Chapter 92: Uchiha Ikeizumi Must Want To Reenact The Nine-tails Chaos!
Naruto didn’t know what the terrifying man meant by “promising seedling.” He only knew that he seemed to not have to die.
While feeling fortunate, it didn’t make him happy.
When he realized that there really was a “Nine-Tails Demon Fox” inside his body, and that this demon fox had caused massive destruction to Konoha Village in the year he was born, Naruto unconsciously became a bit scared.
He also didn’t know if he was afraid that the demon fox inside him would hurt him, or afraid that the monster would hurt the village.
Naruto also roughly understood the meaning of “container.”
In other words…
His existence was just a bottle. Someone had once sealed the “Nine-Tails Demon Fox” into his body, so he became the “Nine-Tails Jinchuriki” in the terrifying man’s words.
Even when Teuchi placed a full bowl of ramen in front of Naruto, Naruto couldn’t muster much interest.
His mind was full of all sorts of thoughts.
For some reason, Naruto suddenly mustered up courage again. He swallowed hard and asked the terrifying man, “Why did you seal that monster into my body?”
“I…”
He lowered his small head, his expression extremely puzzled. He bit his lower lip and continued, “All these years, I’ve been shunned by everyone in the village because of the monster inside me, right?”
“If there wasn’t this monster, I could be like the other students at the Ninja Academy, right? I could go to school normally and go home normally…”
As he spoke, Naruto couldn’t help but sniffle his uncontrollable clear runny nose hard.
“Clearly, I could live a normal life like everyone in the village, without being shunned by so many people. That way, I wouldn’t do pranks to attract everyone’s attention…”
Uchiha Ikeizumi looked at Naruto, who was hanging his head and sobbing quietly.
He said, “The Fourth Hokage’s original intention was probably to prevent the Nine-Tails’ power from falling into the hands of outsiders, especially into the hands of the Masked Man Uchiha Obito who caused the Nine-Tails incident. And you, Uzumaki Naruto, possess the bloodline of the Uzumaki Clan. You were the most suitable Tailed Beast Jinchuriki to become the Nine-Tails container among those present at the time.”
Naruto was stunned.
The somewhat unfamiliar term “Fourth Hokage” made him think of Konoha’s Fourth Hokage.
Naruto’s knowledge of the Fourth Hokage was limited to knowing that he was a Hokage who died young.
Grandpa Third Hokage had also said that the Fourth Hokage was the youngest Hokage in Konoha’s history.
Other than that.
Naruto had no other impressions of the Fourth Hokage.
Oh right!
He had also seen the Fourth Hokage’s face on the Hokage Rock. After all, such a huge Hokage Rock was mounted on the back mountain, making it hard not to see.
“Logically speaking, the fact that the Nine-Tails was sealed in your body was known only to a few people in Konoha at the time. But later, rumors spread within the village that you were the demon fox incarnate. The rumors grew increasingly intense, and everyone believed you were the ‘Demon Fox.'”
Uchiha Ikeizumi said indifferently, “In the end… the Third Hokage ordered that no one in Konoha is allowed to discuss face-to-face that you are the demon fox incarnate, and certainly not to mention the Nine-Tails incident of that year in front of you.”
He didn’t deliberately smear anyone, nor did he intentionally stimulate Naruto’s psychological trauma and hatred. He just straightforwardly told the seven-year-old Naruto what had happened many years ago.
And at that time, Uchiha Ikeizumi was actually only eleven years old.
Naruto was dazed: “Grandpa Hokage…”
Just as Naruto was feeling a bit moved, Kijiro suddenly interjected: “Kid, don’t get emotional so quickly meow.”
One of Kijiro’s cat paws was nimbly grabbing a piece of fish meat placed on top of the ramen.
It stuffed the fish meat into its mouth, chewing while saying, “Don’t you want to know who spread the rumors about you being the ‘demon fox incarnate’ in the village? Don’t you want to know if the Third Hokage knew about this?”
Kijiro continued, “Back then, it was Danzo’s men, that old dog, who spread the ‘demon fox incarnate’ rumors about you in the village. As for his exact purpose… who knows?”
