[Note: Read up to Chapter - 70 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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Crash!
Smash!
Kanzou heard the sound of things being shattered from outside.
"My, such a short temper. You're injured, you really shouldn't be getting this worked up," Kanzou remarked, stepping in casually.
"What are you doing in my house? Get out!" Fugaku growled, his voice thick with fury.
And it wasn't hard to guess why he was so enraged; his spy had just reported back that Kanzou had visited Elder Tadayoshi's home, again.
The elder wasn't even in. So what was Kanzou doing there, again?
It didn't take much imagination to put the pieces together. The thought alone made Fugaku's blood boil, and his wound began to reopen, causing them to vomit blood.
"Relax," Kanzou said coolly. "I actually came to talk business with you. You might even find it… beneficial."
Kanzou sat down casually and even poured himself a cup of tea.
"Come on, sit down. No need to stand there like a guest, just treat this place as your own home. Make yourself comfortable," he said, taking a sip of tea.
Fugaku's face darkened. The way Kanzou said it made it feel like this wasn't his home anymore.
"What do you want?" Fugaku asked coldly.
His tone wasn't just indifferent; it was icy. If looks could kill, Kanzou would've been sliced into a thousand pieces on the spot.
The hatred for a man who had both killed his father and stolen his fiancée burned deep in Fugaku's eyes.
"Fugaku-san, do you really want to be the clan head?" Kanzou asked, sipping his tea. "Honestly, I do not need to fight you for the position. In fact, I could even support you in becoming the patriarch."
Fugaku narrowed his eyes. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Not for a second did he believe Kanzou. Giving up the position of clan head? Supporting him? Fugaku didn't trust a single word, and he just wanted him to get out of his house.
"At least, hear me out first," Kanzou said calmly. "I'm willing to give you the position of the Patriarch, but you'll need to pay a price."
Fugaku narrowed his eyes, studying Kanzou carefully.
Judging by his expression, Kanzou wasn't joking, but still, he asked cautiously, "What kind of price?"
Becoming the Patriarch had become an obsession for him. Kanzou's offer was incredibly tempting. And truth be told, Fugaku was no longer confident that he could win against him in a fair contest, not with two elders already dead, and Elder Tadayoshi changing his camp because of his granddaughter's secret affair with Kanzou.
If Kanzou truly intended to step aside, it would make things much easier.
"Some people crave power, others chase money," Kanzou said with a smirk. "Me? I'm a man of desire."
It was perhaps the first time someone had declared their lust so brazenly.
"Fugaku, your fiancée, Uchiha Mikoto-san, is an exceptional woman. I fancy her a lot, and she happens to admire me… she has done so for many years… secretly in her heart, without letting it show on her face or others learning about it. If you give her to me, I'll back your claim to the position of patriarch without any resistance. You have my word."
What Kanzou said was enough to drive Fugaku into a frenzy.
Kanzou was asking Fugaku to willingly wear a green hat on his head.
But Fugaku didn't lash out… rather, he calmed himself and began to think.
He wasn't ignorant of the fact that several things had already happened between Uchiha Kanzou and Uchiha Mikoto—there was no changing that now.
In any case, Mikoto could no longer be his future wife.
Even so, the thought tore at his heart.
He genuinely liked Mikoto—for her personality, beauty, and status.
The two may not have spoken much to each other… but Fugaku believed that Mikoto was, in every way, the perfect wife to be for him, the next Patriarch. And yet, she had been taken by this beast Kanzou before he ever even had the chance to hold her hand.
'This bastard…' If Fugaku had the strength, he'd kill Kanzou without hesitation. But Kanzou was far too powerful—there was nothing he could do.
Agreeing to the deal? Fugaku didn't want to. If word got out, the shame would be unbearable. Giving up the woman he loved to another man? What did Kanzou think he was, a cuck!?
Besides, could Kanzou's word even be trusted? Fugaku suspected this was all just another way to humiliate him.
As the thought took root, his face twisted with fury.
Glaring at Kanzou, Fugaku looked as though he wanted to tear him apart with his bare hands.
"Don't look at me like that—you're not going to be able to kill me with a glare, you don't have what it takes to be able to do that," Kanzou shrugged. Of course, he was talking about the Mangekyō Sharingan, which Fugaku has yet to awaken.
"So, I'll ask you once more—do you agree or not?" he asked.
He stood up, making it look like he was about to leave. "If you're not interested, I'll be on my way."
"Wait," Fugaku said sharply. "Are you really serious? You're willing to step aside from the patriarchal succession and support me to become head of the Uchiha clan?"
As much as he wanted to strangle Kanzou then and there, Fugaku couldn't help but feel tempted. What if Kanzou was actually serious and not just toying with him?
After all, what was done was done—Mikoto could no longer be his bride. So even if he gave her up, even if Kanzou was messing with him, it wasn't like he had anything left to lose.
"I've already said what I had to," Kanzou replied coolly. "Believe it or not, that's your problem. My assurance means nothing if you've already made up your mind on the idea that I'm not someone you can trust."
Kanzou's words were blunt—whether Fugaku believed him or not was entirely up to him.
