My name is Uchiha Touhuan, and I beat the villagers so badly they cried out in pain.

Chapter 97 Konoha Year 56, December 12th (Part 2)

"I am the captain of the Jonin squad, Yoshimura Ryoto."

"Why are the Jonin team members with our Anbu captain?" Itachi Uchiha questioned in a low voice. "What are you plotting? Let Toru Tsukikage answer the phone!"

"Captain Itachi Uchiha, calm down," Yoshimura Ryoto said. "The Jonin team and the Anbu are working together, so naturally they have a cooperative mission. Why don't you come to the Security Department and we can talk about it slowly?"

"A joint mission? Why wouldn't I, the captain of the Anbu, know about this?!" Itachi Uchiha suppressed his anger. "And why are you in the Security Department? You even dared to kidnap Lord Jiraiya, what are you trying to do? Release Lord Jiraiya immediately!"

"Let me explain," said Uchiha Shisui to Yoshimura Ryoto.

After Yoshimura Ryoto handed the radio to Uchiha Shisui, Shisui made some preparations before speaking, only after hearing Uchiha Itachi's angry growl over the radio.

Where are they?

"Itachi, it's me, Shisui. Calm down first," Shisui said calmly.

"Shisui?" Itachi Uchiha said in disbelief. "How come you've joined them too? Wasn't it because of your influence that I pledged allegiance to the Third Hokage and Lord Jiraiya? But how could you kidnap Lord Jiraiya now?"

"I won't say anything more. Now, release Lord Jiraiya immediately!"

"Captain Itachi, I'm sorry, but we can't release him. Lord Jiraiya is suspected of aiding the enemy and betraying the village. We can't release him until we've investigated everything. But don't worry, if we're sure Lord Jiraiya is innocent, we'll release him immediately."

"Shisui-nii!" Itachi Uchiha roared.

"Itachi, calm down," Shisui reminded him again.

"What do you mean, 'calm'?" Shisui's complete siding with the other side shattered Itachi's composure. "You rogue ninja, just you wait! I'm coming right now and I'll blow you all to smithereens with my ninjutsu!"

Uchiha Itachi angrily hung up the phone.

In Uchiha Touhuan's office, Shisui looked at everyone helplessly: "He said he's going to blow us all to bits."

"I can hear you." Kakashi's lips twitched, and after a while he said to Shisui, "Shisui, I'm leaving it to you to stop him."

"Understood." Shisui nodded.

A flying insect flew out from Shiki Aburame's body and burrowed into Uchiha Shisui's ear. Shisui exchanged glances with the others, then pushed open the door and walked out of the office.

"Genji, how's it going over there?" After Shisui left, Kakashi contacted Inuzuka Jaw, who was leading the team guarding the Ino-Shika-Cho trio's territory, using a communication bug.

"They've already started to assemble," Inuzuka Jacques replied.

"Just hold them off, and prioritize the safety of our own people," Kakashi said.

"Understood." Inuzuka Jacques ended the call. In his line of sight, Akimichi Choza, fully armored, led a squad of Ino-Shika-Cho ninjas out of the clan's territory.

"Clan Chief Jacques, what do you mean?" Uchiha Haruka asked after activating her Three-Tomoe form beside Inuzuka Jacques.

"Just stop them. If they know what's good for them, try to avoid a conflict," Inuzuka Jacques said.

"Understood." The people behind Inuzuka Jacques nodded, no longer hiding themselves, and stepped out from their respective hiding places to block the only road leading from the three clans' territory to the village.

The two groups soon came face to face.

"Chief Jaw, are you here as a guest again?" Akimichi Choza asked, squinting his eyes.

"Yes, we were so fortunate to be treated to such hospitality by Clan Chief Choza last time, and the whole family still remembers it fondly," Inuzuka Jacques said. "I wonder if Clan Chief Choza could treat our two clans as well as he did last time?"

"I'm afraid that won't do. Such a big thing has happened in the village; I should be there," said Akimichi Choza.

"Is Clan Chief Choza really sure about this? Once you take action, you won't be able to escape the charge of aiding and abetting internal strife," Inuzuka Jacques said. "Why are you doing this? Jiraiya has already been arrested, and you can't change the outcome. Forcibly intervening will not benefit you, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio."

At that moment, ten Uchiha ninjas with three-tomoe Sharingan slowly walked out from behind Inuzuka Jacques and stood in front of Akimichi Choza.

In the darkness, ten pairs of scarlet Sharingan immediately put immense pressure on Akimichi Choza and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio behind him. This time was different from the last; Nara Shikaku and Yamanaka Inoichi, who had the best cooperation with him, were not by his side. In a one-on-one fight, his strength was only about equal to Inuzuka Jacques.

However, the Jonin and Chunin of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans behind him would probably be no match for the Inuzuka and Aburame clansmen led by ten Uchiha Jonin with three tomoe.

Seeing this, Akimichi Choza had no choice but to take out his radio and call Yamanaka Inoichi.

At the Anbu base, Yamanaka Inoichi answered the radio, and Uchiha Itachi and Nara Shikaku looked at him.

