Start with a Zanpakuto and build the strongest Mist Village.

"The Akatsuki were driven out, and their first reaction upon seeing Amegakure was to divide it up. So even if I establish a unified empire, will they follow my will?"

"Will not."

Mizuki Yoru shook her head, her tone calm: "Politicians' minds are all dirty. As long as I don't show any ambition, as long as they still hold power and influence, even if they outwardly submit to me, they will still regard me as a monstrous flood, as the Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, and harbor the idea of ​​overthrowing me and replacing me."

"But these ideas are more beneficial than harmful to the ninja world at this moment, because only pressure can lead to progress, and only threats can lead to growth."

"A fledgling under the wings can never fly high, but a branch tempered by wind and rain can grow into a towering tree!"

"you you……"

Nagato stared blankly at Minazuki Yoru, muttering to himself, "You're raising a venomous insect!"

"The ninja world has always been a breeding ground for 'Gu' (a type of venomous creature), hasn't it? The Warring States period, spanning thousands of years, nurtured two Gu masters, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, thus ending the Warring States period. I've merely increased the pressure and pace of this 'Gu' breeding process slightly, making it a little stronger. What's the problem with that?"

"Nagato, I admire you, and I admire Yahiko as well. Besides the fact that your ambitions and dreams are indeed lofty and worthy of respect, your appearance can bring pressure to this stagnant ninja world, allowing them to move faster on their path of growth."

"That's why I've let you go one after another. Of course, the same goes for Obito."

“Minazuki Yoru…” Nagato looked at Minazuki Yoru with a complicated expression, not knowing what to say for a moment. After a long silence, he said, “I hope you don’t mess things up. That Uchiha Obito disguised as Madara has already started a terrible plan. If he succeeds, you’ll be in trouble.”

"Ghost Sprout Luo?"

"No, it's Cixian!"

……

"Is there still no news from Nagato?"

Beneath the secret base in the Land of Grass, Obito gazed at Black Zetsu emerging from the ground and said in a deep voice, "You should understand the importance of the Rinnegan. Without those eyes, the Eye of the Moon Project could not have been launched at all."

“There is a special power on Nagato that is suppressing my power, so I cannot directly teleport him over,” Black Zetsu said slowly. “But one thing is certain: Nagato is not dead, and his Rinnegan is not damaged. It seems that Mizuki Yoru is trying to do some research.”

Suddenly, Black Zetsu noticed the complex blood-red color in Obito's right eye and was extremely surprised: "Mangekyou Sharingan? Where did you find it?"

"I wanted to replenish my Sharingan, so I controlled Itachi Uchiha to slaughter most of the Uchiha clan. I didn't expect that he would awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan after being stimulated."

As he spoke, Obito walked up to a high wall.

Upon closer inspection, this high wall is entirely made up of hidden boxes storing Sharingan eyes. Each box contains a Sharingan eye, layered upon layer, forming a wall-sized structure.

This place was once Madara Uchiha's collection. As the former head of the Uchiha clan, he took all the Sharingan that the Uchiha clan had collected over the years out of Konoha before he left. However, with the research on the Sharingan and the continuous consumption of various eye techniques, this wall of Sharingan was completely used up over the decades.

However, Obito's trip to Konoha this time has once again filled this wall!

Chapter 255 The Era of Full Spiritual Power

The Sharingan that Madara Uchiha possessed was collected by countless Uchiha clan members who died in battle during the Warring States period, all for the sake of their clan's development and a better future for the Uchiha in the chaotic era of war.

The Sharingan that Obito was currently replenishing was one that he had personally dug out from the eye sockets of countless Uchiha clan members.

Looking at the wall of Sharingan before him, Obito Uchiha's eyes showed no emotion whatsoever. Black Zetsu slowly crawled forward: "The probability of Oni-Garaku failing is not small. Using Izanagi to avoid it is indeed the best idea."

"Moreover, the Hashirama cells in your body are strong enough, so there is no need to worry about uneven energy distribution when transplanting too many Sharingan. Obito, you are indeed a genius."

"Stop with the pointless praise, get ready for White Zetsu to transplant into me!"

Zetsu looked at the wall of Sharingan, then at Obito's body, sizing him up and down: "Hmm, your eyes are both Mangekyou Sharingan, so they can only be transplanted to other places... How about transplanting them to your arm like Danzo did? It just so happens that half of your body is made up of my cells."

"You decide."

The risks of transplanting the Sharingan were minimal for Obito, as he was a member of the Uchiha clan and would not experience much backlash from his eye power. He would also not feel any pressure bearing the Sharingan.

What he really needed to consider was whether the strength of the Sharingan would surpass the Yang Release power of the Thousand Hand Wood Release within him, thus causing an accident during Kiyora's ritual.

"Okay, but if it's not implanted in the eye socket and is connected to the optic nerve, there might be some rejection reaction, and the success rate of the transplant might be lower."

"It's okay, there are enough Sharingan here, so failing a few times doesn't matter."

There are hundreds of Sharingan here. Even if he only chooses the three-tomoe Sharingan, there are still more than ten pairs. He can completely afford the losses.

