Immortality begins with the ninjas of Konoha

The wind-style chakra within his body was extremely sharp, even damaging his meridians. Without the protection of the tailed beast chakra, Killer Bee felt he might have died.

"The Konoha ninja first locked onto us with their Byakugan, and then ambushed us on our way forward."

"This time it was my fault. I underestimated the enemy's strength. Konoha is indeed a formidable opponent."

"Next time we need to replenish our sensory ninjas; the Byakugan is really useful in battle..."

As Ai spoke, he began to envy Konoha's bloodline limit. Although Kumogakure had plundered some over the years, the use of ninjutsu bloodline limits was clearly inferior to that of the Byakugan.

...

Minato Namikaze, having completed his mission, was also reporting from the Hokage Building. Speaking of the Jinchuriki he had encountered, he said with a grave expression:

"The Jinchuriki of Kumogakure can already use the Tailed Beast Cloak. From my observation, they should have also mastered the semi-Tailed Beast Transformation."

"The Iron Armor Seal won't be very effective, as the Jinchuriki of Kumogakure have often gone berserk in the past."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, gave a simple response: according to the intelligence gathered, the Hidden Cloud Village would even extract the Tailed Beasts from the Jinchuriki's body in advance, just to stop the Tailed Beasts from going berserk.

Upon hearing that the other party might further control the power of the Tailed Beasts, Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned. In recent years, the development of Tailed Beasts by various ninja villages has made rapid progress.

Not wanting to worry Minato, Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped talking about the Tailed Beasts and asked with a smile:

"How are the young people performing? You seem very satisfied with them."

"Impeccable. At their age, you can't ask them to do more. Their mastery of techniques has surpassed that of most Chunin."

Minato Namikaze seemed to have thought of something else, and with a bright smile, he continued:

"Shu has inflicted considerable damage on Killer Bee of Kumogakure. Considering his level of medical ninjutsu, he should have no problem being promoted to Special Jonin."

"Haha, the promotion nomination is Tsunade's business. She must be feeling troubled!"

"I felt the same way when I was teaching Orochimaru. Jiraiya would sometimes talk to me about you. Teaching a genius is very stressful."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke of these juniors with genuine joy; the village's future depended on these young geniuses, and he had not let his teacher down.

At this moment, Minato Namikaze forgot about the undercurrents in the village. It didn't matter who the next Hokage was, as long as the village could continue to prosper.

-

At the end of January, Osamu Furukawa returned to Konoha Hospital after completing his mission. He continued to practice medical ninjutsu every day and also discussed the use of chakra with Tsunade.

"Activate the whole body? Accelerate nerve conduction?"

After finishing her bento, Tsunade started glancing sideways at the question, and when she saw Shizune looking expectant, she reluctantly responded to Furukawa Osamu:

"You're delusional again! Lightning Release Chakra Mode might not be difficult to master, provided you have a superhuman body."

"Even with the same secondary extraction and activation, ordinary ninjas simply cannot extract a large amount of chakra."

"The same applies to accelerated nerve conduction; receiving signals quickly does not mean that the brain can make the right decision."

"Have you learned the [Disorderly Rush] technique I taught you?"

Tsunade tapped the table seriously. Furukawa Osamu saw Shizune give him a wink and knew she was in a bad mood, probably because she hadn't eaten enough lunch.

"Teacher, I have completely mastered it."

Tsunade was somewhat speechless. Furukawa had only been back for less than three days, and he'd already mastered the new technique she was taught. Noticing Shizune's admiring expression, she didn't bother to check and directly demanded:

"You didn't make enough bento boxes, go buy me another eel rice bowl!"

"Teacher, Lord Fugaku will be bringing his wife for a medical check-up soon."

When Furukawa Osamu reminded her, Tsunade felt a little embarrassed, only then remembering Uchiha Mikoto's matter; she had almost forgotten their promise.

"Then let the clone go buy it! Don't even think about slacking off!"

"..."

Chapter 46 Light and Darkness (Part 1)

In early February of Konoha Year 47, within the Uchiha clan's territory, many Uchiha clan ninjas curiously looked at the young man beside the clan leader.

Although located in the "Second Ring Road" and some distance from the commercial area, the Uchiha clan still manages their clan's territory very well, and some villagers even choose to shop here.

In a rice cracker shop run by an elderly couple, many children cheered loudly as they received free gifts, while teenagers chased and played outside the shop.

