I, Uchiha: Split Konoha

Chapter 20 Orochimaru: Itachi's Eyes

The fire crackled and popped as it burned. The giant snake opposite had already swallowed all eight children whole. Its body, already as thick as a water vat, had grown even thicker, now segmented, which looked rather comical.

After a puff of psychic smoke dissipated, the giant snake disappeared, and it was for the best that nothing unexpected happened.

"By the way, Itachi, you're six years old this year, shouldn't you be going to the ninja academy by now?"

After changing the subject, Uchiha Yoru casually asked with a smile, as if it were just like asking someone what rank they got in the exam this year.

Although Itachi Uchiha was only six years old and had been taught by his clan, he was still very polite. Although his heart was full of countless questions, he nodded very politely and said, "Last year, because of the clan's special training, I will be going to the village's ninja academy this year, but the start of school will not be until March."

Uchiha Itachi hesitated after answering. He had too many questions in his mind, and his older brother Shisui seemed to treat him too much like a child. Therefore, he looked at the clansman in front of him, whom even his father valued highly.

"Why are these children needed for this mission?"

Finally, Itachi Uchiha voiced his doubts. Upon hearing this, Yoru Uchiha gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Why not? If we don't look for children from outside, there will naturally be people in the village who want to capture children from the Land of Fire or even Konoha. Friends versus outsiders—if you were in that situation, what would you choose?"

This question immediately startled Itachi Uchiha. After hesitating for a moment, he said softly, "Of course, it's to protect our own people."

"Haha, not bad. In order to prevent some people in the village from turning against their own people, we naturally have to turn against outsiders."

Just as Uchiha Shisui seemed about to offer some words of dissuasion, Uchiha Yoru's face turned solemn, and he said in a deep voice, "Shisui, Itachi is the eldest son of the clan leader! He carries the glory of the Uchiha clan on his shoulders. From the moment he was born, he enjoyed the honor and all the material things that came with being the son of the clan leader. He was different from other children. From the moment he was born, he had to shoulder the heavy burden of the clan."

"Heh, Shisui, don't talk like a child. Kakashi Hatake graduated as a genin at five and became a chunin at six! A chunin is already leading a squad in battle. Do you think the Uchiha clan is inferior to the Hatake clan?"

Upon hearing the question, Uchiha Shisui immediately gave a wry smile, shook his head, and sighed, "Brother Night, that's not what I meant."

After saying that, seeing Itachi's calm expression, Shisui sighed and shook his head, saying, "Perhaps so, but Itachi hasn't gone to the Ninja Academy yet, and he's not a ninja."

Seeing Shisui still defending Itachi Uchiha, Yoru Uchiha just smiled, secretly cursing him as an idiot. If he hadn't taught these two sooner, one would have run away and committed suicide, and the other would have been a traitor. At that time, no one would have given him a chance to regret it.

"It's because Itachi is going back to the Ninja Academy that there are some things he can't learn there, so you and I have to teach him in advance."

He gestured for Itachi to sit in front of the fire. Itachi knelt respectfully to the side, while Shisui shook his head with a wry smile and sat down as well, but remained on guard at all times.

Looking at the innocent and confused eyes of young Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Yoru shook his head with a chuckle and said, "Itachi, you are lucky because you are the son of the clan leader. You were born with something that countless people strive for their whole lives but cannot obtain. But you also have to shoulder the heavy responsibility of protecting the clan."

"There are some classified missions that cannot be revealed, but as the son of the clan chief, there are some dark aspects of your identity that you must face. Therefore, I will tell you that wherever there is light in this world, there is darkness, and even the light itself is darkness."

Looking at Itachi Uchiha, who had a hint of confusion in his eyes, Yoru Uchiha was not discouraged at all. Instead, he smiled and nodded. Nothing can be achieved in one step. He would take it slowly and not rush. The Nine-Tails' attack had just ended. Shisui Uchiha was not yet the Shisui of Body Flicker who could not see any hope. Itachi Uchiha was still just a little kid.

If he doesn't bring these two back to the right track at this point, he might as well just smash his head against a block of tofu and die. Many people who transmigrate into the Uchiha clan train desperately to change the night of the clan's massacre, almost entirely relying on their superior strength. The best way would be to make these two his own people first. A hero needs three helpers.

"Human experimentation, which is explicitly prohibited in the ninja world, has always existed. It's not just Konoha; it's also the Five Great Nations and some other ninja villages. As for some smaller ninja villages, it's not that they don't want to, but that they don't have the capability."

Human trials!

Upon hearing this term, Itachi Uchiha couldn't help but show a look of surprise. Itachi Uchiha Yoru was even more moved than he had ever seen. Itachi secretly recalled the eight children from earlier. Could it be that the clan had been conducting human experiments all along?

Uchiha Yoru naturally had no idea what Itachi was thinking, but it didn't matter. He was going to leave an indelible stain on Itachi's understanding of the Hokage while Itachi was still a blank slate.

"The village has been secretly conducting human experiments, and as you know, the clan has been isolated since the Nine-Tails Night, so in order to find outside help, they have no choice but to bet on Orochimaru-sensei."

When Orochimaru was mentioned, Uchiha Yoru pretended to show an excited and admiring expression, with a determined look on his face. "Itachi, you are still young and cannot understand the current predicament of the clan. But I can tell you that Orochimaru-sensei's current reputation will soon make him the Fifth Hokage. At that time, the clan will definitely return to the center of power in Konoha and regain the trust of the entire village."

At this moment, Uchiha Yoru was a complete fanatic, placing his hopes for the future on the future Fifth Hokage. The best way to smear someone is not to directly slander them, but to praise another person, thereby raising a flag and subtly revealing the ugliness of the other person.

Upon witnessing this scene, Shisui's expression hardened, and he nodded solemnly, saying, "Brother Yoru, don't worry. Once Lord Orochimaru becomes the Fifth Hokage, the clan will definitely return to Konoha."

He firmly believed this! At this moment, Shisui solemnly shouted in his heart, while Uchiha Itachi, who was standing next to him, heard such a statement for the first time, and instantly the glorious image of the future Fifth Hokage Orochimaru, whom he had never met before, appeared in his mind.

Since the family's hopes are all placed on the future Fifth Hokage Orochimaru, and the family, father, and Shisui's older brother all believe this, then it must be the right thing to do.

In an instant, Itachi Uchiha's bewildered eyes brightened with determination. Although he couldn't understand much or fully comprehend everything, he knew that the Hokage in his mind was a great person. Since Orochimaru was the future Fifth Hokage, he must be a great Hokage.

Seeing Itachi's determined look, Yoru Uchiha thought to himself, "Don't be fooled. You're someone who can kill Orochimaru with a single glance, and you're the nemesis of snakes, Itachi. Don't end up becoming a loyal supporter of Orochimaru."

Uchiha Yoru wasn't some kind of brainwashing master, but he knew that the Uchiha needed a hope, and the Fifth Hokage, Orochimaru, was that hope. Before that, he needed to infinitely amplify the goodness of the future Hokage in the eyes of Shisui and Itachi, two important people. After all, if I say the Hokage is good, no one can say anything wrong, right?

Is it too much to use Orochimaru, with his glorious image, to strike down the remnants of the old era? It's fine if it's a little excessive, after all, there's the future Hokage who is a shining example.

The Hokage is hope, but what happens when that hope collapses? Thinking of this, Uchiha Yoru smiled. He didn't know what would happen, but one thing was certain: the glorious and holy image of the Hokage was no longer clean. He wanted to see how Konoha would continue to deceive the traitors of the Uchiha clan.

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(End of this chapter)