Naruto: Starting with Tsunade

Chapter 412 Farewell to the Gods

Asuma was stunned for a moment, then, realizing what was going on, his eyes widened: "What did you say?"

"I think I've explained myself clearly enough," Aokiji said. "Itachi was willing to sacrifice his own clan for the village, so why can't you, as the Hokage's son, do the same for the greater good?"

"What's wrong with you?"

Asuma looked at Aokiji as if he were a lunatic.

How could he possibly kill his entire clan?

"I'm not crazy, I'm perfectly clear-headed. Things have come to this point, there's no possibility of any mediation between the Uchiha and the higher-ups."

Aokiji held up one finger and said confidently, "I can't solve the problem that caused it, but I can solve the person who caused it."

"When the Uchiha clan clashed with the higher-ups, they had no hope of winning and it would put the village in danger, giving the enemy an opportunity to take advantage of them. Under these circumstances, Itachi, for the sake of the greater good, did not hesitate to kill his entire clan and then shoulder everything himself."

"However, all of this changed with my arrival. Now the higher-ups have no chance of winning, so it's time for you, the Hokage's son, to sacrifice yourself for the greater good."

Asuma's gaze was enough to devour a person; Aokiji's action was absolutely blatant revenge: "You're getting revenge, aren't you?"

Aokiji said sarcastically, "Wow, don't say such nasty things, okay? I'm doing this for the greater good."

"What kind of righteousness is this?!" Asma growled.

"How can it not be for the greater good? If a battle breaks out, the village will definitely be devastated, and I won't be able to manage it afterwards," Aokiji argued logically. "But if you can do what Itachi did and take on all the responsibility, then the village's losses will be minimized. Isn't that for the greater good?"

"This was all Danzo's doing without authorization. Didn't the Hokage also object to that scene?"

"Are you stupid, or am I stupid?"

Aokiji looked at Asuma with the eyes of someone looking at an idiot: "After all these years, is all the injustice the Uchiha clan has suffered in the village caused by Danzo? Without your father's tacit approval, how could things have developed to this point?"

Asma was rendered speechless by the rebuttal.

"How about it? My plan sounds pretty good, right? Oh, by the way, although you don't have a younger brother, I remember you have a son of a deceased older brother named Konohamaru. If you agree to my request, I can spare his life to continue the Sarutobi clan's bloodline. Of course, if you don't agree, don't blame me for being ruthless. I won't even spare your little girlfriend, Kurenai Yuhi."

Hearing that Aokiji was so ruthless that he wouldn't even spare Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma bristled like a cat with its fur standing on end, his voice filled with rage and resentment: "You bastard, if you dare to lay a finger on her, I will never let you get away with it."

Aokiji dismissed such a threat with disdain, coldly scoffing, "Kid, you can't scare me. When I became famous, you weren't even qualified to play in the mud."

"Don't push me."

Asuma's expression darkened, and an astonishing surge of chakra erupted from his body.

Aokiji narrowed his eyes, a look of keen interest in them: "Hmph, a Jinchūriki..."

"That's right."

Asuma had the Six-Tails implanted in him by his father when he was young. Although his control over the Six-Tails was not as good as that of the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, he had mastered it well and even borrowed the Six-Tails' chakra.

Just as a conflict was about to break out, Itachi's eyes revealed three tomoe. The next second, they spun rapidly and connected to form a curved dart pattern, exuding a bewitching aura against the darkness.

Asuma looked astonished. These unusual pupil markings were not ordinary three-tomoe pearls, but rather much more complex patterns.

"Kaleidoscope Sharingan!"

"Otherwise, do you think Itachi, a twelve or thirteen-year-old child, would have the strength to wipe out the Uchiha under the orders of the higher-ups?"

Asuma didn't know much about the Mangekyou Sharingan, but he did know one thing: this eye was far more powerful than the ordinary Sharingan, and it was an eye that existed only in legends.

If even a kid like Itachi, who's only twelve or thirteen, has one, then without a doubt, Aokiji definitely does too.

If these two people have such eyes, then do other members of the tribe also have such eyes?

For example, Fugaku, who is known for his fierce eyes?

Damn it, how many Uchiha have eyes like that now?

When did the Mangekyou Sharingan become so worthless, with so many pairs appearing all at once?

Asuma's face was covered in cold sweat. He now finally understood where Aokiji's confidence in wiping out the higher-ups came from.

Asma feigned composure and said, "I warn you, you'd better not do anything reckless. This is Daimyo Prefecture. If you cause trouble, you'll bring unnecessary trouble upon yourselves."

His current strategy is simply to stall, then return to the village and discuss with the Hokage how to deal with the Uchiha clan's revenge.

