From Hokage to Visionary

However, after hearing this, Orochimaru smiled with satisfaction.

He doesn't care about the strength of power. Instead, the pursuit of knowledge, understanding the essence of things, and exploring the rules of the world are what he really wants.

"There's one last thing you need to know."

Uchiha Sogetsu tapped the table with his finger and said slowly: "The ninja world is undergoing subtle changes. This is both an opportunity for you and a threat."

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 241 Blood Red Angel

In the blink of an eye, three years passed.

However, the Third Ninja World War is still a pain that will never be healed in the hearts of many people.

The death of the Fourth Hokage and the betrayal of Danzo, as well as the Fifth Hokage Orochimaru's public announcement of treason at the inauguration ceremony, were all despicable acts that caused the once powerful and profound Konoha's reputation to plummet to the freezing point. It even fell to the point where no one dared to entrust it with any tasks.

After all, no noble from a big country would dare to hire a ninja village that even the Hokage would betray.

To make matters worse, Orochimaru openly announced his treason at his inauguration ceremony, which made the Fire Country Daimyo lose face. In a rage, he ordered a cut in the amount of funding.

Ninjas are not supermen. Although they possess extraordinary powers, they are still human beings after all. They need to eat and spend money.

Without the largest source of financial income, the number of missions dropped sharply, causing the economy of the entire Konoha Village to completely stagnate. The consequence of the economic downturn was soaring prices. Even Ichiraku Ramen increased from 60 taels to 180 taels, a full three times.

The threefold increase in prices and the lack of employment tasks made the entire Konoha Village shaky for a time.

During these three years, Sarutobi Hiruzen was exhausted and struggled to support the village. His hair turned white and he looked as if he was only in his teens.

The once prosperous streets of Konoha have now become deserted and empty.

The faces of the passers-by all had a wooden and indifferent look, as if everyone was isolated in his or her own world.

On the top floor of the Hokage Building, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked out the window. The bleak scene gradually overlapped with the prosperous streets in his memory. In just three years, this once heroic ninja had exhausted all his energy. Now, only bitterness and regret were left.

But unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret in the world, and it is even more impossible to turn back time and go back to the past.

At this moment, the door behind him was pushed open, interrupting Sarutobi Hiruzen's thoughts. He slowly turned around and saw an ANBU wearing an animal mask walking in. He had short black hair like a hedgehog, and his bright eyes were full of the vigor and vitality of a young man.

"Sarutobi-sama, you were looking for me?"

The young Anbu asked in a cheerful voice, looking at Sarutobi Hiruzen with bright eyes.

As if infected by the vitality of the young Anbu, Sarutobi Hiruzen's frown relaxed slightly and revealed a kind smile: "You came just in time. I have a mission for you."

"Uh, but Sarutobi-sama, I just got back not long ago."

The young Anbu scratched his head and said shyly, "Master has been talking about this for a long time. How about letting Kakashi go? Isn't he free recently?"

"Haha, why, you don't want to?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up the pipe on the table, put it in his mouth and lit it, took a deep breath and exhaled the smoke: "Kakashi will go with you on this mission. I know you just finished a mission and need to rest, but this mission was personally selected by the Daimyo for you to complete."

"This is actually a daimyo?"

The young Anbu was shocked when he heard this.

You must know that the last ninja who was personally named by the Daimyo was the Yellow Flash who was feared throughout the ninja world!

This is both an honor and a recognition.

"Yes, your reputation has been known to the great master."

Sarutobi Hiruzen tapped his pipe, slowly walked up to the young Anbu, patted his shoulder, and said with a smile: "This mission is simple on the surface, escorting the princess of the Fire Country Daimyo to the Water Country for marriage, but because it involves two major countries, there is no guarantee that there will be no ninja coveting it, so it is temporarily classified as A-level."

"I understand, Sarutobi-sama."

The young Anbu nodded and took the mission commission scroll from Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"This mission must not fail."

Sarutobi Hiruzen lowered his voice and said seriously, "This is the first mission entrusted by the Daimyo in three years. It concerns whether Konoha Village can restore its reputation, so I'm counting on you, Shisui!"

