Chapter 91: What’s The Difference Between Him And Uchiha Itachi?
Konoha Military Police Force Headquarters.
Office.
“……Is the news true?”
After hearing a Uchiha Police Force member report to him that “the Daimyo’s envoy sent to Konoha was killed by Uchiha Ikeizumi.”
Fugaku was silent for a full five seconds before digesting this news.
He never imagined that Uchiha Ikeizumi, who had caused a major incident last night, would give him another big surprise during the day today!
Daimyo’s Envoy!
Daimyo’s Son!
Fugaku felt a little dizzy. This way, not only would the Uchiha Clan’s relationship with Konoha be strained, but even the Daimyo of the Land of Fire would likely have issues with the Uchiha Clan!
It must be known that the Police Force’s funding for many years had come from allocations by the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
This meant that more than half of the Uchiha Clan’s income was tied to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
Ikeizumi killing the Daimyo’s Son was equivalent to completely offending the Daimyo to death.
It would also drag the entire Uchiha Clan down with him!
After all……could he tell the Daimyo—”It’s all Ikeizumi’s problem alone, unrelated to the Uchiha Clan”?
Even if that was indeed the case……
But would the Daimyo believe it?
The Police Force member reporting the news replied: “Everyone outside is saying that, and many eyewitnesses saw it. It’s said that the Third Hokage was also at the scene at the time. If the news wasn’t true, it probably wouldn’t have spread like this.”
Fugaku was stunned.
His heart tightened immediately, and he sternly asked with a straight face: “Did Ikeizumi have a conflict with Hokage at the time!?”
“It’s said there wasn’t.” The Police Force member answered.
Fugaku heard this.
And let out half a sigh of relief.
But the matter of “the death of the Daimyo’s second son” hung over him like a sword suspended above his head, making Fugaku feel uneasy.
He had no choice but to stand up, under the Uchiha Clan Crest.
As if this would give him some confidence.
And make him feel a bit more at ease.
“But……”
The Police Force member added: “Uchiha Ikeizumi seems to have had a verbal conflict with the Third Hokage. People in the village are saying—the Daimyo’s envoys committed crimes, so Uchiha Ikeizumi killed all ten or so of them from top to bottom. It’s said that only one survivor was left among the group.”
“When the Third Hokage arrived, he said Uchiha Ikeizumi was wrong to do that. So the verbal conflict began.”
Fugaku let out a heavy breath.
He frowned and said: “Ikeizumi was indeed wrong. According to Land of Fire Law, top magnates enjoy exemption and amnesty rights. Moreover, even without this law, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire’s son absolutely cannot be killed……”
Fugaku’s tone already carried unconcealed dissatisfaction.
The problem was that the incident had already happened, and even Hokage couldn’t stop Ikeizumi.
Fugaku began to have a headache about how the Uchiha Clan should handle the pressure from the Daimyo after this incident.
And how to give the Daimyo an explanation?
“Ikeizumi……went too far!”
Fugaku didn’t know how many times this was recently that he felt irritated.
And every time it seemed related to Ikeizumi; each major mess he stirred up left him mentally exhausted.
Fugaku had a splitting headache: “This time, he touched a bottom line that can’t even be touched……”
A ninja from the Land of Fire killed the son of the Land of Fire’s Daimyo.
If word spread to other countries in the ninja world, what then?
“Lord Fugaku.”
The Police Force member hesitated and asked: “Did Uchiha Ikeizumi……do wrong? He said the Daimyo’s envoys committed crimes. Crimes severe enough for him to execute them directly must be heinous and outrageous to both man and god.”
“And everything Uchiha Ikeizumi did was just upholding what he calls「 absolute justice」 ninja way. Moreover, isn’t one of the duties of our Uchiha Police Force to uphold justice!”
Fugaku glanced at him and said in a deep voice: “His behavior damaged the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, which will indirectly worsen relations between the village and the Uchiha.”
“His justice is merely his personal justice. What the Uchiha Police Force needs to uphold is Konoha’s justice! That’s the foundation for the Uchiha to continue thriving in Konoha.”
The Police Force member couldn’t help but hesitate upon hearing this.
Was Uchiha Ikeizumi’s justice really just his personal justice?
That man had once said he would purge all evil in the ninja world.
This was clearly justice not limited to Konoha Village.
This was clearly an extremely noble ninja way.
