Konoha: The Soul King from the Uchiha Clan

Chapter 223 Turning the Tide (4200 words)

Gen Uchiha was fully aware of the White Zetsu's abilities, but he didn't want to explain them directly.

If he had explained White Zetsu's abilities clearly, and with so many people present, the news would have reached Obito's group sooner or later.

Given his extensive knowledge of White Zetsu, it's not hard for Obito and his crew to guess that he was behind all the previous disappearances of White Zetsu.

White Zetsu was the main means for Obito's group to gather intelligence, but now this method has been broken by him in some unknown way.

That's pretty much going to attract a lot of hatred.

Previously, the conflict between the two sides was not intense, and Obito even wanted to recruit him, so he went to such lengths to do so.

If Obito and his gang find out, the conflict will suddenly become more acute. It's not that I'm afraid, but being targeted by Obito and his gang would be very troublesome.

White Zetsu, Obito, and Black Zetsu—each one has an exceptional ability to survive, making them extremely difficult to eliminate in one fell swoop.

At least for him right now, it's too difficult; he needs an extremely suitable opportunity.

As for the chakra that White Zetsu used to imitate him, there are only two possibilities: either it was stolen from Orochimaru's laboratory, or it was obtained by impersonating Orochimaru.

If I encounter something like this again, I'll have to use my soul perception to investigate.

While his mind raced with thoughts, Uchiha Gen remained outwardly calm and composed, saying, "The chakra is the same, but what about the amount of chakra?"

Uchiha Ta was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, clearly not expecting Uchiha Gen to approach it from this angle.

However, Uchiha Tatsu honestly replied, "There is a difference in chakra levels; he has more chakra than you."

As one of the top White Zetsu, Tobi once used a low-powered version of the True Several Thousand Hands technique in the Fourth Shinobi World War, enhancing himself with Yamato. Uchiha Gen's current chakra reserves are indeed somewhat lacking.

"My chakra levels at my peak were almost the same as they are now, and I think that could be considered a weakness."

Tianyu has been appointed!

As he spoke, Uchiha Gen's eyes flashed with pupil power. He glanced at Uchiha Tatsu and then immediately looked at the Uchiha high-ranking members on both sides.

Like illusions, the Heavenly Mandate has a release process, and the consumption is the same whether it affects one or multiple people during this process.

For example, at the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War in the original work, Sasuke Uchiha only glanced around, and all nine tailed beasts were controlled.

Influenced by the eye technique, Uchiha Tatsumi wanted to say, "The amount of chakra can be faked by means of means," but the words he was about to say changed when they reached his lips.

"You're right, that can indeed be considered a flaw."

"It's easy for the side with more chakra to pretend to have less, but it's very difficult for the side with less chakra to pretend to have more."

Uchiha Gen looked around and said calmly, "Does everyone agree on this flaw?"

"Approved!"

Uchiha Setsuna, who originally wanted to help Uchiha Gen, was naturally the first to speak due to the influence of his eye technique. His voice was loud and firm, and his expression was serious and earnest.

The Second Elder, Third Elder, Shisui, and Mikoto, all influenced by the eye technique, expressed their approval.

"Besides this flaw, is it possible that your perception is being deceived, and that the chakra is actually not the same?"

"Perhaps the enemy possesses the ability to mimic ninja chakra."

"During the Nine-Tails Night, the mastermind directed a white humanoid monster to disguise itself as a Hidden Mist ninja and launch an attack on the Hidden Leaf Village's Anbu."

"These humanoid monsters were not detected by the ninjas beforehand, and they were indistinguishable from real people until they were killed, at which point their true forms were revealed."

"Furthermore, when I was attacked by the mastermind behind the attack on the battlefield in the Land of Whirlpools, a white humanoid monster disguised itself as a Konoha envoy."

"I didn't realize it at first; it was only after I killed him that his true form was revealed."

"What I'm about to say may be known to some and unknown to others, but it all happened and is all verifiable."

"While these signs don't completely prove my innocence, they should at least raise some doubts, right?"

Now that Fugaku is dead, he no longer needs to be polite about taking the positions of clan chief and police chief.

If you do not take what Heaven gives you, you will suffer the consequences; if you do not welcome the opportune moment, you will suffer the calamity!

But if you're going to take power, you have to be upright and honest, without any stains on your record, otherwise it will be detrimental to your rule.

Even a strong regime needs a group of staunch supporters. It can't abandon its own people and instead try to unite with outsiders, can it?

"Something definitely isn't right," Uchiha Setsuna was the first to speak.

The two elders, Shisui, Mikoto, Uchiha Tatsumi, and the rest of the clan members all nodded slightly in approval.

At this time, neither Uchiha Tatsumi nor the Konoha high-ranking officials were affected by the eye technique, which had already entered its cooldown period.