Fugaku's expression shifted.
As Kanzou said, he couldn't bring himself to fully trust Kanzou, but the idea of Kanzou willingly stepping away from the patriarchal race was undeniably tempting.
"Why would you choose to support me as patriarch? There's nothing in it for you. Don't tell me it's really just for Mikoto?"
Not only was there no benefit, but it came with obvious risks. Fugaku didn't believe Kanzou would do something so foolish. No man like him would give up power just for a woman—at least, Fugaku knew he never would.
After all, even if Kanzou did step aside, it wouldn't erase the hatred between them.
His father had been killed—indirectly—because of Kanzou. It wasn't wrong to say Kanzou was responsible.
And Kanzou had put his hands on his fiancée as well.
No matter how things turned out, their hatred would never disappear.
"It's not exactly a good deal—but it's not a bad one either. Even if you become the patriarch, do you really think I'll need to follow your orders?"
Kanzou's words made Fugaku's expression freeze.
Still, for some reason, Fugaku began to believe that Kanzou might genuinely intend to back him for the position of patriarch.
"…Fine. I accept."
In the end, Fugaku agreed.
After all, he had nothing left to lose. What should've been lost was already gone; at this point, nothing mattered anymore, except for the position of the Uchiha Patriarch. And Fugaku was determined to let his butt rest on it.
[Ding, successfully tempted Uchiha Fugaku to sell his fiancée out of his obsession — reward: Amaterasu, + 20,000 Evil Points]
Kukuku… Selling his fiancée for his obsession…
'Although I expected a reward, I didn't think it would be this generous.'
The generous reward caught Kanzou slightly off guard, but that was exactly why he had come. The better the reward, the more worthwhile the visit.
Now he possessed two ocular jutsu in each eye, Amenominakanushi and Tsukuyomi in his left, and Amenotokotachi and Amaterasu in his right.
The fact that he possessed two ocular jutsu within his Mangekyō made him pause and wonder.
'System… don't I already have two ocular jutsu in each eye? Shouldn't that be enough for my eyes to evolve into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan?' he questioned.
After all, he could clearly feel his visual prowess improving after the fusion, and he had hoped that this alone might be enough to push him into EMS.
If that were the case, he wouldn't need to purchase EMS from the System and could instead save those points for the Rinnegan, or something even better.
But the System swiftly poured cold water over his expectations.
[This is merely the fusion of an additional ocular jutsu, not an increase in the fundamental level of the dōjutsu. That alone is insufficient to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan.]
'Sigh… I suppose it wouldn't be that easy,' he thought, shaking his head.
Still, it was worth trying. Regardless of the outcome, acquiring both Amaterasu was already a significant gain.
A satisfied smile tugged at Kanzou's lips. And the moment Fugaku saw that smug expression, an unexplainable anger surged within him.
It was as though Kanzou was silently mocking him as a Cuck.
"Are you happy?" Fugaku asked bitterly.
"Of course. Do you think I wouldn't be?" Kanzou replied, laughing arrogantly.
His laughter echoed through the room—so over-the-top that even the villains like Light Yagami and Doflamingo would pale in comparison.
If he could, he even wanted to find a green hat for Fugaku and gift it to him.
The more Kanzou laughed, the darker Fugaku's expression grew. Kanzou's joy came directly at the cost of his own humiliation. How could he possibly be happy?
'Just wait. Once I become the patriarch... I'll get rid of you.'
That silent vow burned in Fugaku's heart.
Of course, Kanzou had no idea what Fugaku was plotting. But even if he did, he'd probably just flash that same ridiculing smile—then double the cruelty in his next move, as if punishing Fugaku for daring to scheme.
"I'll be waiting for your good news tomorrow," Kanzou said, patting him on the shoulder before turning to leave.
Though the system reward hadn't come yet, the moment Kanzou returned home, it arrived.
And the Ocular technique was immediately fused into Kanzou's left eye. A wave of cool energy surged through him, making him feel slightly more refreshed.
"My visual prowess seems to have improved."
Gaining this ocular jutsu also enhanced his visual prowess to some extent, which was a welcome bonus. Before evolving into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, every bit of visual power was valuable to Kanzou.
But Kanzou also felt a bit disappointed, "Of all the wonderful Ocular Jutsu, it had to be Amaterasu."
What Kanzou truly wanted was Kamui or Kotoamatsukami. But Amaterasu? Amaterasu was barely practical and not that great of an ocular Jutsu.
After all, despite being called the strongest Fire Style… it had no victim in the canon… every figure it was used upon had successfully survived it… Therefore, Kanzou was more interested in Kamui or Kotoamatsukami.
Moreover, with Ryūjin Jakka in his arsenal, why would he care about Amaterasu's black flames?
'Forget it… Something is still better than nothing. Shaking his head silently, he asked, "System, can you show me a status panel?"
Kanzou voiced his request. The system didn't respond verbally, but sure enough, a status screen appeared before his eyes.