“Maybe he didn’t like the Fourth Hokage; maybe he wanted to use the village’s negative public opinion to stimulate you, make you lose control and go berserk. That way, it might reenact the scene where the Konoha Hokage sacrificed himself to seal the Nine-Tails. Then Danzo could rightfully take power.”
Kijiro swallowed the fish meat, licked its paw, and squinted its cat eyes contentedly: “Anyway, the Third knew about this, but all he did was tell the villagers not to discuss you too excessively, that’s all.”
“As for the culprit Shimura Danzo, the Third Hokage did nothing to him. When Ikeizumi tried to kill Shimura Danzo twice, the Third Hokage appeared twice to protect Danzo.”
“Kid…”
“You actually think the Third Hokage, who shielded the mastermind behind the scenes, is a ‘Grandpa Hokage’ worth being moved by? That’s a bit naive! The Third Hokage’s actions have nothing to do with justice!”
The barrage of words from the Ninja Cat Kijiro dealt a huge psychological blow to the young Naruto.
He opened his mouth, wanting to defend Grandpa Hokage.
Because in his impression…
Grandpa Hokage was very good to him.
In his most helpless times, Grandpa Hokage was always the first to appear in front of him to comfort him, and would even invite him to Ichiraku Ramen Shop for a steaming bowl of ramen.
When he was a bit short on money, it was also Grandpa Hokage who gave him ample living expenses. It was just that he lived a bit sloppily and didn’t know much about spending money.
But…
If Grandpa Hokage really knew who the mastermind was who deliberately spread the “demon fox incarnate” rumors, making him shunned by everyone in the village, why didn’t Grandpa Hokage punish him?
Also, why did that person named “Shimura Danzo” harbor such great malice toward him?
Disliking the Fourth Hokage, or becoming the Konoha Hokage…
Did these two motives have anything to do with him, Uzumaki Naruto?
Naruto’s small face was full of confusion.
He felt that the adults’ world was so complicated.
He couldn’t understand it at all.
“Uzumaki Naruto, when endless malice, blatant isolation, and whispered curses behind your back… all come crashing down on you, can you feel that despair and helplessness?”
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s eerie tone reached Naruto’s ears.
It made Naruto nod almost instinctively.
Uchiha Ikeizumi asked, “Do you think what they did was right?”
Naruto bit his lip: “It’s not right…”
Bullying and isolating a child like this couldn’t possibly be right!
Naruto knew his own feelings all too well.
“You feel they are wrong, which means your sense of good and evil hasn’t been corrupted by this rotten Ninja World.” Uchiha Ikeizumi said, “Because everything you’ve endured is the evil of the Ninja World. Villains, to achieve their own goals, will inflict their greatest malice on an innocent child.”
Naruto felt so wronged.
He clearly didn’t know those people, and a few years ago, he was just an infant who could barely speak.
Why target him like this?
Was it just because of the “evil” in this terrifying man’s words?
“The evil of the Ninja World has bred countless pains, trapping countless innocents in it, unable to struggle free. You are just one of them.” Uchiha Ikeizumi said, “And the pain you’ve endured, among the many harmed by ‘evil,’ is just ordinary, not the most special cases.”
Naruto was stunned.
“If you want to truly witness the evil of the Ninja World, after finishing this bowl of ramen, you can follow me around Konoha. If you’re unlucky, you’ll see it with your own eyes.”
Naruto stared blankly at Uchiha Ikeizumi’s profile. He always felt that this terrifying person seemed to have grown accustomed to all sorts of “evil.”
That very indifferent tone, that expressionless face, seemed completely numb to “evil.”
But he also felt that there was a hint of hope mixed in with the numbness.
That hope was a bit like how he, Uzumaki Naruto, longed for recognition from everyone in the village. Of course, Naruto didn’t think this terrifying man needed recognition from everyone; he just simply felt that the other should have some expectation for the Ninja World.
Perhaps it was this kind of expectation that prompted this terrifying person to keep “meddling” in the village.
Logically speaking.
Naruto felt he should stay away from this terrifying man. Grandpa Hokage had also warned him not to approach him proactively.
But…
Staring at the faint steam rising from the ramen, Naruto suddenly felt an inexplicable palpitation for some reason.
He nodded as if possessed.
