Fumori Masaki stepped out of the Daimyo's mansion and looked back at the residence of the Land of Fire's monarch. From now on, this place would truly be just a residence. Although the Daimyo still seemed unwilling to accept the constraints of power, the general trend was unstoppable, and it was only a matter of time before the Daimyo would have to yield.
However, this wouldn't be resolved in the short term. What Fumori Masaki needed to focus on now was the problem of Uchiha Katsuya. As long as this person remained, there would be no peace of mind.
Shimura Danzo was currently pursuing Uchiha Katsuya, but finding a master like Uchiha Katsuya was not an easy task. One could only hope that Uchiha Katsuya's methods of evading pursuit were not as good as Shimura Danzo's.
Although evading pursuit and concealing one's presence were basic ninja skills, after the Warring States period, with the change in ninja training policies from specialized training to widespread accessibility, each ninja began to have a focus, unlike the comprehensive training of the past.
In Fumori Masaki's impression, Uchiha Katsuya was an Uchiha clan member who grew up after the establishment of Konoha Village. Logically, he shouldn't be able to compare to Shimura Danzo, who had been skilled in such matters since the village's inception.
However, Uchiha Katsuya's Mangekyo Sharingan and his strange abilities always left people uneasy. Shimura Danzo was indeed formidable, one of the few who, relying on a mortal bloodline, family heritage, and personal talent, gradually achieved accomplishments comparable to those of bloodline limit ninjas.
But in the original timeline, Shimura Danzo also pursued the path of seeking bloodline limits, possibly due to his disability and old age at the time. Nevertheless, the power of bloodline limits always enticed ordinary people, especially the power of the Sharingan, which even fellow clan members found tempting.
The current Uchiha Katsuya had obtained the same Mangekyo Sharingan as Uchiha Madara. This guy was truly lucky; despite being quite distant from Uchiha Ken's bloodline, he still managed to evolve successfully.
Fumori Masaki thought quietly outside the Daimyo's mansion for a while. When Princess Chihime walked out, she said to Fumori Masaki, "My brother won't be able to understand for a while. I will try my best to explain the pros and cons to him."
"I'll leave it to you. Please also explain it to the officials in the capital." Fumori Masaki nodded slightly. "As for the local lords, the chakra samurai haven't been completely eliminated yet, so we can't let them enter the capital for now. We must seal the borders to prevent Uchiha Katsuya from escaping."
Princess Chihime said, "Alright, Hokage-sama, please make sure to execute Uchiha Katsuya on the spot. Such a person cannot be allowed to live in this world!"
"I think so too," Fumori Masaki said.
Afterward,
Fumori Masaki and the others stayed in the capital, reaching a consensus with the officials and nobles, persuading the Daimyo, and simultaneously monitoring the cleanup of the chakra samurai and the whereabouts of Uchiha Katsuya.
Shimura Danzo would send reports via ninja falcons periodically. Uchiha Katsuya had no special means of movement. After Shimura Danzo brought Inuzuka, Aburame, Hyuga, and others, combined with his unique tracking methods, he consistently stayed on Uchiha Katsuya's trail.
Due to the previous warnings from everyone, Shimura Danzo cautiously avoided a direct confrontation. He only determined Uchiha Katsuya's approximate location and informed Fumori Masaki to arrive early for an ambush.
However, recently, chakra samurai began to converge near Shimura Danzo and his group, covering Uchiha Katsuya's movements. Shimura Danzo and his group had no choice but to be intercepted. If not for Shimura Danzo's excellent methods, he might have already lost track of Uchiha Katsuya.
Fumori Masaki understood that this was Uchiha Katsuya's command to the chakra samurai. After some thought, he secretly sent orders to Uchiha Ken and Fujimura Yuuki. Now was the time for them to lure Uchiha Katsuya, under the pretense of participating in the fight against the chakra samurai there.
"Will Uchiha Katsuya take the bait?" Akimichi Torifu asked.
"Most likely. I, you, Kagami, Hiruzen, and Danzo are all here. Uchiha Katsuya must be under immense pressure. He's eager to escape, and even if there's a risk, he has to take what he wants," Fumori Masaki said.