"Choza? What happened?" Yamanaka Inoichi asked.

"Our reinforcements probably won't be able to get here. The Inuzuka and Aburame clans have sent out their elite forces, along with ten Uchiha Jonin of the three-tomoe level. We're probably no match for them," Akimichi Choza said.

As Akimichi Choza finished speaking, Yamanaka Inoichi and Nara Shikaku both fell silent.

After a while, Nara Shikaku sighed and took the radio from Yamanaka Inoichi's hand, saying, "That's fine. Take the clansmen back. Inoichi and I can handle things here."

"Shikaku to assist?" Itachi Uchiha looked at Nara Shikaku in disbelief. He hadn't expected Shikaku to give such an order at this crucial moment.

"Go back and tell Shikamaru that he is the sixteenth generation Shikamaru."

"Ino-kai is the sixteenth generation of pigs," Yamanaka Inoichi said from the side.

After the two finished speaking, Nara Shikaku hung up the radio.

"Captain Itachi, please understand. As the clan leader, I cannot let my clansmen die in vain. I have a responsibility to the clan." After arranging everything, Nara Shikaku looked at Uchiha Itachi.

"Is the clan more important than the village?" Itachi Uchiha asked with difficulty.

"The village is certainly more important than the family, but this is just internal strife, isn't it? After the sun rises tomorrow, the village will still be a village," Nara Shikaku said.

"Captain Itachi, let's go." Yamanaka Inoichi spoke up at this moment. "Weren't we going to use ninjutsu to blow those rogue ninjas into the sky? Bring all the ninjas we can still mobilize."

"But..." Itachi Uchiha's expression of confusion deepened. Hadn't they all sent their clansmen back home?

"The Ino-Shika-Cho clans are powerless to do anything about this, but the fifteenth generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho cannot remain uninvolved." Nara Shikaku said, taking off his earring and taking out a small metal box engraved with the Sarutobi clan's crest, opening it and putting the contents inside.

At the same time, Yamanaka Inoichi also took off his earrings and put them in.

Looking at the missing corner inside the box, the two exchanged a glance and smiled helplessly.

Meanwhile, outside the clan territory of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Akimichi Choza, whose communication had been cut off, put down the radio and looked at Inuzuka Jacques and his group with a serious expression.

"What, has Clan Chief Choza made up his mind?" Inuzuka Jacques asked.

"We can withdraw our troops, but I demand to speak directly with your leader," said Choza Akimichi.

"Alright." After confirming with Kakashi again, Inuzuka Jacques nodded and gave a wink to a member of the Aburame clan ninja beside him. The ninja understood, and a communication bug slowly flew toward Akimichi Choza's ear.

Akimichi Choza did not resist, and only after the insect burrowed into his ear did he input his chakra.

"Choza-senpai, how have you been?" Kakashi's voice rang in Akimichi Choza's ears.

"Kakashi? It's you?" Choza Akimichi nodded.

"With Touhuan absent, I'm currently in charge of the overall situation," Kakashi said. "Tell me, Choza-senpai, what are the conditions of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio?"

"Our three clans can withdraw their troops, but you must let me pass," Akimichi Choza said. "Don't worry, it's just me alone."

"Why?" Kakashi asked, puzzled.

"Some things should end with our generation," said Choza Akimichi.

After a moment of silence, Kakashi said, "Alright, I'll be waiting for the three of you at the Security Department."

Communication was cut off, and the communication insect left Akimichi Choza's ear. Akimichi Choza turned around and looked at his clansmen behind him.

"Go back, all of you. The sixteenth generation of Ino-Shika-Cho are Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Choji. Assist them well."

"Clan leader, what's going on?" a Jonin from the Akimichi clan asked, puzzled.

Choza Akimichi did not answer, but continued to give instructions on his own: "Let Shikamaru choose the witnesses for the oath of the earrings for the three of them. Anyone who is not from the Sarutobi clan can be one of them."

After saying that, Akimichi Choza walked alone towards Inuzuka Jacques and his group. Inuzuka Jacques waved and the group made way for him.

In Uchiha Touhuan's office, Kakashi finished his call, tidied up his ninja tools, and then looked at Aburame Shiki.

"Clan Chief Zhiwei, the matter is basically only down to this final battle. Keep an eye on things here for me, and let me know immediately if anything happens," Kakashi said.

"Understood." Aburame nodded slightly.

Kakashi then walked out of Uchiha Tohkan's office.

……

Inside the Anbu base, Itachi Uchiha began to mobilize all the ninjas that could be mobilized from the Anbu and the Jonin teams. However, apart from the clerical staff, Itachi Uchiha only had seventeen combat personnel left. Apart from one ninja from the Yamanaka clan and one from the Akimichi clan, they were all from the Utatane, Mito, and Sarutobi clans.

And this is all the power that Itachi Uchiha can currently mobilize.

Just before Itachi Uchiha was about to set off with his men, Choza Akimichi rushed over.

Seeing his old friend arrive, Nara Shikaku sighed helplessly and said, "The earring box is on my desk."

……

(End of this chapter)