It was not until this moment that the true identity of the young Anbu was revealed. He was Uchiha Shisui!

Since Sogetsu's death, a genius who rose to prominence at an extremely fast speed, earned the title of 'Instant Body Shisui' in the ninja world in just three years.

He is extremely skilled in illusion and teleportation techniques, and the combination of the two makes his movements elusive and fierce. Often the enemy's throat is cut before they even notice. It is quite terrifying, and he even has some signs of surpassing the two heroes of Konoha in the past, Sotsuki and Minato.

"Yes, Sarutobi-sama."

Shisui realized the importance of this and immediately said in all seriousness: "I promise to complete the task beautifully and restore Konoha's reputation!"

"Okay, go ahead, I'll give you half a day to rest."

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled and waved his hand, pretending to be disgusted and said: "Otherwise, you little brat will say behind my back that I exploited you again."

"It's unfair, Lord Sarutobi!" Shisui chuckled and touched the back of his head: "I never said that, it was Kakashi who said that!"

"Go away, don't disturb my peace."

Sarutobi Hiruzen was so amused by him that he pointed at his nose and scolded, "How dare you say you are Kakashi? If you don't leave now, I will teach you a lesson!"

"Ah, I have something else to do. I'll be leaving now, Sarutobi-sama!"

Shisui, who was afraid of being taught a lesson, ran out in a flash.

Looking at Shisui's departing back, the smile on Sarutobi Hiruzen's face gradually faded. A hint of memories and bitterness appeared in his eyes, and he couldn't help but sigh softly.

Looks like. Really looks like.

Whenever he saw Shisui, he couldn't help but think of the humble and gentle boy he once was.

Both are Uchiha, both are good at illusion, both are geniuses, so he always unconsciously overlaps the two figures in his mind and imagines another result.

If Uchiha Sogetsu had not died, but had become the Fourth Hokage, he might have led Konoha to another prosperous ending.

Uchiha clan.

After the war three years ago, the young and strong Uchiha suffered heavy losses and their reputation fell to the bottom.

Uchiha Fugaku, the primary person responsible, was stripped of his position as clan leader. He never recovered from the incident, became an alcoholic, and eventually went mad.

Today, the person in charge of the Uchiha family is Fugaku's former wife, Uchiha Mikoto.

In the ceremony hall, Shisui sat upright, looking straight ahead, putting away his playful expression, and said seriously, "Master, I'm back."

The woman lay on her side on the bed, vague and hazy through a thin gauze curtain.

"Well, just come back."

After a long while, a lazy response was heard. The woman raised her white arms and gently lifted the gauze curtain, revealing a delicate face, a tall nose, rosy lips, and a pair of dark eyes, like a clear and cold lake, that seemed to be able to reflect people's thoughts.

But what is more worrying is the woman’s long blood-red hair, which looks as if it has been soaked in blood, bright red and weird!

"mother mother"

Just then, a short figure stumbled in.

When Shisui heard the voice, cold sweat suddenly broke out on his back. He opened his Sharingan unconsciously, and the three magatama quickly spun in his pupils, as if he felt a great threat!

"Calm down, Shisui."

At this time, the beauty on the bed stood up slowly, and her skirt moved slightly, revealing her fair skin and round and slender legs.

In a blink of an eye, Shisui was shocked to find that beautiful figure suddenly appeared behind him.

Looking back, I saw a three-year-old child in the beautiful woman's arms. She said calmly, "Don't be so nervous. Itachi is very well behaved and won't hurt you."

If other people heard that Shunshin Shisui, who was feared by his enemies, was afraid of a mere three-year-old child, they would probably think he was joking.

But Uchiha Shisui knew very well that it was not a joke!

Beads of cold sweat oozed from his forehead. He was as if facing a great enemy. His muscles were tense. His eyes were fixed on the innocent-looking child in the arms of the beauty. He said nervously, "Master, you shouldn't have let Itachi out. He is too dangerous!"

"Are you teaching me what to do?"

The beauty's eyes were slightly cold, and she opened her red lips slightly, saying: "Or do you think that your wings are strong enough to criticize me now?"

"No, I don't dare!"

