Naruto: From Fake to Real, Deceiving the Ninja World.

Uchiha Yakumi chimed in, "They're afraid we'll achieve great feats, afraid we'll gain more influence and power in the village, and then..."

"enough."

Fugaku Uchiha, who had been silent all along, finally spoke. His calm voice was not loud, but it instantly choked all the accusations of the three men.

"Stop arguing with the villagers! Remember your responsibilities!"

Fugaku Uchiha sighed and said in a deep voice that left no room for doubt, "Also, Itachi has been allowed to join the Anbu. You should understand what that means."

Having said that, he stopped looking at the three people whose expressions had changed from anger to astonishment, and continued walking straight toward his residence without changing his pace.

On the riverside path, only two figures, one tall and one short, remained.

Moonlight filtered through the treetops, casting dappled shadows on Fugaku's somber face and illuminating Itachi's thoughtful expression.

In order to maintain the security of Konoha Village, a police force was established, mainly composed of the Uchiha clan, to work for the village day and night.

In other words, the police force is Konoha's "police agency".

However, there is another group of security forces in the village.

That's the Dark Side.

As the Hokage's direct subordinate unit, the Anbu are involved in almost all important missions inside and outside the village. Major crimes that occur in the village are also handed over to the Anbu by the police force for handling.

There is no clear boundary defining where the police force's jurisdiction lies and where the covert operations are the targets of their searches.

As things stand, the Hokage usually makes the decisions, and the type of investigation changes each time.

Therefore, the police force and the Anbu often clashed, and each time Fugaku would stand in front of the police force and negotiate with the Third Hokage and the Anbu.

Therefore, the person who knows best about the conflicts between the police force and the ANBU is Fugaku, who is both the head of the Uchiha clan and the captain of the police force.

However, he could not change it.

The only solution he could think of was to get Itachi to join the Anbu.

She hopes her son can become a bridge of communication between the village and the clan.

The Third Hokage's approval of the application relieved Fugaku Uchiha.

"I hope everything goes well," he sighed to himself.

As the Hokage's personal guards, the Anbu believed that the Third Hokage's agreement to the request indicated that he still harbored affection for the Uchiha clan.

Even Fugaku harbored a sliver of hope.

If his son, Uchiha Itachi, could be chosen by the Third Hokage, like Uchiha Kagami and Senju Tobirama before him, and taken as a disciple, wouldn't that be...?

Want to challenge for the Hokage position that he once longed for but could never reach?

However, at this moment, Fugaku Uchiha did not notice the change in Itachi's eyes behind him.

"..."

Uchiha Itachi followed half a step behind his father, raised his head, and looked down at his father's broad but taut back.

He knew that the words of Uchiha Inahi and the other two represented the sentiments of many clan members.

At the same time, however, Itachi Uchiha was harboring thoughts different from those of his clansmen.

Those who only consider the interests of their own clan can only see what is detrimental to their own clan, but they are completely unaware that the stability and security of the village is the prerequisite for all decisions.

The transfer of a large number of ninjas, especially the large-scale mobilization of a clan's elite, would have far-reaching consequences.

However, the weakened Konoha cannot do without a police force.

Moreover, trust is always mutual.

How could the clansmen possibly gain the absolute trust of the higher-ups if they always harbored the worst suspicions and displayed such distrust and resistance?

Always calculating immediate gains and losses...

They completely disregarded the safety of the entire village...

They always distinguished between a clan and a village so clearly...

Deep within Itachi Uchiha's black eyes flickered a heaviness completely incongruous with his age.

The thought that "the clansmen don't understand the bigger picture" was like a tiny thorn, carrying a hint of untimely resentment, piercing Uchiha Itachi's heart.

"We're all from the same village," he thought to himself. "If you look at things from the perspective of 'which side you're on,' you can't see the big picture."

Thinking of this, he remembered the man named "Shimura Danzo" and the question the man had asked him not long ago.

"On a sinking ship, you are carrying ten of your compatriots, one of whom has contracted a deadly infectious disease."

"If we let him live, the other nine will also fall ill and die later. If you were the captain of this ship, what would you decide?"

At that moment, Itachi Uchiha thought to himself, "Why would someone ask such a question to someone they've just met?" However, in the next instant, he subconsciously gave his answer.

“A sick person will die no matter what; it is his fate.”

"If I were the captain, my top priority would be to save the lives of the other nine people, choosing to kill one to save the nine."

Then, Itachi Uchiha saw the man smile.

“Your answer is clear and straightforward,” he said. “Uchiha Itachi, I look forward to the day we meet again.”

(The above content is from "Naruto: Itachi's True Story," a light novel co-written by Masashi Kishimoto and Takashi Yano, so some of the content is still of reference value.)

Meanwhile, in a place unnoticed by Itachi and Fugaku Uchiha.

Black and White Zetsu emerged from underground, their upper bodies swirling in the air beside them, and Obito Uchiha appeared at their side.

“Black Zetsu.” Obito frowned, staring at Itachi Uchiha in the distance. “Is that guy the reincarnation of Madara Uchiha that you mentioned?”

In fact, even now, it's not 100% certain that Black Zetsu is real.

Because the time before Madara Uchiha died and the time when Itachi Uchiha was born did not match.

However, now that the Senju clan has abandoned their surname and merged into Konoha, finding Ashura's chakra reincarnation is like finding a needle in a haystack. They can only target the most likely candidate first.