"But even if he takes the bait, how will you get there quickly?" Akimichi Torifu asked, puzzled. "You're not with those two."
"Because I'm worried that Uchiha Katsuya might have some intelligence channels, my staying here can make him feel more at ease," Fumori Masaki said with a smile. "However, I have my own way to quickly get to those two when they're in danger."
"What method?"
"I'll tell you." Fumori Masaki whispered a few words to Akimichi Torifu, who immediately burst into laughter after hearing them.
"So that's how it is. Indeed, as long as those two aren't immediately taken down by Uchiha Katsuya, they can definitely call you over," Akimichi Torifu said.
"Although Uchiha Katsuya now has a more powerful Mangekyo Sharingan than Ken-kun, Uchiha Katsuya's abilities and methods have basically been identified—if he had any other tricks, he would have used them already when facing the combined attacks of you, Hiruzen, Danzo, and Kagami. The only thing that remains uncertain is his mysterious technique that can evade certain death, but this technique doesn't significantly boost his combat power," Fumori Masaki said.
"All this information has been given to them. They will definitely remain vigilant at all times. In other words, with Ken-kun and Yuuki-kun's strength, it's almost impossible for Uchiha Katsuya to take them down before they can react," Akimichi Torifu continued.
"Precisely," Fumori Masaki smiled.
"By the way, what exactly is Uchiha Katsuya's technique that can evade certain death again and again?" Akimichi Torifu said, still bothered. "If it weren't for that technique, he would have died at least twice in our battles!"
"Kagami told me his deduction. He believes it's an ability of Uchiha Katsuya's Mangekyo Sharingan. This ability must have a price or a weakness, and Kagami has already vaguely seen it," Fumori Masaki said.
"What is it?" Akimichi Torifu quickly pressed.
"This is just Kagami's deduction, and there's no solid evidence yet. However, if Kagami's deduction is correct, then how to break Uchiha Katsuya's technique will fall to Kagami," Fumori Masaki said solemnly.
At the same time, the mop-up operation against the chakra samurai in both the capital and Konoha Village had reached a fever pitch. For chakra samurai who indiscriminately attacked others, they received no support from anyone. The entire nation opposed them. Konoha Village followed closely behind the chakra samurai, and once they caught up, they would use various means to eliminate them.
Uchiha Katsuya seemed to have some means of controlling the chakra samurai. He deliberately distributed the chakra samurai to gradually divide Konoha's combat forces and led them into more rugged areas, leaving no room for large units to maneuver, forcing them to pursue in small detachments.
Uchiha Katsuya himself was also active in these complex areas, similarly forcing Shimura Danzo to lead small detachments in pursuit. The main force could at most blockade the perimeter to prevent Uchiha Katsuya's escape, with Sarutobi Hiruzen and Uchiha Kagami on standby.
Uchiha Katsuya cleverly used this method to face only one Konoha small detachment in each battle. The areas he stayed in were both complex and vast, making the small detachments appear scattered. If they were too concentrated, it might lead to greater losses—because it would be too easy to become targets.
Although there were other ways to solve this problem, considering Uchiha Katsuya's possible reactions, Fumori Masaki and the others planned it this way. Only then could they maximize the chances of luring Uchiha Katsuya out. Once the environment became dangerous, no matter how attractive it was, Uchiha Katsuya would have no choice but to give up.
Uchiha Ken and Fujimura Yuuki, entrusted with the secret mission by the Hokage and others, tried their best to reduce the number of people in their small squad while dealing with the chakra samurai here. However, they couldn't be too few, or it would seem suspicious. After much discussion and reaching an agreement with other small detachments, Uchiha Ken and Fujimura Yuuki formed a squad of six (including themselves).
With Uchiha Ken and Fujimura Yuuki's strength, dealing with similarly isolated chakra samurai was naturally easy. Under the combined power of Earth Style and Fire Style, even heavily armored chakra samurai who trained in chakra fell one by one.
