Naruto: I, Naruto, don't want to try anymore.

Chapter 57 Late-Night Secret Talk

A few days later…

Late at night, in the Uchiha clan compound.

"This guest from Kumogakure..."

The patriarch's residence, inside the tea room.

Fugaku sat upright behind the low table, hands tucked in his pockets, calmly watching the Cloud Village ninja who had come to visit him late at night.

"Still don't know how to address me?"

"My name is Savaya. I am the contact person for the Cloud Village's spy work in Konoha. I hope Clan Chief Fugaku will forgive my intrusion."

Opposite Fugaku, a man with light blond hair and a resolute appearance nodded slightly.

"Then, Mr. Savaya..."

Fugaku's lips twitched slightly; it was indeed the naming style of the Cloud Village.

The people in this village always like to use a certain word as their name.

The meaning of Savaya: Awesome!

It's a very straightforward name, but it's strange in every sense...

"I wonder what brings you here so late at night?"

Fugaku's tone carried a hint of accusation. If the person in front of him hadn't been polite enough to wait outside after making a commotion by climbing over the wall, Fugaku would have already taken him down with a single Sharingan strike.

"I apologize, but I am acting on the orders of Lord Raikage to invite the Uchiha clan to join Kumogakure."

"Join...Kumakure?"

Fugaku's lips twitched again.

Do you want to hear what you're saying, kid?

Did they sneak into the home of the head of Konoha's largest ninja clan in the dead of night to undermine him?

Who the hell taught you to do that?

"That's right."

Savaya took out a scroll and handed it to Fugaku with a serious expression.

"This is a handwritten note from our Raikage. Please take a look."

Fugaku activated his Sharingan to make sure the guy wasn't up to any tricks before taking the scroll and scanning it.

I glanced at it briefly, and the gist of it was: Come to my place, the conditions and treatment are better than in Konoha.

Since Konoha doesn't trust you anyway, why don't you join forces with Kumogakure to grow bigger and stronger?

The Uchiha clan originally belonged to the Land of Lightning, so why should they suffer such humiliation in the Land of Fire?

Also, I heard you haven't been doing well lately, brother. There's also a small gift worth a few million taels included in the scroll, how about that…

Fugaku put down the Raikage's handwritten note, a strange look on his face.

"There is something I don't understand, and I would appreciate it if you could enlighten me."

"Please speak."

Fugaku frowned slightly: "From the founding of Konoha until now, in the three Shinobi World Wars, our Uchiha have always been at the forefront. It can be said that no matter which ninja village it is, they all have a considerable grudge against our Uchiha..."

Savaya said meaningfully, "But if I remember correctly, the Uchiha's greatest enemy in the past was the Senju of the Forest."

Fugaku paused for a moment, then gave a wry smile; that was indeed the truth.

"Clan Chief Fugaku, I have indeed come with the sincerity of Lord Raikage."

Savaya said earnestly, "You must be familiar with the name Naruto Uzumaki."

Fugaku chuckled: "I heard that the Raikage has taken that child as his sworn brother?"

"That's right."

Savaya nodded emphatically: "Lord Naruto is highly respected in the village and is admired by the younger generation."

"But if I'm not mistaken, he probably won't choose the path of a ninja."

Fugaku shook his head slightly: "While I am very grateful for Raikage-sama's kindness, I apologize, Lord Savaya. The Uchiha are ninjas, a thousand-year-old ninja clan that co-founded this village with the Senju."

"As expected... Lord Raikage was right."

Savaya was not surprised by Fugaku's answer.

"However, Clan Chief Fugaku, the Uchiha and Konoha will inevitably part ways completely sooner or later. Do you think that as long as you stay out of it, everything will be peaceful?"

Fugaku's gaze sharpened: "What do you mean?"

"Ever since Lord Naruto joined Kumogakure, your village elder Danzo Shimura has been trying to exchange Kumogakure for the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki by giving up benefits."