So Black Zetsu nodded, his voice hoarse, and said, "That's right, I can sense that he has the potential to awaken the Rinnegan, just like Madara."

Upon hearing this, Obito Uchiha's eyes flickered, and after a moment he spoke, "Then let's do as you say."

At the same time, in Amegakure, the village of the Land of Rain.

The rain, the incessant rain, continues to shroud this ravaged land.

The towering spire pierces the leaden-gray sky, and the main body of the tower is grotesque and terrifying, like a demon sticking out its tongue.

At this moment, at the highest point of Amegakure, two figures stood silently in the rain, perched on the long, scarlet tongue that the demon had spat out.

"Isn't the time right yet?" Hanzo asked coldly. "I've had enough of those bastards from Konoha and Sunagakure!"

"I really want to kill all those damn bastards!"

(8,000 words today, please vote for me QAQ)

Chapter 131 The Tiger That Has Escaped Its Cage

"Lord Hanzo, are you really getting old?"

"Hanzo doesn't even dare to make a move anymore..."

"Were they scared out of their wits by Konoha and Sunagakure?"

"What 'hero'? He's nothing but an old coward who cowers in his tower and only knows how to send people to protect himself!"

"I heard that Hanzo has been killed..."

"Yuyin, it's over...we're finished..."

Hanzo stood like a rock on the red tongue, his heavy, suppressed breathing coming from beneath his mask, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists tightly.

His eyes gleamed with barely suppressed anxiety.

Standing here, through the rain curtain before him, Hanzo could feel the death permeating the villages on the border of the Land of Rain, villages ravaged by war.

Fear is spreading rapidly through the Land of Rain like a plague. People whisper among themselves, their eyes filled with the fear that the tragedy of the Second Shinobi World War will be repeated.

Rumors and gossip about him circulated throughout Amegakure and even the Land of Rain.

Every word of disappointment and disdain felt like a whip lashing his face!

All of this was stimulating his long-dormant fighting spirit.

He longed to descend upon the battlefield as he had in the past, to crush those invaders who dared to trespass on the territory of the Rain Kingdom like insects with his scythe and deadly poison!

He longed to sink the bones of those invaders into the filthy mud of the Land of Rain, and to reaffirm the fearsome name of "Hanzo" that had once made the five great nations tremble with their blood and death!

But he can't!

Because of that person's command, that 'Shadow's' command!

That mysterious being granted him the power to return to his peak and even surpass his former self, using incomprehensible means to revitalize his aging and decaying body.

However, the price of this power is a certain degree of obedience.

That guy said it wasn't the right time yet, there wasn't enough bait.

Bait?

What kind of bait?

Those ninja from Konoha and Sunagakure?

What exactly does 'Shadow' want to do?

Hanzo didn't know.

However, before Sunagakure and Konoha crossed his bottom line, he had no choice but to obey the 'Kage's' orders and be tied up here.

Standing at this highest point, in the cold rain, enduring the inner torment and the growing doubts and ridicule from the outside world, I waited impatiently.

Every explosion that came from afar lashed at his already taut nerves.

"..."

In contrast, Nagato ignored Hanzo's habitual self-pity.

He sat on the edge of the red tongue with one leg casually dangling outside, the other leg bent, his elbow resting on his knee as he gazed into the distance.

Those deep Rinnegan eyes pierced through the heavy rain, their invisible perceptions outlining the Sand Village and Konoha ninjas fighting each other madly on the border of the Land of Rain.

Rain Tiger Free Technique is a ninjutsu that uses chakra to create rain clouds and then make them rain. Each drop of rain is closely connected to his senses.

Its unique climate adaptability allows it to perform at its best in rainy weather, reduces chakra consumption compared to conventional sensory ninjutsu, and enables it to monitor the entire area around the clock to prevent infiltration by external forces.

If he had the power he once possessed as Pain, this technique would have only covered Amegakure at most, but now it can sense the entire Land of Rain.

And all of this, just like Hanzo, is because of that person.

Therefore, compared to Hanzo's anxiety, Nagato appeared unusually calm.

Because he knew more about the secrets of the 'Kage' than Hanzo did, and knew about the power lurking in the shadows that overturned the ninja world's understanding.

He knew that 'Shadow's' words were not unfounded; this seemingly incompetent and indifferent detachment must be hiding an important plan.

So he simply sat quietly, like a stone statue unmoved in the wind and rain, waiting for the command to be given.

And just as this oppressive silence was almost solidified into reality.

A calm, smiling voice came from behind without warning.

"Time is up."

Hanzo and Nagato's bodies jolted simultaneously. Nagato slowly retracted his foot, which was hanging outside, while Hanzo suddenly turned around, splashing water in the process.

Behind them, in the shadow of the demon's throat, the deep darkness coalesced as if alive, and figures silently emerged from it.

That face was still shrouded in shadows, blurring the view. A wide black robe enveloped his figure, revealing only a profound depth that seemed to devour all light.

"Shadow, what did you say?"

Hanzo's heart pounded like a drum, and he blurted out the question instinctively.

The 'Shadow's' gaze seemed to pierce through the rain curtain and land on a gigantic maw that had long since opened for this feast.

No explanation or motivation is needed.

"Go."

'Shadow's' voice was unusually calm, even gentle, but the words it uttered sent chills down the spines of those around it: