Saving the Uchiha clan starts with becoming the clan leader.

Kazuma's eyes turned cold.

"I say you're really naive. Do you really expect the Fire Lord or those nobles to take the initiative to deal with Konoha? Do you think they can't see that Konoha is a military group independent of the Daimyo's system? No, they see it very clearly, but they also know that they are no match for Konoha, so they can only choose to coexist peacefully. As long as Konoha doesn't decline, even if Konoha executes you, what can the Fire Lord do?"

Obito Uchiha's words were like knives, bluntly dissecting certain 'truths' that Kazuma himself had been avoiding.

The aggressive attitude made the coldness in Kazuma's eyes grow even stronger.

However, Kazuma did not suddenly lash out; he simply stared coldly at Uchiha Obito.

"Nothing can be done. Even if Hiramiya Nariaki, a legitimate special envoy, is killed by Konoha ninja, the Fire Daimyo will never break ties with Konoha. He can't afford the consequences of a complete break with Konoha. At most, he might harbor some resentment, but what good will that do? It can't harm a single hair on Konoha's head."

"Kazuma, stop deceiving yourself. It's impossible to get the Fire Daimyo to directly rule Konoha through gentle means. You know that yourself. If you want the Fire Daimyo to truly become the sole ruler of the Land of Fire, the use of force is inevitable. But... you know the problem yourself. With your limited strength, you are no match for Konoha."

"So I have to cooperate with you?"

He said with a cold smile.

“That’s right, cooperating with me is your best way out,” Obito Uchiha said frankly.

"...Well then, tell me your identity first! Otherwise, I can't trust someone who's hiding their true identity."

"Didn't you already guess?"

Under the mask,

Those scarlet eyes gleamed with an eerie light.

"You say you're Uchiha Madara, so what? If I wear a mask, can I say I'm Senju Hashirama?" Kazuma wasn't buying it.

"Don't get this wrong! Mr. Ma, I never need to prove anything to you. I hope you will cooperate with me, but that doesn't mean I can't do without you. Your companions may not be as famous as you, but as long as I can use them to cause some trouble for Konoha, that's enough for me."

Obito Uchiha said leisurely, completely unconcerned about Kazuma's sudden surge of killing intent and his unexpected attack.

Facing the kunai thrown by the horse,

Without dodging or evading,

The kunai pierced through his mask as if it had struck an intangible phantom, and became embedded in the wall behind him.

"Illusion? Or some kind of forbidden technique?"

He and Ma waited with bated breath.

He had no idea how his kunai had been dodged. It didn't seem like a space-time technique. After all, even the fastest space-time technique would have a momentary movement, but he hadn't even blinked. He could confirm that the masked man in front of him hadn't disappeared for that instant; he had been standing there the whole time without moving.

As for illusions

Based on his previous experience, he felt it was unlikely.

He tends to believe it's some kind of unknown forbidden technique, like the water transformation technique of the Hozuki clan in Kirigakure, which can almost perfectly evade most physical attacks.

"Kazuma, you'll understand sooner or later that you and your few companions alone are no match for Konoha. Cooperating with me is your best way out. The next time we meet... that will be when we start cooperating." Uchiha Obito gave Kazuma a deep look.

That's all for now.

We've had enough contact in the last two days. Now we just need to wait for Kazuma to suffer before we can persuade him. It will be more effective then. We can also use this time to continue looking for and contacting other targets. The Akatsuki needs more people. One Kazuma is not enough!

[264. Request one day off]

I'm in Gansu, and this epidemic is really exhausting. I'm resting today and will resume updates tomorrow.

"Saving the Uchiha Clan Begins with Becoming the Clan Chief" - Taking a day off

[Chapter 265. Daimyo Prefecture, Imperial Palace, Forbidden Library]

Konoha Calendar, Year 54.

