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(A/N: Previous Chapter Correction - I made an error in the last chapter—actually, LV6 is Yang Release. Also, just to clarify, the protagonist relies on Wood Release for the early stages and locates Uchiha Obito. His ultimate goal is to obtain the Kekkei Mōra.)
"Madman." He walked toward the Uchiha clan's gathering point for the day.
However, Shuuzawa's mind was still on his earlier meeting with Aburame Ryouma, and he couldn't help but curse inwardly.
He found that Danzo, that old lunatic, was truly shameless. He was supposed to fund the orphanage in the first place.
He used it to talk to him as if it made him seem noble, which made Shuuzawa unable to hold back his irritation.
"Does this guy not even know how to properly manipulate people?"
They always said Danzo was good at controlling minds, but after following him for so many years, Shuuzawa had realized—
He certainly knew how to control people. Physically. On the other hand, although Orochimaru had become a rogue ninja, plenty of followers in Konoha still believed in him.
The difference between them was simply enormous. "But his mission..." That bastard Danzo had given him two new tasks.
[Acquire a new mission]
[Obtain Obito's Sharingan]
[Acquire a new mission]
[Establish contact with Sunagakure].
Shuuzawa completely ignored the first one because he didn't believe he could steal a Mangekyou from Obito, who had both Kamui and Izanagi.
"That old lunatic Danzo is utterly obsessed with Sharingan. He'll think of anything." But the other mission was quite interesting.
The Obito task was a long-term one, still in its investigative phase.
It would have to go through higher-level discussions even if they discovered anything.
In the meantime, he had the opportunity to visit Sunagakure for the handover.
Shuuzawa didn't mind this mission, especially since something had suddenly come to mind.
"Sunagakure... seems to have something unclaimed that can provide a massive amount of chakra." The Ryumyaku.
That was something incredibly valuable and significant. If Namikaze Minato were still alive, he wouldn't dare act recklessly.
Minato had left a Flying Thunder God seal at the Ryumyaku's location precisely to prevent another Anrokuzan situation, allowing him to reinforce it anytime.
"But now that he's dead, it's my opportunity. If only it weren't so far away..." The farther the distance, the more chakra Flying Thunder God consumed.
Plus, it wasn't his seal, and he wasn't sure of the Ryumyaku's current state. So, he displayed his 'rational' side, and he didn't act recklessly.
"Shuuzawa, you're here." When he arrived at the Uchiha gathering point, Yuugao was the first to approach him with concern.
"I heard about it last night. I never expected something like that to happen. Are you okay?"
"Don't worry, I'm fine." Shuuzawa immediately smiled.
As expected, kind and beautiful girls could always lift one's mood.
However, he remained mindful of the situation, especially since Kakashi, Shisui, and Tenzo were present.
He didn't say much but took the opportunity to hold Yuugao's hand discreetly and walked toward the group.
"Good morning, Kakashi-senpai."
"Shisui-senpai, is Itachi alright?"
"Thank you, Shuuzawa-kun, it's all thanks to you." Shisui nodded, while Kakashi had mostly recovered from the previous night's agitation.
He simply nodded at Shuuzawa without speaking. Seeing this, Shisui quickly said, "Alright, let's go. The clan head is waiting for us."
With that, he led the group toward the Uchiha district. Currently, the Uchiha clan is located at the edge of Konoha.
In Shuuzawa's memory, this unfortunate clan had been forced to relocate twice.
The first time was during Senju Tobirama's era. Under the guise of giving the Uchihas the largest residential area as one of the strongest clans in the ninja world, Tobirama also assigned them the highly powerful Konoha Police Force.
This bound them to the police department and pushed them to the village's outskirts.
Shuuzawa's boss, Shimura Danzo, orchestrated the second time.
Exploiting the chaos caused by the Nine-Tails attack, he initiated a new wave of clan relocations.
With the Third Hokage's tacit approval, the Uchiha were pushed further to the outskirts.
Their new location was even farther from Konoha's bustling districts and closer to Konoha's prison. The Uchiha were essentially locked in.
This was one of the many reasons for their resentment. Given their naturally proud nature, they rarely bothered to explain themselves.
Instead, they used physical means to silence gossip, making the villagers despise them more.
This vicious cycle only led to further estrangement between the two sides.
Now, outsiders weren't even allowed into the Uchiha district. "This place seems nice."
Shuuzawa glanced around before turning to Shisui and Kakashi with a smirk. "But your clansmen don't seem too welcoming. Is it because of you, Kakashi-senpai?"
Kakashi rubbed his covered Sharingan eye in exasperation. That eye had indeed caused quite a stir back in the day.