Aokiji scoffed, "They're just a bunch of small fry. Do you think I need to care about such things?"

Asuma spoke each word clearly, questioning, "Uchiha Aokiji, do you mean you don't even respect the Daimyo?"

Aokiji replied matter-of-factly, "What are daimyo? Why should I care about them?"

Asuma never expected Aokiji to be so arrogant: "You..."

Aokiji teased Itachi beside him, "Itachi, you're way too naive, the Hokage's son. For the greater good and the overall situation, you can't even bring yourself to kill your own clansmen. Is that what you call a successor to the Will of Fire?"

Itachi: ...

Asuma's face darkened; Aokiji was mocking him.

Aokiji said frankly: I'm not afraid to tell you, once I take control of the village, my next target will be the Land of Fire. I will eliminate all the troublemakers, including the daimyo. From now on, the one-country-one-village system of the Land of Fire will cease to exist. I will establish a brand new regime called the Land of Flame.

"In this way, Konoha will surpass the golden age established by the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha. Can't we say it's for the greater good?"

Do you know what you just said?

Aokiji's actions were utterly treasonous in Asuma's eyes: "Are you going to go against the will established at the founding of Konoha?"

"Hmph, the will of the founding? You dare to talk to me about that?" Aokiji coldly mocked. "Konoha was created by the Senju and Uchiha clans. Your Hiruzen Sarutobi clan was nothing more than a bunch of appendages. What right do you have to talk to me about will?"

"you……"

"Well, you're right about one thing: a conflict here could cause unnecessary trouble."

Aokiji's eyes darkened from red, his fighting spirit fading: "In short, think it over carefully these next couple of days, and I'll come looking for you again..."

After saying that, Aokiji called Itachi and prepared to leave.

Just as Asuma breathed a sigh of relief and lowered his guard slightly, the next second, his opponent, unexpectedly showing no martial ethics, suddenly turned around and said, "Just kidding..."

"you……"

By the time Asuma realized what was happening, it was too late.

The time their eyes met was less than one-thousandth of a second.

The last thing Asma consciously saw was a pair of eyes.

Strangely, the pupils of these eyes are different; one is a blood-red snowflake-shaped eye, while the other is a square dart-shaped eye.

Aokiji formed hand seals alone, his eyes cold and sinister, and directly activated his eye technique—Kotoamatsukami.

◎

Daming Prefecture, outside the city gate.

Aokiji was panting heavily. He had only used "Kotoamatsukami" once, and his tailed beast-level chakra was completely depleted.

Itachi asked with concern, "Uncle Aokiji, are you alright?"

Aokiji waved his hand, indicating that he was alright: "Now I understand why this kind of eye technique has taken more than ten years to develop."

"..."

"Itachi, don't you think I'm being too despicable?"

Itachi pursed his lips and didn't respond, seemingly avoiding the question.

"The power of the Uchiha is too special. The rulers are always wary of us. No matter how obedient we are, they will never truly trust us. Therefore, I have no choice but to become a ruler."

"..."

"We're a little hungry, let's go get something to eat, it's on me."

Itachi followed closely behind, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the most bustling part of the city. Even at night, the area was brightly lit and bustling with people.

Aokiji stopped and his gaze fell on a brightly colored, magnificent building with the words "Heaven on Earth" written on the plaque. He immediately became interested: "Come on, Uncle will show you around."

Itachi followed Aokiji's gaze and saw a scantily clad woman standing at the entrance of the building. If he wasn't mistaken, this was a covered walkway, a place where high-ranking officials and nobles loved to indulge in romance and pleasure.

Itachi gave a strange look.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm just taking you to broaden your horizons, that's all. If I lead you astray, your mother Mikoto will come after me with a knife if she finds out," Aokiji joked.

"Let's forget about it..."

Itachi wasn't interested in that kind of thing.

"Come on, I told you I'd show you the world."

Aokiji forcibly dragged Itachi inside, and Itachi had no choice but to follow Aokiji to the covered walkway.

Most of the people who come to the arcade are roughnecks, and there are very few handsome young men like Aokiji and Itachi. Especially Aokiji, they would be happy to pay for him, let alone give him money.

Aokiji didn't come here to indulge in debauchery; he came to save fallen women and, incidentally, to instill ideas in Itachi.

Aokiji went to a secluded room and ordered a few dishes. The woman in the corridor, seeing that Aokiji didn't make any requests, walked away sullenly, leaving Aokiji and Itachi sitting facing each other.

Aokiji picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks, chewed it a few times to fill his stomach, and then got to the point.

(End of this chapter)