The world begins with refining skills

Chapter 384 Identification! (Please Subscribe)
Just minutes before, Hiruzen Sarutobi was in the Hokage Building's lounge, brewing tea, enjoying incense, and painting.

Suddenly, news came that the Uchiha clan had surrounded the Sarutobi clan.

That moment completely shattered all of Sarutobi Hibizen's leisurely mood.

I almost thought the Uchiha clan was going to attack the Sarutobi clan's territory and launch a rebellion.

Fortunately, the Anbu messenger reported that the Uchiha were demanding the handing over of someone, which relieved him.

However, when he arrived at the scene and saw what was before him, Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart jumped again.

With just one glance, Hiruzen Sarutobi roughly estimated that there were more than three hundred Uchiha.

Moreover, none of them were ordinary people; they were all ninjas wearing headbands.

These 300-plus ninjas were not gathered together, but rather dispersed in the surrounding area in the form of standard ninja squads, covering several streets.

Of these 300-plus Uchiha ninjas, over 100 had awakened the Sharingan.

At this moment, these Sharingan ninjas were staring intently at Hiruzen Sarutobi with their blood-red eyes.

There are one-comma, two-comma, three-comma, and even some with different numbers of commas on the left and right sides.

These blood-red eyes, like those of starving wolves, greedily stare at their prey that has come to them.

'What's the Uchiha clan up to with that battle formation and those looks?'

Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart jumped again. The incident happened so suddenly that he only had time to mobilize the Anbu directly under the Hokage.

Even though these ANBU ninjas are all elites, they might not be able to defeat so many hungry wolves who seem ready to go berserk at any moment.

Fortunately, seeing the Konoha ninjas still gathering, Hiruzen Sarutobi regained some confidence.

As the Hokage of Konoha, these gathered ninjas were also strengthening his side's power.

However, compared to the threat posed by these three hundred-plus Uchiha ninja, Hiruzen Sarutobi was more concerned about...
'Rin Uchiha has only been the clan leader for a little over a month, and she's already achieved this level of control over the Uchiha clan?'

It's one thing for the radical Uchiha, but Uchiha Rin was a radical elder and the adopted granddaughter of Uchiha Setsuna, so the radical Uchiha naturally supported her.

But what about those moderates?

How come you're all rushing forward even faster than the radicals? Does Fugaku Uchiha know you're all kneeling down so quickly?

Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly spotted Rin Uchiha in the crowd, dressed in blood-red samurai armor.

It has to be said that, at first glance, when Hiruzen Sarutobi saw Rin Uchiha's outfit, the image of Madara Uchiha seemed to float before his eyes.

so similar!
It wasn't just the style and color of the armor, but also that unruly expression.

Is it a deliberate imitation?

Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately realized something, after all, according to the information from the village, this youngest clan leader in the history of the Uchiha clan was not like this before.

"Yes, Madara Uchiha lived during the most glorious period of the Uchiha clan, and these radical Uchiha members somewhat admired him."

'Uchiha Rin was only 12 years old when she was put in the position of clan leader. Using this method to win people's hearts is indeed a good approach.'

Hiruzen Sarutobi guessed that this was probably a method devised by that old man, Setsuna Uchiha.

But can this alone turn these unruly Uchiha into loyal lackeys?

Hiruzen Sarutobi suspected that there was some secret hidden behind this that he didn't know about.

This uncertainty, which is beyond his control, has kept his unease alive.

'Now is not the time to think about that.'

Hiruzen Sarutobi composed himself, adjusted his Hokage hat, and gazed through the brim at the blood-red samurai-armored girl leaning on her sword.

"Clan Chief Rin, you have gathered so many clan ninjas and surrounded my Sarutobi clan with such imposing manner. Is there something you dislike about me?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's deep voice carried a subtle sense of oppression.

"Or perhaps, is there some dissatisfaction with Konoha?"

As soon as Hiruzen Sarutobi finished speaking, the Anbu ninjas behind him stepped forward simultaneously.

The ninjas of the Anbu are all seasoned killers who carry out assassination missions year after year. The murderous aura they exude is enough to terrify ordinary genin who have just graduated from school, leaving them unable to move.

At this moment, these terrifying killing intents condensed into a powerful pressure, like a mountain formed of swords, spears, and halberds, pressing down on Uchiha Rin.

If Uchiha Rin can't withstand this killing intent, she will immediately make a fool of herself in front of so many people.

At that point, whatever the Uchiha clan wants to do today, it probably won't go smoothly.

The killing intent released by dozens of elite ANBU members at the Jonin level was so overwhelming that even fellow Jonin could not remain calm under its pressure.