"Or maybe it's because of you, Shuuzawa?" Tenzo suddenly grinned, lowering his voice.
"After all, you beat up their clan head's son without giving him a chance to fight back. I heard there was a lot of controversy over Itachi becoming a Chunin."
There was indeed significant debate over Itachi's promotion. Shuuzawa's Flying Thunder God had instantly defeated him without being able to counterattack.
Even though most people would be equally helpless against the technique, doubts still arose. His urgency to complete his first Chunin mission wasn't just about duty but also about proving himself. "Forget it, we're here."
Shisui shook his head, cutting off the conversation. He couldn't outright say that the Uchiha weren't welcoming to anyone.
Soon, they arrived at a residence—Uchiha Fugaku's home. A servant led them to a pavilion in the estate, where Fugaku awaited.
"Clan Head Fugaku."
"Everyone, please sit." Seeing the arrivals, Uchiha Fugaku, looking slightly weary, invited them to sit down. He was truly exhausted.
After bringing Itachi home last night, certain information had inevitably spread.
There was nothing Fugaku could do about it. The appearance of the Mangekyou Sharingan was an enormous shock to the more extreme factions within the clan.
They had held an emergency meeting overnight, with some even suggesting taking immediate action to track down the mysterious Uchiha.
The idea nearly made Fugaku explode on the spot. That bastard was the one who caused the Fourth Hokage's death.
That bastard was the reason all his plans had failed. Moreover, Konoha was already keeping a close watch on this mysterious Uchiha.
If they had made any reckless moves now, it would only have cemented the link between the Uchiha and the Nine-Tails attack.
The Nine-Tails incident was already a critical issue between the Uchiha and Konoha. If confirmed, they would be left with only two choices: rebel against Konoha or wait for judgment.
Fugaku's resolve had wavered. He was no longer entirely opposed to extreme measures but wasn't stupid either.
If the Uchiha got directly tied to the Nine-Tails attack, they would become Konoha's public enemy.
Certainly, any extreme action would already make them enemies of Konoha, but at least they wouldn't spark universal outrage.
The late-night meeting had dragged on, involving negotiations with Konoha over certain key clan documents.
Fugaku and the clan elders were deeply dissatisfied, but he could only sigh in the end.
Circumstances were against them, and he had no choice but to compromise.
However, while he was willing to yield in certain areas, he would never reveal some things. Still, this had left a deep impact on him.
"I understand your intentions. After all, this matter is particularly serious."
Although countless thoughts ran through his mind, Uchiha Fugaku quickly composed himself and spoke calmly.
"However, I hope you all understand that there is a limit to what I can reveal. I must consider my clan."
"I understand, Lord Fugaku." Shuuzawa nodded. It didn't matter how much was said—he already knew most of it.
What he needed was just a pretext. "But this is of great importance. We are hoping for useful information."
"This is the Hokage's order. How could we dare to be negligent?"
Uchiha Fugaku nodded indifferently before speaking in an expressionless tone.
"You want detailed information on Uchiha Obito? That has already been prepared—I can provide it right now."
"However, regarding the evolution of the Uchiha Sharingan, I cannot disclose many details. I can only tell you the basics."
He wanted to mock them outright—'Doesn't Konoha already have this information? Why come to me?'
Although Senju Tobirama was far from being considered a benevolent leader, his formidable research skills were not denied.
Even Uchiha Setsuna had acknowledged that.
Whether he had conducted in-depth research on the Sharingan was hard to say.
However, Fugaku dared not voice such thoughts. Some things are as light as a feather until placed on the scales and become unbearably heavy.
"The Sharingan is a symbol of power, but at the same time, it is also a curse."
At this point, Uchiha Fugaku paused briefly before speaking again, his tone slightly heavier.
"Because only through loss can these eyes evolve. Once something is lost, what follows is endless pain. Whether it was Itachi, myself, or even Shisui—we all experienced this agony."
Having said this much, Uchiha Fugaku closed his eyes, remaining silent.
To him, he had already spoken enough. The rest depended on how others interpreted his words.
"That's not right."
At that moment, Kakashi, who had been silent, suddenly furrowed his brows and spoke.
"When Obito awakened his Sharingan, I was right beside him. He didn't lose anything—he did it to protect me!"
"But my Sharingan awakened because of my teammate."
Shisui sighed, countering Kakashi's statement, but quickly shook his head.
"Let's look at the information on Uchiha Obito first. I think that will be more helpful."
"No, I have a theory."
Shuuzawa wasn't in a hurry. He looked at Uchiha Fugaku seriously.
"Tell me, even when it comes to the advanced form of the Sharingan, does this rule still apply?"
