After Danzō left, the Third Hokage pressed a hand to his chest and breathed a few times to calm down. After a short pause, he instructed: "Have Nara Shikaku come see me!"
"Yes!"
The ANBU agent in the shadows gave his assent and vanished instantly. A moment later, footsteps sounded and Nara Shikaku knocked and entered.
"Hokage-sama, you summoned me."
The Third waved his hand, motioned for him to sit, and sighed: "Shikaku, the intelligence transmitted by Danzō earlier states that the one who abducted Naruto is Uchiha Itachi."
"To confirm this information, six Root shinobi, including Yamanaka Fū and Aburame Ryoma, were killed."
"Sigh, to be honest, I do not want to believe that that boy Itachi would do such a thing."
"I would rather believe Danzō set a trap to frame him in order to obtain the Mangekyō Sharingan and the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki for himself."
"But now he is not in the village, and I cannot confirm it with him face to face."
"You are always mature and prudent, resourceful and scheming, so this time I will have you lead the team to rescue the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, and at the same time see whether that person truly is Uchiha Itachi, or whether he has some unspeakable reason for doing these things."
"I understand, Hokage-sama." Nara Shikaku hesitated a moment, then carefully confirmed, "If these things really were done by Uchiha Itachi, then the recommendation for handling Uchiha Itachi is—"
The Third did not answer immediately. He stood, turned to face the window, and looked out toward the dead silence of the Uchiha district in the distance. After a long while he sighed: "They are all young people; who among them has not made a mistaken step."
"As long as his heart is toward the village and he is willing to return, then all past matters can be pardoned and let go."
After a short pause, he added: "Even if Konohamaru really was killed by him, the village will not pursue the matter."
"The original plan is entirely cancelled; there is no need for him to investigate any mysterious organization—have him return to the village immediately to report."
Nara Shikaku felt a chill in his heart and hurriedly bowed his head.
"I understand."
"Hokage-sama, rest assured, I will convey your intent to him."
The Third nodded, turned, and took a document from the cabinet, placing it in front of Nara Shikaku.
"This contains all the intelligence concerning Uchiha Itachi, including everything about his Mangekyō Sharingan ocular jutsu—Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo."
"This mission is extraordinary. In addition to mobilizing the entire Ino–Shika–Chō, we will also bring the Sealing Squad and prepare all kinds of seals in case the Nine-Tails goes out of control."
"If Itachi has truly betrayed us, then the village must extinguish every danger at its very root."
"Yes, please rest assured, Hokage-sama."
After studying the intelligence carefully, Nara Shikaku returned the documents, took the Hokage's signed orders, and left to assemble Ino–Shika–Chō and the Sealing Squad to prepare to rescue the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
Meanwhile, after returning to Root, Danzō immediately summoned Aburame Torune.
"Torune, when the rescue team for the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki departs, you will take a squad and secretly follow them."
"I know Hiruzen too well—he is used to playing dirty political tricks!"
"After all, the Uchiha are a family that has existed since the village's founding; the village needs traces of the Uchiha clan to remain."
"Too many is bad; it undermines his power. One remaining seed is most appropriate."
"Especially since this remaining seed possesses great strength and obeys that Hokage to the letter."
"What a useful tool!"
"Like the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, he holds it tightly in his hand and does not permit anyone near it."
"If the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki is worth a hundred Konohamaru, then the last lone scion of the Uchiha is worth at least fifty."
"Don't say he only killed one Konohamaru—if he killed ten or eight more, he still would never be willing to kill Uchiha Itachi!"
"This cannot be allowed!"
"A person whose entire clan was wiped out by the village cannot possibly be loyal to the village!"
"Uchiha Itachi must die!"
"Kill him and bring back the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki!"
...
"Get lost! Don't come out and cause trouble again!"
Uchiha Yasuo struck Naruto with a slap, knocking him out once more. Seeing the boiling Nine-Tails chakra on his body gradually subside, he finally felt relieved and continued on his way.
Perhaps because of the earlier loss of control, the Nine-Tails' chakra occasionally leaked out of Naruto's body along the way, its tendrils twisting and struggling in the air, constantly causing him trouble.
Fortunately, the sealing arts of the Uzumaki Clan were indeed formidable; no matter how the Nine-Tails struggled, it was all in vain.
