After returning to Konoha, Uchiha Rokuro took two drinks from the refrigerator and handed one to Uchiha Izumi—only to notice she seemed hesitant, wanting to speak but holding back.
"What's wrong? Something on your mind?"
"Rokuro… are you really planning to sell our clan's genetic samples to Orochimaru? We could totally double-cross him. With your strength—and mine alone—I could kill him in an instant!"
Hearing the words "double-cross" coming from Izumi nearly made Rokuro laugh.
"Look at you, talking about double-crossing people now? Don't forget—he's my teacher. Even if what I learned from him came through deals, he still helped me a lot early on. And besides, his biological research is one of the reasons we even have Mangekyō now. No need to backstab him."
Izumi frowned deeply. Clearly, she still cared a lot about him trading clan genetics.
Seeing this, Rokuro gently pulled her closer.
"Izumi, let me ask you something. Do you think chakra in this world is limited—or unlimited?"
"…Huh? What does that even mean?"
The sudden shift in topic caught her off guard.
"I'm asking—if you take everyone's chakra in the world and put it together, is the total constant? Or does it change?"
"It obviously changes! How could chakra have a cap?"
But Rokuro's expression grew complicated.
"All right, let's make it more specific. Do you think a person's innate chakra amount is fixed?"
"No way. With training and better chakra control, your capacity increases. That's basic knowledge."
"Then why do some people train hard their entire lives and never progress? Some stay forever at chūnin level—or even genin. Yet others put in only a bit of effort and surpass them instantly?"
Izumi began to realize something felt off.
"Because of talent, obviously."
"And what is talent?"
"Uh… quicker reflexes? Stronger body?..."
But the more she spoke, the less confident she became—because all of those advantages could be improved through chakra.
Which meant… the cause and effect looped.
Was talent the cause of greater chakra?
Or was having more chakra the cause of greater talent?
Rokuro continued softly:
"Think about it. What if the total chakra in this world is fixed—and distributed unevenly? Some are born overflowing with chakra, others the opposite."
"That's why some people can never become strong no matter how they train, while clan-born shinobi only need a little effort to reach elite jōnin or even Kage level."
Izumi grabbed her hair in frustration.
"Then what's the point of training? Just to polish skills and gain battle experience? Look at me—I used to have chūnin-level chakra, but after awakening the Mangekyō, I suddenly reached Kage-class, and now I'm beyond that. I never run out of chakra in battle! How does that even make sense?"
Rokuro raised one finger.
"First—your innate chakra amount may be fixed, but how much you can refine depends on your body. Training strengthens the body so you can fully utilize what you have."
Then he raised a second finger.
"Second—chakra has quality grades. Ordinary chakra versus bloodline chakra—even at equal volume, the power is completely different. That's why Uchiha are strong."
Izumi reluctantly nodded.
"I guess that… makes sense. But why does this matter? If you want to get stronger, you just train."
"Exactly." Rokuro nodded. "Whether chakra is fixed or not, you must train to draw out its full potential."
"But once your body reaches its limit, you must improve chakra quality, not quantity. Because total quantity cannot increase—it's determined from birth."
This theory came from Kaguya Ōtsutsuki: chakra was an alien power, created from the God Tree absorbing planetary energy. Originally, only Kaguya had chakra. After giving birth to Hagoromo and Hamura, there were three. Then it spread through their descendants and the founding of ninshū.
So, if true, chakra had a fixed total amount—the amount Kaguya originally possessed.
Izumi finally asked:
"So… this still doesn't explain why you're giving our clan's genetics to Orochimaru. What if he actually finds a way to turn ordinary people into Uchiha?"
Rokuro grinned.
"If he succeeds, I'd be thrilled. Because that means we can break free from the 'fixed chakra' limitation."
"Imagine—an entire world where everyone has Eternal Mangekyō. A true golden age."
Izumi trembled at his ambition.
"Golden age? Sounds like chaos to me…"
Rokuro's smile darkened.
"With no enemies, yes. But what if there are enemies—ones strong enough to destroy the world?"
"Enemies stronger than us? Even the two of us together couldn't win?"
Rokuro's expression grew rare and serious.
He thought of the Ōtsutsuki clan—Isshiki, Momoshiki, Kinshiki, Urashiki… and stronger ones yet unseen. Planet-devouring monsters who made even Kaguya look average.
If such beings descended upon Earth, the current ninja world would stand no chance. Everyone below Six Paths level was essentially an insect.
Rokuro refused to let aliens take over his home—not while he lived.