And then began to devour the ramen with his head down.
…
At that moment, another person walked into Ichiraku Ramen Shop.
Ikeizumi’s peripheral vision caught a glimpse, and she saw an utterly ordinary face. But the girl keenly noticed that the other had a mask hanging from his waist—it was clearly an Anbu Ninja’s mask!
The Anbu Ninja who entered sat casually in a corner of the ramen shop like an ordinary customer.
But Ikeizumi noticed that he seemed to glance at Uzumaki Naruto.
Perhaps confirming that Uzumaki Naruto had no major issues.
Ikeizumi felt this Anbu Ninja seemed to subtly relax half a breath.
Ikeizumi instantly understood.
This was an Anbu Ninja arranged by the Hokage to monitor the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki by his side!
She guessed right.
The reason the Anbu Ninja appeared at Ichiraku Ramen Shop was purely because when Uzumaki Naruto left his sight and was with Uchiha Ikeizumi, warning signs flashed wildly in his mind.
—What if Uchiha Ikeizumi, who possesses the Mangekyo Sharingan, wants to control the Nine-Tails using Sharingan power?
—What if Uchiha Ikeizumi sees Uzumaki Naruto, the “Demon Fox,” as a scourge and kills him directly?
—What if Uchiha Ikeizumi instills thoughts harmful to the Hokage and Konoha into the Jinchuriki?
After weighing the options repeatedly, the Anbu Ninja had no choice but to go all out.
He directly removed his mask and barged into Ichiraku Ramen Shop.
When he sat down casually, only he knew that his back was soaked with cold sweat. And only he knew the immense pressure he was under right now.
Especially when Uchiha Ikeizumi’s gaze glanced his way, the Anbu Ninja nearly reflexively drew the ninja sword from his waist.
Fortunately…
Uchiha Ikeizumi made no other moves, perhaps because in the other’s eyes, whether in the past or future, he had no “sin”?!
Or perhaps because he was from the Yamanaka Clan, and the Yamanaka Clan Leader seemed to have a pretty good relationship with Uchiha Ikeizumi.
So he was benefiting from his own Ninja Clan’s connection?
Moreover, the Jinchuriki was still alive and looked like he had a good appetite.
Probably nothing strange had happened, right?
At that moment.
The Anbu Ninja discovered a black Ninja Cat slipping in. The black Ninja Cat jumped onto the table and meowed incessantly at an orange fat Ninja Cat.
He heard the orange Ninja Cat suddenly speak human words: “Ikeizumi, a new case has been discovered in the village!”
The Anbu Ninja immediately let out the other half of his breath.
This way, this Uchiha plague god would have something to do, and he could stay away from the Jinchuriki, right?
But what he didn’t expect was…
Uchiha Ikeizumi, who put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and slowly stood up, said coldly to the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki beside him: “If you want to see it, you can follow now.”
Anbu Ninja: “???”
Wait a minute…
See what?!
Then, he saw Uzumaki Naruto frantically shove the last few mouthfuls of ramen from the bowl into his mouth. As he hurriedly stood up, his small face bulging as he said: “Coming!”
Anbu Ninja: “???”
Hey hey hey!
What was going on?!
Did he miss something before entering Ichiraku Ramen Shop?
After watching Uzumaki Naruto follow Uchiha Ikeizumi out of Ichiraku Ramen Shop with his own eyes, the Anbu Ninja realized something was seriously wrong and that his mission had a major failure.
Oh no!
He had to notify the Hokage now!
“Customer, what ramen would you like?” Teuchi’s question was directly ignored by the Anbu Ninja.
He bit his thumb.
Slammed the ground.
“Ninja Art…”
“Summoning Technique!!!”
A Ninja Pigeon slightly larger than an ordinary pigeon was summoned by the Anbu Ninja. He said to the Ninja Pigeon, “Quickly go notify the Hokage that Uzumaki Naruto has been taken away by Uchiha Ikeizumi. The situation is extremely urgent!”
The Ninja Pigeon nodded.
And immediately flew out.
The Anbu Ninja gritted his teeth and quickly followed Uchiha Ikeizumi, but didn’t dare follow too closely, only trailing far behind.
