I, Uchiha: Split Konoha

Chapter 185 Giving You a Kiss That Melts the Heart

"Shimura Danzo!"

Tsunade gritted her teeth and muttered the name, her eyes filled with boundless rage.

Others might not know, but how could she not know? The old folks in the village, even the Third Hokage, were still living in the sunlight, while Danzo, hiding in the shadows, was different; he had absolutely no scruples.

Moreover, upon closer examination, all of this actually aligns with Danzo Shimura's character, using the Mangekyou Sharingan's eye techniques to manipulate conspiracies from behind the scenes.

Damn it!

At this point, Tsunade had clearly gone astray, while Uchiha Yoru remained silent. He was not afraid of being investigated, because even if the truth was found, it would be known to be true.

Danzo did indeed have the Sharingan. As for whether he had the Mangekyou Sharingan, I didn't say that. I only said that Danzo possessed the Sharingan.

The truth is never afraid of being verified; on the contrary, even the most perfect lie will eventually be exposed.

"The village! Unbelievable!"

When Mei Terumi heard about this huge conspiracy, she also showed anger, but her anger was more about the policies of Kirigakure over the years.

"No wonder the policies in the Blood Mist have become increasingly harsh since the Fourth Mizukage came to power. The entire Hidden Mist Village, and even the entire Land of Water, is hostile to bloodline ninjas. At first, I thought it was because the bloodline clans had too much power, but it turns out it's all to weaken the Hidden Mist Village!"

It was obvious that Mei Terumi had also imagined this huge conspiracy, and her guess was correct. The person behind it all really wanted Kirigakure to be beaten to a pulp.

"You brat!"

Once she calmed down, Tsunade looked up at Uchiha Yoru's young and cold face. How old was he? Yet he carried so much darkness on his shoulders and kept moving forward in the shadows.

Facing Tsunade, Uchiha Yoru concealed all his previous emotions and said in a hoarse voice, "Princess Tsunade, the Uchiha clan is now in a precarious situation. As the founders of Konoha, the Senju and Uchiha have a responsibility to protect the village."

"But the darkness of the village has already covered the sky. Princess Tsunade is one of the three legendary ninjas. If something happens to the village in the future, you will be the village's last hope and the hope for its resurgence."

At this point, Uchiha Yoru's eyes filled with sadness. He gently formed a hand seal, and a small snake was summoned. It then crawled in front of Tsunade and spat out a scroll.

"These are the current high-ranking family members of the village and all the important positions held by the Sarutobi clan, as well as the Ino-Shika-Cho clan, who act as accomplices to the enemy. This is my preliminary investigation. I do not yet have the authority to investigate some of the more secretive units."

As Uchiha Yoru's hoarse voice echoed, Tsunade, her face grim, slowly unrolled the scroll. Only then did she realize how shocking these seemingly ordinary investigation records were.

One or two positions are fine, even a dozen or twenty are not a big deal, but the surnames under the densely packed job titles are either Sarutobi, Ino-Shika-Cho, or members of the clans of a few old bastards in the higher-ups.

This densely packed list of positions, containing hundreds of names, might not seem significant to others, but Tsunade, who would later become the Fifth Hokage, understood it perfectly.

This is a shocking investigation report. All the important positions in Konoha that are exposed in the open are controlled by these old guys' own clansmen, or rather, their followers' families.

For example, the teachers at the school are relatively well-off on the surface, at least there are quite a few ordinary civilian ninjas, but the logistics are entirely handled by members of the Sarutobi clan.

This is just what's on the surface. As for what's hidden behind the scenes, Tsunade felt a chill run down her spine when she thought about it. The forces hidden in the shadows, such as the Anbu and Root, are more like the private armies of the higher-ups, which are even more shocking than what's on the surface.

The conclusion is that the entire Hidden Leaf Village is firmly controlled by the old guard at the top, although there are exceptions, such as the Police Department! This unit has always been outside the center of power since the founding of Hidden Leaf Village.

"There were many passionate people in the village during that generation."

Although Uchiha Yoru didn't say it explicitly, he did point out that there were dissenting opinions within the village, but they were too weak.

Crunch, crunch~

Upon seeing this shocking report, Tsunade gritted her teeth in hatred, and the scroll was crushed into tiny pieces by brute force in her delicate hands.

The fluttering fragments of the scroll fell into the campfire and disappeared as sparks. Although the report was reduced to ashes, everything was unforgettable.

"I need to go back to the village!"