The merchants warmly greeted the customers, and the Uchiha ninjas who remained in the clan territory bowed respectfully to their clan leader.

Such a peaceful scene made Fugaku Uchiha feel proud, as it demonstrated his governing ability, and the Uchiha clan was thriving under his leadership!

"Is this your first time here, Furukawa-kun? In fact, the Uchiha clan sells superior goods and weapons at prices lower than most merchants in the village."

"This is why everyone likes to come here to shop; we warmly welcome exchanges among colleagues!"

When Fugaku Uchiha spoke of the clan's situation, he appeared proud, but his expression quickly changed. He sighed regretfully as he lamented the clan's predicament:

“Many people in the village have a great misunderstanding of us, and the reputation of the guard team is getting worse and worse.”

"Many people may have forgotten that Konoha was originally founded by the Senju and Uchiha clans."

"We love this village just as much."

Wearing a Chunin blue casual uniform, Furukawa Osamu nodded in agreement, but he didn't engage in any talk of passion with the clan leader, instead responding with a smile:

Is Lord Fugaku worried about the village cutting its guard budget?

"I don't think we need to worry about it for now. It seems that there is internal strife in Sunagakure. Once war breaks out, Lord Orochimaru will be sent to this front."

"The Uchiha clan will definitely be drafted, and the village will even increase its budget for the next quarter."

Upon hearing "increase the budget," Fugaku Uchiha didn't smile. Instead, he sighed helplessly and said:

"It seems that Furukawa-kun is already aware of the Uchiha clan's predicament. As the clan head, I need to think about the future of the clan."

"..."

The two did not discuss the matter in depth here. After taking Furukawa Osamu on a tour of the clan's territory, Fugaku Uchiha returned home together.

As the clan head, Fugaku Uchiha's family home was not large, but every corner was exquisite, and it had all the modern appliances, making his living conditions far superior to those of ordinary people.

Uchiha Mikoto, heavily pregnant, served tea to the two of them. In a few months, she would be welcoming a new family member, and Mikoto's smile was exceptionally gentle.

"I really hope this child can have the same talent as Furukawa-kun."

Fugaku Uchiha also had high expectations for his first child. A loving expression appeared on his face as he looked at his wife and whispered:

"I believe in this child. Go and rest."

After Furukawa Osamu politely bowed and sat down again, Uchiha Fugaku suddenly asked a somewhat pointed question:

"Furukawa-kun, what are your thoughts on the Uchiha clan?"

I didn't want to talk about these things, but when Furukawa Osamu mentioned the budget earlier, Uchiha Fugaku knew that the child in front of him had an unusual "capacity".

"The Uchiha clan may carry the village's 'darkness,' a phenomenon I've observed over many years."

"Many people are driven by jealousy and hatred. Although my teacher didn't want me to be involved with these things, everything that happened at Konoha Hospital kept reminding me of them."

"A father who is a ninja might even be jealous of his son's talent, and this jealousy eventually turns into hatred, with the 5-year-old boy swinging his sword at his father."

"The hatred left over from the war continued to spread, and the hatred distorted the minds of the ninjas, making death a kind of relief."

Osamu Furukawa calmly gave an example, not exaggerating, that he had witnessed many instances of a 5-year-old child killing his father and being absorbed by the Root.

Unexpectedly, Fugaku Uchiha was speechless for a moment upon hearing this answer, while Osamu Furukawa, on the other hand, showed a kind smile and continued:

"Light and darkness are both part of the village. The Uchiha clan has shouldered a heavy responsibility, as even the Hokage has seen."

"..."

After a long silence, Fugaku Uchiha sighed. He actually felt that what Osamu Furukawa said made sense. The guards faced the evil in the village directly and were indeed part of the "darkness".

"No wonder many Jonin have such high regard for Furukawa-kun. Do you think the Uchiha clan has a chance to make changes in the future?"

"It depends on the attitude of the higher authorities. Relying on village funding has always been problematic, and the system needs to be reformed."

Furukawa Osamu didn't hide his purpose. Seeing Uchiha Fugaku nod, he continued:

"That's why I've always hoped that Tsunade-sensei could become Hokage and redistribute the benefits."

“The Uchiha clan can get rid of some of the guard duties. Everyone knows the Uchiha ninja’s talent, and the guard is too small.”

"As a disciple, this is my wish, and I will continue to work hard for it. As for the outcome, that depends on the village's choice."