Shisui was immediately horrified, his head banged on the tatami with a thud, his heart filled with fear: "Master. No, Mikoto-sama, I have never thought of this!"

At this moment, he finally remembered the title of the woman in front of him: Blood Angel, Uchiha Mikoto!

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 242: Obito: At that time, just like this moment

Blood-red Angel, Uchiha Mikoto.

She has an angelic and delicate face, but her bloody and cruel methods in completing her tasks have given her a bad reputation from all the major ninja villages.

In the eyes of outsiders, Uchiha Mikoto is a woman who succeeded Fugaku as the successor of the Uchiha family and behaves a little crazy. However, only he, as his disciple, knows what kind of vicious, cruel and bloody deeds are hidden under that seemingly angelic face.

The destruction of several small ninja villages is closely related to Uchiha Mikoto!

Those three thousand blood-red hairs were the result of her slaughtering nearly a thousand people and being soaked in countless blood, thus being dyed red.

And these things are known only to him.

Or, it would be better to say that he was an 'accomplice' and witnessed with his own eyes the most brutal side of Uchiha Mikoto.

At times, Shisui even wondered why the former clan leader, Uchiha Fugaku, suddenly went crazy?

And how did those elders who had opposed Mikoto and served as clan leaders suddenly die one after another in various inexplicable ways?

"Shisui, what are you thinking about?"

Shisui, who was kneeling and bowing his head, suddenly felt his head being gently stroked by someone's hand, and immediately sweat broke out: "No, no, I didn't think about anything, Mikoto-sama."

The hand that was stroking his hair suddenly stopped.

In the empty ceremony hall, it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Shisui didn't dare to breathe. His pupils shrank to the size of a needle tip and he trembled slightly, revealing his deep fear.

"Do you know why I indulge you?" Mikoto said lightly.

"No, don't know"

Shisui made a swallowing motion, but there was not a trace of saliva in his dry mouth.

"Because you look a lot like him."

Mikoto lowered her eyes, placed her slender fingers on the boy's neck, and whispered, "But, it's just that you look alike. Don't think that I will indulge you again and again just because you look alike. Since I can train you, I can also destroy you. Do you understand?"

In the seemingly calm tone, there was an unquestionable, cold murderous intent.

In an instant, the temperature in the entire hall suddenly dropped to freezing point.

"It's clear, Mikoto-sama."

Feeling the cold murderous intent in the air, Shisui's body trembled uncontrollably.

A hint of bitterness appeared at the corners of his lips. In fact, he had known for a long time that he and the Fourth Hokage were very similar in some ways.

For example, they were all very good at illusions and instant teleportation, and all had short, messy black hair. They were similar in height and build, and even their dress, tone of voice, and personality were deliberately designed to be closer to the Fourth Hokage.

Many people say that his behavior is very similar to that of the Fourth Hokage.

But only Uchiha Shisui knew that all of this was a product carefully packaged by someone, and he was not that person at all!

The occasional gentleness shown by his master gave him a false impression.

But now, the dream is shattered.

He is Uchiha Shisui. Even if he is trained to be like Uchiha Sogetsu, in the eyes of his master, he is not that person.

"Go."

Mikoto held Itachi in her arms and walked slowly towards the bed, "You are only allowed to fail in the mission Sarutobi has given you."

Shisui pressed his head against the tatami, his eyes extremely bitter, and whispered, "Yes, Master."

Shisui came out of the ceremony hall and breathed a sigh of relief.

When the cool breeze in the yard blew, he suddenly realized that his back was wet with cold sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

The piercing gaze behind him made Shisui feel uneasy, like a 'prey' being stared at by a wild beast. The hairs all over his body stood up, and an unspoken fear filled his heart.

"Is this monster Uchiha Itachi about to be released?" It was still daytime, but the warm sunlight shining on Shisui's body could not bring him any warmth. Instead, he felt bone-chilling cold. He murmured bitterly, "Master, Master, what on earth do you want to do?"

To travel from the Land of Fire to the Land of Water, one must pass through the Land of Waves and finally take a boat.

The journey is not short, and before the official handover, they must protect the princess's safety to prevent her from being kidnapped by bounty ninjas.