Starting as the mastermind behind Naruto

Chapter 253 Mr. Itachi, let me tell you a story too!

Itachi Uchiha's analysis is correct.

The only thing that wasn't clearly analyzed was that Uehara Naraku's goal wasn't to obtain Kotoamatsukami, but to completely destroy both of the Kotoamatsukami Mangekyou Sharingan.

Uehara Naraku's strength will definitely grow stronger and stronger, and sooner or later there will be no one in the entire ninja world who can rival him. Therefore, Uehara does not want such a dangerous ability to exist in the ninja world.

Moreover, Uehara Naraku was determined to use Uchiha Sasuke as a tool to advance the main quest. He needed to utilize Sasuke for a while, so how could he let Sasuke be manipulated by Uchiha Itachi!

In the ninja world, only the true mastermind can control fate.

This mastermind can only be Uehara Naraku himself.

Itachi Uchiha glanced at Naraku Uehara, who was clapping lightly, his eyes dimming slightly: "I must say, I'm very curious about your intelligence channels, but unfortunately, I destroyed the Kotoamatsukami Mangekyou Sharingan long ago..."

"Then there's nothing we can do."

Uehara Naraku clapped his hands at the crowd and chuckled, "Hey, everyone, since Itachi destroyed that Kotoamatsukami Sharingan long ago, what's the point of keeping Uchiha Sasuke alive?"

"Hehehehe..."

Obito Uchiha's sinister laughter reached everyone's ears. He said coldly, "Of course it's meaningless! This isn't an orphanage or a shelter!"

"Isn't it a bit inappropriate to insult an orphanage?"

Kabuto adjusted his glasses, refuted Obito Uchiha, and then looked up at Itachi Uchiha, chuckling, "Perhaps there's something you don't know: your Mangekyou Sharingan is also in my possession, and Sasuke is still waiting for me to transplant it into him!"

After saying that, Kabuto Yakushi took out a small bottle containing two eyes from his pocket and slowly waved it at Itachi Uchiha.

Kabuto's movements resembled shaking a vial of medicine.

A drug powerful enough to break through Itachi Uchiha's mental defenses.

Itachi Uchiha's expression immediately turned somewhat unpleasant. Inside was the Mangekyou Sharingan that he had left behind, which was also the power that would enable Sasuke Uchiha to stand at the pinnacle of the ninja world in the future!

What exactly happened to his brother?

Itachi Uchiha frowned and said in a deep voice, "So it was you who stole my Sharingan and lured Sasuke to join your side?"

"No, how should I put it?"

Kisame Hoshigaki rubbed his temples and looked up at Itachi Uchiha: "Itachi's younger brother is really not quite right in the head. After Itachi's death, Sasuke actually entrusted everything about his future to us."

"And at this time..."

Kabuto's smile was very faint, yet it carried an extreme confidence: "It's only been a few hours since Itachi's death, and we didn't even have much time to persuade him before Sasuke Uchiha decided to join us in destroying Konoha."

"Hey, Kabuto, I've been trying to persuade you for hours!"

After frowning and refuting Kabuto's statement, Uehara Naraku turned to Uchiha Itachi and chuckled, "It's a pity that I've been trying to persuade him to return to Konoha and become a ninja, but Sasuke insists on joining us..."

Uehara Naraku's smile gradually turned into a smug one: "He's like a homeless orphan looking for a place to stay. We can't get rid of him. He insists on following us, inheriting your so-called last wish, and joining us to destroy this decaying world."

Kabuto Yakushi: "..."

Kisame Hoshigaki: "..."

Why won't that little brat Sasuke Uchiha leave? Doesn't Lord Naraku have any idea?

With your methods, no one in the ninja world can escape you, right?

Uehara Naraku's words of persuasion to Sasuke almost made even a sensible person like Kisame Hoshigaki question his existence, and it was an amazing operation that even the famous spy Kabuto Yakushi had never seen before.

Uchiha Itachi's expression darkened further upon hearing Uehara Naraku's words. What was wrong with his brother? Why did he trust these guys?

And why entrust your vital eyes to someone else?

If he could, Itachi Uchiha really wanted to rush over and snatch his eyes back immediately, but unfortunately his body was being controlled by Kabuto Yakushi and he couldn't move.

At this moment, Itachi Uchiha couldn't help but miss the Kotoamatsukami that he had hidden inside Naruto's stomach. If Kotoamatsukami could change his will now, he might be able to break free and fight back.

Unfortunately, that Kotoamatsukami is not here!

Looking at Itachi Uchiha's expression, Uehara Naraku suddenly spoke up, "Itachi-san, don't keep your worries bottled up inside. If you're unhappy about something, just say it. Maybe other people are having worse experiences than you?"

Uehara Naraku pointed to himself and chuckled, "Like how I was in a bad mood on my way here, but after seeing you, I feel much better..."

"..."

Itachi Uchiha remained very calm.

While everyone else looked helpless and surprised, Itachi Uchiha maintained his calm and composed expression.

