Revitalizing the Uchiha clan starts with becoming a Kage.

Compared to Sunagakure to the south, it can completely crush and even overwhelm them in every aspect.

However, the only one in Iwagakure who can truly be considered as the next Tsuchikage successor is his own son, Kurotsuchi. Others, including Akatsuchi and Bunga, do not meet the crucial requirement of strength. Kurotsuchi, who will later inherit the title of Tsuchikage in the original work and is known as the "Leg Shadow," is currently just a four or five-year-old child. Onoki's most valued disciple, Deidara, is about the same age as Itachi and is currently "playing" with his "explosive art" in a slightly remote and desolate area of ​​Iwagakure arranged by Onoki!

Therefore, Onoki could only hope for the Tsuchikage. Although there had been a moment when he considered having Uchiha Shoji succeed him as Tsuchikage, in the end, this idea was not only impossible to pass through the village, but Onoki himself also couldn't get past that hurdle in his own heart.

It's not that Onoki, like Hiruzen Sarutobi and others, was so wary of and dismissive of the possibility of the Uchiha clan taking over the power of the ninja village.

At the very least, such a possibility can only be considered when the Uchiha clan has truly integrated into Iwagakure and when someone like Tsukasa can gain the recognition and support of the vast majority of Iwagakure ninja. Therefore, these are all matters for the future. Moreover, in terms of the closeness of the relationship, under the same conditions, Onoki would certainly hope that his own son would become his successor.

Personal strength, magnanimity, and methods.

Even if there is no such term as "the art of emperorship" in this world, the principle is universal. To become the leader of a country, one must master these things. The way to power lies in the word "balance".

Unfortunately, Onoki's painstaking efforts were clearly somewhat wasted.

"Oh? Is that so?"

Huang Tu, who was still somewhat simple-minded by nature, clearly only understood part of what his father, Tu Ying, was saying, and he still had a slightly confused expression.

Ohnoki could only shake his head inwardly and sigh silently.

"Alright, don't worry about things here for now. In the meantime, aside from Konoha, there have been unusual troop movements in Kumogakure and Sunagakure. Discuss with Akatsuchi, Bunya, and the others about reinforcing the border defenses. The previous batch of border troops also needs to be adjusted and rotated. Pay attention to the batch changes, and don't give the three great ninja villages any openings, especially Kumogakure in the east, understand?"

Onoki's face hardened as he looked at his son and said this.

"Yes, Father, I understand!"

If you can't figure it out, then put it aside for now. The situation and problems that Iwagakure is facing now are just as serious. Although Sunagakure can be ignored, Konoha and Kumogakure on the other two sides must be on high alert.

Even if the current conditions are not enough for the two major ninja villages to launch a full-scale ninja war, it's really hard to say what will happen. Not to mention the Third Shinobi World War, although many people realized that war was inevitable at that time, no one expected that Sunagakure, which had just lost its 'Kage', would have the courage to take the initiative to start a war.

Therefore, in war, something that is utterly irrational.

Common sense should not be treated as a law, but only as a general reference value. This is especially true for Kumogakure. Iwagakure just killed the Third Raikage of Kumogakure more than two years ago. The current Fourth Raikage is the only biological son of the previous generation. Who knows if he will act rashly and come to their doorstep?

Huang Tu understood this as well, and nodded emphatically in response.

Then, as he was about to leave, Onoki, sitting in the main seat, seemed to remember something and continued, "Also, go to Rockfall Valley again and tell that brat Deidara to tone it down a bit. He's making such a fuss every day. It's fine during the day, but at night he should be more restrained. It's too disturbing. The last explosion almost affected the western residential area. Tell that kid that if he keeps doing this, I won't let him stay in the village anymore. Also, tell Kurotsuchi to stop going to Deidara's place all the time. Those two little devils basically do nothing good when they're together, and they've fallen behind on all their training!"

"Yes, Father, I understand!"

When Huang Tu mentioned his daughter and Deidara, who was considered his junior brother but also regarded as a nephew, a gentle smile appeared on his face. Meeting his Tsuchikage father's seemingly angry but actually somewhat doting look, Huang Tu nodded slightly in response and strode away from the Tsuchikage's office building to do what he had to do.

Only Onoki remained in the huge Tsuchikage's office.

