Konoha, reported by the Fourth Hokage at the start.

Chapter 262 Itachi, Daily Life, Gray Flames

night.

Leaf.

Uchiha clan territory, Fugaku Villa.

The two elders arrived together, and Fugaku, a Fire Release clone, received them in a reception room.

"Go out."

Inside the room, after the servants poured tea for the three of them, Fugaku, the Fire Release clone, waved his hand and said.

The servant bowed and left, closing the door behind him.

The door had barely closed when the First Elder, representing the radical faction, slammed his hands on the table without even touching his tea, leaned forward, and coldly questioned his Fire Release clone, Fugaku: "Clan Head, why didn't you advocate for clan ninjas to go to the front lines at today's Hokage meeting?"

Today, the Hokage once again summoned the heads of all the major clans to a war mobilization meeting, demanding that each clan send more ninjas to the front lines of the Land of Earth in an effort to annihilate Iwagakure in one battle.

However, this does not include the Uchiha clan.

A year has passed since the start of the Fourth Shinobi World War, and the Uchiha clan is still being held back in Konoha. Only a few Uchiha ninjas who graduated from the Ninja Academy have been qualified to go to the front lines to participate in the war.

This caused dissatisfaction among many members of the clan, who felt that the Uchiha clan had to always stay at home.

Without the honor of war, how could they become Hokage?

The key issue is that their clan leader doesn't fight for power and lets that monkey from the third generation make arrangements.

This made the radical elder feel that he had been deceived by the Fire Release clone Fugaku, who had no intention of rebuilding the glory of the Uchiha clan.

"Don't worry, Elder."

Fugaku, using his Fire Release clone technique, smiled and gently pushed the teacup in front of the radical elder's table, saying, "Have some tea first, then listen to what I have to say."

"Yes, why are you in such a hurry? The clan leader has his own arrangements," the conservative elder said, trying to smooth things over.

He was actually quite anxious about Konoha's decision not to send Uchiha clan ninjas to the battlefield.

After all, this was the Third Hokage's act of distrusting and ostracizing the Uchiha clan.

However, he chose to believe that the young clan leader opposite him must have his own unique solution.

"Isn't there a rush!"

The radical elder stood up abruptly, pointed at the conservative elder, and said, "If this continues, who will remember the once illustrious reputation of the Uchiha clan, and who will care about the interests of the Uchiha clan?"

The conservative elder remained silent. Although he was conservative, he also wanted the Uchiha clan to integrate into Konoha. However, if they continued to be treated differently, the Uchiha clan would eventually be completely separated from Konoha, which was something he had been trying to prevent.

"What did the clan leader say?" The conservative elder could only look at his Fire Release clone, Fugaku.

Upon hearing this, the radical elder also turned his gaze toward the Fire Release clone, Fugaku.

The Fire Release clone, Fugaku, remained calm, took a sip of tea, and said, "Sit."

Upon hearing this, the radical elder glared and was about to lash out again, but when he met the calm gaze of his fire-style clone, Fugaku, he trembled and obediently sat down.

"This guy's strength has increased again!"

While the radical elder was wary, he was also secretly pleased, as having a powerful clan leader was always a good thing.

It would be even better if the clan leader were a bit more assertive.

"Don't worry about your people not being able to go to the battlefield."

Fugaku, the Fire Release clone, smiled and said, "We don't need to fight for it. Before long, the Third Hokage will ask our Uchiha clan to go to the battlefield."

Li Yao wouldn't let Konoha have it so easy, otherwise how could he create an opportunity for Madara to orchestrate Obito's corruption and awaken the Kamui Mangekyou Sharingan?

"We just need to wait quietly," said Fugaku, the Fire Release clone.

Upon hearing this, the radical elder frowned and asked doubtfully, "Could it be that the hidden villages of the other three major nations will attack us?"

The conservative elder looked thoughtful.

This Shinobi World War can be considered the best start for Konoha since the First and Second Shinobi World Wars.

No hidden village attacked Konoha. Looking around the Land of Fire, Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure were all facing off, while Iwagakure was simultaneously facing Sunagakure, Konoha, and Kumogakure.

