Chapter 185: A Way to Save the Uchiha

Chapter 185: Chapter 185: A Way to Save the Uchiha

If the intruder who had just come to the Ice Style ninja’s aid really was Uchiha Shinichi, then there was no longer any need for the Uchiha clan to continue trying to make contact with the Kumogakure delegation.

With that thought, Fugaku hurriedly said to the Third Hokage, "Lord Hokage, please allow the Military Police Force to join the pursuit!"

Since they were already here, the Third naturally had no reason to refuse. He smiled and said, "Very well. We happen to be short on manpower right now."

With that, the Third said nothing more and immediately gave chase in the direction Hyuga Kagami and Shisui had broken through.

Konoha’s ANBU and the Uchiha Military Police Force silently followed after him without a word.

The Kumogakure jōnin hesitated for a moment before ultimately deciding to follow along and see what happened...

......

Meanwhile, on Hyuga Kagami’s side.

As Shisui raced alongside Kagami, he asked, "Senpai, how are you able to use Ice Release?"

In theory, even an ordinary ninja had a certain chance of mastering the nature transformation fusion of Water Release and Wind Release chakra, thereby awakening the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai.

However, the probability was so incredibly low that it could practically be regarded as impossible.

"We’ll talk about that later." After a brief pause, Kagami asked, "You knew the Third was chasing me, so why did you take so long to get here? If you’d shown up any later, I would’ve been in serious trouble!"

Shisui looked apologetic. "I’m sorry. I didn’t expect Lord Hokage to personally take part in the pursuit."

It wasn’t just Shisui—even Hyuga Kagami had overlooked that possibility. But thinking about it carefully, it was perfectly reasonable for the Third to personally join the pursuit.

Something had happened to the Kumogakure delegation immediately after the peace treaty had been signed. If the Third didn’t show that he took the matter seriously, then even if the attacker had nothing to do with Konoha, Kumogakure could still use it as an excuse to stir up trouble.

That was why the Third had to personally take action!

Kagami shook his head. "Forget it. I didn’t think things through either."

Recalling what had just happened, Shisui asked worriedly, "Senpai, do you think Lord Hokage might figure out that it was me just now?"

Kagami curled his lips. "It’s not that easy for them to suspect you specifically. At worst, they’ll just suspect that the Uchiha clan is colluding with outsiders. So stop worrying about nothing."

Shisui’s face immediately darkened. "Senpai, you really don’t know how to comfort people."

Glancing at Shisui, Kagami said calmly, "You’re too close to the situation to see it clearly."

Shisui looked puzzled. "What do you mean by that?"

"Do you really think Lord Hokage doesn’t already have evidence that the Uchiha clan is planning a rebellion? With how arrogant and overbearing your clansmen are, do you honestly think gathering evidence of the Uchiha plotting a coup would be difficult?"

Shisui immediately fell silent.

Kagami continued, "Your clan meetings have been getting more and more frequent lately. Behind the scenes, you’ve also been purchasing large quantities of explosive tags, weapons, and ninja tools. Forget the village higher-ups—even our Hyuga clan has heard about it."

Shisui was even more at a loss for words.

Kagami asked with a baffled expression, "There’s something I’ve never understood. A coup is such a serious matter, so why is your Uchiha clan handling it so sloppily? You haven’t even made your move yet, and you’ve already let everyone know what you’re planning. How could you possibly succeed like that!?"

This was something Kagami had never been able to wrap his head around.

In the original timeline, the Uchiha clan had been just as indecisive. They had clearly revealed their intention to rebel, yet they hesitated and delayed, refusing to make their move.

Even after the village relocated them to a remote corner and built tall buildings around the Uchiha compound to keep them under constant surveillance, they still failed to realize the danger they were in.

In the end, the clan known as Konoha’s foremost prestigious clan was wiped out in a daze without even managing to make a splash.

As far as Kagami was concerned, when it came to something like a coup, not even the slightest hint of rebellious intent could be revealed before all the preparations were complete. And once the time came to act, they should strike decisively with overwhelming force.

Yet the Uchiha clan had committed practically every mistake that could possibly be made when plotting a coup.

So their defeat really wasn’t unjustified at all!

Shisui said quietly, "Actually, there used to be many people in the clan who opposed the idea of a coup. It was only after Shinichi successfully defected that everyone started getting ideas they never should’ve had. That’s when the situation spiraled out of control."

Uchiha Shinichi had only just awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, yet he had effortlessly broken through the Root base that the Uchiha clan had always regarded as a formidable threat.

Not only that, Shinichi had calmly escaped the village’s massive manhunt, slaughtering the ANBU sent after him and leaving them in complete disarray.

Shinichi’s rampage through Konoha had made the Uchiha clan deeply aware of just how vulnerable the village truly was.

"The village is nowhere near as strong as we imagined. We have the overwhelming advantage!"

Recently, this had become the phrase heard most often during Uchiha clan meetings.

Previously, only a faction of hardliners within the Uchiha had been unwilling to accept the clan’s exclusion from the village’s upper echelons of power and wanted to gamble everything on a coup.

After Shinichi’s defection, nearly the entire Uchiha clan became hardliners.

They had suddenly realized that a coup really could succeed—and their chances of success even seemed quite high.

Kagami teased, "So that’s why your clan has been searching everywhere for Uchiha Shinichi’s whereabouts? You want to bring him back into the clan?"

Shisui nodded helplessly. "The clan really does have that intention."

Kagami chuckled. "Your clan head sure has a nice dream—three pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan sweeping through the entire village. But with how indecisive he is, he really isn’t cut out for plotting a coup."

"Three pairs!?"

Shisui froze for a moment before exclaiming in shock, "You mean Lord Clan Head... he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan too?!"

Kagami nodded. "If I’m not mistaken, he probably awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan a long time ago. It’s just that the Fourth Hokage was still around back then, and Orochimaru hadn’t defected yet. Fugaku was isolated and lacked the strength to act alone, so he didn’t dare reveal it."

The situation Fugaku had faced back then was entirely different.

The Fourth Hokage and his wife had both still been alive. Of the Legendary Sannin, only Tsunade had left the village, while Orochimaru and Jiraiya were both still in Konoha. The Third Hokage, Danzo, and the rest of the old guard were also present.

Under those circumstances, Fugaku had no choice but to conceal his Mangekyō Sharingan.

But things were completely different now.

The Fourth Hokage and his wife were both dead. Orochimaru had defected. Jiraiya was stationed on the front lines. Within the village, only the Third and Danzo’s generation of old-timers remained.

Meanwhile, the Uchiha clan had gained two rising talents who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.

With one side losing strength while the other gained it, the balance of power had undergone a complete reversal.

At this point, Shisui looked utterly shaken.

It was as though his clan’s rebellion was already unfolding right before his eyes.

Coming back to his senses, he hurriedly asked Kagami, "Senpai, is there any way to stop all of this from happening?"

A strange smile crept across Kagami’s face.

He took a storage scroll from the ninja pouch at his waist, then pulled out a black cloak and a mask covered in flame patterns.

Handing the cloak and mask to Shisui, Kagami said, "Put them on. From this moment forward, you’re a member of Kamigami. Your codename is ’Homura’!"

Shisui accepted the cloak and mask, murmuring, "Kamigami...?"

The smile vanished from Kagami’s face as his expression turned solemn.

"That’s right. This is the way to save your Uchiha clan!"