novelraw Chapter 134 My life has been like walking on thin ice; do you think I can ever reach the other side?
Chapter 134 My life has been like walking on thin ice; do you think I can ever reach the other side?
Chapter 134 My life has been like walking on thin ice; do you think I can ever reach the other side?
No one can escape the corruption of worldly power, not even a demigod like Banzang.
After two decades of erosion by power and profit, the former demigod has vanished, replaced by a corrupt dictator who is addicted to power and pleasure.
As Danzo, the Dark Lord of the Ninjas, he understood all too well what these people needed and what they worried about.
"Hanzo is getting old."
"Twenty years ago, he was a demigod who dared to declare war on three great nations simultaneously, and the guardian deity of the Land of Rain. Back then, his blade was invincible, and even the combined forces of the three legendary Sannin of Konoha could only barely save his life."
"But what about now?"
Danzo sneered.
"The Land of Rain remains impoverished, the Hidden Rain Village remains impoverished, and his reputation as a demigod grows ever stronger, yet the people of the Land of Rain still live in fear of the looming threat of war."
"He began to fear loss. Fear of losing power, fear of losing fame, fear of losing the aura of that demigod."
"People like this are the easiest to take advantage of."
Zhi Shui listened in silence, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
He did not entirely agree with Danzo's assessment of Hanzo, but he could not deny it either.
After all, a truly powerful person with the world in their heart would not allow the Rain Kingdom to remain stagnant for twenty years.
"Yes, Lord Danzo!"
Shisui nodded and took the scroll: "I will complete the mission!"
"Okay, I'll leave it to you. Be quick, the pressure on the front lines is immense, and this matter should be addressed sooner rather than later."
"yes!"
After Shisui left, the office fell silent again.
Danzo reached into a file on the side and took out Shisui's information. He looked at the rules and regulations on it, his gaze lingering on the words "Uchiha Kagami" for a long time.
Uchiha Kagami.
Those were his former teammates and close friends.
He was a man who always wore a smile, mediating the conflicts between Hiruzen Sarutobi and himself; a man to whom one could entrust their back on the battlefield; and a man who could calmly say during tea breaks that the village and the clan should not be at odds.
Even the teachers acknowledge the Uchiha clan!
"mirror----"
Danzo murmured the name, a rare complex emotion appearing on his aged face.
If Kagami were still alive, the Uchiha clan would probably be completely different now.
pity----
Danzo composed himself and closed the file about Shisui.
Jing's grandson is even more talented than his grandfather, and his beliefs are just as naive. But will there really be another person like Jing?
Danzo didn't know, nor did he believe, that there would be another Uchiha like Uchiha Kagami in the world. However, Shisui's personality and strength were easy to control and utilize.
This is enough.
Just then, there was a gentle knock on the office door.
"Lord Danzo."
Aburame Ryoma pushed open the door and entered silently, bowing respectfully.
"What is it?"
Danzo did not look up, his gaze remaining fixed on the intelligence scroll on the table.
"About the Uchiha clan —"
Ryoma Aburame paused for a moment: "To be precise, it's about the latest developments regarding Fugaku Uchiha's son, Itachi Uchiha."
Danzo's one eye narrowed slightly.
"explain."
"Yes."
"When we summoned Uchiha Shisui earlier, our people discovered that today, in Fugaku's memorial hall, Uchiha Itachi awakened his Sharingan."
"
""
The air in the office seemed to freeze instantly.
Danzo slowly raised his single eye: "Uchiha Itachi—if I remember correctly, he was only five years old."
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"Yes, exactly five years old."
Ryoma Aburame lowered his head; he knew very well what this information meant.
Under normal circumstances, the age at which the Sharingan awakens in the Uchiha clan is directly proportional to their talent and potential. An ordinary clan member who awakens the Sharingan around the age of ten is considered a genius, while someone like Uchiha Shisui, who awakens the Sharingan at the age of seven or eight, will undoubtedly become a powerful figure renowned throughout the ninja world in the future.