It was precisely because of this rare and perfect start that the Third Hokage wanted to concentrate most of his forces to prioritize the destruction of Iwagakure.

In this way, even if the other three great hidden villages besiege Konoha in the future, Konoha will have greater strength to deal with it.

This is much better than fighting against the hidden villages of the four major nations simultaneously.

However, it was precisely because of this good start that the Third Hokage was able to keep the Uchiha clan within Konoha Village. Otherwise, other ninja clans would not have wanted their members to go out and fight.

After all, the purpose of suppressing the Uchiha clan was simply to reduce the number of people sharing the bigger pie.

If there's no big slice of the pie to be had, and instead, there's a price to pay, then other clans wouldn't be willing to sacrifice themselves while the Uchiha clan sits in the back enjoying peace and quiet.

Therefore, the only time the Third Hokage would personally request the Uchiha clan to join the war would be when Konoha was facing attacks from multiple hidden villages, was unable to cope, and needed the Uchiha clan's strength.

But given the current situation, the other three great hidden villages have no intention of attacking Konoha.

The two elders couldn't understand where Fugaku's confidence in his Fire Release clone came from.

Fugaku, using his Fire Release clone technique, didn't explain further, simply telling them to go back and wait.

Helpless, the two elders could only return to their respective places in the face of the overwhelming power of the Fire Release clone, Fugaku.

After the two elders left, the Fire Release clone, Fugaku, returned to the main bedroom.

"The Grand Elder and the others have come looking for you again."

Uchiha Mikoto, holding a baby in her arms, came forward and used one hand to help her Fire Release clone, Fugaku, remove his outer garment, while closing the door behind her.

Since the start of the war, the Grand Elder has frequently visited her husband, and Mikoto has gotten used to it.

"Hmm." Fire Release clone - Fugaku nodded, then smiled and stretched out his hands, "Come here, my Itachi, let your father give you a hug."

Uchiha Itachi was born, but it's unknown whether his father was Fugaku, the Fire Release clone, or the body of Li Yao, a Jonin from Amegakure.

Regardless of whose child it was, Li Yao named the baby boy Uchiha Itachi.

He wanted to see if this Uchiha Itachi would have the same filial piety as in the original story.

Uchiha Itachi stared wide-eyed at his father with curiosity.

Staring into Itachi Uchiha's big eyes, the Fire Release clone Fugaku suddenly became interested. Holding his son in one arm and wrapping his arm around Mikoto's slender waist with the other, he immediately pressed him onto the table, letting his son sit on his mother's beautiful back.

"The carousel has started, Little Weasel!"

"Honey...wait..."

"Itachi...not yet...cannot..."

"call……"

An hour later.

The drama of a harmonious family of three has come to an end.

Beauty is just a passing interest; in Li Yao's mind, improving his strength is still the most important thing.

Inside the training room, Fugaku, the Fire Release clone, sat cross-legged, his hands clasped together in the air, with a ball of flame burning within them.

The color of this flame is very strange.

It wasn't orange-red, nor white, but a somewhat dull gray.

The flame was very hot, but the light it emitted was very weak.

If it weren't for the lights in the training room, even with the lights off, one might not be able to see the gray flame in the hand of the Fire Release clone, Fugaku.

"Soon!"

Looking at the ball of gray flame in his hand, Fire Release clone Fugaku murmured as he accelerated the purification of its properties.

In fact, the current gray flames have a chakra nature transformation intensity comparable to a bloodline limit.

With its powerful combustion capabilities and high temperatures, it has broken free from the basic chakra attribute restraint and become a new fire-style chakra attribute.

However, it's still a little short of the level of fire-style ninjutsu that Li Yao wanted, which was at the bloodline limit.

Once the properties of high temperature are also incorporated into the combustion characteristics, what Li Yao obtains is the fire-style ninjutsu chakra at the bloodline limit elimination level.

His fire-style ninjutsu chakra follows the path of Amaterasu flames, emphasizing the burning characteristic of burning everything.

(End of this chapter)