Start with a Zanpakuto and build the strongest Mist Village

Chapter 180 Uchiha Itachi: "Grandpa Hiruzen, I am the successor of the Will of Fire!"

The stories of how the Uchiha clan bravely killed the enemy on the battlefield and how they protected their teammates were spread by more and more people, and public opinion in Konoha completely took the initiative.

The members of the guard team, who were previously treated with hostility and disgust by countless Konoha people, began to become warmly loved and respected. This special feeling that they had never experienced before made smiles appear on the faces of the entire Uchiha clan, and they even took the initiative to do good deeds in the village.

Things like helping an old lady cross the street, enthusiastically helping to look after the house and take care of children and pets, etc., are all small things.

Many members of the Uchiha clan began to set up stalls and distribute rice, flour, grain and oil to the villagers for free!
Don't underestimate this.

Today's Konoha is fighting many wars, including the Third War, the Nine-Tails Disaster, and the Thunder and Fire War. The successive wars have almost destroyed this former number one village in the ninja world.

Not to mention the countless ninjas who died in battle, the compensation paid to Kirigakure during the Third Ninja World War is still being paid in installments!
The entire Konoha can now be described in one word.

poverty!
The village is poor.

The village's fiscal deficit was piling up, and the debts owed to the daimyo and major nobles had already reached nearly 100 million. The pensions for the dead and wounded and the compensation to Kirigakure had not yet arrived.

The people are poor.

If the village goes to war, taxes will increase, and the ninjas in the family will have to join the war. Once they die in battle, the family will lose its pillar and the income will naturally drop sharply.

In addition, the village is poor and the pensions have not been paid out in time. In fact, many families in Konoha have long been unable to make ends meet!

What, you mean savings?

This is still Konoha. If the house is lost, it's gone. At most, there is some savings. I can just perform a ninjutsu and the house will be back.

If this happened in modern times, once the Nine-Tailed Fox fired its Tailed Beast Ball, not only would you lose your house and car, you would also have to continue paying off your car loan and mortgage!
Uchiha's move of opening the warehouses and distributing rice, flour, grain and oil for free is almost a sure win for the villagers today!

As the Uchiha's reputation grew, voices began to emerge in the village calling for the Fifth Hokage election to be held soon, and that the Third Hokage was too old to overwork and should step down. These words began to spread throughout the streets and were particularly popular in pubs and discos.

"Thank you, Chief Fugaku, thank you, Uchiha!"

"The Uchiha clan is full of good people. I was really blinded by greed and thought that the Uchiha clan was bad."

"As long as the Uchiha is here, Konoha will be here! As long as the Uchiha is prosperous, Konoha will be prosperous!"

Behind a relief station that distributed rice, flour, grain and oil for free, Uchiha Fugaku listened to the cries of ordinary people outside, and the smile on his face grew wider.

However, Daohuo on the side was a little confused.

"Chief, the situation in our clan is not that good. Is it necessary to help these civilians like this? Even if we want to get help, we should look for those ninjas."

The election of the Fourth Hokage was a vote of all Konoha ninjas. As a result, Namikaze Minato defeated Danzo Shimura and his clan leader Fugaku with an overwhelming advantage, and also defeated Orochimaru, one of the Three Ninjas, to become the Fourth Hokage.

With the current reputation of the Uchiha, if he could win over some jonin, the position of the Fifth Hokage would be basically secure. Why would he bother with these commoners?
"You don't understand."

Uchiha Fugaku shook his head: "Among the ninjas of Konoha, apart from the major ninja clans, nearly 70% of the ninjas are actually civilian ninjas."

"To win over the jonin, we need to pay a huge amount of resources and political costs. Compared with winning over the civilians, those costs are too much. On the contrary, as long as we can win over these civilians, the ninjas among the civilians will tend to be inclined towards us."

"Daohuo, your tolerance and vision are still not broad enough!"

"So that's how it is. I understand, Patriarch!"

Daohuo lowered his head in shame.

Fugaku didn't say much, but looked at the civilians outside who were calling out to Uchiha loudly, with the corners of his mouth rising more and more.

In fact, at the beginning, Fugaku did not pay attention to these civilians. In his opinion, he had reached the peak in both strength and power, and the position of Hokage was within his reach.

However, during a conversation with his son Itachi, Itachi was quite curious about the election of the Fourth Hokage, and even asked why Orochimaru, one of the Three Ninjas, lost to his junior Minato Namikaze?
"That's because the Yondaime is in menopause, so he can get more recognition from the younger generation of ninjas." Fugaku rubbed Itachi's head and said with a smile: "The future is destined to belong to young people like you. Itachi, you are my son. Your talent and your ability are destined to..."

"Wait, recognition from the younger generation of ninja?!"

