novel-bin Chapter 375 The Trend Is in My Hands
Chapter 375 The Trend Is in My Hands
Chapter 375 The Trend Is in My Hands
Conference room on the top floor of the Hokage Building.
Mitokado Homura's view of the Uchiha clan was precisely the most orthodox view of the Uchiha by the Konoha leadership.
These elders of Konoha had witnessed Madara Uchiha's power; the title of "Shura of the Ninja World" was earned with countless lives.
The reverence for Madara Uchiha was almost ingrained in the bones of their generation.
In addition, the Second Hokage's earnest teachings kept them constantly on guard against the Uchiha clan, which explains why, even after so many years, they still tend to be more wary of the Uchiha than to utilize them.
Fortunately, that cunning old man Danzo was killed by Taiichi long ago; otherwise, if he were still in power, Minato might not have had the time to deal with these matters now.
Minato looked at Mitokado Homura, who was talking eloquently, smiled but didn't say anything. He just gave Taiichi a wink without making a sound, and Taiichi immediately understood.
"The elder's words are somewhat biased—"
Taiichi straightened his posture, looked at Mitokado Homura opposite him, and directly stated his opinion, but before he could finish speaking...
"Matsushita Taichi, I'm talking to Minato, what right do you have to interrupt?"
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the room momentarily froze.
Taiyi's previously somewhat lazy demeanor vanished, replaced by a chilling aura of impending battle.
"Mitokado Homura, you interrupted me first because you didn't mention that the Hokage was asking me a question."
I am a Jonin of Konoha, and I have the right to make suggestions and deliberate on all village affairs. Do you think I have the right to speak?
And you, in this public place, throughout the entire meeting, have repeatedly addressed the Hokage by his given name. What? Do you look down on the Fourth Hokage?
Taiichi's words grew increasingly harsh, and his voice grew louder with each sentence. In the end, he roared directly at Mitomon Homura.
"You—you—"
Mitokado Yan's fingers trembled, and he struggled to utter a complete sentence.
He stopped talking and turned his gaze directly to Minato. "Fourth Hokage, look at him! Is that how he talks to his elders?"
Minato gave an awkward laugh but didn't say anything, though he was secretly thrilled.
"Heh—elder!" Taiyi was not to be outdone, and pressing his advantage was his forte. "Now you know to call me the fourth generation, now you know you're an elder. What, are you trying to take advantage of your age?"
We're discussing an important village decision. If we're just going to listen to whoever's older, what's the point of the discussion? Why not just compare ages?
Mitokado was truly enraged. He pointed at Taiichi, but couldn't utter a single word.
Seeing this, Minato knew to stop.
"Alright, Taiichi, you should say less. You should show some respect to your seniors."
He seemed to be trying to dissuade Taiichi, but if you hadn't emphasized the word "senior" so much, it might have seemed more sincere.
Taiichi knew when to stop, so he stood up and bowed to Minato, saying, "Yes, Fourth Hokage."
They made their respect for the Hokage crystal clear.
"Alright, let's get back to the main topic. Taiyi, now you can share your thoughts."
Mitokado Homura wanted to speak, but was stopped by Utatane Koharu next to him. She gently shook her head at Mitokado Homura and then pointed in the direction of Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Throughout the entire process, Hiruzen Sarutobi kept his eyes closed and even stopped smoking, clearly showing his silent support for Minato Namikaze's decision.
Mitokado Yan then shut his mouth and sighed helplessly.
"The historical issues surrounding the Uchiha clan are such that even the Second Hokage chose to punish only the ringleaders and let the others go. I think there's nothing more to say about that."
Regarding the Sharingan issue, I just want to say that the world is fair, and great power comes at a price, but to condemn an entire race because of this issue would be too arbitrary.
In the nearly 50 years since Konoha was founded, how many cases have truly resulted in significant damage to the village due to the Sharingan? Apart from Madara Uchiha, there haven't been any.
If we were to cripple ourselves over something like this, I think the other four great ninja villages would be laughing all the way to the bank.
Taiyi looked around at everyone present, his expression suddenly becoming incredibly domineering.
"Even if one day, some Uchiha gets out of control, I think I have enough power to suppress him. The Mangekyou Sharingan is powerful, but only Madara Uchiha was strong, not every pair of Mangekyou Sharingan. Besides, even Madara Uchiha, I have clashed with him head-on before."
Mitokado Yan and Utatane Koharu looked at each other, opening their mouths as if to say something in rebuttal, but the words wouldn't come out.
Taiichi's achievements are genuine; he actually fought against Uchiha Madara. Although Madara was an older man and his strength was unknown, there is no Madara in his prime who would oppose Konoha now.