"Lord Hokage, your words are indeed a bit too harsh. The Uchiha are also part of Konoha. How could they be dissatisfied with the village that gave us birth and raised us?"

However, to Hiruzen Sarutobi's surprise, Rin Uchiha was completely unaffected and smiled slightly.

It was as if that murderous aura, sharp as a knife or a halberd, was nothing more than a gentle breeze.

"I, the Uchiha, have come here today for three reasons!"

Rin Uchiha raised her right hand, holding up three fingers in a row: "Fair! Fair! It's fucking fair!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes, and his gaze toward Rin Uchiha changed.

This girl was completely unaffected by the murderous aura emanating from the ANBU ninja, which was somewhat unexpected.

Hiruzen Sarutobi originally thought that Rin Uchiha was just a puppet pushed to the forefront by the radicals, but now it seems that the strength of this young clan leader should not be underestimated.

Ultimately, there was simply not enough information.

Since the night of the Uchiha clan uprising, Konoha has completely cut off information about the Uchiha clan.

Even Uchiha Shisui, whom he recalled from the front lines, has not sent back any useful information since entering the Uchiha clan's territory.

It's unclear whether the Uchiha were on guard against it intentionally, or if even he was wary of it.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't want to think about it any further.

The Uchiha clan now felt extremely unfamiliar to him, like a giant dye vat that had dyed everyone who had fallen into it the same color.

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced around at the Uchiha ninjas scattered around him. Although they looked different and varied in height and build, their expressions were exactly the same.

It's as if they were all made from the same mold.

Their unwavering fervor is unsettling.

"Fairness? Chief Lin has made such a big fuss just to demand fairness?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't believe in any of those bullshit excuses about fairness.

The Uchiha clan's elite forces have all been mobilized; it's clear they have ulterior motives!

"Then how has the Sarutobi clan interfered with the Uchiha's sense of fairness?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi intentionally delayed, having already sent orders to the various ninja clans before arriving here.

I believe a large number of Konoha ninjas will soon gather here.

"Dou Huan!"

Rin Uchiha turned her head and spoke to an Uchiha ninja to her right rear.

"Explain to the Hokage what fairness is!"

Uchiha Touhuan stepped forward, standing at the very front of his ninjas, facing the Hokage without flinching, and shouted:

"Fairness means that the Sarutobi clan must hand over the murderer who kidnapped the Uchiha clan members and give the Uchiha clan justice!"

"You're talking nonsense! When have we ever kidnapped any members of the Uchiha clan?"

A hairy Sarutobi ninja retorted loudly, "If they weren't kidnapped by you, how could Uchiha Araki and Uchiha Aika have disappeared?" Uchiha Touhuan countered.

"Why should the disappearance of your Uchiha clan members be blamed on my Sarutobi clan?"

"It was you Sarutobi clan members who kidnapped them. Who else should we blame but you?"

"This is hilarious! Uchiha Araki, Uchiha Aika, people we've never even heard of. Why would we kidnap them?"

"Then tell me, why did the Uchiha Araki couple disappear?"

How do I know why they disappeared?

"It was the Sarutobi clan who kidnapped them, how could you not know?"

"We didn't kidnap anyone!"

"You have them!"

"no!"

"Yes!"

"Ahhh"

Sarutobi Ninja was so angry at Uchiha Touhuan's unreasonable nagging that his blood rushed to his head and his face turned red.

"Lord Hokage, as you've seen, the Uchiha clan is deliberately causing trouble!"

Unable to resolve his entanglement with Uchiha Touhuan, Sarutobi had no choice but to complain to his Hokage clan leader.

Hiruzen Sarutobi witnessed what had just happened and was also somewhat confused.

This kind of shrewish cursing is really quite deceptive.

"Clan Chief Rin, have all these nobles gathered here just to start a fight?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.

"of course not!"

As she spoke, Uchiha Rin glanced at Uchiha Touhuan, who immediately understood what she meant.

"May I ask if Sarutobi Shiroo is a member of the Sarutobi clan?"

Upon hearing his name called, Sarutobi Shiro immediately hid himself in the crowd again.

When he first heard that the Uchiha clan had brought people to cause trouble, he thought it was just a few people or a dozen people.

Thinking he could easily send them away, he never expected so many people, including the head of the Uchiha clan and the Hokage.

'That unfortunate kid Akio, what a mess he's made of me!'

Then he glared at the young clansman who had brought him the news. This idiot didn't even say how many people there were. Now we're doomed!
"Sarutobi Shiroo?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback; the name sounded familiar.