Fugaku Uchiha, who had always been dissatisfied with the higher-ups, couldn't hold back when he heard the word "choice" and instinctively asked:

"What if the village makes the wrong choice..."

He stopped mid-sentence, and Furukawa Osamu, unperturbed, continued his response with a relaxed expression:

"Without making the wrong choice, the Hokage will eventually gain everyone's approval."

"You flatter me. My views tend to be somewhat narrow-minded whenever I talk about the Uchiha clan."

Fugaku Uchiha chuckled self-deprecatingly and gave Osamu Furukawa a deep look. He understood why other ninja clans would take the initiative to make contact; ordinary teenagers wouldn't have such thoughts.

The two stopped discussing these "profound" topics, and Fugaku Uchiha took the initiative to share his insights on Fire Release ninjutsu, and even presented a scroll as a final gift.

During dinner, Mikoto Uchiha, encouraged by Osamu Furukawa, became quite talkative. Watching the two chatting about cooking, Fugaku Uchiha felt a sense of anticipation.

"If Mikoto's child also had such talent, the Uchiha clan would eventually become Hokage."

"..."

After seeing off Furukawa Osamu, a white-haired Uchiha ninja arrived. Although Uchiha Hachimoku was older than Uchiha Fugaku, he was very respectful in front of the clan leader.

As one of his trusted confidants, Fugaku Uchiha shared their previous conversation. The Eighth Hokage, sitting opposite him, was displeased by the metaphor of "darkness," and eventually shouted:

"Arrogant brat!"

"Didn't he ever imagine that the Fourth Hokage would emerge from the Uchiha clan? Truly worthy of being a ninja trained by the Senju clan!"

Fugaku Uchiha remained silent, only staring at his trusted aide. The Eighth Hokage Uchiha quickly lost his anger, then muttered dejectedly:

"I'm sorry, clan leader, I shouldn't have lost my composure."

The Eighth Hokage knew that the Fourth Hokage would be chosen from among the Legendary Sannin, and in terms of prestige and connections, the three of them far surpassed the Uchiha clan ninjas.

Seeing that his trusted aide had regained his composure, Fugaku Uchiha gave him another instruction:

“This is a good opportunity for us to enter the center of power, Eighth Generation. I don’t want to hear any other voices in the clan.”

"..."

Chapter 47 Light and Darkness (Please continue reading)

Unlike the brightly lit commercial district, the Uchiha clan compound under the moonlight had a very different atmosphere than other parts of the village, even though it was located in the "second ring".

As they were about to leave the area, Furukawa Osamu, with his hands in his pockets, looked into the shadows and spoke up to warn them:

"You've been following me for so long, don't make me invite you out."

"..."

With no response, the Root ninja hidden in the corner held his breath, formed hand seals, and tried to aim at the target to use the Mind-Body Transfer Technique.

The pupils behind the mask suddenly contracted, and the Root ninja, who was kneeling on the ground, realized that Furukawa Osamu had disappeared. He secretly exclaimed, "Body Flicker Technique!"

"Uh..."

Osamu Furukawa grabbed the Root ninja by the throat and lifted him into the air. The Root ninja, whose throat was being choked, made unconscious noises, and the childlike face behind the mask became ferocious due to lack of oxygen.

"What a despicable tactic, sending children to spy on us, a pointless test."

Furukawa Osamu commented in a low voice, casually throwing the Root boy to the ground. The other party must have already planted the seal of the root of tongue disaster, so "talk no jutsu" is useless.

In previous missions, the ninjas of the Root Aburame clan had left a deep impression on Osamu Furukawa. If it weren't for his Chidori Stream catching them off guard, the battle wouldn't have ended so easily.

The children of the mountain clan in front of us likely possess special talents as well, since Root always manages to absorb these outcasts from powerful ninja clans.

"The mountain captain took care of me; next time, send an adult instead."

"Just report back truthfully."

Furukawa Osamu only showed the other person his back. The Root boy, who was lying on the ground gasping for breath, barely managed to prop himself up. He didn't feel relieved; instead, a sense of loss welled up inside him.

"I have disappointed Lord Danzo..."

-

At 5 a.m., Furukawa Osamu finished refining the Sage Chakra at home. Under the influence of the Spirit Transformation Technique, the Sage Chakra mist stored in the Hundred Healings Seal became even denser.