Just as Tsunade was furious, Mei Terumi on the other side calmed down, a resolute look appearing in her eyes. As a member of Kirigakure, she absolutely did not want to see her village head towards the abyss.

"Go back? What can you do then?"

Faced with Mei's resolute expression, Uchiha Yoru gave a self-deprecating laugh, raised his head, pointed at himself, and shook his head, saying, "Me! The genius of the Uchiha clan, the captain of the 7th Division of the Police Department, and a disciple of Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin, still have no power to resist this overwhelming force."

"And what have you gained? Are you just going to go back to the village and die for nothing? Or are you just trying to avoid any regrets?"

Faced with Uchiha Yoru's mockery, Terumi Mei felt a complex mix of emotions, a sense of shared misfortune, as both of them were powerless to change anything.

"And you? If I go back, I'll just die for nothing. So why do you still want to go back to Konoha?"

Uchiha Yoru was stunned after being outmaneuvered by Terumi Mei. Looking at the two of them, his eyes were somewhat unfocused, and he muttered to himself, "Yes, why didn't I choose to leave?"

Despite saying that, Uchiha Yoru gave a bitter, self-deprecating smile. "Because I am an Uchiha, I cannot stand by and watch the village fall into the abyss. I want to change all of this, so I decided to take up the banner of change. I know there will be bloodshed and sacrifice on this path, and even those sacrificed will be our own people."

"But I don't regret it. Too much innocent blood has been shed in the village. The lessons of White Fang and Orochimaru, and the countless young children who died on the battlefield in the Third World War. I would rather bear the infamy for eternity than let our descendants shed blood in vain."

Seeing Uchiha Yoru's increasingly determined expression, especially when he spoke of reform, he revealed an unprecedented level of resolve.

When Tsunade saw this, a fleeting look of confusion crossed her eyes, and then she irritably flung her hand away, saying, "It's all about power. I don't care about any of that. Do whatever you want."

Faced with the darkness of the village, Tsunade still chose to hide. Wasn't her staying away from the village a form of hiding? A mature and determined ninja is not so easily changed.

Seeing Tsunade's somewhat agitated mood, Uchiha Yoru was not disappointed. Instead, a look of relief appeared in his eyes, as if he had breathed a sigh of relief.

But it was this very expression that made Tsunade even more irritated. "You brat, how dare you talk about reform? You should mind your own business first."

She hated this kind of concern. Even though everything between them was fake, she felt increasingly agitated for some reason.

What does that kid's relieved expression mean? Does he not want her to get involved in this mess? Does he care about her?

Who is she? She is Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin of Konoha, and she's being worried about by a little brat.

When Uchiha Yoru saw that Tsunade was trying to avoid him, he not only did not try to dissuade her, but also did not try to recruit her into his forces to change the corrupt Konoha. Instead, he pretended not to see her and looked at Terumi Mei.

"Mei, you're already a rogue ninja. Even if you could change your status by going back to the village, how many people would believe your conspiracy? And how many years has the Mizukage been manipulated? How much power have they accumulated? Going back will only cause unrest in the village, even worse!"

She didn't say the final words, but everyone was smart enough to know that the village's leader had been manipulated for so many years. How many people could believe her words alone? Not only were they in danger, but the village would likely face a major upheaval as well.

The analogy of "a mantis trying to stop a chariot" is quite apt.

"Mei, I think what you're doing now is preserving the village's embers. You can use the Samehada sword as leverage to secretly threaten Suigetsu Hobuki, unite the bloodline powers that are gradually being wiped out within the village, and at the same time contact reliable high-ranking members or Jonin within the village."

"You are the spark of hope for the village, not someone who places all their hopes on mere enthusiasm."

Uchiha Yoru hesitantly revealed his plan. Although what he said made sense, his awkward demeanor made it clear to anyone that he had ulterior motives.

He didn't want Mei Terumi to put herself in danger. Her passion was admirable and courageous, but what would happen after she shed that passion? She would end up with a way of avoiding responsibility, one that she herself wouldn't regret, and no longer caring about what would happen afterward.

The intention was clearly to give her advice, to prevent her from blindly throwing her life away with this escapist mentality. But would someone who would become the Fifth Mizukage in the future be a political novice?

Mei Terumi possesses two bloodlines. In Kirigakure, the village of the Land of Water, which is so opposed to bloodlines, she not only managed to survive but also overthrow the former Mizukage's regime—or, to put it bluntly, staged a coup.

She is definitely intelligent and resourceful; she may be a little naive due to her youth, but she possesses both of these qualities.