So from the beginning, his goal was not one village or one nation. It was the entire world.
Which was why he despised Sarutobi Hiruzen and Uchiha Shisui's "balance of power" ideology.
In a few years, alien gods might invade—yet they were still playing political chess.
But he couldn't tell anyone. To the current ninja world, even the Sage of Six Paths was a legend—Ōtsutsuki were the stuff of myths.
He could only rely on himself.
And step one of his grand plan was simple
Give everyone Eternal Mangekyō.
Meanwhile, Sarutobi Hiruzen was making his final desperate moves.
"Old man, why did you call me? And don't even think about making me take Danzō's job."
Jiraiya leaned against the office window, casually watching the women's bathhouse.
Hiruzen sat with his face hidden under the Hokage hat.
"You've heard what's happened recently?"
"A bit. Danzō tried an assassination in the Land of Lightning and got himself killed. And there were massacres near the Fire–Hot Water border."
Jiraiya turned his head, studying the teacher he once idolized—and no longer recognized.
The hero of the village was gone. What remained was a scheming politician obsessed with power.
Even Tsunade and Orochimaru had left the village largely because of him.
"Jiraiya, everything I did was for stability. The Uchiha are a threat—Tobirama said so clearly."
"Enough. Just get to the point."
Hiruzen took a breath.
"I want to retire. I want you to become the Fifth Hokage"
"NOPE."
Jiraiya waved his hands instantly.
"Fire Shadow is not for me. Choose someone else. Why not give it to the Uchiha? You could win them over."
"JIRAIYA!"
"Fine, fine… Then get Tsunade. She's more qualified anyway."
Hiruzen's jaw tightened—but he had no choice.
He needed Tsunade. With Jiraiya and Tsunade both back, Konoha would regain two Kage-level powers—and that was his last remaining leverage.
"Go. Bring Tsunade back. Tell her the village her grandfather built needs her."
Jiraiya secretly rolled his eyes at the shameless acting—but he agreed. At least Tsunade would restore order.
Jiraiya's return didn't escape notice. The "Ino–Shika–Chō" clan heads met immediately.
"Akimichi Chōza shook his head.
"Jiraiya-sama won't be Hokage. The Third just wants help resisting Rokuro."
Yamanaka Inoichi frowned.
"I thought Rokuro would immediately eliminate Hiruzen after returning… but he only dealt with Fugaku and reclaimed Uchiha land."
Nara Shikaku looked up calmly.
"Inoichi… doesn't that make him even scarier?"
"You mean Rokuro is holding back on purpose?"
For an ordinary person, after being plotted against and successfully turning the tables, the first instinct would be to wipe out everyone involved—especially if they had the ability to do so. Why stop halfway?
Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Chōza both nodded slightly. If it were them, they would definitely eliminate the enemy at the first opportunity—cut the grass, pull the roots, leave no survivors.
"But once Uchiha Rokuro takes action, Konoha will be thrown into turmoil," Chōza continued solemnly. "The Shimura and Sarutobi clans will surely stand behind the Third Hokage. Their combined strength is not something to underestimate. Even if they can't defeat the Uchiha head-on, if a real fight breaks out, the Uchiha will suffer heavy casualties. More importantly, all the other clans in Konoha will be forced to choose sides."
Chōza was the first to state his position.
"If it really comes down to a fight, I definitely won't be helping the Shimura or Sarutobi clans. At best, I stay out of it."
Nara Shikaku chuckled softly.
"Helping or not helping isn't the problem. Once fighting starts, Konoha will undoubtedly split apart. The Uchiha will win in the end—but the rest of the clans will be punished after the rabbit is dead and the hound is cooked. Aside from the Hyūga, I doubt any other clan would truly side with the Uchiha."
Chōza and Inoichi thought about it for a moment and agreed.
Even though they also disliked Sarutobi Hiruzen, the fact remained—he was the Hokage. If the Uchiha directly executed an overthrow and killed the Hokage, every other clan would think: If we don't obey the Uchiha in the future, will we end up like Hiruzen?
Power can force obedience, but it can never win loyalty. Once Konoha faces a major crisis, this volatile instability will explode—and the consequences would be disastrous.
"Shikaku, you mean Rokuro had already anticipated all this from the beginning? And it wasn't Uchiha Setsuna who told him?"
Shikaku smiled.
"Uchiha Setsuna is old and experienced, sure, but his political sense is mediocre at best. If he were competent, he wouldn't have let Uchiha Fugaku become clan head in the first place. From start to finish, everything has been orchestrated by Uchiha Rokuro."