There's no point in arguing with Uehara Naraku in the face of his mockery.

We must gather intelligence now!

If he could gather enough information, Itachi Uchiha believed he would be able to find a way to turn things around. Perhaps he could persuade these guys to genuinely accept Sasuke?

Once they believe that Sasuke's power can bring them benefits, it might be a chance to turn the tide. Therefore, the Uchiha believed that he must first find a way to get Sasuke the power of the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan.

"Alright, let's have an open and honest talk!"

Itachi Uchiha's expression gradually calmed down, and he said in a low voice, "What I'm curious about is why Sasuke chose to join you?"

"ha?"

Uehara Naraku rubbed his forehead and looked at Uchiha Itachi, asking, "What's the question? Why did Sasuke join us?"

Uehara Naraku seemed to have seen something amusing, and smiled with narrowed eyes, "That's because...we're Itachi-sensei's friends! We're Itachi-sensei's best friends, friends he could even entrust with his affairs and last words!"

Uchiha Itachi: "..."

What utter nonsense is this!

How could he have such a terrible group of friends!

Besides, how could someone like him possibly have friends!

Did Sasuke not even think of that? How could someone who slaughtered his own family and clan possibly have any friends?

Unless… these guys fabricate evidence that is virtually identical to the truth!

"Mr. Itachi, aren't you always the one who loves telling stories the most?"

Uehara Naraku waved his hand, creating an ice chair. He sat down leisurely on it, a relaxed expression on his face, and said with a smile, "Then let me tell you a story today! What do you think of this story?"

"..."

Itachi Uchiha's heart sank little by little.

Uehara Naraku tilted his head, propped his face up with his fist, and narrowed his eyes slightly: "Where should we begin this story? Let's start from eight years ago, because that was the starting point for the change in your brothers' fates."

Eight years ago, the Uchiha clan was the most powerful ninja clan in the ninja world.

Unfortunately, the Fourth Shinobi World War had ended, and the Uchiha clan's strength had become a hidden danger in the village, causing the village's higher-ups to be wary of them.

Although the Uchiha clan has always lived a life of peace and tranquility, they are a clan renowned for producing geniuses, and their Sharingan is considered the strongest bloodline limit in the ninja world. Their very existence is a sin.

As Uehara Naraku finished telling his story, he looked at Uchiha Itachi, whose face remained expressionless, and continued with a smile, "How about it? In this story, isn't the Uchiha clan playing a very innocent role?"

"…I see."

Uchiha Itachi slowly nodded.

If it were someone like Uchiha Sasuke who didn't know the truth, hearing Uehara Naraku's story would indeed give rise to the idea that the Uchiha were truly innocent.

In this way, the ingrained notions are dispelled.

If Uehara Naraku were to then talk about the persecution of the Uchiha by the Konoha higher-ups, it would easily provoke Sasuke Uchiha's indignation.

as predicted.

The story that follows Uehara Naraku is even more infuriating.

"The village's higher-ups realized that the Uchiha clan's power was so great that they would eventually replace them. Therefore, the higher-ups decided to use the villagers to humiliate the Uchiha clan, who valued dignity by nature, through some dirty means."

The village's higher-ups wanted to use this method to force these proud Uchiha to fight against the villagers, even to defy the village's orders, so that they would have a legitimate reason to suppress them and completely destroy the entire Uchiha clan.

After Uehara Naraku finished speaking, he looked at Uchiha Itachi and smiled, "So? After hearing all this, Mr. Itachi, don't you also think that the Konoha higher-ups are extremely wicked?"

"Your words are indeed very persuasive."

Uchiha Itachi nodded silently, then said in a low voice, "Even I, after hearing it, can't help but believe that what you said might be true."

"Because that's simply the truth."

Uehara Naraku chuckled and looked at Uchiha Itachi, saying, "The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, personally formulated this policy to prevent you Uchiha from integrating into Konoha. He hated you Uchiha to the core!"

"..."

Itachi Uchiha fell silent again.

Uehara Naraku looked at the silent Uchiha Itachi and suddenly smiled, saying, "Let's not talk about that anymore. What follows is the most exciting part of the story, because Mr. Itachi and your father and mother will play a very important role in it."

Just as the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha clan was becoming increasingly tense, the then Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura found a genius Uchiha ninja. Coincidentally, this ninja had a weakness in his heart, which was his younger brother Uchiha Sasuke, whom he had personally raised.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura offered to protect his younger brother in exchange for the genius ninja Itachi Uchiha killing the entire Uchiha clan, or else the entire Uchiha clan would be wiped out.

The moment the blood-red moon shone down, the entire Uchiha clan territory was a scene of carnage, filled with screams and the scattered corpses with crimson eyes lying on the ground…

After Hiruzen Sarutobi's confidant Obito Uchiha, whom he had lured into surrender, and Itachi Uchiha, who had recently surrendered, slaughtered all their clansmen, Itachi Uchiha entered his own home and confronted his parents, Fugaku Uchiha and Mikoto Uchiha.