After everyone had left, the Third Tsuchikage used the Light-Heavy Rock Technique to float in the air and slowly arrived at the large floor-to-ceiling window behind the desk. Looking down at the bustling and noisy Iwagakure village below through the bright and clean glass, Onoki's red nose twitched slightly, and a look of determination appeared in his pupils.

'Iwagakure will definitely become the true ruler of the entire ninja world!'

For Onoki, nothing was more important than the prosperity and strength of the village, which he had fought for for decades, especially considering the humiliation he had suffered with his mentor during his youth. This village, which he inherited from the First and Second Hokage, would eventually become the number one ninja village in the ninja world if it could continue to develop normally.

Onoki was willing to pay any price for this.

This is why he ultimately decided to accept the Uchiha clan without any conditions, giving them the most equal treatment, and even wanted to give the Uchiha clan more 'bonuses'. The reason was simply that Onoki believed the Uchiha clan would be the key to their Iwagakure taking that final and most important step.

"If everything goes as hoped, what harm is there in entrusting the future of this village to you? Uchiha Shoji-kun, I'm willing to gamble everything on you!"

Unaware that the Third Tsuchikage had placed great hopes on the Uchiha clan, and even on himself, Shoji immediately summoned Elders Genran, Chie, and Sogen after returning to the clan with Fugaku.

After some discussion, and once the entire clan had settled down and moved into their assigned houses,

The clan gathered the remaining twenty or thirty Jonin members from the remaining ninja clan members and held their first clan meeting since leaving Konoha in Fugaku's main house. The main topic of discussion at this meeting was the clan's future survival strategy in Iwagakure!

153. The Inevitable Adjustment Period (Third Update)

They were newcomers to the area.

In many ways, they were out of place in Iwagakure. Putting aside their lifestyle, the Uchiha clan was vastly different from almost all the other residents of Iwagakure in terms of their personal atmosphere. In fact, this was also due to the difference in customs and traditions between the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire. The Uchiha clan wanted to completely integrate into Iwagakure and become a part of the Land of Earth.

We must learn to start by changing ourselves.

The first fundamental point that needs to be clarified is to make the clansmen realize that they are now members of the Land of Earth and the Hidden Stone Village. This cannot be done in a short time, but requires the gradual and subtle influence of time. However, the seeds that need to be planted at the beginning are of paramount importance.

Although the clan is currently in a somewhat dire situation, having gone through such an ordeal, the mentality of most members has changed to some extent. It's not that they will undergo a fundamental change all at once, but rather that compared to before, the clan members will try to adopt a more peaceful and stable attitude and view the problems they and the clan need to face from a broader perspective.

At the clan meeting.

Shoji, Fugaku, Shisui, Sōgen, Genran, Chie, and others spoke in succession, followed by Guyuan, Yashiro, Inahime, Retsuto, Tetsuka, and others who expressed their views. While other details could be set aside if there were differing opinions, they were able to reach a high degree of consensus on the core issues of the clan's way of doing things and the upcoming integration with Iwagakure.

This was the first and most important step that the Uchiha clan took after arriving in Iwagakure.

This includes, but is not limited to, restraining and curbing the former temperament and style of doing things (in this respect, women originally had no problem, and men's mentality has also changed to some extent after experiencing this series of changes).

In addition, we should try our best to arrange suitable adult ninjas from the clan to serve as Iwa ninjas and carry out corresponding missions. After a period of stability, we should arrange for the children of the appropriate age from the clan to enter the Iwagakure's exclusive ninja academy to study, and so on!

This was not only a demonstration of the Uchiha clan's sincerity, but also the most crucial step for their clan to integrate into Iwagakure. As the clan head, Fugaku directly proposed at the clan meeting that his son, Uchiha Itachi, would be among the first to enter the Iwagakure Ninja Academy to study.

Even though Itachi has already fully learned all the basic knowledge of ninjas, back in Konoha, Fugaku planned for Itachi to graduate early this year. But now, due to the different situation, Itachi's identity and attributes are just right.

It can serve as a 'diplomatic bridge'!

It is used to represent the Uchiha clan's goodwill in releasing their spirit.

Gu Yuan, Yasuo, Tetsuka, and others also expressed their intention to send their children of school age to the ninja academy as soon as possible. The Uchiha clan can only truly be said to have integrated into Iwagakure if the upper echelons are close, the middle echelons trust each other, and the lower echelons are harmonious.