After the information had been leaked, the path ahead was indeed no longer easy.
Konohagakure's warning system was now fully activated, and every outpost and patrol along the way had received the highest-level alert.
He was heading straight for the Land of Rain, his objective clear, yet from time to time, shinobi who had received orders from the village appeared ahead to block his way and die in vain, sacrificing their lives to delay his advance.
Although they were merely Chūnin or Genin-level small fry, a swarm of ants can still slow down an elephant—his speed inevitably suffered.
The pursuers behind were drawing ever closer. He could clearly sense the killing intent in the air; his Sharingan could even faintly make out flocks of startled birds rising from the distant woods behind him—the hallmark of a large force on the move.
However, this time he did not stop to confront the approaching enemy, but instead quickened his pace.
The Land of Rain was already within sight.
Carrying Naruto, Uchiha Yasuo's figure turned into a streak of light darting through the forest, each step precisely leveraging the tree branches to further increase his speed.
As he was sprinting rapidly forward, a kunai suddenly shot from behind, slicing through the air with a sharp whistle, aimed straight at his back.
He stopped abruptly, drew his short blade in a smooth motion, and deflected the kunai with practiced ease.
But the brief pause was all it took—several figures flickered out from the woods, forming a line that blocked his path, sealing off all directions of advance.
"Itachi, you can't escape!"
Uchiha Yasuo's three-tomoe Sharingan swept left and right, taking in every face before him with perfect clarity.
"Well now, old acquaintances everywhere."
"The Ino–Shika–Chō Trio is here too, huh?"
"Three Jōnin squads—nine people—to hunt me down. I suppose that shows how seriously you're taking this."
He glanced back over his shoulder—his rear escape route was also cut off by another group.
These shinobi all wore special masks and held sealing scrolls in hand, their eyes blazing as they fixed on the Naruto he carried.
"So, the Sealing Unit?"
"Ah, of course—it's for the jinchūriki."
"Preparations are pretty thorough!"
"However…"
He looked up at the gloomy sky, wiped the rainwater sprinkled on his cheek with his hand, and smiled silently.
"You're all still a step too late!"
"This is the Land of Rain."
"So what if it's the Land of Rain?" Akimichi Chōza, whose temper was the most explosive, slapped his round, drum-like belly and said coldly, "You don't actually think the people of the Land of Rain would dare to interfere in Konohagakure's affairs, do you?"
"Even if Hanzo were here, he couldn't save you!"
"You'd better obediently hand over the Nine-Tails jinchūriki and come back with us to the village for punishment!"
"Otherwise today we'll clear out this traitorous shinobi for the village!"
After he finished playing the "bad cop," Nara Shikaku stepped in as the "good cop."
"Itachi, before coming, the Hokage personally instructed us."
"He knows your nature is kind, and that you are loyal to the village; he cannot bear to see turmoil within the village."
"The Nine-Tails jinchūriki involves the village's foundational rule; it absolutely cannot be lost, otherwise it may very well trigger a war."
"You wouldn't want to see that happen, would you?"
"I don't know what happened to make you do these things, but the Hokage said that as long as you are willing to return to the village, all past matters will be forgiven and the village will not pursue them."
"Whether it's the death of Konohamaru, or your kidnapping of the Nine-Tails jinchūriki, the Hokage can treat them all as if they never happened."
Seeing these two sing in harmony there, soft and hard tactics alternating, Uchiha Yasuo's anger could not help but flare up.
He did indeed deeply hate Uchiha Itachi, but Itachi is still Uchiha!
Even if he is a beast, he is a beast of the Uchiha family!
Since when did the proud Uchiha allow themselves to be disciplined like dogs?
Uchiha pride is etched in bone and runs in the blood; it is not something political maneuvering can tame.
There is only one way to humiliate the Uchiha—by defeating them with overwhelming force!
If Konohagakure could truly slaughter the Uchiha in direct combat, none of the Uchiha would complain.
If your skills are inferior, you deserve to die!
But if Konohagakure could actually do that, the conflict between the Uchiha and the village would never have escalated to an irreconcilable degree.
The reason the Uchiha have always felt excluded is precisely because Konohagakure lacks that capability, and can only resort to some dark, dirty political means to secretly harm them.
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