Chapter 12: The Proud Uchiha
"Get back in there and stop causing trouble!"
Yasushi slapped Naruto unconscious again. Only after seeing the chakra beginning to boil on his body subside did he feel relieved enough to continue his journey.
Perhaps due to the earlier loss of control, Nine-Tails chakra kept seeping from Naruto's body along the way, writhing like tentacles in the air, causing him trouble.
Fortunately, the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques were truly formidable. No matter how the Nine-Tails struggled, it was all futile.
After leaking intelligence, the road ahead became considerably harder.
Konoha's warning system had fully activated. Outposts and patrol teams along the way all received the highest-level alerts.
He was traveling in a straight line toward the Land of Rain with a clear destination. From time to time, shinobi who'd received village orders and run ahead to intercept him would emerge to throw their lives away, using their deaths to slow his advance.
Though they were all merely chunin and genin-level soldiers, when ants swarm together they can kill an elephant. His speed was ultimately dragged down.
The pursuers behind were getting closer and closer. He could clearly sense the murderous atmosphere permeating the air. His Sharingan could even faintly see birds startled from distant trees behind him—the characteristic sign of large troop movements.
However, this time he didn't stop to engage the enemies. Instead, he accelerated forward.
The Land of Rain was now right before his eyes.
Yasushi carried Naruto as his figure transformed into a streak of light through the forest, each step precisely borrowing force from tree branches, continuously increasing his speed.
While running rapidly, suddenly a kunai shot from behind with a sharp whistling sound, aimed directly at his heart.
He stopped abruptly, drawing his short blade in a reverse grip and deflecting the kunai with fluid motion.
But after just a brief delay, several figures rapidly appeared, forming a line blocking his path, sealing off all forward angles.
"Itachi, you can't escape!"
Yasushi's three-tomoe Sharingan swept left and right, seeing everyone before him clearly.
"Well, all old acquaintances. The entire Ino-Shika-Cho formation is here."
"Three jonin squads, nine people pursuing me. Quite the attention."
He glanced back at his rear path, which was also blocked by a group.
These shinobi all wore special masks and held sealing scrolls, their gazes fixed intently on Naruto in his hand.
"The sealing squad?"
"Ah, yes. Prepared for the jinchuriki."
"Quite thorough preparations!"
"However..."
He looked up at the overcast sky, wiping raindrops falling on his cheek, smiling silently.
"Ultimately, you're still a step too late!"
"This is already the Land of Rain."
"So what about the Land of Rain?" Akimichi Choza had the most explosive temper. He patted his round belly, coldly shouting: "You don't actually think Rain Country people would dare interfere in Konoha's affairs?"
"Even if Hanzo of the Salamander were here, he couldn't save you!"
"You'd better obediently hand over the Nine-Tails jinchuriki and return with us to the village for judgment!"
"Otherwise, today we'll eliminate you as a rogue shinobi for the village!"
After he finished playing bad cop, Nara Shikaku stepped forward to play good cop.
"Itachi, before we left, the Hokage specifically instructed us."
"He knows your nature is kind and that you're loyal to the village, unwilling to see turmoil occur."
"The Nine-Tails jinchuriki concerns the village's ruling foundation. Absolutely nothing can go wrong, or it could very likely trigger war."
"That's not what you want to see either, right?"
"I don't know what happened to make you do these things, but the Hokage said as long as you're willing to return to the village, everything past will be forgiven. The village won't pursue it."
"Whether it's Konohamaru's death or your kidnapping of the Nine-Tails jinchuriki, the Hokage can treat it all as if it never happened."
Watching these two perform their good cop-bad cop routine, alternating between hard and soft tactics, rage burned in Yasushi's heart.
He truly despised Uchiha Itachi deeply, but Itachi was still an Uchiha!
Even if he was a beast, he was the Uchiha family's beast!
When did the proud Uchiha become so docile like a trained bitch?
Uchiha pride was etched in their bones, flowing through their blood—absolutely not something political tactics could tame.
There was one and only one method to subjugate the Uchiha: defeat them with overwhelming martial force!
If Konoha Village could truly massacre the Uchiha clan in direct combat, no Uchiha would have any complaints.
Inferior skills meant deserved death!
But if Konoha Village could truly do this, the conflict between the Uchiha and village wouldn't have escalated to irreconcilable levels in the first place.
The reason the Uchiha always felt ostracized was precisely because Konoha Village lacked this capability, only able to rely on dark, dirty political tactics to secretly harm people.
And with the Uchiha's proud nature, they disdained politics—weren't skilled at it and didn't like it. Ultimately, they could only suffer continuous losses when Root aggressively pressed them with the Third's tacit approval.
No one was foolish. Even without evidence, being repeatedly targeted and ostracized, clansmen mysteriously disappearing and dying in missions one after another—it made the Uchiha's fury burn ever hotter.
Each suspicious mission report, each investigation request that was suppressed, ultimately transformed into raging flames wanting to burn everything to ash.
But the Uchiha were stuck with a weak, incompetent clan head completely powerless when facing the Third's schemes.
With accumulated resentment unable to vent, contradictions naturally grew larger and larger, ultimately causing more and more radical faction members, increasingly widespread calls for armed rebellion, finally making that traitor Itachi despair of peace completely, allowing himself to be manipulated into triggering the massacre night.
Now watching these Konoha Village people with their attitude of having Itachi completely under control, Yasushi felt Itachi's foolishness was even more worthless.
Stop pretending to be magnanimous!
The entire Uchiha clan was completely annihilated—wasn't that sufficient proof of Uchiha Itachi's loyalty to the village?
Now talking to Uchiha Itachi about Konohamaru and the jinchuriki—they wanted to control him, continue using him as a tool?
Indeed, still that same disgusting political manipulation!
After understanding Konoha Village's true intentions, Yasushi's rage burned even hotter. The chakra within his body began boiling uncontrollably. His Sharingan involuntarily transformed into its Mangekyo form.
Rainwater evaporated into white vapor when approaching his body. Mist swirled dramatically around him, truly terrifying.
He couldn't help but cover his face with one hand again, laughing wildly at the sky.
"Hehe... haha..."
"What fine forgiveness of past offenses!"
"What fine treating it as if it never happened!"
"The Third Hokage truly trusts me!"
"But what a shame..."
"You political creatures will never understand—true Uchiha only trust martial power!"
"Put away your filthy politician facades!"
"Want to recover the Nine-Tails jinchuriki?"
"Simple!"
"Just defeat me, and naturally everything will be yours to decide!"
"Whether recovering the Nine-Tails jinchuriki or taking my eyes back to satisfy Danzo—it's all up to you!"
Seeing "Uchiha Itachi" completely unhinged, everyone knew peaceful resolution was impossible. Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza turned to look at Nara Shikaku in the lead, waiting for his decision.
"Alas, what a shame! Itachi, you've made the wrong choice!"
Nara Shikaku sighed, raising his hand to order: "S-rank rogue ninja Uchiha Itachi has betrayed the village, murdered comrades, and kidnapped the Nine-Tails jinchuriki. His crimes are unforgivable. By the Hokage's command, execute him on the spot!"