"Everyone, let me say something that might be a bit disrespectful to the clan leader and Mikoto-nee."

"If I really wanted to kill the clan leader, I wouldn't need to cooperate with anyone. My Mangekyou Sharingan would be enough to wipe them all out."

"Zhu Rong, Wu Sheng, and Qiang Liang are not second bloodline limits. The Uchiha clan has never had a second bloodline limit. They are actually special creatures created using my Mangekyou Sharingan abilities."

"Besides this ability, I have another ability, but I won't go into details."

"In short, it's a very powerful ability."

"What benefits are there to cooperating with the mastermind behind the Nine-Tailed Night, besides giving them leverage?"

"Don't you want your current power and status, your bright future, your friendly and harmonious family, and your happy and fulfilling life?"

"I'd have to be really bored to think about hiding in XZ and sleeping in the open."

"Besides, if I were obsessed with power and status, I would have revealed my Mangekyou Sharingan long ago."

"With my current strength, reputation in the ninja world, Orochimaru's support, and the Mangekyou Sharingan..."

"While not replacing the clan leader, being on equal footing with him isn't unreasonable, is it?"

After saying that, Uchiha Gen looked around.

"Not at all, not at all," Uchiha Setsuna immediately said.

Uchiha Gen looked over with some surprise upon hearing this.

What's going on with these consecutive first echoes?

Wasn't it your son-in-law who died?

Logically, you should be the one questioning it, right?

Upon seeing Uchiha Gen's gaze, Uchiha Setsuna returned a friendly and kind smile.

Uchiha Mikoto also looked at her father with some surprise.

Aren't you being too proactive?

However, at this moment, Uchiha Setsuna's attention was focused on Uchiha Gen, and he did not see his daughter's expression.

Shisui was also somewhat doubtful, but he still obediently agreed.

The Second Elder and Third Elder gradually understood Setsuna's intention, and since what Uchiha Gen said did make sense, they also expressed their agreement.

What do you all think?

Uchiha Gen looked at the many Uchiha ninjas and asked loudly.

"Not excessive."

"Not excessive."

"Lord Xuan, we believe in you."

"..."

At this point, Uchiha Gen's considerable reputation within the Uchiha clan and the good relationships he had cultivated through his usual conduct came into play.

More than half of the Uchiha ninjas spoke out, while the remaining ninjas neither voiced their support nor raised any questions.

Thank you all for your support.

Uchiha Gen stood up, bowed, and then raised his hand and pressed it down.

"Please quiet down, everyone. I have something else to say."

Upon hearing this, everyone quickly quieted down.

Uchiha Gen knelt down again, straightened his back, raised his head, his eyes were deep, his expression was solemn, and his voice was steady.

"There are two reasons why I went to great lengths to hide my Mangekyou Sharingan."

"First, we need to guard against the mastermind behind this attack coming to harm Konoha again. If that happens, I can catch him off guard."

"Maybe this will be able to avenge the clansmen who died on the night of the Nine-Tails, the Konoha ninjas who died, and the villagers."

"Secondly, it stems from the ninja's instinct to hold back their trump cards."

As for the suspicions of Konoha's higher-ups, Uchiha Gen is no longer too concerned about them.

Because while they are suspicious, they are also wary and dare not act rashly.

"As everyone knows, the clan leader, Sister Mikoto, and Elder Setsuna have all treated me well, and I am very close to them. We have a deep bond."

"In addition, my family has taken good care of me and has never mistreated me."

"Everyone here has either watched me grow up or grown up alongside me."

"Do you think I, Uchiha Gen, am the kind of person who would be ungrateful, heartless, and driven by greed for power and status?"

Uchiha Setsuna was the first to speak out, saying, "Genjue is not that kind of person. I believe him."

"I believe it too."

Shisui immediately followed. He couldn't believe that Uchiha Gen, who had lofty ideals, would be such a person. His deep conversation with him in the training ground was still fresh in his mind.

After a slight hesitation, Mikoto also said, "I believe that Fugaku's death has nothing to do with the mysterious."

The Second Elder and the Third Elder subsequently expressed their belief.

The Uchiha ninjas on the open ground whispered among themselves and their nearby companions, gradually reaching a consensus.

"Lord Xuan, we believe in you!"

"Lord Xuan, we believe in you!"

"Lord Xuan, we believe in you!"

"..."

The sounds started out few, soft, and chaotic, but gradually they became more numerous, louder, and more orderly, eventually transforming into a soaring wave of sound!

The ordinary people in the Uchiha clan's territory, hearing the sound, looked in surprise and curiosity towards the direction of the Naga Shrine.

Although not everyone spoke out in support this time, the number of people has reached 90%.

"Thank you all for your trust, thank you all for your trust."

Uchiha Gen stood up and bowed, his voice slightly choked. When he raised his head, his powerful and eerie Mangekyou Sharingan eyes became moist and glistening.