And five years old————
Throughout the history of the Uchiha clan, even during the brutal Warring States period when people fought every day and were constantly on the verge of death, there are probably very few records of someone awakening the Sharingan at the age of five.
And now, such a monster has been born.
Even more deadly is...
This child is Fugaku Uchiha's child, the son of the Uchiha clan leader who possesses the Mangekyou Sharingan!
Danzo did not speak, but a cold glint flashed in his single eye, filled with murderous intent.
Fugaku Uchiha's Mangekyou Sharingan made him extremely wary, but since he was dead, the threat no longer existed.
But his son—
The scene of Makoto Karatani using his Mangekyou Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails and wreak havoc on the battlefield is still vivid in my mind. If this kid also awakens the Mangekyou Sharingan, the threat to the Uchiha clan in the future will be immense!
What if Itachi Uchiha also awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan? What if the Uchiha clan also gained control of the Nine-Tails? What if—
Danzo's single eye narrowed slightly, growing even colder.
Killing him is the simplest option.
With his methods, it wouldn't be difficult for him to deal with a five-year-old child who had just awakened his Sharingan in the Uchiha clan's territory, which wasn't heavily guarded, without causing a large-scale riot.
But then?
The Uchiha clan had just lost its leader, and their morale was already at rock bottom.
If, at this moment, even the clan chief's only surviving orphan were to die unexpectedly—
That wasn't suppressing the Uchiha.
Instead, they're igniting a powder keg!
Even though the Uchiha clan dared not openly rebel due to the overall pressure from the village, once the seeds of hatred were sown, there was no possibility of eradicating them.
Uchiha Shisui, the young and ambitious elite of the Uchiha clan, and those clansmen who already harbored resentment towards the village—
What will they think?
What will they do?
Moreover, Konoha's current situation cannot withstand any more internal strife.
Although peace has been negotiated on the eastern front, Kirigakure may break the treaty at any time. On the western front, Iwagakure's army is pressing in, and Huang Tu is personally leading his elite troops to the border. Kumogakure is eyeing the north with hostility, ready to take advantage of the situation at any moment.
Hiruzen is currently engaged in difficult negotiations with Kirigakure in the Land of Waves. Every day that is delayed will cost Konoha an additional day's price.
At this time, Konoha needs stability.
Even superficial stability.
"Lord Danzo?"
Seeing that Danzo remained silent for a long time, Ryoma Aburame tentatively spoke up.
Danzo slowly pulled himself out of his thoughts.
He touched the armrest of the seat beneath him, a warm sensation welling up inside him.
At this moment, he is no longer just a root buried deep in the ground, but also a branch and leaf of the great tree of Konoha!
I, Danzo, am the Hokage!
Danzo took a deep breath. I should use the Hokage's way of thinking to deal with this problem!
"Uchiha Itachi————"
"Don't move for now!"
Aburame Ryoma paused slightly, but quickly lowered his head: "Yes."
Danzo stood up and walked to the window.
Outside the window, the street scene of Konoha remained as peaceful and serene as ever.
Sunlight shines on the Hokage Rock, where the three statues stand like three guardians, their faces serene and compassionate as they gaze upon Konoha and its young seedlings.
In a daze, next to the shadow face rock of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, appeared Danzo's shadow face rock, just like the three Hokage before him, overlooking the entire Hidden Leaf Village—
But soon, this image vanished like a bubble.
Danzo was startled and turned to look at Ryoma Aburame.
"Send someone to secretly monitor Uchiha Itachi, record his daily activities, the people he comes into contact with, and his ability growth, but do not disturb him."
"Yes."
Aburame Ryoma accepted the order, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "According to intelligence, Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui are extremely close. When Itachi awakened his Sharingan today, Shisui was by his side and personally guided and comforted him."
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"The two are as close as brothers."
Stop the water.
Danzo remained silent for a moment, then spoke calmly: "I already know, there's no need to worry about it."
"----yes."