During a rest, Fujimura Yuuki whispered to Uchiha Ken, "Ken, when do you think Uchiha Katsuya will come for us?"
"I don't know. Right now, the enemy is hidden, and we are exposed. The initiative is in their hands. Unless we completely blockade and slowly advance, he will be forced to come out. At this point, we can only wait quietly." Uchiha Ken tried his best to recover his stamina and maintain his energy. If Uchiha Katsuya seized the opportunity and instantly killed him, he wouldn't even be able to find help.
"Honestly, I really hope he comes out soon. Always being on edge like this is truly unbearable," Fujimura Yuuki sighed softly.
"A ninja is one who endures. Hang in there as much as possible. We've undergone professional training!" Uchiha Ken's voice, though low, was very serious.
"I understand. As long as Uchiha Katsuya is alive, we might be in danger." Fujimura Yuuki smiled helplessly and complained softly, "Seriously, this so-called reincarnator hasn't brought us any benefits, only trouble."
Uchiha Ken deeply agreed. The powers of Indra and Asura would only manifest when a reincarnator's strength reached a certain level. Before that, there would be a subtle pull of destiny, though not decisive, it often brought unpleasant things, especially for Indra's reincarnators.
Because the awakening of the Sharingan bloodline limit required "losing love" as a condition, and if the Sharingan was not awakened to a certain level—in Uchiha Ken's opinion, it probably had to reach the Mangekyo Sharingan stage—it would be impossible to awaken the power of Indra. Therefore, Indra's reincarnators had to go through a difficult life before enjoying some of the positive effects brought by Indra's power. It really wasn't a worthwhile deal.
One must know that the so-called powers of Indra and Asura were not overtly powerful forces. Rather, they should be described as enhancements to the reincarnator's existing abilities. This feeling is hard to describe in detail, but roughly speaking, it allows the reincarnator to utilize their abilities more efficiently, or to unlock more potential.
Reincarnators might seem impressive, with their past lives being incredibly powerful individuals, but upon closer examination, does the identity of a reincarnator truly bring good things, apart from the pull of destiny?
At least for Uchiha Ken and Fujimura Yuuki, it wasn't a good thing. The former, needless to say, lost his father from a young age due to being a reincarnator, recognized an enemy as his father, and went through a difficult life. The latter, although not having any particularly difficult experiences, also didn't get anything good from being a reincarnator. Instead, he was targeted by a dangerous individual like Uchiha Katsuya and was now living in fear.
"Lord Asura and Indra from back then were truly something. Their grudges remained unresolved in life, and they had to implicate their descendants even after death." Fujimura Yuuki shook his head. "Now it seems that it would be better for the powers of the two lords to disappear from this world sooner rather than later."
"Whether they disappear or not is not something we can decide. It should be said that it is decided by the subtle will of Lord Asura and Lord Indra," Uchiha Ken said.
It was truly incredible that after their deaths, the powers of individuals like Indra and Asura could still circulate in the world. Because chakra carries spiritual properties, even if the person's soul returns to the Pure Land, chakra can still act as a clone of the person. This causes Indra and Asura's chakra to carry a vague consciousness, which is also the reason for the pull of destiny.
However, such matters were too mysterious for Uchiha Ken and Fujimura Yuuki, who had not reached that realm, to comprehend. If Uchiha Ken were to die, with his Mangekyo Sharingan's level, he might gain new insights, but as a living person, he was still unable to do so.
"Alright, stop complaining. Get some rest early. Uchiha Katsuya might come at any time, so we need to maintain our best condition," Uchiha Ken said.
And just as Uchiha Ken said, their trouble was about to arrive. After their rest that day, on the evening of the next day, the person who had been watching them came knocking.
After a long period of observation and tracking, Uchiha Katsuya finally waited until there was no one around Uchiha Ken and his group. He immediately rushed over, ordering the chakra samurai to fully block everyone else. He intended to capture Fujimura Yuuki, obtain the power of Asura within him, and then flee far away, waiting to cultivate the Rinnegan before returning to cause trouble for Konoha Village!