Savaya smiled slightly: "Of course we in Kumogakure will not betray our brothers in the village, but Lord Raikage will not give up any opportunity to weaken Konoha's fighting force."

Are you threatening me?

Fugaku's eyes widened suddenly, and the crimson three-tomoe jade pendant slowly rotated.

"That's not the case. No one would give up the Uchiha clan for a piece of trash like Shimura Danzo."

Savaya's expression turned serious: "What I mean is, since you know the true colors of Konoha's higher-ups, why are you still so persistent about Konoha? Is it because of Jiraiya? Do you think he can help the Uchiha out of their predicament?"

"As far as I know, that powerful figure, one of the Legendary Sannin, is merely a puppet put forward by the higher-ups. He has no intention of getting involved in politics, and there has been no substantial change in power in Konoha. He is still in the hands of the Third Hokage and the Elder Council."

Upon hearing this, Fugaku fell silent for a moment.

Indeed, Savaya is right.

The power structure of Konoha has not changed. Although Jiraiya officially succeeded as Hokage not long ago, he has no intention of interfering in political affairs.

In fact, if it weren't for the fact that the Jinchuriki's departure was such a huge problem, so huge that even Hiruzen Sarutobi and the elders couldn't carry it all, the position of Hokage probably wouldn't have changed for several years.

"Let me think about it some more..."

Fugaku sighed slightly; he had indeed been persuaded by Savaya.

But since it concerned the entire clan, he could not simply believe the other party's side of the story.

Moreover, the fact that they defected voluntarily was something that the proud Uchiha clan found hard to accept.

Although Fugaku gave up the power struggle, he still retained the pride of being an Uchiha.

"In that case, I will not disturb you any longer."

As he spoke, Savaya took out another kunai from his pocket and handed it to Fugaku.

"By the way, please keep this safe."

"This is…"

"I hope Chief Fugaku can give me a clear answer in a week from now on, with the kunai bearing Naruto-sama's Flying Thunder God seal."

As Savaya spoke, his figure slowly disappeared, silently leaving the Uchiha clan's territory.

"Flying Thunder God Technique..."

Fugaku sighed. He truly envied Naruto, who was able to eat his fill while his entire family was at ease.

Go wherever you want, a simple shift of your hip and you're a thousand miles away...

Having acquired the Flying Thunder God Kunai, he was about 80% convinced by Savaya's invitation.

"Come in, Itachi..."

sieve--

In the darkness, two scarlet lights flickered like demonic flames and quietly drifted into the tea room.

Itachi knelt properly before Fugaku: "Father."

"You must have heard it, right?"

"Yes."

"What do you think?"

"The Uchiha cannot leave Konoha."

When faced with Fugaku's question, Itachi did not hesitate at all.

"Our disconnect from the village lies with those at higher levels, not with the villagers."

"You talk about magnanimity all the time, yet you can't even see through this most basic principle..."

Fugaku shook his head in disappointment: "No, perhaps my expectations were too high. Political thinking and cultivation talent are not the same thing."

"I don't understand, Father. This is what you said before."

Itachi frowned: "The duty of the police department is to protect everyone in the village, which is what you taught me back then."

"That's true, but in reality, we can't reach the higher-ups. They'll always stand in the way of the villagers, blocking the Uchiha's advance. That's power..."

Fugaku took a deep breath and sighed heavily again.

"You haven't seen through the relationship between the village and the family yet, and you can't break free from the perspective that confines you. So you can only make choices, make choices between the village and the family."

I still don't understand.

Itachi felt a little wronged; he was only ten years old this year.

However, Fugaku was right. He did often make such choices, thinking about the relationships between people and the relationship between the village and the family.

But isn't liking to think a good thing?

"If your association with Izumi would kill Sasuke, would you still be willing to associate with her?"

"Won't."

"This is the relationship between Konoha and the Uchiha clan."

"But...the tribespeople won't agree."

Itachi pursed his lips: "I like the village very much too."

"I like it too."

Fugaku sighed softly, "So whether to stay or leave... let Konoha decide."

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(End of this chapter)