At the end of February,

A bombshell dropped in Konoha: the Daimyo's special envoy to Konoha, Hiramiya Saikei, was attacked and killed inside the envoy's residence in Konoha. As this news spread like wildfire, a turbulent undercurrent was stirring beneath the seemingly calm surface of the Land of Fire... This is utter nonsense!

Before the undercurrents of the fart could even stir up, they were quelled by the voice of Daming Prefecture.

The current daimyo quickly contacted the Fifth Hokage, claiming that he had misjudged people and expressed his deep regret. He offered a large sum of money as compensation to the families of the victims. He also recalled the deputy envoy and other members of the special envoy's office, and then selected a new special envoy team to go to Konoha.

Even a prominent noble family like the Hiramiya clan, which was considered one of the best in the Land of Fire, obediently opened its doors, allowing the ninjas from Konoha to conduct a thorough search, taking away or destroying anything related to the Jashin cult left behind by Hiramiya Nariaki and Ogasawara Uemon.

Meanwhile, unseen beneath the surface, the hidden forces have already unsheathed their sharpened claws and fangs, heading to the Land of Hot Water to track down and investigate the Jashin Cult.

then,

And that was the end of it.

The world continued to turn as usual. The Konoha ninjas continued to be active in the ninja world, and the nobles of the Daimyo's mansion continued to indulge in pleasure. The cherry blossoms of spring had all withered, and the cicadas of summer were singing. Before they knew it, it was the end of May.

"It's noisy."

Kazuma hurled a shuriken, pinning the incessantly chirping cicada to the cherry tree in the courtyard. However, peace and quiet did not arrive immediately. These creatures could not be eradicated. The Imperial Palace was filled with trees, and the cicadas would chirp incessantly in the summer. At most, what he did could only silence the nearby cicadas, leaving only the distant noise in his ears.

"Kazuma, what's wrong with you lately? You get angry so easily... Have you lost control of your emotions?"

In the corridor,

He walked side by side with Ma and another person.

"Are you still holding that grudge?" the man asked.

“How could I forget? Konoha has gone too far. As a subordinate, they actually made the Daimyo apologize. It’s extremely rude! Asuma, as the Daimyo’s subject, don’t you feel ashamed?” Kazuma looked coldly at his colleague.

"Shame? Kazuma, you're exaggerating! Why take it to this level?"

Sarutobi Asuma didn't quite agree with Kazuma's opinion.

"What? You still have feelings for Konoha?"

"I am a Konoha ninja, and I am just stating the facts. But you, Kazuma, have been blinded by prejudice. You will find everything about Konoha disagreeable."

"Ha ha!"

Kazuma chuckled coldly. "You say you're a Konoha ninja, but even your father and your clan were betrayed by Konoha. It was your father who led Konoha to its peak, but now he's the only Hokage in history to be ousted and die under mysterious circumstances. Most of your clan members were sent to the battlefield and died. And yet... you still consider yourself a Konoha ninja?"

The words, sharp as swords, pierced the wounds in Sarutobi Asuma's heart.

The wound, which had finally become numb, suddenly throbbed with intense pain again.

Since burying my father,

He left Konoha and hasn't returned for almost a year.

"...Kazuma! You're asking for it!!!" Sarutobi Asuma stopped in his tracks, staring intently at Kazuma, his eyes blazing with fury.

"You don't have the guts to vent your anger on the person in question, so you want to use me as a punching bag? Asuma, is that all the ambition you have?"

Kazuma sneered, meeting Sarutobi Asuma's gaze without fear, and even continued to mock him, "Come on! Let me see how well you've mastered your Wind Release technique. Let's see if you can break through my Hardening Technique."

"Aren't you the same?"

Sarutobi Asuma didn't make a move. This was the Daimyo's residence, the Daimyo's official residence, and it wasn't allowed to act arbitrarily here. However, not making a move didn't mean he had to swallow his anger. "If you don't like Konoha, why not just attack? Why keep brooding over it all day?"