Watching Uchiha Yoru's hesitant manner, as if he, a Konoha ninja, were giving advice to an enemy ninja, Mei Terumi felt a complex warmth rising in her heart beneath her cold exterior.

It seems that, apart from her parents in her memories, no one else in the village has ever shown her this feeling of being cared for.

The campfire crackled and popped as the sky gradually began to lighten.

After a night's rest, the three seemed to be hiding, avoiding their previous pretense. It wasn't that they were afraid to admit it, but rather that they each had their own mission and responsibility.

"Alright, once I've mastered this Samehada, my strength will increase significantly."

As dawn broke, Mei Terumi glanced at the cave with a lingering look, as if lost in thought. If only she were a wandering ninja, perhaps she wouldn't have so much pressure.

Mei Terumi, carrying the giant sword Samehada on her back, stood up and basked in the morning sunlight. Her long, wavy brown hair was crisscrossed, and her right eye was covered, revealing a seductive emerald green eye.

Mei Terumi stretched and slowly got up. Looking at Tsunade, who was still pretending to be asleep with her eyes closed, she smiled indifferently and turned to look at the man in front of her.

Mei Terumi smiled sweetly and gracefully extended her palm, teasingly saying, "We'll settle the score for you stabbing me twice next time."

Uchiha Yoru looked embarrassed, slowly reached out and grasped the fair hand. Instantly, as if they had some kind of telepathic connection, the two slowly walked out of the cave.

The two seemed to have forgotten everything, but because of their different positions, they could not be together. They were both adults with mature minds, so they could only suppress all their emotions.

"Night, if I am just an ordinary commoner, then you are just an ordinary blacksmith."

Gazing at the rising sun, Mei Terumi smiled and murmured to herself with a blissful expression. Hearing this, Yoru Uchiha, without hesitation, lowered his head and said in a deep voice, "Then I will hold your hand, just as you once said, and wear a white wedding dress for you..."

Before Uchiha Yoru could finish speaking, Terumi Mei suddenly grinned mischievously, turning her face towards Uchiha Yoru with a slightly neurotic expression, and teased, "Uchiha handsome guy, you didn't actually take this seriously, did you?"

"We were just acting before, it was all fake. Ninjas are all about deception. Have you forgotten the first lesson at this ninja academy? Or is your genius just a facade?"

Standing at 1.74 meters tall, Mei Terumi has an exceptionally tall and slender figure with fair and delicate skin. Especially now that the two of them are looking into each other's eyes and face to face, they can even smell each other's breath.

Their eyes met, and Mei Terumi revealed a playful and mature smile, as if she had already put everything behind her.

With a soft moan, Mei Terumi's pupils dilated instantly, her smile froze, and a look of shock appeared in her eyes, followed by a hint of panic. Her pink lips experienced something she had never felt before.

Moist! And there seems to be a tremor in my heart!

"Live on."

Uchiha Yoru separated them directly, a resolute expression on his face, as if his blessing was so cheap.

However, while Mei Terumi was stunned, she reached out her slender hand to stroke her pink lips, then revealed a defiant and competitive look, and teased with feigned composure, "I'll give you a kiss that melts your heart and soul, such a handsome man shouldn't forget me."

After saying that, Mei Terumi revealed a sexy smile and casually flicked her hand, as if she had turned the awkwardness into an advantage. She has a competitive personality.

She knew that the relationship between the two was doomed, so it was best not to let it sprout in the first place.

As she turned to leave, a blush rose on Mei Terumi's mature and alluring face, and for some reason, she slowly stuck out her tongue to lick the lingering scent from the corner of her mouth.

With a slightly dazed look in her eyes, as if trying to memorize the feeling, Mei Terumi drove off gracefully. As a person of faith, she needed to change her village.

"Hey, kid, what are you still looking at after you've left? Shouldn't you finish talking about what you didn't finish saying last night?"

Standing outside the cave, gazing at Mei Terumi's figure that had long since disappeared, Uchiha Yoru was somewhat lost in thought. He too felt a lingering nostalgia for the moment he had just experienced, and finally gave a self-deprecating laugh.

Indeed, the highest level of acting is to immerse oneself in the role. When they parted, he knew that the course of history had changed, and he could no longer predict what Mei Terumi's future would be like, so a sense of worry arose in his heart.

But he did not stop the other party from making their choice, just as he himself was facing many difficulties in what he was doing.

Suddenly, a hearty voice came from behind him, and Uchiha Yoru turned around and saw a golden figure.

(End of this chapter)