A hint of confusion flashed in Aburame Ryoma's eyes. Given Danzo's usual temperament, let alone any talk of surveillance, it was likely that Uchiha Itachi would have already been cut into eight pieces by the Root members by the time he learned of this news.
Eight-dan!
However, this is Lord Danzo after all, and Lord Danzo may have his own plans in mind.
Ryoma Aburame left the office, and the door closed silently.
The room fell silent once again.
Danzo stood alone by the window, gazing at the scenery outside, his single eye reflecting everything in Konoha.
He didn't take action because of mercy.
He was well aware of the threat the Uchiha posed to Konoha, but he was even more aware that Konoha at present could absolutely not withstand the Uchiha's rebellion!
Hiruzen is humbly seeking peace in the Land of Waves, while the old fox Onoki is sharpening his knives, and that hot-tempered kid from Kumogakure might march south at any moment.
At this time, Konoha must unite.
Even if it's just superficial unity.
As for the future—
Danzo slowly lowered the scroll.
We'll talk about the future later.
But at least for now, Uchiha Itachi, this newly sprouted seedling, must continue to grow in the soil of Konoha.
As for whether it will grow into a towering tree or be silently pruned and broken—
Danzo closed his eyes, and the images of the four Yan Rocks reappeared in his mind.
"Someday."
"Someday—"
The country of waves, the town of waves.
This small port town, which is usually so quiet that it is almost desolate, has undergone tremendous changes in just a few days.
Several light cruisers flying the Kirigakure battle flag patrolled the surrounding waters. Elite Kirigakure ninjas, in conjunction with sensory ninjas, observed their surroundings while simultaneously using high-powered binoculars to survey the area.
The town's largest inn was completely requisitioned, and multiple layers of barriers were set up inside and out, with sentries, both overt and covert, scattered throughout.
With this level of setup, not even a fly could get in, let alone a vandal or troublemaker!
The interior of the inn was also carefully decorated.
The main negotiation room was located in the largest Japanese-style room on the second floor, with a magnificent view of the sea and sky right outside the window.
The Misty Banner hanging in the hall fluttered gently. A long negotiating table, covered with a dark blue velvet cloth, was placed in the center, with seats on both sides and a row of empty seats on one side.
That was specially left for the reporter by Gouju Cheng!
"The image of the Third Hokage signing the surrender document against the backdrop of a shimmering seascape will undoubtedly make headlines in every newspaper in the ninja world!"
The technology tree in Naruto is quite skewed. Leaving aside the Boruto era, even during the Third Shinobi World War, this world already had a highly developed industrial level.
Electric lights, telephones, projectors, and even computers were already available.
Otherwise, what do you think Snake Uncle relies on to conduct tests?
Science and technology are the primary productive forces!
At this moment, there is less than half an hour before the formal talks are scheduled to begin.
Makoto Koji stood alone by the window of the negotiation room, gazing at the distant horizon.
The sky in the distance was crystal clear, with a few wisps of white clouds drifting lazily by, and a gentle sea breeze carrying a salty, fishy scent.
Are you nervous?
Mei Terumi walked to his side, her eyes filled with concern.
"nervous?"
Makoto Kujira turned his head and grinned: "When has my brother Makoto ever been nervous? I was just thinking about what expression I should make when the Third Hokage walks in later."
"Should we be more serious or more friendly? After all, they've come all this way to get an autograph, we should at least give them some face, right?"
Mei Terumi rolled her eyes at him, but there was a smile in her eyes.
"Keep talking nonsense. The Third Mizukage and Lord Yagura have entrusted you with all of this, so don't do anything reckless. Although Konoha is at a disadvantage in this meeting, the Third Hokage is personally leading the charge, with Minato Namikaze accompanying him as a bodyguard. We're not here to be slaughtered."
"Don't worry, nothing will go wrong."
Now that both sides are sitting at the negotiating table, he naturally won't act recklessly.
A toad will bite if you push it too far.