Fugaku's praise of Itachi came to an abrupt end, his eyes suddenly widened, and he even opened his Sharingan!
From that moment on, Fugaku suddenly realized, and began the next series of operations.

I have a unicorn boy Itachi, so the Uchiha have nothing to worry about!
Looking at the lively scene in front of him, Fugaku couldn't help but think of his son again.

I really don’t know what Itachi is doing now. Is he practicing or watching little Sasuke?

……

"The Kirigakure people are coming?"

The report from the Anbu caused the expressions of several people in the Hokage's office to change slightly.

Since the Third Shinobi World War, the development and rise of Kirigakure has been unstoppable, and they have basically secured their position as the strongest force in the Shinobi World. The performance of the Shinigami of Soul Reirei under Mizunoe Tsukiyomi in the Nine-Tails Incident completely shocked Sarutobi Hiruzen and others.

When they heard that the people from Kirigakure were coming, everyone present became subconsciously nervous for a moment.

"Wait... they should be here to discuss the specific cooperation projects of the Fengshuihuo Three Kingdoms Super Project." Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, but his eyes were still a little nervous as he looked at the Anbu: "Who is the leader of Kirigakure?"

"He is the genius boy of the Hozuki clan, the deputy director of the Kirigakure Anbu, Hozuki Manyue!"

really!

Hearing this name, Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

In the super engineering cooperation projects of the Three Kingdoms, the person in charge of Kirigakure has always been Mangetsu Kizuki. Since it is him who came, he basically came for the super engineering projects of the Three Kingdoms.

Sarutobi Hiruzen waved his hand, signaling the Anbu beside him to retreat.

After the Anbu left respectfully, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the three silent people in the Hokage's office, Shimura Danzo, and said in a deep voice: "You are right. We are all aware of the threat posed by the Uchiha. Konoha cannot be handed over to them no matter what. But at this stage, the Uchiha is in full swing. If we use ordinary methods, we will not be able to stop the Uchiha at all. We need to make long-term plans."

"Long-term plan?"

Shimura Danzo snorted coldly: "You have to understand clearly, Hiruzen. Whether it's public opinion or combat power, we are not in an advantageous position. If you continue to drag it out, and a really big problem arises, I will regret it!"

"Of course I understand."

Sarutobi Hiruzen was smoking his cigarette with a gloomy look in his eyes.

During the Three Wars and the Nine-Tails Rebellion, only one tenth of Konoha's military strength remained. Instead, the Uchiha, who had always been marginalized by them, became the most powerful force.

In addition, now that Uchiha Fugaku has returned with a great victory, even if they strongly oppose Uchiha, they cannot act recklessly.

"Go and prepare to receive the Kirigakure envoys first. I will take care of this matter."

"It better be this way!"

Danzo snorted coldly and turned away.

Utane Koharu and Mito Kado En looked at each other and both let out a sigh.

"Hiruzen, this matter of Uchiha is entirely up to you..."

"I know." The two consultants also left, leaving Sarutobi Hiruzen alone sitting in the office.

His gaze shifted and his chakra was activated, and a clear picture suddenly appeared in the crystal ball on the table. The first thing that caught his eye was the scene of the Uchiha clan and the people of Konoha smiling.

Seeing such a scene, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt his three corpse gods jumping up and down, but he also knew that he could not stop it. He could only change the scene and pretend that he didn't see it.

The picture in the crystal ball changed, constantly changing in various places in Konoha, and the expression on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face also kept changing.

If Konoha, which he had ruled for decades, fell into the hands of the Uchiha, how would he have the face to go down and meet his two masters? !

"Ok?"

Suddenly, Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze focused, and the crystal ball reflected on an open space.

In the open space, a black-haired young man who had just finished training was leaning against a big tree, panting. Then he took out a book from the scroll he carried with him and read it carefully.

That book is not a ninja training manual or a secret book of ninjutsu.

It’s “The Inheritors of the Will of Fire – by Sarutobi Hiruzen”!
Yes, this book is the masterpiece written by Sarutobi Hiruzen himself during his reign.

"Even though the Uchiha is so prosperous now, the future generations of the village still have a place for my Sarutobi Hiruzen in their hearts!"

When he saw this book, even Sarutobi Hiruzen himself was stunned for a moment, and then a smile appeared on his face.

This book is one of the masterpieces he is most proud of during his reign. In his opinion, the reason why Konoha was able to win the Second and Third Ninja Wars is because this book embodies the inner thoughts of countless Konoha ninjas!

"What an outstanding young man... Wait, why does this little guy look so familiar?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's cloudy eyes suddenly lit up.

If he remembered correctly, this child was Uchiha Fugaku's son, Uchiha Itachi!

Wow, the son of the Uchiha clan leader is actually holding his Will of Fire and watching it with great interest. Is this guy real?

Sarutobi Hiruzen widened his eyes and stared at Uchiha Itachi in the crystal ball. After a long time, he nodded heavily.