The emotionally rich Uchiha clan ninjas were both shocked and filled with pride upon witnessing this scene.

Lord Xuan was moved to tears by their trust.

Their support wasn't in vain; it was definitely not Lord Xuan who did it!

While there was an element of performance involved in Uchiha Gen's actions, there was also some genuine sincerity in them.

Because of this series of actions, the remaining small group of more suspicious and sensitive people also came to believe in Uchiha Gen.

Kneeling back down on the cushion, Uchiha Gen wiped away his tears with his sleeve and looked at Uchiha Taru.

"Da, don't you think it's strange that you survived?"

Uchiha Tatsu's expression changed drastically as he said, "Lord Gen, I was merely stating the facts as they were. I did not exaggerate or omit anything, nor did I intend to frame you."

Uchiha Gen waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, I don't mean you're colluding with the mastermind, but that you've been used."

"I was used?" Uchiha Tatsu asked, looking bewildered.

"The clan leader and the others are all dead, so why are you the only one who survived?"

"Based on your description of the bodies, everyone suffered fatal wounds. Are your injuries fatal?"

Uchiha Tatsu explained, "Lord Gen, although my injuries are not the type that can be fatal on the spot, I could easily bleed to death in this snowy weather."

"When I woke up, my bandaged wound had been torn open, and there was a lot of dried blood around my body. If I hadn't been lucky enough to wake up quickly, I probably would have died."

Uchiha Gen shook his head and said, "That's still not right. You said you were injured when the white monster ambushed you while you were fighting the mastermind's fire-style attacks, right?"

"Yes, I did my best to avoid the vital points."

"I'll assume you're lucky; it wasn't the enemy deliberately letting you win."

"Then can you explain why you didn't have any new wounds after you were defeated by the three white humanoid monsters?"

Why does the enemy only tear open your bandaged wound instead of striking a vital point?

"To tear open the wound, you have to bend over, or even squat down. You can just stand up and give it a blow to your vitals."

"Isn't this unnecessary?"

"Judging from the disaster that occurred on the night of the Nine-Tailed Fox and the condition of the corpses of the clan leader and others, the real culprits behind the scenes are all ruthless and cruel, treating human life as worthless."

"Does such a being not even have the awareness to finish off an opponent?"

"Can't you even determine whether the enemy is truly dead?"

"That's a basic skill for a ninja!"

"Or did the enemy misjudge the situation and make a pointless move?"

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Tadashi's body trembled slightly as he broke free from the genjutsu cast by Uchiha Obito, and some overlooked details surfaced in his mind.

For example, when he was injured and engaged in close combat with three White Zetsu, none of their attacks were aimed at his vital points.

The angle at which the White Zetsu attacked him was also wrong; it was even worse than that of a student from the Ninja Academy.

"Have you remembered something?"

"Yes, Lord Xuan."

"You're right, it is indeed very strange that I survived."

"Lord Xuan, I apologize to you."

"I'm sorry, I misunderstood you."

After saying that, Uchiha Tadashi immediately performed a dogeza (a deep bowing gesture).

"Get up. It's not your fault. The enemy was too powerful and cunning. You couldn't fight back."

"Thank you for your understanding, Lord Xuan. I am deeply grateful."

Uchiha Tadashi knelt on the ground, his face full of excitement.

If Uchiha Gen doesn't understand him, even though he now possesses the three-tomoe Sharingan, his future will be very difficult.

His family might even suffer the consequences...

"The mastermind behind this wants to leave me with no other choice but to seek refuge with them."

Uchiha Gen waved his hand, then looked at Uchiha Setsuna.

"Why do you say that?" Setsuna immediately chimed in, offering her support.

"Back in the Land of Whirlpools battlefield, the mastermind behind it all tried to recruit me, and I casually said that unless I couldn't make it in Konoha anymore, I would never join them."

"I never imagined the mastermind would actually believe it and go to such lengths to frame me..."

"The clan leader and others' mission not only gave the mastermind the opportunity to collect enough three-tomoe Sharingan, but also gave them the opportunity to frame me."

"It can also greatly weaken Konoha's fighting strength, which can be described as killing three birds with one stone."

"Even though I'm safe and sound now, the mastermind's plan is halfway to success. How sinister their intentions are!"

Uchiha Setsuna suddenly realized, "I see! The enemy is truly treacherous and cunning, a force not to be underestimated!"

"But Gen, don't blame yourself. Even without your words, this trip to Fugaku would have been fraught with danger."

"The real culprit behind all this is that mastermind!"

"Does everyone agree?"

"right!"

Upon hearing this, everyone thought it made a lot of sense and chimed in to agree, including Uchiha Mikoto.

Clearly, the Uchiha clan had a relatively sound sense of right and wrong, and did not engage in the absurd "wise" act of shifting the blame onto the victims.

(End of this chapter)