Mitokado Yan was stunned for a moment, and finally could only sit down helplessly.
That's the young and strong type for you. They're so energetic in everything they do, and the key is that they also have the power to suppress everything, leaving you no choice but to submit.
"Haha, Taiyi is right, but Elder Yan's concerns are not without merit."
Minato then smoothed things over, giving the elder ample face.
"Uchiha is, after all, a member of the village, and I hope he can contribute more to the village. How about this, Taichi, you have a good relationship with the Uchiha, so you can act as the middleman and find out what they have to say."
Watergate ultimately made the final decision, bringing the meeting to a close.
Throughout the entire meeting, the Third Hokage remained silent, not even opening his eyes, simply serving as a backdrop and witnessing the entire event.
This changed Taiyi's opinion of the old man.
Since Danzo's death, Hiruzen Sarutobi's intelligence and emotional intelligence have been consistently high. He even stepped down decisively, and after stepping down, he only played a support role.
Looking back, Taiichi was incredibly grateful for his decision to take direct action and eliminate Danzo. He couldn't even imagine what Taiichi would do if the two of them were to get mixed up again.
After the meeting ended, Taichi accompanied Minato out of the conference room, leaving only the three advisors inside.
Once the footsteps of Minato and the other man had completely disappeared, Mitokado Homura could no longer wait and went straight to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Hiruzen, why aren't you saying a word? You're just letting those two juniors run wild. Do you think you can trust the Uchiha so easily? You and your teacher spent so much time on this and still couldn't solve it. You think they can?"
Mitokado was already quite exasperated, and even his tone of voice became accusatory.
Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly opened his eyes, and just one glance was enough to shut Homura Mitokado's mouth.
He sighed deeply and said earnestly, "Yan, the Uchiha matter is just a minor one."
Mitomon Homura's eyes widened, thinking there was something wrong with his ears. He was about to speak when Sarutobi Hiruzen raised his hand to interrupt him.
"Taiichi's strength is no longer something we can limit. Even if his power hasn't reached the level of Lord Hashirama, it should be on the same level as Lord Hashirama."
"What?! How could this happen?!"
Not only Mitokado Haru, but also Utatane Koharu, who was standing next to her, stared wide-eyed at the news. It was simply too unbelievable.
Taiyi is so young, yet he already has such strength. What will he be like in the future? And will Konoha be able to unify the ninja world with this?
As Xiaochun turned to her new room, her mind raced, already envisioning a bright future.
But----
"That's just how it is," Hiruzen Sarutobi replied with absolute certainty.
As the Hokage, he certainly didn't believe everything Taiichi reported.
Whether it was the great battle between Taiichi and Madara Uchiha, or his battle against the extraterrestrials, Hiruzen Sarutobi always arranged for the Anbu to investigate the scene afterward.
The scene was just as Taiichi described, even more terrifying. In any case, the battle scene reconstructed from the scene completely exceeded Hiruzen Sarutobi's imagination.
This is one of the reasons why he stepped down and relinquished power so decisively.
"Yan, there are some pieces of information that I can't reveal to you. In short, just know that Uchiha Madara is not our most troublesome enemy. In a corner of the ninja world, there are even more terrifying and powerful enemies waiting for us."
Compared to them, the Uchiha clan is nothing. What we need to do now is unite all the resources within the village and develop ourselves as much as possible.
Mitokado Homura's initially aggressive demeanor gradually subsided, and he muttered to himself, "So that's how it is, so that's how it is."
After hearing what Hiruzen Sarutobi said, he understood why Hiruzen had made those changes at the school and hospital before; it turned out that they were all in preparation for this.
But even he, the advisor, couldn't know exactly what kind of enemy they wanted.
He opened his mouth as if to ask more questions, but in the end he kept his mouth shut. After all, he was a ninja, and he still had the basic principle of keeping secrets.
That evening, after school, the three little ones went straight to Tai's house for their daily training, as usual.
The golden rays of the setting sun lazily spilled onto the training field, casting long, thin shadows of the three small figures.
Sweat streamed down Jiang Tai's round face as he gritted his teeth and persisted in doing squats, his body trembling slightly.
Yami sat cross-legged to the side, eyes closed and mind focused, with an extremely faint whirlwind surrounding her. She displayed astonishing talent in the art of wind manipulation.
Itachi Uchiha's movements were the most fluid and graceful. The kunai in his hand transformed into streaks of black light, accurately hitting the bullseye that was constantly changing position in the distance. The angle and force of each throw were almost perfect.
