Konoha Notes

Chapter 163 Disposal
In Iwagakure, inside the Tsuchikage's office, Onoki, the Two Scales, was gazing out the window at the endless rocky mountains, deep in thought.

With the resurgence of Wood Release in Konoha, Tsunade ended her wanderings and returned to the village to take charge, proving that Hiruzen Sarutobi finally had a successor.

So, what about the Fourth Tsuchikage of Iwagakure?
Putting the issue of succession aside for now, there were other things that were more troubling him.

The two Jinchūriki, who were originally quite law-abiding, seem to have recently developed different ideas.

His arguments with Lao Zi became more frequent and increasingly heated. In these disputes, Han, who had initially tended to remain neutral, displayed a subtle inclination that made him somewhat uncomfortable.

What made him even more uneasy was the fact that the three clans of Sunagakure, Kumogakure, and Konoha were jointly holding the Chunin Exams.

Now that it's a joint exam, what will happen next? Will it eventually turn into a situation where Kirigakure and Iwagakure are isolated among the five great ninja villages, while the wind, fire, and lightning villages are all aligned?

Onoki knew very well that the continued pressure on Sunagakure from the west could not continue any longer. Iwagakure needed to make a new choice for its future.
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Guarded by an entire Uchiha ANBU squad, even though he was still imprisoned, Uchiha Enjin's will to resist had been reduced to a minimum.

He longed to prove his innocence and, more importantly, to find the real thief and reclaim the Sharingan that belonged to his clan.

However, the itcher responsible for guarding him seemed to have no intention of communicating with him, but simply carried out his mission in silence and dutifully until that person arrived.

Upon seeing Itachi Uchiha's former Jonin leader appear at the door, Flame Blade couldn't help but feel nervous.

Although the other party is younger, the strength and status he has shown are not to be underestimated—whether it is his huge amount of chakra, his outstanding performance on the battlefield, not to mention his special authority to command the Anbu of the Hokage Building within the village.

His status within the village is also high enough, as he is able to command the Anbu within the Hokage Building.

"The remains of Uchiha Fuwa and Uchiha Nosai have been claimed by Uchiha Fugaku."

Almost instinctively, Yanren asked, "Where are their eyes?"

"Still under investigation."

Shuji said calmly, "Have you calmed down now?"

Uchiha Enjin lowered his head. The clan's plans were at a critical juncture, and if he were to clash with this person of such special status now, it could very well affect the entire Uchiha's strategy, rendering the sacrifices of his comrades meaningless. He had to endure.

“Although the village’s attitude is more inclined to believe that you are not the culprit who stole the eyes,” Shuuji said, looking at him, “you are now a prime suspect, and procedurally speaking, you are no longer suitable to continue to carry out missions in the Dark Division.”

These words stung Flame Blade's nerves, and he couldn't help but raise his head to retort: ​​"I swear on the honor of the Uchiha! I would never do such a thing to my comrade's belongings!"

"I am willing to accept the test of the Sharingan; the clan leader can vouch for my innocence."

For Uchiha Enjin, returning to the clan with the stigma of stealing his comrade's eyes was worse than dying on the battlefield.

Shuji stared at him silently for a moment before speaking: "The village doesn't want to punish its heroes, since you insist..."

He paused briefly, as if weighing his options.

"Then, I'll give you one more chance."

"You will be temporarily assigned to Itachi Uchiha's team."

"He will verify your statement and determine whether you are still qualified to remain in the Dark Side."

Having said all that, Shuji didn't linger and turned to leave the interrogation room. Sending Uchiha Enjin back to the police force was the worst possible option; after all, the initial reason for transferring these people was that they were obsessed with the Uchiha clan and wouldn't accept any concessions from the police force.

The Hyuga clan members are already adapting quite well to the police force, so there's no need to add extra pressure on them.

However, sending Uchiha Enjin back to the dangerous front lines would be too harsh, and it's not how a proper organization should operate.

Therefore, temporarily placing him under Itachi's command, under Itachi's supervision and observation, seems to be the most appropriate option at present.

In other words, he wasn't ruthless enough; if he were, it would have been much easier to deal with.

Of course, although he wasn't exactly ruthless, his methods in this matter were quite dirty.
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Regarding the matter of sending a letter to negotiate with Kirigakure, Tsunade, after discussing it with the former Hokage and current advisor Hiruzen Sarutobi, felt it was feasible.

Therefore, on the very day Shuji dealt with the Uchiha matter, Konoha's diplomatic documents had already been officially issued, expressing their desire to hold peace talks with Kirigakure.

Tsunade hadn't held out much hope for this, but to her surprise, Kirigakure responded very quickly.

In their reply, the other party also offered a suggestion for the location of the negotiations—to be located southeast of Konoha, on another piece of land belonging to the Land of Tea on the mainland.

That area falls within Konoha's usual sphere of influence, and it's not too far from the tense Land of Waves.

Shuji, who had initially proposed contacting Kirigakure and had several successful negotiation experiences, was summoned to the Hokage's office.

Tsunade handed him the reply from Kirigakure.

Shuji quickly glanced through it and commented, "The choice of location seems to show some sincerity."

“I think so too.” Tsunade nodded. “Choosing that location will greatly reduce the chances of Kirigakure making secret arrangements or using underhanded tactics.”

If Obito wanted to use the negotiations to stir up trouble, the best place would undoubtedly be a no-man's-land like the Land of Waves, or he could directly ask Konoha to send an envoy to the Land of Water to negotiate.

The location of the Land of Tea is obviously more convenient for Konoha to make arrangements and monitor in advance.

Judging from the information revealed in this reply, Obito Uchiha's control over Kirigakure may indeed have run into problems, and he may even have lost his dominant position.

"I prefer that you lead the team to negotiate with Kirigakure this time," Tsunade stated her decision. "The troops stationed in the east will provide you with the necessary cover and support."

She looked at Xiu Si and asked, "So, is there anything else you need or have any concerns about this mission?"

Shuji pondered for a moment. He decided to personally contact the people of Kirigakure to see what was going on and to better assess the situation there.

Even if this negotiation is a trap, he has ways to escape the battlefield, not to mention that Kakashi and Uchiha Shisui are there to support him in the eastern front.

Especially Kakashi, it wasn't until the Eye of the Moon plan entered its second half that Obito Uchiha appeared before him as "Madara Uchiha".

Prior to this, Obito seemed to have been deliberately avoiding direct contact with Kakashi.

“No other questions.” Shuuji nodded in agreement. “I will be prepared.”

(End of this chapter)