And Lord Fugaku, whose mind was full of “maintaining balance between the Uchiha and the village,” even continuously avoiding and not mentioning Uchiha Itachi, who would “destroy the Uchiha Clan” in the future……compared to Uchiha Ikeizumi, who dared to verbally conflict with the Third Hokage and kill the wicked Daimyo’s son out of belief in「 absolute justice」.
Lord Fugaku seemed a bit too weak.
Even if he didn’t agree with Uchiha Ikeizumi’s ninja way, as a fellow clansman, he shouldn’t criticize Uchiha Ikeizumi, right?
At this moment……
This Uchiha Police Force member, who was in the same moderate faction as Uchiha Fugaku.
Felt a slight rift toward Fugaku in his heart.
……
On the other side.
Several Uchiha Radical Elders gathered together.
And Uchiha Setsuna, who held great hostility toward Uchiha Ikeizumi, after learning of the major incident that occurred in Konoha this morning.
Fell into a weird silence.
The others were the same.
Finally.
An Uchiha Radical Elder wearing a black eyepatch hesitated, then broke the silence with a complicated tone: “That kid called ‘Ikeizumi’……wasn’t his action today a bit too extreme……”
Another picked up: “I heard Goyuen Kyusuke, this second son, is the child Lord Daimyo loves most. His death in Konoha Village will surely make those four old guys at the top frantic, right?”
Uchiha Setsuna’s mouth twitched, and he finally stopped being silent, interjecting: “Won’t the Uchiha Clan be frantic? Can we withstand the pressure from the Daimyo?”
The group was immediately speechless.
Yeah……
No matter how radical the Uchiha radicals were, they only planned to launch a coup in Konoha’s territory, seize Konoha’s power, and replace the Hokage Position.
They never thought of targeting “Daimyo,” Konoha Village’s biggest financial backer.
Moreover.
If the Uchiha Clan’s coup succeeded, they would still need the Daimyo to vouch for the legitimacy of their coup.
What none of them expected was……
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s「 absolute justice」 was even more extreme than their long-plotted coup plan!
“Now, do you finally understand why I’ve always said Uchiha Ikeizumi is the most extreme outlier?”
Uchiha Setsuna’s eyes were filled with gloom as he said in a deep voice: “In that kid’s eyes, if we are evildoers, even we would be killed by him! And when he swings the cleaver at us, he would do so without hesitation.”
“A kid who would swing a cleaver at his own clansmen—what difference does he have from that little beast Uchiha Itachi?!”
……
Nara Clan Residence.
Yamanaka Inoichi, who had brought his family to temporarily reside here, was playing shogi with Nara Clan Leader Nara Shikahisa.
“I still can’t beat you……”
Yamanaka Inoichi looked at the chessboard where his side was already in a dead end, shook his head helplessly, and said to Nara Shikahisa: “The Nara Clan may need to take care of us for a while, or I don’t know how to settle so many clansmen.”
Nara Shikahisa looked at the weary face of his close friend before him, more complex than his own expression.
After thinking for a moment.
Nara Shikahisa asked: “Inoichi, are you sure Uchiha Ikeizumi can be the Yamanaka Clan’s backing? You must have heard a bit about what he did today, right?”
Yamanaka Inoichi shook his head and said: “I never intended for Ikeizumi to become the Yamanaka Clan’s backing.”
Nara Shikahisa was stunned.
He saw a slight smile squeeze onto Yamanaka Inoichi’s stern face, and heard him say: “I just made a choice that I believe is correct for the Yamanaka Clan’s future.”
“That’s not like you.” Nara Shikahisa shook his head and said: “Inoichi, you’re not the type to bet an entire ninja clan on a gamble.”
Yamanaka Inoichi said: “Uchiha Ikeizumi is the most unique Uchiha I’ve ever seen. Though he has the Uchiha Clan’s extreme personality, his extremism is based on his absolute justice. And his cleaver in hand is aimed only at sins in the ninja world.”
He picked up a chess piece, lowered his eyes, and said seriously: “Shikahisa, Ikeizumi will make the entire ninja world completely different from now. I’ve known him for ten years and understood him for ten years.”
“Normally very reclusive, he always exudes a feeling I can’t quite pinpoint. Until last night, during his physical conflict with Danzo, when he tried not to affect the Yamanaka Clan Headquarters……I finally realized.”
Nara Shikahisa frowned: “Realized what?”
“Shikahisa, if you seriously look into him, you’ll know too.”
Yamanaka Inoichi didn’t say it explicitly.
Nara Shikahisa didn’t press, staring at the chessboard as his furrowed brows relaxed.
This Konoha strategist smiled helplessly.