If he can successfully transplant the Sharingan, he can use Izanagi to avoid the consequences of Kiga's failure. In other words, as long as he successfully transplants one Sharingan, he will have one more chance.

I, Obito Uchiha, never fight a battle unprepared!

……

Upon receiving the news, Fugaku led the Konoha ninja back to Konoha without stopping.

Upon returning to Konoha, Fugaku immediately went to the Uchiha clan to assess the extent of the losses.

The situation was even more dire than the previous intelligence had indicated. The original intelligence had only compiled statistics on the Uchiha clan's registered ninja members and estimated the approximate casualties among ordinary civilians. However, when Fugaku received the detailed intelligence, he almost fainted.

After several years of his diligent efforts, the Uchiha clan has steadily developed and surpassed the Sarutobi clan to become the largest clan in Konoha.

It's better now.

Although the Uchiha elites he placed in various positions were still there, the clan's strength never relied on a few top-tier ninjas.

A large base and a constant stream of newborns are the foundation for a clan's strength. However, Obito Uchiha completely wiped out the Uchiha's base this time. Let alone the number one ninja clan, the Uchiha will probably be reduced to a third-rate force, not even as good as the Ino-Shika-Cho trio!

Not only that.

In addition to the Uchiha clan's overall strength plummeting to its lowest point, Fugaku's control and prestige over Konoha also fell drastically.

The deaths of many Uchiha clan members depleted the clan's strength. Fortunately, key personnel remained, otherwise Fugaku would have been left with no one to command!

After roughly ascertaining the situation within the clan, Fugaku rushed to the hospital without stopping. When he saw Itachi lying on the hospital bed, his right eye still bleeding from bandages, and his entire being weak, tired, and even numb, Fugaku's heart clenched.

"Itachi..."

"Father." Hearing the call, the confusion and numbness in Itachi's eyes faded slightly, and he subconsciously tried to get up.

Fugaku quickly stepped forward, supporting his back and shoulders, and pressed him onto the hospital bed: "Rest well, no need for formalities."

"Father, I..." Itachi's lips trembled, his emotions running high. His exposed left eye even activated the three-tomoe Sharingan, his pupil power surging, and an unusual, cold chakra instantly filled the entire room.

This eye-power chakra!

Fugaku's pupils contracted slightly; he had already learned the details through Tetsuka on his way here.

Tetsuka was the first Uchiha clan member to arrive at the scene that day, and also the first to notice Itachi's unusual condition.

"Fifth Hokage, Itachi may have awakened the same eyes as you!"

Tiehuo reported this to him as he arrived.

Without a doubt, the only one capable of possessing such eye power and chakra is the Mangekyou Sharingan. Could it be that Itachi awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan because he witnessed the tragic deaths of countless clansmen and was emotionally overwhelmed?

No, it can't be that simple.

Knowing the hardships and conditions involved in activating the Kaleidoscope, Fugaku refrained from asking about the details of the Kaleidoscope. Instead, he calmed Itachi down before slowly asking, "What exactly happened that night?"

"I……"

The weasel's lips trembled, but he couldn't speak.

"Don't resist my eye power too much." Fugaku sighed softly, activating his genjutsu and penetrating Itachi's mind.

Under the power of his pupils, the scene in the ward in front of him suddenly changed.

Under the blood moon, the vortex-masked man's blood-red kaleidoscope seemed to drip with blood, and in an instant, Itachi lost control of this body.

Under the power of genjutsu, Itachi's short blade took the lives of his clansmen one by one, and those who died were gouged out by Obito Uchiha.

The more Fugaku looked, the more agitated he became, until finally, Itachi, who was under control, killed Izumi with his own hands, and the genjutsu was broken.

The near-collapse of emotions drove Itachi to utter madness, and also caused Fugaku to close his eyes in anguish. He could fully imagine how devastated Itachi must have felt the moment the genjutsu was broken.

He killed everyone with his own hands, including the girl he loved.

In this emotional state, Itachi activated his Mangekyou Sharingan, but the moment it opened, that guy plucked one of his eyes out...

"asshole……"

An overwhelming surge of anger welled up inside Fugaku, and he finally understood why this guy was nowhere to be seen during this raid on the Land of Rain.

It wasn't because Mizuki Yoru set up a special barrier that restricted space-time ninjutsu, making the opponent afraid and not showing up, but because the opponent was never in the Land of Rain in the first place!

Fugaku slowly withdrew from the genjutsu, opened his eyes, and sighed as he looked at Itachi, whose face was full of self-reproach.

"Itachi, don't blame yourself. This time it's not your fault. The reason for everything is that guy."

"But!" Itachi raised his hands, trembling, his remaining eyes wide open: "But I personally killed countless clansmen, and Izumi, I..."

"This isn't your fault, you were controlled! That masked man is the culprit behind all this!" Fugaku interrupted Itachi sharply, placing a pair of large hands on Itachi's shoulders: "I know you're feeling complicated—anger, sadness, self-blame, and helplessness..."

"But no matter what your emotions are, you must understand one thing."

"You are my proudest son!"

Itachi looked up, tears welling in his eyes. "Father..."