The painful lessons of the past few decades have served as a stark reminder to the Uchiha clan that the ninja village model is entirely different from the ninja clan model of the past. To gain the trust and support of others, and even to become the core of the ninja village, the most correct approach is to actively integrate into it and get along with everyone.

The most successful politicians are not those who eliminate their opponents through cunning means, but those who maximize their allies and supporters, making progress by constantly seeking common ground while reserving differences and being inclusive, ultimately gaining the support of the majority and standing at the core!

The Uchiha clan, who remained in Konoha for the past fifty years, have failed. Now, with a new meaning of 'resetting their lives,' the Uchiha clan is determined to forge a path of revival that truly belongs to them.

At the clan meeting, seeing that almost all the clansmen were changing for the better, Jiang Si's heartstrings were no longer so tense. Although there were still a few clansmen with fiery tempers and stubbornness, they still had cold expressions, seemingly unwilling to change their clan's 'traditions', and were still resentful of their revenge against Konoha.

But this is not necessarily the 'bad' side.

What they showed was far more terrifying than what they kept hidden in their hearts. Moreover, these clansmen were very straightforward in expressing their opinions, especially regarding the matter of revenge against Konoha, where their emotions were the most intense.

Therefore, after all the most basic issues were negotiated and arranged.

The most radical members of the clan went straight to the point and asked, "When can we take revenge on Konoha? The clansmen who died in battle before, and those who were falsely accused and harmed long ago—this blood feud absolutely cannot be left unresolved!"

Previously, these clansmen had been suppressing their emotions because the safety of their family members had not yet been resolved.

A worthwhile death in battle and a desire for revenge are not contradictory!

They fought to protect their loved ones and comrades. Even the Uchiha clan members who died in battle shared the same belief, and they died without regret!

But those who are alive must not forget these hatreds.

Especially for the families of those clansmen who died in battle, this is an unforgettable pain. Not to mention the adults, even the seven or eight-year-old and five or six-year-old children in the clan harbor intense hatred for Konoha and for Konoha's high-ranking officials such as Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura!

Jiang Si himself is well aware of this.

They escorted their family members all the way to Iwagakure Village.

The kind-hearted younger sister, Uchiha Saki, fared a little better, but felt mostly lost, worried, and heartbroken. (It must be said that the women and men of the Uchiha clan are truly worlds apart in terms of personality!)

The younger brother, Uchiha Yang, who is only four years old, always reveals a hint of hatred in his daily words.

In particular, among those clansmen who died in battle, there was the older brother of one of Yang's closest clan comrades. In their previous lives, he had taken care of Yang and played with him. Just from this point of view, it is enough to fully explain the current attitude of the clan towards Konoha, including those ninja clans that closely follow Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura.

All of them were within the range of their own clansmen's revenge attacks.

Jiang Si himself was the same, but relatively speaking, Jiang Si was more rational and more restrained. Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. No matter how weak Konoha was, it was not an existence that could be easily defeated or even destroyed.

This is one of the reasons why Tsukasa repeatedly suggested that after leaving Konoha, it would be best to join Kumogakure or Iwagakure, because only in this way could their clan obtain the power of revenge in the shortest time!

Otherwise, if their clan were to develop independently, they would have to spend the next few years worrying about how to guard against the covetousness of other countries and protect their own family members, instead of plotting revenge against Konoha!

154. The General's Promise

The survival and safety of the entire clan.

And the revenge assistance that can be obtained later.

These are the two main reasons why Shoji chose 'Kumakubi' and 'Iwagakubi' from the original plan, which allowed the vast majority of Uchiha clan members to accept his choice. The deeper the love, the deeper the hatred. Moreover, the blood feud between the Uchiha clan and the Konoha leadership cannot fade or disappear over time; it will only be passed down from generation to generation until the Uchiha clan achieves its revenge or is wiped out by history.

On this point, Shoji was very clear, as were Fugaku and Elder Sogen. Even Shisui had made corresponding preparations long ago. However, Shisui did not expect that the clan would raise the issue of revenge so soon after settling down.

This left Shisui feeling somewhat uneasy.