After thinking carefully for a while, Hiruzen Sarutobi remembered that this was the clansman who had clashed with Katsuki Kanbara.

Could this incident be related to him again?
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked toward the location of the Sarutobi clan, and the crowd quickly dispersed to both sides, revealing the furtive Sarutobi Shiroo.

Uchiha Touhuan followed everyone's gaze and spotted Sarutobi Seio. He frowned, glared, pointed at the man, and roared.

"Sarutobi Shiroo, I've finally found you! Tell me! Where did you take the Uchiha Araki couple?"

The Uchiha ninjas all turned to look at Sarutobi Shiro, and the Sarutobi clan ninjas also looked at this clansman.

The other ninjas watching also focused their attention on Sarutobi Shiro. The Uchiha clan specifically asked for Sarutobi Shiro. Could it be that this person had really kidnapped a member of the Uchiha clan?
Sarutobi Seio was just an ordinary Chunin who usually did nothing but embezzle money. He had never experienced such a large-scale battle before.

Under the gaze of thousands of eyes around him, Sarutobi Shiro felt his body go weak.

"No, it has nothing to do with me! I didn't... I didn't kidnap the Uchiha Araki couple!"

Sarutobi Shiroo had indeed never kidnapped anyone from the Uchiha clan, but his stammering manner inevitably raised some suspicions.

"If you didn't kidnap them, then tell me, how did the Araki couple disappear?" Uchiha Touhuan pressed.

Sarutobi Shiro was already nervous. He had previously sent people to cause trouble for the other party, and now that the person had disappeared, it was indeed a bit difficult to explain.

Pressed even harder by Uchiha Touhuan's imposing aura, he became even more nervous, and sweat broke out on his forehead.

When the wind blew, I felt a chill.

"I...I don't know, I don't know them at all," Sarutobi Shiroo instinctively denied.

But as soon as he said it, he realized there was something wrong with his answer.

Sure enough, the next second...
"Don't you recognize them?" Uchiha Touhuan sneered. "If you didn't recognize them, why would you send people to cause trouble at their shop time and time again?"

Sarutobi Shiro felt a pang of regret. What had he done? How could he have made such a basic mistake?

'What to do? What to do?'

Sarutobi Shiro's brain was working at lightning speed, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation.

Perhaps it was the wind that caused his sweat to evaporate and take away a lot of the heat, allowing his mind to quickly calm down.

Sarutobi Shiro quickly came up with a solution: deny everything!

'Those delinquents were all hired by Akio, and Akio used my name—that is, the one the Uchiha thought was me, but it wasn't!'

'So as long as I firmly deny any involvement, when the Uchiha gang sends those delinquents to identify me, they'll find out I'm not who I am at all!'

Sarutobi Shiro felt a surge of secret delight, thinking how incredibly clever he was.

Even his somewhat weak body became straight and stiff.

He seemed to have forgotten that this was Konoha Village, where there were plenty of ways to search memories.

"I don't even know them, how could I send people to cause trouble at their shop? Don't make false accusations!"

Come on, let someone identify me!

Sarutobi Shiro was inexplicably looking forward to it, and sure enough, he soon saw Uchiha Touhuan raise his hand and make a move.

A squad of Uchiha ninjas brought up several delinquents.

"You still talk tough when you are about to die!"

Uchiha Touhuan grabbed one of the thugs and said, "Tell me, who ordered you to cause trouble at the Rin family's restaurant?"

The delinquent, his face covered in bruises, pointed at Sarutobi Shiro and shouted, "It's him! It's him, Sarutobi Shiro!"

That day he came to the tavern and found a few of us, telling us to cause trouble at the Rin family's restaurant every day, saying he would give us one million taels of silver if we succeeded.

Sarutobi Shiro immediately panicked: "You're lying, I've never seen you before."

Uchiha Touhuan said, "Look closely, is this the person in front of you?"

The delinquent glanced at Sarutobi Shiro a few more times and said seriously, "It's him. I'd recognize him even if he were ashes!"

"Sarutobi Makoto!" Uchiha Touhuan roared, "Now that things have come to this, are you still going to try to deny it?"

"It wasn't me, it really wasn't me!" Sarutobi Shiro panicked. "You have to believe me, he's lying! It was Akio who went to find the men. I've never seen them before, how could they possibly know me!"

"Oh, it was Akio who found them," Uchiha Touhuan said with a triumphant smile.

"Then may I ask, who is Akio?"

Oh no! What did I just say?!

Sarutobi Shiro's face was ashen; he was completely finished now.

(End of this chapter)