"To fight external threats, we must first secure internal stability. If it weren't for you and Di Lu getting in the way, I would have taken action long ago."

Kazuma's face also darkened.

"what!"

Sarutobi Asuma let out a disdainful laugh.

"If even Jiraiya and I can't handle them, we should save our energy and stop dreaming of making enemies of Konoha! People will die."

"So you think you can't handle those guys who overthrew your father, so you've just resigned yourself to fate? You don't even care if your father is crying and shedding tears in the underworld, right? Haha, having a son like you is truly a misfortune for the Third Hokage!"

This wave of mockery,

The blow caused blood vessels to bulge on Sarutobi Asuma's forehead, and it took a great deal of effort for him to restrain himself from striking back there.

"Kazuma, this is the last time. If you dare to bring up my father again, I guarantee you'll regret it." After uttering these harsh words, Sarutobi Asuma turned and left. His invisible anger had risen to a level that was almost visible to the naked eye. His rage, like a volcano erupting from his brows, could be seen.

Watching Sarutobi Asuma's departing figure,

The anger on Ma's face gradually subsided, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. A moment later, he returned to his usual indifferent expression.

It's not entirely flawless!

As long as there's a weakness, there's a chance to subdue Sarutobi Asuma without using force, and even potentially turn him to their side. Even if they can't turn him, as long as Sarutobi Asuma and the moderates don't hinder their actions, it would be considered a success.

To repel external aggression, one must first secure internal stability.

These are Ma's honest thoughts.

The Twelve Guardian Ninja, one of the most elite guard units around the Daimyo, split into two factions due to ideological differences. One faction, led by Sarutobi Asuma, was a moderate faction that believed the Hokage and Konoha had a purpose. The other faction, led by Kazuma, was a radical faction that believed the real power of ninjas should be held by the Daimyo, and Konoha should be directly governed by the Daimyo, making the Hokage unnecessary.

The two factions have clashed many times over this.

So far, both sides have been very restrained and no direct conflict has occurred; all the conflicts have remained at the level of verbal disputes.

The reason for this,

The reason is that neither side has the absolute confidence to overwhelm the other. Once a conflict breaks out that is difficult to stop, no matter which side wins, it will only be a Pyrrhic victory, or there may not even be a winner. It is not impossible for both sides to be severely injured or even perish together.

Therefore, Kazuma wanted to resolve the conflict between Sarutobi Asuma and the moderates without resorting to force. Otherwise, even if he could win the battle against the moderates, the remaining forces would not be enough to pose any threat to Konoha.

Moreover, if the moderates could be won over, the possibility of destroying Konoha would be greatly increased.

The conservative Lightning Release Four possess an extremely terrifying and destructive forbidden Lightning Release technique.

That destructive power,

Kazuma is really envious!

Among the two factions that split the Twelve Guardian Ninjas, the radical faction is generally stronger in one-on-one combat than the moderate faction. In a one-on-one fight, only Sarutobi Asuma and Jiraiya are confident that they can hold their own against the radical faction's attacks.

However, the other four members of the moderate faction have mastered a forbidden lightning technique, and if they were to unleash it, it wouldn't be impossible for them to annihilate the radical faction.

Of course, this forbidden technique also seems to have considerable limitations and is not so perfect, but Ma should be glad about this imperfection. If it weren't for the great limitations, the moderates might have eliminated the radicals long ago in order to maintain stability. Anyway, the conflicts between everyone have been going on for more than a day or two.

"However... it's not very reliable to place your hopes on others; you still have to rely on yourself."

Kazuma hadn't forgotten how freely and unrestrained the man who called himself Uchiha Madara had come and gone from his residence. He had always felt an indescribable sense of powerlessness in front of that masked man. He desperately wanted to become stronger so that when he encountered such a monster in the future, he wouldn't be so afraid that he wouldn't even have the courage to fight back.

"Forbidden techniques, secret techniques... what should we do?!"

As Kazuma walked back, he pondered how to become stronger.