“If he tries to do something to the Jinchuriki, I’ll have to risk my life to bring the Jinchuriki back…”
However, the problem was, would risking his life really work?
The Anbu Ninja wasn’t very confident.
…
Not long after.
Hokage’s Office Building.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was discussing with Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado how to fix the huge mess Uchiha Ikeizumi had caused.
At that moment, a Ninja Pigeon flying in from the window caught the three’s attention.
“This is…”
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned. He recognized this as the Ninja Pigeon of the Anbu Ninja “Yamanaka Yoshinobu.” But shouldn’t Yoshinobu be monitoring Naruto right now?
Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly felt this scene seemed familiar.
Until the Ninja Pigeon spoke.
“Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto has been taken away by Uchiha Ikeizumi! The situation is extremely urgent! —Yoshinobu told me to say that.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen: “…”
Before Sarutobi Hiruzen could react, Koharu Utatane abruptly stood up, her wrinkled old face extremely ugly.
She immediately said, “Hiruzen! See! This is Uchiha Ikeizumi’s ambition! The so-called Absolute Justice is just a high-sounding excuse he arranged for his ambition!”
“As a member of the Uchiha Clan, as a ninja with the Mangekyo Sharingan, doesn’t he know what contacting the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki means? And he even took the Jinchuriki away!”
Koharu Utatane took a deep breath, and her suddenly surging blood pressure dropped a little.
She continued, “Even stepping back ten thousand steps, even if he really is for the so-called Absolute Justice, we should be even more vigilant of such behavior. Because his justice is too extreme!”
“He even dares to kill the Daimyo’s Son. Are you sure he won’t want to use the Nine-Tails Demon Fox’s power to purge Konoha? For someone like him, everyone in Konoha dying would be an act of justice, right?”
“Hiruzen! The Nine-Tails incident from seven years ago is about to repeat!”
Homura Mitokado couldn’t sit still either. He stood up and said, “Hiruzen, we must snatch the Jinchuriki back. Regardless of whether Uchiha Ikeizumi has such intentions, we can’t let him have excessive contact with Uzumaki Naruto.”
“After all, if he has no intentions, others in the Uchiha Clan might. Then the Nine-Tails incident really could repeat.”
“In the last Nine-Tails incident, Konoha’s losses were too heavy. We can’t afford a second one.”
The words from Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.
Made Sarutobi Hiruzen realize he couldn’t delay. He immediately said, “Kakashi!”
Kakashi, who had been standing outside the Hokage’s Office door, pushed the door open and entered.
“Notify all Anbu to assemble immediately!” Sarutobi Hiruzen said sternly, “Come with me to bring Naruto back!”
Koharu Utatane interjected, “I’ll go too.”
She explained, “Hiruzen, if you go alone, you’ll definitely continue to indulge Uchiha Ikeizumi. Uchiha Ikeizumi is indeed a powerful force that makes other villages wary, but you also have to consider the damage he brings to Konoha’s interests.”
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned slightly.
But didn’t stop Koharu Utatane.
…
“Meow, Ikeizumi, while ninjas in the village were cleaning up the ruins near the Yamanaka Clan, they discovered a family of four civilians crushed to death by their own collapsed house. It was originally going to be closed as an ‘accident,’ but after the Police Force took over, they found something off.”
A black cat led the way ahead, while Kijiro squatted on Ikeizumi’s shoulder and said, “Although the deceased’s skin was bruised all over from being crushed by building rubble, even bloodied and mangled. But they still faintly discovered that one corpse had very strange marks remaining on the skin of its neck.”
“Preliminary judgment is that they were strike marks, just very inconspicuous. If that Police Force member hadn’t directly activated Sharingan to observe, they might not have found it.”
“Logically, that area couldn’t have been hit by heavy objects. The only possibility is that it was attacked before death.”
Naruto, following behind, heard this and was dumbfounded.
A family of four…
All dead?!
Naruto never actively paid attention to such vicious incidents, and in his impression, Konoha Village, though many people shunned and isolated him, was at least relatively peaceful and serene.
But who would have thought that shortly after leaving Ichiraku Ramen Shop with this terrifying man, he learned of a family of four wiped out in the village!
This this this…
Was it still the Konoha he knew?
…
…