It's not that Shisui would have any other strange thoughts, but the influence of Konoha, the Will of Fire, and most importantly, his grandfather, Uchiha Kagami, on Shisui was too profound, leaving some nostalgia deep in the heart of this Uchiha clan genius.

He hadn't said he couldn't imagine how things would unfold, but Shisui was somewhat deceiving himself. Plus, he always thought it would be something that would be discussed 'a long time from now.' Shisui was more interested in dragging it out as long as possible!

However, in this situation, at this critical juncture, Shisui found it difficult to say anything more. Regardless of his identity or stance, whatever he said seemed to be wrong. His conflicted heart was perfectly displayed on his face at this moment.

Even Fugaku, who was in the head seat, frowned slightly. The changes in their expressions were all noticed by Shoji. Just as his clan leader was about to answer after carefully considering his words, Shoji realized that the changes were not immediately obvious.

"Cough cough!"

Jiang Si coughed twice and said directly, "Now is not the time!"

It immediately attracted the attention of the clansmen.

After a slight pause, Jiang Si continued, "A clan needs a period of adjustment, a period of true peace. Our families have already suffered too much hardship and trauma during this retreat. They need a period of quiet rest. I know that the fire of hatred in your hearts is burning fiercely, but for the sake of our families, I hope you can be patient and spend more time with them so that they can find some peace of mind."

"This is also our inescapable responsibility. We are not isolated individuals, but a clan composed of families. Let us not let hatred blind us. Moreover, and most importantly, with the current strength of our clan, it is difficult to overthrow Konoha, let alone seek revenge!"

"Resting and recuperating is the top priority for our clan in the coming period. I also hope that everyone can completely abandon their previous subjective prejudices and remember our current second identity—Iwa Ninja! Konoha is our target for revenge, and it is also the target that the entire village wants to catch up with and overthrow. The interests are the same. Lord Tsuchikage also promised before that if the opportunity arises, our village will never let it go."

"What we need now is just a little patience, not only for our own sake, but also for the overall interests of the entire village. If others treat us with respect, we must treat them with even greater respect. The kindness shown to our clan by the Tsuchikage and the village is something that the Uchiha clan must always remember! We must distinguish between gratitude and resentment, repay evil with justice, and repay kindness with kindness. This is the pride of the Uchiha clan!"

"And I can guarantee that, at the earliest, three to five years, at the latest, ten years, our clan will definitely be able to reclaim the justice that belongs to us!"

Before the tribespeople below could offer their opinions.

Jiang Si's bright eyes swept over all the clansmen below, and his words, spoken in one breath, caused the clansmen below to pause slightly and then fall into deep thought.

At this moment, Fugaku, Elder Xuanlan, and Elder Zongxuan all looked at Jiang Si with a bright look of satisfaction in their eyes. Fugaku, in particular, had planned to hand over the position of clan leader to Jiang Si as early as the beginning of the plan.

However, it was clearly not the right time at that time. Although age was indeed an issue, it was a minor detail in the face of the major trends. Now, seeing that Shoji can still maintain a rational and calm mind to look at everything.

Fugaku's resolve grew stronger. There had been a few too many miscellaneous matters to attend to during this period, but once everything had truly settled down, Fugaku would definitely raise this proposal, not only because of the commander's excellence, but also because of his own disqualification!

As the head of the clan, Fugaku Uchiha clearly lacked the ability and qualifications to take on the role. Now that an outstanding successor had been found, Fugaku was filled with joy. Among the eight elders, the only remaining three, Sogen, Chie, and Genran, shared similar thoughts with Fugaku. However, the three elders were still a bit conservative, and Fugaku was the clansman they had initially chosen and selected, taking into account Shoji's age.

The three elders still tend to wait until Jiang Si truly comes of age, that is, after he turns 20, before considering succeeding him as the head of the clan.

At this moment, Shisui also breathed a huge sigh of relief. You could say that Shisui is a self-contradictory, self-hypnotic, and self-deceiving being, but this is precisely the core of Shisui's personality.

If he could so easily sever all ties with everything he had received in the past and instead treat Konoha and his former comrades with indifference and cruelty, then Shoji would have to be wary and cautious of Shisui!

It was precisely because Jiang Si saw through this part of Shisui's character that he chose to believe in Shisui before, and he still does now. Of course, he will not force Shisui to do anything, but he will also never doubt Shisui's heart.