Fugaku patted Itachi on the shoulder, his tone softening slightly: "You should calm down."

After saying this, Fugaku slowly walked out of the ward, closed the door behind him, and his gentle expression suddenly turned grim.

"Take good care of Itachi, Tetsuka."

"Yes, Mr. Patriarch!"

After leaving the hospital, Fugaku went to the Hokage Building, where the elders and high-ranking officials, having received the news, had already gathered.

Faced with the aggressive and furious Fugaku, no one present spoke up. Fugaku also showed no mercy and directly attacked the elders!

"Yan, I remember I already had you replace all the barriers in the village with special barriers to prevent space-time ninjutsu, so why was that masked man still able to infiltrate Konoha this time!"

"Danzo, what are your Root members doing? This is happening to the Uchiha clan, and your Root members haven't reacted at all. They've just sat there watching the Uchiha suffer such a calamity. If it were another Konoha clan or the Shimura clan suffering this calamity, would you have done the same?!"

"And you..."

Faced with Fugaku's anger, the elders wisely refrained from responding and silently endured his rage.

Such a thing happening to the Uchiha clan would be unbearable for anyone, let alone Fugaku, who is the Hokage.

Fortunately, Fugaku didn't continue firing for long. Although the Uchiha's core base was gone, their elites were still there, and their positions in the village naturally couldn't be changed. The only problem was that Setsuna, the head of the Anbu, was gone.

This position needs to be filled, but currently no one in the Uchiha clan is suitable for it.

Fugaku's gloomy gaze swept over the elders, finally settling on Hiashi.

Compared to these guys, Hiashi, who was also closely related to Minazuki Yoru and whose daughter was a disciple of Minazuki Yoru, was clearly the best choice. Even if this would cause the Hyuga clan's power to continue to expand.

However, for the Uchiha at this stage, no matter how much the Hyuga clan's power expands, they are powerless to stop it.

After venting his anger through a tirade, Fugaku leaned back wearily in his chair, looking somewhat tired. "In this battle in the Land of Rain, we successfully defeated the Akatsuki, but they retreated in time, and we were unable to capture them."

"They didn't wipe them out?" Danzo suddenly spoke, frowning. "With Mizuki Yoru's strength, how could Akatsuki escape?"

Fugaku glared at Danzo, feeling quite displeased with the latter's presence outside the Uchiha clan's territory. However, he was the one who issued the order prohibiting Root members from freely entering the Uchiha clan's territory, and he had nowhere to complain.

Fugaku, visibly annoyed and somewhat frustrated, recounted the events that had transpired in the Land of Rain, focusing on the power of the Shinigami and only briefly mentioning Hiruko's single-handedly defeating the three Kage.

Everyone marveled at the power of the Shinigami, but Mitokado Homura and the others were quite dissatisfied with Tsunade and Orochimaru joining the Seireitei.

"Seriously, Orochimaru being a rogue ninja is one thing, but Tsunade having such strength and not returning to the village is just unbelievable..."

"Alright, this is Princess Tsunade's own choice after all, and we are now allies with Kirigakure, so let's not talk about these things anymore." Fugaku glanced at Koharu Utatane and said in a deep voice, "The most important thing today is to promote spiritual power. I plan to select a group of ninjas from the Anbu and Root to work with the group of ninjas chosen by the sage of Ryuchi Cave to convert spiritual power."

"Secondly, I plan to completely replace the chakra training courses in the ninja academy with spiritual power!"

"Isn't this too hasty?" Mitokado Homura pushed up his glasses and said in a deep voice, "Chakra is deeply ingrained in people's hearts. If we completely abandon chakra and switch to cultivating spiritual power, I'm afraid many people will find it hard to accept."

"You have no choice but to accept it!"

Fugaku spoke in a deep voice: "In this war, Konoha suffered the most severe losses. The fundamental reason is that Kumogakure and Sunagakure have already begun the era of universal spiritual power, and their ninja combat strength is formidable. If Konoha does not keep up with the pace, it is destined to fall further and further behind."

"There's no need to discuss this further. I will issue the Hokage's order shortly and carry it out immediately!"

"Yes, Fifth Boss!"

“You are the backbone of the village. This is a difficult task, and it’s not something I can decide with just a few words. You also need to put in more effort and push it forward.”

"understandable!"

Fugaku said something else, but in the end, he still didn't hand over the position of head of the Anbu. After the meeting ended and everyone left, he sat alone in the Hokage's office for a long time without saying a word, seemingly lost in thought.

After the meeting, Danzo left the Hokage's office and went to his Root base, where he told Hiruzen Sarutobi everything that had happened in the office.

"Fugaku is quite composed. Even with such a huge change, he's still thinking about handling Konoha's political affairs." Hiruzen Sarutobi snorted lightly. "However, promoting spiritual power is indeed for Konoha's benefit, and it should be done."

The power of spiritual energy is obvious to all, and the entire ninja world is doing it. If they don't, they will fall behind.

"My spiritual power is strong, but I can't give up my chakra." Danzo shook his head, took out a scroll from his pocket, and handed it to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"This is a rough battle report of the battle in the Land of Rain. Take a look."