Chōza and Inoichi were stunned.
A ten-year-old awakening the Mangekyō was already terrifying.
But a ten-year-old with top-tier political talent?
That wasn't terrifying.
That was monstrous.
"At this rate, Konoha is destined for a change of regime…"
Shikaku lifted his cup and took a sip of tea.
"No matter how things change, the Ino–Shika–Chō alliance will always stand on the Hokage's side. That policy never changes. But the Third… is no longer fit to be Hokage."
Inoichi grew angry at the reminder of Hiruzen sacrificing the Shimura clan to appease the Uchiha.
He didn't sympathize with the Shimura.
He hated that Hiruzen had broken the rules.
A village leader must balance the clans, ensuring every clan benefits. Only then will the clans acknowledge you as their Hokage.
It was like following a gang leader—people only acknowledge you because following you means profit and pleasure.
But now?
The "big brother" not only bowed to the enemy, but even robbed his own "little brothers" to placate them.
Who would acknowledge that leader?
The moment Hiruzen ordered the Shimura to "offer their flesh," he had already fallen from the Hokage's seat.
In such a situation, he had only two correct choices:
One—fight to the bitter end. Even if he died, it would be honorable. It would brand the Uchiha with the stigma of rebellion, crushing their chances of ever competing for Hokage.
Two—completely surrender and commit suicide to take responsibility. The Sarutobi clan would survive, and if the Uchiha pushed further, they would become the ones losing political favor.
But Hiruzen was old… and cowardly.
He lacked the courage to gamble everything, and he lacked the resolve to shoulder all the blame alone.
Worse, everyone already knew he was the mastermind behind all the earlier dirty deeds.
As a result, the Uchiha—normally disliked—suddenly stood on moral high ground, while the Sarutobi became power-hungry villains.
Political struggle is dark, but it still requires bottom lines. Whoever breaks the rules loses the people's trust. Even the mighty Uchiha Madara lost followers when he left the village—proof of the importance of public sentiment.
Not only the heads of the Ino–Shika–Chō, but the other clan leaders in Konoha had also begun distancing themselves from Hiruzen.
The countdown to the Third Hokage's death ticked ever closer to zero.
Several days later, Rokuro returned to the Land of Sound.
Upon seeing Orochimaru again, he also saw four Six Paths Ninja Tools laid out before him:
The Seven-Star Sword, the Golden Canopy Rope, the Crimson Gourd, and the Bashō Fan.
The Bashō Fan could be used on its own, freely switching between all five chakra natures. In other words, regardless of the user's chakra affinity, they could launch all five elemental attacks—so long as they had enough chakra. A few swings could drain anyone dry.
The other three—the Seven-Star Sword, Golden Canopy Rope, and Crimson Gourd—had to be used together.
Their process was too complicated, making them far less practical than the Kohaku no Jōhei.
In Rokuro's eyes, these four tools combined weren't worth a single Amber Purifying Pot.
But what he wanted were the incantations, not the power.
So he happily exchanged the Qi Seal incantation with Orochimaru and collected the four tools.
Orochimaru examined the scroll with great interest, his tongue flicking in excitement.
"Every time I study one of your creations, Rokuro, I'm struck by your imagination. This Qi Seal is no exception—it has given me much inspiration."
"You flatter me, Orochimaru-sensei."
"Hehehe… The first phase of our transaction is complete. My forces are ready at any time. When do you intend to act? I must remind you—given the current political climate in the Land of Fire, even the slightest disturbance will trigger immediate response. For my thousands of subordinates to infiltrate Konoha, we will need a flawless opportunity."
Rokuro smiled.
"Orochimaru-sensei wants to use the Chūnin Exams, doesn't he?"
"Correct. Given everything that has happened this year, a multinational Chūnin Exam is easy to arrange."
But upon hearing this classic original-timeline plan, Rokuro simply waved his hand.
"It's just stealthily entering Konoha. No need to make it so complicated."
With that, his eyes shifted into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
He grabbed at the air
A dimensional blade materialized in his hand.
He swiftly drew a circle before him
A space-gate opened.
Orochimaru's eyes widened.
Because on the other side of the gate…
Was the familiar sight of Konoha.
END OF CHAPTER
(Some chapters in patreon are double chapters)
3 IN 1 - BE A MEMBER, GET 3 ONGOING STORIES!!
35 CHAPTERS AHEAD!!
Forbidden Java Jutsu - MrBehringer's Secret
👉 patreon.com/MrBehringer