"..."

Itachi Uchiha's expression changed.

Because what follows is the thing he hates most about himself.

This is also the most difficult scar to erase from Itachi Uchiha's heart!

However, Uehara Naraku did not hesitate at all and continued, "Uchiha Itachi suddenly discovered something: his father, Uchiha Fugaku, also possessed the Mangekyou Sharingan. He thought a battle between father and son was about to begin."

Unexpectedly, after learning the truth, Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha resolved to be killed in front of their son, gambling their lives on the future of their young son, Sasuke Uchiha.

"…yes."

After a moment of silence, Itachi Uchiha slowly raised his head and said in a low voice, "I didn't expect that you people could even find out what happened that night."

"There's nothing we can't find."

Uehara Naraku squinted at Uchiha Itachi and continued to laugh, "The exciting story is just beginning, because we will soon witness a brother's great love for his younger brother."

After learning about the weaknesses and evolution of the Sharingan, Itachi Uchiha decided to force his younger brother, Sasuke Uchiha, to become stronger. So he chose to force and humiliate his brother against his will, all in order to make his brother awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan.

This is something we all clearly understand, and Mr. Itachi doesn't need to argue, because the more exciting story is yet to come.

Uchiha Itachi: "..."

That's a story full of twists and turns...

How much more exciting could the other stories be?

Uehara Naraku looked at Uchiha Itachi, slowly curving his lips into a kind smile: "Because after slaughtering his clan, Uchiha Itachi had nowhere to go. After threatening the village's higher-ups with village secrets to protect his younger brother, he and a boy named Uehara Naraku joined an organization called Akatsuki."

"..."

Uchiha Itachi suddenly sensed something was wrong.

Why did Uehara Naraku bring up himself out of the blue?

If Itachi Uchiha wasn't mistaken, his story should have taken a major turn after this, right? Just how far will the rest of the story go?!

Uehara Naraku did not disappoint Uchiha Itachi.

"Although Itachi Uchiha and Naraku Uehara were of similar age, Itachi Uchiha was stronger and more experienced. Therefore, Naraku Uehara respected him and always wanted to become his friend and receive his teachings."

Unfortunately, Itachi Uchiha refused to make contact with anyone, and even refused to agree with Akatsuki's goals. It wasn't until he discovered that some members of Akatsuki were also people who had been harmed by the village's higher-ups out of jealousy that he finally began to learn to communicate with people and gradually became friends with them.

Just as these friends were planning to work hard to change the ninja world, Itachi Uchiha's younger brother, Sasuke Uchiha, defected from Konoha. In order to protect his younger brother, Itachi went to recruit him into the organization.

In order to protect his younger brother who was still growing up, Itachi Uchiha decided to give up those dangerous ideas and chose to distance himself from his friends.

Until his death, Itachi Uchiha chose to reconcile with his friends and entrusted them with his final affairs, which his friends tearfully agreed to.

Therefore, after Itachi Uchiha's death, his best friend Uehara Naraku told Sasuke the whole truth and chose to help him transplant Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan, so that Sasuke would have the ability to protect himself and understand his brother's good intentions.

Furthermore, Uehara Naraku hoped that Sasuke could fulfill Itachi Uchiha's last wish and return to Konoha to become an ordinary ninja, get married, and have children.

"..."

Itachi Uchiha's expression was extremely unpleasant.

To be honest, Itachi Uchiha was a little devastated.

Damn it, why did the story end like this?!

With Uehara Naraku having written the story like this, it would be a miracle if the strong-willed Uchiha Sasuke agreed to return to Konoha!

Looking at Itachi's expression, Uehara Naraku's mood gradually improved. A hint of regret appeared on his face: "It's a pity that Sasuke Uchiha has decided to carry on his brother's dream and change the world with his brother's friends. No matter how Uehara Naraku tries to persuade him, he won't change his mind..."

A symbolic sadness appeared on Uehara Naraku's face.

As Itachi Uchiha listened and watched, he really couldn't help but want to hit someone. How could there be someone like Uehara Naraku in this world!

This is clearly a half-true, half-false story that alters someone else's life!

To be honest, apart from the random appearance of Uehara Naraku at the end, the story is indeed captivating, and most of it is even based on his real life.

However, it was Uehara Naraku, who barged into his story, who completely destroyed the story and all his plans.

Over all these years...

Itachi Uchiha never took Naraku Uehara seriously.

I never expected that Uehara Naraku would be so shameless as to put himself in his own life story and use that to deceive Sasuke's feelings.

Itachi Uchiha's face grew increasingly dark. He slowly closed his eyes and said in a deep voice, "So this is the story you fabricated for Sasuke?"

"Yes~"

Uehara Naraku nodded softly, a bright sadness still etched on his face: "Itachi-san, this is the life I created for you. Do you like it?"

"..."

Itachi Uchiha didn't want to answer.

I think I'm mentally challenged!

4800 words! Damn, it actually turned into a chapter!

One more update later, I'm going to eat first.