"Under normal circumstances, yes."
Uchiha Fugaku opened his eyes and observed Shuuzawa for a moment before nodding. However, he then fell silent.
"I see."
Shuuzawa smiled. This was enough for him.
"Though the intel isn't comprehensive, I believe it's sufficient."
"Hmm?"
Yuugao and Tenzo looked puzzled, and even Shisui, Kakashi, and Uchiha Fugaku stared at Shuuzawa in confusion.
They had yet to grasp the situation.
"If what Lord Fugaku said is true, then I can confirm that the person in question is indeed Uchiha Obito."
Shuuzawa made his conclusion outright, causing Kakashi's expression to tense. But before he could speak, Shuuzawa shook his head.
"Don't rush. If we consider both Lord Fugaku's words and Kakashi-senpai's statement, I believe I now understand the nature of the Sharingan."
Uchiha Fugaku remained expressionless, but inwardly, he scoffed.
Do you think you understand the Sharingan with just this little information?
"You are both correct."
Shuuzawa continued, turning his gaze toward Kakashi.
"Lord Fugaku describes 'loss,' while you describe 'protection.' So, could it be that the Sharingan's awakening is actually a matter of emotional state?"
"That only an intense emotional trigger can bring it forth? Simply put, it's about 'psychological stimulation.'"
"Psychological stimulation?" Shisui murmured while Uchiha Fugaku furrowed his brows.
He suspected that Shuuzawa had seen Konoha's research documents.
"That's right. Psychological stimulation." Shuuzawa nodded and continued.
"The Uchiha attended last night's meeting, so they are aware of this matter. I have nothing to hide."
"The loss of a comrade and the overwhelming desire to protect—both are emotional fluctuations, both are forms of psychological impact. These emotions can elevate the Sharingan."
"Lord Fugaku previously mentioned that even the advanced form of the Sharingan follows the same principle 'under normal circumstances.'"
"So, could it be that the extent of the stimulation simply needs to be deeper?"
"A deeper level..." Shisui muttered while Kakashi's face turned slightly pale.
Yuugao and Tenzo still looked bewildered.
At this point, Uchiha Fugaku's expression darkened.
He was wondering whether this kid had read Konoha's classified documents and was now deliberately using them to toy with him.
He had spoken vaguely, yet Shuuzawa had directly revealed the answer!
"Yes. A deeper level." Shuuzawa tapped the table and let out a soft sigh.
"We all know Kakashi-senpai's past, at least to some extent. I also recall that Uchiha Obito and Kakashi-senpai were close. Nohara Rin was someone he cared about deeply.
So, if Uchiha Obito was there that day... what would have happened?"
The answer was obvious.
The room fell silent.
Witnessing firsthand as his best friend killed the girl he loved—such pain and distortion were beyond what any normal person could bear.
And according to Kakashi's account, Obito had a strong will to protect.
The shattering of his 'will to protect' and the devastating loss he suffered—both happening at the same time and to an extreme degree.
"Under such intense emotional turmoil, he could very well have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
Shisui and Uchiha Fugaku had the same thought at that moment, and they could now almost be certain—
The masked man was indeed Uchiha Obito!
After all, there was no known case of a non-Uchiha awakening the Sharingan under such extreme emotional circumstances.
"Shuuzawa-kun, we should report back immediately."
Shisui stood up at once.
He glanced at Kakashi, who looked utterly dazed, and although it pained him, he spoke seriously.
"We can now be almost certain—it's him."
"That's impossible!"
Kakashi suddenly stood up, his eyes shut tightly, revealing no emotion. "Even if that's the case, he should have come after me for revenge! Why would he target our teacher? Why?"
"Do you remember what your situation was at the time?" Shuuzawa sighed and shook his head, speaking softly.
"Kirigakure was pursuing you and Nohara Rin. But your leader, the Fourth Hokage, never showed up as a team."
"Tell me—could he have blamed the Fourth Hokage for this? Could he have believed this tragedy occurred because the Hokage failed to arrive on time?"
"He wouldn't..." Kakashi tried to argue, but he couldn't find the words. Grief-stricken resentment is a terrifying thing. Under such circumstances, who could remain rational?
"Besides that, I think I might know where he is now." Shuuzawa rubbed his chin and continued.
This time, Yuugao seemed to catch on. "You mean... he's in Kirigakure? That's right."
Shuuzawa nodded. He glanced at Kakashi and spoke gently. "After all, it was Kirigakure's pursuit that led to this incident in the first place."
"His abilities are mysterious and eerie, considering what he has done to Konoha... Kirigakure wouldn't simply let him be."
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