He hadn't activated his Sharingan, but his composure and insight beyond his years were enough to make Taiichi, who was watching from the sidelines, nod in approval.
"Alright, that's all for today." Taiichi's voice broke the silence of the training ground. He put down the scroll recording the progress of the three people and clapped his hands.
Jiang Tai felt as if he had been granted a pardon, collapsing to the ground, gasping for breath. Yami slowly opened her eyes, wiping the fine sweat from her forehead. Itachi silently put away his kunai, deftly walking towards Taiichi, his eyes questioning.
Taiichi walked up to Itachi, his face bearing his usual gentle smile, but his eyes held a more serious expression than usual. "Itachi, go back and tell your father," his voice clear and steady, "that I will be visiting his residence tonight to discuss important matters."
Itachi Uchiha's clear black and white eyes widened slightly for a moment, then returned to calm.
He didn't ask any more questions, but simply nodded seriously: "Yes, Taiichi-sensei." His voice was still young, but it carried a maturity beyond his years.
Jiang Tai and Ya Mei looked at Tai Yi curiously, but Tai Yi just smiled at them: "You two should go home early too. Si Tian's training is going well, especially Ya Mei. Jiang Tai, you should eat more too, physical training consumes a lot of energy."
Watching the three children leave the training ground, Taiyi looked up at the sky. The sun had already sunk most of its way down, leaving only a dark red glow on the horizon. He turned and went back inside, changing into a more formal dark-colored casual outfit.
As night falls, the lights of Konoha Village come on. The hustle and bustle of the streets gradually subsides, but the Uchiha clan's territory retains its unique atmosphere.
Even within such a large clan, not everyone possesses the talent of a ninja; most of those seen are simply commoners with Uchiha blood.
Furthermore, unlike the Hyuga clan, the Uchiha clan did not have strict requirements regarding marriage between clan members and outsiders, which resulted in a considerable number of ordinary people within the Uchiha clan.
Tai swaggered to the entrance of the Uchiha clan. The Uchiha guards clearly recognized this renowned Konoha Jonin, who was also the teacher of the young clan leader Itachi.
A barely perceptible hint of wariness and reverence flashed in their eyes, but they still allowed them to pass with courtesy, and someone quickly informed the clan chief's residence.
Fugaku Uchiha's residence was ancient and solemn. Taichi was led into a simply furnished yet dignified reception room.
Fugaku was already waiting in the main seat, with two steaming cups of tea on the small table in front of him.
He was dressed in dark tribal clothing, his face was calm, and his deep black eyes looked particularly sharp under the light. The nickname "Fierce Eyes" Fugaku was really well-deserved.
"It is a great honor to have Taiichi visit," Fugaku said in a deep, steady voice, with a hint of delight in his tone. He gestured for Taiichi to sit down. "What brings you here?"
He got straight to the point, without any unnecessary pleasantries.
Since the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, took office, the Uchiha clan has been extremely sensitive to any movements by the Konoha leadership. Taichi's arrival, given his close ties to both sides, itself carried a certain signal.
Taiyi sat down calmly, picked up his teacup and took a sip, savoring the slightly bitter yet sweet taste spreading across his tongue.
He set down his teacup and looked directly at Fugaku: "Clan Head Fugaku, I dare not presume to offer my guidance. I have come today to tell you that the opportunity your clan has been longing for has arrived!"
Fugaku's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly, and he tapped his fingers lightly on the table. He forced himself to remain calm and continued speaking in a composed tone.
"Oh? I'd like to hear more about it."
"The Fourth Hokage," Taichi emphasized the title "Hokage," "intends to push the Uchiha clan to integrate more deeply into Konoha's core system."
He paused, observing Fugaku's reaction. Seeing that the other remained unmoved, he continued, "This is not a test, but a show of sincerity based on practical considerations. Konoha needs the power of the Uchiha, especially in these turbulent times."
Fugaku paused for a moment, then slowly said, "The Uchiha clan's determination to protect Konoha has never changed. However—what exactly does 'integration into the core' refer to?"
He deliberately avoided the implication of "the past being excluded" in Taiyi's words, and steered the conversation toward the substance.
Taiichi smiled slightly and made a key suggestion: "The Fourth Hokage hopes to invite outstanding ninjas from the Uchiha clan to join the Anbu."
Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in Fugaku's eyes. The Anbu were the Hokage's elite forces, directly involved in the village's top-secret missions, holding a special position.
The Uchiha clan's joining the Anbu signifies their true entry into the core power structure of Konoha, granting them access to the most crucial intelligence and decision-making processes.
This is a very significant olive branch.
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