Really, absolutely true!

This fanatical look, this gaze of faith, isn't this the inheritor of the Will of Fire who brainlessly shouts "I want to be Hokage" in the pure ninja school!
"If I use this kid, can I find Fugaku's weakness?"

"There is a story! There really is a story!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at the crystal ball and after confirming that Fugaku was still canvassing for votes there, he instantly disappeared in the Hokage's office.

……

Uchiha Itachi studied the book in his hands with admiration on his face. In his heart, he admired and approved of the Third Hokage's ideas.

Sacrifice yourself and pass on the future.

This is Konoha, this is Hokage!

"Wherever the leaves are flying, the fire will continue to grow. The fire will continue to illuminate the village and make new leaves sprout..."

"This sentence means that Konoha is like a flame that never stops. It is ignited in our hearts. Wherever there are leaves flying, the fire will burn. The shadow of the fire will illuminate the village and make new leaves sprout. The light of the fire will continue to illuminate the village and make new leaves sprout."

An abrupt voice interrupted Itachi's thoughts, and Sarutobi Hiruzen, wearing the divine robe of the Third Hokage, spoke as he walked out from the bushes.

Looking at the dazed Uchiha Itachi, Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, and looked as friendly and harmless as an ordinary old grandfather next door, with a casual aura coming towards him.

"You are Itachi, right? You have grown into a big boy in the blink of an eye. I remember I held you in my arms when you were born."

"Third, Third Generation-sama?!"

Uchiha Itachi's face was full of excitement. Although his eyes did not open the Sharingan, they were brighter than the Sharingan, as if he had seen his idol.

Actually this is not surprising.

This situation is like that of star-chasing girls who were alone looking at their idol's works and fantasizing about them one moment, and the next moment, the idol appeared right in front of them and greeted them.

Some people who are not strong enough may even faint from excitement on the spot!

Sarutobi Hiruzen said with a smile: "What Sandaime-sama? I am just the acting Hokage now. Just call me Grandpa Sarutobi."

Itachi's face turned red with excitement, and he even stuttered: "Grandpa Sarutobi..."

Anticipation is the furthest distance from understanding, and it is also the distance that is most easily controlled and manipulated.

However, with just a few words, the relationship between the two was infinitely brought closer by Sarutobi Hiruzen. At this moment, Uchiha Itachi even felt that Sarutobi Hiruzen was closer to him than his own father!

Sarutobi Hiruzen was all smiles, and he patted Itachi's head affectionately, then said softly: "The Will of Fire is the will of us Konoha ninjas. It's really great and outstanding that you can read such a book at such a young age."

"No la……"

Uchiha Itachi was a little shy: "Actually, my father never let me read these books. He only let me practice and become stronger. I borrowed these books from my classmates."

"You actually found it yourself?!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was shocked by his beauty. What kind of guy did the Uchiha clan produce?

I originally thought that the Uchiha who loved to help old ladies cross the road and kept shouting that he wanted to become Hokage a few years ago was already a freak of the Uchiha clan, but now someone even more explosive has emerged.

It turns out that there is always a way out. As long as we use this kid well, he will definitely bring huge trouble to Uchiha!
The two of them talked endlessly about the Will of Fire, as if they were close friends regardless of age.

Sarutobi Hiruzen talked eloquently, and Uchiha Itachi was excited. Chatting with Grandpa Hiruzen was like meeting a soulmate.

Who understands him? Only Grandpa Hiruzen understands him!
"It's a pity that Konoha has been at war for many years and is no longer what it used to be. Besides, we have something very important to do during this time."

"Something quite important?" Uchiha Itachi showed a little curiosity, then his face changed and he said seriously: "Sorry, Grandpa Hiruzen, that must be a secret, I didn't ask about it on purpose!"

"Hahaha, it's okay to talk to you. Only when I chat with you, an old guy like me can feel so relaxed and happy." Sarutobi Hiruzen waved his hands repeatedly with a casual smile on his face, but when he talked about the next thing, the smile on his face gradually faded and became serious.

"You may not know that the Sand Village and the Mist Village have a cooperation, and this cooperation project must pass through our Fire Country. It will not only cause great damage to the ecological environment of our Fire Country, but also have an impact on our local commerce and projects in the Fire Country. It will also allow spies and spies from the enemy forces to enter our Fire Country..."

"Can't we just reject them?!" Uchiha Itachi was a little anxious.

"Indeed, we in Konoha could have refused, but because..." Sarutobi Hiruzen hesitated and finally sighed deeply: "Hokage is not a Hokage of just one person. I need to consider the interests of the entire village. Besides, this negotiation was negotiated by your father and the Yondaime when they went to the Land of Iron."

"Father?!"

Uchiha Itachi's face changed drastically.

(End of this chapter)