Since the toad master and toad disciple could sit down in front of him, the toad killer, Makoto Kuraki would naturally not act recklessly.
"The person has arrived."
Ao's voice came through chakra.
Gouju Cheng gathered his thoughts and turned to face the door of the negotiation hall.
Two figures passed through the hidden guards and climbed the steps.
The door opened.
Two figures, one old and one young, stepped into the room.
Makoto Kujira's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze lingering briefly on Minato Namikaze before settling on Hiruzen Sarutobi.
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi is far less aged than he was at the beginning of Shippuden.
He was thin, and although the Hokage's robes made him look less imposing, the authority of someone who had long held a high position and the composure honed by the trials of war still carried considerable weight.
This Hokage is truly a legend. He was appointed to lead Konoha during the final stages of the First Shinobi World War and has served as its leader for over thirty years. During these thirty years, he led Konoha through trials and tribulations, weathered wars, and cultivated the legendary Sannin who were renowned throughout the shinobi world. He also stood at the pinnacle of the shinobi world, overlooking all directions, and was known as the strongest Kage!
But now, he is about to become the first Kage of Konoha to surrender!
As Makoto Karatachi sized up Hiruzen Sarutobi, Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze also fell on Makoto Karatachi.
Before coming here, Hiruzen Sarutobi had read Makoto Karatachi's information countless times. This guy, who almost single-handedly defeated Konoha, was someone he couldn't afford to take lightly.
Makoto Karatachi is about the same age as Minato Namikaze, and he looks just as young.
The only difference might be their eyes.
Minato Namikaze's sky-blue eyes were always full of confidence and sunshine, like the morning sun, but after the battle between Kazama and Tani, that feeling faded a lot.
But the goji jujube is different.
Those purple eyes, unique to the Gouju clan, were filled with confidence and composure, as well as an undisguised ambition!
This guy's capacity surpasses even that of Minato!
Hiruzen Sarutobi shifted his gaze from Makoto Karatachi and scanned the room.
The negotiation room was decorated simply yet solemnly, with a long table covered in dark blue velvet. The sea breeze flowed in through the open windows, fluttering the hanging Mist-Hidden Flag and making a soft rustling sound.
Outside the window is the shimmering sea, a vast and beautiful view.
But beneath this beautiful scenery lies the humiliation of Konoha's defeat!
"I have long admired your name, Third Hokage."
Makoto Karatachi spoke first: "I am Makoto Karatachi of Kirigakure, and I have been ordered by the Third Mizukage to preside over this peace negotiation."
"Captain Gouju is a promising young man."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions surging within him, and said in a deep voice, "I hope that today's talks can bring true peace to both countries."
"Of course. We, the Hidden Mist Village, have always loved peace."
"Please sit down."
Gouju Cheng gestured for him to sit down, then took his seat on one side of the negotiating table.
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded slightly and sat down on the opposite side. Minato Namikaze did not sit down, but stood quietly to the side and behind Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Today's meeting was the first one, setting the tone for the entire negotiation and discussing the specific details of compensation in preparation for a formal signing.
"The presence of the Third Hokage demonstrates Konoha's sincerity in pursuing peace."
Gouju Cheng spoke first: "Then, let's get straight to the point."
"9
He raised his hand to signal, and Mei Terumi, who was standing to the side, immediately stepped forward and took out a scroll that had been prepared in advance.
"Our Land of Water is an island nation, unlike the large and powerful Konoha. This war has inflicted enormous damage on Konoha, with heavy casualties. Fortunately, through the desperate struggle of us Hidden Mist ninja, we finally won this war."
"Therefore, after careful deliberation by the Mizukage and the elders, Konoha shall fulfill the following obligations regarding the losses incurred by Kirigakure in this war and its responsibility for the defeat."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took the scroll and opened it to read.
Just one glance was enough to make my chest go numb and my vision go black; I almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
Minato Namikaze, who was standing to the side, stared wide-eyed in shock.
"This, this!"
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