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[Uchiha Kanzou]
Age: 17
Strength: Peak Kage-level
Kekkei Genkai: Mangekyō Sharingan
Dōjutsu:
Left Eye: Amenominakanushi, Tsukuyomi
Right Eye: Amenotokotachi, Amaterasu
Susanoo
Chakra Natures: Fire, Lightning, Wind, Earth, Water, Yin, Yang
Non-elemental Ninjutsu:
Substitution Jutsu, Transformation Jutsu, Clone Jutsu, Shadow Clone Jutsu, Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu, Rasengan, Body Flicker Jutsu, One Thousand Years of Death (+ other self-learnt Ninjutsu)
Fire Style:
Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu, Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu, Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation, Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Jutsu, Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet
(+ other self-learnt Fire Style Ninjutsu)
Lightning Style:
Lightning Style: Chidori, Lightning Style: Chidori Current, Lightning Style: Chidori Senbon, Lightning Style: Chidori Sharp Spear, Lightning Style: Shadow Clone Jutsu, Lightning Style: Lightning Transmission, Lightning Style: Lightning Beast Tracking Fang
(+ other self-learnt Lightning Style Ninjutsu)
Wind Style:
Wind Style: Gale Palm, Wind Style: Great Breakthrough, Wind Style: Vacuum Blade, Wind Style: Vacuum Great Sphere, Wind Style: Vacuum Serial Waves
(+ other self-learnt Wind Style Ninjutsu)
Earth Style:
Earth Style: Mud Wall Jutsu, Earth Style: Multiple Mud Wall Jutsu, Earth Style: Earth Quarts Jutsu, Earth Style: Earth Wave Jutsu, Earth Style: Hiding Like a Mole Jutsu, Earth Style: Ripping Drill Fang
(+ other self-learnt Earth Style Ninjutsu)
Water Style:
Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu, Water Style: Dragon Bullet Jutsu, Water Style: Water Formation Wall Jutsu, Water Style: Water Shark Bullet Jutsu, Water Style: Water Severing Wave
(+ other self-learnt Water Style Ninjutsu)
Genjutsu:
Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique, Sharingan Genjutsu, Tree Binding Death, Temple of Nirvana Technique
(+ other self-learn Genjutsu)
Taijutsu: Uchiha-Style Flowing Fist, Konoha-Style Flowing Fist
Kenjutsu (Swordsmanship): Uchiha-Style Kenjutsu Iaido (Draw Sword Technique)
Weapon: Ryūjin Jakka [Shikai (Accessible)]
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Uchiha Kanzou's attribute panel was remarkably comprehensive, displaying nearly all of his skills across a wide range of combat arts. It even listed every jutsu he had mastered so far, neatly categorized by elemental and non-elemental types.
As for the presence of jutsu from all five elemental transformations, that was only natural.
For a jōnin, mastery over at least two chakra natures was considered standard. Kanzou, however, had become a jōnin at an exceptionally young age, one of the youngest in Konoha's history. Even back then, he had already mastered the three chakra natures he was born with: Fire, Lightning, and Wind. Later on, he went on to master the remaining two, Earth and Water, achieving proficiency in all five elemental chakra natures.
At present, he possessed six of the seven basic chakra natures. The only one he lacked was Yang Release. Even so, this placed him firmly at an almost Kage-level standing.
"But at this point, my strength should already be at the peak of Kage level… right?" he murmured to himself. It seemed undeniable, not only because of his mastery over multiple chakra natures, but also due to the various ocular jutsu granted to him by his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Well, I suppose I can be considered the strongest ninja in Konoha right now," he added quietly, a sense of exhilaration welling up inside him.
Although he hadn't expected to reach this level so quickly… it wasn't entirely surprising either.
Just having a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan was enough to elevate him to the peak of Kage-level. If he used Ryūjin Jakka, his combat power would likely surpass the limits of Kage-level entirely.
The only drawback was the short duration of that Shikai. The intense Chakra consumption made it difficult to maintain, especially without a Sage Body.
Even without a perfect Sage Body like Senju Hashirama's, a standard one would still provide a tremendous Chakra boost.
While the Uchiha clan was known for having high Chakra reserves, that was only impressive when compared to average shinobi. In comparison to those with a Sage Body, it was simply not enough.
However, compared to those with a Sage Body or individuals blessed with extraordinary talent, the Chakra reserves of the Uchiha clan were rather underwhelming.
There were only two ways to solve this problem: one, to acquire a Sage Body; and two, to become a Jinchūriki by sealing a tailed beast within oneself.
Between the two, Kanzou much preferred the first option.
Unfortunately, a Sage Body wasn't cheap. And Kanzou wasn't interested in settling for some mediocre version; he wanted the real deal, a perfect Sage Body like that of Senju Hashirama.
With a Sage Body of that calibre, Kanzou would never have to worry about Chakra shortages again.
The only issue was the price. As valuable as it was, the cost was simply too high at the moment.
Besides, Kanzou wasn't eager to spend frivolously. He had his sights set on something even more important: the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Compared to the Sage Body, obtaining the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan was Kanzou's true priority. With it, he would be able to unleash his ocular powers without restraint, and most importantly, he could manifest the complete version of Susanoo and wield its full destructive might.
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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!
[Note: Read up to Chapter - 70 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]