just."

"With Kakashi's Sharingan, a naturally gifted shinobi with seven chakra natures easily surpassed him in copying jutsu. Unfortunately, the Mangekyō Sharingan drains too much chakra, limiting his potential."

Shisui's eyes twitched upon hearing Toki's assessment. "The Third Hokage is still very strong..."

At this point, Sarutobi was still in his prime, with his proficiency in the Five Elements Jutsu similar to his performance during the Fourth Great Ninja War in his Edo Tensei state. The only real difference was his stamina.

But to Toki, who had been reborn with knowledge of the future, Sarutobi's strength paled in comparison to the other Kage. During the Fourth War, while the other Hokage fought high-level battles, Sarutobi was relegated to fighting cannon fodder. It was an embarrassment to Konoha.

Toki didn't dwell further on Sarutobi's strength. Instead, he continued with his argument to Shisui, essentially brainwashing him:

"In conclusion, even if Sarutobi does possess Kage-level strength, he's the weakest among them. He doesn't have Earth Release Dust of the Tsuchikage, the Magnet Release of the Kazekage, the sheer physical strength of the Raikage, or the tailed beast power of the Mizukage."

"Being in a high position without the strength to back it up, he naturally feels threatened by clans stronger than him, especially the Uchiha."

"So, he deliberately suppressed the ninja clans to weaken their influence."

"You know the fate of the Senju clan. If it hadn't been for Orochimaru's intervention, the entire Senju clan might not even have Tsunade left. Have you ever wondered why Tsunade left the village?"

"The Uzumaki clan was destroyed, Konoha now possesses their entire sealing technique repertoire, and we have Kushina as a pure-blooded Uzumaki. There were other survivors from the Uzumaki clan, yet none came to join Konoha. Why do you think that is?"

"In the Third Shinobi War, the village barely held on until the Battle of Kikyo Pass. Then, when the enemy finally surrendered, Sarutobi signed an unconditional peace treaty. That's peace? What a joke!"

"Why do you think he stepped down as Hokage after that?"

"So remember, Shisui, you're a member of the Uchiha clan. I don't need you to always think from the clan's perspective, but you need to form your own opinions. Don't let them blur the lines between right and wrong."

"For example, this expedition we're on is to reintegrate our clan back into Konoha."

"Don't fool yourself into thinking you can live peacefully with Sarutobi Hiruzen. The moment we let our guard down, he'll stab us in the back."

"Only by earning the villagers' respect can we truly restore the Uchiha's honor. Once that happens, having an Uchiha Hokage is no longer just a dream."

"As for the opinions of Sarutobi and his faction, do they matter? Once we're strong enough, they'll have no choice but to kneel."

"Remember, true peace belongs to the villagers, not Sarutobi Hiruzen."

"Even if I were to launch a coup and replace Konoha's leadership, it would only target the corrupt upper ranks. The villagers wouldn't be affected at all."

Shisui: "???"

"Also, don't forget: when Konoha was founded, its goal was to ensure the children of our clans didn't have to fight in wars."

"That is the true meaning behind Konoha's creation."

Toki placed a serious hand on Shisui's shoulder. "Think it over."

Shisui frowned, falling deep into thought.

After some time passed, a pleasant voice echoed in Toki's mind.

[Congratulations to the host, clan member Uchiha Shisui's loyalty has reached 60 points. You are awarded 1000 clan reputation points. Monthly fixed reputation income: +100.]

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