“Pig, Deer, Butterfly are inherently an inseparable group in Konoha. Since you’ve bet the entire Yamanaka Clan on this decision, I’ll seriously look into Uchiha Ikeizumi too. Look into his「 absolute justice」.”
“As for the means of looking into it……”
Nara Shikahisa paused, then said: “It depends on how Uchiha Ikeizumi establishes his justice in this storm.”
At that moment.
Footsteps heavier than usual came over.
—Akimichi Clan Leader Choza Akimichi had also arrived.
……
Meanwhile.
Ichiraku Ramen Shop.
“Naruto, you’re not with Hokage today?” Ichiraku Ramen Shop owner “Teuchi” smiled at Naruto.
He was one of the few in Konoha Village who didn’t discriminate against Naruto.
But soon, Teuchi noticed Naruto’s expression was a bit unusual today.
Usually, when Naruto came with the Third Hokage to eat ramen, he had an excited look.
But today, the kid seemed unusually reserved, hands fidgeting with his clothes, appearing very nervous and uneasy. On closer look, there were two tear streaks on his cheeks, as if he had cried for some unknown reason not long ago.
Sigh……
Poor child.
Teuchi sighed inwardly; he knew Naruto’s situation in the village and guessed maybe Naruto had met some low-class people who verbally abused a child today.
Just as Teuchi thought to say “basic ramen is 50% off today” to cheer the kid up a bit.
He suddenly noticed two people following Naruto in.
From their attire, they were Uchiha Clan Police Force ninjas.
“Welcome……”
Before “come” could be said, Teuchi’s gaze was drawn to Uchiha Ikeizumi’s face.
“Same as before, but four bowls.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said.
“……Got it.” Teuchi naturally recognized Uchiha Ikeizumi; he was one of Ichiraku Ramen Shop’s old customers.
Even though Uchiha Ikeizumi had brought him unknown amounts of business, every time he saw this “famous” man in Konoha……
Teuchi always felt inevitably nervous.
The title “Uchiha Plague God” was actually much more resounding than “Demon Fox Brat.”
The latter had brought indelible trauma to Konoha Village, but that was at least several years ago.
The former was different; Teuchi heard about Uchiha Ikeizumi’s “glorious deeds” in the village every day—not how many he caught yesterday, or how many he killed today. Many times, the name Uchiha Ikeizumi was scarier than the Nine-Tails Demon Fox.
However, Teuchi had vaguely heard that Uchiha Ikeizumi’s reputation in the village had improved a tiny bit recently.
Of course.
An improved reputation didn’t diminish his intimidating presence.
‘Naruto seems to be with Ikeizumi……how did they end up together?’
Two doubts flashed in Teuchi’s mind, but he didn’t ask, quickly turning to make the ramen.
……
“Meow, kid, Lord Ikeizumi isn’t some people-eating monster, why are you shrinking your head like a turtle?”
Kijiro leaped onto Naruto’s head.
Clearly, it had no sense of its own weight. This jump caught Naruto off guard, planting his face into the ground.
Naruto, who bumped his forehead, snapped out of his daze, not daring to cry out in pain, scrambling up in a panic.
His dirty little face wore a bewildered expression.
Naruto didn’t know where he mustered the courage, but he turned to look at Uchiha Ikeizumi beside him, lips trembling as he asked: “Am I……going to die……If I’m the Nine-Tails Demon Fox and I’ve killed many people before……then I’m that kind of big bad guy you’d kill, right?”
“Is this bowl of Ichiraku ramen……my last meal?”
Uchiha Ikeizumi glanced at the blond kid.
Kijiro jumped onto the table, answering for Uchiha Ikeizumi: “Kid, didn’t I tell you? You’re just a container; Lord Ikeizumi isn’t some killing demon.”
“Don’t worry! If you were that kind of villain, Lord Ikeizumi would’ve killed you the moment he saw you. How could he let you live carefree until now?”
“How could he treat you to Ichiraku ramen?”
“Eh?!”
Kijiro suddenly realized.
Right! Why would Lord Ikeizumi treat this jinchuriki kid to ramen?
“His future holds no evil.” Uchiha Ikeizumi said slowly: “He’s a promising seedling.”
“Promising……”
Senior Izumi beside him suddenly widened her sparkling eyes, looking at Uzumaki Naruto, who looked confused and didn’t understand the situation.
Hiss!
Senior Ikeizumi is poaching Hokage’s talent?
……
……
PS: Five chapters combined into two, equivalent to ten updates
_(`」∠)_
